Roland GK-Kit Installation Video Part #2

[@Biggaelle]

You, sir, are a genius. A real doer and a modern-day problem solver. I would love to get rid of the tumor hanging off of the end of my guitar known as the external GK-3 pickup, but I simply don't have the ambition that you do. Should I ever get boozy and attain some false-confidence, I will be sure to use your tutorial to destroy my guitar. ...Not because it was a bad tutorial, because I am utterly incompetent. Good day.

[@soundscape2k]

yes it includes the signal from the standard pickups. the hex pickup isn't a midi data pickup its essentially like 6 individual magnetic pickups (one per string). I have EMGs on my ESP but no GK on it. Theres no issues that I know of with EMG's but its a valid question because you wouldn't want to be killing batteries. I suggest you post your question at vguitarforums. many knowledgeable folk there. best of luck.

[@obiwanjacobi]

@DethoticA Take a look at the Roland GI 20. It will convert the GK-3 output to midi, which you can record on a computer and use soft synths to generate audio.

[@stringzzzz1]

Wow... I posted a lengthy and positive comment here a week ago... Where it went is a mystery. I don''t feel too inspired right now to repeat my previous thoughts other than saying for now... Good job on your efforts and overview. Especially for us that already have the GK-kit in hand vs alternate bridge systems, etc. Thanks, soundscape2k

[@BGoldtone]

Nice well done video. On your comment about using .010 strings due to triggering/noise issues. I have the same GK-pickup and use .009 strings with no problems at all.

[@soundscape2k]

@RuiCarinhoso - Its just me. It's a 45 second song I wrote for the Hockey Night in Canada theme contest. It was composed with the Roland GK-3 pickup and VG-99/ Thanks for the inquiry! Theres a video clip of it on my Channel

[@soundscape2k]

@DethoticA Yes, I can't see why not. You could probably instal it in most guitars but you will need to make modifications to accomodate. i.e. enlarging control cavity (as I did), maybe longer wires, movement or relocation of existing mag pickups etc.

[@seancurtin5131]

Superb to know and the internal GK system is so much nicer than the bulky clip on setup that most people use. I've been looking at doing this to a Parker Fly guitar so I really appreciate the explanation of the routing and long drill bit tips. My only other suggestion would be to tape around the cavity when your finished and spray some gloss black in there but honestly as no ones going to see it but yourself, it's probably a bit of an OCD addition. Still for completeness that's what I'll be looking at doing. I also think the red LED would have looked cool on this guitar(kind of a Knight Rider guitar. If you added a few of them and had it strobing it would look great on stage. Yeah OK, kind of geeky but even the single one would have looked cool, perhaps two of them to give your guitar demon eyes....) :)

[@bluanvil1]

I am impressed in your outcome and attention to detail. Great Job. As far as drill bits are concerned. Spend the money!!! However you want to get a set of Brad Point bits because they are less likely to chipout anything on the top or bottem of the hole. Also it dose not hurt to use power tools to do the things you are doing by hand as they save allot of time! Just practice, practice, practice just like you do with the guitar. There is a ton of space available if you use a router and undercut!

[@pngaia]

That was a class act. Brilliantly thought out and crystal clear, damn good job, thinking of doing same to 8 string but slide the GK for extended range. Only a thought at this time. Cheers Mate.

[@anajuliasanchez9569]

Very hellpful video. Thanks for the so detailed instructions. I will install in my guitar and every picture of the video is very well addressed.

[@Hielkenator]

Cool vid, beautiful guitar and job installing the GK.

[@blacksnow150]

hi just a thought, if you have to shim the height of the gk3 you could use some of that clear perspex you had. sand to fit, leave it with a mat finish, cover top and bottom with silver metal tape as a reflector, and install the led under the shim leave a hole in the tape where the led is ,and the whole shim should glow . :)

[@soundscape2k]

@darren0512341 My guess is that it won't track as fast Midi wise. I play metal as well and no longer use my EMGs because I get fantastic tone out of the GK-3 and VG-99. I don't play drop B stuff very often but I'll try and post a sample video. In the mean time you could hear a sample mp3 I put up on the vguitarforums of a Nevermore patch I created. The patch can also be downloaded from there as well.

[@soundscape2k]

@Hopper3513 No sorry, I just know they were small and I had to buy like a pack of 25 I think from Lee Valley Tools. Also, they were chrome plated and I would have prefered black...

[@soundscape2k]

Not trying to defend Roland here but the VG-99 came out in 2007 and at the time there weren't a lot of Winx64 installations as there are today. There are well over 1200 quality patches for the VG-99 on the forum and just over 200 for the GR-55. I myself have personally contributed the bulk of the Metal ones although their are other contributors. If you have some patches you'd like to share there please do, it would be much appreciated!

[@darren0512341]

@darren0512341 btw, im currently using 12-56 for my guitar. since it's in drop b, so i think thicker gauge gives better tension and richer tone. but maybe that's a bad news to the midi pickup.....

[@pinacoco2]

thanx, very good and detailed instruction vid.

[@TheDistanceDuo]

Hello there. Thanks for the video. I had a quick question regarding the wiring for the internal kit, if you don't mind - I've taken my kit and my Gibson into my guitar guy and everything is working correctly apart from any PCM sounds, the modelling sounds are working perfectly. By any chance do you have any idea what the problem could be, please? Thanks so much for your time, Sophie :)

[@Youreallysuckguy]

Great job. Wire all the things you can outside of the guitar is the way to go. I've got an easy trick. Do a template of your controls, and you can cut the wires to the exact length. Now we want to hear your guitar !

