Roland GR55

[Tigerdaisy]

I had a GR55 but one string wouldn't sense or was dead so I sent the unit back to GuitarGuitar who reimbursed me- I was quite disappointed as Roland/Boss stuff is usually very reliable. I had an earlier unit a few years ago on a Strat and it worked very well- I used it for multi-media presentations for which it was ideal. I fancied using the Hammond patches on the GR55, but there you go- I hate unreliable equipment and these days it seems to be the norm so I restrained myself from shelling out £550 or so. I expect it would have taken the place of so much of the stuff one buys...shoved in a cupboard.

[ecca]

I have to say that it's a fussy piece of kit, the pick-up has to positioned and set just right.
The GR20 that I had before it had very little editing capability and was much criticised and consequently the GR55 has a vastly more extensive set of programmable instructions - and has been criticised for that !
The GR09 that I had before the GR20 that I had before this GR55 ( eh ?) was much less fussy, I used it in band for 8 years to great effect.
Ah well, I might as well sell it for all the use it has, I bought it because I've always had a guitar synth since 1988, the first being a Shadow, guitar to midi pick-up with a huge latency delay in hitting the bottom E.

[GuitarPhil]

The Ztar doesn't actually have frets, as such, it's a bunch of switches and the strings are just short ones that trigger the sound when strummed. I think it wouldn't feel much like a real guitar (no string bends, for instance) but would be great for synth sounds.

I have a Roland GI-10 guitar-to-MIDI converter and the G2k divided pickup on a Yamaha Pacifica but you have to be really careful to finger the notes cleanly.

Had anyone tried one of the Roland-equipped Fender Strats?

[ecca]

I've played one Phil, they're no different to any of the others really.
I've currently got the divided pick-up on a Strat.
I sent an email off requesting info on the Ztar range and got back this ;

HI Eric,

Thanks for your inquiry. Our website is under reconstruction and our pricing and many of the products do not appear.
Currently we have a few instruments that are ready to ship in two weeks.




Z6S $3495: Traditional style, string triggers, 24 fret touch-sensitive fingerboard, Joystick, pedal ports
Z6S-DLX $5595; this one has 12 Expression Pads arranged in the picking position, 6 TriggerPads, String Triggers, wireless and battery system, Joystick, pedal ports. Add $500 for LED fingerboard. Allow 4 weeks for delivery.
Z7S $3595: Futuristic style, String Triggers, 6 Trigger Pads, Ribbon control, Mod wheel, Joystick, pedal ports
Clipper $2295; interactive24-fret LED fingerboard, wireless/battery system, Ribbon, Joystick, pedal ports

All of these instruments are painted in a graphite-steel satin finish.


Please let me know if you have questions as our full information is not posted to the site at this time.


Cheers,
Harvey
Starr Labs

But I can't see anyone spending that much money without playing about with one.
My request about UK dealers was ignored.

[GuitarPhil]

They're so cheap I may order two

[roger bayliss]

The URock guitar is another good one but not a real guitar and is cheapish