baatkarlo

I got a Tung Sol kit from audiotubes via Amazon. It's specifically for the Epiphone BC30. Changing the tubes was not too difficult, wore latex gloves and rubber sole shoes, didn't touch anything but the tube covers and rings to remove screws and pull out Chinese original tubes one at a time, replace with Tung Sol ones and reassemble the retainer rings and covers. The reverb tube (first ax7 on right with the amp upside down) gets the balanced pin one. Rest was a snap to install. The amp sounds smooth and responsive, with no hum. The tone is much better than the original chinese tube based tone. Less harsh, more clarity and even response when using independent eq. Very happy with the result as after ten years, one of the original tubes had blown and I was not willing to trash this beautiful amp.

I had a green flashing peghead on the MCK after charging all day as it did not shut off automatically after reaching 9 out of 10 level. So I opened the back cover on my Robot 1, disconnected the battery and reconnected it after 5 minutes. The bad MCK issue aside, it reset the tuner to factory default, and then I just pulled out the MCK and whacked it back in with the palm of my hand. It shut off! Now it works to autotune but I just whack it back in after spinning it to #b setting. Works like a charm. No need to spend $395 at guitarsushi.com to replace the whole tuning control and MCK. I own Robot 1 since Dec 9, 2007 two days after it released. She's a beauty and I will keep it all original if it means whacking the MCK to shut it off.

One other point - take a look at http://www.rmcpickup.com/RMCprices2008.pdf - this is the bridge/preamp combination going into Breedlove and Godin Multiac guitars, and likely the bridge going into the Gibson Robot as well. Expensive but extremely fast tracking for MIDI. There is an internal preamp option for $250 and two versions of the acoustic bridge (std and tall) for another $250 plus $50 for back plates. You would still need a Roland GR-20 for $650 so you're looking at turning your Synapse Custom F2PA from 900 to something that totals 1450 plus labor plus GR-20 - about $2000 if you do it yourself or upwards from $2500 if you get a luthier to do it.

I have been thinking the same thing, and actually reached out to Ned Steinberger about MIDI. There are other options than the Roland GK-3 / GR-20 or VG-99 combination, such as Graphtech.com where you can check out the Ghost system which has a bridge that contains midi pickups per string as well as piezo capability. This also is the fastest tracking MIDI system in the world today, and is in use by Carvin on its SH-575 series as well as by Parker Fly Mojo MIDI and the MOOG EV-1M. I have a GK-3 self installed on my Epiphone Black Beauty, and it tracks well for slow playing but will skips notes when you really start moving on scales and tapping or hammer-ons. http://baatkarlo-aol.spaces.live.com http://graphtech.com http://carvin.com - look under custom shop for SH-575 http://moogguitar.com Do let us know how your internal kit install goes regardless of which one you choose to install. The Graphtech Ghost kit will also require replacing the beautiful sounding original piezo bridge designed by Ned, so be prepared for your sound altering drastically, although your MIDI tracking will be astoundingly close to real time.

I have a red Synapse SS-2FPA which is about a year old. I use D'Addario nickel flatwound 10's on it after trying out the medium baritone double headers from Steinberger and finding that the 6th didn't fit in the groove on upper end of the neck. I am very happy with the EMG/Piezo blendable sound - just have to watch the batteries don't fade and drop the output on these, that's all. The sound opens up dramatically with the acoustic piezo on the bridge. I adjusted the action on the guitar by tweaking the three screws on the bridge and it plays like butter now. There were some buzzing issues which I resolved by adjusting the tension on the roller capo/nut as well. It is my favorite guitar out of seven I own, including a Gibson Robot first run limited edition. When I want to get gnarly, I just use my Roland GT-8 with amp sim to get the sound dirtied up.

Why would you want a trem on a baritone guitar? Or on a capo'd guitar? It's meant to be played fast riffs or rhythm, not bend. If you want bending, coil splitting, go for a transtrem. Transcale is meant to give a deep timbre on baritone, and a jazz riff/rhythm capability by mixing in the tones from the EMG active PUPs and the Piezo bridge (which is ebony, to give you a jazzy sound). The fretboard is designed for speed and I guess you could use light strings to bend as the scale length is sufficient to bend easily without requiring a trem. Use a pitch bend / tremolo setting on an expression pedal attached to a multieffect processor and send the sound through that would give you a very thorough control on the guitar with your hands while using your foot to bend.