Review: Jamstik Studio MIDI Guitar (Plus 3 EASY tips that ROCK)

[@jimmyfranklin]

LET ME KNOW if you have a Jamstik Studio Midi Guitar and if this video was helpful BELOW!

[@nickboniciolli8136]

I’m struggling with the tracking with tapping. 😢

[@Eagle-pe9pg]

Yep, just bought one. Waiting for delivery. Thanks for the video.

[@ajohnsonstudio]

Fantastic demo, I was looking for an overview to send a friend. I LOVE my Jamstik Studio guitar and now that it's my main gigging guitar I have a backup too (I have mine in orange and white). I'm mostly playing my Hydrasynth and Eurorack synths with the MIDI output, and love building up loops on my Ditto X4 then playing synth parts over that. Such a versatile instrument!!

[@actionoriented]

Killer walk through and demo man…and GREAT production, thanks!

[@drebleloaw]

tip 3 was a winner for me. Thanks for the video!

[@jimsup5086]

You could play around with that thing for DAYS on end and just scratch the surface. So much easier and efficient to get ideas out than "learning" the keyboard or placing notes in a DAW. And if you mess up a take, just move the MIDI notes and your back in action! Your channel is great for the content, bad for my wallet. I got the XVive U2 system from your video, great device to no longer yank out/trip over/tangle a guitar cable. Keep up the great content! \m/

[@pjmtry7]

This was a lot of help, thank you! Yes I have one of these

[@jimmyfranklin]

You are welcome!! how do you like it??

[@kane6529]

That transpose is awesome 🤩

[@ADKDADK]

Hey I’ve got a studio midi and there’s something to mention re: MPE. MPE works great within the creator software. However, when using it to control other software instruments, including those that come with logic, MPE often doesn’t work. That’s not a criticism of the instrument, it’s just a reality of how logic handles MPE. You might want to update your MPE life hack with the *reverse* advice - if you load up a non-creator patch and it sounds crazy, you often have to flip to single channel mode. Honestly I’m in single channel the vast majority of the time when I’m not in the creator plug-in. I’ve also found that disabling expression can help reduce ghost notes when playing chords. I hope that’s helpful/makes sense!

[@jimmyfranklin]

I thought about this and noticed it after making the video. And it’s funny because it’s the same general advice but reversed right?? Like…”if it sounds weird just click the on button twice.” My advice was specifically for external devices. But I did notice that some of the logic plugins sounded better in single channel! I thought it was interesting. Thank you for this comment!

[@renakmans3521]

How is the tracking and can we play any library with the guitar or only the jamstick library? 🙏

[@kevinjackson7539]

Great video and subscribed

[@PrisonLaParis]

Awesome video!

[@stonehillproductions129]

Kan you take the midi transcription thing into Guitar Pro?

[@kevinjackson7539]

Will the transcript mode work in Pro Tools?

[@Zisch2]

Thanks for the review! I wonder how I can change the midi settings while playing 3rd party synths in my DAW. I can´t open the creator software at the same time with my DAW. So how I´m supposed to change the midi settings? Or do they get stored in the Jamstik guitar itself?

[@jimmyfranklin]

The creator software is also a plug in! That’s how I’m running it in this video.

[@josephpimentel8314]

my jamstik makes all kinds of extra noise. it doesnt register every note constantly bends notes as i pick. ive been crazy frustrated with it and have almost smashed it a dozen times.

[@ZillaYT]

Can Jamstik software play an accompaniment (bass & drums) live along with your chord changes?

[@GlennMichaelThompson]

As a headless guitar... how is it ergonomically? Does it balance well? I noticed that you never let go of the neck with your left hand.

[@jimmyfranklin]

It’s very well balanced. I think if you look at most of my guitar videos on my channel you’ll notice I never really let go of the neck just because I’m presenting it different than if I was relaxing. The body is smaller, so that is something to consider. It does have a different feel and balance than a Strandberg but I was pleasantly surprised at the balance.

[@GlennMichaelThompson]

@@jimmyfranklin Thanks for the response. Much appreciated! I've been playing headless guitars for over 20 years now, so the balance has become very important for me. Playing a Forshage Orion now.... so I've been spoiled! lol Christopher Forshage really nailed it with this design. Better ergonomics than any Klein or Strandberg I've played. But it's a very personal thing. I think a Jamstick could make a great addition to my slowly growing headless collection... just for the MIDI capabilities alone. Thanks for the great review.

[@MashaT22]

