Roland GR-300 guitar synth

[thetechroom]

who else thinks van halen jump intro!?

[flyingkiwi69]

I have a GR-505 exactly the same as this one...unfortunately the electronics died...fully corroded. But as a guitar it's awesome!!!!

[Ajpforman]

Where could one buy one of these?

[colt078]

Do any of you guys know if they have this at guitar centre?

[buchla300]

Great demo. I have a G-808 and GR300 and they really are fantastic. Total fun to play and still the best tracking system.

The only thing better is the bass setup which I got a while back (the G-33 and GR-33b) and it's just about the funkiest thing on the planet.

[jasspie]

damn why don't they build these babies anymore. It's almost impossible to get one nowadays

[Adrianrulz]

Roland needs to reissue this and the Bass Guitar variant of this synth the GR 33 I believe

[numberwang2020]

aaaahhhhh i need one

[davemustainerox]

Anyone know if i could somehow transfer the midi data into a jack input? Cuz i recently got a charvel san dimas style 1 2h and i think it would sound perfect with my gr300. Anyone knows anydetails please email me. (ryanmac1993@live.co.uk)

[1axehandler]

Great video. I'm just getting into guitar synth and have no idea what equipment is required. What special equipment is needed apart from the GR-300? Special cables, guitars, etc...

[JohnJamesMaloney]

Such a smooth hot tone!!! Love the guitar also.

[kdelplancke]

Truely amazing gear...the analog sound remains so fantastic!!!!!!!

[kdelplancke]

May I ask you the price of that fantastic gear? Thank you for this very instructive video !

[race1717]

Try playing Van Halen's Jump with it!

[chrislafferty]

can you just have a clean sound, with the envelope on?

[BipolarBowler]

Great demo! Andy Summers used one of those on quite a few Police tunes also, as you may have already known.

[ChazOMac]

I love Hex-Fuzz, every time I've ever played with one, I realized you can do crazy-chord extensions with it, that would beat like crazy and turn to mud in traditional fuzz, yet actually sound GREAT in hex. It opens a whole new world, but I do agree, it's a one trick pony, but as you said - it's hell of a trick.

Wish to god I still had one!

[armatura021]

teraj se u picku materinu!!!

[mack88888888]

does anything exist that gives a synthy nintendo sound without all the other stuff. i wouldnt use the extras and therefore am not paying for them.

[fattyJNL]

Try some Devi Ever Look at the Bit mangler or just the bit.

[mack88888888]

cheers, ill do just that

Thumbs up to you

[fattyJNL]

Thanks!

[pedrogamero]

Hello! Great demo. Can you use one of these with a normal guitar, or do you need a special guitar with midi controllers? Thank you!

[pedrogamero]

sorry, just answered my question...

[clongprong]

WAY COOL!! I have a GR-700 that doesn't work anymore.

[terrysteward]

I used to have one of these,around 1985

[oscian777]

GREAT JOB!

[rikinoki]

fuckintastic video niice one thats the sound i was looking for

just one Qstn? does that pickup tracks good on the bass 5th and 6th ?

my gr-20 does well on the 1st,2nd,3th, n 4th but 5th n 6th they skip a lot.

[Analogger]

The gr-20 is not even in the same league when it comes to tracking. the gr-300 is far superior on all strings.

[MrMutron]

@Analogger Could you PLEASE do a Demo of some "The Police" Tunes (Secret Journey or Don't Stand So Close To Me are good)?

[DonJuanDeMarco2]

"Track like a motherfucker"

Lmao.

But on a sidenote, these 'motherfuckers' seem to be good at alot of things for someone who fucks their own mother.

[C861986]

I WANT ONE!

[manhatin]

I have a Gr 300 that I bought from Rob Fetters who played with Adrian Belew in The Bears. They used the unit I have on the first Bear's album. It's a little quirky some twenty odd years later, but it still has magic in it.

[larkydozer]

Wow... what a cool story. I loved some of the first Bear's album.

[kenrubes]

amazing..I have a 300 and I'm still jealous.

[skaboosh]

Really nice vid/demo......great unit.....

[jeboccuzzi10]

I wonder why Roland wont reproduce the GR300 with an applied pick up? Would it not be less expensive to produce today? How would they sell wordwide? I would buy one. I have the GR-20.

[JRBain7]

I think the issue is cost - They would have to produce a separate pickup system, etc... It wouldn't drive their flagship VG processors... As much as I would buy one too, unfortunately I don't think the market is big enough. A shame.

[ReaktorFreak]

GR-300 will definitely kill all the latter GR stuff.

[aliensporebomb]

They do. There's a GR300 in the software of the new VG-99.

