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Roland GR-55 Guitar Synthesizer with GK-3 Pickup

Guitar Synth with 910 Tones, 93 Effect Types, 3 Foot Pedals, Expression/Volume Pedal, and Onboard USB WAV/AIFF Player, and GK-3 Hex Pickup - Black
40 Write review Item ID: GR55BK
$949.99

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Roland GR-55 Guitar Synthesizer with GK-3 Pickup
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With decades of experience developing the industry's hottest guitar synths, Roland's GR-55 guitar synth and effects processor gives you more incredible tones and features than ever before, making laggy and inaccurate tracking a thing of the past. When Roland designed the GR-55, they totally redeveloped their already leading pitch-detection technology to bring you their fastest guitar synth ever. Pitch, velocity, sustain - the GR-55 doesn't miss a thing! Using the included GK-3 hex pickup, your guitar can conjure up screaming leads, rich pads, piano accents, and much more.

Related Videos: GR-55 Guitar Synthesizer with GK-3 Pickup

COSM tone modeling

The GR-55 includes Roland's world-famous COSM tone modeling. This amazing processor core opens up never-before-explored realms of tone and texture shaping. From pop to rock to undiscovered genres of music, the GR-55 has the guitar tones you need to stand out. Dive in and create your own intensely intricate patches, or keep it simple and explore the hundreds of built-in tones onboard. The GR-55 has the perfect sounds for any music. On top of that, the GR-55 features an onboard USB memory music player with handy foot controls, so you can rock out with your favorite tones long after the rest of the band's packed up. If you're ready to discover a whole new world of mind-blowing guitar sounds, you're ready for the Roland GR-55!

Roland GR-55 Guitar Synth System Features:

  • Ultra-fast tracking provides incredibly responsive synth processing
  • Color: Black
  • 3-pedal live control plus a built-in expression/volume pedal
  • Sound Generator: PCM (2 tones), COSM Modeling (1 tone)
  • Tones PCM: 910 types
  • Modeling: 23 types (guitar mode), 17 types (bass mode)
  • Effects MFX (Multi-Effects): 20 types
  • AMP (Preamp): 42 types
  • MOD (Modulation): 14 types
  • DELAY: 7 types
  • REVERB: 5 types
  • CHORUS: 4 types
  • EQ: 1 type
  • 270 x Guitar patch memory presets (plus 297 user patches)
  • 90 x Bass patch memory presets (plus 297 user patches)
  • 240 x 64 LCD display
  • 1 x 13-pin DIN GK input connector
  • 1 x 1/4" guitar output jack
  • 2 x 1/4" main outputs
  • 1 x 1/4" stereo headphone output
  • MIDI in and out connectors
  • 2 x USB port (computer connectivity and USB memory connector)
  • USB Memory Audio Player File Format: WAV, AIFF
  • Sampling resolution: 24-bit/44.1kHz
  • Power supply: DC 9V
  • Current draw: 700 mA
  • Dimensions (maximum measurements): 16" x 9-5/8" x 4-3/16"
  • Weight: 7 lbs. 5 oz.
  • Included accessories: AC adapter, owner's manual, GK-3 divided pickup, 16.4' GK cable

Additional Media

Electric Guitar Buying Guide

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Tech Specs

  • Type: Guitar Synth Pedal with GK-3 Pickup
  • Presets: Guitar: 270 x Factory, 27 x User ; Bass: 90 x Factory, 207 x User
  • Effects: 20 x Multi-FX ; Modulation, Delay, Reverb, Chorus, Guitar Modeling, Preamp Modeling
  • Looper: Yes
  • Inputs: 13-pin DIN (GK pickup in)
  • Outputs: 2 x 1/4" (main out), 1 x 1/4" (guitar out)
  • Headphones: 1 x 1/4"
  • MIDI I/O: In/Out
  • USB: 1 x Type B, 1 x Type A
  • Expression Control: Built-in Expression Pedal
  • Power Source: 9V DC power supply
  • Height: 3.12"
  • Width: 16"
  • Depth: 9.6"
  • Weight: 7 lbs. 5 oz.
  • Manufacturer Part Number: GR-55GK-BK

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Customer Reviews

3.8 out of 5

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More than meets the eye - worth every penny!

