Tone Up Your Guitar Game with Roland GK-3 MIDI Kit!
Install a Roland GK-3 MIDI KIT that may tone up your guitar playing to the next level.
Contents:
0:00 Start
0:14 Intro and Preamble
1:47 Donor body
2:56 Drilling the GK-3 I/O
3:51 The GK-3 Kit
4:46 Location of GK-3 Board
6:45 GK-3 I/O Connector
7:46 Expensive body?
9:00 Main board fitted
9:18 Fit the I/O connector
10:46 The Manual
11:17 Drill Control Holes
14:24 Fit an ABM tremolo
19:35 Nitro Body Refinish
20:39 Finished guitar info
21:40 Power for GK-3?
22:06 Other power ideas
22:48 Fishman power
23:46 GK-3 Images discussed
24:48 Semi installed wiring
25:56 Pickup Wiring
26:40 GK-3 wiring to I/O
26:53 GK-3 pickup wiring hole
27:20 More on Fishman battery
28:09 GK-3 Controls
29:20 The Nitro Problem
29:47 ADVICE – GK-3 KIT
30:45 Likes and dislikes
34:33 Warranty?
34:47 Score
35:37 Is the GK-3 good value?
38:49 MIDI controls video
40:43 Guitar played
Links to my other reviews:
Guitar Synthesizers Roland Boss SY1000 & GM-800 review: https://youtu.be/XI4EozCQYbc
Roland Boss GK-5 easy install Reviewed: https://youtu.be/_LwWgU8SubM
How to Videos for guitarists: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2HoYOlX1LUIVsZy9jO649CaD7HUHGfDw
Reviews of fine electric guitars: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEECCBA95315E63B6
Now then, the GK-3 KIT for midi is a difficult unit to install. But if you’re also building a guitar at the same time and you’re unsure of what you’re doing? Don’t bother!
It’s true that the GK-3 Kit includes everything you might need, but the instructions are at best pretty terrible and there is no way that someone without experience would easily complete the installation. What are Roland Boss thinking of?
There are countless issues as I show this installation – and even I stopped recording the installation as it all became harder and harder to complete. But I do show you most of the installation and I do offer many tips throughout the video so that you might persevere with the Roland GK-3 Kit install yourself.
WARNING: Whatever you do, if you’re not completely confident about this install and have an expensive guitar then DON’T DO IT!
I purchased the GK-3 with my own money and the review is entirely financed by me for your pleasure. The review actually does show you some of the work and the pain and in my opinion shows a good representation of what you get and how hard it can be to complete.
NOTE: I Used (for the guitar part played) a Marshall SC-20 in to a 1 x 12 cab and microphone AKG in to the desk for that playing. The MIDI control functions were from synth to desk but are not created to show playing as such but more of the controls available on the guitar.
I have spent considerable time creating this video entirely at my own expense.
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP – AND CHOOSE THE ‘ALL’ BUTTON (or you won’t receive notifications about new reviews!) to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching – I hope the video is enjoyable.
(c) A B McKenzie and http://www.tonymckenzie.com 2009-2025
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit http://www.tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel where there are literally hundreds of reviews to watch.
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Originally posted by UCuuNmrkOEmTPnz4Dcc-Hi5w at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrzya1Fu8_M
Tony: What type of press-on knob fit the GK volume pot? Metric or imperial?
hello im a noob to these things, what midi effects pedals, preferably cheapest one would work with this gk3 midi kit? thanks
time stamp 20:13 Tony early on I thought white pearl would bring it into a real nice guitar.The olympic white does look real nice.
I have really been looking forward to this one :>)
Thanks for this
Hey Tony all the best mate, yep its not easy, i fitted 1 to my Ibanez rg 1570 and also 1 to my Ibanez RG2610, never again ???? Did work brilliant with my Roland GR55 though, but spent way to much time messing with parameters etc just spoilt thwe fun out of playing guitar. You made a awesome job though that guiatr looks awsome, wll done mate and all the thew best for the New Year, take care
Good stuff Tony. I did this once a long time ago. I remember the pickup itself was kind of fragile, the end with the wire cover particularly. I broke one and had to get another.
Or you could just use MIDI Guitar 2 (soon to be 3) and skip the hardware.
I replaced the two big black up/down push buttons with a momentary mini switch. That switch is in the middle in rest and can be pulled up or pushed down and will return to the middle if you let go. Works great and doesn't require two big hole but only one small hole. I also put the LED light on a not so invasive place – you can leave it out completely if you like. Note: I reworked a broken Casio MIDI guitar (MG-510?)
Great info and amazing playing at the end!
Happy New Year Tony to you and the family, can’t wait for more of your in depth reviews.
Wow this turned out Sweet I like the white it always has that clean look to it, I almost bought a Roland Strat back in the day you made this build look easy Tony.
You were dreaming of a white Christmas, and voila!!!
The guitar looks great !!
And, as always, you gave us a full « Blow by Blow « description of your trials and tribulations.
Thanks !!!!
Have a great and productive New Year.
You're not wrong about the hassle. I use an octaver, mel9 and a filter for poly and just track to synths with a Gi20 for mono.
Joe Satriani plays like you!
I still got a Roland GR-707 guitar. It's a great regular electric guitar too.
Great vid T as always! What is that Marshall amp behind you 1987X?
looks great, happy holidays from California!
Hey Mr Tony !! Greetings from Quebec ! Wish you the best and lots or years ahead !
I have many guitars and amps but I only own one Ibanez, the Joe Satraini the middle one about $1500. What other Ibanez would you recommend that isn't a JS or a JEM?
Installed my Roland GK3 kit back in 2006. Bought the Roland VG-99. The guitar is a Strat neck-thru with Kinman Pickups and a Kahler bridge. I have a Floyd Rose nut which stays in tune great. My lay-out for controls is a lot different than your build. I run my Roland VG-99 thru some highly modified Roland Keyboard amps to be more for guitar including the 10" base cabs. Sounds amazing when I run the Kinmans thru my tube amp and stereo thru the Keyboard amps amps with the GK3 system. I can do three part harmonies.