New Roland GR-55 Guitar to MIDI processor with COSM guitar processing.

[Polaris20]

Well I have made up my mind to get one when my income tax check comes in. It seems to be a great deal for an all in one unit to take out different places. Though I will NOT be getting rid of my axon/motif XS rack combination! The Motif XS has some incredible sounds and the axon is hard to beat for it's tracking, but if I go anywhere, I can just use this unit and still have some decent synth sounds and leave my Motif/axon setup back at the church.

 

 

I wouldn't ditch that either, that's a nice setup.

[mygolfcart123]

 

I wouldn't ditch that either, that's a nice setup.

 

 

 

Thanks, I am hoping that I can get some neat sounds with the GR 55, from what I have seen of just ordinary people on youtube playing the thing, it looks like you can get some neat sounds fast.

 

The thing I am looking forward to is to be able to blend two synth sounds at one time along with effects.

[cincy_cosmo]

I think everyone who has gotten ahold of a GR-55 is posting on the vguitarsforum.com . I don't even see any reviews in HC yet. I'm a little surprised. But they are shipping now. I received mine a week ago.. a pre-order unit from AMS. I stuck the GK on a Ibanez ART100 and I have to say the GR is pretty amazing device compared to the older GRs. I am getting really good accurate and fast tracking for PCM sounds. Like before, some tones don't track as well as others. The Modeled sounds (guitar processing and amp emulation) are good too with some tweaking. I'm well pleased with the unit. You can read my earlier posts on this thread and see I was really struggling whether to get one or not. I am glad I did get it.

 

There used to be alot of crosstalk between strings that left strange artifacts on the GR-33. That is gone now with the GR-55. You can strum all day with a synth pad backing up your guitar and not hear a goof. You can still play sloppy...ie..touch one of the strings with a pick after strumming...and get an off note, but just a little care gives great results.

 

It is pretty universally held that the default patches are not worth much, but tweaking gives you capabilities that are outstanding.

 

Not sure what the rest of y'all are hearing, but this one's a keeper at least for me. I'll do a full review sometime. It will take weeks to dig into this fully.

[mygolfcart123]

I think everyone who has gotten ahold of a GR-55 is posting on the vguitarsforum.com . I don't even see any reviews in HC yet. I'm a little surprised. But they are shipping now. I received mine a week ago.. a pre-order unit from AMS. I stuck the GK on a Ibanez ART100 and I have to say the GR is pretty amazing device compared to the older GRs. I am getting really good accurate and fast tracking for PCM sounds. Like before, some tones don't track as well as others. The Modeled sounds (guitar processing and amp emulation) are good too with some tweaking. I'm well pleased with the unit. You can read my earlier posts on this thread and see I was really struggling whether to get one or not. I am glad I did get it. There used to be alot of crosstalk between strings that left strange artifacts on the GR-33. That is gone now with the GR-55. You can strum all day with a synth pad backing up your guitar and not hear a goof. You can still play sloppy...ie..touch one of the strings with a pick after strumming...and get an off note, but just a little care gives great results. It is pretty universally held that the default patches are not worth much, but tweaking gives you capabilities that are outstanding. Not sure what the rest of y'all are hearing, but this one's a keeper at least for me. I'll do a full review sometime. It will take weeks to dig into this fully.

 

 

 

I am glad you are happy bwith yours. Thanks for the review....you can bet I am going to put it through it's paces when I get one in. I will probably even do a side by side comparison between the GR 55 and axon unit.

[imall41]

Here is another question concerning using the GR-55 without a Roland divided pickup, e.g. with a Godin LG-XTsa. Does the GR-55 have proper filtering intact to be able to accept and trigger properly without the Roland pickup? I know that people have been modding their VG99's with a high pass filter board from RMC. Supposedly even an operating system update from Roland remediated but did not completely fix the problems with low frequency noise. I have a GI-20 right now that is working fine with my LG-XTsa, but the new GR-55 processor is exciting.

 

 

No, the Gr-55 does not have the proper filtering installed.

 

For anyone with piezo pickups (as opposed to Roland's GK-3).

RMC pickups (Richard McClish), info@rmcmusic.com, is developing an internal subsonic filter, for the GR-55.

This will help to eliminate noise issues (and false notes), which occur in certain synth patches, when using piezo's.

It also helps to remedy the rumbling and body noises caused by a tremolo unit with piezo's.

It will be available sometime soon.

An external version (at a higher cost), will also be released in the near future.

Email RMC, for more info, or to order(see above).

More info here.

http://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=3236.0

 

From what I understand, this will only work as a hardware fix applied at the 13 pin input (pre pc board).

Some of the older Roland products included an analog filter, that addressed these piezo issues, but stopped installing this filter with VG-99, and now the GR-55.

RMC also makes a V9SF-001(subsonic filter), for the VG-99.

Firmware update will not fix this piezo issue.

[mygolfcart123]

I will probably just stick with a GK3 if it is getting as good a review as most give it with the GR 55.

 

I already have a axon ax 100Mark II with a yamaha Motif XS rack that I have setup for a Godin ACS SA classical. That is my MAIN MIDI guitar setup. And probably will stay that way.

 

I think I am going to want a electric for when I use the GR 55 anyway and the fact I am just not comfortable taking apart a $700.00 unit! No thanks.

 

If they ever get a offboard or in line filter where I did not have to mod my GR 55 or guitar, I would consider it. But for what I will use it for the GK3 would do me fine I think.

