Roland G5 Strat / Fender VG Strat- can 13 pin connector be added? (like GC1)

Started by Phaze, April 15, 2009, 06:55:46 AM

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Cecill22

I have no idea what happened to the missing contacts, unless they came off when I changed the batteries. The side with the missing contacts is completely different than the other three sides in regards to how the contacts are placed in the holder. Tried to get the guy deriguer to send me a couple of pics, but no luck. Guess I'll just have to wait until I get a new one from Fender!! BTW, Fender will not allow you to order this part directly. You have to go to an authorized service center to order it, so I guess I will be vising Guitar Center tomorrow. Thanks for your help anyway!!

DeRigueur

@elantric -  It holds 4 batteries.  One photo is of the back; the other of the front.

I've attached a photo of mine showing what it looks like with the contacts in place.
Hope that helps.
Fender GC-1 -- Boss SY-1000 -- Alto TS112A

Cecill22


Elantric

QuoteThanks so much. SO bizarre, I can't imagine how they came out!!
I can - the "missing pair of contacts  are actually just  one metal piece that is simply "press fit" into the plastic housing  - it makes contact between two AA batteries that are electrically wired in series.

With the batteries removed, this  "press fit"  metal battery contact piece may easily become loose and can fall out on a dark stage during a battery change (required every 3 hours of VG Strat use ) and you would probably never know what happened to the missing battery contact - if you were not expecting it to be an item which is easily dislocated from the plastic housing.

Assuming this Battery holder holds four  "AA" batteries wired in series ( +6VDC)  Its actually very similar to these

http://www.diytrade.com/china/pd/6364754/4_AA_Battery_Holder_BH343.html



I order them from

Mouser  ($1.50)

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Keystone-Electronics/2476/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMupuRtfu7GC%252bVD20qOQUHEKVV%2fpkrbh1nE%3d




or


Digikey 


or


Jameco


or

All Electronics


But if you zoom in on the center of this pic - the OEM Hardware supplier's name (which is not Roland) is stamped into the center of the  plastic housing


But if you are thinking of selling the guitar, it would be best to call Fender and place an order for a replacement Fender VG Strat Battery Holder - Fender P/N  #0073625000

mbenigni

Quote from:  Cecill22 on April 10, 2014, 06:04:52 PM
Thanks so much. SO bizarre, I can't imagine how they came out!!

Do you have any very young children in the house?   :)

Moja

I finally managed to add the GK-3 internal into my Fender VG Stratocaster.  Amazing sound(s) and versatility now.

Has anyone else done this ?

Elantric

Congratulations- You are the 1st person I have heard who has added an internal GK kit to a Fender VG Strat.

Post more internal pics!

Elantric

I'm curious if you implemented a "y" cable so one GK hex PU can feed both the internal VG DSP board AND the GK-KIT-GT-3 board at same time?

Moja

The rear of the VG is like original.
The only visible alteration is the 13-pin connector in location where 1/4" Jack used to be. And a new guitar Jack in location where Roland Ready 13-pin are located.

I wanted to have my cake & eat it also.


Moja

Yes, it is' basicaly ' a" Y" cable.  Took several months to figure it all out.... Without blowing up the VG or the GR-55 ,  ha, ha....
Sadly, Roland never sent me detailed Schematics ! Geez, go figure.

ProgMystic

Wow!  :D That looks fantastic. I love what you did with the 13 pin socket. It must be so versatile. Does the onboard processed signal go down the normal pick up lines on the 13 pin cable as well as out the 1/4 jack socket?
Once I thought I was wrong, but I was mistaken.

Moja

Yes, the VG pickups (including VG modeled )go out through the 13-pin cable & 1/4" jack.
When plugged into the GR-55 , the VG DSP board is powered by the GR-55.  Of course I have to use a dummy 1/4" jack to enable the DSP .
         When stand alone, via 1/4" cable,  the VG DSP board runs off the Battery pack.

dayn

Do you have a schematic, and/or even better some pics you can share showing the mod? I'd love to see under the hood what the extra connections are and how you installed the 13-pin in the strat jack. Thanks!

