Roland GR-20

I'm 55, playing rock since I was 12 and new to midi. This thing is great. I came home after buying this thing, stuck on the pickup and plugged it in and out came the most amazing sounds. There really isn't much editing of the sounds, but there are some great ones in there. I look at it like this is for a midi rookie that wants to use it without a long learning curve. Manual is ok, but it leaves a few things out. I have not updated to the bass version and I probably won't.

Smokie sax is unreal, as soon as the rest of the band heard it, it was being used in several places. Voices, horns, organs, pianos, all just amazing, but as you read this you have to remember I'm new at this.

I ended up doing a hard mount on my Parker Nitefly, the pickup is too tall for a clean mount on that guitar and my action suffered; had to cut the pickguard. I made an amp out of a VOX 2-12 combo amp box, Crown DC75 power, Crate acoustic preamp, and a pair of Emenance 12's with horns and X-overs, going for that full range sound. I use this amp for the acoustic side of the Park also. I send the electric side to a VOX AD120VT, quite a wall of sound.

It's a Roland---they seem to last. I guess we will see, had to replace the power supply already, but under support I fill you in on that one.

Here is all the positive stuff on the company---got the unit home that the power supply was intermittent. Called GC and they didn't have another one so I called Roland--immeditely faxed them a letter stating what was wrong along with my receipt and within two days I had a new one--no questions asked, and no need to return the defective one. They also have an email support team--when I can't figure something out, I email them in the morning and by noon I have an answer. I have used them three times, and the same thing everytime. They are great!

I happy, the band is happy, the audience is happy, even my wife is happy. I spend more time playing than I use to and that's a good thing. I will have one for along time. Playing three different sounding guitars all the time can get confusing, but it good for your consentration.

This thing is great. I've had it over a year now. Editing is a breeze (after you do it a few times). There's ample space to store the sounds you plan to use live for quick access. In the user bank, you can edit and store the sounds you like. I keep about 20 of the possible 99 in that bank at the ready. In the studio, it's a valuable tool. I've done three independent film scores using the GR20 and a Tascam 2488.

I have two synth setups. I use a GK3 pickup with a Schecter C1 Classic and a GK2A with my D'Agostino Benchmark. The guitar feed goes to a fender Cyber Champ and the synth goes into a Peavey KB/A100 keyboard amp. For solo work, I run the whole mess through the keyboard amp and dont use a PA system. The sax sounds are great. The "dread nanosecond" is still alive and well, but this device triggers much faster than those I've used in years past. I'm very pleased with the strings and piano sounds. The guitar sounds leave a bit to be desired, but I just turn the damn thing off and play guitar.

I use it on the gig with no backup. I bought an extra cable and I have two GK equiped guitars. If the module failed, I'd play guitar.
After over a year...no problems.

NO experience. I was able to download this and other Roland manuals on line before I made the purchase.

I play whatever I want. I've been playing 50 years and found unemployment in every field of music. I'd buy another, or maybe even upgrade to the GR33... The GR33 has words in the display instead of numbers. I love the fact that I can play 3 instruments at the same time. I hate the fact that I play 3 instruments when often one would be more tasteful (My fault, not Roland's). I've been in and out of guitar synths for about 15 years. This thing is the nuts!!! Great live, great in the studio. I heartily recommend this effect.

Brain-dead user friendly with all of it's limitations compared to my
Yamaha MU 100 tone generator and Yam. G-50 guitar midi converter, bought 'prox '99, which is a headache to utilize on a regular basis, with me as a hobbiest with tons of eq., as well as me having less and less of a tolerance for "getting back to a particular play mode". As Boss pedals go, including the RC-20XL looper and surely the Boss RC-50 new looper, this is a simplistic, go-for-it, type synth of the Steve Morse type applications, with some gravies and sauces for your choices of applications.

For $595, excellent and I agree w/ a lot of the evaluations. The Yahama's quality is to die for, esp. with the pianos w/ a sustain pedal and others; however, I'm satisfied with the Roland. Pads, overall and in general, were/are shockingly good and the tabla drum/sitar are much better than the "world" music aspects of the Emu
versions I checked out 3 years ago. Guitars do suck, but the slap bass is more than usable in a Stanley Clarkish kind of way (do I hear strings coming)? I'll re-evaluate perhaps in a year. The guy on page 4 has the right idea, with utilizing a mixer! Then, you can add the spices and ginger to the mix. Marshall eq. for majors.

I'm a hobbiest so it's cool. Wouldn't imagine that it would hold up on the road very well, but otherwise, it doesn't appear to be fragile. Other than the rack units, arent they all that way? Treat it with respect.

