Casio High Tech Guitars ( MG-510, PG-380, DG-20, EG-5)

Started by Virtual Tone, February 12, 2008, 06:21:58 PM

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TINLEY

#25
Hello...

My name is Mark Ty-Wharton and I am a MIDI guitarist. I enjoy playing with Music Technology. I live in Glastonbury in the UK.

So what brings me here?

Well Tronical actually. I moved house about 3 years ago and decided I would make one guitar that did everything.

Prior to this momentous decision I was happily using an old Casio/Ibanez MIDI guitar and a Line 6 Variax and I thought - AHA - save space - one guitar to do everything. Oh and my wife said "what do you want for Christmas?" and I said "that tuning thing looks cool" except there wasn't one to fit my Variax. So I gutted it.

I made a new guitar with a Vintage Strat neck and a semi acoustic body (actually Black Sabbath's keyboard player made the body on a CNC machine) and I stuck a P Rails on it so I always have a P90 or a Strat pickup and then wired it so it can be series (both pickups with volume, parallel (classic humbucker), or reverse phase (volume controls control the amount cancellation and can almost sound like a piezo).

Then I bought an LR Baggs Tune-O-Matic piezo bridge (similar sound to LR Baggs bridge in Variax) and routed the audio out of the guitar using a shielded mini 8 pin DIN cable. 6 pins for the piezo and 1 pin for the usual guitar sound.

The (now external) Line 6 Variax has the same mini 8 pin DIN connector wired directly to the pickup input in the board. It powers up from a Line 6 PSU and the USB to Ethernet thing is set up for editing. I have not connected the digital out. It basically sounds the same as a Variax. I used Match EQ to test the two piezo pickups and the variation is negligible, though the T-Bridge is about 3dB quieter than the original saddles on the Variax so the guitar is slightly quieter which means it doesn't drive my existing amp sim patches as hard.

I bought a GI10 and a GHOST Hexpander to deal with my MIDI and had originally hoped to put everything inside the guitar. It seems I can only run one thing at a time and the MIDI was doing all sorts of weird stuff... So I bought a GI20 as well... Kind of okay... Tracking not as good as the old Casio but it will do.

So this is a guitar that is not without problems!

The intonation doesn't quite work with my firm grip and when OPEN G string is in tune (thanks TRONICAL) anything fretted sounds awful. So despite being tuned mechanically I have to adjust the whole bloody thing after it is tuned :-(

The piezo bleeds into the magnetic pickup feed - namely string 5 and 6 which must be wrapped close to 7 in the cable - only noticeable when gain is cranked and the volumes are down.

So I bought a 7 string. Then I got to thinking "how do I MIDI this or feed the Variax" - I wanted the DOBRO tone.

Then I made some impulse responses. Then I bought an iStomp which has an acoustic emulator which made my magnetic pickups on my 7 string sound like an acoustic guitar. So I made some impulse responses and used convolution to change the sound of my guitar. Then while researching I found out the VG99 had a DOBRO sound. So I bought one. I plugged my LR BAGGS via Hexpander into it and discovered it is HUM HELL.

No wonder my GI10 won't track with it. I am amazed the GI20 does. So I am working on fixing that. So I have a GK3 and an LR Baggs on the same guitar which in my mind is totally pointless.

So I guess that's me. I am looking for answers as to why my HEXPANDER sounds like Humageddon. I did a few tests and apart from the hum if I set the pickup to GHOST mode patches sound similar to the GK3. But the hum I can't live with. It is horrendous and I think it has to do with extending the cable between the HEXPANDER input and the guitar?

I need a TRONCIAL II so I can teach it to tune my G string a few cents flat ;/) and maybe another neck - I bought some VINTAGE thing off an old Strat and it is too sixties for me. I liked the neck on my VARIAX. Or a Les Paul neck not some over sized C shape thing...

And there are a handful of tones in the VARIAX that I like - there are more P90 options - though I am thinking if I had a bit more EQ to play with I could easily emulate them.

