My new GR-50

Started by Kenmac, May 02, 2017, 09:04:34 AM

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Kenmac

This purchase was triggered in a large part by this forum. I was thinking of the GR-50 that I used to own from 1988 to 1993 and one of the reasons why I sold it was because I thought at the time that the tracking wasn't very good but after thinking it over recently I also remembered that my playing technique back then wasn't quite as refined as it is now.

Just out of curiousity I decided to check out Craigslist and Kijiji to see if anybody was selling one in the Toronto area. I found a person in Mississauga (city west of Toronto) who was selling one and I contacted him. However, after a few e-mails he changed his mind about selling it. Then about 2 weeks later, out of the blue, I received another e-mail from him telling me he's changed his mind and is willing to sell it. After about 3 more e-mails we settled on where we going to meet so I could buy it. On Sunday I went to Mississauga and bought the GR-50. He's kept this in excellent condition. You wouldn't know it was almost 30 years old. He even included a GK-2 pickup and the Owners manual. Here are the photos I took of it last night:

Front View



FC-100 Foot Pedal



The top of the GR-50



GK-2 Pickup and Sound Library Memory card



Owners Manual and Tones Chart



I haven't had time to set it up or play it yet but I'll be doing that later this evening. My plan is to combine 1988 technology with 2017 technology. In other words, I'm going to hook up the MIDI in and out ports to my Edirol UA-25 audio interface MIDI ports and use MIDI Guitar 2 to play the internal tones. I'm sure, or at least I hope, that the tracking will be a lot quicker. If not, then I'll just use the GK-13 cable which he also included.
"Let them brush your rock and roll hair."

alexmcginness

If you do it that way then what youre using is essentially a stripped down D-110. Id be curious to see if the tracking would be quicker especially on the bottom strings. I still have my GR-50 and it tracks well. I use it for what its good at and that is less glitchy chords and leads. Ive done bass lines with it but I usually use my Axon for that as it tracks faster on the lower strings, something the GR 50 doesnt. Where abouts in Toronto do you live? Im out in Oakville. Ive got some extra banks of sounds for the GR-50 and youre welcome to have them. Ill be back in town after the 6th of June.
VG-88V2, GR-50, GR-55, 4 X VG-99s,2 X FC-300,  2 X GP-10 AXON AX 100 MKII, FISHMAN TRIPLE PLAY,MIDX-10, MIDX-20, AVID 11 RACK, BEHRINGER FCB 1010, LIVID GUITAR WING, ROLAND US-20, 3 X GUYATONE TO-2. MARSHALL BLUESBREAKER, SERBIAN ELIMINATOR AMP. GR-33.

Yohanes

Hi Kenmac,

Congrats on your score for the complete and excellent unit. Would you please take a picture of the GR-50 Tone Chart, especially the b, i, and r tones group for me please?
Thanks in advance.
Yamaha Pacifica 510V
Roland G-707
Godin Freeway SA
Boss GP-10
Roland GR-50

Kenmac

Quote from: alexmcginness on May 03, 2017, 12:40:01 AM
If you do it that way then what youre using is essentially a stripped down D-110. Id be curious to see if the tracking would be quicker especially on the bottom strings. I still have my GR-50 and it tracks well. I use it for what its good at and that is less glitchy chords and leads. Ive done bass lines with it but I usually use my Axon for that as it tracks faster on the lower strings, something the GR 50 doesnt. Where abouts in Toronto do you live? Im out in Oakville. Ive got some extra banks of sounds for the GR-50 and youre welcome to have them. Ill be back in town after the 6th of June.

Yeah those extra banks would be nice. Thanks for the offer. I'm in the east end of Toronto. I was checking it out last night using the GK-3 on my PRS SE and 13 pin cable the original seller provided and even though some of the tones sound a little outdated, there are even more tones that sound good, even today. I'm hoping my experiment with MIDI Guitar 2 goes well. I'll be hooking things up this evening.
"Let them brush your rock and roll hair."