Never had a reason to deal with them.

Strictly instrumental/improvizational/experimental ala Jerry Garcia's Dark Star, John M'cLaughlin, Rachmananoff, dash of Soft Machine, Miles Davis, Hendrix, Trower tones, Peter Green's End of the Game, David Torn, Beethoven; whatevers. I'm going to isolate this thing and rape it for everything's it's worth, w/ processors and select pedals w/o breaking down main system, run thru Rode K2 variable mike to Superscope cd/rw recorder...very inspiring first stage w/ lots of headroom...thru pignose 40 and Laney 30; later to Marshall 1960ax's/TSL60 to Pro-tools or Sonar 5. Lots of fun with the former! The mike is to die for! Will review again next year.

The manual for installing the pickup was too detailed for me, I just concentrated on the instructions in italics and then had enough confidence to install it. I didn't take the strings off like it says. Maybe a helpful tool to have before you begin is a thin steel metric ruler that measures fractions of millimeters found at most hardware stores.(mine is in inches and I had to convert to millimeters as I went).

I am using it with a mexican made strat and I plug the synth into a Yamaha PA. It generally doesn't sound as good through a guitar amp, because of the more limited range of the typical guitar speaker. Guitar amp will still sound good as long as you have a very clean channel to play it through. I think this unit sounds very good. The pads are fantastic, and worth the price of the whole thing. Instruments with a sharp attack (piano, mostly) have to be compensated for with your playing style, and can also be adjusted by trying some of the different built-in tweaks. I feel that the compensation I am making for sharp attack instruments is no big deal at all, and is actually making me a better and more precise player. Bottom line: This unit tracks very very well when the pickup is placed in the right spot on your guitar. And the technology should only get better.

The manual lets you know that this unit will not take too much abuse. That's fine with me, since I am very easy on stuff anyway.

Hope I never need it.

This is a great unit for me. I play jazz-classical fusion, and jazz-folk fusion. I also play folk music, and it isn't as suited for that. I really hate smooth jazz (where's my frontal lobe? and how long have I been stuck in this dentist's chair????), but it is extremely suited for that, since the unit is midi. If you are creative enough, you can find an application for the GR-20 in any music. Using the guitar to trigger a pad makes playing and practicing extremely enjoyable for me. The sax is great for playing jazz lines. Now when I play an arpeggio, it sounds like a piece of heaven, and not just a geeky guitar run. If you have even a slight "experimental" edge to your music, then I whole-heartedly recommend this unit. If you are extremely straight ahead (punk, rockabilly, classic rock covers) then I don't recommend it as strongly.

Very easy to get into this. A simple synth for technical dummies but with enough possibilities to make your mouth water. The cabling together with an effects pedal like my Boss GT5 is very cleverly organised. I mix on board, no technicians screwing up my sound.

Top machine with very good patches. I'm looking forward to expanding on this when a new version comes out.

It's a Roland, it's made of very robust plastic. Sometimes I wish they'd use more roadworthy power cables at Roland/Boss though.

I've used Boss/Roland for nearly 10 years and never needed them, that says enough.

I play christian music in a very wide range of styles, I like many of the ethnic sounds and the harmonica, sax, horns and synth patches are very good.

The GR-20 is very easy to use, especially if you have past experience using effects pedals or processors; especially if they were a Roland or Boss product. I have been a big fan of Roland products for many years and have owned numerous pedals, rack mount gear and currently own a Roland VS-1880 among other products. Perhaps my experience using these products enabled me to adapt quickly to the features and functionality of the GR-20 but I was easily able to navigate throught and edit patches without using the manual.

The manual is not overwhelming in any way and is easily understood. I feel Roland has done a great job of dummying down all there manuals for the non-technical. The layout of the front panel is well thought out and easy to use. Whether you want to adjust the sensitivity of the pick-up or edit a patch it is quick and easy.

I installed the GK-3 on my 96 USA Fender Strat, it was literally a breeze, 15 minutes top. I had to raise my bridge slightly for clearance and then adjust my neck angle as well. Other than that, nothing. I had considered installing it on my Les Paul but will leave it as is for now. I am running throught a Traynor YCV80 with 2 X 12, not to shabby. Currently I am not running any other effects in my live rig, but plan on purchasing the GT-8 as soon as possible. I saw a Roland clinic at my local music store and the guy was using both the GR-20 and GT-8 and blew me away.

It is absolutely noiseless, but I do not have the output level set to max either. For recording it's a dream, especially for composing original material. What a songwriting companion. To be able to basically do every instrument from beginning to end is so cool. I can complete a new song and bring it to the band for their input. To be able to add keys and a horn section is great.

