Looking for opinions/help GHOST system

[PRSfan nym 1985]

I've been loving my PRS Santana SE....

installed a bone nut, got a pro setup, put in a set of Seymour Duncan P-Rails hots (did the two push pull knobs).

well lately I've been doing a lot of acoustic stuff and I got to thinking it'd be cool to incorporate a piezo system into my Santana SE.

Well I think I may have found a solution but it looks like without installation costs it's going to be about $400.

Looks like Graph Tech's GHOST System would work on my PRS as mine has a wraparound bridge. The ghost system is available on a Tonepro's AVT-II bridge.

So assuming that bridge fits on my guitar I contacted Tonepros to get a definite answer does anyone here have any experience with the Ghost system? Is it worth the expense and all that good stuff. I definitely think the bridge on it's own will be worth upgrading as it'd give me better control over intonation.

My idea would be to install the system and then add a 3rd knob to the guitar to control the piezo/acoustic level, have one concentric volume and one concentric tone to control the P-Rails hot set.

Since I'd have to spend so much money and would have the opportunity to switch from chrome to nickel I think it might be cool to do a nickel bridge and nickel phase II locking tuners.

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: Looking for opinions/help GHOST system

I have no experience but it sounds like a great project. I'm surprised it is so expensive. They have two different styles, don't they ...... one is more for synth work?

 

[Travis H]

Re: Looking for opinions/help GHOST system

I have seen some very amazing videos with the ghost pickups. But you will have to route on your guitar to make every thing fit. I would just keep your guitar the way it is and buy a cheep warmoth off ebay (one with a strat body..more room) and see if you like it. I just would hate for you to route your guitar and then you not like it.

 

[PRSfan nym 1985]

Re: Looking for opinions/help GHOST system

I have seen some very amazing videos with the ghost pickups. But you will have to route on your guitar to make every thing fit. I would just keep your guitar the way it is and buy a cheep warmoth off ebay (one with a strat body..more room) and see if you like it. I just would hate for you to route your guitar and then you not like it.

yeah I'd thought about doing it I was just figuring it'd be cool if the one guitar could do it all.

I'd probably lean more toward a tele with 3 pickups and a 5 way switch so I can get the strat middle pickup and get the best of both worlds.

The thing is the PRS only cost me $200, the price of the P-Rails (like $180 plus like $30 for the install and new pots), and the cost of the bone nut ($45).

So if I could pull off just the stuff on my guitar it'd be a little more cost effective.

It looks like the bridge with the piezo system is $250 and that's a Tonepros nickel and then the acousti-phonic circuit is like $76. I'd just have to add a volume knob (or not) just depends on how I want to wire it. The acousti-phonic comes with a stereo output so I guess I could just run the acoustic signal seperate though I'd probably prefer having a volume pot or a switch on the guitar as it'd make blending and everything a little bit easier. I'd just guessed about $400 with parts and labor but that's probably being on the pricey side.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Looking for opinions/help GHOST system

I was just figuring it'd be cool if the one guitar could do it all.

After thirty five years of doin' this geetar thang, I have yet to discover a single guitar design that can "do it all".

IMO, if the GHOST transducer system is likely to cost four hundred Dollars, this would be sufficient justification to acquire a guitar that already has the system fitted.

Sometimes, after having owned a guitar with nine controls on the front (Roland G-series synthesizer controller), I find it refreshing to get back to the simplicity of one volume, one tone, one P90.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Looking for opinions/help GHOST system

I put a Ghost system in my G&L Tribute Legacy strat a few years ago. It was a bit of a project and I had to chat back and forth with Graph Tech support a few times. There's still this deal if I leave the converted tone pot (Ghost volume) all the way up to ten, I get this weird buzz and it will kill the battery if left that way. So I have to be carefull to just dial that control to about "9" instead of "10". I tried to solve it with help from support but never really did.

As far as the sound goes, it's really nice. I just use mine through whatever amp I'm through, but I know that a lot of people Y-out into an acoustic processor pedal and into the PA or something so the tone is even more realistic. It does a helluva job at imitating an acoustic-electric guitar. I've seen Alex Lifeson from Rush use these systems live on several occasions and they sound great. Been thinking about installing one in my ESP Eclipse... but still hanging-back on that project for now.

 

[PRSfan nym 1985]

Re: Looking for opinions/help GHOST system

unfortunately money is kind of an issue for me right now so unless I can find a Ghost equipped axe that appeals to me for less than installing the system that's not an option.

Obviously I didn't literally mean my PRS could do every single thing. But it's incredibly versatile as it is and I think having the option of getting a half decent acoustic tone at my disposal since I'm the only guitarist in most of the projects I'm playing in it would be nice to have the ability to layer the tone or to be able to switch back and forth mid song.

I'd been thinking about building a tele so perhaps I should just consider holding on til I build that guitar to incorporate the acoustic system.

I was going to use a Thinline body (semi-hollow, probably Mahogany) and use 3 pickups (Lindy Fralins Blues Specials with a Strat pup in the middle position) and a 5 way selector switch. That guitar would likely be a seafoam green finish with an all birdseye maple (vintage tint) neck. But as I said money's kind of an issue so that project is on the backburner for the time being.