Roland GR-30 Guitar Synthesizer

The unit is a plug'n go thing, but you will want some instructions. The manual is logical, well written and of utmost importance to understanding this device. Editing is easy, all you need is the manual and self motivation. Proper pick-up/string gauge/action set-up is a key to accurate tracking, as is crisp playing technique of both hands. Once that is addressed, your heading to goose-bump country! Note: some patches are inherently latent in the low frequency range; i can play fast passages with accurate tracking on many patches but not all are meant to be fast tracking. It is not a perfect tracking device, but it is pretty damn close. Profesional synth sounds for the adventurous guitar player! (an aside: I read that Allan Holdsworth did NOT like these units)

Sounds good out of one amp, really good out of two and absolutely killer through a full range stereo sound system capable of carrying heavy lows, clear mids and highs. A no-noise device. Unit effects work fine...if you don't like them, edit them out and add yours outboard. Get yourself the Boss fv-300L and run thru two (clean) amps to fully experience the stereo effects and polyphonic blend/separation functions. Run the gr-30 thru a P.A. and your guitar out to your amp and experiment with various blends of all three.

Respect the power and midi cords. 1/4" in/outs are tight and right. The actual unit seems very reliable: compact,sturdy,foot friendly. A back-up is not neccessary but i like the thing so much i've thought of getting another so as to have one that never leaves the house,just in case...

I don't know and don't want have to find out. Upgrades? Not on mine. I have tried the gr-20. Quality sounds, less program-abilty, more expensive. I like the gr-30.

If you buy pedals to spice-up your life and you have an extra lump of dough layin around, try one of these puppys. Nothing else in the price range compares. Great writing tool and makes you a better technician. It seems to be working for me. If you are willing to play with concentrated precision you should have a pleasant experience (unless you are Holdsworth and can afford a synth-axe).

I found this difficult to edit sounds in the unit, but using an editor on the PC it is really easy to manipulate and change all the settings. as part of a recording setup it really needsthe PC interface.
Setting the pickup correctly helps a lot but its worth experimenting with the position as mine is a long way from where it should be andit sounds great

i have this on a gordon smith, between the pickups it goes through a PA as you need the high frequency response to get the most out of the sounds.
it blends well with the guitar sounds and enlarges the sound fantasticaly

its never failed but i wouldnt gig without a pc to control it

never used them

its not for metal but it gets some great rock tones, you cant expect it to sound like a violin if you are hacking away at your strings. its another instrument and you have to adapt to playing it. i would buy another synth but a new version if it went missing or damaged. i would like to work out how to make the hold switch work the way i want but its not earth shattering.
the midi bit is cool at controling other synths but you have to work at it.
its fantastic

Had to sit down and really go over the manual.
Also helped that a fellow musician with a GR-1
was giving me inspiration. I still use my original GK2-A attachment.
Like everyone says, tracking can be a problem from time to time.

Most sounds are like the instrument tone chart
says it is. Of course you will want to tweak things per
your taste. I ran stereo for a while when I was with a
group that had lots of gear. Now I just use it with a 100w
guitar amp with an out board tweeter horn.

Bought mine in 1997. I've been careful not to drop it
or damage the 13pin soft cable. I haven't had to replace
anything yet. Have used it on Hundreds of jobs with
different groups and settings, it has never let me down.

Haven't talked to them yet.

Been playing for over 30 years and was gettin tired of
the same old tricks with different guitar "effects".
I had heard of 'midi' stuff but never heard anything
like these guitar synths until early 1990's WOW.
Being able to play songs with correct instrumentation;
Organ, Piano, Flute, Sax, Banjo, Nylon st guitar, 12 string,
String section, Sax section, Trumpet section, etc, etc,
with the flip of a switch still amazes me.
I haven't regretted buying my GR-30 for one second.
GR-33? Hmmm...

I bought this unit used recently from a fellow that never used it; the manual has never been read and it was in the original box, wrapped in the original paper. This is a very easy to use machine. Mind you, I had a GR-1 and a GR-33 so I have a little bit of experience with Guitar synth.

As I said , I had a GR-33 that I sold, hoping that the new GR-20 would be superior; not.. The gr-33 has better controls, display, effects and editing. The gr-20 sound bank is organized logically, grouping together the family of instruments. As far as sounds, they are the same as the GR-33 (according to a sales manager from Roland Canada) but tweaked differently . What about the Gr-30? The sounds are very good compare to a GR-33. I would say that they are richer (pads, strings, organ). The piano is a little bit darker but still very Rolandesque. This is a very versatile unit with more programmability than a GR-20 (which I tried and is very very limited). For what I do with it, I'd say that the GR-30 is better suited to my musical style than a GR-33. So here it is as far as ratings:
GR-33 10 for programmability 7 for sound 9 for tracking
GR-20 6 for programmability 6 for sounds (pianos are eeeek) 9.5 tracking
GR-30 8.5 programmability 10 sound and 8 tracking (little slower thana GR-33 on fith and sixth string)

Roland are very dependable as a rule; I still have a GR-1 1991 in perfect working order.

Very good ; sales manager very helpful.

I use this GR-30 as a synth in our little Friday night band to replace the Keyboard. It is not the same as having a Keyboard player , but I don't have to put up with their infatuated ego either, which is nice. It does the job and create a beautiful sound textures and thicken our sound immensely. Thanks Roland for allowing us to outsmart keyboardist! And more. My conclusion is that the best value for the money in 2004 is the GR-30; I owned a Gr-1, GR-33 and tried and tested the GR-20; the GR-30 is more versatile and a better balanced synth for various musical style.

I found this to be a bit of a pain, moving patches to the first 3or 4 banks,but oh well you have to do it. Manual is very good!

I use to set-ups. The first is excellent and warm! That is through a fender twin. The organs and Pianos are very realistic this way and sound better than the still-water tone of a key board amp. SAVE YOUR MONEY. THE SOLID STATE KEYBOARD DOes NOT ENHANCE THE TONE!
second and most recent method: In my 3 piece group, I use it through the PA and one cable to my Peavey classic 410 amp..SEPARATED. Both signals now usable with the GK Pick-up set to the middle position.It sounds cgood through the PA board . I used it for my blues band. It is great!!! I have had it for 2 years.

So far very reliable. At times I forget to turn a knob or 2 and tend to get freaky on stage, but that is because I am the front man, and the lead guy etc etc. REMEMBER, Check Your levels at the amp and at the guitar for different venues. Especially if you use it in the PA. It tends to SHOOT through the monitors. And You have to be cognizant of the Mains levels independantly of the floor monitor levels.

Good. I boought a shitty one, at first on EBAY. They (Roland)told me it was messed up at the foot switches over the phone. I sent it back to the guy and he had another I use presently. The werre friendly and helpful at Roland, considering it was preowned.

I compared this with a GR-33 with a midi guitar(I forget which one)The guitar was not a strat, but played well . This was yesterday 4/2004 and wow. The piano triggers a lot more sensitively,. I found it easier on MY older model. Also they had it in a Peavey keyboard Amp. That was awfully icy in tone. It could have been the guitar since I use a GK pickup. By the way a tip for you guys . I first placed the pickup on my 72 Paul and found a way of doing it. I screwed the pickup to a piece of hobby store wood cut to the dimensions of the pickup and then I Epoxied it to the pick-up cover side wall. GREAT. It doesn't f$%^&* up the guitar. Use the double sided tape under it too. I also bought clear plexi glass and made a simple holder and mleted it with a bend around the body and screwed the main pickup to that and drilled holes and screwed it to my screw that hold on the strap button. I can email any one who wants to do it. Very easy.
I love this thing and would prob get a newer one (GR-33) since I like new challenges and a display window that tells me what patch I'm using instead of only a patch number like mine.