Is it the real thing ... no, but after really learning or better understanding how to play properly there will be many who won't be able to tell the difference. There is a learning curve, especially with some of the piano and keyboard patches that will pick-up unwanted sounds if you accidently hit other strings, If you mute a string you lose notes too. Finger style as opposed to strumming works best for piano. I especailly love combining strings to fill in behind my guitar playing, just watch the balance / levels. The guys in my band are just blown away. We do a lot of covers from the 50's, 60's and 70's and the GR-20 is a great addition. It is basically an enhancement of what I did before I had the GR-20. It does everything I could hope for, I have demo'd guitar synths many times over the past 15 + years and the tracking and price is finally where it needs to be. Most day I really love new technology, the GR-20 is one of the reasons I feel that way.

It's a Roland product, of course. I have a great relationship with my local music store, and anytime I have a problem with any product by any manufacturer he takes care of it for me. My best advice is to find someone you can trust and build a relationship. It really pays off. It also helps if you have spent a good chunk of change over the years. Also don't be difficult to deal with.

My Roland rep is A-1. I don't phone or e-mail Roland directly, I go throught my music store and let him deal with the rep. I have never been disappointed.

For a guitarist in a cover band it really opens up a lot of new options for song selections,and has been very useful for song writing and composing / recording. I feel it has helped in the creative side of song writing as well.

I have been playing guitar for over 25 years, I have never been real big on effects. For many years it was just me and my guitar straight into my amp, but this is something that really feels right. If lost or stolen I would get another.

I love the hold pedal but I don't see any real benefit, for me personally, for the glide pedal. Kind of wish the expression pedal was not plastic, but I take care of my gear. I transport it in a road case when gigging, and I don't lend out my gear to anyone who wouldn't treat it as good as I do. Overall a great designed product from Roland. I certainly recommed it. It not magic, you still have to play it to make it do what it is capable of doing.

It's very easy to use. I suppose because it doesn't have as much function to customize or edit as the Gr-33 model.

the Manual is ok. all my effects unit are either boss or roland.. and from my experience they tend to put a little bit less info on the manual when the product is capable of much more.

i use an Ibanez SA 420 DX or is it 420 X??
and a peavey classic 50-50 thru a custom made cabinet.

it noisy sometimes when i use the guitar out to my GT-6.. but it's probably interference noise from the monitors (TV, etc) coz when i move it gets louder or softer.

the effects sounds the best when put thru a tube amp i sounds awful thru a solid state.. although it does sounds decent thru a keyboard amp.

the effects dont really do much. i used extra fx ( reverb and eq between the gr and the amp). but not anymore.. sold the extra fx to buy pickups.

love sounds.

here we go...
i had it for 6 months and the band selector started to go balistic...
changed patch on its own like it was possesed....

i tried to perform and exocism but it didnt work..

i called the tech or the guy who sold it to me.. and told me theyre going to fix it..
he had one and said the bank selector is a potensio not a switch.. and it's pretty wierd to use a potensio instead of a selector switch.so i said hmmm okay man...i like to know a thing or two about my fxs and guitars

so it seems that i can't depend on it like i can depend on my gt-6
i wish it was built like the gt.. you know tank solid..
gig without a backup.. why not.. i like the rush when you're playing and something went wrong, and you have to find a solution.. (as long as it doesn't happen too often)

well the guy who sold it to me repaired it for me so that's cool but once upon a time i tried to contact the support to ask about something and didnt get a reply... so ill give it a...

i play everything from world music to heavy metal.
it is a good match when im playing in a trio or trying to impress people.
but it worked really well in world music and contemporary music.

if it was stolen i wouldn't buy it again.. i'll find the bastard that stole it.. and take it back.. (simply coz i dont have any money)
of course i'd leave something behind for the thief to remember me by.

i wish it had the edit capability of the gr 33 and sturdyness of a gt6.

oh yeah a better tracking on low notes

overall it's well worth the money.. it's GOOD

The unit is very easy to use! In fact, my 11 year old son has no problem moving around in it.

The sounds are for the most part pleasant with the occasional cheesy patches. I am using an american standard strat with this unit. Get this, I got the unit and the $1,100 strat for a total of $799 used. a guy bought the two as a package and couldn't figure out how to get the thing working, his loss! I am using a Soldano SLO-100 head. Since the SLO has poor switching between the crunch and clean channels, it becomes very volume sensitive. However, the pickup unit for the GR-20 has a volume knob that does not alter the sound of the patch, so this helps my situation. The unit is very quiet with no noticeable loss in signal when switched to guitar only. The tracking of the pickup is fantastic! It took about 3 hours of playing to get used to it. I see many reviews on this site stating it takes getting used to due to tracking and inadvertent noting. I personally do not have this problem. If you are a fairly accomplished guitarist with accurate finger/pick coordination you should not have a problem. My guess is the guys with the problems may require a more disciplined method to enhance this area of their playing style. Regardless, it still is a lot of fun to play with this unit.

