Low and high E string barely tracking?

Started by ZenSonic, December 23, 2008, 03:24:08 AM

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ZenSonic

Greetings, what a great resource this site is. I feel like a kid in a candy shop! Thanks for making this site available.

I recently had a Headless custom guitar made with a Moses Graphite neck, Bondy bridge and an internal GK3 pickup. I need to put the sensitivity on the high and low E strings up all the way on my GR33 and the rest of the strings on 1 or 2 out of 8 just to get some sort of balance. I read here that I can adjust the radius on a GK3. Is this what I need to do? thanks in advance, ZenSonic

Here is a link to see my guitar.
http://buildingtheergonomicguitar.com/2008/09/mini-gordo-midi-guitar.html

Elantric

#1
Looks like your bridge has the narrow  Gibson spacing. ( distance between Low E and High E) The GK-2A was designed for the wider Fender spacing - thus you may observe the GK-2A's Pole pieces for these strings are not directly under the center of the "E" strings.

You may be better served by a Yamaha G1D hex PU -which has slightly narrower spacing  - compared to your GK-2A.

Bela Fleck uses the G1D, and i always use a G1D on my Gibson spaced bridge guitars.

Ebay is the source for G1D - since Yamaha ceased making these in 2004.

There is a new Axon PU similar to the GK-3A, - but I have not seen one yet so i can not comment.

Or the Roland GK-3A may be employed  - but its not as narrow as the G1D, but be advised that after tweaking the radius - they often become "microphonic" when using high gain VG-99 patches, and may need to be"potted" or  dipped in wax after adjusting the radius  to cure uncontrollable feedback.

Brent Flash

Welcome to the group ZenSonic!  :)

If you have a bigger space from the pickup to the string this will give you a lower output from that string. The string spacer provided with the GK-3 is what you will determine what needs to be done. I don't find that the radius adjustment does as much as the string sensitivity as far as the amount you can adjust but I guess whatever we can get is a good thing.

Most Steinbergers (I have 8, 2 with GK-3 pickups) barely work on the GK-3 because of the string spacing being a little narrow. Since you have a Steinberger type guitar you may have the same problem where the string is just barely over the outside pickups. This could be another thing going on with it.

ZenSonic

#3
Hi Sustainiac, thanks for responding. I have a GK3A internal kit not a GK2a..still an issue. Best,ZenSonic.
Quote from: sustainiac on December 23, 2008, 06:14:21 AM
Looks like your bridge has the narrow  Gibson spacing. ( distance between Low E and High E) The GK-2A was designed for the wider Fender spacing - thus you may observe the GK-2A's Pole pieces for these strings are not directly under the center of the "E" strings.

You may be better served by a GK-3A PU, or a Yamaha G1D hex PU - both have slightly narrower spacing  - compared to your GK-2A.

Bela Fleck uses the G1D, and i always use a G1D on my Gibson spaced bridge guitars.

Ebay is the source for G1D - since Yamaha ceased making these in 2004.

There is a new Axon PU similar to the GK-3A, - but I have not seen one yet.

Or the Roland GK-3A may be employed - but be advised that after tweaking the radius - they often become "microphonic" when using high gain VG-99 patches, and may need to be"potted" or  dipped in wax after adjusting the radius  to cure uncontrollable feedback.


ZenSonic

#4
Thanks Brent Flash, I guess I'll mess around with it some more. How do I adjust the radius on the GK3? Rick Canton, the guitar builder has all the spacers and info from when he installed it. best, Stephen

Elantric

On the VG-99, with GK-3A, I  set my string sensitivity to "30"

Try "30" for A, D, G, B - and "55" for your E strings - then tweak all for a balance.

"30" may sound like a low value for string sensitivity - but it gives far more dynamic range with most VG-99 patches.    

ZenSonic


Elantric


vanceg

Quote from: ZenSonic on December 23, 2008, 06:34:32 AM
Will do, thanks Sustainiac.

I have a VERY similar guitar with narrow string spacing and I need to set my hi and low E string sensitivity to 98 and the D and G strings to 2!  This is the most massive difference between gain settings I have ever seen and I was worried about it - but it seems to work just fine.

Vance

ZenSonic

Hi Vance that is good to know.....I don't have my VG-99 now but will try to adjust the variables to the best of my ability once I do.  Seemed allot easier with my Godin LGX-SA and Brian Moore 8.13 that use the RMC system but when everything is working right I prefer the sound of the GK3...I can get strange overtones that I love that are somehow absent with the other systems..I feel like I bought an old Jaguar with a carb issue that runs great when it is finely tuned. best, Stephen

mooncaine

Good thread! I, too, have a narrow, Steinberger guitar. I'll be keeping an eye on info about a good pickup to use when my GK2A wears out.

Does anyone have a link to a diagram, or measurements, for that Yamaha G1D?

Elantric


mooncaine