[@riff-raff]

Hey man, how do you know what each of your knobs do? I know on the scratch guard kit Roland, have printed all the settings on the plate

[@aliensporebomb]

That forum has 1331 patches as of 4/1/12 with more on the way. I have a patch that's an nearly an exact duplicate of the Cynic "Veil of Maya" clean tone (for the jazz parts) as well as I've got some other patches that might work for what you're wanting. But sometimes you have to take a patch someone started and YOU have to finish it to dial in the tone you want.

[@darren0512341]

@soundscape2k im playing in a metal band, but im trying to be creative and add some midi elements in our music. i cant change the tuning, coz i'll need my strings to be drop b, so my emg can go to my amp head, and playing with the rest of my band. so im stuck with drop b on strings. but if those pickups are fine with drop b, there wont be an issue, and that's the question. im more keen on the graphtech ghost coz it can blend it really well on my floyd and i like pulling my floyd backwards too.

[@DethoticA]

Thanks for your reply bro.... I would really like to have GK-3, but unfortunately it doesn't convert guitar audio signal streight into MIDI, you need to have GR-50 or VG-99 in order to do that and there are bloody expensive :(

[@guitarwhores753]

Great work. Now that it's all done, would you have done anything different?

[@wesmatron]

Superb job man

[@soundscape2k]

@darren0512341 Roland GK-3 is the best you can get. Here's the thing, I play in drop B all the time but you let the pickup and VG-99 do all the work for you. So tune your guitar to standard E tuning and just adjust the tuning in the VG-99 or GR-55.

[@MonoNebula]

Thanks for sharing

[@jo27hn666]

good job

[@jason51110]

Do you know if this would work on a violin? The roland gk system seems to be the only affordable and reliable midi pickup I can find out there, and it says on Roland's official website that it works with steel string instruments. But then I am sure it would work fine with a violin.

[@WarriorOfMetal]

Very good.

[@Hopper3513]

Do you remember what size screws that you used for the GK output jack cover?

[@mullettruejay]

Your video for the installation is great, but i have a question. Does the 13 pin take the guitar audio, or is it only the midi data? I have a GK 3 external, and you take your jack from the output to the gk3 and it all goes down the one wire, but i didnt see you wire it to the jack output. I have active EMGs and when i plug in my jack it turns them on. Im just trying to work out how this would work as i really want to hide the gk3 and get the internal model. Thanks for any info you can give.

[@joshmarkraj]

Hi! would the GK3 pickup still work properly if I placed it right in front of the bridge pickup rather than in-between the bridge pickup and the bridge? I have piezo wires running from the saddles of the bridge to the opening of the bridge pickup so there is no space for the GK3 pickup to be placed in that slot....thanks!

[@DethoticA]

Is it possible to install Roland GK-3 on Explorer shape guitars ?

[@welldoneministry]

Dremel type of sanding "trick" results look better than chiseling for sure!

[@vincentsantiago2gmai]

I will like to hear you play on the gk3 you should of do a part3video

[@soundscape2k]

Check the other videos on my channel where I'm playing this guitar. Thx

[@WarriorOfMetal]

What is the name of the band in the last seconds?

[@darren0512341]

im currently in drop b (i know it's low, dont judge me), and looking into installing these pick ups. do u happen to know roland's better or the Graphtech Ghost pickup has better , more accurate tone with drop b? btw, it's a jackson rr24, with floydrose, so.... yea... thx buddy really clean job on the installation.

[@gattart]

Great, I've got my GK still in the box, an alternative brand Sustainiac in its bag, two ceramic 4-wire Gibson humbuckers and a 4-wire FastTrack 2 ready to go in, and, well, stuff it, I'm getting a beer and a single pickup Esquire... :( (still gave ya a thumbs up tho...)

[@aliensporebomb]

There's a company producing vg-99 patches at, oddly enough vg 99patches daught com but your mileage may vary. Maybe they can produce the patches you want if you aren't getting what you want from the vguitarforums.

[@myrkul777]

Well I also play V-Drums and the community there is 100x larger with support on all modules - there is even a company that makes professional patches too! In comparison the V-Guitar community is tiny, which is disappointing really. I play the VG-99 and that is definitely a neglected device (took Roland over 2 years to make 64bit drivers!) - the GR-55 already has more custom patches available on the web! I recently checked the forum and it seems like there has been more activity lately.

[@soundscape2k]

yes. i do.

[@myrkul777]

Lol... "sawder" - American accent :P - good video though, very useful and informative. I'm actually trying to fit one of these systems into a Steinberger P series... And you think you've not got much space!

[@soundscape2k]

Canadian, but nice try. Lots of guys in the community have installed in on a Steinberger no problem. Go check it out.

[@soundscape2k]

Community is fantastic! Not sure what your talking about.

[@ricoadventuravideos]

can you use the gk kit with a gr 55 or do you have to buy that clunky piece of crap they are selling

[@myrkul777]

Hey another thing, you ever noticed how bad the community is for the VG-99? There are barely any patches for the device, roland don't do anything to support it, and there are no websites of people sharing. I've been on the forum you quote previously but its rubbish, everyone who codes patches there is a complete newb... You got any decent ones? PM me if so - I play a lot of technical metal like Death and Cynic and love using my VG-99 for a punchier tone- love the fact I can sound like 2 guitars!

[@myrkul777]

My sincerest apologies! I know Canadians hate to be confused with your larger southern neighbours :D