Winston Psmith
-
Posts
5,074 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Blogs
Events
Articles
Downloads
Gallery
Store
Posts posted by Winston Psmith
-
-
@KuruPrionz- My Roland Guitar Synths all have a "Hold" function, with various Modes, that allow me to hold or sustain tones, pretty much as long as I have my foot on the Pedal. Works very well.
There was one trick from the very early days of Guitar-Synth rigs, to help with tracking, and to balance string dynamics - stringing the whole Guitar with .010's, tuning all of your strings to E4, and using the Pitch Transpose function within the Guitar Synth engine to set the "pitches" of the strings. Doing this resulted in all of your strings being the same thickness, at the same tension. There may even still be a few player using that method, although it means that you can ONLY play the Synth sounds.
-
1
-
-
@KuruPrionz- One of my overseas Guitar buddies uses the Fishman exclusively, and gets very good results from it. If I were coming into Guitar-Plus-Synthesis now, I would very likely have chosen the Fishman, as well.
Your description of blending ADSR envelopes sounds similar to what my old Korg WaveStation SR does; very nice!
FWIW, the Roland Guitar Synths let you set the individual String Tracking Sensitivity, but that setting is Global, and applies across all Patches, so there are still issues with sustain envelopes and dynamics. Different Hex systems behave differently, as well. I've made peace with it.
@Caevan O’Shite- Not quite "Six Of One . . .", but close. By designing my own Patches within my various GR's, I can get VERY fast tracking, but it takes a good bit of menu-diving and tweaking of the aforementioned String Sensitivity. Lower notes can still be problematic, because of the Physics involved, and again, different Hex systems behave somewhat differently.
I suspect the EHX9's have little or no tracking issues, because there's somewhat less processing going on. It is worth noting that I haven't seen any rapid-fire playing in any of the EHX9 demo videos, at least not that I can recall at present.
More detailed answer forthcoming in PM . . .
-
2
-
-
17 hours ago, Caevan O’Shite said:
Now... It's not lost on me that I MIGHT be able to get as much, or even more, keyboard-simulation performance from a dedicated synth and possibly- probably- a hex-pickup or somethin', FOR AROUND THE SAME TOTAL COST as adding four EHX 9 irons... Or, could I... ? I don't rightly know!
It all depends . . .
I found a fully functioning used Brian Moore iGuitar i21.13 (import model) for $300 at my nearest GC, but my used Godin Freeway SA was more like $550. Three of my Roland Guitar Synths came in at $200 each, so a full system - iGuitar w/Hex Pickup & Guitar Synth cost me $500. Admittedly, I got lucky on the price of the iGuitar, but working GR-series Guitar Synths regularly sell for $200-250, except for the most recent GR-55, which is a VERY different animal. By contrast, just two of the EHX9 series pedals will put you over $500, and four of them will put you over a Grand, closer to $1100.
Given that, at $1000+/-, yeah, you should be able to find a working Guitar with a Hex Pickup already installed and a working Roland Guitar Synth. If you chose to install a Hex Pickup on an existing Guitar - BTW, that doesn't require drilling holes in a much-loved Instrument - with a nice used Guitar Synth, you're looking at more like $500-600. If you have a Mac, the Fishman will let you play all the Virtual Instruments in GarageBand, so you don't need to buy a hardware Synth at all, if you don't want to.
The EHX9 pedals would still likely win out in an Ease-Of-Use competition; no menus, no programming, no surprises. That alone would be worth the extra cost, for many players. I happen to enjoy programming Synths and MFX, so I'm probably not a good example.
-
2
-
-
13 hours ago, Caevan O’Shite said:
Well, I wouldn't necessarily say, "predictable"- I just know you a bit, and we share some tastes in common.
I'll put on my star and moon festooned robes and wizardly turban and stare deeply into the crystal ball and-
Aaaah, I see through the swirling spirits and stars that Winston Psmith will post here, and compare this and possibly other 9 Series pedalry to synthesizery and samplement... !
At least, I hope he does...
Ah, my brother, you know me well . . .
My first thought it that it sounds like they re-visited the sound engine from the MEL9 or SYNTH9? A lot of similar textures to the sounds, and at least one repeat demo tune, that opening riff from Watcher Of The Skies. It's also interesting that the box is designed around Synth String sounds, for the most part.
