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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gumbo

You'd still need the 13-pin socket, mounting plate, and possibly some of the multicore leads and special multiplugs though.....otherwise you might find it difficult to hook it all up...

When I priced some of those individual components in Oz (last year) it was kind of looking like it was cheaper to buy a kit and then part out those bits you didn't want...  ......maybe... ???
Read slower!!!   ....I'm typing as fast as I can...

Elantric

In a past life, having been a factory authorized bench repair tech for all the major brands,  I tend to get 60% of my gear on ebay or scratch & dent "B" stock. I find "Pilot error" is responsible for 80% of returned music gear, and odd occasion when I purchase broken gear, i can typically repair it myself.

Last time I bought a GK-2A internal kit I paid $90 of ebay.

You will pay much more than retail price if you order up each individual component in the GK-Internal Kit separately through the Roland Customer service center.   

And know that Andertons UK sells GK-KIT-GT3 internal kits for $130 with free shipping

dsod

 >:(
Was excited to have some new sounds from a decent strat but I am getting some warbling om the lower strings in some of the tuning modes .
Is it just the Roland Pick up proximity to the string or ??  any help is appreciated. THanks

Dave

Elantric

Not much help for the G5 here, since there is no 13 pin jack and all the G5 electronics are fine tuned and set by Roland at the factory.

The best you can do is to change the white hex Pickup height, or try different strings.

Many report the new Ernie Ball Cobalt Slinkys help. Try 10-46 or 10-52


DeRigueur

Hi dsod,
I have the earlier version of the VG strat.  If you tell me what settings you used, I'll see if I can reproduce it.
Fender GC-1 -- Boss SY-1000 -- Alto TS112A

cbcbasket

If anyone runs across a Stratocaster VG for sale in Sienna Sunburst/Cherry Burst, I want it! Send them to me!

nelcatjar

The Roland G5 Strat is a COSM powered Strat with built in modeled guitars and tunings. It has a GK pickup.  It has a 1/4 input, but no 13 pin input. http://www.rolandus.com/products/details/1188/475

The Roland GC1 Strat has a GK pickup, a 13 pin input and 1/4" input.
http://www.rolandus.com/products/details/1189/475

Could a 13-pin connector be added to a G5?  Kind of like a G5+GC1 in a single guitar?
Q: What's the difference between a musician and a large pizza?
A:  A large pizza can feed a family of 4.

Brian Moore i88.13, Godin xtSA, GR-55, Boss ME-70.

Elantric

With enough money  - anything can be done.
http://www.parkerguitars.com/Signature-Series/

If there was enough demand i might be entertained to create such a system - but since I have a day gig, I'd have to spend 6 weeks of my weekends  debugin it and $500 for a short PCB production run and stuff the parts on the board,   - then create installation instructions that only VERY few Luthiers today can comprehend ( witness the numerous luthiers who already contact me for Sustainic Installation help) - despite very clear instructions already  on the Sustainiac Site
http://www.sustainiac.com/

, then I'd  offer to sell the kit with small adapter PCB  board for a reasonable $250 /ea - (to recoupe my effort) - then only sell two.

Ask Richard McClish how his profit margin is on the OPT-01 Filter board. He moves less than 4 a month.
Electronics in very low volume production volume is a battle, the production costs are  10 times more than when you order 5,000
And most consumers wonder why 13 pin gear is so crazy expensive. (hint: its because we represent only .001% of the Guitar Market) - maybe a whole lot less

TheGuitarPlayer

Quote from:  Elantric on February 23, 2013, 11:42:47 AM
With enough money  - anything can be done.
http://www.parkerguitars.com/Signature-Series/
Not sure if you were getting at the Variax capability of the Belew model.  If you were, you should note that they don't build it with the Variax components anymore. Of course, you could have meant that they were just supremely equipped guitars...

gumtown

I don't think there could possibly be any more spare room inside a G5 strat.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

gumbo

Quote from:  gumtown on February 23, 2013, 05:34:12 PM
I don't think there could possibly be any more spare room inside a G5 strat.


...we haven't gotten into hollowing out the bouts yet..    ;D
Read slower!!!   ....I'm typing as fast as I can...

Kevin M

Quote from:  TheGuitarPlayer on February 23, 2013, 05:07:02 PM
Not sure if you were getting at the Variax capability of the Belew model.  If you were, you should note that they don't build it with the Variax components anymore. Of course, you could have meant that they were just supremely equipped guitars...

I think his point was more with regards to what is possible...at a cost!  I own a Vernon Reid signature Parker and have to admit that it is nothing short of spectacular to play. Granted it doesn't have the bells and whistles of any of the AB models, but it's definitely in another league.

nelcatjar

Phrasing the question another way....

