midi bridge saddles

[kingtone]

Have you ever/would you ever install a graphtech ghost system on one of your guitars? It is the one with transducers in the bridge saddles to trigger midi synths. If so how much to put it in..? Thanks

[pipedwho]

What kind of guitar?

I've replaced a standard Tune-o-matic bridge with a GHOST setup, and it worked brilliantly. I did the work myself so I don't know how much it would cost. Although, I'd expect it to take at least a couple of hours to do properly - and that's assuming someone that knows what they're doing. It took me about 4 total - that included drilling an access hole for the extra wires, extra switch, and 13 pin connector.

The other cool thing is that piezo sound great on their own (without the midi). :)

[tom]

we have not. i did use their saddles on an early crowdster prototype and was wishing the electronics package was a little more elegant. was not crazy about the connecters used. dave at graphtech is working on a trem with the saddles loaded on it and hopefully it will have a built in wire termination that will make us all happy. with any of these you need to have a good space to fit the electronics, battery and for midi, the jack.

[Pietro]

I have one with the piezo (not the midi option, which I don't need) on my PRS. I have to say, Tom's right about the connectors and cables. They are clunky in an electric guitar, and i had problems getting them in place so that they didn't get caught in the trem springs. Also, the wires go around the trem underneath and it just looks jerry-rigged.

Also... The preamp was having problems when I got it (secondhand) and I had to monkey with it like crazy to get it to work when I replaced the battery. Pretty fragile electronics, but once I got it running, it's totally reliable and the acoustic sound is just GREAT! I think the saddles sound just great on electric, but others have not been crazy about the tone, so ymmv.

[kingtone]

I keep running into these issues...

1. I want to get back into midi guitar(roland vg-8)

2. I refuse to stick a pickup on a guitar like an anderson, they are to nice, plus the stick on pickup does not work as well or look as good as the internal or bridge transducer types. Not sticking those things on a nice guitar is just one reason why I got away from the midi thing in the first place.

3. I love layering synth sounds etc but I wish it could be done from a guitar like my cobra without it looking all messed up. If I have to go with a godin or brian moore I am sacrificing the TA sound and feel for midi...it does not sound like my favorite option!

Tom, do you think there would be enough room in an the cavity of one of your guitars(maybe a cobra, drop top) to put that stuff in there even though it may not be your preference.

Would you do it if I bribed you? I am not sure I would even go through with it but I think if I get a godin then I will always prefer my cobra and be frustrated. Just thought I would throw it out there and see if it sticks...thanks

[tom]

not interested in an install unless they can do something about all those wires just hanging off the bridge.

[bud]

If you aren't really interested in triggering synth sounds with your guitar, the Roland pickup may actually perform better and is more "undoable" Piezo based saddles offer better tracking for synths but I like the results with the GK-3 better for modeled guitar sounds (at least with the VG-99, not sure about a VG-8 or 88)

Here's a couple of options I have toyed with.

This is available on ebay and is engineered for use on a guitar with a standard strat pickguard. It uses the pickguard screw holes. The controls mount on the strap button. I had this installed on an EJ strat. Easy install, it worked extremely well and removed without a hitch.

http://i21.ebayimg.com/02/i/05/15/88/f8_1_b.JPG

You would need to make your own as the pickguard on a classic is different spacing.

One thing that seems a possibility would be to use the included tune-o-matic bracket (sits right under the bridge, so probably won't work on Atom CT's recessed bridge, but I think it will work on regular Atom)

http://www.americanmusical.com/ProductImages/Large/25481.jpg

If you could live without the tone control on the Atom (I assume you could tuck the pot in the cavity, Tom am I out to lunch?), you could make a little brace that went into the control cavity and screwed into the back of the controls and voila, functional and totally removable solution (in theory)

[kingtone]

Those are decent options for most folks, I just could not stick one of those pickups on a guitar like a TA. I had american strats, lps back in the 90's with the gk on them. It bugged me back then and now I am getting back into that and I just refuse unless I can have an internal type. They do not fit into the case properly either! I will probably get a godin or roland ready strat until I figure out a better way. Thanks for your suggestions though. If I get desperate maybe making a little bracket could be the way...