ANYWAY... hello ;/)

admin

Tinley, Welcome to the forum

Find info on solving noise with Graphtech Ghost Piezo pickups here
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=498.0

Alberto Genta

#27
Hello everybody... I play and repair MIDI guitars. Own MG'510 and GK equipped guitars. Right now l am looking for a MIDI MICROPHONE Hex magnetic  PU  (even if broken) for a MG-510. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks and regards.

admin

#28
I believe you seek the divided hex Magnetic PU for Casio MG-510 ?

Closest available is the Shadow Magnetic Hex PU in Fender spacing sold by Antares as part of their ATG Luthier kit
http://www.autotuneforguitar.com/mediafiles/online_help_records/53_ATG_Luthier_installation_manual_v1p2.pdf


Contact Antares
http://www.autotuneforguitar.com/support/contact.php

http://www.autotuneforguitar.com/products/products.php?category=Custom_Installation_Kits_7

obiwanjacobi

Rebuild broken Casio MG-510 with Roland GT-3 kit

I have written a blog post about my rebuild of a broken MG-510 fitting a Roland GK kit GT-3.
https://jacobielectronix.wordpress.com/2016/09/21/casio-mg-510-rebuild-with-roland-gk-kit-gt-3/

Here are some of the foto's:








Hope you like it.
Grtx, Marc

Majiken

Hey, looks good, must have been a fun project- especially sine it works  ;)
Take what you need, put back a bit more, leave the place behind you better than it was before :-)

www.majiken.rocks

obiwanjacobi

Thanks!

Yeah, once the pickguard was made, it only took me a little over an hour to put it all together and test it.
Grtx, Marc

whippinpost91850


Elantric


admin

#34








http://www.opweb.de/en/model.php?id=15764

http://www.premierguitars.com.au/product/casio-eg-5-japan-1980s/






Casio EG-5 – Japan 1980s


One of the delights of running a business like PREMIER GUITARS is the unexpected weirdness that presents more regularly than one would ever think. After 40+ years of being around guitars I thought I'd seen everything, but I was not prepared for the Casio EG-5. We don't normally list oddball Asian instruments, but we couldn't resist this one.

What a concept! It's a guitar, yes, but it comes with its own cassette player, active electronics, onboard speaker and distortion control. So you could be a true 80s re-definition of the "one man band". And record yourself at the same time.

"What's a cassette?" I hear you Millenials ask. Well, it was one of the first workable portable audio formats developed in the late 60s and became ubiquitous in the 70s and beyond. It realised the idea that you could actually take your own music and listen to it outside your home. Suddenly there were car cassette players and Walkmans everywhere. And you could record onto it! I bet your Dad still has some 80s mix tapes somewhere.

The EG-5 allows you to play regular guitar over your onboard cassette backing track, and not even have to bring an amp. The balance of the guitar output and the tape playback can be controlled by the "Guitar Mix" fader controller. Further, it has a pitch control which adjusts the tape speed during playback – handy.

Power is via 6 x C cell batteries or 9V AC adapter. The AUX input terminal also allows connection to digital audio players such as an iPod or similar device. Fabulous busking machine.

As a regular guitar, the EG-5 actually plays and sounds very good. It has a high quality, super quiet humbucking pickup installed at the bridge. The one piece maple neck is straight as an arrow, the frets are unmarked, and it plays comfortably in all positions. The 24" short-ish scale is very friendly for smaller hands, and it stays in tune. The overall build is typically Japanese high quality.

You can bypass all the onboard gizmos and plug straight into an amp, with or without effects pedals, and sound mighty fine. But the onboard "distortion" sounds wonderfully crappy if you want to indulge your inner grunge/garage leanings.

And what a look ! All that plastic, those dials, knobs, lots of sockets, the speaker, and the lovely wacky shape. It all adds up to a lot of options for someone looking for a truly unique instrument that actually plays well, is a fab memento of 80s Japanese electronica, and a real head turner.

Come in its original Casio gig bag in good condition.

admin

#35

Brian349

Hi
Any ideas where I can get a replacement or equivalent bridge/whammy bar? The thread in my MG-510 bridge for the whammy bar has stripped with use over the years and I would like to replace it. Thx B

scratch17

Have you considered re-tapping the hole to a larger diameter? Then you could add a ring nut that would threaded on the outside to the diameter and thread size of the new hole. The nut would be fit onto the shaft of the whammy bar, so the bar would fit into the new hole.

