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Roland V bass

#21
I should add that this unit is simply for curiosity - I am so happy with my setup and my basses that now I want to expand on them with little things like this. I use my pod very successfully using patches I have honed over time for the studio and live applications and really enjoy playing with the filters and synths for fun, so the v-bass was always a good looking piece of kit for me. That is why I don't want to make any permanent mods to my most beloved bass most of all, but also why I want it on this bass in particular!!

See what I mean!!?

Just waiting on some measurements....

Thanks for all the replies/help/insight so far, appreciated.

ped
 
#22
ped said:
Thanks mate,
ped
Click to expand...

Forgot you asked about the control (brain). Ballpark figures are in that thread. The back of the controller is flat and supposed to mount on a bracket which I'm guessing is not included with the rig your looking at.

The mod I suggested to bass if required would be temporary and reversible - simply to check the rig out if nothing else. There would be nothing permanently altered on the bass.

I primarily used the V-bass 100% GK pup. Greenboy and others typically use them to accent a tone not be the tone as I did. There are some tastie tones in that unit no matter how you use it.
 
#23
Graphtec makes replacement saddles that they sell with a hexaphonic preamp. Not cheap, but shouldn't ruin your setup if you install it all externally. Hard to tell from your pick if any are compatible with your bridge but it wouldn't hurt to check it out.
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#24
+1 for Graphtech.
I installed a complete kit , the piezo sound is very good.

A piezo bridge will require Major surgery for the 13 pin out jack.
You're better with a GK if don't want to destroy too much your bass.

Go for 100$ bass to see , and if you like it , then go for the surgery...
 
#26
Thanks for all the input so far.

I printed out some life size templates of the parts today and decided the best way to mount the 'brain' would be on the back of the bass. One new question though - How long is the connecting cable between the pickup and the brain, and can the brain be disconnected from the cable? I have a fitted carse for the bass and it wouldn't fit with the unit on the back.

ped
 
#27
The length of the cables is also in that thread. It's much shorter on the GK3b than 2B - like 5 or 6 inches. Essentially minimal, enough so that I was restricted how I mounted the 3B - and that was to the face. I had the 3b, 2B, and a Yamaha controller. I considered mounting to the back (it has been done) but it was uncomfortable and no real point other than keep that ugly mass out of sight. Looks I could care less about. What is of consequence is minimizing potential damage as it's just plastic. They seem to hold up well but I was leary.

One oversight to me of the controller is the pup itself doesn't disconnect from it. As a result, you can't quickly remove the pup to slip the bass in it's stock case for transport (cause the controller won't allow it to fit).

A carse I assume is the GK bracket?
 
#28
You can get the measurements for the GK3B directly from Roland:
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I installed one on my bass recently, and it sounds great, as long as it's properly placed. According to the manual, you gotta keep a maximum distance on about 20mm from the bridge saddles. In your case, if you install it on top of the pickup ring, you will need to raise the string action a lot, to make room for the pick up height. You need to keep a string clearance of about 1/16" from the bottom of the strings to the top of the pickup, when the strings are fingered at the 24th fret.
What I would do if I was you, I would remove the original pickup ring, use it as a template to outline a dummy that I can cut to size.
The controller installation could be an issue, since you don't seem to have enough space on the body for it. A solution for that, if you have the mounting bracket, is to mount it partially on top of the bridge.
I could post some pictures of my pickup, should you be interested.
 
#29
Hi guys,

I have decided that the best thing is to see if I can get the unit to see if it fits properly, with an agreement that I can return it if not. Fingers crossed. Thanks to your kind help I have worked out that it should all fit pretty well (behind the bass and pickup mounted on the ring) so we will see. I am finding the thread in the pickup FAQ really interesting.

I will keep you all posted

ped
 
#34
It came today - can't be here long so just wante dto say initial impressions are fantastic... I spent a few hours honing a superb modern Jazz bass sound today, going to hit the Musicman tomorrow but initial sounds are absolutely astonishing. The tracking is amazing, you can play several notes at once and each is processed. Brill fun!!

The pickup installation was fine actually, no permanent mods to the bass and luckily my measurements were spot on so i didn't have to remove the pickup surround! Hooray!

Quick and bad snaps:

P170508_1902.jpg

P170508_1903.jpg


The 'Brain' is on the back but very sturdy, neat, thin and out of the way.

l8rz for now
V-ped
 

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