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Installing a Triple play on a JTV 89F


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I have a JTV 89F on order but have not received it yet,  I am wondering if anyone has installed a Fishman Triple Play pick up on a JTV 89F.  I see that there is very little clearance between the bridge and the bridge pickup.  If you have been successful with the installation, any information you could share would be appreciated.

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I have a JTV 89F on order but have not received it yet,  I am wondering if anyone has installed a Fishman Triple Play pick up on a JTV 89F.  I see that there is very little clearance between the bridge and the bridge pickup.  If you have been successful with the installation, any information you could share would be appreciated.

 

 

I have a GK-3 on my 89F that I am still not finished with. I had to remove the pickup ring for it to fit. I'm not sure how much different the FTP pickup is, but it looks pretty close. Please excuse how dirty my guitar is in the attached pic. She needs cleaning.

 

 

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This might be also relevant for the "FTP", although originally meant for the GK-3:
 
(Disclaimer: I don't have experience with them/it yet)
http://www.shapeways.com/product/X6ABHAJM8/gk-3-low-profile-bridge-humbucker-pickup-ring?optionId=57538278
 
Found it to be cheaper in price, also in total internationally (taking shipping into account), in comparison to the original tip about the existence of the custom pickup ring, mentioned in the helpfull threads about the GK-3 installation on the 89/F. It's intended for any Floyd Rose as far as I can tell, assuming those guitars most often have a humbucker bridge mag.
 
It seemed to me that the "FTP" fixed-cable from the controller to the hex-pickup, is shorter than that of the GK-3, while the latter can be made shorter by rolling it within its designated space, within the controller. So it's a factor to take into account for the placement of both the controller and the hex-pickup in such cases. For most guitars it wouldn't have been an issue, but that's "the price" for the combination. So you won't be able to stick the controller as low as the GK-3-one seen here and elsewhere. I don't know whether there is a reverse-mount out-of-the-box installation-option for the "FTP" hex-pickup. I did see a Vid with GK-3 reverse-mounting on a steel-stringed Acoustic guitar.
 
 
For myself, I'm hoping for a new GR unit from Roland that would minimize the latency even further for the midi sounds/synths (especially also for its midi out; noticabley more latency - concluded from reading and listening to reviews), also for the upgrade of the Nylon modeling (closer to the quality of Line 6 fw v1-2). And perhaps it would incorperate easier designation-capabilities of individual strings and fret groups to different sounds/synths, like "FTP", but instead out of the GR-box. I was disappointed with this winter NAMM in that regard (although based on a narrow focus of mine), and I prolly will be also disappointed following the next few NAMMs also in that regard; hopefully not hopeless. "FTP" doesn't do Nylon modelling, only Nylon through MIDI, and no cheap controller-only (with no sw bundle) available. I'm hoping to use a GR also for Bass, with an aproximate User Variax-Patch, OK for strings 4-6. GR-55 gives the option to consider a Bass (just needing to add the much cheaper pickup-only product), if needed. I like the poseibility.
 
If Roland takes too long or changes direction; I then will be waiting for a significant discount on the GR-55, even though it's around half price now, compared to its introduction around Jan 2011. I'm hopefull because it has been 5 years since, and 4ish years since the last and only firmware upgrade release. But I'm keeping an eye on the GR-55 availability and prices. For my purposes (lol), the GR-55 would need to become "dirt-cheap" (used-units in Europe still are offered for too close to the current brand-new prices).
 
 
I would like to be either really happy with a product, or think "it was cheap enough to be worth it", having at least a minimum level of quality and capabilities within my interest.
 
 
I'm trying out jamorigin.com in the meantime for MIDI. Just a Software based solution. Signal-conversion-tracking seems promissing. For me, for now, it's worth the trade-off in possibilities and potential tracking limitations, compared to the equally "computer" dependent "FTP" (ignoring that little standalone footswitch companion unit of it, that doesn't do Nylon modelling for instance). Like for "MIDI Guitar" (jamorigin) no physical installation required; no seperate pickup - should work with any guitar. They recently released latest v2 Beta (fairly short release-cycles), also for iOS for those interested. "MIDI Bass" is currently for free, included. Their buzzword is polyphonic processing, from the impression I got. They claim a breakthrough in accuracy and performance, making it comparable to HW solutions. But in total-comparison, it can't compete with "FTP" or GR-55, but it could compete well enough for its main thing, the MIDI aspect, and the rest is up to the DAW or something MIDI compatible. It has more than enough capabilities to be usable "out of the box" though. I'll find out how well I can use it with a musical notation SW for instance. Also with Ableton Live, for which it has a plugin as well. It should be able to keep my mind off of the GR-55 for as long as possible.. Gear "Geek" Gods, give me strength! Oh my senseless hunger for "more and easy".. for no good reason in my case. Just for the fun of it.

 

 

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I think the low profile bridge mount will raise the GK-3 hex pickup too high IF you want to be able to pull up on the tremolo bar. The strings hit the hex pickup with even a thin spacer under it. 

 

I'm not sure if the FTP cable is long enough or not, but placing the GK-3 directly behind the Floyd is a very tight squeeze indeed, which is why I placed it where it is in the picture in post #2 above. I'm guessing the FTP would be a tight fit as well.

 

I was able to get the GR-55/GK-3 for $680 with a 15% discount (no tax, free shipping through MF I think). That's the lowest price I could find.

 

In addition, the bridge pickup needs to move towards the nut just a little. Unless you are willing to drill new holes in your 89F, the low profile bridge will not be properly aligned.