My second thought is that this one will probably do well. There are a LOT of would-be String players in the Guitar world, and I'm among them. Everyone who has an E-Bow, or a Swell Pedal, never mind those of us who've really taken a Violin bow to a Guitar (yes, I have a Guitar Bow) is going to take a second look at this thing. At right around $250, this will more than do for many players who are still daunted, or just put off, by Guitar Synths and MIDI rigs.
Samplers, and Sample Libraries, are the bastard children of the Mellotron, in a way, where you have pristine Digital recordings, instead of slightly grainy Tape Loops. It's not entirely in the same realm as Synthesis, although Wavetable Synths (ROMplers to some . . .) are generally Sample-based.
Full disclosure: I had a MEL9 for a while, and found that I only used the Orchestra and Clarinet sounds, and those rarely. I finally traded it in, because I just wasn't using it enough to justify keeping it. I've never invested in any of the other EHX9 series pedals, because I have more than 20 different Synthesizers, Analog and Digital, so I'm pretty well covered for any kind of Synth sound. (Fair warning: I also have a real Violin, with a pickup, coming my way, sometime soon . . .)
Having said that, it's not really fair to compare the STRING9, or any of that series, to a full-powered Synth engine, where you can conceivably stack sounds, add Harmonies and FX, layer it with other Synths via MIDI, and even generate backing tracks with a Sequencer. The STRING9 is a true, straightforward Plug-&-Play device, which I suspect is what most players really want.
FWIW, I remember seeing Steve Hackett on tour in 1980, with a Roland GR-500 Guitar Synth rig. The Guitar itself looked like a Les Paul with a plethora of switches. The Guitar Synth looked more like a Printer sitting on a desktop than anything else; it was overlarge, and cumbersome, at best. ARP's Avatar, which helped kill the company, was even earlier than that, mid-1970's, IIRC? I got to experiment with an Avatar, briefly - not exactly user-friendly.
My point being that different makers have attempted to blend the Electric Guitar and the Synthesizer for over 40 years now, and yet Guitar Synths are still somewhat of a fringe market*.
The STRING9 costs somewhat less than a Roland GK-3 HEX Pickup (around $280US+/-), which is a LOT less than any current Guitar model with a Roland, Graphtech or RMC system installed ($1200US and up . . .), and you can use it with your favorite Guitar, as is. That's a strong market appeal, IMHO.
*Side rant and pet peeve: The 13-pin Hex Pickup systems made by Roland, Yamaha, Axon, Graphtech, Fishman and RMC are NOT Guitar-to-MIDI systems, although you'll sometimes see them described as such ("Roland MIDI Guitar" - there ain't no such animal). The Hex Pickups themselves send no MIDI data, whatsoever. You still need a Roland, or Axon, or Yamaha box with a 13-pin Input and MIDI Out to act as a MIDI Converter. The Fishman comes with a USB-to-MIDI wireless converter, BUT you still need yet another breakout box to use the Fishman TriplePlay with a true 5-pin MIDI device.
-
2
-
-
My wife is the beer enthusiast in our household. There are a LOT of micro-breweries around D.C., several not far from our house, and some are supposed to be very good.
I lost my taste for beer decades ago - just got tired of it - and I completely lost my taste for alcohol during lockdown.
It's not like I was drinking much to begin with, but I got to the point where I could envision making a drink - the sound of the ice cubes in the glass, the aroma of the liquor pouring over the ice, the fizz of the mixer, the sound of the ice cracking - and that was enough, I didn't want or need to go and make a real drink. After a while, I stopped even imagining, or remembering(?) the process of making my virtual drink, and haven't missed it. For ritual purposes, sure, if I'm at a wedding, I'll gladly toast the happy couple with a glass of champagne, if it's a memorial to a well-loved friend, hell, poor me a double, but otherwise, I'll let everyone else enjoy theirs.
-
5
-
-
I have an old Ibanez VL10, that I've used for 25+ years, maybe closer to 30?
Typical all-plastic construction - I've often wondered if there isn't one factory turning out all these generic Volume/Expression Pedals - however, there's a nice metal shaft driving the internal pot, instead of Ernie Ball's string. BTW, I've often read of broken strings in EB Volume Pedals, and considering the price of the EB pedals, I'm not favorably impressed.
