Roland GR-50 Guitar Synthesizer 1988 Black

Original owner of this awesome rack mounted Guitar Synthesizer. This was top of the line in 1988. $1500!!! No bullshit! There are slight tracking issues on some sounds, but it is still incredible and versatile! I used this live for over a decade and used it as bass guitar, horns, keys, voices even special effects. Its a blast.

I am selling the unit as is in working order. I also have included the GK-2 which is new and unused. This is the pickup interface for the rack mounted guitar processor synthesizer. It is easily mounted on most guitars and has a tape attachment, just remove the paper protecting the adhesive and mount it. It is removable. I had mine on my Gibson Les Paul Custom 1979.

Here's what they said back then....

With a new slimmer pickup system and digital synthesizer engine based on the highly regarded D-50 synthesizer, Roland released the GR-50 Guitar Synthesizer in 1988. The GR-50 system featured Roland's new proprietary GK-2A Divided Pickup and 13 pin cable. Now users can use their own guitar with the GK-2A pickup system installed. The GR-50 can also function as a multitimbral sound engine. The GK-2A Divided Pickup has two assignable buttons and a volume knob that can be assigned to control chosen real time parameters on the GR-50 module.

The sounds of the GR-50 are based on the Linear Arithmetic (LA) sound system. Where by the structure of a given sound is based on tones broken down into pairs called partials . With a partial you can select to use a synthesizer sound which is like a conventional analog synthesizer or a PCM sound which is a sampled waveform. Deeper editing of the sound engine can be done with the optional PG-10 programmer but all editing can be done from the front panel.

The Gr-50 has 128 Preset tones with 64 user available and can expand to an additional 64 user presets with a memory card. The GR-50 is 3 part multitimbral when used as a stand alone MIDI sound module. 2 synthesizer parts and 1 rhythm part. Additionally there are 64 rhythm tones and additional 64 rhythm tones are available with a memory card.

In addition to playing synth tones on the GR-50 the player can also play additional MIDI synthesizers in combination with the GR-50's sounds or the external MIDI instrument(s). Complex layers of sound can be created with what Roland refers to as branching. Where by layers of sounds are spread across the guitar fretboard with each string having the ability to have split points and layers much in the same way as on a MIDI keyboard. Sounds can be played from selected strings that are on board the GR-50, over MIDI, or both. Additionally strings can also be muted and have just their guitar sound sent out through the guitar output or completely muted.

Optionally the user can control program changes and expression with the FC-100 foot pedal and EV-5/EV-10 expression pedals.The GR-50 can be played by older Roland Guitar and Bass Controllers by using the optional BC-13 Bus Converter.