[JCcares]

How many effects can you add on a GR 55 rig for the live guitar sound leaving aside the synth sounds?

[JCcares]

Does it have a Sitar sound? What is the USB thing for?Is it made in Japan or elsewhere?

[mygolfcart123]

 

Does it have a Sitar sound? What is the USB thing for?Is it made in Japan or elsewhere?

 

 

I think it does have a sitar, but it was a while ago I saw demo of the unit on youtube so I cannot remember for sure.

 

The USB is ONLY for storing mp3 or wav files and loading them into the GR 55 as far as I am aware. I do not think you can store your loops on it, but again, maybe some GR 55 owner can chime in with this as well.

 

Do not know where it is made, but does that really matter?

 

Maybe some GR 55 owners can chime in here, as I am still saving for mine. I should have half the money together next week. Then I just wait on my income tax check.

 

I can't wait to get in my unit. I am an axon/ motif XS rack owner, but I will use this mainly to travel with.

[germanicus2112]

Does it have a Sitar sound? What is the USB thing for?Is it made in Japan or elsewhere?

 

 

Theres a sitar PCM sound, as WELL as a modelled sitar sound (which btw is fantastic, the tweaking parameters are great on this particular model).

 

As far as effects, you have a dedicated chorus block, a dedicated reverb block, a dedicated delay block, PLUS a "Mod" effects block which can be loaded with an effect of your choosing (compressor, distortion, phaser, flanger, univibe, etc.) PLUS you also have a "MFX" block which has various filter/chorus/verb/eq effects. There is also a dedicated "Amp" modelling block and a Noise Suppressor and Equalizer block.

[JCcares]

Thanks for the informative reply.Well I am about to backorder one & was concerned if it would be delayed due to the crisis in Japan.

[Fill]

It's made in Taiwan.

[Fill]

I think you can have two effects (Or one COSM sound and one effect...can't remember which) at a time going and two synth sounds as well for a total of four sounds at one time. The USB is ONLY for storing mp3 or wav files and loading them into the GR 55 as far as I am aware. I do not think you can store your loops on it, but again, maybe some GR 55 owner can chime in with this as well.

 

You only get one dedicated modelling effect. On top of that are the global reverb, delay, chorus, and EQ.

 

You can't save your loops and the looper is horrible anyway. The loopers on my Boss delay pedals have always worked fine, but this one does not. Each time the loop ends, there is a lot of silence before it starts going again.

[mygolfcart123]

 

You can't save your loops and the looper is horrible anyway. The loopers on my Boss delay pedals have always worked fine, but this one does not. Each time the loop ends, there is a lot of silence before it starts going again.

 

 

 

Funny, the demos on youtube of just ordinary people using the looper do not seem to be having this problem.

 

 

 

This of stevie wonders "I wish". Does not sound like a problem with a lot of silence to me.

[Fill]

Funny, the demos on youtube of just ordinary people using the looper do not seem to be having this problem. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgMZComvMfE This of stevie wonders "I wish". Does not sound like a problem with a lot of silence to me.

Next, you'll show me a video of the drumkits tracking well enough to be usable.

[Fill]

Actually, the drums are useable as long as the tempo doesn't get too fast.

[JCcares]

I hope we would have some upgrades & fixes,if it is upgradeable.

[Fill]

I wouldn't count on any updates. Really, it's fine as it is. You just can't do double bass thrash metal with the drums. I hope to review it fully and post some clips next week. For all it can do, it really is worth the money.

[mygolfcart123]

Next, you'll show me a video of the drumkits--not the grooves--tracking well enough to be usable.

 

 

No, smartass, I PROVED you were wrong!

 

Point out the the "silence" in that video!

[iancandler]

Just got mine thanks to my late brother.

He was a synth nut, built his first one from scratch when he was 16 and ended up with a fair few plus a huge synthesizers.com modular.
We were selling of some of his old stuff as none of us had any use for it and basically my father split it between him & mum, me and my last remaining brother.

Well he had always badgered me about synths so I figured the best way to honour him was to get one with my share of the money from his stuff so I did.

Blown away, so much to look into but here's a few thoughts, in all honesty its been up and running since 2 pm and I've only got through checking the sound in the rhythm section and a small way into other, I still have user and lead to go.

Great piece of kit, the only real downside was trying to attach the GK3 to a PRS, the bridge mount wont fit so its self adhesive tape for now, drilled an mounted properly later. (its only an SE semi hollow soapbar so dont panic)
No bundled software though, that was a disappointment, would have been nice to bundle it with sonar LE or at least the drivers on a disc (download from roland site).
Sounds are out of this world, trackings good even on my PRS running a low action and 009's.
I do wish they produced it in a rack mount version though, it would work better for me personally.

Don't forget this sucker also models just about most types of desirable guitar, pickups are modelled too as well as the amps & effects.
You really do need to think of it as a VG99 a GT 10 and two souped up GR-20's in the one box, its a hell of a lot of processing power for your money.

I love the idea of the USB drive slot, but wonder whether or not roland will capitalise on it? at the moment its just for saving patches and as a source for audio, though it could be also used to add extra tones to the 900+ already there and roland could probably make a few bob on selling pre loaded tone bank sticks.

I will do a full review on it at a later date hopefully, when I've had more time to play with it and delved a bit deeper.

[Bill Brown]

This thing sounds awesome. Much better than I expected. It took my by surprise a little.