I originally bought the VL10 because it doubled as a Pan pedal, letting me "glide" between signal chains or Amp rigs, even blending the sounds at the halfway mark. I really haven't seen another Stereo Volume Pedal that will let me Pan between the A and B I/O's, so I've hung on to my VL10, and taken good care of it. Still, I'd be interested to hear about any current Volume/Pan pedals, as well.
-
1
-
-
This seems like an expansion on their SLO Reverb, in some ways.
I'm with Caevan, in that I'm not as enamored of the Shimmer and Octave Reverb effects, personally. I'd love to see more flexibility in terms of Pitch Shift Intervals.
Another video that sends me back to my MFX, with the idea that I can probably emulate these effects, and maybe do even more with them.
-
1
-
-
The Manual had better be REALLY CLEAR on how to use that thing, or you could waste days wondering "What happens if . . .?"
Having said that, if I saw one at my FLUMS, I'd probably get it . . .
-
2
-
-
5 hours ago, desertbluesman said:
That bird is lucky he ain't in Arizona. He would be on someones table in a jiffy. We is armed and dangerous here in the wild west.
🤣
There are plenty of guns in D.C., too, dbm, just most of 'em ain't exactly legal . . .
-
1
-
-
I would not like scraping those off of my windshield . . .
We don't have feral chickens, but on one of the major Hiking-Biking trails around D.C., there's a Wild Turkey who attacks people on the trail. It's become something of a local celebrity. I think it even earned its own Warning Sign from the Park Service.
-
2
-
2
-
-
1 hour ago, Caevan O’Shite said:
Now back to our scheduled programming. Literally, programming. In time, Brother Winston is going to unveil his Winston Psmith Preset that he's been programming...
Sorry to disappoint anyone, but the aforementioned Winston Psmith Preset is, in fact, a BLANK Preset, with which I've overwritten all 140 of the User Presets. It's what I do with almost every Synth or MFX I get, just clear out the clutter and start fresh. However . . .
We've got rain, severe thunderstorms, and even a tornado watch here today, so it's not a good day for working outdoors . . . someone might drop a house on me. Since I'm home, I've spent most of my day digging into the GT-6, and not just erasing the Factory Presets. Busy week ahead, with work and entertainment, but somewhere in there, I'll do some recordings of some new GT-6 sounds.
-
4
-
-
@surfergirl- There are really only 200 different FX Patches within the GT-6. User Banks 1-35 contain duplicate selections from the Factory Preset Banks 36-85. It's still 140 User Patches you can overwrite for your own sounds. Believe me, that can take a while . . .
@KuruPrionz- The slightly later GT-8 and GT-10 have more features, particularly when it comes to the Delay and Reverb FX.
One general bit of advice; the onboard Volume/EXP Pedal is very sturdy, but also rather stiff for use as a Wah-Wah. If you're a dedicated Wah user, you'll probably want an outboard Expression Pedal with an easier, somewhat looser 'throw' to control the Wah-Wah effects.
Couple of responses to earlier questions - The S/R Loop is part of the OD/Distortion Bank, the same as on the GT-3. Putting anything in the (Mono) Loop means giving up the internal OD/Distortion effects.
On the back panel, between the Input and L/R Output Jacks, there's a small Output Level knob, which serves as a global Output Level control for both the Headphone Out and the main L/R Outs. That black thing is for wrapping part of the power cable, so it can't pull loose by accident; all the Boss MFX have them.
No Rotary effect onboard, but the GT-10 has a very useable one.
After turning a dead space into a small shade garden for a nearby client, I came home and started the process of overwriting all the User Presets with a blank "Winston Psmith" preset. It's a lot of button-pushing, but it gets me a completely clean slate.
At the same time, I've also started copying some of my favorite GT-3 Patches into the GT-6. Alas, I can't just send them as SysEx data, so there's a lot of dial-turning and button-pushing involved. The majority of the available effects appear to be the same as they are in the GT-3, so for the most part, I'm copying the exact same Effects Parameter values into the GT-6. The tricky part is with the Distortion and Amp models, which are much more like the ones in the GT-10, so I have to trust my ears and my intuition. I've been very happy with the results, so far.
