Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I love the SUSTAIN on my 381! Its this sustain that leads me to wonder what my guitar would be like w/ a synth. For example, a roland gr20 or 33. One of my concerns is in using the divided p/up on my Ric. Roland touts that their current synth p/up is ez 2 install and won't hurt the guitar, & that the tracking is very good for a synth. Where I live, none of the music stores even act willing to order one and just let me try it out on one of the shop guitars.

Has anyone ever tried one of these pickups? How was UR experience with it & did it damage UR guitar in any way?

What about the synth in general? Happy with it? My RIC has a longer, smoother sustain than any guitar I own, and it seems that I could make good use of a synth if they work fairly well.

Thanks for any ideas.

Kevin

Kevin, on a few tracks I've recorded with my 1997SPC/VB, people have remarked at the synth-like quality achieved -I'm referring a 3 pickup Ric played ultra clean with a bit of compression, 20% chorus, and light reverb. Makes for gorgeous arpeggio pads beneath strummed guitars in the right song.

Kevin,

I have found through trial and error that you can only install Rolands synth pickup near the bridge on a guitar or it will not track properly. I have a GR33 Synth and the GK2A pickup and onboard control module. The GK2A pickup is much longer than conventional pickups so that rules out installing one on a Rickenbacker as there is insufficient room to do that.

I have been considering selling my GR33 synth and pickup together as a package on e-Bay. So if you are interested send me an e-mail off forum.

However I recommend that you only consider buying a GR33 synth if you already own a Strat or a Les Paul. I suppose that it will also fit on a number of guitars made by Ibanez.

I have installed the pickup and the control module on one of my Strats. It is an amazing setup. However, I also have a Roland Keyboard that I use a lot, so the result of that is I only use the guitar synth setup for sax or flute solos. That's the only reason that I am considering selling my system. BTW the pickup and onboard control module can be installed using velcro strips or double sided tape.