Steinberger GL-2T/GR Guitar Synthesizer Controller

Introduction to the Steinberger GR Roland Guitar Synth Controller Series:

I can not think of any line of guitars that invoke the kind of passion as found in the original Steinberger guitars. Depending on who you talk to, these guitars are considered either the most advanced instruments of their time, or are considered the most advanced instruments...of all time! In their day, these were exceptionally expensive instruments; the GL2T-GR had a retail price of a staggering $2,500, and these prices have continued to climb.

The guitars featured on this page include the familiar Steinberger elements: active EMG pickups, high-tech reinforced fiber bodies, and a headless system requiring special strings with balls on both ends. But these guitars also have the revolutionary trans-trem system which enabled the bending of strings while retaining perfect tuning between strings. And, of course, integrated vintage 24-pin Roland electronics.

There is another feature that sets the Steinberger vintage Roland-Ready guitars from all others: these guitars have a unique Roland vintage 24-pin electronics package not found in any other guitar. Due to the unique shape of the guitar, the standard LPK-1 or STK-1 kits would never fit.

The circuit boards were custom fitted for these guitars, and probably would not fit in any other guitar. It is amazing to consider that Roland actually made custom electronics for this very limited, boutique series of guitars.

Information on these guitars is difficult to find, but I was lucky enough to work on updating and restoring a GL2T-GR, owned by Micki, and a GL4T-GR that Edgar sent me to repair. As a result, I was able to document the circuitry and get lots of high-quality photos to share.

Model	Pickup Configuration
GL-2T/GR	2 Humbucking Pickups: EMG 81/81
GL-3T/GR	3 Single Coil Pickups: EMG SA/SA/SA
GL-4T/GR	2 Single Coil, 1 Humbucking Pickup:EMG SA/SA/89

Models: GL-2T, GL-3T, GL-4T

The model names are based on the pickup configuration.

All these guitars feature active EMG pickups, most notably the GL-2T/GR sporting the acclaimed active dual-coil humbucking EMG 81 pickups that almost single-handedly launched the company.

The GL-3T/GR model uses three EMG SA pickups, while the GL-4T/GR uses the SA/SA/89 configuration of EMG SA pickups as single coils with the EMG 89 as the bridge humbucker.

Links

• Steinberger World
• Steinberger GL-2T-GR: Steinieland
• Steinberger Guitars

Advertisement - GL-2T/GR:

Photos - GL-2T/GR - Black:

Photos - GL-3T/GR - White:

Photos - GL-4T/GR - Black:

Photos - GL-2T/GR Compared with Ibanez IMG-2010 and Roland GC-10:

Video

Schematics - Repairs - Service Bulletins:

There are no known service bulletins from Roland addressing any Explorer problems. The Gibson Explorer guitar uses the Roland LPK-1 electronics package, the same electronics as found in the Roland G-303