@@GlennMichaelThompson in case you’re not aware, the Jamstik Studio is an ALP Leaf-100 with Zivix’s electronics. The ALP Leaf 100 is extremely well-reviewed, but if you look at the reviews on the Jamstik website (and elsewhere) they pretty much speak for themselves. My only gripe on playability is that it only comes in 25.5” scale length. I would love to see them offer 24.75” since everything is modular and the midi pickup is easily tweakable. The neck plays like butter and is a very comfortable profile. There’s a neat pick holder at the top of the head - which is also where the trussrod gets adjusted when the little drawer is removed. That’s SO smart and a neat design detail. I personally wish Zivix went with a more convenient tuning system (like those with built in tuning thumbscrews) that doesn’t require fumbling with an annoying teeny little magnetic hex key at the bridge that’s easy to lose, awkward to use, and prevents tuning quickly (or getting stuck carrying a larger hex key). But once you’re tuned, the stability is incredible and lasts for an entire sitting (and often the next few sittings lol) no matter how much you dig in there. My last gripe is that they still haven’t ported the JamStik desktop software for mobile phones. The first guitars started getting mailed to IGG backers in the summer of 2019. You’d think they’d have worked heavily on the mobile software during the pandemic. I wonder where they’re at with that, but it was in the pipeline and hopefully still is. There’s a barebones learn to play guitar mobile app that also needs an overhaul. It does work with any midi compliant mobile app whether wired or via Bluetooth (the guitar and phone are wireless, but your speakers/headphones must be wired with the guitar to minimize lag), so you can use the guitar on the go via other software on mobile - but the Zivix desktop Creator Studio is incredible and made with their guitar in mind, so it needs to be made available on mobile. Oh btw, all software and plugins are free as part of the guitar purchase which is a huge value in and of itself. A concern of mine regarding the electronics is that there’s no easy way to replace parts (they’re not even for sale separately), and because they’re not modularity installed, they’ll eventually become obsolete as technology improves and the company makes new guitar versions. You still get left with an amazing analog guitar, but it’s a damn shame that the midi capabilities eventually won’t be supported anymore kind of like all of our phones become obsolete at some point. So servicing the electronics and being able to replace/upgrade the parts is a huge problem that I hope will get overcome in v2. I have a feeling we will see a bass guitar and perhaps even uke before they start making any v2 guitars - that’s often what many companies do. But overall, it’s the best midi guitar out there. There’s no other polyphonic midi guitar on the market, and surely none other that also functions as an amazing analog guitar. At $799 MSRP (and often able to be purchased brand new for $650-$699), it’s a HUGE steal. It’s a comfortable guitar even despite its smaller size (though you’ll definitely want a strap). There are pro musicians who record and gig with this, and lots at at home guitarists love it too because it’s a beast with lots of use cases and possibilities, is easy to travel with and store, etc.

[@kevinjackson7539]

@@MashaT22 Nice review helped me decide to get one

[@teerexness]

I'd just like to see someone tune it. I've never had a headless guitar and I've watched a dozen demos of this thing. Nobody tunes it.

[@saddamali666]

Is there a big difference in midi performance between this and the classic?

[@MikeSalopek]

I just ordered one, I have been using a fishman triple play for a few years now, but it has not been as reliable as I would have liked as of late, notes hanging once triggered, etc. Here is a curiosity I have, and I am not getting a reply from my emails to jamstik.... I have read that the pickups are probably one of the "mediocre" elements of this guitar along with the many great features. I want to change out the pickups to some really good seymour duncans I have, and want to make sure I am not hurting the midi, if I put in for example, a pearly gates pickup. thanks

[@ephraimwarrior6766]

mine gets hear this week i cant wait i have the dexed fm styth app and dx7 cart 80s sounds lol

[@TomMarvan]

Interesting…. But the link to Sweetwater goes to their front page. Do they no longer carry it?

[@funkmaster322]

Would have liked to see some strumming

[@jeetray11]

I have Jamstik+ their 7 fret tiny MIDI controller. That sucks not just because it doesn't feel like I am playing a guitar but it misses 30 to 40% of the plucked/picked notes. Since I don't play electric guitar I was hesitant to spend so much money just for a decent MIDI controller. But I think I have to do it cause it will take years to become smooth in keyboards. When you play polyphonic or even single note passages do you see this generating ghost/spurious notes. These are super short length like 1/64th, 1/128th etc. I used a software MIDI controller and that does this spurious notes that one would need to clean up in DAW. If you play some simple slow arpeggio, say C E G E G C - here we have 6 notes, is it going to give you exactly the 6 notes or will give you a few more or a few less? Finally, I don't understand the Jamstik Creator transcription mode. Logic or any DAW can render staff notation from MIDI right? Why do you need the Jamstik Creator transcription mode? You play really good electric guitar - btw. Thank you.

[@paolo-1283]

It needs a floating bridge

[@jordon.melodiz426]

It has a lot of latency. I can literally see it.

[@ADKDADK]

It really doesn’t. It doesn’t have more latency than an average midi instrument. It’s not perfect, but extreme latency is not an issue with the jamstik

[@jordon.melodiz426]

@@ADKDADK have u seen the latency of the triple play?

[@ADKDADK]

@@jordon.melodiz426 I haven’t

[@jordon.melodiz426]

@@ADKDADK well when u see the latency of the fishman triple play, u will know what true tracking is

[@ADKDADK]

@@jordon.melodiz426 I guess? I use a variety of midi instruments, and while the jamstik has plenty of faults, it doesn’t produce latency any more noticeable than a standard keyboard or pad so I dunno

[@waltdokken2120]

MiDi Guitar🎸 needs Modern Technology🛰 with fretboard micro chip📲 sensors to send precise midi note🎶 when string is pressed same as keyboard 🎹when key is pressed. Plus set of string vibration velocity pickup sensors by the bridge.These impulses will be merged to Midi Polyphonic expression data MPE and sent to Daw delivering 100% laser🚀 accuracy📀. Until then it's just a toy 🎃with inaccurate Ghost notes chase & frustration.🥊 Waste of time n' money🦨.