[Kronpox]

Help needed!

Right now I know virtually nothing about the whole world of synth guitar. I understand the basic principles and I've seen videos of what a properly set-up synth guitar can do, but I have some questions about what I'm trying to achieve.

My custom 8 is going to have a Hipshot bridge- Graphtech makes Ghost saddles that will fit in this, right? If not, do I have any other options? Does Graphtech sell individual saddles so I don't have an extra 4 lying around?

All I really want to be able to do is trigger a few decent synth patches for instruments like piano and strings (as well as maybe a few weird noisy ones) and I really want to be able to run these sounds through my guitar head. Or at least have the sound come out of the cab, able to be blended with the magnetic pickups' tone. Is this typically easy, or do people generally use two different amps if they don't have the option of running through a PA?

What are my options for converters and synth modules? I know Roland is toted around pretty much exclusively, but are they the only ones making these kinds of products? Again I don't kneed the most complicated modules, just some good instrument sounds and I'm happy.

Thanks in advance for educating a complete newbie on the topic

[darren]

I'm pretty sure you can call up GraphTech and custom-order an 8-string setup. (Great Canadian company!)

They'll probably also give you instructions on how to work with their preamp to get it to work with 8 strings, as all synth gear is designed around hexaphonic (6-channel) input.

You're going to want to use a separate amp for the synth stuff. Guitar amps won't do it justice, and that way, you'll also have the option of blending distorted guitar sounds with pristine synth sounds. You can get some pretty decent keyboard monitors (Yorkville makes a few) then run the main synth signal to the PA when you play bigger shows.

For Guitar-to-MIDI convertors, you have a few options:

Product Overview :: AXON ::

Roland U.S. - Guitar Synths/MIDI Converters

As far as i know, the Roland GR-20 is the only unit currently on the market that has an integrated synth module. All the other units are just pitch-to-MIDI and you'd have to use either a rack-mounted synth module, a MIDI keyboard or a computer as your sound source. There are a number of older Roland units as well that are compatible with GK pickup input.

[Kronpox]

A separate amp for the synth stuff is really not feasible. It's barely feasible that I bring my whole stack out to shows, let alone a whole other rig for synths that make an appearance on maybe three songs. My Vetta can bypass the preamp, so it'll be better for doing the synths 'justice', but I do hear what you're saying. I just don't want to make this an ordeal weighing in at $2500 and 80 lbs just so I can play some piano bits

The newer Axon rackmount guitar-to-midi unit apparently has a soundbank in it with like 500 different voices. So I'd just plug my 13-pin cable into that, and out comes sound... I hope? I like having that stuff in a rack as opposed to on the floor- especially whenever I get around to the rackmount X3 Pro/Tube Poweramp route, the whole rig would be in one rack- which leads me to that question, I could run the X3 through one side of a poweramp, and the Axon through the other side, and have my fun that way? Maybe split into two separate cabs for the two units (I'd get like a 2x12 for the synth).

Okay now I'm rambling. Thanks for the info darren, I've got to think about this stuff more before I decide if it's worth it or not. One last question- What kind of MIDI synth rack modules are available? My only experience with MIDI synths are VSTis.

[darren]

If you're playing big enough shows that you're playing a full stack, you're probably better off sending the synth direct to the PA and having it nice and loud in your monitor mix.

Sound Modules from zZounds.com

You can probably find all kinds of older ones used. There don't seem to be as many on the market any more, as VSTIs and soft synths have really taken over that space.

[dpm]

Sending the synth to guitar speakers is a big tonal compromise so avoid it if at all possible. As Darren said, seperate the two and send the synth to the PA. Using a dual mono power amp rig could be cool in smaller venues and rehearsals but you need that second cab to be a full range unit, like a PA speaker, or a bass cab at worst. You could maybe grab a powered PA wedge for that kind of use.

The Graphtech saddles are the best option IMO, though there others. They'll put an 8 string set together no problem, this is what I have them do for me via my local distributor. However, synth-ing all 8 strings is a little complex and compromised (depending on how you do it, and I know you don't want to be doing it the uncompromised way.... ie. 2 simultaneous synth rigs), so it might be best if you just get a set of 6 + 2 standard saddles, assuming you don't want a piezo output as well.

[Scarpie]

you can't use all 8 strings for guitar synthesis, all synth modules only process 6 strings. you can however use ghost/piezo acoustic sounds through all 8 but not synth. the only way around this is if you use two synth preamps in guitar with two midi outputs to two different synth modules, making it either 4 strings to one module and the other 4 to module #2, or first six strings to one module and then the remaining two strings to another module, but this setup requires at least three rigs.

and you are going to want to seperate synth/guitar sounds otherwise your synth patches will play through same channel of amp as your magnetic pickups. not helpful if you play with distortion.

[Kronpox]

Alright, I've basically concluded that there's no way this is financially or spacially effective right now considering how much mileage I would get out of a synth rig. I guess this plan goes on the ever-growing list of 'someday' plans

Thanks for the help guys. At least I know more about this stuff now