Roland GR 55

[CVS]

My band needs some keyboards but the primary place that we play at does not have enough space for us to consider adding a keyboard player. So I am looking at buying a Roland GR 55 so that I can create key and synth backing tracks for the band (I don't know how to play keys and have no desire to learn now).

I am looking for inputs. Have any of you used GR-55? Do you like it? Use on stage or only in the studio / home? Have you mounted the pickup on a PRS? Strat? Gibson? Any other comments?

Looking for any and all inputs? Is there some other pedal that does the job? I have seen the Elecro- harmonix organ pedel (sounds great, at least to me and would work for backing tracks) but as best as I can tell they do not have a similar pedal for keys / synth.

Hopefully it is OK to post a thread like this one.

Thanks much

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Oh... I did that with a GR-50 back in the day and it never really worked out too well for live stuff, I also still do playback of tracks and feel that's a better solution.

I had a GK pup on my CE24 and a Strat.. it'll work. It's wonky as hell, but it'll work.

 

[CVS]

Oh... I did that with a GR-50 back in the day and it never really worked out too well for live stuff, I also still do playback of tracks and feel that's a better solution.

I had a GK pup on my CE24 and a Strat.. it'll work. It's wonky as hell, but it'll work.

Sergio,

Thanks for your input.

I had not planned to use it live - just for backing tracks. I am also leaning towards putting the pickup on my Strat because I have seen a number of videos with the pickup installed on a Strat (including) the Roland Strat, so I think that installation should not be an issue. Thanks for seconding my thoughts on which guitar to subject to the new pickup. Also, my Strat is not that valuable (just a plain old American made Strat - nothing special about it other than I had Texas special pickups put in it) and I don't want to damage my PRS guitars.

I play a lot of smooth jazz - keyboards / synth will really add a nice touch to my backing tracks. Right now the GR 55 looks like the only way to make this happen.

Thanks again

Carl

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Ahh.. I see. It would be perfect for that application.

If you just need to get MIDI data into your computer to take advantage of the superior soft-synths available your options aren't limited to just the GR-55. Roland, Yamaha, and Korg made a ton of older guitar synths that are still using the same pitch to voltage technology that are available used for dirt cheap, I've seen GR-1's with the GK pup for as little as $100, and the Korg system for $60. You could also look out for a Godin or Brian More guitar with the 13 pin output for as much used as it would cost for a new GK pup. Just a thought.

 

[CVS]

Thanks - I am going to look into this more before I fork out a lot of $$$ for a GR 55

 

[Luminandy]

I've used a gk pup for years. It will stay on well enough with some double sided tape. I have moved it from guitar to guitar with zero evidence it was ever there. I split my signal. Synth through a bass amp and guitar through guitar amp. I like it for ambiance and the occasional tapping songs.

 

[hippietim]

The GR-55 is a really nice unit. It's pretty usable out of the box - you'll need to tailor to your needs of course but it's not hard to navigate. BTW, there are some folks that have produced GK pickup mounting adapters for PRS guitars that you may want to look into.

 

[CVS]

Decide to buy a GR 55 - Having local guitar store put the pickup on my Strat and calibrate. I would have put it on a PRS, but I really don't want to do any damage to any of my PRS's. Thanks to all for your input. Will let you know what I think once I try adding piano and horns to a few of my backing tracks

 

[JustRob]

Make sure to find the GR55 Floorboard software free online. Editing using the PC is soooooo much easier than the LCD panel on the unit.

 

[CVS]

Thanks for the tip. I will face a steep learning curve with this new "toy", but if I can get keys, synth, and some horns in my backing tracks it will be worth it

 

[JustRob]

I've had a lot of fun with mine. Haven't touched it in about a year though because I've just been busy with other things.

I did manage to create a didgeridoo with a pan flute sound so we could make a metal song with it, because there just aren't enough of those around.

I've also used it to play bass on my CU24. It's been great for what I do which is making up songs on the flly jamming with some guys from work.

 

[Eric Newman]

I love the Gr-55, but I hated the pickup in my Roland-ready strat. So I put the pickup on my PRS, and that just made it uncomfortable to play, while still suffering from the occasional glitchy noise or miss-trigger. What I found worked really, really well was the Godin nylon string guitars that have the compatible pickup. Something about the nylon strings solved 99% of the glitchy noises, mis-triggers, and goofed tracking. In fact dialing up a great electric tone, the thing actually shreds like an electric, except with limited bending. But for backing organs, pianos, strings, bass, and even drums, it became the best way I found to use it. I even connected my gr-55 to a Korg on stage and played decent synth solos that way. Go figure.

 

[CVS]

After 2+ months of using the GR55, I can offer the following;

The GR55 has met my expectations with respect to use on backing tracks that I use at gigs. For example, I have added string to my "Wanted Dead Or Alive" backing track and piano to my "Back In the USSR" backing track and horns to my "Superstition" backing track. It works seamlessly with the BOSS RC 300 and RC 30.
With respect to live solos, I have had to be much more cautious with my playing style because of the glitches and miss-triggers that Eric mentions above on all of the PCM (non guitar) tones / instruments that come with the GR55 (there are many to choose from)
The COSM guitar tone modeling is pretty good. Not experiencing much in the way of misfires or glitches. I recent sold my Les Paul and with the GR 55 I fell like I still have one
It will take a newbie to the GR 55 a lot of time to learn how to work with the GR 55. If you don't have lots of time to spare, be forewarned....I am still trying to figure out how to use some of the features.
The V Guitar forum (including Floorboard editor) is great and you will learn faster by spending as much time there as you can afford
Before you buy, you may want to spend time looking at the GR 55 owners manual, you can download it from a number of sites. I had to understand the "big" picture before a could dive in and start creating my own patches.

Eric - Your comment about the Godin nylon string guitars is something I plan to pursue. Thanks for the tip. I have a GK3 pickup mounted to my Strat because I did not want to ruin one of my PRS's. I would have never guessed this.