JTV - Anybody installed an internal GK3 on a tyler variax yet?

[pappywatts]

Hi...Just curious..I snagged an internal kit GK3 to put in a 700 variax hardtail, but thought mebbe I could put it in my JTV69...
So while changing the strings on the 69 I investigated under the scratchplate....there ain't a lot of room, the three controls, vol, model, and tone have a shield cover which takes up most of the space in that area..dagnabbit... ... maybe one of youse has had better luck...

[burningyen]

Bumping this for any experiences doing this. I recall seeing a website where someone added an internal GK kit to a JTV-69, but I can no longer find it. Does anyone have a link?

[Elantric]

old link is here

http://line6.com/supportarchivenew/thread/83416/

but the guy who did this yanked down his photos

here's another one

http://www.telemods.co.uk/gk_install/variax.html

[Elantric]

Roosevelt Walker is an excellent Luthier - many custom Variax builds at Exit45 guitar

https://plus.google.com/110816153995740290658/posts?pageId=105045724613722077446
https://youtu.be/Xw8YPjDK7s8

Sadly, His web site is history

but an archive is here
http://web.archive.org/web/20110907071032/http://www.exit45.com/guitar



http://youtu.be/dGwDaOJLSS4


and read these doc with lots of details on custom guitar  with GK 13 pin

*Must be a VGuitarforums member to download these)
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=84

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=75


https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=77

[burningyen]

Very helpful, thanks!

[LinzHenderson]

I've just finished my GK3 Internal installation for my JTV-69. Big success so far!

I'll post a bit more information here later, but it's all pretty straightforward if you don't mind doing a bit of routing/drilling.

[germanicus]

I've just finished my GK3 Internal installation for my JTV-69. Big success so far!

I'll post a bit more information here later, but it's all pretty straightforward if you don't mind doing a bit of routing/drilling.

Congrats!

[burningyen]

Looking forward to a report!

[GuitarBuilder]

http://www.telemods.co.uk/gk_install/variax.html

Is there more information on the "more robust 12-pin screw collar fitting"?

[LinzHenderson]

Hi folks!

Sorry it's taken a while to put details up, but here's a bit of info on my Variax GK-3 install.

I'm not sure it's going to be relevant for everyone, because It's quite specific to my needs.

Firstly, I'd already fitted a new neck to my JTV-69, which changes things a little. The new neck was incredibly easy to fit, as I just popped it on without too much thought. Amazingly, I've not even had to adjust the intonation. I knew early on that it would be a bit higher than the stock neck, but I was pleased about that, as it gets closer to a Les Paul feel as far as string height over the body is concerned. It also feels great for fingerpicking as it's a bit more like an acoustic. What that means though, is that the bridge had to be raised up a little, which resulted in the lucky benefit of the GK pickup cable fitting neatly through the trem cavity without getting close to the trem or the block.

The 'new' neck is from a '93 made in Indonesia Squier Strat. I like it almost as much as my American Strat neck, so popped it on with a new logo and gave it a little rub down on the back. Feels great and I think it's a big improvenent on the original JTV - which was good, but felt a lot 'cheaper' and had the old string slippage problem.

I've also modified my GP-10 to use foot switches instead of the GK switches. I much prefer foot control, so I didn't bother putting the GK switches into the Variax. It would be easy enough though, as there's plenty room on the scratchplate.

I run the Variax through a Pod Pro 500X via VDI alongside the GP-10, and I don't have any need to pass anything into the GP's normal input, either via the GK or the rear input. So I haven't hooked up the GK normal guitar cable. I looked at doing this initially, but the headache of solving potential battery drain issues (I often play the Variax without the Pod for power), and possible ground loop problems, meant I didn't bother putting in the time for that side of things.

As for the physical fitting, it was relatively simple but required a few modifications to the Variax. Firstly, I was looking to do this quite quickly and didn't have access to any specialised tools, so any clever routing was out. I decided I wanted the GK and VDI outs next to each other, so relocated the Variax jack out by drilling a hole next to the others. The depth inside the control cavity was a bit tight, so I soldered a new TRS jack socket to the Variax jack output board, and placed the board inside the cavity behind the VDI and GK outs. This made the whole job a lot easier.

The internal routing of the Variax means it's pretty straightforward to find a path for the cables to go back and forth. The GK internal kit board is tiny, and fits nicely inside the rear cavity alongside the Variax motherboard. There's no interference or anything between the boards and I've not had issues with heat or anything like that.

I also haven't hooked up the GK volume pot, but I'm thinking about adding that soon. I don't use it that often, but I'm starting to think it might be handy for live MIDI control.

All-in-all, I'm really pleased with it. I can run the GP and Pod at the same time, feed the GP into the pod, use the Variax jack out with my wireless...too many different possibilities to list!

