Midi / Roland GK-3 on a 7 string?

I just joined here to help on the topic of Midi pickups in a 7 string. I have been using the GR-20 with my S7420 Ibanez 7 string for a couple years now. It works pretty awesome if you ask me, I have no real tracking issues, on occassion there is a small issue, but this doesnt make much difference in the live setting, if you tweak the sensitivity settings on the pedal, you can get it to the point that nobody knows the diff. I am my bands 7 string guitarist and I play the keyboards/synth/piano at the same time. In fact I can do dual parts without much effort by fading the piano in and out during riffs. This allows the guitar to play a normal riff, but for example the piano only accents the end of the riff when I hit the pedal momentarily. Takes a little practice, but well worth it. Even leaving a light atmospheric synth on during an entire song works well as it is often drowned out by distorted heavy guitar but gives it a slight bit of atmosphere, then when I switch to clean channel, the synth becomes more prominant and it sounds like it just came in and took focus, but it has been there all along. Tons of little tricks, and I love going into a video game 8 bit midi sound and playing chromatics like a computer (like buckethead) then instantly can go into smooth guitar...

Now I plan to add one to my 8 string too.. I have wondered about a way of using 2 6 string piclups to track all 8 strings, not sure if transposing is possible etc. though, so Ill be looking into that next.

Regardless I want to buy another 7 string and pickup just so I have a backup guitar because its a very signature sound now, and with a normal guitar we lose all synth and it sounds much less experimental and more rockin'.

S T R A N G L I N G M A R I L Y N - O f f i c i a l   H o m e p a g e

 

Shotgunn's got your back:

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/extended-range-guitars/94759-midi-piezo-rg-2228-picstory.html

I'm personally not at all impressed with my GK-3. I've tried it on every guitar I own, (6's and 7's) and the results are similarly flat across the board. I haven't finished the install of the GHOST MIDI kit, but I'm hoping it will track a LOT more reliably.

 

does the pickup still work if you turn it upside-down? because i have thoguht about adding a gk3 to a seven string however i notice the screw at the top of the pickup would get in the way of the seventh string (notice the screw in this picture). Has anyone tried this?

 

I've tried it both ways. Both work more or less equally in terms of tracking, though when it's in that position, the cord coming out of it may get in the way of one's pick hand depending on their physical style.

Since this thread was going, I did finish installing the GraphTech system in another guitar, and it tracks considerably better than the GK-3. I've been using the bare-bones Roland GI-20 as the host unit in all cases, if that makes a difference to anyone.

 

how do they hold up to perspiration? i just sold my godin lgxt becuase the sweat from my hand caused corrosion under the rmc saddles making them not track at all, i know the gk3 has held up well but id like to hear your thoughts

 

Sorry to pull an old thread back from the dead.. but, I have an LTD ESP H-207 and wanted to get the GR-55 and GK-3. Has anyone installed the GK-3 on a 7 string like this? It has a fixed bridge and through back stringing. I've seen it set up on fixed bridges and see that it comes with the mounting bracket for that, but I'm concerned it may not line up correctly with the strings.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

It should work just as well as it would on any other guitar. I've used it on my 7420 and 7321 and had equal results.

Still, having now used both extensively, I would strongly advise anyone to save up the extra $150-ish and go for the Graph Tech system rather than the GK-3.

 

My concern about it was mainly getting it and it not fitting correctly.. does it need a different bracket or is everything it needs there? Do I have to offset it myself or does it just fit the right way on it's own? Sorry to keep asking.. I just want to be sure before I make the purchase.

The GK-3 is only an extra $100 when buying it with the GR-55, so i'll get that initially and maybe upgrade to the other later. I took a look at the Graph Tech one and wouldn't even know where to start with connecting that thing. lol

 

I used a gk-2a on a schecter blackjack c-7 with no problems. Not sure if the gk-3 is any different in the way you mount it, I just used the adhesive strips that came with the pickup to mount the gk-2a to the right height and placement. I didn't fancy hard mounting it, and the adhesive strips worked well.

 

Sounds to me like it would work, though let us know if it does. I'd love to try it.

