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Features of the RC-1324-PDL-V3:
- NEW! Version 3 Bass Guitar Input Select Switch for Roland GK-3B Bass Pickup
- NEW! Version 3 Multifunction Hex Fuzz Output Jack
- NEW! Version 3 Blend Pedal Input Option: Use external pedal to sweep from Guitar/Bass to Synthesizer Output
- Use any Modern Roland-Ready, GK-2/GK-2A, GK-2B, GK-3, GK-3B or RMC equipped guitar to play any Vintage, 24-pin Roland Guitar or Bass Synthesizer
- Essential vintage 24-Pin Synth Controls recreated on the front panel
- Tested for use with the Roland GR-100, GR-300, GR-33B, GR-700, GR-77B, GM-70, Ibanez MC1 and the Korg Z3
- Filter Preset Foot Switch with LEDs selects from two different Filter Cutoff Presets
- Internal Hex Fuzz Circuit with Individual Output, Low-Pass Filter Switch, and Multifunction Output Jack
- LFO Foot Switch with LED replaces touch pads to engage LFO/Vibrato features
- Optional Foot Pedal Control Input for additional control over Vibrato/LFO depth
- Roland G-303/808 feature set: 3 control voltage sources with hex fuzz
- Works with Roland US-20 Unit Selector for Multiple Synthesizer System
- Adapts standard 13-Pin Synth Volume Control for 24-Pin Synth Volume Control, including Synthesizer/Guitar Balance Control
- 6 Top Panel Control Knobs for 24-Pin String Output Levels
- Powered by 24-Pin Synthesizer so there is no need for External Power Supply
- Elegant Compact Foot Pedal Enclosure
- Incorporates circuitry and design concepts by GR-300 authority Mark Smart!
- One Year Parts and Labor Warranty!
RC-1324-PDL Performance Controls:
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Two Continuously Variable Filter Presets |
| The first foot switch on the RC-1324-PDL-V3 selects between two filter presets, F1 and F2, with associated LEDs to show which preset is active. This is a popular feature I adapted from my GR-300 Remote Control Pedal. Since modern 13-pin guitars do not have on-board controls for filter, the two filter presets enable the player to create two distinct preset tones. On the GR-700, the filter knobs act as a master edit control for the filter cutoff, and on the GM-70 their function is programmable. Since these filter presets are integrated into the control circuitry, they do not use the filter pedal inputs on the synthesizers, and so the filter pedal input on the GR-100, GR-300 and GR-700 can be mixed with the presets. | |
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Resonance, Mode and LFO Controls |
| The Resonance control on the RC-1324-PDL-V3 works just like the resonance control on a vintage Roland guitar, controlling resonance on the GR-100/300 and selecting edit parameters on the GR-700. The Mode switch works just like the guitar mode switch. The LFO knob controls the vibrato or LFO depth. The middle foot switch turns the LFO on and off, much like the touch pads on the original vintage Roland guitars. And the middle LED (yellow) lights when the LFO is on. The RC-1324-PDL-V3 has a rear panel pedal input for a Korg/Yamaha type control voltage pedal. This allows the player to fade the LFO effect. When a pedal is plugged in, the LFO knob sets the maximum LFO depth. | |
 Hex Fuzz and Output Mixer |
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| The RC-1324-PDL-V3 provides even more control over the unique hex fuzz circuit. As before, there is a footswitch to engage a low-pass filter for a smoother hex fuzz sound. And there is continuous control over the amount of hex fuzz, from subtle to dominating the VCO synthesizer output. New to the RC-1324-PDL-V3 is the multifunction hex fuzz output jack! The output jack can be used as a simple output, separating the hex fuzz sound from the synth output. Or, by plugging in a Yamaha/Korg type CV pedal, you can control the level of the hex fuzz sound with a pedal. And finally, you can use a tip-ring-sleeve send and return cable to use insert effects on the hex fuzz sound only! |
Player Praise for the RC-1324:
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"I've been a Roland guitar synth user for a little over 20 years, and I've owned almost all of the units from the GR-300 to the virtual guitar units VG8 and 88. The RC-1324 is the unit I've wanted for years! It bridges the gap between 13 and 24 pin devices flawlessly. The build quality is first rate and I swear my GR-700 tracks better with my 13 pin guitar than the 24 pin original. Outstanding; Fripp is gonna flip when he gets this!"
"Keep those Inventions coming...!" Vernon Reid |
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"Well, I'm really, really happy! The response from the GR-300 is just as I'd imagined. The surprise for me was just how more responsive my old GR-700 has become. I feel inspired, I'll be doing some recording tonight!"
