In other words, are they modular? I would like to swap out the black internal gk-2a on one guitar with the white internal gk-2a from my Fender Roland Ready Strat.
they are electrically compatible - but different physical shape and each use a different mounting scheme - you will require some pickguard work
referencing our schematics thread here:
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=73.0 (https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=73.0)
We see the Roland Ready Strat Service Manual
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=73.0;attach=6977 (https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=73.0;attach=6977)
and see that the white Gk pickup with white cover is Fender Part Number # 0047921000 (Pickup Ass'y Roland,)
Call Fender Customer service in Arizona
http://www.fender.com/support/articles/contact-consumer-relations/ (http://www.fender.com/support/articles/contact-consumer-relations/)
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
Call and ask them to sell you a replacement part - Fender Part Number # 0047921000 (Pickup Ass'y Roland,)
Thanks for the reply. The shape and mounting won't be a problem.
Are they modular, as in the pickup just unplugs from a preamp board. or are they soldered on with 6 wires?
(I haven't seen the inside of either to see how they attach to the preamp board)
I looked at the Roland manuals for internal GK kits and I think I answered my own question.
That is, if the white internal GK pickup mounts to the preamp board int he same way as the kit does (8-pin connector).
QuoteAre they modular, as in the pickup just unplugs from a preamp board.
Correct!
(https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi412.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp208%2Felantric%2Ffrankenstrat.jpg%3Ft%3D1325310275&hash=25945afe2c64c217fa2778a76aa079e2b2315123)
I have a custom Strat with Roland GK-2A Internal KIT. But I ordered from Fender a Roland Ready Hex Pickup with white cover. It plugged straight in to the GK-2A internal KIT.
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
How much did Fender charge for the white Roland pickup?
Wow, you can order that direct from Fender? I'm in the process of putting together the spec of a custom-built strat and would definitely prefer a white one.
I had to order the PU with white cover.
I got mine in 1998, and paid $75.
Just call Fender Parts and order the hex PU to the Roland Ready Strat.
Its Actually a Roland Part - and connects directly to the GK-2A / GK-3A internal PC board.
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
Whoa! Thanks, never thought of that. I much prefer a white one, even if it costs me $75 extra.
me too.
You might have to rattle a few cages at Fender and be patient, - typically an Authorized Fender Repair Facility can order this for you. It will be lower cost the higher up the food chain you can go!
Contact Fender in Scottsdale, Arizona!
ANyone know or have on to sell?
I ordered mine from Fender.
Call Scottsdale, and tell them you need a Gk pickup with cover from the Roland ready Strat
How much did they charge you?
I am modding my Fender RR strat with a new pickguard and I would like to change the pickup color to BLACK on the pickups, this is easy with the single coils, but the fender "encapsulated" Roland pickup is WHITE. Can I just PAINT this thing and then add a light matte finish clear coat (so it won't wear off) ? Will this affect the pickup in any way? I can't imagine it would make much difference!?
I have a couple of black pickups that I have not installed ( from your choice of the GK2 or GK3 kits). I would trade one of them for your white pickup.
I also have the black S1 and S2 push buttons.
Paul
How about painting a GK3 White? The internal GK kit is black and looks terrible on a white pickups on white pickguard configuration.
Bd in tn
.
Quote from: paults on August 11, 2010, 08:27:01 AM
I have a couple of black pickups that I have not installed ( from your choice of the GK2 or GK3 kits). I would trade one of them for your white pickup.
I also have the black S1 and S2 push buttons.
Paul
That's funny Paul, because I see you are in the REGANOMICS and I TOO am here in Columbus!
I used to play in Milkbone Eddie and then in The RadioHounds back in the 90's (bassist), but had "retired" in 2001. So maybe we should hook up and see what works. I think I would be interested in the GK3 kit piece simply for the added adjustability of the pickup. My only PROBLEM is that I have the RR pickguard with the slot for the covered Fender pickup- would the GK pickup cover that slot? I just got a custom mint green pickguard made for me by CHandler too so I need to be able to make that work... ?
Send me a PM- I live in Grandview/Arlington area
THANKS!
B
Thanks again to Paul for calling me and offering to let me swap out for one of the GK's he has. Very nice!
That said, let me tell all of you that swapping pickguards on a Roland Ready strat is not as easy as it seems.
First of all, the tolerances on the backside of the pickguard are very small indeed! It's very difficult to just lift the thing up to see all of the wires, leave alone get in there to change anything. Secondly, the A/B switches are screwed into two spacing blocks that are GLUED to the pickguard top and are HELL to take off! I had to flex the pickguard back and forth until the glued parts "loosened" and then I could pry them off.
