Mounting a GK3 with a Floyd Rose

Started by shawnb-fgn, February 06, 2011, 10:43:10 PM

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shawnb-fgn

Ok so I bit the bullet & did this.   I'm sharing this because I faced some interesting decisions & others might see the same.   Feedback welcome!

Note that I could not use the GK mounting bracket because it interfered with the bridge of my Floyd Rose.  So I had to choose another approach...

In figure 1 you'll see what I installed.  I chose this option because it gave me the greatest flexibility and did not interfere with the action of my Floyd Rose.  I can run my GR-30 and my VG-99 natively.  I did in fact drill a hole to hold the GK3 housing in place. 

In figure 2 you'll see what I was very tempted to do.  Very simple, only a little cable exposed.  This avoided my whammy bar as well, but required the 'reversed' setting in my GK devices.   My VG-99 could indicate a 'reversed' GK installation, but my GR-30 could not.   And I love my GR-30, so this wouldn't work.   

In figure 3 you'll see the 'normal' GK install, but you'll also see that the cable would have interfered with my whammy. 

It sounds great....   Why the F%&*(&^ Did I not do this before?

I have no problems with 9 gauge strings. 

Shawn

Dogmatic attachment to the supposed merits of a particular structure hinders the search for an appropriate structure.
- Fripp

Zummooz-fgn

Wow you should be an 'Aussie'  ;D ..... shawnb...Have No fear & dive straight in !

The GK-pick-up looks a tight fit ! 
Arrr Haaa.....Thats why you could fit it, No ring plates on the Buckers.
Can see how mount would get in the way of Floyd, they are chunky at the back of those aren't they.

Not sure If I've seen one installed that way around, But...Hey if it works & is out of your way.
Brilliant well done I say !

Quote from:  shawnb on February 06, 2011, 10:43:10 PM
Why the F%&*(&^ Did I not do this before?
(Think I said that after my divorce)

Haven't we all said something along those lines, after doing or trying something different  ;)
Cheers to ya shawnb 
Noticed......1 Volume & No Tone.....interesting  ???
Q... What kind of advice can you give me ?   Tommy Emmanuel's reply ....

You move your hand Up and Down that long bit and the music comes out of that Big Black Box behind you !!

MCK-fgn

Quote from:  Zummooz on February 06, 2011, 11:31:42 PM
Noticed......1 Volume & No Tone.....interesting  ???


As the saying goes... Tone is in your fingers! Certainly the case for Shawn here.


Great job! Inverted GK3 install works perfectly with the VG99 since there is a setting in the system to recognize the inverted GK. Older units like the GR33 did not have this setting unfortunately so I actually cut and reversed the leads on one of my inverted GK3 installs. All in good time. Look forward to hearing your new creations with your new GK3 installed guitar! Enjoy.
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shawnb-fgn

#3
Quote from:  Zummooz on February 06, 2011, 11:31:42 PM
Noticed......1 Volume & No Tone.....interesting  ???

EVH Peavy Wolfgang Special.

As simple as can be - a volume knob, a bridge/neck switch, & a whammy!

This guitar is all about the feel, the unfinished neck, the incredibly low action & it's very straight up aggressive lead tone. 
Designed by EVH himself... 
Responds to the lightest touch.  Sounds brilliant plugged straight into an amp.   
The manufacturing history is fragmented, different companies have made 'em over the years...   

If you run into one, give it a nice long sitdown & play...   

Dogmatic attachment to the supposed merits of a particular structure hinders the search for an appropriate structure.
- Fripp

shawnb-fgn

Notes after a few days of playing...

It took me a while to get accustomed to playing the DF when I first purchased it - different neck, fretboard, string spacing.   But my DF re-invigorated my love of driving electronics & synths via my guitar - including my GR30, & all the varied soft synths I own.  After reading this forum extensively (& a bit on VGuitarForums), I purchased a VG99.   Along the line, I started using my Epiphone Sheraton w/GK2A more & more, it was just easier to setup than the DF & had S1, S2, Volume.

Then this, mounting a GK3 on my Wolfgang.   In hindsight, I should have done this much sooner.   It's actually taken me a while to reacquaint myself with the neck & lighter strings.   

But man it's sweet plugged into the VG99.  I guess what I'm trying to say is...

I may never play my DF again. 

(Do NOT tell my wife...)
Dogmatic attachment to the supposed merits of a particular structure hinders the search for an appropriate structure.
- Fripp

MCK-fgn

Quote from:  shawnb on February 12, 2011, 09:05:29 AM

I may never play my DF again. 

(Do NOT tell my wife...)