"I'm using an Ibanez Artist fitted with RMC's (functionally similar to your Brian Moore), and a Yamaha SG fitted with a GK2, No problems with either guitar. I'm really looking forward to now integrating my 24-pin synths along with my current 13-pin rig, without the hassle of changing guitars." "Many thanks Wayne, You will be highly recommend to all my friends and associates." Jim Bradford |
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I'm having a blast! Today I played the RC-1324 and to say it's great is
the biggest understatement I've ever made!"
"My Frameworks nylon fretless (!) works just great with it. And I think it even tracks better than before." " I'm totally satisfied with this thing, so thanks again Wayne - you did a wonderful job. Keep those inventions coming!!!!" Ulrich Muller |
Roland Guitar Synths and the RC-1324-PDL:
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Roland has produced two very different, incompatible guitar synthesizer technologies, each with their own special qualities. The older, 24-pin technology is known for its rich, lush analog synthesizer sound. These synths were controlled by limited selection of Roland-built guitars, and a few rare third-party guitars, including the Ibanez IMG2010.
The newer 13-pin technology includes the latest synthesizer advances and new guitar designs including Fender Roland-Ready Strats, gorgeous Brian Moore guitars, Godin Acoustic/Electric guitars, and others. These newer guitars represent the state-of-the-art in guitar technology, with integrated magnetic and piezo pickups for new sounds and playing options unavailable from Vintage Roland guitars.
The original RC-1324 Bus Converter was a unique processor that bridged these two technologies. The new RC-1324-PDL-V3 works like the original RC-1324, conditioning and adapting 13-pin signals to work with 24-pin synthesizers, and recreating the essential Control Voltage signals needed to take advantage of Vintage guitar synthesizer systems. And the new RC-1324-PDL-V3 adds new features in a compact foot pedal design.
Connecting State-of-the-Art Guitars with Vintage Synthesizer Technology:
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System setup with the RC-1324-PDL-V3 could not be any easier: simply run a 13-pin cable from the Modern guitar controller to the 13-pin input of the RC-1324-PDL-V3. Then, use a 24-pin cable from the 24-pin output connector to any Vintage Roland guitar synthesizer. Turn the Vintage synthesizer on, turn up the Synth volume on the guitar, and you are ready to play.
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All Three "Craig Anderton" GR-300 Modifications Built-In
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In the mid-eighties acclaimed author/musician/electronic arts wizard Craig Anderton developed three modifications for the GR-300. Unfortunately, these modifications involve making physical changes to the GR-300 or GR Controller. The RC-1324-PDL-V3 actually incorporates all these modifications, without having to alter your precious, vintage GR-300 Guitar Synthesizer or Controller in any way!
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| Craig’s first modification involved cutting a capacitor to add high-frequency response to the hex fuzz circuit. The RC-1324-PDL-V3 has a switch to select from the original hex fuzz sound, or LO setting, and the "no capacitor" brighter HI setting. Check out the samples to hear the difference! | |
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| Next Craig designed a separate hex fuzz output. However, this modification also involved working inside the GR-300, and disabling either an existing jack, or drilling holes for additional output jacks. The RC-1324-PDL-V3 has the hex fuzz output built-in, so no drilling or modification is necessary. | |
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| The final Anderton modification is the addition of a vibrato, or LFO pedal. Craig disliked using the touch plates on the GR guitars, and felt a pedal worked better. Now you can have foot pedal control over vibrato. And again, this requires no drilling or modifications in any way to your vintage Roland synth. | |
New Version 3 Bass Input Select Switch:
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Now bass players can access the sound of the all-analog vintage Roland GR-33B Bass Guitar Synthesizer. The new rear-panel Bass Input Select Switch makes this possible. The standard Roland GK-3B is a flexible pickup, designed to work with 4, 5 or 6 string bass guitars. For this test, I used a Roland GK-3B mounted in the recommended 4-string position. This means there is an extra string sensor below low E, and an extra sensor above the high G string. Without the Bass Input Select Switch switch, you would only be able to play 3 strings with the Roland GR-33B bass guitar synthesizer, A, D and G. The Bass Input Select offsets the input signals, so that you can play all four strings in their natural range on the Roland GR-33B Bass Guitar Synthesizer.
