Ibanez Electric with built in MIDI pickup

DonRoos

I have an Ibanez Electric with a built in MIDI pickup. I have tried to find the model and more information, even sent an e-mail to Ibanez Japan but to no avail. So if any of you can identify this guitar I will be really happy.

This picture shows the two pickups labled SHADOW, the throw switch and volume control and then the MIDI keypad and two MIDI controls. There are three mini toggle switches that appear to have been custom added and appear to mix signals from the pickups and only appear to affect the normal signal. As I have no manual, I have no way of knowing what they actually do. Near the jack socket is an additional multi-pin socket. I have a cable that plugs into this and into a control box. The control box needs a power supply that powers the MIDI. From the control box you tap of both straight signal as well as MIDI signal, enabling me to feed the MIDI into my laptop and apply a patch. Whammy bar not inserted.

Headgear showing the Ibanez logo with the tick emblem

Rear of head showing serial number label F759911 and "Made in Japan"

Rear of guitar showing large coverplate covering the MIDI circuitry and a slot (lower right) where each string's MIDI pickup can be adjusted.

I would really love to identify this guitar and would also love to know what it is worth as it seems to quite rare.

AlanRatcliffe

I've been wracking my brain and I can't remember the model number. There are quite a few floating around locally for some reason (I've worked on three that I can remember), but the US and other countries only saw the earlier, more common IMG-2010 (IIRC). Ibanez was actually quite active behind the scenes with MIDI guitar - they built all the Roland GR series guitars from the GR-300 to the GR-707.

All I can tell you is they used Shadow electronics (basically an internal mounted version of the same system Steve Morse used for years) and didn't need a separate converter like the IMGs and Rolands did. Quite a nice body shape.

ronald-huygen

do you know the model in the meantime, I try to find out as well, know someone with the same one in red!
tnx

DonRoos

I am no closer to getting finality. From what I have found in my research and the documentation I have it is an MG-R but I am not sure at all. Glad to know that there are others in existence as I have only seen mine and never seen another example. I even e-mailed Ibanex Japan and got no reply.

I bought a MIDI to USB cable a while back and tried to get it to work but failed. Quite co-incidentally, I started connecting it again last night and will give it another bash.

I had a broken bridge post a while back that I have now repaired and have set the action a bit lower and am really happy with it. So, even if I can't het the MIDI to work it is still a great guitar.

Regards, Don (Roxy Blu)

AlanRatcliffe

Look at the Shadow SH-075 - that is basically the external version of the electronics in your guitar. Designed by Andras Szalay (same guy who invented the Axon technology and the upcoming Fishman Triple Play).
Manual here: http://www.shadow-electronics.com/doc/pro_pdf1/en-GB/SH_075_english.pdf. I bought one of these once, but just to cannibalise it for the pickup (to replace a broken pickup on a Roland GK-1, which were not available when I needed one). Before you ask - I'm not sure what happened to the rest of it - might have ended up being thrown out or tossed in with the boxes of stuff that other luthiers were given when I stopped repairing.

I would guess that - like all the Casio MGs - by now it would need recapping to get it to work (as with an amp, the electrolytic caps all start failing after 15-20 years). Otherwise, the external version is still on Shadow's site for EUR 590. To be honest, I'm not sure they still make it (but it wouldn't surprise me - Steve Morse still uses them), but even if not, it would likely be found lurking in someone's old stock somewhere or secondhand on e-Bay.
http://www.shadow-electronics.com/viewpro.html?id=165

Same story with the combined humbucker/hex pickup your Ibanez used - I can't remember the model number, but there is likely some dead stock somewhere. Tuerk/Turnkey were the agents - they might have something lurking (but don't expect them to know what it is they have if they have it, so approach them armed with model numbers).

A really good resource for all things MIDIguitar is the MIDIguitar Yahoo group, which includes such luminaries as Andras Szalay, Richard McClish (RMC), Harvey Starr, Les Fradkin, and all the old stalwarts of the MIDIguitar scene like Joel Christian. Between the group, we seem to know every single system ever released (there are even a few collectors!) and are an absolute mine of info, manuals, pics and parts.
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/midiguitar/

MoJo-JoJoe

Don I remember playing your guitar many years back when I saw it as a new item in a store called Musical Paradise. Can't remember the model number either, but clearly it was based on the "R" or "Radius" model from Ibanez's RG (Roadstar Guitar) series. I remember it being lightweight as if most of the body had been carved out for those electronics. What an interesting reminder of years gone by!

DonRoos

I had to replace the power supply that I got with the setup. I cleaned up the pins on the external box and cable and pluged it in and it appears to be working. The keypads lights are flashing and seem to be working but I did not check the manual to see what pressing the various buttons do. I connected the line out to my amp and am getting a signal. I then connected MIDI out to my effects unit and was able to select a patch by using the keypad on the guitar.

Now I need to connect the MIDI to my MIDI to USB interface and see if I can get a signal on my laptop. So many settings on the laptop (using Anvil Studio) to configure so I am going to have to do a bit of hit and miss. It will be great to drive the synth vst I have and get some cool sounds to feed back int my mix. My home studio is shaping up nicely.

ronald-huygen

I had contact with someone who used to own one himself and he bought it originally begin nineties,
it's a Ibanez Roadstar pro 540R or 440R custom built by ibanez.
It's never been for sale officially because Ibanez built them as a showmodel for musicfairs.
The bridge pickup has been replaced by the midi.

DonRoos

@Alan, indeed the SH-075 electronics are built into the body with the keypad visible on top and the string tuning pots are visible through a slot on the rear. A cable connects the guitar to a control box that is clearly labled Shadow SH-075. Had a look at the user group and may join if the MIDI bug bites. The manual will help understanding how to control the MIDI through the keypad. I see there is a built in tuner!

@MoJo, the body is quite light due to the cutout and it a beautiful guitar to play with superb action.

@ronald, thanks for the model number. I have searched for references to those numbers and still have not found any reference to my specific model. But at least I can modify my signature to a more accurate model number. Thanks.

I had the MIDI connected throught my Cakewalk UM-1G MIDI Interface to my laptop running Anville Studio 2012 with the Sosnowski Synthesizer vst and was able to get it to work. There seems to be rather a long delay and the regular signal going to my amp plays long before the midi signal is deteted and converted to a synth sound. I must now experiment with some settings and options to try and get the two signals to play simultaneously. But at least it is working.

leaN

Give that "MIDI pickup" a name! It was called "Shadow 1500MU" - made in Germany in the late Eighties by SHADOW, (still) one of the most innovative pickup manufacturers. Pretty rare, by the way! It was designed to work with a "Shadow GTM-6" guitar to MIDI converter. But don't be too optimistic. Those early Hex-pickups/converters always had problems with long delays.

DonRoos

Hi leaN, thanks for the pickup name. You are correct, I found out on the Ibanez Collectors forum that only 60 of these were ever made. I believe that they were displayed at music fairs and aparently no wiring diagram exists for them.

I have not persued the MIDI route much and merely tinker with it on occation. Not having a MIDI controler is a problem as software based controlers cause too much delay. Some day if I have lots of spare cash I will buy a controller. It would be nice to strum the guitar and hear a nice distorted guitar sound with a a subtle keyb oard sound in the back ground.