The GT-6 doesn't really give me anything I didn't already get from the either GT-3 or the GT-10, in terms of capabilities and effects: the GT-3 has Slicer, Guitar Synth, and Auto Riff, for example, while the GT-10 has Defretter and Uni-V. I got the GT-6 partly as an indulgence, partly to fill a gap in my collection and my personal knowledge bank; I'd never owned, nor even used one, so I wanted to dig in and see how it compared to the others I was familiar with. Overall, it's much more like the GT-3 than the GT-10, but it shares enough elements with both that it all feels familiar.
Almost time to start dog dinner - my boys eat well - and start on prep for tomorrow's projects.
A word of warning for anyone currently looking for "Boss GT" on Reverb or in GC's Used Gear listings. Do not mistake the compact GT-1 for any of its larger cousins. It's a well-disguised entry-level device - it's deeper than it looks, but it also has some inexcusable shortcomings for a Boss MFX, like no way to program a 100% Wet Reverse Delay, and a sadly broken-down version of the Feedbacker that's simply a waste of processing potential.
-
1
-
1
-
-
Thanks, everyone, really. New day here . . .
I don't generally have cookies for breakfast, but I will admit to a coffee-&-donut habit. The sky is blue because we'd get tired of orange very quickly.
My work season being at its peak, I've only had very little time to investigate the GT-6 in the evenings, and haven't gone deep into the programming as yet. I'm going to do a deep dive when I get back from my planting job early this afternoon. However, not to leave you hanging altogether . . .
The first thing anyone will notice about the GT-6 is the sheer number of control knobs on the front panel, 15 control knobs and an Alpha dial; it looks like the front panel of a Guitar Amp, and was clearly designed to emphasize the Pre-Amp's controls over the other effects. It that regard, it almost behaves more like an Amp with onboard effects, until you dive into the menus.
The first thing I noticed in the Factory Presets is that there are a few more playful or experimental Presets than I found in the GT-3, or so it seems.
Many of the onboard effects are essentially unchanged from the GT-3. The biggest changes are within the Wah, Pre-Amp, and OD/Dist effects, which have added some new models, and the "Custom" option, which allows you to sculpt your own Custom models. The SFX and MOD banks have been divided between FX1 (mostly front-end FX, like Slow Gear & Feedbacker), and FX2 (mostly Mod & Pitch FX).
The Delay and Reverb effects are serviceable, but otherwise rather stripped-down, for a MFX; two Delay Types (Single & TAP), five Reverb Types (Room 1, Room 2, Hall 1, Hall 2, Plate). More on those later, but there's not a lot more to say.
Regarding Amp Models, in all of my GT-series processors, I rely on the low-to-mid Gain Clean Twin (self-evident) and Tweed (Fender Bassman) Pre-Amp Models, and I've been very happy with them. The various High-Gain Amp Models suffer from the CW/Cocked-Wah Syndrome, although each successive generation of GT-series processors has seen some improvement in the Pre-Amp effects.
The Slow Gear effect in the GT-series is completely counter-intuitive, no matter which one you use. The SENS Parameter determines the signal strength required to trigger the Slow Gear effect; if you want it to behave like the old Slow Gear pedal (or your Guyatone SV2 Slow Volume), you have to dime out the SENS at 100, and then set the RISE TIME to taste. I use it often, but I really wish Boss would release a Waza Craft Slow Gear.
The Slicer is a lot of fun, and the GT-series processors have one MAJOR advantage over the dedicated SL-20 Slicer pedal; you can Assign the onboard EXP Pedal to control the Rate of the Slicer effect. Seems obvious, but on the big SL-20, the EXP In only gives you control over the Level of the Slicer effect, that's all?!?
I first encountered the Defretter on the GT-6B (it's also in the GT-10), and have never found it convincing. OTOH, that may very well be because I never spent enough time with it. I'll make some time to experiment with it, and report back.
Both the Feedbacker (a personal favorite) and the Guitar Synth effect (usually difficult to stabilize) sounded very good, and responded very nicely. For me, those are very good signs.
The Hidden Treasure of the GT-series was the Auto Riff feature, the closest thing I've ever encountered to a Guitar Sequencer. No one else has made anything quite like it, and somehow, it's never gotten the attention it deserves. It is menu-intensive, if not exhaustive, which may be why so few players dove in; a lack of Music Theory might also have presented a handicap, for some.
Time for me to go plant flowers. Getting a late start today because my client likes a late start on her day, so . . .
I'll check in later, to respond to some of the questions I have addressed, as yet. Until then, I wish everyone a very good morning! (It's morning here, at any rate.)
