GR-55 guitar pickup input output fx loop Mod with Pictures!

Started by Beirne, June 05, 2011, 04:13:31 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

cedric

Thank you for your quick answers,

1) Well, I cannot use the Gk3 cause I have a Godin xtsa with synth access and I don't have any Gk equipement.

2) The other option don't look as simple as it seems and I am not sure about the result.

Noboby is selling a box for that fonction? Why Roland didn't propose that option?

Thank you for sharing,

Cédric

Litesnsirens

Well to my mind the "box" you are looking for Roland to make seems to already exist in the form of the external GK3 pickup.  This never even crossed my mind until I read this thread.  I bought the GR-55 with the included GK3.  I used it for a bit but quickly decided that I wanted a GC-1 strat which I bought.  So now I don't really use the GK-3 pick up that came with the GR-55 but now I think it just found a new use.  It's going to be my special "Box" for non GK equipped guitars. I wonder if there is enough room to mount it on my pedalboard somehow.  What would be awesome to go along with that idea would be a nice little one or two foot 13 pin cable...


eelectric

#52
Hey Guys I just finished this mod and am super happy with the results. I definitely noticed a big signal loss when I plugged my Non GK guitar into the input but I put a strymon OB.1 between the guitar and the input and it sounds fantastic. Since I use a Godin LGXT and a Fender Am STD Tele I used an AB switch to switch between my Godin's Mag pickups and the Tele by routing the fx out and OB.1 out to the AB switch and then the output of the AB to the FX In. Installed it all in a Road Runner Pedal Bag and I am mobile. Thanks for the tips guys.  :D


gumbo

Quote from:  Litesnsirens on September 29, 2012, 10:28:27 AM
  What would be awesome to go along with that idea would be a nice little one or two foot 13 pin cable...

Hmm...

Perhaps you've just added another item to my upcoming product line..   ;)

PM me sometime when you get a moment..

Cheers,
Gumbo
Read slower!!!   ....I'm typing as fast as I can...

Virtual Madness

Quote from:  gumbo on September 29, 2012, 05:26:33 PM
Hmm...

Perhaps you've just added another item to my upcoming product line..   ;)

PM me sometime when you get a moment..

Cheers,
Gumbo

What upcoming product line?  ???

All the best, Royce
The greatest power in the universe is imagination!

Magiamusical

Quote from: Elantric on September 12, 2012, 04:01:01 PM
I prefer this type of isolated 1/4" Phone TRS switching Jack

These are similar to the old Re-An  / Cliff UK style jacks used by Marshall and they are robust and electrically isolated from the Chassis

http://ca.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Amphenol-Audio/ACJS-IH/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMv0W4pxf2HiV35EdOeKop2q0bVDXJUTLs0%3d


Amphenol # ACJS-IH

Mouser# 523-ACJS-IH



I see you added the buffer circuit with its own board could we get more details, like schematic and source of parts?

Nice job,
Godin LGXT, Les Paul Studio w/GK3, JTV89F w/GK3, GR-55

Elantric

QuoteI see you added the buffer circuit with its own board could we get more details, like schematic and source of parts?

Not mine. Although others install Buffers, I typically always have some buffered pedal already in my signal path, my mod goes upstream. Inside a modified US-20 Instead. Leaves a higher resale value for the GR-55 which I prefer to leave stock. I once heavily modded a Boss GT-5, but had to take a loss when I sold it since nobody wanted a modified Boss GT-5 with more jacks, buyers prefer and pay more for factory stock.

Magic box US-20 Mod
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=7245.0


jerrycatanescu

I'd like to install a buffered 1/4" input jack on my GR55 so that I can use it with a normal non-GK guitar when I need to. The biggest issue I can see is that there doesn't seem to be a way to use the built-in tuner with the magnetic pickup signal alone, forcing me to use an external tuner when there is already a nice one in the box. Has anyone found a way around this, please?