 

It installs with either adhesive strips (with several different thicknesses to suit a variety of set ups) or via 2 screws, depending on the instrument and/or one's preferences.

I've used it with a wraparound, a tune-o-matic, a floating trem, and the 'strat style' fixed bridge that's on the 7321. Worked equally with each.

 

I have mine on two 8 strings and one 7 string guitar and they work just fine; I have rewired them all in reverse so they track as intended for 6 string. I find it unnecessary to have the lower B and F# strings for my personal playing style. Aside from this, they work like they were on any 6 string guitar. Screwed down the pickup on all the guitars, but velcro mounted the controller on the 8 strings, and added the extra screw for the 7 string.

Examples of how I use the GK-2A. The GK-3 tracks just about the same, with the exception that the GK-3 has a standard guitar jack for the guitar out. The GK-2A has a mini jack, but the tracking is the same. I've since sold the GK-3 and picked up a GK-2A to standardize all my guitars for parts.

Check it out here: GK-2A Pickup Mounted on a 7-String and 8-String Guitars.

Cheers...

 

You probably don't want to use piezo saddles with a GR-55, it tends to have the subsonic frequencies cause a lot of trouble. It also tracks better with the GK-3 overall in this case, or so I have heard. I know a few folks who had to switch to GK-3 from undersaddle due to this issue though. IIRC someone has made a fix board (circuit board add on), which is effectively just a filter for these frequencies, but otherwise vanilla might cause some trouble.

 

I actually decided on getting the VG-99 instead.. I found one on eBay for $750, which is less than it would cost me for the GR-55.... so.. Yeah.. I get the modeling AND the midi tracking I wanted. I'll just connect to my computer for midi for now and get something a little more mobile later. I think I was looking at the midi as more of a perk than anything. $1,500 for the VG-99 was like a kick in the nuts. lol

I'd rather not drill into this guitar if I don't have to. Someone mentioned double sided tape working? or was that just to test placement.. I would rather just be able to throw this on my 6-string Ibanez, but.. the floating trem is a nightmare and I was quickly over that. Trying to do a proper intonation job is seriously impossible, even with the Tremol-no I put on it.

I'm certainly no expert when it comes to making permanent modifications.

 

Sorry to double post, but does anyone have any definitive way they mounted this to theirs. I already have the VG-99 on it's way and I want to be sure I can get this GK-3 on mine when the time comes.

I see a lot of "I did it", but i'm not quite clear on how it was done. I really don't want to be a pain to everyone... but I'm afraid to spend money on something that will either be worthless or i'll end up breaking trying to figure it out.

I'm not sure who's image this is, I did a google search for my exact guitar and it came from this forum.. lol This is the exact model. LTD H-207 . Sorry to whoever's image this is.

 

It comes with adhesive strips of varying thicknesses which you build up to the correct height for mounting the pick up. You shouldn't have any problems.

 

That answer offically makes you awesome in my book. Lol I just hope that mine comes with that since you said you had the GK-2a, if I remember right. I don't get it... I got a tracking number it says my VG-99 made is cross state lines in a day and is in my state as of today.. yet I won't receive it till Monday.. lol crossing my fingers this works out and I don't have to buy another guitar just for this to work properly... =\

 

just spoke with a tech at guitar center... said he'd charge like $35 to pretty cut out a piece of wood to place between some double sided tape and drill into it(and I'm assuming the guitar itself) so it'd act pretty much like a normal spring loaded pickup to adjust height.. even though I pretty much put the words in his mouth for that whole sales pitch of am idea..

Think its worth it or should I make an attempt at this myself? I don't really want to drill into the guitar, but that's all I can come up with. :: go ahead.. smack me if I, stupid.. lol ::

 

Pretty sure he means drill the piece of wood, mount the pickup to it, and stick the block of wood to the guitar using tape. You can do that yourself the pickup comes with screws and springs.

 

no. He very specifically mentioned drilling into the guitar itself. Lol seemed a little odd to me too. I just don't really have any tools outside of some screw drivers. I wouldn't know how to cut a block of wood correctly nor do I have the tools to do it. =\