In the meantime, the wires from the GK kit are HAIR THIN and they easily snapped off of the switches with the slightest movement. In fact, one of them was barely soldered onto the switch to begin with! It was hanging by a hair strand. and lastly, there was one wire (black) that was already broken off of the synth volume control as soon as I lifted the pickguard off. AGain, it looked as if it were barely hanging on with a poorly executed cold solder joint.
IMO, it is a wonder that my RR strat functioned at all when it was in it's original state. So I gently took up the plastic cover off of the Fender GK pickup (it just snapped off quite easily and was easy to put back on, it's very thin and I was glad to see that it was a cover that could be easily taken on and off.)
I painted it with several coats of FLAT BLACK model paint and then three coats of matte "dull coat" which is a type of clear coat. I thought I was done as it looked PERFECT. BUT unfortunately....tragedy struck. More later as I am on vacation.
...hmmm...
...waiting to hear the outcome on this one as I'm about to do the same thing when the new tort pickguard goes on my RR..
..what went wrong??? :o
Applying a tiny layer of paint to the pickup shouldn't make any difference at all. Just think of all of the pickups that have been designed and built over the years with plastic or metal pickup covers that don't even expose the pole-pieces.
I had to apply a piece of tape onto my GK3 because the adjuster screw must have stripped out underneath because the pole-pieces kept working their way loose and magnetically "sticking" to the strings. That makes an AWFUL sound, I assure you.
My solution was to apply a piece of tape (electrical/duct type of thing) over the top of the pickup, including the pole-pieces to hold everything in place. The pickup works fine, just as it did before except no flopping around pole-pieces. I'll post a picture if anybody's interested, but it looks just like you would imagine a narrow piece of tape stuck onto a GK3 would look.
I can't possibly see how a microscopic layer of paint is going to hurt the behavior of the pickup. If it concerns you to have paint on the pole-pieces, just scrape the paint off of them after it dries.
good luck
dave
Being a luthier and huge VG-99 fan, I am of course now planning on a GK internal kit install into a custom guitar I will build this year - buckeye burl top with birdseye maple neck. It will have no other pickups to mar the appearance of the top, only the GK internal.
Problem is, I don't want a big black pickup to distract from the top wood - so I would like to obtain the white plastic pickup cover used on Fender GK-equipped Strats - then paint it to match the top wood. Problem is, neither Roland nor Fender offer these for sale.
Other than buying a GK Strat or its body, anyone know how to obtain one of these pickup covers?
QuoteI would like to obtain the white plastic pickup cover used on Fender GK-equipped Strats -
I got mine thru fender parts department - but I had to order the whole PU - there is a Fender part number for the Hex PU to a Roland Ready Strat - Today you might have to order it thru a Fender Warranty Repair Center.
I put it on my Franken Strat (a.k.a
"the sum total of the doctors mistakes") (https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi412.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp208%2Felantric%2Ffrankenstrat.jpg%3Ft%3D1325310275&hash=25945afe2c64c217fa2778a76aa079e2b2315123)
(people ask - thats Robin Trower's signature )
(Wait - this might belong in the "Our Failure" Thread
Yes, a Fender Custom Shop guy told me they order them for warranty work. I have a stock MIM Strat so I'll ping them to see if I can order one on that basis.
All I see for sale online have the black GK's.
Is there any way to get white, or is that the exclusive of the Roland-Ready Strats?
The Roland-Ready uses a white plastic cover over the black pickup.
This plastic cover negatively impacts the ability of the GK-3 to track.
Wayne
It also has the white buttons.
Didn't know about the cover. I wonder if that's available as a separate part?
The cover may impact tracking buy my RR Strats work pretty good. I did sand my covers down a bit on the far edge from the bridge. There where already marks were the string had been touching.
I too wish they made a white kit. Huge over site by the gk folks IMO.
bd
Order the white GK Pu from GC-1 direct from Fender
Its sold as a Pickup Assemby with White Cover.
Its a Fender Part number 0047921000 " Pickup Ass'y Roland"
Call their Customer Service number in Scottsdale,AZ
Like all magnetic hex pickups, these Plug straight into any GK-3 or GK-Kit Internal preamp with the 8 pin white connector.
Any idea how much Roland charge for this? Wanted this for awhile- I'm having a guitar put together and the white would go perfectly:)
Last time I bought this it was $65 + S&H and taxes. About $80.
Sounds like highway robbery.