Any decent machine shop could do that. It would probably be less expensive and easier to get done than finding a bridge.
Hamer Duotone, Brian Moore i213, Taylor 710 BCE 

VG-99, FC-300, RMC Fanout
RJM Mastermind GT10
Kemper Profiling Amp
Radial JDV Mk3, X-Amp
Mesa Recto Pre + 20/20
68 Fender Bandmaster (AB763)
Marshal AS80R

UA Apollo X6, Twin X, Logic Pro, Luna, Melodyne Studio

Elantric

#38
QuoteHi
Any ideas where I can get a replacement or equivalent bridge/whammy bar? The thread in my MG-510 bridge for the whammy bar has stripped with use over the years and I would like to replace it. Thx B



the factory MG-510 bridge was a Gotoh - I just used a Gotoh Import tremolo bar fit right in the stock Casio MG-510 tremolo block

a 6mm tremolo bar for a 1986 Ibanez Roadstar works
https://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/All_Hardware_and_Parts_by_Instrument/Electric_Guitar_Parts/Electric_Guitar_Bridges_and_Tailpieces/Electric_Guitar_Tremolo_Parts/6mm_Tremolo_Arm.html

Frankster

Just landed this on eBay for £80 ... Casio MG510 with non-functioning MIDI (and inevitable missing trem arm).

Looking at the hex pickup connector, I think this may fit directly into the PCB from the GK-Kit, anyone tried this? If it works it would make the installation easier and neater. I'll order the GK-Kit and investigate. Although I do have the old clip-on GK-2a lying around in a drawer somewhere, that could possibly be cannibalised and made to work instead of the kit.




admin

Quote from: Frankster on July 23, 2018, 04:22:39 PM
Just landed this on eBay for £80 ... Casio MG510 with non-functioning MIDI (and inevitable missing trem arm).

Looking at the hex pickup connector, I think this may fit directly into the PCB from the GK-Kit, anyone tried this? If it works it would make the installation easier and neater. I'll order the GK-Kit and investigate. Although I do have the old clip-on GK-2a lying around in a drawer somewhere, that could possibly be cannibalised and made to work instead of the kit.



https://jacobielectronix.wordpress.com/2016/09/21/casio-mg-510-rebuild-with-roland-gk-kit-gt-3/

Frankster

Quote from: admin on July 23, 2018, 04:24:13 PM
https://jacobielectronix.wordpress.com/2016/09/21/casio-mg-510-rebuild-with-roland-gk-kit-gt-3/

That's a regular replacement of the Casio electronics with the Roland GK Kit, I was thinking of using the Casio hex pickup with the Roland GK PCB.

mercury1

So I have an old casio mg-510 and I was thinking about implanting a midi sound module in the whammy spring cavity ( don't use it and don't have the bar ) so I might be able to go wireless . Any suggestions ? Also has anyone ever tried an onboard korg pandora ? You probably see where I'm going with this...just thinking outloud
Gr-55, Gr-33, Gr-1, Vg-88, Jamman looper, Brian More 88.13  ,/ 8.13 , Fender hm strat( gk-3 ), Hammer( int gk-2) , Behringer V-ampire Lx1200 / fcb1010

admin

Quote from: mercury1 on August 14, 2018, 08:59:40 AM
So I have an old casio mg-510 and I was thinking about implanting a midi sound module in the whammy spring cavity ( don't use it and don't have the bar ) so I might be able to go wireless . Any suggestions ? Also has anyone ever tried an onboard korg pandora ? You probably see where I'm going with this...just thinking outloud

External multi-voice hardware Tone Generators for MIDI Guitarists
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=915.0

https://hackaday.com/2017/01/21/dreamblaster-x2-a-modern-midi-synth-for-your-sound-blaster-card/


https://www.amazon.com/ammoon-Midiplus-MiniEngine-General-Generator/dp/B01DGAN3N6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1534266619&sr=8-1&keywords=midi+tone+module



or


https://www.amazon.com/ammoon-Midiplus-MiniEngine-General-Generator/dp/B06XPYRXKK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1534266619&sr=8-1&keywords=midi%2Btone%2Bmodule&th=1