As far as plugging it in and going through the sounds, it's very easy. But as for creating your own patches... it takes some time and the manual. Like stated before, it's not as user friendly as the GR-33. But this is still a great unit once you get used to it. The pick-up takes getting used to though. You have to be graceful when you play (which you should be doing anyways).

Gibson SG Standard Limited Edition > GR30 > Line 6 FM4 > Boss Dimension C > Line 6 DL4 > Marshall JCM900 4100 / Music Man 4x10. I like the sounds quite a bit. Some of the effects can be ear shattering when your amps are loud. The piano effect is pretty good. The wind instruments and string pads are great. The guitar distortions are pretty bad... but they can be used in a good way. I like throwing on the JCM900 gain and then adding a really raunchy distortion with no release on the GR30 to get a very fuzzy industrial type sound (ie. the guitar solo in King Crimson's Elephant Talk). The notes don't sustain like I'd like them to (unless you press the Hold switch). For experimental, the sounds are great. I'd never record the actual instrument sounds.... I'd rather use and actual piano or trumpet or whatever. But I would probably record the pad sounds and other synth effects.

It seems like it could crater if not taken care of. But I don't plan on beating the daylights out of it like I have with past pedals. I'm yet to play live with it with it being a new effect and all.

I've dealt with Boss/Roland in the past. Not doing it again.

For experimental/progressive music... it's a great unit. It's nice having the GR30 instead of bouncing back and forth between a sampler for ambient effects. I really like being able to scroll through patches via the control on the guitar. I just wish the editing was more user friendly. I think this unit is good for supressing a need for an extra band member. I'd buy it again. I wouldn't mind doubling this up with a VG-8 though =)

I use to have a GR-1; the interface in a GR-33 is more user-friendly. The controls are more intuitive and logical. I use the sounds as is and i find that programming this unit is a breeze. Good MIDI implementation.

The quality of the souds are ok but some of the core meat and potato sounds could be improved; I would have conceived this unit with less variety, but more quality sounds. I mostly use traditionnal sound for our little friday night has-been band.
Accoustic piano is ok, Rhodes are fair, but nothing exiting. Organ sound a little sterile and lack warmth. Basses and strings are very good. Guitars are half decent (good 12 stringS and ok accoustic). It lacks a good clean jazz guitar. Synth patches are very good . I don't really use volcanos, explosions and laser beam sounds. I like the facts that you can mix two sounds and use the volume pedal to go from one to the other. Very powerful controls on your sound, very good for live work (much much better than the GR-1)

No problems except maybe some hum when I use the amp output to a guitar amp, and the synth in a PA. It is occsionnal and could be a ground loop. No problems at all with the unit

Not applicable

I play in a has been fun band the friday nights; we play Hendrix, Joe Jackson, Buffalo Srpingfield, Beatles etc. This unit allows me , with a GR-Ready mexican strat, to play the parts that a keyboard would play, and not have to put up with the typical infatuation of a keyboardist. Just for this , it's worth 11! I use the GR-33 as a midi controller for a Yamaha DG-80 2x10 amp. Awesome. I am able to change the gr-33 patches and at the same time, the 128 and some preset on my dg-80. For example, when i play a piano part, I send a program change to the yamaha for a clean sound, when I play a rhodes, i would send a program change for a dirtier sound etc. This is , in my humble opinion, the direction that the electric guitar will take. The digital dg-80 is awfullly close to a tube amp, but contollable with MIDI, which is a huge huge advantage. I am amazed that so few guitarist have embraced this technology. It gives you a tremendous freedom for your sound and an incomparable sound palette. I like the tube sound, ( Iown a Deluxe hot rod Fender) but the digital world allows you to go where no musicians have gone before!

If you can take the time to read the manuel, it's pretty easy to use. One note about triggering sounds from the GR though. The midi pickup set-up on your guitar is VERY criticle to realizing the best from the gr. I use a Godin LGX-SA which has a built in Roland ready midi pickup and have had little problems with tracking. Also, pay attention to the sensitivity settings on the GR itself. Believe me, it matters. Also, it helps to concentrate on playing cleanly, and in a manner indigenous to the type instrument you're immulating (ie-don't strum keyboard parts, grab whole chords like a piano player would).

It sounds VERY good on some sounds and rather cheesy on others. No surprise...I found the wind and string instruments very good, along with jazz organ and some of the ethnic sounds. Funny, the absolute WORSE sounds were the guitar sounds, though presumeably you're triggering from a guitar anyway so no problem there; just shut up n' play your guitar! :) The other sounds probably are useable with some tweeking...

I would and I did with no problems at all. Nevertheless, I wouldn't put it in 'harms way' if it can be helped. It is made out of plastic after all....

Haven't really needed them other than to just ask questions. I found them helpful.

True story. I used the gr-30 recently on a solo gig at a fashionable establishment along with a Boomerang phrase sampler and a Godin LGX-SA guitar. One set was just straight guitar; chord/melody arragments of some standards. Ok. Then, I laid down some rythem guitar, and (via the gr-30) bass guitar and acoustic piano. I then jammed away on top of this with guitar and (again, via the gr-30) alto sax, keyboard, trumpet and jazz organ. I got complemented by the staff and some customers on how good I sounded and on how cool the ensemble sound I created was. Yes, I had to practice with it (and the other stuff)to get to the point that I felt confident enough to use it live. But the point is that it is usable.

If you are the typical rocker, guitar slung low, always srumming with a pick, and you use the synth sound mixed with the "real" guitar sound, the GR-30 may be fun for you. But, for me, someone who plays with a lot of dynamics and often with my fingers, the GR-30 leaves much to be desired. I bought one when it first came out, found it interesting for a few months, then never used it again until the GR-33 came out. Then, because I did want to play guitar synth if I could ever get the sound I wanted, I bought the GR-33.

Well, that ended up collecting dust in my closet also. The problem is simply this. Everyone claims that you can get the GR-30 to track well by adjusting the GK-2a height and position, or the GR-30 string sensitivity. Well, this just isn't true. And, I will tell you a test you can try yourself to prove that what I am saying is true.

Go to any store that has a GR-30 and a VG-8 or VG-88. First, play thru the VG-8, synth only ... no mixing with the real guitar sound. Pluck one string gently with your finger then listen as it decays. You will see that the VG-8 tracks the note until it completely stops vibrating.

Now, try the same experiment with the GR-30. You will see that GR-30 synth only tracks the decaying string sound to a certain point, then it stops .. abruptly. And, no amount of GK-2A or GR-30 adjustments will fix this. The problem is that the input sensitivity on the GR-30 (and the GR-33) is not as sensitive as the VG-8.

If you ever get a chance, try using the GR-30 with a guitar using a RMC midi p/u. Godin midi guitars are a great example. The RMC midi p/us have a higher output than the GK-2a, which makes up for the inadequate input sensitivity of the GR-30.

I tried installing the GK-2A p/u myself, and then tried having it mounted by a professional. I also set the GR-30 sensitivity to the max of 8 for each string. Didn't matter. I could never get it to track when I played softly.

I sold my GR-30 when I got the GR-33. I plan on keeping the GR-33, but only because I am going to eventually buy a Godin midi guitar, which makes up for the inadequate GR-3x input sensitivity.

Once mastered it to understand the routings of the GR30,the work with
it is really simple.The GR30 offers several variations how to use it
in a live scenaray.
But also Editing is quiet easy,if compared to "real" synths.
A good compromise for guitarists,a smiling from keyboarders.

At least it is OK.Eventhough the GR 33 is more handy,especially about
its better display.Therefore the GR30 is more "analog" in editing.

