I have been using MG2 and and even better now with MG3 and am delighted with the results with my piccolo bass. I would like to play on a 6 string guitar also, but preferably on a wider neck.
I was thinking of getting a classical with piezo electric guitar with a wide neck (52mm) but the wide neck version is standard with nylon strings apparently. I have the Yamada SLG200NW in mind which I could try and return in the worst case.
But I would be interested to know if this could be a good option with MG3 ? Any disadvantages maybe ?
OR would it be better to get a something like a Godin SA with an hex interface ? But this way more expensive option. The only thought here is the fear of missing out on an hex pickup later on, but maybe not as I am really satisfied so far with MG3 and the one cable signal. I just don’t know.
I have had a Godin SA for many years and I love it.
As a midi guitar controller pre and now MG3 it works great, given limits of nylon strings for extreme pitch bending. As a regular guitar it is also lovely to play.
I guess it depends on what you want from a Nylon guitar. Whilst my Godin can sound great as nylon by itself, I do occasionally miss the full bodied strum, taps you’d get from another guitar.
I am not sure the Yamaha SLG would win compared to Godin as this is a similar set up and not purely acoustic.
These days I use my Godin with the Ample Luthier and MG3Hex so I get a perfect classical guitar tone sound — better than any natural nylon guitar I have!
I do not have that good a regular nylon, I have toyed with MG3 and a microphone input and this did work OK (not fully tested) but for me MG3HEX (which is needed for Ample guitars to work well) is the 1st choice.
As a Nylon electro-acoustic bit may be similar and it may be down to personal choice on playablity and sound? But the Yamaha SLG may not be a better choice if you want full MG3 midi guitar flexibility, so the Godin would win for me.
I’ve had a Yamaha SLG200NW for almost a decade now and it’s a nice guitar, but it required the bridge saddle height to be adjusted to play like a pro-level instrument. It was the same with the orginal steel-string version I had earlier but sold. The SLG200NW works quite well with MG2/3, but obviously not with MG3 Hex.
FYI, I’m quite sure there are Godin nylon-string SA models (but not the top-tier models, like the Grand Concert) with a narrower string spacing – at least there were in the early 2000s when I last had a nylon-string model. I’ve had a Godin Multiac Jazz SA since 2011 and it’s a cool guitar. Also works well with MG3 Hex via the SY-1000.
Thanks Kimyo for checking this out. I was not aware of these models. A bit less money for sure but I think the Yamaha would be a bit better fit for me as I could use it for practice with the onboard FX/headphones. The price is around CAD$1000 here near Ottawa, ON.
I also found a post somewhere where the guy fitted an hex pickup on the Yamaha. Sounds like feasible but with some work.
I am also checking for a possible used Godin SA. I have found a potential one which comes with a GR55. I would prefer to go direct with an audio interface or something like the 13 pin-USB interface a user on this forum is currently working on. I would only use the guitar in a studio environment with MG3. No live stuff.
it’s hard to imagine you being unhappy playing a godin sa.
i love my gr-55, but mg3 and any rompler like the korg triton will give you a superior experience. the gr-55 won’t provide usable audio for mg3hex, so you will need an audio interface regardless.
Cool ! So I could skip the Boss/Roland synth I suppose.
Sorry about my endless questions.
So, a 13 pin cable (with some kind of break out box) and an audio interface w/ gain would be all I need to get signal into mg3 ? Correct me if I am wrong.
this is a highly regarded source of 13 pin cables with really nice connectors (5m/15’ for $30 as compared to $70 for the roland cable):
it was bill baxendale of separate strings who turned me on to them. he can provide you with a breakout box or cable.
jamo just added individual string levels to mg3hex, which may mean that our potential pool of audio interfaces also now includes models which do not have individual gain controls. (i haven’t tested this yet)
the godin sa (i think) can be powered by either battery or a roland synth. it’s a strange argument, but you could justify the cost of the gr-55 by planning to use it as a power supply. this is what i’ve been doing, it works great but i’m not sure it shows the proper level of respect for the gr-55.
now that we have individual string level adjustment, the zoom l6 could become a goto choice for mg3hex users, especially for those with preamps in the guitar. its bigger sibling, the l8, works great with mg3hex at 64 samples.
balanced outputs, easy to fit on any pedal board, $300.
it can also serve as an amazing sd card recording mixer, 32 bit float means you don’t ever have to worry about signal levels.
one of us should try one out real soon now.
edit to add: i had a sweetwater gift cert burning a hole in my pocket, a shiny new l6 is now on order. i’ll report back soon.
Thanks Again Kimyo, David and Vaultnaemsae. You have been all very helpful. After some thinking and reevaluating your suggestions and additional reading, I think I am now leaning toward a recent but used Godin SA. I may have found a couple candidates at decent prices.
Does anyone know what levels the hex pickup on a Godin SA outputs? Most interface I see are a combination of say 2 instrument inputs with gain and other inputs as line level like the Zoom discussed earlier. I fear that there might not be enough gain on the line inputs. Thanks.
