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Roland gk-3b vs. RMC piezo

mat b

mat b

Dec 21, 2005
122
5
Albuquerque, nm
#1
For those that have used both for midi... Which do you like better and why? I've got a conklin gt-7 that I want to make midi compatible. I've already got a Bart pre so I would only need the piezo setup + midi... Or the gk internal setup. I'm having a hard time deciding if I want to do the divided pickup or the piezos... The piezos would give
me the low b as the gk is 6 string only, but i would most likely tranpose down and play higher for tracking anyway... I'm planning on going through a roland g20 or the axom... The gk would also be much cheaper, but I want to do this midi thing right!
 
#2
i like piezo saddles for synth, as they seem to track a little better. look at RMC, and also graph-tech's "ghost" systems.
 
#3
Axon is the only company that allows you to choose piezo pickups in the setup I believe. Also you can only do 6 strings. You will also need a piezo buffer preamp and with that you also need a 13 pin connector, and of course the piezo saddles which RMC has. But I'm not sure you may need a new bridge or at a bare minimum new saddles that are the piezos. And yes Ghost/Graphtech also make a piezo solution that fits more variety bridges.
The playing difference is huge as is the price difference between them. If I were you I would put the pickups/piezos under the top 6 strings anyway, low b's are slow even on the Axon. But the added bonus is you can use the piezos for a nice acoustic sound on their own too.
Good luck,
Dirk
 
#5
I'm also considering the same thing for a 5 string bass tuned EADGC. There are some more considerations. I've read that when using the bass models in the VB-99, the piezos can have more rumble to the sound than the Roland magnetic kit. And that those virtual bass models were created primarily around the sound of the magnetic pickup.

Also I'm being told that the piezo bridge saddles will change the normal direct sound of the bass through the 1/4" jack because the saddles themselves are constructed differently, there's a crystal element the string is sitting on. So it's going to change the sound & bridge coupling compared to solid metal saddles. Probably resulting in a more "solid" better sustained sound with normal metal saddles according to logical thought at least.

I like the clean look & more integration of the piezo & there's less of an appliance attached to the bass. And I wonder for the synth sounds if it might offer the best tracking. But the Roland magnetic, when set up properly, seems like it will offer the best unchanged sound both used normally direct through the 1/4" jack & through the VB-99 bass models.

Once installed, it's not really feasible to change my mind & back install the other. Opinions?
 
#7
These pickups are not MIDI , they are analog , one pickup per string and it's the processor that changes that pickup signal to synth.

( just to clear that out , lot's of people think it is MIDI )

For the MIDI side , for bass there is no workable system that works in 2011 , sadly.
The latency of a low B for pitch to MIDI is in the 120ms ball park. Forget about playing a groove with a tempo !

I STRONLY suggest to go with a GK processor : GR series , or VB99. The VB99 internal sounds are not pitch to MIDI , they are COSM , very low latency , perfect tracking.
The new GR55 is a slimed down/cheaper version of the VB99.
The PCM synths latency in the GR55 is still very high.
I have a VB99 and I can't ask for more , perfect tracking , no latency , a dream !

If you still want only Pitch to MIDI , I suggest Roland's GI20 , Axon is out of buisness anyways.
There is Pitch to MIDI in the VB99 but the GI20 is better at this , but it doesn't do anything else.


As for the pickups , I have 3 basses with GK , 1 with GK3B a two with Graphtech piezo.
The GK3B gives better performance out of the Roland processors wich is normal , they developped their thing around those pickups. Better tracking , lower handling noise.
But a piezo system works nice and makes a better "finish" for a beautifull bass , the external big/chunky/ugly GK3B is really annoying !!!!
You could install a GK3B internal kit.
You see mine Here (2nd answer)

IME there is better performance with GK3B but better looks and finish with piezos.

For a Conklin , I think you'll be better served with a Ghost/Graphtech kit.
 
#8
I agree. I went to great trouble to install RMC's on two Conklin GT sevens. We ganged the B and E string which worked fine, but I never got nearly the tone out of them that I get out of the GK 3b pickups. I even had my luthier the great and famous Gary Brawer talk to the founder engineer at RMC about the issue. He took my basses with him. The conclusion I got back from Brawer confirmed my suspicion that there was something less than great about the sound through the Roland VB. I currently use the VB-99 with the GK pickups on a six string. It works best.
 
#9
taowin said:
The conclusion I got back from Brawer confirmed my suspicion that there was something less than great about the sound through the Roland VB.
Click to expand...
One issue is the GK cable.

Easy solution is to use your 1/4" out with a good/normal 1/4 cable in the VB99. Not practical and makes a big chunky cable if taped together with the GK cable , but it "cures" that problem.

with the latest Firmware updates of the VG/VB99 , we now have "presets" for Piezos system that bring them pretty close to the GK3B

The difference between both system is still very tiny. Lot's of people won't hear a difference.
 
#11
I'm preparing for a piezo/midi project--this thread answered some questions, but some still linger.....

The original plan was to install the GK3b with the internal mount, plus a piezo bridge for the standard piezo sound. Then I thought, why should I use the GK3 if I can drive the midi with the piezos?

First, which is better for MIDI? Some say piezo's track better, some say the GK3 is better.

Second, if using piezo's, what/how do I get a MIDI output, regular piezo output, plus a mag output?

Thanks!
 
#12
Torzal said:
First, which is better for MIDI? Some say piezo's track better, some say the GK3 is better.

Second, if using piezo's, what/how do I get a MIDI output, regular piezo output, plus a mag output?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
if you're looking for a piezo sound too, then no reason not to go that route.

the ghost system with the hexpander will give you separate piezo and synth sounds, as will some of the other systems.
 
#14
I used the RMC with an Axon setup and currently the GK-3B Roland setup.

I have not mixed and matched the two. But, I preferred the look and sound of the RMC at the time. Plus you got piezos in your 1/4 output if you wanted. The GK-3B is performing flawlessly, though, so...maybe in the future I can justify trying the GK internal kit or go back to piezos.

Either way, make sure you know what you're gonna get with pitch to midi.
 

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