How hard is the system to install?
This is an intermediate-level installation. It requires soldering, wire stripping, and the ability to carefully follow instructions. If you are comfortable soldering small wires and using basic hand tools, you will find it straightforward. If you have never soldered before, we strongly recommend taking the kit to a professional guitar technician.
Can it be used in other instruments besides the Godin Multiac?
Yes. While the system is designed to drop directly into the Godin Multiac control cavity, it is a complete standalone pickup and preamp system. It can be installed in any guitar, provided you have the space to mount the preamp and the ability to route the wires.
Does the system contain everything needed for a retrofit into a Multiac?
Yes. The kit includes the preamp, the output jack board, ribbon cables, pickups, and all necessary mounting hardware. It serves as a complete replacement for the original electronics. Note: You will need to supply your own 9V battery and standard tools (soldering iron, screwdriver, etc.).
How do the sound and MIDI tracking compare to the RMC Polydrive?
The Polydrive Replacement System is designed to offer a warmer, more natural "wood" tone compared to the original system, which some players find sterile. MIDI tracking is comparable to the original RMC system, offering fast and accurate triggering for synth access.
Why is the control layout different than on the RMC system?
We have optimized the slider arrangement to improve playability and ergonomics.
Volume Access: We moved the Pickup Volume slider to the position closest to the strings. This places the most important control right at your fingertips for quick adjustments while playing.
Intuitive EQ: We reversed the EQ order to Treble - Mid - Bass. This layout now mirrors the physical strings of the guitar: the Bass slider is closest to the bass strings (top), and the Treble slider is closest to the treble strings (bottom/floor), making EQ adjustments more intuitive.
New Layout (Closest to Strings → Furthest): Pickup Volume, Treble, Mid, Bass, Synth Volume.
How long does the battery last?
You can expect approximately 80 hours of continuous playing time. A "Low Battery" light, located at the top of the High EQ slider slot, will illuminate when you have a few hours of life remaining.
What do the blue/red DIP switches inside the control cavity do?
These switches act as a "Master Warmth" control. They allow you to permanently tailor the high-end response of the guitar to match your personal taste or your main amplifier.
Technically, they control a Low Pass Filter that gently rolls off ultra-high frequencies.
Switch Operation: These are "piano key" style switches. Pushing a switch DOWN turns it ON. Pushing it UP turns it OFF.
How to use them: You can engage the switches in any combination to find your sound.
All Switches UP (OFF): The sound is open, airy, and bright.
Pushing Switches DOWN (ON): As you turn more switches ON, the tone becomes warmer and smoother.
Fine Tuning: Switch 3 makes a subtle change, while Switch 1 makes a more dramatic change. Experiment with different combinations to find the "sweet spot" where the guitar sounds best to your ears.
Can I use steel strings with this system?
Yes.
The system is fully compatible with steel strings. If you are installing this into a steel-string model of the Godin Multiac (or a custom steel-string build), the pickups and preamp will handle the tension and vibration correctly.
Do I need a battery if I am using the 13-pin cable?
No. When you are connected to a synth unit (like a GR-55, SY-1000, or similar) via the 13-pin cable, the system draws "Phantom Power" directly from the synth. You only need the 9V battery when you are playing with a standard 1/4" guitar cable and no synth connected.
Does the synth sound come out of the 1/4" jack?
No. The 1/4" jack outputs the natural acoustic guitar sound (the pickups) only. The synthesizer sounds generated by your external module (GR/SY series) will come out of the synthesizer's audio outputs, not the guitar itself.