What's Your Vote for "Best Ever" 13 Pin Guitar?

Started by Rhcole, October 29, 2016, 05:09:44 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Rhcole

I'm on my 5th V-guitar- Lgxt, Godin Multiac Jazz, Cort with outboard GK-3, Carvin SH-575, and now Godin Freeway SA. The closest to being perfect to me was the Carvin, but it slid off my leg constantly when played seated. It became a distraction so away it went.

They all had something not quite right for me. Lgxt tracked poorly with the Axon, Godin Jazz had an uncomfortable neck, the Cort was just a cheap guitar. The Freeway SA is absolutely fine but it pales next to my Gretsch or my Tele Thinline. I imagine if I just refused to compromise at all I'd get an internal GK and mount it in the best guitar I'd be willing to chop up.

What's your choice for "best of class"?

Pete1959

I have 3 GK equipped Strats: q black GC1 Strat with maple, Squire Surf Strat with internal kit, and an old Wayne's World 2 Strat with Warmoth neck and external GK3 pickup. I have borrowed a couple of Godins in the past before getting a synth. By far, the WW2 Strat wins in terms of comfort in playing.
I like the GC1 but the Squire Surf with internal GK I don't like the feel and is getting a Warmoth neck as well come January. If so, the GC1 will be my least favorite.
In terms of tracking, neither has an advantage IMHO.


Brak(E)man

swimming with a hole in my body

I play Country music too, I'm just not sure which country it's from...

"The only thing worse than a guitar is a guitarist!"
- Lydia Lunch


Shingles

Godin LGXT.
It's been my #1 for 15 years or more, so has the older L R Baggs X-Bridge. Track the best with my Axon gear and is a wonderfully versatile guitar in itself. To quality build and materials. But the hex pickups are piezo so don't sound quite authentic through my recently acquired VG99... nothing is perfect.
Nik
--------------------------------
Tonelab, VG99, Axon AX100, EDP, Repeater
Godin, PRS, Crafter and Roland guitars
Center Point Stereo Spacestation V3

Brak(E)man

swimming with a hole in my body

I play Country music too, I'm just not sure which country it's from...

"The only thing worse than a guitar is a guitarist!"
- Lydia Lunch

Rhcole

Well I'm real close to adding an LGX-SA. Seems to be universally liked, with the exception of the piezo sweat issues that can happen.


Rhcole


Elantric


carlb


SH-475 RMC by Carl B, on Flickr

Electronic mods (RMC system, Duncans, USB-out) were done by iGuitar workshop.

I've since added the 'Rhythm/Treble' ring around the pickup selector, the "cherry on-top."

Plays and sounds the best of any guitar I've encountered.
ES Les Paul, internal Roland GK
Boss SY-1000, Valeton Coral Amp pedal
Morningstar MC8 & MC6
QSC CP8 powered speaker

Rhcole

I remember when you were getting this modded, Carlb. Beautiful guitar. What is the purpose of the mute material by the bridge, to prevent excess string noise?

I have an LGX-SA on the way. I tried to get my hands on a Carvin SH-275, but it didn't sell very well and is discontinued. Hard to find a nice one used. That model would have fit my body dynamics better than the SH-575. Carvin pitched the Holdsworth Fatboy to me, but it didn't speak to me. They are going a different direction than my aesthetics with Kiesel, more of a shredder community.

Hey Elantric, I tried to find a distributor for the EVO but it's not easy to find.


carlb

It's a great guitar, Rob, thanks. I love being able to palm mute now without "attack of the 50 dB buzzin'."

Yes the felt material is just to mute the post-bridge vibrations. Better tracking, etc. If anyone knows of a cleaner looking approach, I'm all ears. The felt is effective, but doesn't look the greatest.
ES Les Paul, internal Roland GK
Boss SY-1000, Valeton Coral Amp pedal
Morningstar MC8 & MC6
QSC CP8 powered speaker

carlb

Yes, Kiesel seems to be chasing seven-eight-nine whatever number of strings, pointy-protrusioned solid bodies made from koa, swamp-ash, with dayglo-green hardware. Erm, someone's cup-of-tea, but not mine.