[geoffreyefloyd]

ROFLMAO...tracks like a mother fucker sounds so out of place on this video made me crack up :P

[111chazz]

The guy I bought it from used it for playing clubs but only really used the top low strings on synth to give him super bass when playing. In the right hands this could be a truly amazing tool but I think guitar players ( myself included ) just try to get AMUSING sounds from it rather than extracting the full potential from a different angle ( does that make sence to you) Thanks for putting this up and it's good to see it from a different angle. Cheers Analoger, Chazz.

[111chazz]

I have one of these and to be honest it is wasted on me but around 20 years ago I fancied a synth guitar and found this same one. It is in mint condition and the actual guitar is a dream to play. The synth is, to me quite complicated but I have recorded some really good stuff with it but forgot the setting I used, Duhh! Don't really spend enough time using it though.

[styx49]

"It tracks like a mother fucker"

lol

I second that though! :D

[TheRadarMonkey]

midi can eat a dick next to the gr-300

[milkybar100]

how to you learn about all this stuff, not to mention teg amount of money you must spend converting teh plugin from a 1 pin to a 24 pin plug n? i would lik to have this as im an adveturist or pioneer in music, but i simply cant aford to make these conversions?

[Analogger]

i learned most everything from the joness site. just google it and it will come up - also put guitar synth in the search box.

[drkam6]

Great demo! Thank you!

Wish someone would put a demo like this on the Roland GR-500 (the mother of all guitar synths)

[Analogger]

I would love to see a GR-500 as well. I think part of the problem is finding one that actually works! I have seen a couple on Ebay. In one auction the seller was honest enough to list the things that were wrong with it. In the other auction the seller was giving the usual "this unit has not been played for a long time. It worked fine 20 years ago, but I am no longer able to test it." You know at that point he was selling a piece of shit that didn't work and he knew it!

[drkam6]

You're right. What interest me from the GR-500 are the note portamento, and the polyphonic infinite sustain. Heard a track by Chuck Hammer and it was unbelievable; the new Moog guitar is junk compared to it. Too bad Roland did not put this sustain on the 300, but it would have turned its controller into a heavy clunker too!

[alainkes]

yes it helps, or not .. hard to find this stuff i suppose ..

thank you for the quick answer !!

[alainkes]

Hello and thanks for this video !!

do you absolutely need a G-505 controller to play with the GR300, or does it fit any guitar ??

Could a bass fit ?? Will it track well ??

I ask that cause I play the bass, and Im a big fan of Pat Metheny's signature sound (among others) ..

thanks

(sorry for my bad english)

[Analogger]

You can use any guitar that has a GK-1 pickup and a 24-pin cable. The GK-1 is no longer made so you must either buy a used one and install the electronics in your guitar or buy a guitar with the GK-1 already installed. Roland made a separate synth for bass. I hope that helps!

[mourningleaves]

Thanks for posting this. Wish you hadn't had that annoying delay on everything, though...

I really want one now...

[Shilinsky]

Great video ! Do you know of any modern effect or pedalboard who can do the same type and quality of the Roland GR-300 guitar synth ?

.

[Analogger]

The Roland GR-20 is good and the new VG-99 has some awesome sounds.

[pzanottout]

Hi Analogger, I do play a GR-300 and got really amazed that you got it wired. Is there a GR-300 user group that I could join?

[dkimcg]

Damn, that thing tracks really really well. I have a GM-70 that tracks like crap and feels like a 32nd or even 16th note behind...I culdn't come anywhere near the tracking at around 6:30. MIDI...bah humbug. Areal audio rate control would be nice...like they used to have!

That thing sounds amazing! Why can't they make a guitar synth like they used to!?

[tarabusch]

I LOVE these. So dorky yet impossibly cool. 'Tis the law of the guitar synth!!!

[discotechwreck]

"tracks like a motherfucker" awesome

such a thorough review!

really enjoyed watching your demo

the sounds have dated somewhat but nothing beats that analog warmth as you say

being a fan of Andy Summers I would love to buy one, it's just finding them on the second hand market that's the problem!

[thrak]

I love Your stuff. really cool

[ThemFunnyLookinGuys]

Damn you Roland for not making things like this anymore. I want one.

[sethwmax]

great vid man chords sound sweet thanks

[Analogger]

thanks!

[buchla300]

Fabulous!

Not many appreciate just how good these are. I have a GR300 and the G-808 guitar. Such fun and playability is perfect compared to any other guitar synth.

Also, I have a G33 & GR33b bass version which is in some ways even better.

Anyway, great video demonstration!

[blk59]

Thanks for shareing that with us. BLK59

[bentsynth]

your demos are the best. nice job 5 stars

diggin the GR-300:)