Well,it is a Roland and most sounds come from the big Roland library.
As PCM device,the GR30 is more a ROM Player as a real synth.
Soundmanipulation in the synthsection is really lame.Just a few
parameters are offered.This will help the guitarist a lot,who had not
before an idea in soundsynthesis.For a keyboarder it is only a
Romplayer with some fine adjustments.
Nevertheless the sounds are all OK.The guitar sounds are kind of
Unreal,but also OK.It is PCM-samplebased so don't expect to much.
Or why do you think,that Roland released the VG8-VG88 ?
All together,it is what you can expect from a modern Rolanddevice.
Maybe more Retro-GR(100 to 500) would have been suited to the GR30.
One GR300 Tone is not enough !!!

Some functions are to rough.For the effect section it is OK.
I wish there was a better finetuning-detuning function.
Also more envelopes would have been nice.For Filtering

Never had any trouble !

Still not needed,but from my other Roland gear I know,that they are
very helpful.

It's kinda hard to use because it's really complex. I know there's a lot of features I'll never touch because I don't know what they do. Of, course, I got it from a pawn shop without a manual.

Great sound output. I love it. It gets a little clicky depending on the guitar you use. I'm going through a BC Rich Warlock and it sounds awesome.

If I ever get a show....big if, then I'd use it. The storage is very dependable and comparable to all the other effect pedals with built in memory.

I con't find a manual in PDF format (or any format, for that matter.) Roland hasn't been a bit of help.

I'm a lead guitarist for an industrial group, so I find the synth on this pedal very high quality. I would recommend it for anyone in the industrial/goth/techno genre. Props to Roland for the inovation.

This thing couldn't be much more simple and still give the flexibility it does. You can change things like reverb, and the balance of attack vs. sustain for a sound. There's options like creating your own arpeggio patterns but they're more hidden so as not to make the interface look like an industrial computer.

The woodwinds are for the most part fantastic! Also, the cello and and violin, and piano are great. Some of the synth patches are great and because you can change the envelope, you can make them respond in a way that feels natural. I'm surprised how bad the guitar sounds are though. It makes me relieved that I'm actually still playing a guitar so I can just bypass this thing. I was really hoping to get a great acoustic simulator. Also, there's a few sound effects which can be quite useful. I took the "bomb" sound and made it sound like a concert bass drum. Overall, this box does what I need it to.
This is the first Roland synth to sound like real instruments and not a tone generator trying to fake real instruments. This is going to be the cheapest option to still do the job well.

The GK-2A and cord are a little too plastic for me. The cord can develop shorts and you have to treat it like a porcelain doll.

The Roland people are friendly and knowledgeable, but you pay for everything - even manuals.

I really enjoy the creativity that this device allows. It will be a long time before I get bored having exhausted its possibilities. There's a lot of high-power hidden functions if you're willing to read the manual. One thing to know is that this device samples the frequencies that you're playing, which can include harmonics. YOU HAVE TO PLAY CLEANLY or expect to be frustrated. This is good for discipline in becoming a better instrumentalist anyway. If stolen, I'd absolutely buy another one!!!

To be honest, it only took me a couple of runs through to totally get a grasp on how this thing works. For a synth, its damn near idiot proof.

Despite what a lot of reviewers are saying, this thing's sounds are great for me. There are a few things that I'd definately make clear though. A. You CAN'T simply use this as a guitar preamp. I use the guitar out jack to run some preamp stuff (the main thing is a Sans Amp Tube GT-2) for my guitar sounds. The guitar sounds on this thing are a joke. I play a lot of techno/electronic stuff so usually, I'll blend the synth guitar sounds with the real guitar to come up with a tone I'm really happy with. But if you have another preamp setup, don't sell it! Otherwise-the rest of the sounds are great. The pianos are dead on (I think the acoustics are really good too). The acoustic guitars are decent, but one thing that I think guitarists should be aware of is that a synth can't emulate real guitar sounds. In essence, the clean electric guitar is good, but you can't affect the tone by how hard you pick and stuff you know? Also, it doesn't track the greatest (I set all the clean guitars on either finger pick, or tap play feel and it'll still fudge it). However-after some tinkering with the pickup sensitivity and what have you, I use the clean sound from the GR-30 almost exclusively.

I've only played one gig so far with it. But it is definately cool! I got it mounted on an SKB PS-25 so its pretty much out of harms way. One thing I do reccomend is making sure you got the power supply cord set in the little groove deal on the back. Mine got knocked out mid song (yeah real professional!). Other than that, I'm real impressed with how its built.

I got a MC-505 Groovebox that I had to deal with these people on...they do suck ass. but I'll just leave this blank because the GR-30 has been fine.

Overall, if you understand what you're getting into when getting a GR-30, its awesome. The synth sounds blend to create some amazing tones with a regular guitar sound. However-if you're planning on replacing a guitar processor with it, I'd still keep the processor. Other than some problems with the clean guitar tracking, I think the system tracks very well. If it were lost, I'd replace it, simply because I've written music around it! Plus I've actually gotten some gigs just playing piano music with it (and I can't play piano so i'd be screwed otherwise!). I compared this to the VG-8 and basically, I decided that with the guitar out jack, I could keep my current sound and use the GR-30 for color, which was my ultimate goal. If that's something you'd like to do, the GR-30 works great. However, if I was a millionare, I'd own the GR-30, the US-20 and the VG-8! I can't possibly see how anyone could not be inspired by this thing (unless you're totally locked into a power trio format, in which case, you shouldn't buy this). For anyone who wants to add some cool colors to their sound, I'd reccomend this unit.

If you don't know it yet, you must install a GK-2A divided pickup on your guitar to control the synth. Installation can be made by double sided tape (sucks) to drilling holes in your guitar (scary). I installed the GK-2A divided pickup on my Parker Fly Deluxe guitar, at first with the double sided tape (which yields the worst operation) to finally holding my breath and drilling the mounting holes in my expensive guitar. Let me say at this point, after 2 years of playing with the GR-30, if someone stole my rig, I would buy another synth and another Parker Fly, and drill those holes. I LOVE THIS THING! Now, you must take some time to adjust the sounds, because the factory presets are not very good. Once the patches have been tweaked, the unit is operationally straightforward. The four control pedals on the front of the unit can control 'Wah', 'Sweep', 'Hold' and 'Arpeggio/Harmonist on/off'. After trying those functions just once I was comfortable with them. I ordered and viewed the owners video tape before making my purchase, and I'm glad I did. The demonstration is quite clear and professionally presented. The owners manual is clearly written, too. No problems there.