mercury1

Midiplus mini engine was a good suggestion. I picked up the 24bit version off amazon for $89 and it works well with the Casio mg510. Its very simple and sounds pretty good for something that small and mobile. It says in the manual that you can use both the mini midi jack and the usb simultaneously for two midi channels at once. That got me thinking about a couple of continuous controllers sent via usb ...maybe a palm sustain-hold and a dial mod speed. I wonder how that could be done. However it didn't say they could share the same channel and I know of no way to add a sustain to the casio but it is a controller so you would think there is a point in the circuit where a sustain/hold might be modded in.
For the guitar/amp modeling part,  I was thinking of the korg pandora mini or the zoom gx1on, both have drum rhythm patterns but the zoom has a 30 second looper and is half the price. I have yet to find a pic of the internal workings of the zoom to see the size of the circuit but now the plan is build a hollow strat body I can slam all this into and preserve the casio body so it could be reassembled in the future. Both also have an aux input to route the midiplus output into so there would be one stereo output jack for everything. Of course my wireless is mono but that will have to do for now. I know its a crazy extreme to go to, but till there's a wireless latency free gk pickup system I'll play around with what is available
Gr-55, Gr-33, Gr-1, Vg-88, Jamman looper, Brian More 88.13  ,/ 8.13 , Fender hm strat( gk-3 ), Hammer( int gk-2) , Behringer V-ampire Lx1200 / fcb1010

fernee

Woow! I just looked at this post, I have a working MG510 and love it, but with this Midiplus thing I can open a new experience I think....
Another thing, I want to give it a little life, so I´ll get a black Wilkinson bridge and planing to buy some Gotoh Lock tuning pegs,
does anyone have the measure of the bridge? so I can get the 63 mm or the 61 mm 2 screws version?

sergee

Let me speak from my heart in English.  My name is Sergey and I'm from Russia. Some time  ago in my hand came Casio PG-300 Guitar. Previous owner use them like a regular strat and did not interesting in midi capabilities.  All Guts of the guitar was in bad condition.  After caps was replaced, midi starts normally  working. But no one sound from onboard Synth. I have no idea what to do.  If I plug my Amp in IPD/mix,I hear only guitar sound. Less Volume that in guitar output directly.  On a I/O PCB (MA4M) is  only one double opAmp LA6462, I measure Currents on it. There are 3V on a 1,2,3 pins;  0 on 4 Pin, 2V on 5 pin; 3V on 6 and 7 pin and 6V on 8 pin. Can someone measure currents on it?  And in a service manual  on this forum i found, missed one or to pages. Where can I found a control points to set up adjustments?


admin

1986 tech  Casio MG510 Midi Guitar Test (our own SMASH) Scott Akister

Phoney sax on the MG510 - this was a quick one take to help advertise the guitar (on ebay) so please forgive my shortcomings, it's pure busking here!

The tracking is very good as long as you play clean.



I tried to get the MG510 to sound like a GR500 using two separate sounds per string off the SC88.

I used the GR300 patch and Feline GR patch all panned across from left to right plus a healthy amount of delay and some chorus. The bigproblem I had was the (infinite)  sustain on the GR500 way outdrags the MG510!

The piece is a break section in Steve Hackett's Tigermoth and the end piece is the tail end of land of a thousand autumns just before Please Don't Touch (aka Hackett to Bits in Steve's GTR days!)







Casio MG510 midi guitar demo - Jaco style musings....

smashmash aka Scott Akister

Having set up the fretless bass sound I tried (emphasis on tried) to do a bit of Jaco Pastorius style bits. The guitar is controlling a Roland Sound Canvas SC88 - this is one of the fretless bass sounds on the SC88. I was having a fair bit of tracking issues whilst recording this for some reason - old tech - it just gets grumpy some times!

spmcmw

Quote from: Frankster on July 23, 2018, 04:22:39 PM
Just landed this on eBay for £80 ... Casio MG510 with non-functioning MIDI (and inevitable missing trem arm).

Looking at the hex pickup connector, I think this may fit directly into the PCB from the GK-Kit, anyone tried this?


Reviving an old thread. I recently installed a GK-KIT-GT3 GK-element into a Casio MG-510. I made some schematics if anybody is interested.