If there's really no way around, I guess I'd have to find a way to parallel send the magnetic PU signal to pins 1-6 when using a normal guitar, just for the tuner. Hmmm... Wouldn't that also allow me to use PCM and guitar models monophonically?

DanVG


gumtown

Quote from: jerrycatanescu on November 12, 2012, 07:57:16 AMIf there's really no way around, I guess I'd have to find a way to parallel send the magnetic PU signal to pins 1-6 when using a normal guitar, just for the tuner. Hmmm... Wouldn't that also allow me to use PCM and guitar models monophonically?
Yes but you can only connect to one of the hex inputs, any more than that and you end up with multiple notes played when picking one note.
Also the inputs are filtered to the strings general range, so choose one input in the note range/scale you want to play mostly (if wanting monoponic PCM synth  or midi).
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Philip

Just added two 1/4" jacks to each of my GR-55. Basically to create an output for my Line6 HD500 because the 'Guitar Out' was far too noise (as mentioned in this forum). Now the connection to from the GR-55 to the HD500 is perfect, no noise, no problem with this passive signal, I don 't see the need for buffering. Plus, now I can connect a normal 1/4" guitar cable to the GR-55. I can use it with a normal guitar and then just use the magnetic pick-up sound of course, but still, I love this flexibility now. I keep the HD500 anf the GR-55 in separate cases and now I can just bring whatever I feel like. The HD500, the GR-55 or both.
I connect the GR-55 to the CD/MP3 Input of the HD500. This way I have all 8 slots available for effects and still it's stereo in. When using modelled sounds I only use the GR-55 for sound creation. That's not really a downside to me. I could still go and connect the headphones out of the GR-55 to the FX-Return on the HD500 and then having both the options available...
Now I really love these two devices!
Main gear: Godin Freeway SA with Graph Tech stuff, Telecaster lite ash with Graph Tech stuff, G-Sharp with GK-3a, Ibanez Gio Mikro with GK-Kit-GT, GR-55's (plural), Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 DSP, Amplitube 3 on Macbook Pro, Line6 POD HD500, 2x FRFR RCF 310A

crimhead

Hello

I run my regular Guitar pickups through a short cable via the GK-3 to my GR-55. Is it possible to send them to the effects return jack and use the GK-3 for synth sounds at the same time? Is this effects return mixed to the original GR-55 sound?
greets from germany.

Lutz

Philip

Lutz,

I don't really understand your question... What exactly do you want to get?
(Kannst es auch ja auch parallel auf Deutsch schreiben...)
Main gear: Godin Freeway SA with Graph Tech stuff, Telecaster lite ash with Graph Tech stuff, G-Sharp with GK-3a, Ibanez Gio Mikro with GK-Kit-GT, GR-55's (plural), Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 DSP, Amplitube 3 on Macbook Pro, Line6 POD HD500, 2x FRFR RCF 310A

cico80

Please, I would like some advice.

If I wanted to add a normal guitar input, what are the connections to make? Where to solder the two poles? To pin 7 of the 13 pin socket and to ground... Right?

Also, if I use the GR55 without GK3, so with only the normal pickup, will work ...? Even without the switch on the GK3 set to "MIX"?

Thanks and bye

Inviato dal mio ST25i con Tapatalk 2

Elantric

QuoteIf I wanted to add a normal guitar input, what are the connections to make? Where to solder the two poles? To pin 7 of the 13 pin socket and to ground... Right?

After this mod, since you do not have a GK-3 and its Normal PU path opamp Buffer, you also need an external buffer amp inserted on the Guitar signal path outside the GR-55,  to drive the low impedance of the "Pin#7 Guitar Input inside the GR-55 circuitry. Read here for more details (most simply use a stock Boss stomp effect) to feed pin #7 of the 13 pin socket and ground is on the Jack Shell.
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=3994.msg27055#msg27055

Adjust Normal PU volume (GR-55 calls this "Normal Pickup Tone level") on your custom GR-55 patch you create for this. (See page 23 of GR-55 Owners manual)

and "How to Enable Normal Pickup on GR-55, and Make GK-3 Guitar Switch work"
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=3402.0

Bill Ruppert

Forget the Mod, get Steve Conrads (Elantric's) "Magic Box"

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=7245.0

Mod free way to get your guitar into the GR55.

