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Ok, after reading several posts.... GHOST question


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Can you really change out the piezo system, or entire bridge on the JTV69 to a graph tech GHOST system without messing with the internal simulator electronics on the Variax?????

I love Graphtech and am seriously intrigued

I believe that they still only make direct (I think there was still some cutting and splicing involved) replacement saddles for the older Variax models, not the JTV 69.  Not sure if the offer a full bridge replacement, last time I looked it was just hardtails and floyd that were listed

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Many of us have done this with the earlier Variax's.  The Ghost piezos work great.  They do change the sound some - and they have more output so you have to turn down the string volumes in Workbench to keep fro overdriving the DSP.  I am not sure if they have any saddles that work with the 69 though.  They are different than the standard Strat like saddles on the earlier Variax's. 

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I used a set of PN-8102-R0 saddles which fit my JTV-69 with some modification (the intonation screws were at a weird angle and had too large of heads - I had to drill out the screw holes in the back of the bridge).

 

However, except for the volume gain, I don't find that it radically improves the sound. Any change is so subtle that after matching the volumes with my other unmodded JTV-69, I hear a tiny difference comparing recorded samples one right after another, but couldn't tell which one was playing if you only played me one.

 

My reason for switching was string breakage. I broke a string at the saddle on my Strat just before a solo at my very first public gig when I was 19, and ever since then have used String Savers on every guitar I've owned.

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Ok.... Another Question.... Since the Variax HAS to be in perfect standard tuning to use the other alternate tunings..... What about installing a Graphtech Ervana Compensated Nut?

I wouldn't think that that would hurt anything, and might be a mod that I would look into.  As far as the perfect tuning, I often manually drop the low E a whole step in combination with the alternate tunings, with perfect results.

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I used a set of PN-8102-R0 saddles which fit my JTV-69 with some modification (the intonation screws were at a weird angle and had too large of heads - I had to drill out the screw holes in the back of the bridge).

 

However, except for the volume gain, I don't find that it radically improves the sound. Any change is so subtle that after matching the volumes with my other unmodded JTV-69, I hear a tiny difference comparing recorded samples one right after another, but couldn't tell which one was playing if you only played me one.

 

My reason for switching was string breakage. I broke a string at the saddle on my Strat just before a solo at my very first public gig when I was 19, and ever since then have used String Savers on every guitar I've owned.

 

I was looking into ghost saddles as well for the string breakage reason. I just broke an "A" string on my JTV69 and when looking at the LR Baggs saddles noticed that the strings have worn grooves into them that match the string windings. Not ideal.

 

PN-8102-R0 seems to be the Tele version of the saddles. Do you have any pictures of your install? Did you notice any tuning stability improvements?

 

Thanks.

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There is no such thing as "Perfect Tuning" on a guitar.  The Earvana nut is still a compromise that some like and some don't.  I have an Earvana on my Variax 500 and it works fine.  I don't have one on my JTV69S and I don't intend to put one on.  IMO the Earvana nut helps most with notes very close to the nut where you get some detuning due to string deflection.  That can be minimized by having the nut adjusted well or by using a zero fret.  The nut on my JTV is  adjusted well.

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I was looking into ghost saddles as well for the string breakage reason. I just broke an "A" string on my JTV69 and when looking at the LR Baggs saddles noticed that the strings have worn grooves into them that match the string windings. Not ideal.

 

PN-8102-R0 seems to be the Tele version of the saddles. Do you have any pictures of your install? Did you notice any tuning stability improvements?

 

Thanks.

 

Yes, that's right, those are marketed as for a Telecaster. They're the only ones I know of that are available in a complete set of 6 with the screws on the correct side, AND the back "open" so the string could be routed through them like the original JTV saddles.

 

I don't use the vibrato at all - I tightened the screws all the way, damped the springs' vibrations with foam, and blocked the whole mechanism off with wood - so I never had any problems with tuning stability and don't notice any change.

 

No pictures at the moment, sorry. Someone else had some about a year ago, maybe Charlie_Watt? Not sure who it was.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Realize that the Ghost piezo Sadles (unlike RMC, L.R.Baggs ) are non focused and result in much higher adjacent string vibration induced "crosstalk" , which results in lots of "new warbling"  during DSP Alt tuning use.

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So what about installing a zero fret nut?

Still waiting on my dand special ordered Perloid pickguard I orders two months ago...

Once I get that in, installing black pickup covers on the single coils, treating and oiling the fretboard,

Putting on my 9.5 hybrid strings and setting up the neck... Installing and ESP zero point trem setter, called the Arming Adjuster( had to get it from Japan)

What do you think of this nut?http://www.stewmac.com/Materials_and_Supplies/Nuts_and_Saddles/ZerO_Glide_Nuts.html

Can't wait....

So that's why I'm asking about these mods

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