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Roland G-5050 Guitar

Roland G-505 Guitar Synthesizer Controller

Features and Specifications:

  • Body: Ash
  • Finish: Acrylic, sunburst, metallic red or metallic blue
  • Neck: Maple One Piece
  • Fingerboard: Maple, optional Rosewood
  • Frets: 21
  • Bridge: Adjustable
  • Nut: Polycarbonate
  • Tuning machines: Gotoh
  • Pickups: Three Roland PU-134S single-coil
  • Scale:25 1/2"
  • Truss Rod: Single, Adjustable
  • Neck Width: 1 5/8"
  • Body Width: 13"
  • Body Depth: 1 3/4"
  • Overall Length: 39 1/2"
  • Weight: 7 lbs 3 oz
Barry Coates Guitar Players
After 30 years, Barry Coates still prefers
his Roland G-505 and Roland GM-70

Introduction to the Roland G-505:

Guitar players who love the feel of a Fender guitar but wanted to explore synthesis were immediately taken with the Roland G-505. The G-505 has classic Fender lines with a satisfyingly chunky maple neck bolted to a lightweight ash body. The majority of the guitars shipped with traditional all maple necks and fretboard, but there was also a rosewood option. In addition to accessing the world of vintage 24-pin synthesis, the three single coil pickups did a great job of capturing the wide range of Fender strat sounds as well.

Adrain Belew
Adrian Belew and various Roland G-505s

The fact that the G-505 is such a great representation of Fender stylings should come as no surprise to those aware of the history of the guitar's builder: the Fujigen Gakki factory had experience making quality Japanese Fender clones, and for years this same factory built Fender guitars for sale in the Japanese market.

Perhaps because there are such a wide range of after market products for Fender guitars, the G-505 has the distinction as the most modified vintage Roland guitar. While the original Roland tremolo works fine, and has the range and tuning stability of a typical Fender guitar, quite a few of the guitars you find for sale on ebay have the original tremolo system upgraded with a Kahler or Floyd Rose trem.

Roland Japan: G-505/GR-300
Click to enlarge

Pickup changes are also very common. Given that this guitar was sold in the eighties, it seems that many players were also tempted to replace the bridge pickup with humbucker. And a new neck on the G-505 was only four bolts away!

While the G-505 generally stays faithful to the Fender aesthetic, there is one interesting change: the passive volume and tone controls use 500K pots. Single coil pickups, like those in the G-505, are almost always wired with 250K pots. The 250K pots make for a warmer guitar tone, and tame some of the brightness associated with single coil pickups. But the G-505 shares the same electronics card design as the Roland G-303 and G-808, guitars with humbucking pickups. So the G-505 inherited 500K components in place of the traditional 250K parts.

I have mentioned this curiosity to G-505 players when working on their guitars, but most everyone has told me they love the sound of the G-505, and would not want to make any changes that might effect the tone. And this is a good idea, since like all the vintage Roland guitars, the master volume control is a dual 50K/500K pot, to control both active synthesizer level and passive guitar signal. This part is difficult to replace, though Warwick does include this part in their catalog.

Roland G-505 and HM-2
Roland G-505 and HM-2 Click to Enlarge
Links to more information:

Photos - Sunburst Finish:

Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications
Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications
Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications
Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications
Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications
Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications
Click on image for larger view

Photos - Metallic Red Finish (Plus Electronics Details):

Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish
Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish
Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish
Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish
Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish
Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish
Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish
Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish
Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish
Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish
Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish
Click on image for larger view

Photos - Metallic Blue Finish:

Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish
Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish
Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish
Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish Roland G-505 Red Finish
Click on image for larger view

Photos - Adrian Belew Custom Finish:

Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications
Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications
Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications
Click on image for larger view

Videos:

Schematics - Repairs - Service Bulletins:

Roland Service Bulletin No. 1000212 - G-505 - Countermeasure for a noise - November 16, 1983:

Roland notes that on the G-505 a noise can be heard when in either mode 1 (hexafuzz distortion) or mode 2 (hexfuzz plus VCO) when touching the LFO/vibrato touch pads. The solution to this problem is to add two 0.01uF capacitors to the G-505 circuit board. I'm not sure why this problem only occurs with the G-505, but my guess is this: the plastic pickguard can build up a static charge, and touching the LFO/vibrato plate may provide a discharge point.

Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications Roland G-505 Sunburst with Modifications
Click on image for larger view

Check out the photos above. The first image shows an unmodified G-505 electronics card. The next two images are of a G-505 card with two 0.01 uF capacitors added to reduce the noise problem.

Vintage Roland Guitar Hex Pickup Repair

Vintage Roland Guitar Hex Pickup Repair

If you remove the guitar electronics for repair, it is quite possible to crack the divided hex synthesizer pickup ribbon ever so slightly. These ribbons become very brittle as they age. The conductive metal traces are layered on to the plastic ribbon, and are fragile. Fortunately, there is a possible fix for this problem, but be forewarned, this is the most difficult and tedious vintage Roland repair.

Learn more...
Roland G-202 G-303 G-505 G-808 Opamp Failure - Repair

Roland G-202 G-303 G-505 G-808 Opamp Failure Repair

You suddenly notice that one string on your guitar synth system stops working. The first thing you want to do is try another cable! Cable failures are the most frequent GR-system problem.

If you do not have a spare cable, try jiggling either end of the connector, though the problem is most likely to be the end that plugs into your guitar. If the sound comes and goes, then you need to fix your cable. If not, then you most likely have a problem with an op-amp inside the guitar electronics. A more remote possibility is that you have a damaged pickup.

Learn more...