As is stated before, I've installed the pickup on my Parker Fly Deluxe. The stereo signal from the synth then goes into an Ernie Ball Stereo Volume Pedal, from there to the stereo input of an Alesis Nanoverb, and finally into the stereo input of a Roland 300 Keyboard Amp. Standard issue guitar amplifiers cannot reproduce the higher frequencies the synth provides. The piezo (acoustic) pickup on the Fly is also patched into a separate channel on the keyboard amp, and then I run a cable from the LINE OUT jack into the P.A. The magnetic pickups from the Parker then patch into a few stomp boxes and go into a 1965 Fender Showman. I get a HUGE sound on stage. I also use a Roland expression pedal for the synth to control pitch, patch sweeping and wah-wah. Volume can also be controlled from the expression pedal if you wish, but I use the Ernie Ball for that, so I have better options with the expression pedal. Now, the synth comes with internal delays, reverbs, choruses and flanges. I do make use of the chorus/flangers, but I do not use the internal delays/reverbs. Why? Because when switching the synth's patches, the delays are cut off, which creates a sudden transistion that I don't care for. So, I use the Alesis Nanoverb to smooth those transistions out. This synth tracks much better than any guitar synth I've tried before, and even though it's not perfect it is quite amazing and fun to play. I've found that my playing style has cleaned up quite a bit, too. If you slop around on the guitar (as I sometimes do) the synth will slop right with you, but you won't dig it! The synth itself is very quiet. You have to keep some of the descriptive words I'm using here separate. The GR-30 includes hundreds of individual TONES (pianos, guitars, flutes, sax, etc.) and then there are PATCHES (combined tones, used in performance). Some of the raw TONES are not real convincing, but they don't suck either. Most of the guitar and percussion TONES fall into that catagory. They just need a little help from the user, so preparation of those sounds before gigging with it is a must. For instance, the 12 String Guitars are problematic and unconvincing, but I've found that if I adjust the synth's Tone Control, Patch Level, and Play/Feel then mix it slightly back of the Parker's piezo pickup and magnetic pickups I can get a real convincing 'Byrds' guitar sound. I really like the Pad Sweeps, and Roland thoughtfully included one of the fundamental sounds from their ancient GR-300 guitar synth here. Can you say Pat Metheny? None of the factory preset PATCHES are really very good, but you must keep in mind they are only starting points. You have to dig into each sound on the patches and tweak them until you get the response you want, and you CAN get it to respond correctly. The editing controls on this unit are deep and wide, which is a good thing; it makes each patch you develop as unique as yourself. Great sounds are not obtained real fast, but so what? If you approach it as learning a new instrument then you know it will take some time. Remember when you first picked up a guitar and tried to play it? You knew how bad you were, but you sure could see possiblities! The first time I picked up an Ebow, I sucked so bad people were leaving the music store, and quick! But I could envision what I could do with the thing. And controlling the GR-30 is easier than the Ebow. So, the principle is the same. And I know keyboard players that would kill to have the expression that a guitarist can provide to a synthesizer, simply by virtue of having our fingers on the strings. Vibrato, whammy bar, glissando, hammer-ons and pull offs, the tone canvas possiblities are endless.

I have had my GR-30 for almost 2 years now, and it has survived lots of gigs, indoor and outdoor, with zero trouble. The GK-2A pickup is a lot more sturdy than it looks. I keep my Parker in a gig bag, and both guitar and pickup are doing very well, thank you. I do not have a backup for the synth yet, but if it died or was stolen I would replace it in a heartbeat. I have another pickup installed on a homemade tele style guitar as a backup in case something happens to the Parker.

I haven't needed to deal with them on this.

I'm in a rock band that plays mostly originals, but we also do some covers. We play a killer version of 'Hot'lanta' (Allman Brothers) complete with organ solo (your's truly on the the synth). It's fun to see the look on people's faces when we pull that one out. All of you sloppy guitarists out there, prepare to be humbled. The GR-30 synth is an amazing piece of gear but you must be disciplined and intelligent and flexible. If you are none of these things you shouldn't be playing anyway.

Very easy to use oncew you have the GK2A pickup installed, or if you are using a guitar with pre-installed hex pickup. The manual is not Roland's usual manual from tech-writer's hell. It actually makes sense most of the time. I would wish that it contained some musical examples to illustrate some of the functions, but then I've yet to see a manual that has them.

Well, a synth isn't for everybody. If you understand that you're getting synth sounds, not guitar effects or something else, you'll like these. Some are duds, noticeably the guitar patches, but I like most of the others. Some of them sound more like idealized sounds. For example the nylon string guitar sounds like a processed recording of a classical guitar with a lot of reverb. Thus, it sounds a bit unnatural, but if you're recording it works great, like it is pre-optimzed for recording. I've got a Yamaha MU80 module, and the GR30 sounds much better.

I think I'd have to beat it with a hammer to break the case. I tried pressing down on it very hard in its middle and it barely flexed. However, I think the 13 pin cable jack could be easily damaged if one stepped on it. I take the thing out to play for some old people's groups twice a month.

I learned when I had a Roland VS recorder that it is one weird company. If I never have to deal with them it will be too soon. Never had a problem with the GR30 - have had it for 2 years.

I give it a 10 for a simple reason: whenever I play it I am totally delighted. A synth is not for everybody, though. It is not an effects processor. If I were mainly interested in rock guitar or heavy music I would probably find this to be worthless to me. I use it for Jazz Era tunes, for which piano, vibes, organ etc are more useful sounds at times than guitar. Also, it can take a while to adapt to. It requires a clean style, but it teaches you that. After 2 years I am a much better player than I was, but I didn't put any conscious effort into learning. You just adapt over time.

The mmanual is poorly written. The tracking is questionable and unreliable.

It was packaged with the Fender Strat setup, which isn't a good guitar --cheesy pickups, cheap tremolo. I use several high-quality amps -- Trace acoustic, California Blonde by SWR and my computer system which has Event Near Field Monitors. Play real slow and the sounds are okay, but most are stuff I don't use and cheesy at that.

Not reliable. I would never take this thing on a gig.

Roland may ahve some good products, but their customer service support sucks. Ordering the video manual and getting it was a major task.

Disappointing, especially after all that it promises. It gets in the way of serious music.

As with most things you buy the factory presets are never really as good as they should be (they should hire me to program this stuff!) All presets have no effects turned on, they are not dreadful just in need of customizing. I think the editor is relatively simple, I have made minute ajustments while playing. I did however sit down for a bout a week and design a lot of my sounds. I have one GK pickup temp mounted on my beautiful Carvin DC400 translucent black goddess and one hard mount on a strat I made from Carvin parts. Both work and track fine. You need to do a little brain storming on these sounds and get innovative with the capabilities, I think it tracks fine, more on this. The sound voices are really nice my presets sound exactly like what they say, it has a lot to do with what you're amping it through.
I love this thing, and I create some very heavy music with it. (maybe I shouldn't spread that around too much, word could get out what you can do with these puppies)

The sound of this synth is incredible, use solid state amps or keyboard/PA type amps never run this through a guitar amp like a tube or dirty amp its just going to suck. The bandwidth and clarity is too much for a regular guitar amp. I use two SX200D's from Carvin in stereo and they sound fantastic. One very important thing here is tracking, you must understand that strumming your guitar like an idiot while trying to play piano is just stupid, playing as fast as Malmstein on a string patch expecting it too track is also stupid. It is all technique and finese of playing. I have created some choir patches that track under my regular heavy distortion that will take the top of your head off, can you say Diary of a Madman? Also by using the Grand Piano and tuning one voice down a full octave makes the richest sounding grand you can imagine. My band loves this thing we sound heavier than anything you can imagine. (Roland should ask me to demo this puppy). It takes a little work and brain to deal with a synth, if you're a dumbass and 'plug in and play wherever the amp is set is fine' guitarist stay away from technical equipment. This unit I think is easier to program than the DSP-Legend I had.

I've had mine for over a year, no problems. Just don't let yourself and anyone step on the midi cable or housing. It costs almost a grand, take care of it for god's sake!! I did get a bad GK pickup the first time I got one, the other two were fine. Two of the strings were reversed in the pickup wiring and the tracking and glitching were maddening, I was really pissed at first until I figured out the wiring screwup.

Never had to talk to them. They should call me and get copies of my presets, mine are so sweet, the Sitar, Grand, Choirs, Strings, Piano& Strings, Horns, and this little one I call Hell Fall is just ungodly to say the least. You should see the faces on people in the sound room when I kick that on...it's the most incredible sound ever!!!