[Elantric]

Firstly, I'd already fitted a new neck to my JTV-69, which changes things a little. The new neck was incredibly easy to fit, as I just popped it on without too much thought. Amazingly, I've not even had to adjust the intonation. I knew early on that it would be a bit higher than the stock neck, but I was pleased about that, as it gets closer to a Les Paul feel as far as string height over the body is concerned. It also feels great for fingerpicking as it's a bit more like an acoustic. What that means though, is that the bridge had to be raised up a little, which resulted in the lucky benefit of the GK pickup cable fitting neatly through the trem cavity without getting close to the trem or the block.

Care to mention the Make/Model of the after market neck you installed on your JTV-69?

[LinzHenderson]

Care the mention the Make/Model of the after market neck you installed on your JTV-69?

Edited - I knew I'd forget to mention that!

[Elantric]

I'll have to hunt one of those down - "93 Indonesian Squier Strat Neck".

I like these features 

* "Feels like a Les Paul profile

* 22 Frets

Nice looking guitar !

[LinzHenderson]

Nice looking guitar !

Thanks Steve!

It's a great guitar to play. That slightly elevated string position feels really great to me. I didn't measure the original height from the body, but it's a big enough difference to really feel like the best blend of Strat, Les Paul and Acoustic. If I remember correctly, the Strat I took the neck from was labelled "The Strat" on the headstock. It belonged to my brother, but he's more a producer than a guitarist now, so I gave him my old Alesis Quadraverb as a swap!

[burningyen]

I guess Linz didn't bother running the JTV output into the GK board. Has anyone figured out how to access the output? Ideally I'd like to replace the jack switch with a mini toggle and run the JTV output into the GK board. But the jack assembly is pretty opaque. I'm not sure what the PCB attached to it does, so I hesitate to bypass it:

[Elantric]

The Variax 1/4" jack PCB included RF Chokes EMI/RF Filters - so they can pass FCC Part 15 Class B Compliance - these block radiated harmonics from 24.576MHz DSP Clock

[burningyen]

Thanks, that's interesting. Am I correct that the outermost contact is the on/off switch, the middle contact is for the sleeve (ground), and the innermost contact is for the tip (signal)? Do you see any issues with soldering leads to those contacts and running them to the GK board and a toggle switch?

[Elantric]

Check 1/4" TRS Output with Ohm meter

Tip = analog Guitar OUT

Ring  = +7VDC Power

Sleeve = Ground / Earth



FWIW - i did locate this on the net - from the old Line 6 forum  - an RMC custom adapter  but its targeted for adding internal GK-KIT-GT3 to a Variax - and use the existing Piezo saddles to drive both Variax DSP board and Roland GK board ( I understand this is similar to Parker Adrian Belew guitar
https://www.snapagogo.com/elantric/?list=images&sort=views_desc&page=2


Suggest read this thread too
Schematics
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=73.0

[burningyen]

Wow, I didn't know the JTV series could use the old TRS power box! So I guess the sleeve contact doubles as the on/off switch.

Thanks for the pics and the link. Looks like I have some studying to do.

[Elantric]

Wow, I didn't know the JTV series could use the old TRS power box!

Yes - i do it all the time with my JTV-59 / JTV-69

[burningyen]

I'm far enough along with this project where it makes sense to post some progress pics. Hopefully this helps someone undertaking this sort of thing in the future, and maybe someone will spot something I'm doing wrong and correct me before I seal it all up. I'm doing a few things:

1) Installing the internal GK kit.
2) Swapping the pickups for DiMarzio noiseless ones.
3) Swapping the plastic bits for black ones. I made a slight tweak to the outline of the guard.

Before:



First took off the knobs and guard:



Testing the fit:



Unbundling some of the leads:



The 5-way switch PCB is too crowded for me to solder, so I used my daughter's paint set to color code the leads and cut them short of the PCB:



Drilled a hole in the guard for the guitar/mix/synth toggle:



Tested the fit:



This (plastic) control chassis needs a corresponding hole:



Lining things up and eyeballing the hole placement:



Ugly, but effective. I'm not being too precious about this:



Shielded the guard:



First mishap. While inspecting the output jack PCB I accidentally snapped off the ground lead terminal:



After the DiMarzios arrived, I tested the fit again to make sure the cavity would accommodate their slightly deeper size. No problem:





Resoldered the output jack ground:



Marked off the hole for the 13-pin jack and went to town with a drill and chisel. Again, not being too precious with this:







The leads from the main PCB to the analog output jack are too short, so I add extensions:



And solder them to the jack. I hope I used the right pads!



Soldered the toggle leads and taped off the S1/S2 leads since I won't be installing those:



Getting close, more to come:

[Elantric]

Excellent progress report!


Look forward to this projects completion!

[whippinpost91850]

Ben, Looks cool can't wait to see the finished product.  Paul

[burningyen]

Used a rasp to create a small channel for the GK pickup leads:



And done!

[Elantric]

Very clean install!

I'll make a PDF - as the pics for these important posts tend to get lost 3 years down the road