I'm there with you. I try very much to love the DF but its just not working for me. Parker Fly with the GK3 is the one for me.
Dark Fire Initial Check Out  - Q/A
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=31267.0

Caig DeOxit - Buy now before you need it !!!
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=31707.0

shawnb-fgn


The DF is a conundrum.  For all its technology, it is best suited as an analog device.  The voices aren't modeled, they're real.  The alt tunings aren't modeled, they're real.  Plugged straight into an amp, it is my most versatile guitar - in fact, it's several nice guitars rolled into one. 

Tragically, I rarely play a guitar straight into an amp.   I usually process it with something, now my VG99, and/or drive a synth. 

As a 'tech' guitar, the DF is functional, but missing S1/S2/Vol, and with additional gear to setup, is oddly impractical.  This explains why folks are mounting GK3s on their DF.  I may end up doing the same - I may need to do so to bring my DF back into the rotation. 

Given about a year & a half of hindsight, the initial DF tones & clickstream are still powerful and very nice.  I've always wanted a Les Paul, & now I have one.  The DT clickstream, though much easier to use, actually resulted in some loss of control.  I will return to the original firmware one of these days because I liked being able to quiet things down when I needed to, the explicit control of the piezos, and the variety of those initial voices. 
Dogmatic attachment to the supposed merits of a particular structure hinders the search for an appropriate structure.
- Fripp

dreambig33-fgn

IVe said it before too, if I had a choice, I would sell my DarkFire for sure and find a nice guitar without the bells and whistles and plonk a GK3 on it as you have done to yours and I would be done. I only really discovered that option afterwards, so I have a GK3 on my DarkFire and that will be it I guess, because I cant dump it. My wife too would KILL me :)

Mind you, it is in Melbourne being allegedly "repaired" at the moment and afetr a month, I do wonder if it is ever coming back.


Zummooz-fgn

OK I'm getting the feeling here your wives bought & paid for your DarkFire's.....that was very nice of them.

So YES....they probably would kill ya if ya sold it.....Luckily I don't have one of those (a wife) anymore.....I'm safe  ;D

Hey...if ya wanna sell it.....just sell it !
Don't blame or worry about the wife killing you, even if she bought it, thats NOT an excuse..
Unless it was a special anniversary present, then I highly recommend NOT to sell it.  ;)

I must be the luckiest owner of a DarkFire here, Sorry all, but mine works just fine (in my set-up), even into the VG-99 with no GK-3 on it.

DarkFire tracks fine with most things I use, but that does depend on the type of sound / synth I'm using.
Certain Synth sounds are just not right for (Guitar-To-Midi) better off played by the Synth.

Hey shawnb.....Can't you use the FC-300 for S1/ S2 / Vol when using a DarkFire  ???

My 2cents....Cheers
Q... What kind of advice can you give me ?   Tommy Emmanuel's reply ....

You move your hand Up and Down that long bit and the music comes out of that Big Black Box behind you !!

MCK-fgn

Not selling mine but its just not getting the use which i s a shame. For me the main issue turned out to be that I actually don't like the 24.75" scale. Its also a little heavy for my slipped disc back. No fault on Gibson's part. Its totally me. The rest is all G though.


Lack of parts, lack of ongoing firmware updates, hit & miss support etc all sort of put me off. I need something either rock solid or very well supported. The thought that next time I pull the MCK out might be the last time it works just is too daunting for me. I don't want to have panic attacks I want to play my music with ease of mind. Mind you with the right partner, I don't mind being on the bleeding edge.


Having said all that, I still love the feature set. I love the tuning capabilities. I love the Chameleon concept and do use it. I just need the persistent latching capabilities that were in the DF firmware with the Chameleon editor found in DT firmware. Shame I can't have both. In the absence of that I too will be going back to DF soon I think. I love that it hooks up to my Roland 13 pin rig without the ugly 13pin plug & cable. If I could transplant all this to a 25.5 Parker I would do it in a second. To top it all, the tone from the wood is just great too.


MM Game Changer has similar pickup coil selection capabilities. FretKing SuperMatic has a very promising tuning system. I will be looking at these to see how & if I can combine some of these capabilities to get closer to my dream guitar. Anyways, how did we get here. I promise to make this my last post whining about the DF. Tired of it already.
Dark Fire Initial Check Out  - Q/A
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Caig DeOxit - Buy now before you need it !!!
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=31707.0

aliensporebomb-fgn


An overhead view on my Jackson Soloist when I test mounted it.  Some guitars have a long enough body so the alterna-mount as shown by the OP wasn't
necessary but another guitar I own has a shorter body and would require that type of mount.

"Whatever works!"  Good deal!