-
3
-
1
-
-
16 hours ago, KuruPrionz said:
NIce! I like Boss gear, it sounds good and is made to take a beating and last forever.
I've always had good luck with their pedals and amps. I've pondered a GT-6 but never pulled the trigger. Maybe someday.
Enjoy!!!!
Before I respond, I feel like I should apologize to the Forum. I hadn't looked at the news before I'd posted, and might have held off for a decent interval before announcing my new toy, in the midst of tragedy. I'm truly sorry.
@KuruPrionz- Let me just say that if you find yourself contemplating a used GT-series processor, send me a PM. I'll tell you what my experience with them has been, and forward you some useful links.
-
4
-
1
-
-
Which translates to . . . New Used Multi-FX Pedalboard Day: Boss GT-6
Spotted this one online in GC's Used Gear listings, at my nearest GC. Not something I really needed, but I wanted something a little different fro rainy m what I already had, and I had a day off with some $$ to spare, so . . .
Whoever had it took good care of it. I could see that it needed a light non-invasive cleaning, and I noticed a tiny bit of corrosion on the finish, but no signs of damage nor neglect. Even the foot pedal, usually the nastiest part of any used MFX, looked nearly new with just a bit of attention. It came with the original PS, and a nice, heavy-duty Boss GT-labeled bag, which was also in very good shape.
I've long held that Boss was inspired by Roland's rack-mount GP-100 when they made the GT-6. It has the same metallic finish as the GP-100, and two rows of control knobs on the front panel, for the menu-phobic. The GT-3 had no knobs on the front panel, just the Alpha dial, while the GT-5 had only one, for the Output Level, plus the Alpha dial.
The front panel design favors the Pre-Amp over the FX Processor, in that regard, while the standard-issue FX (OD-Chorus-Delay-Reverb) have very limited knob control, mostly for Level; if you want access to other parameters, you're menu-diving.
Manual Mode is streamlined, so each FX block already has a foot switch assigned to it when you enter Manual Mode. Makes it easy to remember which is what, on a dark stage, in the middle of a tune.
In some ways, it's both more and less flexible than the GT-3, but it's less different than outward appearances would suggest; in terms of overall sound, they're really not radically different.
Once I've had some time to do some deep diving in the GT-6, I may devote it to the Mandobird, so I can have a bank of dedicated 'Bird effects. For now, I'll use it with my Guitars, and see how it goes.
-
3
-
-
Ah, yes, the Apple of Discord!
@KuruPrionz- Sorry I couldn't be more help. This one has me stumped, honestly, because the Schaller parts have always been direct drop-in replacements for me, and I've been using them in my various Gibson Guitars since around 1990?
@Caevan O’Shite - I'm glad you have, or will have, a use for them, brother! They always reminded me of knobs off of an old radio, and somehow just didn't look right on a Guitar.
-
3
-
-
Sorry to run out on our discussion earlier, but I had a truckload of plants ready to go . . . Home now, getting ready to go sit in the sun, with a nice slow-burning pipe, as "BOB" intended.
Back on topic - Here are some photos of my two 2003 SG Specials, Nemesis (Ebony) and Eris (Cherry Red). This is before I pulled the hideous "top-hat" knobs off of Eris, and replaced them with Gibson "speed" knobs. The PU's are still stock, but I've pulled all the other original Gibson hardware, down to the knobs. OTOH, I LOVE the "batwing" pick guards.
Both have Schaller roller bridges and Schaller fine-tuning tailpieces installed. The Schaller parts were direct drop-in's, no pulling the old bushings, no fighting with slightly mis-matched threads, no problems whatsoever. I'd previously mounted the same Schaller parts into other Gibson solid-bodies, and in every case, they were a direct drop-in. IDK why none of your stud posts are working?
Looking in my Guitar toolbox right now, I see spare bushings, but no stud posts; sorry, brother. If I had any, I'd gladly send them along.
-
1
-
1
-
-
That's the Schaller tailpiece I have . . . definitely NOT the Gibson TP-6. I have those on both of my SG's, and the heads of the mounting studs are considerably narrower than stock Gibson studs. As KuruPrionz observed, there is essentially no wiggle room once the tailpiece is mounted onto the studs.