I bought this as an upgrade to my GR30. I talked with a Roland salesman at the NAMM show several years ago and the main sales pitch for it was that it had better latency. Latency is certainly an improvement compared to my 25 year old GR30, but a very minor reason to upgrade compared to amount of power and features this unit has. I highly recommend getting a Godin guitar with SA output, it lets you dive right in without having to set up the synth pickup on a guitar (the Godin guitars sound fantastic even without a guitar synth). Download a copy of the GR55 Floorboard app (a must have) - you will want to dive in and program your own patches, and this will make it much easier to edit and experiment. One of the main reasons this unit and other guitar synths get bad reviews is the way they function is very misunderstood. Most of the stock patches do a good job of showing the different tones you can get, but are not very useful in production. This unit has 2 synth tone generators, a COSM modeler and it also allows you to process the DI input of your guitar separately. If you take the time to research how this unit functions it will become your goto pedal for everything. I have used almost all of the pro level software guitar amp, microphone and pickup modelers in the last 20 years and the COSM modeling in this unit sounds fantastic, has no noticeable latency and is very easy to use once you get it dialed in. You have several choices for electric guitars, pickups, amps, cabinets, and microphones that sound incredibly good. I haven't spent enough time with the synth section to give it a solid review yet, but there are a lot of tones. You can also program the expression pedal to blend between your raw DI guitar input, the COSM modeled guitar sounds, and/or the synth sounds. The COSM modeling is unlike anything I have ever used, the reason it is so good is it doesn't convert pitch to midi, it processes the audio signal of each of your 6 strings from the hexaphonic pickup as a separate audio signal. You can instantly change the sound of your guitar from a Strat to a nylon or steel acoustic, or even a bass without the laggy delay and glitchy pitch anomalies that a software guitar VI triggered by MIDI would have. I feel like I haven't even scratched the surface of this unit's potential yet, and it has already changed the game for my studio workflow.
by John Howarth from Plymouth, MN on

Nice!

Best piece of gear I've ever purchased and trust me I have accumulated a lot of gear over the years. Easy to use geared towards guitar players of course.
by Sweetwater Customer on

Roland GR-55

I have had fun for hours playing with this thing. So many tones and options. The options and possibilities seem to be endless. The acoustics and piano sounds are what made me want this and I am very happy. I originally ordered the Boss GP-10 but had an issue with the pickup cutting out and was a little let down with the synth sounds (piano mostly) but Sweetwater took care of me right away and I took the opportunity to upgrade to the GR-55 and I am glad that I did. I wish the editor was more like the GP-10 but other than that I am very happy.
by Sweetwater Customer on

Wow! it plays everything

With a GR55 and a Godin SA guitar you are ready for everything. Easily tweak the presets with quick edit or make your own sounds from a massive collection of instruments. Alternate tuning, transposition, and more. You can program up to four sounds per string, 2 synths, one modeled guitar, and the guitar's actual pickups.
by mark evans from Crete, IL on

The Only GTR Synth

This is Roland's Best yet! Sounds, sounds, sounds. You won't run out. I have the GR30 and GR33. Love them both. The GR55 comes closer to what I expect out of a "guitar synthesizer". To have guitar FX and GTR Synth in one unit makes a whole lot of sense. Everything has a learning curve: computers, gtr synths, your girlfriend, her mom. Her Dad! Roland's curve is intuitive and relatively easy once you get the hang of it. Its important to have the pickup attached firmly and correctly. Then take some extra time in fine tuning the sensitivity of each string and it will be glitch free. It won't be running off at the mouth because you brought her home late. Synthesizer/Keyboards/bass sounds are not made for guitar amps. Midrange, you know. Everything else is high and low that gtr amps can't handle. A keyboard amp or Roland's JC120 will do just nice. I know from experience that the Sweetwater gang can help you all with that. Now, go play something!
by Dave from Here on
Music background: guitarist for 50yrs

Simply put, modern electronic music wouldn't exist without Roland. Many of the electronic musicians here at Sweetwater cut our teeth on TR Rhythm machines and fondly remember programming our first TB-303s. We owe a good part of our careers to this amazing and innovative company. It's been fun to watch and grow right alongside Roland, as they've introduced wave after wave of revolutionary keyboards, digital pianos, and more. For example, Roland's V-Drum Kits continuously redefine the possibilities of electronic drums, beginning with SuperNATURAL technology to the latest Prismatic Sound Modeling. We're huge fans, and we'd love to tell you all about them. Whether you want a pocket-sized synth or a cutting-edge video mixer, if Roland makes it, then Sweetwater is 100% behind it.

See also: midi guitars, Roland, Roland Multi-effects Pedals, Roland MIDI Guitars & Pickups
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