I'm an experienced player and have owned just about everything at one time or another. Playing over 20 years. This synth I must say is about the only thing I have ever bought which actually exceeded my expectations!! I'm serious if you are a well versed player this will take you to the next level. I play extremely heavy metal type original music and if you like any of the new Metallica S&M versions imagine being able to play things under your sound similar to that. the ones who complain about tracking are just not realizing the need of playing with technique. The other guitarist in my band was bitching about the low string piano tracking until I showed him how to control attack differently I mean one doesn't open up a piano and start doing Who power chord swings or young players who strum too much without control.

it's a plugnplay unit - just switch it on and rock; some presets are very nice - but most of them are useless, so after a couple of days playing with that toy i erased the whole user-memory and did all the patches from scratch. editing patches on the unit directly is really a pain in the ass - but when using the gr30edit it is a breeze.

i use fender std strat w/seymour duncan pickups and a small marshall valvestate 15 amp, but it won't help alot =) the only parameter of a guitar that affects the quality of midi-picking is the sustain.
soundquality is very nice - it's roland, guys.

plastic case - but i think it's no prob, my korg ax300g is also plastic, i use it for more than a year and it is okay.
but pedals leave much durability to be desired - i am afraid to jump on it on a gig and accidentally break it :)
yeah, i would use it without a backup - only because a backup gr30 is way too expensive :)

never needed

we play mostly brit-pop/rock/softrock music, and still have no keyboardist because we do not need him that much - but on some songs keyboard solos and backings are very nice. so i decided to buy a midiguitar; i think my selection was the best one - i was considering to buy a gi-10 - but it suck pretty much; yamaha g50 (which is indeed an early version of an axon) is nice, but controlling a rack unit without a $300 worth footcontroller is a real pain in the ass.

if it were stolen or lost, i'd better buy a bluechip axon1000 + roland jv2080 - that pair sounds way better, that will be my next gear, but i think i will buy a gr30 also for gigs. so the gr30 is only a temporary (for a couple o'years) solution for me. but i like it!..

It's not too hard to play around with the prebuilt patches, but the whole "knob system" is an anachronism and a real pain in the ass to boot. Editing patches this way is a real nightmare.

I'm playing a Carvin DC127T with a Roland GK2a pickup - using a pair of Roland KB500 keyboard amps.

Some of the sounds, when you can get them, are great. HOWEVER...I had a HUGE problem with the tracking on this thing. Any tiny little string movement would setoff an ugly random sample. Playing around with the string sensitivity didn't help this much, forcing me to carefully mute during chord transitions and generally try to play my guitar like a keyboard. Not fun. In addition, I don't care how fast Roland *claims* the tracking on this thing is, it was still way too slow for my tastes. Even doing things like trills on some of the keyboard patches would miss samples half the time. It's not the pickup, either - believe me, my GK2a is properly installed - I use it with a VG-8 (awesome device), and was very careful to get it setup properly.

The sounds themselves range from useless to really cool. The piano patch (A72) sounds really good, and the one right after that, which is a piano with a delayed string swell after, sounds pretty cool as well (I put a brief sound clip of this on my web page at http://www.sydtech.com/holiday99/guitars.htm). The saxophone and wind instruments were really well done, but the percussion and guitar sounds pretty much sucked.

Looks OK for a controlled studio environment, but I doubt this could stand up to any moderate degree of road abuse - it's a fairly flimsy plastic case. The MIDI connectors look like they could break fairly easily with repeated connects/disconnects as well.

Never had to deal with Roland support before.

Besides, as soon as I submit this I'm taking it back to guitar center.

I was really disappointed. I tried hard to get to a place where I could use this thing without having it hamper my playing style, and it just wasn't happening. The tracking is really the thing that kills it for me. Too bad, because some of the sounds (especially the wind instruments) are really well served by the expressiveness of the guitar as a trigger instrument.

Roland says this is 20 years worth of research. Sounds promising, but I'll wait a couple more.

Once the pickup is properly fitted, and you've set the string sensitivities, it's pretty easy to pick a patch and play. Two things that make a big difference to how good the unit sounds -
1: Play feel - the most forgiving and reliable is probably TAP (limited dynamic range).
2: Chromatic mode - if you can possibly live without bending the notes, select one of the ON settings to ensure stable pitch.
Editing is quite easy, but the two-knob system is a royal pain.
The manual is quite well-written, but it's not always that easy to find the info you want.

I use separate outputs. The synth sound goes out mono via a DI / earth lift box to a Peavey KB60 (for personal monitoring), the FOH PA, and the backline monitor system (for other players). The guitar sound goes straight to a Peavey Duel combo. This adds a little hiss to the guitar signal, but not enough to be a problem live.
I have GK2As on my Levinson Blade and my Yamaha Pacifica 604. It broke my heart to drill holes in these, but it's the only way!
I find I can usually get close to the sound I want, the two exceptions being Irish low whistle and tubular bells.
The effects are somewhat limited by being presets, so I generally add just a bit of reverb.
Good sounds - brass, strings, organs, various synths.
Bad sounds - violin, guitar (except classical).

This unit has given me no problems that were not my own fault.
I have mounted it in a 9mm ply home-made stage board / carry case, along with the PSU, bank up/down switches, and an expression pedal.
I do worry about someone treading on a connector and breaking the circuit board.
I would recommend backing up the memory as a SYSEX file on a regular basis - that way, you won't lose your settings if the unit is trashed, stolen etc.

N/A

I use the GR30 to take the role of "virtual keyboard player" in a covers band which plays weddings, parties, dinner-dances etc. I have used it live on a regular basis for over a year now, and it really works.
At the time, there wasn't much else around. I would consider the new Axon unit, but it doesn't look as user-friendly.
I don't like the fact that tracking on the lowest notes is slow and sometimes erratic, but I tend to program my way around this (e.g. play higher, transpose the voice down).
I wish it had a facility to name the patch, not just a number.

Extremely easy to access the sounds. Every button and knob is labeled and self-explainatory; very simple to get around the unit.

With the guitar amp I'm using now, the sounds are phenomenal. I'm getting a Roland keyboard amp, so the sounds will only be improved. There is sometimes random tracking difficulty, maybe attributed to the fact that I tune down to hell. In my opinion, the sounds are all top quality; the delays are crisp, freaky flangers, excellent synth-pad sounds. Pretty close to orgasmic.

The GK cable and pickup seem fragile, but they've worked fine so far. The GR-30 is made of a pretty durable plastic, too. I would definitely use it on a gig without a backup.

Never had to deal with it, and hope I never have to; but one time I did call with a question and the guy was fairly knowledgable.

I play industrial, so the GR-30 is perfect for me. If it were stolen, I'd buy it again in a heartbeat. It would be cool if it had some fuzzes, or other noisy, wacked-out effects.

Easy to play. Editing patches is a bit harder than some units but nothing too taxing.

This is what i have a problem with. I am a great fan of "real" instruments sounds. This thing is fairly competent but at times some of the sounds are embarassingly bad. Percussion pretty much sucks, the keyboard instruments are varied in quality (from the ok to the absoulute cringe worthy). Guitar sounds - why bother, u are already playing a damn guitar. Basses - fine as are special fx and pads. The really bad thing about all these sounds is that they are completely see-through and lack any real class. The effects are just terible as well - they are pretty much all pre-sets. As a guitarist I'm used to being able to tweak my sound to perfection and this just doesn't cut it. Another bad thing is the tracking - if u are a messy player u will learn to despise this unit as it picks up EVERY little nuance of what u play i.e - harmonics that u never heard before start popping up every where, string noise - basically every guitarists nightmare. And the tracking is fairly slow - this is not for u lighting fast shredders out there.

Haven't used it at a gig but it's made of plastic and I wouldn't trust it to take much abuse.

Pretty average. The tracking is probly the worst thing about it, but the poor sound quality just kills it. Wouldn't bother buying it again. I mainly use it as a sound canvas for my keyboard now, and I've gone back to my trusty pedal board for fx.

Fairly easy to get a good sound out of it. I personally prefer to double it with guitar sounds. The manual isn't too bad. Most Roland manuals are awflu but this one is OK. Editing isn't too hard but you have to do a lot of dial twirling which can sometimes get confusing. Still, basic editing is OK.

