GK-KIT-GT3 Install in a PRS DC3

Started by jpm, November 11, 2016, 04:44:58 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

jpm

Hi all, hope this is the right place to post this...

I just finished installing a GK-KIT in my PRS DC3. Well it's not really a DC3 any longer, I had PRS install 3 of their narrow 408 pickups (2 x 408 narrow Bass and one narrow Paul's Guitar Treble pickup) and coil tapping/splitting for each pickup. If you're unfamiliar with these pickups, the low down is they use wire from their 57/08 pickups, and when split/tapped, they actually add 1500 winds to the active coil so you don't get any volume drop going from humbucking to single coil. If you've noticed my use of coil split/tap, then it's because they actually do both things at once, in humbucker mode, the screw coils are tapped, so 1500 winds are out of the circuit, once you hit the switch, they coil split and then untap the 1500 winds. I'm pretty sure that's how they work anyway!

Well onto the GK...

I did a very basic install, no switches or visible volume pot, I already have enough knobs and switches on my guitar and since I'm running a FC-300 with my VG-99, I didn't feel the need additional controls. I simply used the original output placement for the 13-pin, all I needed to do there was drill some holes in a rough square, then chisel and file out to get the output assembly in there. I then drilled another hole for the mag output jack and used a spade bit to get the clearance. I had to cut away a little bit of the pickguard for the GK wires to go through, and also used a dremel to router out a small piece of the wood, again for the wires, so they could make their way into the bridge pickup cavity.

I ended up putting this thing together and pulling it apart a couple of times, the first assembly was a check to see how the pickup would sit, unfortunately the A string was fouling on the pickup, so I had to pull it apart and use my dremel to router down a little step for the pickup to sit on. I went fairly deep, into the middle layer of the pickup, thinking I could just use the appropriate spacer to get it back up to the right height. I ended up putting the thin plastic self-adhesive spacer back onto the step I made, and use the foam bits at either end of the pickup, under each screw. It's not my finest work, I got lazy and did the routing in situ, and could have been better if I disassembled the pickguard, put it on a flat surface, and also made a spacer for the bridge pickup cavity so the dremel router attachment had a flat surface to work on.

I put it all back together for testing, and due to some teething issues with the VG-99 (I bought it 2nd hand and the input jack was kaput, which made it very difficult to test, I didn't know if it was the VG-99 or my install that was the issue), I didn't pick up on the fact I had omitted installing a ground wire between the mag circuit and the GK circuit. I was getting a heap of noise in the separate mag circuit when the GK cable was plugged in, so yeah, had to pull it all apart again and install a ground wire. As advised on this forum, I just used the mag input to the GK board, but didn't connect the hot wire to the guitar volume pot.

Put it all back together and now it's working a treat!

I've also got a luthier buliding me a Tele at the moment, which will have RMC piezos in it, more on that one later  ::)

Here's some pics:



Output jacks:



You can just see my little routed "step"



Cutaway of pickguard and little recess for the GK wires




Headless68

is that a non standard GK socket plate you have on there too ?  (looks metal)

jpm

Quote from: Headless68 on November 12, 2016, 12:46:51 AM
is that a non standard GK socket plate you have on there too ?  (looks metal)
Ah yeah sorry forgot to mention that bit! I wasn't particularly enamoured with the stock, flat plastic one, and it just so happened this plate came with the RMC Poly Drive 1 preamp kit. I'm using the other one from the kit (which has the 13-pin plus a regular 1/4" socket hole) in my other build.

This one is anodized aluminium and although flat, they will conform to a decent radius with a bit of persuasion.

I know the collars don't match the cuffs next to the PRS one, but I don't care, it's a gigging guitar  ;)

gumbo

Read slower!!!   ....I'm typing as fast as I can...