Interestingly, I didn't have to swap out the bushings in either of my SG's - or the various LP's I'd previously mounted that tailpiece on? The Schaller studs screwed right into the Gibson U.S.-threaded bushings, no problem. Same thing with my Schaller Roller Bridges - the Schaller studs screwed right into the U.S.-made Guitars.
I strongly suspect that some previous owner swapped out the hardware, which is a drag, because a stock Gibson tailpiece would have slipped right into place ove the TP-6 studs.
Looking around, I've seen a number of references to late-70's/early-80's Gibson with the Gibson TP-6 fine-tuning tailpiece, but none with a Schaller? Might have to dig deeper . . .
-
2
-
-
It's the 1980 vintage that's worrying me.
AFAIK, the current model Gibson FT-6 will slip right over the standard studs on an Epiphone, because I know folks who have done it, so it seems that the reverse should also be true - a standard Stop Tailpiece should, in theory(?), slip right over the studs you're looking at.
Of course, as you say, Gibson had different makers supplying different parts at different times. My favorite Schaller tailpieces aren't even available anymore.
-
1
-
-
3 hours ago, Caevan O’Shite said:
I thought about that, and also about telling him he's either a comedian or a crook- and that I hope that no one is stupid enough to pay him even a 5th or less of his original asking-price.
But, I refrained- and I'd rather be talking to you and everybody here about it, than him!
If I ever do purchase one of those Stewart-MacDonald Ghost Drive kits and put it together, I think that I'll hafta put that image that I posted above on it for a graphic, along with the name 'Centaurian Assblaster'!
That medieval art piece kinda sums up all of the the Klon Centaur hoopla, don'tcha think?!
Have to agree about not trying to engage any further with this person, because there's clearly nothing to be gained: "trolling the trolls", as it were.
I don't get the sense that they really expect to sell the thing at that price, but "stupid is as stupid does . . .", I guess? Maybe that's the point of the whole exercise.
FWIW, there really is, or was, an Assblaster effects device - I'll let you look it up. It's, well, made to be revolting, and used ones are currently selling for around $1400. Probably a better deal than the $1027 (+$15 shipping) Ghost Drive.
-
IDK?
Reading the ad copy, where the poster even raises the issue of it being a $99 Stew-Mac DIY kit, I have to wonder if this isn't a prank that's gone sideways? Someone trying to find a snarky way to say, "None of these things are worth what people are paying for them, so why not buy this one if you're that stupid?"
It could also just be that this person really is a jerk of the highest (lowest?) order.
Doing an internet search on "Take Five Music, Greenbrae, California" ultimately found a Take Five Music store in Minnesota, but nothing in California. For someone listing themselves under "Vintage and Collectible Guitars", they only have 2 listings; the Ghost Drive, and a Santa Cruz Guitar, that's supposedly been reduced from $9,500+ to $6,500? Not much of a collection . . .
Late edit - As of this morning, 5/6/2022, Stew Mac is showing the Ghost Drive kits as back in stock.
-
3
-
-
There's a quote from Sonny Sharrock that I keep in mind whenever I'm trying something on the fringe, and all too often, when I'm listening to some of my fellow Electronic/Experimental Guitarists - "The Fool decides he's tired of Music and wants to make Noise: Fool plus Noise equals Bullshit."
-
4
-
-
One of my favorite very strange tunes - I invite you to listen in around the 1:55 mark . . . Vambo Roolz, Okay!
-
1
-
-
This would be good news, indeed!
DOD and Digitech produced some very innovative, and affordable, pedals & processors. I hated to see the whole thing get trashed, just so Samsung could acquire Harmon-Kardon's high-end audio. I wonder how long until they're fully up and running again?
@Caevan O’Shite- Sadly, the Freqout has gone WAY up in price, but it's a GREAT device. I was a long-time fan of the original Boss DF-2 Feedbacker, and while the Freqout lacks the DF-2's built-in Distortion, you get many more options for dialing in Feedback tones. I've honestly thought of getting a back-up, in spite of the prices.
-
1
-
That medieval art piece kinda sums up all of the the Klon Centaur hoopla, don'tcha think?!
cool new effects
in Guitar Forum
Posted
I remember that model - came with a hellacious rack-mounted interface, as well. The HEX PU is a version of Roland's original GK-1.
Ibanez very likely came up with that model because they were already making the Guitar Controllers for Roland's earliest lines of Guitar Synths. At the time, it was WAY beyond my price range, so I never got to try one.