I use this with a Mexican Roland-ready Fender Strat. I've owned every model GR since the GR-100 back in 1981. This is the best yet and is, by the way, very QUIET! The effects are generally good. I amp it into PA systems live. Some bottom has to be slightly rolled off since the unit has a huge bass content on some patches. I got this unit because I needed a light portable way of recreating synth sounds on stage without hiring a keyboard player. It's great for that approach. I find that certain sounds (strings, sitar, piano, nylon gtr w/stgs., pizz. basses) are great. Others are useless (guitar sounds--- these are, after all done much better with guitar!). My guitar set up is a Line 6 POD into a Fender Vibrolux-Reverb Re-issue. The GR-30 adds quite a striking set of color to the trad. guitar pallette. Plus the audience is usually shocked at the effect.

Seems dependable. 1st gig with it will be June 19,1999. I'll let you know. But My instinct would be HARD CASE!!!!! Plus an extra 13-pin cable.

I've dealt with Roland support. They veer from knowledgeagable to useless. Depends on the tech. But they are friendly.

I play neo-classic intrumental rock so this unit is wonderful in helping me create orchestrated guitar sounds. I've been playing 35 years. I also own Roland VS-1680, Rickenbacker 360/12V64, Danelectro Baritone Guitar, Danelectro Longhorn Bass, EMagic Unitor 8, Layla Sound card setup, Korg N1R, Fender Vibrolux Reverb Amp, Line 6 POD, Various Danelectro pedals, etc..... What do I hate about it? Average tracking on the low strings (but a fair tradeoff to blend with real guitar). I used to own a SynthAxe and while it was as fast as the dickens tracking-wise, you couldn't mix live with real guitar. What do I love about it? What a great expressive electronic tool. I never get bored. Used properly- your audience is left stunned. What else matters?

This is an update from an old message ! ( I had a wrong email adress on the previous comment ...)
Its easy to get really really good sounds . But ... Its as easy to get some horrible sound . The manual is great , but its better to try the synth without it . Its the fun way ... Tough , sometimes its not easy to use for someone who doesnt read the manual .
Guitar -> synth -> amp not noisy at all Im gonna rate the effects by type :
Piano : 7 ... impossible to sound like a piano (bends...vibrato...) Vibe type : 7 Organs : 8 good organ sounds Guitar : 2 Horrible Basses : 9 exelent pipes : 8 quite cool brass : 6 medium synth lead : 9 exelent synth pads :9 exelent strings : 10 great voice choir : humm... 5 bell ..ect : 7 a bell's a bell sound fx : 4 (not enough too strange) percussion : 1 Crazy!!!
there are 384 sounds: you can change the attack time / the sustain / add chorus / reverb / harmonise
Theres also an arpegiator , but i hate this idea ... its like you casn play Chopin play playing G - B - A - C ... one note at a time
I can depend on it I can use it without a backup safely although its plastic.Im selling mine cos Im gonna get the VG 8 Ill sell it for 300 without the gk2a pickup / 500 with the pickup I dont know if many people emailed me , but im sorry because I couldnt read the emails.. contact me : www.angelfire.com/ms/Somnium

Very very easy !

Good pianos sound .. You can alter some of the sounds here are good sounds number: 11 45 88 44 98 311 146 149 60 98 76 You can add reverb cos they dont have

Its very reliable but I wouldnt use one live without another P.supply.

I dunno

Add reverb !!! I just bought the gt5 from boss , and I think I prefer traditional sound ( guitar sound)} to viloin ... ect sounds If anyone would like to buy it , email me on my homepage : http:listen.to/somnium I want to sell it for around 300 us$ ... its in good condition but I just hate a guitra synth i like distortion and chorus !!!

The unit layout is quite straight-forward and the manual actually is useful when it comes to explaining how to do things. I'd been using mostly stock patches, simply because they sounded so good there was no need for me to try creating better sounding ones. I am getting into editing/creating patches now and find it a rather simple process to follow.
One thing I learned early on though, you might have to rethink your guitar playing with the GR-30. First off, it's not too forgiving if you're a little sloppy; the GK-2A picks up everything single string nuance. Second, you might need to learn different phrasing. Sax and keyboard players don't play solos like guitar players do. The tones are there but the phrasing will make them sound even more like the real thing.
Downside, I'm wireless and this unit ties me to the stage. We're talking a 15' 13-conductor midi cable here, but that's a small, small price to pay.

I had the GK-2A installed on one of my Strats by my guitar tech and had no problems with it other than it's bulkiness. But I gave up on it after 6 months and bought an American Standard GR-Ready Strat. I find I like the controls on the GR-Ready Strat a bit better. I tried the Tex-Mex GR-Ready, but spent the extra bucks on the American Standard because I liked the neck and feel a lot better.
I was running the GR-30 into the board and it sounded fine, but we don't use a sound man so I had some problems keeping the levels under control. Now I run it into a Tech21 Trademark 60 set up on stage right under my guitar cabinet and use the direct out to go to the board. This lets me control the volume in relation to the rest of the mix and it sounds even better through this amp than it did in the monitors.
I currently have 7 banks of tones set up for use during the course of a show. I don't always use them all - it just depends which songs we do on any given night. My band does strictly classic rock covers and I'm doing all the horn, string, and keyboard parts. The B-3 patch is unreal. We do tunes like Gimme Some Lovin' and Smoke On The Water and the audience is looking for the keyboard player!! Then we do some Motown and they're looking for the sax player. The sound quality is excellent!!! I also use piano, sitar, 6, 12 & pedal steel guitar patches, flute, violin, banjo, strings, synth and voice patches, too. These tones all add a lot of fullness to our tunes, an added plus for a quartet like us.

I have to agree that the case is not as strong as I'd like it to be but I solved that by building a custom floor unit that holds the GR-30, midi foot controller and two master volume pedals (one for guitar and one for the GR-30). I carry this in an SKB case I lined with foam rubber so it is well protected during transport to and from gigs. I was never comfortable carrying it around before this, though. Not only would I use it on a gig without a backup, but I do so every week. When finances allow, I might get a backup unit, but I'm careful enough with my gear that it's not a high priority right now.

Never had to deal with them because Roland's products have never failed me.

For what I play, classic rock covers, this is an excellent addition to my rig. If I didn't have it, we'd have to add a fifth player to the band. I also use a Roland GP-100 guitar pre-amp/processor and it, too, is an excellent piece. I'm extremely happy with my Roland gear and would definitely buy these units again in a heartbeat. About the only thing I think I'd really like to see is a rack mount GR-30 with a dedicated foot controller.
Don't try one out in the store - you'll buy it!!

Its easy to get really really good sounds . But ... Its as easy to get some horrible sound . The manual is great , but its better to try the synth without it . Its the fun way ... Tough , sometimes its not easy to use for someone who doesnt read the manual .

Guitar -> synth -> amp not noisy at all Im gonna rate the effects by type :
Piano : 7 ... impossible to sound like a piano (bends...vibrato...) Vibe type : 7 Organs : 8 good organ sounds Guitar : 2 Horrible Basses : 9 exelent pipes : 8 quite cool brass : 6 medium synth lead : 9 exelent synth pads :9 exelent strings : 10 great voice choir : humm... 5 bell ..ect : 7 a bell's a bell sound fx : 4 (not enough too strange) percussion : 1 Crazy!!!
there are 384 sounds: you can change the attack time / the sustain / add chorus / reverb / harmonise
Theres also an arpegiator , but i hate this idea ... its like you casn play Chopin play playing G - B - A - C ... one note at a time

I can depend on it I can use it without a backup safely although its plastic.