Edited by CipherHost
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The tripleplay has to be close to the strings but does come with different size mounting plates. After you tape the right size p;late then you slide the pickup onto mounting plate and use a screwdriver to adjust up/down to exact height - it shouldn't be a problem 

 

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Aren't both "FTP" and GK-3 provided with a spacer for the necessary adjustments of the hex-pickup height and angle relative to the strings' height? Don't they need to be that close anyway? I don't know how limiting that is to the tremolo range, I forgot the exact distance. Or did you compensate for extra distance by setting the hex-pickup sensitivity level higher with the GR-55? I'm not sure that the "FTP" has sensitity adjustment options, my memory is vague on that. Does tracking work well with higher sensitivity with more space? Are you going to leave the bridge mag with no ring? Customize the original ring? Any alternatives? And there I thought the custom low profile ring was a perfect solution for any Floyd Rose.. Did anyone experiment with any of those hex-pickups placed after the bridge mag not before it (just for ease)? In terms of tracking and minimal distance from the strings. Trying to see the least-resistance option in the process, to keep in mind somewhat. Based on the progression from GK-2A to GK-3, I assume GK-4(hypothetical) wouldn't be that different in shape or measurements, so the same "non-streamlined installation" for Floyed Rose guitars would remain (such as for the JTV89F, there is just too little space on the default spot for any realistic pickup design anyway). My overal installation impression:  :unsure:

I'm happy with the guitar though.

 

Btw the lowest GR-55GK brand-new price in Europe (in a glance) is offered by Gear4Music (they have localized webshops). Around the same time last year it was 664~ EUR (didn't save this: https://web.archive.org/web/20150330160607/http://www.gear4music.nl/nl/Gitaar-and-Basgitaar/Roland-GR-55GKBK-Gitaar-Synthesizer-met-Pick-up-Zwart/JGF) it's like some sort of automated semi-daily price changes with a min I witnessed of 605 (if u bought anything there past 100 EUR maybe, after a few weeks last time, a "VIP" starter free memership is assigned to ur account, and another few bugs will be discounted for 6 months, some products discounted a lot more, so I could have got it for 600), and a max of 645, more often it's around 625 EUR. Used ones have to be picked up in Germany or UK, the ebayers won't ship them outside the country, and the prices are 400-550 EUR. Still not "dirt-cheap" enough for my context, and not easy to get used ones currently in NL. The price fluctuations is neglegable for the past year, if only I didn't have strong doubts about the key aspects for myself (aside installation uncertainties) relative to the price. Future NAMMs might change the field at least slightly anyway. It was fairly state-of-the-art product back then. 5 years is a significant amount of time by relevant standards, especially in a high-speed world. Helix has 4.5-6 years dedicated to it behind the scenes while its previous lines were being developed and released. Roland's next GR can't be that far off in its cycle can it? There are so many GRs alone, nvm GK-3 floorboards. Common!!! :ph34r:

 

Or will Line 6 go MIDI similar to those? Head feels it starts to hurt.

 

Edit: fixed link and exact GR bundle.

Edited by ZenBalancer
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A great site for info on this equipment, not to mention a lot of great folks with a lot of experience, is stevekc's http://www.vguitarforums.com/. You will find sections for the FTP, for Line6 and much more. 

 

Personally, I will customize a mag ring to fit and still be able to adjust mag height. With the hex pickup, I have found it works without spacers (attached directly to the guitar body), but I'm not done testing. That is much farther that the 1 mm distance in the instructions. At 1 mm, I had to turn the sensitivity way down. Placing the hex pickup on the other side of the bridge pickup might be a problem as the strings vibrate a greater distance than next to the bridge, but I never tried it. 

 

Roland/Boss seems to have headed into a different direction than the GR-55 when they introduced the SY-300 and GP-10. Time will tell if they have something up their sleeve.

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Thanks for the feedback. What's in ur experience the ideal distance from the hex-pickup to the strings on the 89F? How much further past 1 mm?

 

Yeah good site, I read a few relevant threads through google. And I knew about it from others and he explained its history in another thread.

About the companies, as far as I can tell it was still to diversify their product lines. They offer a comparison view of the SY-300 and the GR-55, somewhat akin to the added page to place HD500X and Firehawk FX in perspective (although the difference between the former 2 is much bigger). Different targets, "same source". The GR-55 incorporates COSM from the VG99, so it was combining rather than advancing individually. 

 

They must have been advancing the individual tech anyway next to having now finilized their step of bringing synth possibilities to arguably much larger interest-group comparitively. Will keep an eye on the other forum as well.

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Well this thread got me back to working on the GK-3 Hex setup and while I could hear the strings with the hex on the body, that was too far to balance each string and get a strong signal. I have raised it up to about 1.5 mm with the caveat of only being able to raise the tremolo bar no quite a full half step. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I received my Jtv 89f this week and took some time to prefit my fishman triple play pickup. It will fit between the bridge pickup and the bridge but will require me to cut off the back portion of the pickup frame which will leave at least one of the mounting holes open. I will also have to use the thinnest triple play pickup receiver to hold the pickup. It will be a snug fit but should work with no complications I will try to post a picture of it when I complete the installation.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I received my Jtv 89f this week and took some time to prefit my fishman triple play pickup. It will fit between the bridge pickup and the bridge but will require me to cut off the back portion of the pickup frame which will leave at least one of the mounting holes open. I will also have to use the thinnest triple play pickup receiver to hold the pickup. It will be a snug fit but should work with no complications I will try to post a picture of it when I complete the installation.

Yea - I just bought JTV 69 and I had to trim the triple play mounting plate to squeeze the pickup between pickguard and bridge

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  • 2 weeks later...

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