DeRigueur

Fender GC-1 -- Boss SY-1000 -- Alto TS112A

gumtown

Quote from:  Moja on November 25, 2014, 12:05:11 AM
  Of course I have to use a dummy 1/4" jack to enable the DSP .
Do you know that the GK-Kit has an option to switch the 'jack socket power' when the GK/GR-55 power is applied automatically.
No need to use a dummy plug.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Moja

Ok here is a picture of the cavity. I has to figure out where/how to fit that GR KIT PCB .
Without destroying the integrity of the VG.
So I decided on this versions of two different VG Strats mods. Both dimilar but this Router way is the best I figure. ?


Moja

Thank you for the tip. I knew about it. But, I had to decide to focus on job at hand. How to Integrate RR with VG first right ?
   Power stuff was 2'nd priority.
     I was lucky to get two Fender VG guitars runing without blowing them or the GR-55 up . Ha, ha, lol

    No schematics was complex. But I designed a lot of Analog electronics stuff so I guessed well I guess ?

    I decided that I wanted my VGs to work without batteries when connected to a GR-55 , and internal battery when no GR-55 connection. Without blowing up either.
   So I decide to use the VG 1/4" jack to switch VG DSP board on or off.   It has a non ground , isolated jack switch to enable the VG's DSP board on/off.

Any comments are most welcome.
Cheers
Bob
   
   
Quote from:  gumtown on November 25, 2014, 02:36:26 PM
Do you know that the GK-Kit has an option to switch the 'jack socket power' when the GK/GR-55 power is applied automatically.
No need to use a dummy plug.

hired gun

can i split the signal coming out of the pickup by means of making a 8 pin y female to two male 8 pins one going to the g-5a the other going to gk-3 will it work

Elantric


hired gun

Quote from: vanceg on May 05, 2011, 06:09:57 PM
But, surely the PICKUP on there is a standard Roland GK-2 or GK-3 pickup.  The electronics inside aren't the same?  I suspected they used the GK internal kit and just routed the hex signal to another circuit board which contained the (limited) VG-modeling circuit.  No?

jbsplash

I'm wondering if anyone knows where a fella can find the software and instructions for adjusting and testing the VG module on a 2007 Fender VG Strat.  After reviewing the wiring diagram, it looks like there is a USB port and maybe some adjustment options to hot rod the guitar a little bit.  My VG has very low and uneven output all the way around and I'm looking for any feedback as to whether there is hope for my weak- link axe to be made whole.
Seems like there oughta be a number of possibilities- wishlist would include software upgrades and possibly a way to install a 13-pin output.
Anyone out there have any wisdom to impart???

Thanks!

JBS

gumbo

Hi JBS..
While some of your 'requests' are not off-the-shelf possibilities, a couple of us are currently working on some stuff with the VG and the 13-pin install ...  do not lose faith yet!!

As far as adjustment goes (given that the internals are basically the same as the G-5), here is a page from the G-5 Service notes that could (?) help your immediate problems..

Cheers,
Peter



Read slower!!!   ....I'm typing as fast as I can...

Elantric

If you have weak output on a 2007 VG Strat contact both Roland and Fender

Roland Corporation U.S.
5100 S. Eastern Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90040-2938
Customer Service Tel: (323) 890-3700

Fender Customer service in Arizona
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation
Attn: Consumer Relations Dept.
17600 N. Perimeter Drive, Suite 100
Scottsdale, AZ 85255
Telephone: (480) 596-7195
Fax: (480) 367-5262
E-mail: consumerrelations@fender.com

tacman7

I have a XTSA that I use with a GK-88 and I ordered a GP-10 but looks like it won't be here until May.

Big run on GP-10's?

I've got a Schecter that I'm going to put the GK3 that comes with the GP-10 on.


Just thinking...

Anyway I also have a G5 that I like. I was reading this thread:

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=1648.0

Seems like I could add a switch to go from G5 to Roland ready functionality if I bought the circuit board from this kit:

https://www.roland.com/us/products/gk-kit-gt3/

Anyone tried this?

Waste of time?

I notice the G5 is going for a lot on ebay!

So are Roland ready ones though.

Could look around for a trade maybe.

Any input appreciated.

Thanks

admin

You found the link to add the GK 13 pin output to the G5 use that info if you are comfortable with do it yourself Electronics
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=1648.0