Kenmac

Quote from: Yohanes on May 03, 2017, 01:52:57 AM
Hi Kenmac,

Congrats on your score for the complete and excellent unit. Would you please take a picture of the GR-50 Tone Chart, especially the b, i, and r tones group for me please?
Thanks in advance.
Thanks Yohanes. I'll do even better than a picture. I've got a scanner and I'll scan the chart for you and post it later today.
"Let them brush your rock and roll hair."

Kenmac

Okay, I did a scan of the tone charts and it's attached. Let me know if there are any problems although I don't think there will be.
"Let them brush your rock and roll hair."

Yohanes

Thank you very much Kenmac, it is so fantastic. I have most documentations of the unit and your scan completed it.

I am starting to hands on programming the unit just by using its front buttons.

Mine I get not in very good condition as yours, it has been several owners before me and I have to make some 'maintenance' to make it as it should and I wrote about it in my blog (although in Bahasa, but I think the translation widget is good enough) at https://kandani.blogspot.com/2017/04/mereparasi-roland-gr-50-menjadi-baru.html

Thanks again, wish you find satisfaction and many inspiration from the GR-50.
Yamaha Pacifica 510V
Roland G-707
Godin Freeway SA
Boss GP-10
Roland GR-50

mariogag

Lucky you.....you have the pedal board!

I really the thing. It's just to bad no real, working (forget midiquedt...I have it and it sucks for thr gr550) and simple application to edit sounds....oh well....:)


Mario

Kenmac

Quote from: mariogag on May 03, 2017, 06:52:14 PM
Lucky you.....you have the pedal board!

I really the thing. It's just to bad no real, working (forget midiquedt...I have it and it sucks for thr gr550) and simple application to edit sounds....oh well....:)


Mario

Thanks Mario. When I bought my original GR-50 back in 1988 I didn't have the pedal board so I feel fortunate that I have one this time around. I also agree that a dedicated GR-50 editor would be nice but it is an older unit so I don't see that happening. I guess I'll have to go the old "hands on" route if I want to edit tones and patches.
"Let them brush your rock and roll hair."

Tony Raven

How did I overlook this thread...?  :( Anyway, congratulations, Kenmac, from me as well on that find.

IMO, the big bonus you got was the mk.II version of the FC-100!! I've seen these units go out for $150-$250.

Your FC offers the option of using it as a general-purpose MIDI controller -- well, it does so if you run it to an RMC-1 ("RRC-to-MIDI Converter"), which aren't easy to find, but it's a nice thought.  :) These darned little boxes now run past for $200, but (like the PG-10) sometimes show up cheap at Music-Go-Round or Guitar Center, or buried in cables with a used GR-50.

The RRC cables are surprisingly easy to find; an eBay seller has a 3m for $14.50, delivered.

Enjoy!! And be sure to post abit aboutyour experiences.

Kenmac

Quote from: Tony Raven on July 02, 2017, 07:02:25 PM
How did I overlook this thread...?  :( Anyway, congratulations, Kenmac, from me as well on that find.

IMO, the big bonus you got was the mk.II version of the FC-100!! I've seen these units go out for $150-$250.

Your FC offers the option of using it as a general-purpose MIDI controller -- well, it does so if you run it to an RMC-1 ("RRC-to-MIDI Converter"), which aren't easy to find, but it's a nice thought.  :) These darned little boxes now run past for $200, but (like the PG-10) sometimes show up cheap at Music-Go-Round or Guitar Center, or buried in cables with a used GR-50.

The RRC cables are surprisingly easy to find; an eBay seller has a 3m for $14.50, delivered.

Enjoy!! And be sure to post abit aboutyour experiences.

Thanks Tony.  :) I didn't consider using the FC as a MIDI controller but it's nice to know it can be done. I haven't been using the GR-50 lately but as I get back into it I'll  have to re-familiarize myself with editing and whatnot.
"Let them brush your rock and roll hair."

jcaman

I picked up a GR50 recently around the same time I got a VG99, also own an SY300.
The GR50 is getting all the play time. there are sounds on the GR50 that gel so nicely with my guitar sound.
I run my guitar into a pedalboard in stereo(actually I'm using three amps...W/D/W) and the GK3 goes into the GR50 output to a small PA with powered monitors.
can get lost for hours. I also run an effects processor (Digitech TSR24S) into the AUX of the PA and add some effects to the GR50 signal.