Quote from: cico80 on March 05, 2013, 01:00:52 PM
Please, I would like some advice.

If I wanted to add a normal guitar input, what are the connections to make? Where to solder the two poles? To pin 7 of the 13 pin socket and to ground... Right?

Also, if I use the GR55 without GK3, so with only the normal pickup, will work ...? Even without the switch on the GK3 set to "MIX"?

Thanks and bye

Inviato dal mio ST25i con Tapatalk 2

gumtown

I use mine just as an external effects insert loop,
I insert a Tech21 pedal as an analog preamp & tone control + analog dirt for the normal pickup,
still with the GK instrument and GK cable.

It just gives me that analog organic edge that I can't quite reach with the GR-55 alone,
and it has real knobs to tweak,
I'm not a deep menu scrolling sort of a player - did I mention I like knobs to tweak.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

cico80

Ok thanks...

But I believe that I don't need a buffer...
I want use the gr55 in the amp fx loop only as modulation delay and reverb for normal pickups.

So I should have:

Guitar - od and dist pedal - amp (amp send to gr55 guitar  input and from out to amp return)

I've tried (with gk3 normal input) and it works perfectly.

I've tried my Parker with GK3 also...works perfectly... I can use the pcm sound also...It goes directly to amp return... Or with an AB box I could send all sound in a PA.
Setting my patch as I want.

So if I want try... I must solder, simply, an outlet jack to pin 7 and to a ground...?
Thanks and bye

Gianluca

Elantric

start at the top of the thread and follow all instructions.

also all mods depicted in this thread are adding an Instrument Level external FX I/O Send Receive loop - not Line Level! 

Also use google search, we have at least 6 other threads on this same topic, some with better plans.

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=4624.0

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=3793.0

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=7603.0

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=4218.0

http://justinmorell.com/blog/roland-gr-55-how-to-make-an-external-effects-loop-for-modeling-tones/

And separate products you can buy / mod which add Guitar Input, without drilling holes in the GR-55 .

http://www.joness.com/gr300/GK-Expander.htm

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=7245.0

Realize I'm not an advocate of drilling holes into a $700 product, which has a 4 to 5 year shelf life. I do predict a replacement GR-55 will arrive in 2015 - 2016 , and come resale time, the used GR-55's with mods and added 1/4" jacks WILL be less valuable in the used channel.

In the Used gear channel, "Pristine condition and completely stock" will Always bring you more $$.

cico80


phostenix

Quote from: gumtown on July 21, 2011, 06:09:37 PM
Try building this into the GR-55, it is a copy of the GK guitar buffer circuit, you could use almost any low noise opamp chip

You could also try substituting R19 (10k) resistor for something closer to 100k if you have a passive output guitar, to bring the input impedance up closer to that of the guitar pickups.

Gum,

Do you know if there are +7v & -7v rails available inside the GR-55?

Elantric

All Roland processors with a "GK IN" 13 pin jack can supply +7V and -7V @ 200mA to power one GK-3

See the schematics thread here
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=73.0

phostenix


adhiwisnu

i finally did this mod :) (after the warranty expired offcourse). The wiring of two send return jack was a bit easy,but the scariest part was drilling the chassis,making sure not making mistakes in hole measurements. One mistake,then there goes my 3 month salary,haha. Put a boss eq in front for the buffer, and voila.. my gr55 became more usefull :) thanks guys for the infos and knowledge.

imerkat

Is it possible to do this mod  using one 1/4 Stereo switch jack?  using an insert cable to connect the effects?