A comment on the gearspace.com ”Sad state of MIDI Guitar 2023” thread (in a way that was creating no more disillusion and a feeling of resignation.)
7 Likes
An excellent video, Leif, and a great advert for MG3! Can’t wait (well actually I’ve been waiting ever since it was announced and continue to happily use MG2). I too have Roland/Boss hardware (VG-8, VG-99, GP-10, SY-300 and SY-1000) but MG2 has pretty much replaced them all (except for virtual guitar modelling, rather than MIDI, which the VG-99 and SY-1000 do rather well). I have a Jamstik Studio (great out-of-the-box MIDI guitar - I’m no shredder but it’s just fine for ambient pads backing normal guitar sounds which is what I do); also an Instrument 1 (haven’t really gelled with the playing experience) and a Jammy G which I like a lot (closest things to a SynthAxe but sadly their business suffered and eventually failed after the Ukraine war). I also have a Moog guitar, same model as yours, and have the Ghost 13-pin adapter ready to install but mainly to use with guitar modelling rather than MIDI conversion. The endless acoustic sustain is perfect of my kind of music. I’d be interested to have any information you may possess about the Ghost installation as I’ve been unable to get any detail from Moog or Paul Vo. I have a good idea what to do as I’ve modified other guitars, fitting Roland GK pickups and sustainers (Fernandes and Sustainiacs), but if you have any internal photos you could share that would great! Looking forward, even more, to MG3 but in the meantime loving PD Space Guitar from Paul Driessen who worked a lot on MG2 for non-MIDI but synth-like guitar sounds!
Great video Leif! I’ve actually been thinking about investing in a Sustainiac equipped guitar. Guess it wouldn’t be for MIDI Guitar 3 then though!
How very interesting! You actually have all those controllers discussed in that thread, except for the Boss GM-800? I wouldn’t have dared guess that the Jammy G would ever be compared to a SynthAxe, but I am glad you got it to work for you. I had an exchange with someone else who figured the Yamaha G10 was the closest thing to a SynthAxe too. Would be interesting to compare all three controllers. 
And yes, the Ukraine situation is absolutely awful.
So you are one of the other Moog guitar buyers, ey? Congrats on owning a rarity. Unfortunately I can’t help you with the Ghost 13 -pin system installing. I left all my guitar modifications to my luthier of choice at that time, namely Anders Thidell (inventor of the True Temperament squiggly frets system.) I remember he worked HARD on a solution where I would be able to use both the piezo output and the 13 pin output. But after a lot of investigation we agreed that to make as little harm as possible to the internal wiring of the Moog itself, we just used the 13-pin and left the piezo audio out on the side, so that It could be easily restored to original functionality. Anders has since passed away unfortunately, far too early, and the only documentation there was of his work got lost that way.
But as I remember it there was a LOT of low noise rumbles affecting also the 13.pin output. I remember not even being able to use the tremolo bar without seriously interfering the signal. And I used the Filter/Buffer for this. I am not saying it won’t work, I am just saying I never got it to work properly. I may need to try again now (7 years later). Sustainiac works fine with the VG99 though. Sorry if I can’t be of more help. 
Would love to hear if you go ahead and succeed nevertheless. 
1 Like
Thanks! Well, of course you can use a sustainiac with MG2/MG3. I have one on my fretless guitar that I use all the time to help out with the sustain there. As long as you stick to sustaining the fundamental of the pitch (rather than only overtones) you are fine. It is all about whether the software hear a guitar like tone or not. But you should not need a sustainer, was my point here. There will be ways of modulating sustain and the other relevant parts like strike or pressure from within MG3. But it doesn’t hurt to have a Sustainiac if you want to extend the acoustic signal as well!
2 Likes
Thank you for the clarification. I guess a better analogy might be something like the EHX Freeze pedal (which I also don’t own yet) wouldn’t be as useful for midi work once MG3 is out.
1 Like
There’s an interesting video on YouTube between Marko (formerly with Jammy Guitars now fighting for Ukraine) and Stephen Randall, inventor of the Stepp DG1 guitar synth.
The Jammy G has active frets to detect pitch, sensors to detect string bends, and the picking strings can also send aftertouch for each string with an optional MIDI CC for vertical movement. There’s a video on my YouTube channel showing this with Reason Studio Friktion modelling a cello.
Watch my right hand stroking and tapping the strings.
Such a pity the Jammy E was such a failure, not just technically (which probably could had been fixed if the company had remained solvent) but selling and marketing the product before it was ready. I have two, one a beta version, the other paid for. No regrets though as I recorded an entire album just using the Jammy G!
Re. The Moog guitar, my understanding from Paul Vo is installing the Ghost board is mostly about routing the woodwork (I’ll put it in the battery compartment) and the piezo input only requires one wire back to the original connections. Ever the optimist!
3 Likes
For what? Audio in or the virtual instrument output?
audio in, hadn’t thought of using for the virtual instrument output haha.
I have a fretless guitar with a Fernandes sustainer and an Antares ATG luthiers kit so you can use its autotune capabilities to make it easier to play in tune! Plus alternative tunings and guitar modelling included (but no pitch to MIDI).
2 Likes
Yeah, I haven’t really thought about this more that with my video on the Gamechanger Plus pedal: https://youtu.be/8EgWVgprIec
But I am not sure MG3 would make sense of that input. It depends so very much on how much guitar tone characteristics is left when “frozen”. The pluspedal worked way better that I would have dared hope, but I guess it is one of those things someone has to try, so we can know. I don’t have one, unfortunately!
2 Likes
If you have Audio out, on that you have pitch to MIDI soon! 
that’s fascinating! I’m planning on pairing a sustainiac equipped guitar with separate strings tech to go with mg3, its going to be awhile before i can get all of it though! one of my avant-garde songs (I’m more of a singer/multi instrumentalist than a guitarist per se but working on getting better!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gljNTsBHij4
4 Likes
Wow! 
This (your video) is the first video I have seen actually revealing the Jammy’s potential. It is a shame we only get to see these non-instrumenalist influencer types with these products if the algorithm gets to decide. I just realized I have been totally wrong about how that works on even the most fundamental level. I had some discussion with Marko before the war, and as I remember it, there was a unit on its way for me to test at one point. I don’t know what ever became of that, but now I am sorry I didn’t get to try it out. 
1 Like
@LoFiLeiF saw this video the other day, well done.
Will have to see the gearslotz thread to really appreciate the room, but I’m sure from past experience that there is a load of misinformation there.
1 Like
Thanks, Rex! 
The thread is certainly interesting as it showcases a lot of different users’ experiences. And I would not call most of it misinformation since we are talking about people’s opinions rather than any purported facts being stated. With that said, I can’t really reconcile with the guy comparing any MIDI Guitar endeavor to the “Betamax” or “mullet” and calling for immediate shutdown of any such activities.
2 Likes
that was indeed a “Real Retro Feel” fascinating.
1 Like
This video almost made me cry. It’s actually happening. Everything I saw and heard was wonderful. Can’t wait to get my hands on it. I have been using a lot of great multi-effect vst’s for a while, which really give me a lot of wonderful sounds by using the original sound, but using MPE MIDI to play synth on a slide guitar will be so amazing. Thanks for the video.
1 Like
I have a Gizmotron II for guitar and bass that I still need to install. Wonder how that is going to combine with MG3 and slide playing 
1 Like
Yeah, I never dare guess how things actually will work until I try it, so you’ll have to report back when you’ve had a chance to try it. 