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New Version 3 Multifunction Hex Fuzz Output:
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The RC-1324-PDL-V3 has a new, tip-ring-sleeve, send and return hex fuzz output. This means you have 3 possible ways to configure the hex fuzz output:
- Plug a standard tip-sleeve cable into the output to automatically remove the hex fuzz sound from the GR-300 output, enabling the hex fuzz sound to be processed independently.
- Use a tip-ring-sleeve cable, with the tip as the output-send, and the ring as the input-return, and specific effects or processing can be applied to the hex fuzz sound only, then the hex fuzz sound is added back to the GR-300 input for further processing by the -24 dB filtering section of the GR-300.
- Plug in a Korg/Yamaha type CV pedal to control the level of the hex fuzz sound mixed in with the GR-300 VCO synthesizer section. The creates new, musically useful tones that are not available with a GR-300 on its own. Like the LFO depth pedal input, the external pedal works with the top panel hex fuzz control. So if the top panel fuzz control is set to 50%, even pressing the external pedal all the way down will still result in a maximum output of 50%.
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New Version 3 Mix/Blend Pedal Input:
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Version 3 also adds another foot pedal input to control the synthesizer to guitar blend. The RC-1324-PDL-V3 has a top panel mix control to blend between guitar and synthesizer output. This control works just like the balance control on a vintage Roland guitar synth controller, blending the output signal from guitar to synthesizer. By plugging a Yamaha/Korg type pedal into the balance input jack, the top panel control is disengaged, and the player can now blend from guitar only output (pedal all the way back, or "heel" position) to synth only output (pedal all the way forward, or "toe" position). This new Version 3 features is designed to give the player more real-time control over the synthesizer, and recreate the original vintage guitar synth controller experience.
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Easy Access to Individual String Level Adjustments:
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The weakest parts of the Vintage Roland guitar synth were the tiny, internal trim pots used to adjust the output of each string. These were the parts on the guitar most likely break over time, and proper string level adjustment is particularly critical for Roland GR-700, GM-70 and Ibanez MC1 users. The slightest change can cause one string to suddenly be louder, or can cause strings to track poorly. You will notice that modern 13-pin synths incorporate string level adjustments in the synthesizers, so there are no level adjustment controls on the guitars. The RC-1324-PDL-V3 has six top-mount, dedicated control knobs to precisely adjust the level of each string for precise, even tracking. And, the RC-1324-PDL-V3 lets you do something you could never do with a Vintage Roland controller: adjust the output levels while you are playing!
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NEW! Video Demos of the RC-1324-PDL-V3 and the Roland GR-300 Guitar Synthesizer: :
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| This demo shows a little bit of everything on the GR-300 and RC1324-PDL-V3, played with a Roland-Ready Parker PM-10 guitar. You can hear the hex fuzz sound, filter presets, various effects, plus short segments with Godin and Brian Moore guitars. | |
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| This demo shows some of the new features exclusive to the RC-1324-PDL Version Three: Expanded hex fuzz processing and volume control, and the new mix/blend pedal input feature. |
New! Video Demos of this RC-1324-PDL-V3 and the Roland GR-33B Bass Guitar Synthesizer:
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| This video starts with the basic features of the Roland GR-33B, using the RC-1324-PDL-V3 with a Roland GK-3B equipped bass to cover the mode settings, filter and resonance controls. | |
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| This video uses the RC-1324-PDL-V3 to demonstrate the LFO/Vibrato effects on the GR-33B. | |
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| This video demonstrates how the two pitch presets work on the GR-33B, and the latch and unlatch footswitch controls. | |
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| One of the most flexible features of the GR-33B is its filter, which operates n both -12 dB per octave and -24 dB per octave settings. | |
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| This video covers the modulation possibilities with the GR-33B: two envelope presets, plus the option of filter or voltage controller amplifier modulation. | |
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| The rear panel of the GR-33B has two additional controls: a filter (VCF) pedal input, and string select feature. By plugging in the Roland FS-1 footswitch, you can turn preselected synth outputs on and off. A standard volume pedal can be used to sweep the low-pass filter. | |
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| The RC-1324-PDL-V3 has a mix/blend pedal input, allowing the player to vary the bass guitar to synthesizer mix. This is the same feature available if using a vintage Roland G-33, G-77 or G-88 bass guitar controller. |
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Frequently Asked Questions:
- Does the RC-1324-PDL-V3 add any latency or delay?
- Will the RC-1324-PDL-V3 work with ANY Vintage Roland Guitar Synthesizer?
- Will the RC-1324-PDL-V3 work with ANY Modern Roland-compatible guitar synth controller?