I can probably track down a better color inexpensive button set that woukd work, but I wonder how well the pickup would do PAINTED white? Leaving the pole pieces unpainted, of course. Not as nifty looking as the Roland cover, but it would probably alleviate any problems the cover could give as far as response goes.
Quote from: Elantric on May 21, 2013, 11:21:27 PM
Last time I bought this it was $65 + S&H and taxes. About $80.
Thanks, Elantric, I'm gonna give them a call. :)
Talked to Roland- SUPER nice guy, but he couldn't help me. He said the parts are shipped straight to Fender and that I should call them. He did various searches but could find nothing. :(
Bummer
Ok-
so referencing our schematics thread here:
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=73.0 (https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=73.0)
We see the Roland Ready Strat Service Manual
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=73.0;attach=6977 (https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=73.0;attach=6977)
and see that the white Gk pickup with white cover is Fender Part Number # 0047921000 (Pickup Ass'y Roland,)
Call Fender Customer service in Arizona
http://www.fender.com/support/articles/contact-consumer-relations/ (http://www.fender.com/support/articles/contact-consumer-relations/)
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
Call and ask them to sell you a replacement part - Fender Part Number # 0047921000 (Pickup Ass'y Roland,)
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=595.0 (https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=595.0)
When I bought mine in 1998, I ordered it from a Fender Parts distributor called "Parts is Parts" in Chicago, Ill.
But they since relocated to Vermont
They might be able to custom order this for you too.
http://www.guitar-parts.com/ (http://www.guitar-parts.com/)
Phone: 802-365-7257
Toll Free: 800-590-0014
Fax: 802-365-7259
E-Mail: info@partsisparts.net
I assume there is no way to get a whole replacement GC-1 pickguard from Fender? I like the GC-1, but I already have a nicer USA-made Strat that would make a great Roland-Ready Strat.
-oddguitar
Great info, Elantric!!!
Quote
I assume there is no way to get a whole replacement GC-1 pickguard from Fender? I like the GC-1, but I already have a nicer USA-made Strat that would make a great Roland-Ready Strat.
-oddguitar
Ill repeat
referencing our schematics thread here:
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=73.0 (https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=73.0)
We see the Roland Ready Strat Service Manual PDF here
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=73.0;attach=6977 (https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=73.0;attach=6977)
and see that all parts for GC-1/Roland Ready Strat are listed in the PDF. Order the parts you need direct from Fender.
and see that the white Gk pickup with white cover is Fender Part Number # 0047921000 (Pickup Ass'y Roland,)
Call Fender Customer service in Arizona
http://www.fender.com/support/articles/contact-consumer-relations/ (http://www.fender.com/support/articles/contact-consumer-relations/)
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
Call and ask them to sell you replacement parts, mention the specific part numbers you obtain from the PDF above.
But realize the total might surprise you( i.e. you might spend way too much money ordering individual parts direct from Fender.
So I'll mention that if you are on a budget, it's cheaper to search for a gently used Roland Ready Strat on eBay. I bought one for $350 last year. And I've seen many sellers who "part them out" selling just the body with all hardware,hex pickup,electronics and pick guard for $250.
Last I checked Fender wanted $100 for the Roland Ready/GC-1 plastic pickguard alone, no electronics.
I think white paint would hold up pretty well in the pickup. I can't see how painting the poles would matter. Magnetics aren't affected by paint unless its some conductive material which most are not.
bd
I have been through this entire exercise - called Roland, Fender, etc etc got all nice folks on the line but no one could hook me up with the pickup cover. But then again I did not have the part number, so that may be enough to get it done. But you WILL pay dearly for it.
I ended up buying a new RR Strat for a steal, sold the neck & body, kept the pickguard with all the parts. The pickup+cover+electronics will go into a custom guitar this year.
Quote from: stupendousman on May 22, 2013, 12:25:35 PM
Sounds like highway robbery.
I can probably track down a better color inexpensive button set that woukd work, but I wonder how well the pickup would do PAINTED white? Leaving the pole pieces unpainted, of course. Not as nifty looking as the Roland cover, but it would probably alleviate any problems the cover could give as far as response goes.
I built a Frankenstein replica and just painted the pickup cover on the single-coil pickup. I really thought it would chip away, but it never has. I think you could paint the GK-3 pickup and it would work just fine.
Hello Forum,
I have read here that the white plastic cover on the gk pickup on a roland ready strat slightly impedes the tracking while using your gr55 or vg99. Has anyone attempted to remove this cover? If so was it difficult? And if you did remove it, was the tracking considerably better?
