A final cure for my jtv

[Zeller]

Ok, I'm here just to share my experience with my jtv 59, I thought it could help the community as it adresses common problems (ping, volume drops in certain strings etc.)
I'm not a native speaker, I hope this is understandable to all ;)

First of all, by doing this I voided my warranty, think about it before doing anything.
I read about this mods on this forum, so the credit isn't mine.

I hope this post does not break any forum's rule, in that case let me know and I'll erase/modify it.

Volume inconsistency between strings:
Probably you already know the cause for this, the negative connection from the piezo is provided by contact on the bridge, but sweat from the hands will form oxide that raise resistance to ground, lowering that saddle volume.
The lower E string is more prone to this.

Two solutions for this:
a. going for a graphtech ghost bridge, but it's not cheap at all, and the variax it's not designed for it, so i went for option b.: give the saddles a proper grounding.

I'll explain step by step what I did:
1. disconnected bridge connector
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=BBA44F05F3B256B0!390&authkey=!APLs3dI-ytbcNAU&v=3&ithint=photo%2cjpg

 

2. raised the bridge by using an hex key.
As you can see from this pic:
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=BBA44F05F3B256B0!391&authkey=!AGV4Ggk2-NnMGhE&v=3&ithint=photo%2cjpg
the pcb under the bridge already has soldering pads for each saddle ground, the lr baggs saddle does not provide a second wire for ground, we'll get there.
I removed the hot glue globs with an exacto knife, they come off pretty easely, and I desoldered the + wires from their pads.
Now the saddles are free, just remove the screws and the pcb will be gone.

3. At this point you'll have something like this:
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=BBA44F05F3B256B0!382&authkey=!AMlTDXNemHaZ2-A&v=3&ithint=photo%2cjpg
notice the holes for the wires in the bridge, I had to use tiny ones I salvaged from an usb cable.
I put some masking tape on the guitar to avoid scratches.

4. https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=BBA44F05F3B256B0!384&authkey=!AGviVZ1R68CkB1s&v=3&ithint=photo%2cjpg

this is the saddle kept by a needle nose plier, with a rubber band to keep it close, I didn't have a vise at hand :D
This provides heat sink, piezos don't like high temperatures, so be quick while soldering.
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=BBA44F05F3B256B0!381&authkey=!ANLdF7VbuPA6yQI&v=3&ithint=photo%2cjpg
see that pad? the wire goes there.
remove enough epoxy to have a clean solder, i used an exacto knife.

5. pre-tin the pad and the wire:
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=BBA44F05F3B256B0!392&authkey=!AEP5OkV6mnkZybc&v=3&ithint=photo%2cjpg
and solder quick and fearless with a small soldering iron:
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=BBA44F05F3B256B0!383&authkey=!AGvyap6hMU05XCk&v=3&ithint=photo%2cjpg

6. After repeating point 5. for six times put the saddle back in place, and solder every wire to each pad on the pcb:
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=BBA44F05F3B256B0!389&authkey=!ADJExiPhxu9o7rg&v=3&ithint=photo%2cjpg
focus on avoiding solder bridges (as you can see on the D string, I cut that after shooting the photo) and on having shiny solder.
Apply some hot glue back to keep the wires in place.

7. remove masking tape, put the bridge in its place and reconnect the wires to the big pcb on the rear.
 

 

Pinging noise:
I found that this noise is in reality the pick scraping on the string, witch is common with piezo bridges, when you palm mute, you're dampening the fundamental, and the noise seems louder.
line 6 did a great job in removing this noise in the overall signal, but for unknow reasons sometimes on certain guitars the magic stop working.
unfortunately there's nothing you can do about it, so i went to the root of the problem: strings windings

I restrung my guitar with D'addario Half Rounds 10-52 that are between full rounds and flatwounds, and reduced pinging noise to a point that i don't care anymore.

If you find this too dull sounding for you, mess with volume pot values on workbench to dial back in the lost brightness, I didn't find this necessary anyway.

 

Crosstalk / warbling sound
I dampen the strings after the nut and after the saddles on every guitar I own, I hate the ringing sound when playing in staccato.
On the jtv this can also improve stability on alternative tunings.
pretty easy to do, a piece of heatshrink tubing on the bridge to avoid rattling noise:
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=BBA44F05F3B256B0!388&authkey=!AAZJdOig1VBLWj0&v=3&ithint=photo%2cjpg

 

and a piece of foam between the strings and the headstock:
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=BBA44F05F3B256B0!387&authkey=!ADWIOE4g37H-xtM&v=3&ithint=photo%2cjpg

Peace!
 