If it's the same GK pickup in G5, then the "GK Kit" could be added (with routing, carving out some space) and a G5/GC-1 switch to switch between the 2.

Man that sounds like a lot of trouble.  I don't know why I asked.


Q: What's the difference between a musician and a large pizza?
A:  A large pizza can feed a family of 4.

Brian Moore i88.13, Godin xtSA, GR-55, Boss ME-70.

Elantric

It might be as simple as finding room in the G-5 to add the GK- Kit -internal electronics but get an 8 pin  ribbon cable Y Jumper to allow one Roland divided hex PU to feed both the G5 internal DSP board and the internal GK-3 board.

But if you accomplish that ,  I doubt there would be much tone wood left in the body.

Kevin M

Quote from:  nelcatjar on February 26, 2013, 06:24:52 PMPhrasing the question another way....

If it's the same GK pickup in G5, then the "GK Kit" could be added (with routing, carving out some space) and a G5/GC-1 switch to switch between the 2.

Man that sounds like a lot of trouble.  I don't know why I asked.



I'm no an electronics expert by any means, but I suspect it's quite doable.  From my electronic-idiot viewpoint it seems like you'd 'simply' tap into the existing board to get the wires coming off the GK pickup (determining how to setup a switch here), add the GK guts, and presto!

Update: and you'd probably only want to have one or the other system on and engaged at a time, and then you'd have to work out the magnetic pu blend for both systems. Lots to consider...

DF400

I was recently looking at both the GC-1 and the G5 and also wondered why they made this either/or for 13pin access. It seems all the parts are in the G5. But what do I know, there could be impedance problems with splitting the signal or issues way beyond my layman electronic knowledge...

Elantric

If the G-5 had the following features it would sell a whole lot more, and have stronger demand:

* GK 13 pin Output to drive VG-99 / GR-55 (only One mono 1/4" jack is provided on G-5) 

* If no 13 pin output, then why not a USB connection? Better still, a hexaphonic 6 channel audio interface with ASIO driver, separate channel per string.

* A method for users to define their own Alt Tunings. (you are stuck with the factory defined Alt tunings)

* A method for users to perform firmware updates ( Zero method exists for user installed updates on the G-5)

* a strong customer needs driven company that adds new features via firmware updates based upon market research (wait that's Line-6)

dsod

Quote from:  Elantric on June 05, 2012, 05:47:42 PM
Not much help for the G5 here, since there is no 13 pin jack and all the G5 electronics are fine tuned and set by Roland at the factory.

The best you can do is to change the white hex Pickup height, or try different strings.

Many report the new Ernie Ball Cobalt Slinkys help. Try 10-46 or 10-52

aliensporebomb

I take it you're using the stock strings shipped with the guitar?

Batteries are fresh I take it?  I understand low batteries on these guitars produces unusual results.
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

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

Cecill22

Owned a VG strat since 09, have hardly ever used it but when I did it worked fine. Picked it up the other day after not having played it in over 2 years and it only works in the Normal mode, ie none of the Roland stuff works. Changed the batteries and still no luck. Looked at the circuit board and all the connections and everything seems fine. Still have to take the picguard off and check under there. Did notice a weird thing about the battery compartment, where on one side there are only contacts at one end. See the attached pics to check this out. Seems weird to me. If there is anyone out there who can help, please let me know as I would like to sell this, as I just purchased a JTV 59 from Line 6, and it seems vastly superior to this Roland strat.

DeRigueur

I just checked the battery holder on my vg strat and it looks like yours is missing some contacts.
Can't imagine what could have happened to them.
Fender GC-1 -- Boss SY-1000 -- Alto TS112A

Cecill22

Do both sides of your battery holder look the same? Could you possibly send me a pic of each side. I would appreciate it. Any idea where I could get a new holder?

Elantric

Fender VG Strat Service manual
http://support.fender.com/service_diagrams/stratocaster/011-7500C_SISD.pdf

Battery Compartment is Fender Part #0073625000

QuoteAny idea where I could get a new holder?



Call Fender 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




FWIW - the "AA" batteries are connected in Series

This side of Battery Holder looks good - see the contacts on each side of the battery compartment




While this side of Battery Holder looks bad  - see the missing contacts on right side of the battery compartment. These are press fit into the plastic Battery holder and not connected anywhere else. Looks like they fell out of your Battery Holder at some prior point in time.

Cecill22

Elantic,
Can you please send me a pic of both sides of your battery holder without the batteries? The side on mine where the contacts are missing appears to be totally different than the other three sides in regards to how the contacts are connected.
Thanks

Elantric

its not my holder - those are your pics reposted.

Curious why one of your photos (Roland StratBattery1.jpg) shows all contacts present