Thanks
MeanMrMustard
...yes, but it made the music darker... ;D
Actually, yes, it was better...but more from the fact that the pickup poles could be more accurately set in relation to the strings, rather than (I think) that the white plastic was itself impeding the signal..
When the RR Strat in question gets its new pickguard and a few electronics changes next year, things will be even further tidied up.. ;)
Cheers from 33C Oz today..
Peter
Gumbo,
Thanks for the reply. Are fender and roland really slated to issue an new roland ready strat next year?
Any idea on a timeline for it?
Thanks again
MeanMrMustard
QuoteThanks for the reply. Are fender and roland really slated to issue an new roland ready strat next year?
I very much doubt this - as Roland just updated the Fender Roland Ready Strat as the Roland GC-1, in 2012.
http://www.rolandus.com/products/details/1189 (http://www.rolandus.com/products/details/1189)
I painted one white using applaince epoxy paint. Looked pretty good. A little orange peel
I wondered a lot about differences between GK-2, GK-3 and the white factory GK pickup. I have all three types.
So I took white one apart, used my digital calipers, etc....
Yes there is plastic thickness between the PU six magnet pole pieces !!
But as you can see from the attached picture, Roland mechanical plastic designers cleverly solved the problem. My calipers show that the plastic body ( sides and top ) are 1.0mm thick for structural reasons. But if you look closely inside the white cavity, one can see two rows where the six dual magnets fit into. It turns out the plastic thickness is paper thin. This extremely thin plastic allows for the magnet pole pieces to be virtually at the surface of the plastic housing.
So, IMHO, the white plastic housing has no effect on PU performance.
The only problem is that he WHITE cover does not allow for Radius Adjustment. It is fixed at 9.5 inch .
Yep I saw the same thing when I put my custom guitar together. And came to the same conclusion regarding tracking now that I've had some time to play with it.
FWIW the pickup underneath the white cover looks nothing like the pickup on an external GK pickup, the pole pieces and the coils (!) for each of the 6 pickups are exposed, and they are all mounted on a flexible strip that is itself not mounted to anything. It is designed to be trapped between the white plastic cover and the metal base (with mounting holes) that snaps into the bottom of it. You could not simply remove the white cover and use the pickup that way, since the strip that holds the 6 coils is not attached except by the wires that run into the guitar cavity. You would need to attach it to the metal base with double-stick tape or something. I chose to leave the cover in place and will try to paint it to match the body.
Buckeye burl on black limba with a thin bloodwood accent layer between, 5-piece laminated maple-walnut neck with birdseye maple fretboard.
This one also has the brains for a Variax 500 on board as well (using the Variax bridge) powered by a lithium 9V. All signals go out on the Roland 13-pin cable, but I've preserved the 1/4" and RJ45 jacks from the Variax.
(https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv241%2Fbojerik%2FBuckeyeVGknobs_zps2cf6fe67.jpg&hash=4b506a9a70bc29915df4778e2575934df57e3f4d)
Hi
Has anyone ever bought the white pickup that Fender uses on the roland strats? I have an American VG strat that uses one but I would like one to use with another guitar that I have a GK kit installed on. It would look much better than the black one. How would I go about ordering one?
There is one for sale in the 'used gear' section of the forum (not marked as sold so may still be available )
Headless
Order the white GK Pu from GC-1 direct from Fender
Its sold as a Pickup Assemby with White Cover.
Its a Fender Part number 0047921000 " Pickup Ass'y Roland"
Call their Customer Service
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
Also....
check out :
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=1563.225 (https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=1563.225)
JolietJakes painted gloss white - looks great :-)
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=1563.msg109754#msg109754 (https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=1563.msg109754#msg109754)
Headless
Might as well wake this up since I'm back here reading it. All the questions about painting them. I might try plastidip. Depends which pickguard I keep on my ibanez. I would take the cover off and dip it white. Probably building light coats of the stuff in the spray can. Should be durable also reversible.
Do be careful exposing the gk coils. I must have nicked one swapping covers around and lost a string output. I'm willing to buy a spare one if anyone has, or sell the gk3 wart sans pickup. I could swap things around if I decide to stay pearl, or install the regular kit if I make a tortoise pickguard (which is probably happening at some point regardless.) this got me thinking now, I know each little pickup is wax potted, I wonder if I just have a cold joint from the flex of that pcb. Maybe tone to go into the parts bin and look closer. I just reached for the nearest working part at the time, put the internal kit cover on it, and moved on. No use crying I figured.
Ah, I guess they aren't potted but sandwiched in plastic. I can clearly see a broken wire on the one in question. I wonder if somebody with more pickup experience could successfully repair that coil.