I have experienced no problems with the unit. I plan on gigging with this unit.

Have not dealt with them.

I play in a cover band where we play everything from Van Halen to VAn Morrison so this unit is a welcome addition to the band. the guys in the band have been after me for over a year to invest in one of these. I kept putting it off but now that I have one I'm very excited. I've been playing for 26 years and the equipment I own is quite extensive plus I won't bore you with it. I strongly reccomend this product. You will have a Blast with this unit!!

The Rolland GR-20 guitar synthesizer is not actually difficult to use but you need a very good picking technique to get the best sound out of it. Although the tracking is very good, there are still some problems getting fast notes to sound with lower notes (E and A strings). Changing patches quickly is also not very easy since you only have two choices on the guitar switches, up and down. The best thing is to connect a midi footswitch or multi effects processor to get easy access to the patches.

I use it with a Fender Stratocaster Deluxe and a Fender Blues DeVille amp. The GR-20 has got a huge variety of sounds of excellent quality. I previously had a GR-50 and a Gr-9 and this is really a great improvement both in the quality of the sounds and the tracking speed. The editing of the sounds is very easy. You can adjust some parameters with knobs without having to go into patch edit mode, which is really handy.

I don't know since I bought it recently

Never had to deal with them

I play for more than 30 years, rock, blues,new age and my own stuff. I find that with aguitar synthesizer I can explore different types of music and also use it as a midi controler to record songs in a sequencer. The Gr-20 is the best synth I've had so far. I haven't tried the axon which claims to have a superior tracking. But I'm quite happy with my GR-20. I would by it again if stollen, definetly.

Too much easy to use, Edit the patches: it's a simple pressure on a button after setting the Gr-20. The manual explain clairly how to use it, how to install the devided pickup, how to set your machine, but i don't have found how to update it. For now, it's upgraded, I see no difference between befor and after update (the update is meanly to play bass with the module), to select patch you select a category of instrument wanted, you select the instrument you want to play and That's it!

Other things cool with the Gr-20 it's when you put a midi cable from the device to your computer and you could play instruments of a midi software used

I haven't notice any background noise, It's a midi device... so the only sound you hear is the instrument selected.

I know it's a midi device so don't be surprised if it sounds... midi. For a midi device I think the sound is great.

I use it directly to a input on my computer soudcard (audigy2) and it works well.

The option on the divice such attack, release, chorus, delay/reverb, level all are working properly. And when you store a user patch, the Gr-20 remember the option you were using... so when you change from a preset to an other you don't need to reset all Gr-20 options.

Ok here starts the problems

Your guitar MUST always be tuned well or a sound one tone higher or lower could be played instead of what you realy play. I dont suggest it on tremolo guitar. With this device you will be forced to play with precision cause now you must forget technics on guitars like sliding, hammer on, pull off It wouldn't sound great at all

Some time when I play fast (real fast) some notes are forgotten by the Gr-20

And the BIG PROBLEM I GOT: ok, the Gr-20 is made of plastic and the inputs/outputs are not fixed in any metal base, so it's easy for someone who don'T take care at all to push the backside connectors to a wall or a desk or also walking on the conectors, mine was broken after 1-2 month of use. So take realy care of your device.

Ok It was broken after two month of use

So I tell my sellman about the problem, He wasn't able to joint the company for 3 months, after the guy of the company don't take my device at this moment cause he was supposed to join the company about how to handle the problem. so 5 months laters they contact me to drop my Gr-20 to the sellman. In the same week, my sellman drop it to the repair shop as suggested by the guy of the company (like if to repair something you take it else where :S ). Two months later, my device was returned in my hands. Cost of reparation 200$ CAN. Cause the machine is build stupidly and over I paid this item 1/3 more than is value in big guitar store

so for 10 month of none use a garanty with 10 months to forget and for a 1000$ for the device, taxes included and 200$ of reparation I say If you would like to play midi juste bought a midi keyboard (usualy there is more presets and techno and other style presets)

All about the sound is number one if you are expecting what you should expecting from midi sounds

Playability is ... good but not excelent

The device conception made it fragile. NOT AT ALL SOLID

And the service from the company sucks totaly