GKP-4

Started by merman93, April 15, 2012, 08:50:04 AM

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merman93

GKP-4 is discontinued

Ibanez RG 1520 GK
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highlandsrock

There doesn't seem to be much logic behind why Roland discontinue certain accessories without making alternatives available. The GR-55 manual and the Roland UK website both show the US-20 switcher as an optional accessory but when I contacted them to ask where I could get one from they told me they were no longer available. If that's the case then why show it?

(I was going to dig out my soldering iron and have a go at building a D.I.Y. US-20 unit but one came up on eBay UK complete with its short cables and I was the only bidder so that's one thing off the "wanted" list)
Ibanez RG870 with GT3 internal kit +
GR-33, VG-99, GR-55, GP-10, SY-1000, Strymon Big Sky

aliensporebomb

Were these GKP4 split-boxes massively expensive or were sales so low they just discontinued them?  I've often wondered the why this was the case but Roland being a huge company you figure something such as the parts necessary became unavailable or something else strange.
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

gumbo

...although looking at those photos of it 'undressed', I am still yet to see anything that looks too expensive or unobtainable...    ???
Read slower!!!   ....I'm typing as fast as I can...

highlandsrock

Don't know what they cost new but just doing a quick search - a GKP-4 went for $272 last August on US eBay and the only one I've ever seen one on UK eBay was snapped up for a Buy It Now of £129 (approx. $205)

From the photos they do look like pretty simple and not something justifying a large price tag. All the components, including the 13 pin sockets, should be easily available.
Ibanez RG870 with GT3 internal kit +
GR-33, VG-99, GR-55, GP-10, SY-1000, Strymon Big Sky

datsunrobbie

They always seemed expensive to me, around $145 list/$125 street before they were discontinued. Seemed steep considering you only would need one if you had already purchased multiple GK toys. I understand limited production means higher unit cost to make a profit, but I held off buying it for years because it felt like Roland was saying "you can only get it from us, so we can overcharge as much a s we want".

Elantric

#6
The GK4P used to be affordable, but I understand that none have been manufactured since 2005, which is the year that Lead was banned from consumer electronics. Roland Corp decided not to produce a lead free version, and ceased production of the GK4P in 2005.
It's a case of short supply, high demand which has drove the price up.

10 years ago GK4P could be purchased for around $100, as it's essentially
five 13pin jacks wired in parallel, with voltage steering diodes to each 13 pin jack, and independent on/off selection of GK-SW and GK Volume per jack.


sunraa

is there a substitute for the GKP4? I thought I caught a glimpse of amore sophisticated box doing the same and more here on the forum but I forgot to index the page, damn:-)

gumbo

Quote from: sunraa on May 05, 2020, 11:14:40 PM
is there a substitute for the GKP4? I thought I caught a glimpse of amore sophisticated box doing the same and more here on the forum but I forgot to index the page, damn:-)

You may be thinking of this...
http://www.primovasound.com/gkpx_14.html

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

pinkjimiphoton

does anyone have a service manual for these? i bought one years ago, never needed it until recently, then remembered one of the slide switches was broken.
my guy at roland i think is gone now... so trying to get info is maddeningly hard.

makes it s a gk3p instead... lol channel d, the switch had been broken off in switching, which i forgot about for literally years.

thanks fam