- I want to play my GR-300 and my GI-20 at the same time. Is this possible? Can I use a Roland US-20 with the RC-1324-PDL-V3?
- Can I create the classic "Pat Metheny" GR-300 sound with different guitars? Pat always uses a Roland G-303.
- Does the RC-1324-PDL have the Hex Fuzz circuit?
- What kind of CV pedal is required for the Vibrato/LFO depth?
- Do I need a CV pedal to use the Vibrato/LFO feature?
- What is the range of the CV pedal?
- Where do you get the connectors? I thought they were discontinued by Roland a long time ago.
NO! None of my processors add any delay at all. Like the GR-300 and GR-100, they are purely analog processors that do not suffer from the inevitable latency introduced by digital systems. Many players notice that their guitar synths actually play better, since the gain stages have been especially designed to deliver the best possible signal to the guitar synthesizer.
YES! I have tested this with the Roland GR-100, GR-300, GR-33B, GR-700, GM-70, Ibanez MC1 and the hard-to-find Korg Z3. In each case, the Vintage Roland synthesizer worked just as if a Vintage guitar synthesizer was plugged in. You can tweak sounds, edit patches, and control the synthesizer in real-time using the CV knobs or CV pedal.
YES! However, due to the huge variety of guitars currently available in the 13-pin format, I have not been able to begin to test them all. My primary test guitar was has a GK-3 pickup, as shown in the video demo. I have also tested with a custom Warmoth guitar with a GK-2A, and an Xotica guitar with a Ghost MIDI system. The original RC-1324 was also tested with a Brian Moore i2.13 guitar, Godin ACS-SA, Multiac Steel SA guitars, and a GK-2 equipped custom Telecaster.
YES! I have tested the RC-1324-PDL-V3 with a Roland US-20, and it works great! Until now, the only way to play a Vintage and Modern Synth at the same time was with a Roland US-2 and BX-13/BC-13/CV-13 or with a SBC+. Now, just plug your Modern guitar into a Roland US-20, and take one output to the RC-1324-PDL-V3 and the other output to any Modern Roland synth. In this case the volume knob on the guitar will control the volume of both the Vintage, 24-pin synthesizer and the Modern, 13-pin synthesizer.
YES! I have tested the RC-1324-PDL-V3 with a Roland GR-300, and it works just like a flawlessly, with the same incredible tracking the GR-300 is known for. The controller is not that important. And the video clip above shows a Godin Multiac Steel SA guitar creating the "Pat Metheny" GR-300 sound. The only difference I noticed was the decay of the sound. Obviously, different guitars have different amounts of sustain or decay.
YES! The RC-1324-PDL-V3 has the unique vintage Roland hex fuzz sound! This is the only pedal that has the hex fuzz sound. The original, rack-mount RC-1324 also had the hex fuzz sound, but I did not include the hex fuzz sound in the original RC-1324-PDL. The original RC-1324-PDL had output presets instead, but I received many requests to include hex fuzz.
Any Korg or a Yamaha CV pedal will work. Or any pedal that is compatible with the Korg/Yamaha standard will work equally well. The Korg/Yamaha pedal uses a 50K potentiometer, with the wiper wired to the ring output. Unfortunately the Roland EV-5 will not work with the RC-1324-PDL-V3, since it uses a 10K potentiometer, and has the wiper wired to the tip output. The Korg EXP-2 pedal is really great, since the TRS control output can be used with the LFO input on the RC-1324-PDL-V3, or the standard output on the EXP-2 can be used with the filter pedal input on the GR-300.
NO! You can simply use the front panel LFO knob to control Vibrato/LFO depth. But the CV pedal is mighty useful for fading the LFO or vibrato effect in and out.
The CV pedal controls up to 100% of the value of the respective front panel LFO knob. So, if the front panel LFO knob is set to 40%, then plugging in the CV pedal and turning it all the way up will result in a modulation depth of 40%. Actually, this works GREAT for things like modulation, where you may only want a little to flavor the sound. Set the front panel knob to the desired maximum output, then use the pedal to gradually ease to effect in and out.
YES! Roland discontinued the connectors from active production about fifteen years ago. So the 24 pin connectors are virtually impossible to find. I bought as many of these connectors as I could from Roland a while back. Depending on availability, I also use connectors refurbished vintage guitars and synths. Either way, there is no new supply of these connectors, so all the processors I built had a very, very limited production run. I will not be making any more processors.
View the original RC-1324
View the RC-1324 V2