Let us know what you think of the LGX-SA. I've had a prejudice toward glued vs. bolted necks which originally pointed me toward the Carvins for a 13-pin guitar.
ES Les Paul, internal Roland GK
Boss SY-1000, Valeton Coral Amp pedal
Morningstar MC8 & MC6
QSC CP8 powered speaker

lespauled

I have an LGX-SA that I absolutely love.  The only thing that scares me about it is the RMC pickup lifetime.  I've read that they are not built to last.  In fact, if one saddle dies after a few years, it is recommended to replace them all.  It kinda makes me wish I didn't sell my RR strat.

frummox

In regard to muting strings above the nut and below the bridge I got something called the Jimmy Clip a couple of years ago.
http://www.thejimmyclip.com

shawnb

The most important factor is playability, so the answer is: Your favorite guitar!

Mine is a Peavey Wolfgang Special.  I have a gk-3 on it.    Way too fun to bend, hammer & whammy on that thing...
Address the process rather than the outcome.  Then, the outcome becomes more likely.   - Fripp

Vade

@ "Yes the felt material is just to mute the post-bridge vibrations. Better tracking, etc. If anyone knows of a cleaner looking approach, I'm all ears. The felt is effective, but doesn't look the greatest."

I went for a cheap solution for muting the strings above the nut and just cut a piece out of a stretchy hair tie; used a lighter after that to burn the ends clean. It tends to slide up a bit but it hasn't bothered me enough to bother fixing. Does it look any better? Personal preference I guess. It's hard to mess up a guitar as stylish as yours.



Drachen; Fender FTP Strat w/internal GK-3, Godin xtSA w/FTP, Boss GP-10, VoiceLive 3, Scarlett 18i8, ZBox IQ01, On-Lap 1502i, D:fine 4088, 4E Dual Axis Exp Pedal, VoiceSolo FX-150, Yamaha DXR 10, Gem. M2 Flute, Special 20 Harmonicas. Fender Deluxe Reverb Mahogany Cane.

https://soundcloud.com/vadie

Rhcole

Carlb, out here in N. CA I could show your guitar to my luthier and he would know how to solve it in a way that works with the design of the guitar. They do customized work for me now and then. Nothing wrong with improving the functionality of an instrument, I'm just personally really into the aesthetics as well.



carlb

#19
Some great ideas so far on the string dampening. Rob, maybe you could show the pic to your luthier, see if he has suggestions?

This is one of those projects that I somehow think I'll find the solution for by a stroll through the odd-and-ends aisle in the hardware store, or maybe some sort of hair-clip in a drugstore hair-care aisle. Something from a hobby store. A glob of hot-glue on each string after a change-out has crossed my mind but that would look pretty bad, heh!

Maybe a hunk of rubberized plastic, cut to size, under the strings ...

ES Les Paul, internal Roland GK
Boss SY-1000, Valeton Coral Amp pedal
Morningstar MC8 & MC6
QSC CP8 powered speaker

Rhcole

Hey Carlb,

This is my luthier http://www.groatinstruments.com/ Bob Groat is the main guy.
They do terrific work. They also know how to install and fix 13 pin equipment. Why not reach out to them and send them a picture of your guitar? They might be able to just make something and send it to you in the mail.

If you use them, post a picture!

GuitarBuilder

"There's no-one left alive, it must be a draw"  Peter Gabriel 1973

Elantric


abhijitnath


blindjammer2015

#24
Only ever played two, both godins. the Freeway SA on rent, and the LGX-SA which I eventually bought after trying it for a couple hours. Haven't had a bad thing to say about the LGX-SA since getting it, especially with one of the 2015 models that already has foam inserts for string dampening. But despite that, for some reason the B string still has the occasional overtone when I mute it, but it doesn't ruin tracking at all... and you just can't beat the combination of three outputs you can set up however you like. The modelling tones are aren't as warm by default as I would like, but I suppose all that can be fixed with EQ, either from the synthe itself or through a mixer in a PA situation. Tracking is great, and it's also a great guitar to play with a neck that feels great and very good magnetic humbucking pickups as well, though I wouldn't mind having a single coil installed between the two if possible. Definitely would buy another guitar from this line again.