[snhirsch]

Thanks for documenting.  I posted my experience with ground-wire install on a JTV-69 about a year or so back, but am of the wrong generation to instinctively snap photos of everything.  

 

Rather than heat-shrink, I wedge a small piece of foam rubber under the string to the rear of the bridge saddle.  

[talwilkins]

Great fix, thanks!

I don't have a problem yet with my 89F but will seriously consider this aproach to avoid any in the future.

Or is this problem not existing on a 89F? It hink they have Graphtek piezo's similar to the Ghost Bridge, don't they?

[Zeller]

Thanks for documenting.  I posted my experience with ground-wire install on a JTV-69 about a year or so back, but am of the wrong generation to instinctively snap photos of everything.  

 

Rather than heat-shrink, I wedge a small piece of foam rubber under the string to the rear of the bridge saddle.  

Yeah, I remember you profile pic, thank you so much for your post!

I decided to go down this route after I read it.

Is your guitar still going?

I made the photos on purpose for this "guide", I've always been a silent observer here, but I thought they could be useful to someone.

[Charlie_Watt]

Very nice documentation!  I have never figured out why LR Baggs did not install a ground wire on their piezos.  It is a big mistake not to ground them properly.  I guess I would not recommend this to anyone who is not experienced in soldering because this is not an easy job for a beginner. 

[flarup30]

gear head can you post a Picture of what you meen ??? i dont understand :wacko: 

[snhirsch]

Yeah, I remember you profile pic, thank you so much for your post!

I decided to go down this route after I read it.

Is your guitar still going?

I made the photos on purpose for this "guide", I've always been a silent observer here, but I thought they could be useful to someone.

 

Yes, I'm pleased to say the JTV-69 is going strong as ever.  Just got back from rehearsal where it swung it's weight handily :-).  Adding the ground wires and damping foam has done wonders for the sound and stability.

[cruisinon2]

I found that this noise is in reality the pick scraping on the string, witch is common with piezo bridges, when you palm mute, you're dampening the fundamental, and the noise seems louder.

line 6 did a great job in removing this noise in the overall signal, but for unknow reasons sometimes on certain guitars the magic stop working.

unfortunately there's nothing you can do about it, so i went to the root of the problem: strings windings

 

I restrung my guitar with D'addario Half Rounds 10-52 that are between full rounds and flatwounds...

 

Don't know if I agree with this assessment. If that were the cause, why does it only seem to affect the 6th string? Why not the other wound strings as well? And why would it not affect every JTV out there? Everybody's pick scrapes against the strings...

 

I've grown accustomed to polished stone picks, which if anything accentuate pick attack a bit...would seem like this would make the problem worse, yet I have no "plink" at all.

 

Whatever the problem is, it's weird...some guitars are obviously immune, and others have the disease from day one. The answer is buried in the "brains" of the guitar somewhere.

[Zeller]

Don't know if I agree with this assessment. If that were the cause, why does it only seem to affect the 6th string? Why not the other wound strings as well? And why would it not affect every JTV out there? Everybody's pick scrapes against the strings...

 

I've grown accustomed to polished stone picks, which if anything accentuate pick attack a bit...would seem like this would make the problem worse, yet I have no "plink" at all.

 

Whatever the problem is, it's weird...some guitars are obviously immune, and others have the disease from day one. The answer is buried in the "brains" of the guitar somewhere.

I totally agree on that, I was trying to say that the noise that we call "plink" is scraping noise amplified to a point that sounds innatural.

I went for half round and the problem is almost gone.

I don't know what line 6 did to eliminate the issue, maybe logical logarithm or a phisical preamp/eq, but for strange reasons it doesn't works on certain guitars on the E string. A faulty ICs order? Technology can be strange...

 

Anyway, after a bunch of rehearsals I can tell I'm really satisfied with the result, now I can finally start enjoying the guitar :D

 

[leemh]

Hi,

Im using jtv-69 and under warbling problem.

looks little different bridge 59 and 69.

 

Can I tubing my 69 bridge like your guitar?

[isdirg1]

Zeller thank you very much for sharing this. ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘😀😀😀😀

[PierM]

Gold stuff! Thanks for sharing! 

[Palico]

Ok, I'm here just to share my experience with my jtv 59, I thought it could help the community as it adresses common problems (ping, volume drops in certain strings etc.)

 

 

Excellent post. I have the 89F and have pretty much decided the pinging can be tamed but not eliminated. I'm not going to change my strings to fix either. I'll just continue to do what I do today, which is not to use it. I've discovered as you, the strings you use and tuning (real tuning) makes a large difference on how guitars perform on the digital side. If not for the JTV just being a overall great guitar, I would ditch it. Maybe I see an Ibanez in my future.