Roland GK3 into Variax 500?

normula1

I've a Roland GK3 internal kit that I'm trying to avoid putting into one of my Partsocasters. The guitar itself obviously has bugger all intrinsic value but I reckon it's likely to look a bit arse as I don't want to use one of the existing controls as the Synth volume so would have to fit one elsewhere on the body akin to the way Townshend has his Strats along with the attendant microswitches.

So I had a thought about fitting it into my Variax which doesn't get played too much as for some reason it sounds totally wrong on the neck pickup selection although I quite like the guitar itself. (@impmann did kindly offer to check it out a good while ago and I'll take him up on that when I'm heading somewhere near his location).

So the question is, has anyone ever fitted a Roland GK3 internal kit to a Variac 500/700?
Any particular gotchas?
Would it be possible to take a feed off the Variax piezo saddles rather than using the Roland hex pickup.

Cheers,

Jeff

olafgarten

I'm not sure if the GK3 will work directly with the Variax,  it's probably easier to get the piezo output from the variax on a switch with a direct out. 

These people make a PCB to convert GK3 to Variax. www.rackvax.com/store/#!/GK-13-pin-to-Variax-Adapter-Module/p/3958715/category=1173774

impmann

From experience - the only way to get the onboard electronics to work *reliably* with the GK system is complex. The V500s (same as the V300 and V700) are hideously hard on batteries - on some settings they can last just 20mins rather than the hours that Line6 quote. If you measure the current draw, you'll see the reason why... the electronics are just too power hungry.

The power switching system in the GK *on paper* should switch the power safely on the Variax but I have seen one fried (on a Belew signature... pricey)... so I wouldn't suggest going down that route, plus as mentioned above running one on batteries isn't the best idea.

So the way I have seen this done previously is...

Power the guitar as normal through your TRS cable/AB switch etc into a guitar amp
GK2/GK3 going to synth and into full range amp

You have the facility to blend the sounds using the volume controls.

I wouldn't try running the Variax output through the 'guitar' side of the GK3.

You could *also* try my friend's old set up...

Variax - VDI cable into POD HD500
GK3 - into Roland Synth

These were controlled via midi so that changing presets on the HD500 would change the guitar model, the amp model, the effects and any synth sounds.

Oh and rackvac.... there's a reason why Line6 never persued this option. Noise. The piezo outputs don't take kindly to being sent long distances, couple that to any artifacts picked up as interference become glitches, buzzes and drop outs when you apply the modelling. Its not as brilliant as you may have been lead to believe - I've actually been sent one to trouble shoot and it was very susceptible to interference from the most inoccuous sources. I wasn't impressed...

Hope that helps.

Fretwired

I have had two guitars modified to take internal GK pickups and they work fantastically. I have also owned a Variax 500 and I don't think there's the space to fit the electronics and additional switches/knobs you will need.

impmann

Fretwired said:

I have had two guitars modified to take internal GK pickups and they work fantastically. I have also owned a Variax 500 and I don't think there's the space to fit the electronics and additional switches/knobs you will need.

Agreed - thats a really good point. You will need to do some more routing...

normula1

Thanks guys.
I had a shufty round a Variax forum I'd forgotten about and found an example of where it had been done  but from reading the above it seems to be more a case of technically yes I could use the Variax Piezos to trigger the GK3 electronics, but given that I'd need to butcher some wires onto the Variax board to tap into the signal post first buffer and therefore I'd still need to power the Variax electronics via its TRS cable the reality is it's not really going to be as usable as I'd first envisaged.

I had a look inside a couple of nights ago and it did look like I could make the Roland electronics fit without looking too arsey on the outside, but given that I've got a bit of an aversion to visibly butchering guitars I've bought these days, I think I'm going to bite the bullet and go back to plan A and butcher my partsacaster instead.

impmann

Hmmm, not sure you can use standard Line6 piezos to trigger the GK electronics... the GK relies on a hexaphonic, magnetic stimulus, rather than a piezo signal. You could integrate with the Graphtec 'Ghost' system however - the output from Line6 piezos is significantly lower than the Graphtec (or other 'normal') elements. This can cause the A/D converter to clip on the Variax board - clipping is desireable in an analogue circuit but downright horrible in a digital one.

I've helped several people out when fitting these - and it really depends on how thick your strings are and how hard the attack is of your right hand. Some people seem to get away with it but they tend to have thin strings and a light touch. Others... well, it really doesn't work. I helped to build the one-off Variax created for Steve Howe - this was a 24-fret, ebony boarded 335-alike but fitted with a Tonepros bridge and Graphtec saddles. Once I'd overcome some other issues with it caused by the luthier involved who physically built it, I found that I made the board clip *horribly* when I played it - however, Steve gets on with it fine and he uses 11s on his.

Frankly, I'd say its better to build it into a dedicated controller/partcaster - the GK3 is brilliant and IMHO, my internal one tracks better than any of the 'strap on' ones I've had. One day those V500s will be rare and valuable... ho ho.

sweepy

If you remove the battery holder on a Variax 600, the GK board fits quite nicely, I was going to attach the direct piezo output to the board input of the GK board, in theory it should have worked

olafgarten

I'm sure you could use the GK3 and drop the level to match the level of the L6 piezo.