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Roland GC-10

Roland GC-10 with Factory Internal Roland GK-2A

Features and Specifications:

  • Body: Basswood Body
  • Finish:White Composit
  • Neck: Maple
  • Fingerboard: Rosewood Fretboard
  • Frets: 22
  • Bridge: Roland
  • Tuning machines: Roland
  • Pickups: No standard pickup, GK-2A divided pickup only
  • Scale:25 1/2"
  • Truss Rod: Dual, Adjustable
  • Neck Width: 1 5/8"
  • Weight: 5 lbs
Roland GC-10

Introduction to the Roland GC-10 with Factory Internal Roland GK-2A:

I cannot recall the first time I saw the Roland GC-10, but I am pretty sure it was from looking at a Japanese web site.

As far as I have been able to determine, the Roland GC-10 was briefly sold with the Roland GI-10 in the early nineties, primarily in Japan.

The guitar was never offered for sale in the United States, nor can I find any reference to the Roland GC-10 in any Roland English-language literature.

There is badging at the top of the headstock that reads "GTM." I saw a web page that called this the Roland "Guitar-to-MIDI" controller. I have seen one other guitar with the badging, and it is the guitar played on the Roland VG-99 demo page, though it is a different guitar.

What is interesting though is the installation of the divided pickup. It is actually opposite of the way most divided pickups are installed, with the extra arm length extending towards the controls, instead of sticking out above the low E string. I think this works better, and if you ever rest your hand on the bridge of the guitar, you do not bump into the divided pickup. I noticed that in order to install the pickup in this manner, the original Roland badge on the pickup was also inverted.

Probably the best feature of this guitar is how comfortable it is to play. I am guessing that the neck is 9 inch radius, though I am not sure. It reminds me of the smaller, fast necks on the Roland-Ready strat series, with a 41 mm or 1 5/8” nut width. This guitar is easy to play sitting down, and standing up. And the weight: this baby barely weighs 5 lbs! Yep! 5 lbs and 3/4 ounce on my scales! The only other guitar I know with this kind of playability and weight is a Parker Fly guitar! If your shoulders get tired playing, or you are gigging all night long, this curious little guitar is just what the doctor ordered!

Photos:

Roland GC-10
Roland GC-10
Roland GC-10
Roland GC-10
Roland GC-10
Roland GC-10
Roland GC-10
Roland GC-10
Roland GC-10
Roland GC-10
Roland GC-10
Roland GC-10

Videos:

01 - Roland GC-10 Guitar Controller and VG-99 Synthesizer

Video demo of the rare Roland GC-10 13-pin guitar synthesizer controller. These controllers were primarily sold in Japan, often with the Roland GI-10, guitar to MIDI interface.

As far as I have been able to dtermine, the GC-10 was never sold in the United States, and I cannot find any reference to the GC-10 in any English language Roland product brochures. This video shows the GC-10 with the Roland VG-99.

02 -Roland GC-10 Guitar Controller and VG-88 Synthesizer

The GC-10 was introduced with the Roland GI-10, and it features the internal Roland GK-2A pickup system.

The GC-10 works equally well with any Roland guitar synthesizer. In this clip the GC-10 plays some of the wonderful factory patches in the Roland VG-88, the predecessor to the popular Roland VG-99.

03 - Roland GC-10 Guitar Controller and GI-20 with Native Instruments Reaktor 5.0

This video shows the GC-10 with the Roland GI-20, driving Native Instruments Reaktor 5.0 run as a standalone application on a Intel Mac.

04 - Roland VG-99 with Roland Ready GC-10 and Infinite Sustain Guitar

Roland-Ready Parker GC-10 with Roland VG-99. This video demo shows the PM-10 with the VG-99, playing a patch suggested by VG-99 wizard Bill Ruppert. Play a chord, and let it sustain. The VG-99 will automatically hold that chord...forever! Then solo along with the chord! Very Cool!

No need to use the "D-Beam" trigger, the sustain starts as soon as the input level falls below a set threshold. You can use the second VG-99 channel to solo with, in this demo I use a distortion patch with the "slow gear" effect.