NA

Im selling mine cos Im gonna get the VG 8 Ill sell it for 300 without the gk2a pickup / 500 with the pickup

Well, there's not much to it(except editing arpeggios) .....computer editor makes it much easier though

I'm going to rate these by type of instrument:
1. Pianos - Acoustics really suck.....but the electrics shine (especially that Rhodes). 2. Organs - Descent, but not enough of them....the B-3 are fair 3. Guitars - For a guitar synth, the guitar sounds are the weakest by far....you won't be fooling anyone...except for the ethinic guitars (sitars, zithers), those are all top notch. 4. Bass - the synth bass are all wonderful (TB-303, SH-101), but the electric basses really lack and punchiness. 5. Reeds and Brass - like most synths...these are all pretty poor emulations (except that Zampona Flute). 6. Synth Leads - ok...but pretty generic...they really sing when you double them with a distorted guitar sound. 7. Pads - many very lush sounding pads....great for those long sustained barre chords.. 8. Strings - love those JP strings....the solo strings lack, but the ensembles are great 9. Percussion - nothing to brag about... 10. Sound Effects - Ok sounding, but not enough of them

I'm afraid the LED could easily break...wish it was Rackmount with a foot controller instead, but hasn't failed me yet

If it broke or got stolen or whatever, I probaly wouldn't buy it again...it was really an impulse buy and I kind of regret it now. You can get some great sounds if you double your guitar sound with the synth leads, but don't try to play too fast, or the synth won't be able to keep up. Great for progressive or folk musicians ( I heard that Joni Mitchell has one), but not for industrial heads like me...can bring a new dimension to your music, if you really mess with it for a while

Very easy to get started, although I bought an ex-demo model together with a Godin ACS guitar which had been used to demo it to me. You shouldn't try one of these unless you can afford it. You'll want one. The manual gave clear instructions for initial use - in fact, in the shop, they had a demo set up with a special manual to work through. Try looking at Roland's support site and download their 'Turbostart' sheet to get going. Editing looks a little scary, the presets are ready configured with appropriate effects and arpeggiator settings ready to go. The manual is a bit perplexing, but this is a very complex piece of kit. I've ordered the video owners manual. Again, Roland's site has a lot of tips about connecting to other Roland/Boss units and so on. The presets are set up for Stereo use. It sounds awesome through 'phones or a hi-fi, but how many guitarists have a stereo rig?

Using the Godin which has a GK2A equivalent built in, and is a guitar optimised for the purpose, it's glitch-free and responsd well. Most of the presets are easy to adapt technique to, but sometimes a minor bend out of tune can sound strange. That's no fault of the unit, and there are options to allow you to optimise feel and chromatic settings for each sound. Have used with a Fender Vibrosonic valve amp in the 'steel' (very clean) channel. The effects are good, not so much with 'guitar' sounds (I use a guitar for those!) but with organs, synths etc. The wah has been maligned in somw reviews, but as set up, it does some great things on many presets.

Fairly well built for the price. I'd feel happier if it was built like the GT5, but I honestly think for my at home and light amateur use, it won't be a problem. Plastic is quite tough after all and it doesn't dent, it flexes! All the hardware is of a good quality. I'd trust it.

Not needed any help, so I can't say. The back issues of newsletters, turbostarts, etc. on the Roland web pages are very good.

I play a lot of worship music and the nylon Godin guitar blends really well with the synths, organs etc. It is also good for rock which I'm equally interested in, although I might be tempted to swap my Strat for a Roland-ready one to go with full-on electric guitar sounds. If it was lost, I'd get another although who knows, in a couple of years what else there may be. It should be in a better, metal case. It should definitely have a text readout like the GT5 effects processor for example, so patches can have names. Who knows what A3.5 is?! This is a common oversight on many multi-effects, too and it can't be so expensive. I realised this shortcoming,and it is the main one for me, but got it anyway as it's still brilliant value and there's nothing else like it for the money. It's inspiring me and I'm looking forward to recording music as I can now easily do what keyboard and bass players would have been needed for.

Very simple to get good sound out of this unit. The patches are edited with ease and do need to be tweaked for your style. Roland offers the GR-30 editor, a free download in which patches and arpeggiater can be edited and made with ease. The manual is fairly simple once you 've become familar with the terms. Being as the product is fairly new I don't think an upgrade will be coming any time soon.

I think the biggest complaint that I hear and read about the GR-30 is the tracking. This just hasn't been the case for me. I did just what the manual told me to in regards to the setup. I adjusted the play and feel sensativity and tweaked the release and attack on some of the presets and it performs fine. I use a Fender LoneStar Strat with tens on it. I even took advantage of the temparary pickup set up and it hasn't budged. For those that have had problems regarding tracking, refer back to your owners manual and start over. The string clearance is extremely important. The availability of sounds with this unit is almost overwhelming. Some really good authentic sounds and some not so good, but over all plenty to work with. In the effects department Roland could of offered more such as distortion for one. The over sound quality is great. A very professional sound can be accomplished with this unit.

I've had the unit 5 months and haven't had a problem with the exception of a bad cord from the unit to the pick up. I'm not in a great big hurry to drop it or even be rough with it for fear that it might be somewhat fragile. I have played out with it several times and its held up fine.

Haven't had to deal with Roland yet and hope that I dont have to. It will mean that they have made a good product that will last

This unit is capable of satisfying all kinds of playing styles. I use it in conjuction with my digitech processor which gives me all kinds of flexibility. Isolating and combining sounds, a layering effect so to speak. The only thing that I wish was that thay had made the unit with a pre-amp effects processor built into it. Perhaps this is a possibility in the future. It would be nice, but as my mom always used to say, [ you can't have your cake and eat it too] Bottom line is I love this unit. When I play out the people are literally blown away by its sound and abilities. This unit has the ability to take you as far as your mind will let you. While it may not be a unit for everyone, I would deffinatly buy it again and would strongly recommend it. I guess it just depends on what your looking for. It certainly has suited me well.

just getting out of the box, and the knobs are a bit intimidating, but it's straightforward, the manual's easy to figure out, and anyone who's ever played a GR-1 or a GR-09 (my last guitarsynth) will have no problem.

tracking's still a bit glitchy at times on some of the guitar samples, but WOW, is this a big step up from the GR-09. better organs, strings, saxes, percussion, plus a complicated but terrific arpeggiator and an easy-to-program harmonist(a chromatic harmonizer), as well as a wah wah guitar that's straight out of curtis mayfield.

i'll be taking it to canter's as my synth starting this thursday, and i'm not worried. my GR-09 was a tank, in a high-impact plastic box that was actually high-impact. the GR-30 is a bit lighter, but it's at least as sturdy as the 09. no worries.

roland = good customer service thsat seems to take forever.

I FINALLY GOT MY GR-30! I AM SO STOKED! with more samples, better sound quality, and a price $400 less than the expanded GR09, which was cheap at the time, the GR-30 is the deal of a lifetime (until the next-generation GR comes out).i play everything but hip hop, so a box with all the bells and whistles (and 384 GOOD samples to begin with) is a big help, especially if someone wants to hear james brown. maceo is ready.

Any idiot can figure the thing out after a bit of fooling around with it even though there are tons of things to experiment with. However, you have to install the GK-2A pickup in order to operate it. This is the main reason I disliked the whole unit. You have to stick this fragile $200 chunk of plastic on your guitar with these adhesive strips. Aside from the fact that it totally ruins the asthetics of your guitar (it looks like your Stat has been assimilated by the Borg with that perpetually glowing red eye!), you cannot put it in a hard shelled case ever again. For those of you who have shell out a hundred or so bucks for a hard shell case, sorry, you're out of luck usless you want to reinstall this thing every time you fool with it. The GK-2A is only plastic, so I wouldn't even chance using a gig bag with it for fear of cracking the thing. Oh yeah, you'll probably have to readjust your string height to get all the strings to sound at the same volume. Enough about the pickup. Editing the patches is not that difficult, though there are a lot of parameters. The manual does a fair job of describing how it's done considering all that's possible to change. One thing guitarists won't like is the effects section though. Adding delay, flange or the so-called wha isn't all that great. Guitarists are generally used to being able to tweak the parameters of their effects, not just assigning a pre-designated mix of them. For example, there are (I believe) about a half dozen delay settings. This means there are only those few combinations of the delay level, time, and decay rate. Anyone who has fooled around with DOD's FX7 knows what I'm talking about, only it's worse.

