Need intro to guitar synths

Darryl Hattenhauer

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What would be a good synth (and pickup) if you just want a few basic sax, violin, piano, and organ sounds? I haven't paid any attention to these since the Rolands started coming on twenty years ago.
 

Christopher Cozad

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Roland is still the name in the game.

There are three routes that I am familiar with:

1. Get a guitar built with 13-pin access (such as a Godin), and plug it in to a guitar synth (such as a Roland GR-20).

2. Add a pickup like the Roland GK-3 to your acoustic (non-destructively, by the way) and get a guitar synth, such as the Roland GR-55.

3. Plug your acoustic into a Guitar to Midi converter such as a Sonnus G2M (assuming you already have some form of piezo or magnetic pickup).

Here is a head-to-head comparison of a Godin nylon string vs a Taylor steel string fitted with a Roland GK-3. Both are plugged into a Roland GR-20 (to get the synth sounds):

 

Christopher Cozad

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Thanks, Chris. So the GR 55 and GR 20 each have sax, violin, organ, and piano sounds?

Absolutely, Darryl! The GR-55 can do anything and everything you ever imagined, being more advanced than the older GR-33 or GR-20 (discontinued, but available used) .

Here are some videos of the old GR-20 doing what you want...

GR-20 Piano(s), Organs, Strings
 

Christopher Cozad

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Can a GK-3 pickup be mounted on a guitar without adding screw holes?

Certainly. You can use double-sided tape.

Roland warns that the stronger tapes (strong enough to keep the pickup intact) can possible interact with the finish. Here is a link to their install manual:

Roland GK-3 Owner's Manual
 

walrus

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Easy and FUN! Nice Van Halen reference, Darryl! Eddie's simple keyboard riffs allow us mortals to play something by him. Clearly his guitar playing is out of reach for most of us...

Chris, I happened upon this thread and watched your links. I'm not in the market for a synth, but these demos are very interesting!

walrus
 

Christopher Cozad

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...I'm not in the market for a synth, but these demos are very interesting!

walrus

It is impressive what you can do with a guitar, isn't it?

I will never forget a time years and years ago I was performing (soft, background / dinner music) in a small, upscale restaurant. After a few months of getting to know the crowd, I brought in my guitar synth, a Godin Multiac. Somewhere in the middle of a set I put down my acoustic and picked my Godin. I had already set the attached Roland synth to a lovely flute patch and the Godin was set to blend both the guitar with the synth. I began to play...

The number of heads that jerked around to see where the sound was coming from, with forks dropping back onto plates and half-full mouths stopped from chewing was so amusing I recall almost bursting out with laughter. I was used to this sound - it was a great sound - the audience, on the other hand was not. They kept looking for the second performer, the person playing the flute. Needless to say, it all turned out well and I made the synth guitar part of the act for many years.
 

chazmo

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Hahahaha!!! Darryl, you've gotta' make it to one of our meets someday.

Chris is actually a hugely talented guitarist. But, if these guys can listen to me play, damn... I'm sure stomachs would not turn. :)
 

Darryl Hattenhauer

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On eBay, the GK3 sells for a lot less if the seller is in Japan (as opposed to America). Does it make any difference if you buy one out of Japan?
 
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