Hell, the sounds are great, I can't lie. However, keyboardists are going to get a lot more out of this unit as an external sound generator than most guitarists. The problem is (and here I go ripping on that damned pickup again) that the GK-2A misfires so often you can't get a whole lot of enjoyment out of the sounds. That thing seems to pick up every false harmonic you never thought you could make. I would hear little chirps and squeals several octaves from where my fingers were and where any audible harmonics should have come from. I'm not imagining this, I hooked the GR-30 to both my as well as my girlfriend's computers (separte occassions, of course)and I would get these things showing up all over the screen. I was lucky I could edit them out of the MIDI, but what if I had been using this thing in a live situation? That would have been embarassing. The synth voices were great, especially if you're into this techno thing that's been getting popular, but don't bother with the guitar voices. You're playing a guitar already anyway, so why bother, I know, but there are some acoustic voices on there which aren't going to going to fool anyone. There are so many dynamics any physical (non-synth) instrument you will never be able to imitate with this kind of device, but I was frustrated that I couldn't try anyway. The acoustic steel stringed guitars are among the worst, take my word. I'm torn between the great synth voices on board and the fact that I couldn't get any use out of them from all the technical problems. I have to give it a 5.

There's so much that can go wrong. The pickup is my main concern (see above), but the box itself is only plastic. I can't think of anything out there more fragile than this unit. I probably wouldn't even use it live for reasons stated above.

I've never dealt with them. I plan on sending them these comments shortly.

No, I wouldn't buy it again. If fact (if you hadn't already guessed) I sent it back. There was simply too much I was dissatisfied with in this unit. Maybe if I had a MIDI pickup built into my guitar already I would be a little closer to liking this thing, but the tracking problems just drove the last nail into the coffin. I play all sorts of music, from rock to traditional and modern jazz, as well as pop. I found that once the novelty wore off I could have found a use for this toy in a number of situations, but it just plain lacked the dynamics of playing a guitar. As soon as I got rid of it and plugged into crappy my old processor I felt like I was playing guitar again, not faking something. I'm not some technophobe. I love synths and think they're about the coolest things on Earth. I wanted to be able to take part in that sonic arena, but still be able to use an instrument with which I had the greatest level of physical proficiency. I'm clumsy on keyboards, so I thought the GR-30 was my best means of entry into that previously cordoned off world of MIDI and imitating the sounds of so many other cool instruments like horns, orchestral strings, and other synthesized sounds. With all of the problems I had with this unit I can still see that some people might be able to get some enjoyment out of it. I just couldn't. There was so much I had to sacrifice for what little pleasure this box gave me that in the end I had to just send it back. I haven't decided what to do with the money I got back, but you can be sure it won't be on another gizmo like this one. Because the annoyances were so much greater than the sum of their parts, I ended up disliking it more than any single manufacturer's flaw could have made me. As a reult the overall rating I give it is a 2.

The manual does a great job explaining each thing detailed. Plus every program is easy to change and tweak it to your preference.

For the most part the sounds are amazing. The sitar and fender rhodes were right on. Certain tones are layered together to give a 3-d feel. Compared to the gr-9 and gr-1 it blows them both away. Even my parents were impressed by the synth sounds(jp series)

Its big and built well but fragile. One easy slip could do some damage. Best to make a protection shield around it if playing live. I wish they would make it more protective like the v-8.

As always my point of purchase and roland do a very good job on giving me answers to my questions.

Yes I would buy it again. There are so many things to fiddle around with that it will take me months to write my own patches. The speed accuracy is excellent but still needs a tad improvement on some of the instrument tones. When I say tad I mean very very small! This is for experimenters of music especially progressive rock. The fun will last a long time until roland comes out with something better than the v-8, jp8000, and the gr-30.

As someone who has struggled with the user interfaces of earlier Roland GR-series guitar synths, as well as more recent Axon models, I can tell you that this is the most user friendly of the bunch. Roland should receive high marks for providing a thoroughly intelligible owner's manual and straightforward layout, one which is similar to the GR-9 but with additional new features. Special dials for string select, edit targets, parameter select, and so forth make endlessly nested menus a thing of the past. Even the most midi-illiterate person will be up and running in no time.

As someone who was initially impressed with the sheer speed of the Axon NGC-66, NGC-60, and NGC-77 models, I was prepared to be disappointed with the GR-30's tracking speed, but the GR-30 features a newly designed parameter called "play feel," which allows one to select from a whole range of playing sensitivities--from "finger picking" to "hard picking," from "tapping" to "special envelope followers," as well as a special accelerated mode that dramatically speeds up response time. Playing with "soft picking" feel in accelerated mode, the GR-30 tracks every bit as fast as the Axon models in my opinion. Moreover, the 8 MB of tones packed into the GR-30--many of which rival the best JV-1080 tones-- far surpass the extremely mediocre GM sound board that is optional with the Axon NGC-66 and NGC-77. Of course, there are few duds here and there, but I was astonished by the number of phenomenally beautiful and expressive patches it contains: it is no exaggeration to say that the GR-30 contains some of the best bass, solo violin, sitar, and piano patches I've heard. But even more impressive than the increased speed and patch quality of the GR-30 is the phenomenal new arpeggiator function, which truly must be heard to be believed. The GR-30 comes with 128 different arpeggiator programs, covering every music style imaginable--from jazz to country, from rap to rave, from rock to ethnic. Or if one is dissatisfied with any of the preprogrammed arpeggiator patterns, one can customize one's own from the ground up--simply playing a pattern into the GR-30 and allowing it to sequence the arpeggiation pattern automatically, or manually tweaking an already constructed pattern. The arpeggiator, along with the advanced hold function (including 15 different types of hold functions), the very musical wah and pitch glide pedals, 2-part harmonizer and other effects, place this guitar synth light years ahead of the competition (listen up, Axon and Yamaha). Roland also deserves accolades for dramatically expanding the midi mapping capabilities of this unit. Not only is it possible to decide exactly if and how one wants the arpeggiation and hold functions to affect other sound modules being driven by the GR-30, but now for the first time in a guitar synth, the GR-30 sends out not only the standard program change messages but also bank select messages. This is a godsend when interfacing with any advanced synth module--such as the JV-1080, JV-2080, K-2500, etc.--since it enables one to access literally thousands of patches as opposed to simply 128. The Axon series includes the ability to delineate advanced fretboard zones, each of which can call up a different patch, but the Axon utterly fails to capitalize on that advance by taking the next step and including a bank select function a la the GR-30, which makes it possible to call up not only the 128 patches in the user memory of one's external synth module but also the thousands of more residing as presets on expansion boards, etc.

My only reservation about the GR-30 is that its case is made out of plastic as opposed to a more sturdy metal case (such as the built-to-last stealth-bomber-styled VG-8). This means that if one doesn't treat the box with a modicum of respect, it will not survive long on the road. Accidentally dropping a mike onto it would almost certainly crack the screen if not the case.

Though it usually takes forever to get through to someone, the Roland tech support has been extremely helpful once reached.

Considering that the Axon NGC-60 (with mediocre GM sound board) sells at a discounted price of $900 and the NGC-77 for $995, the GR-30 is an incredible deal. The GR-30 is by far the most bang for the buck. Roland should devour the competition with this model. I would buy it again in a heartbeat. This box stimulates creativity like no other device I know.