SOLD! Roland pickup from GC-1 Strat

dampoldman

I was after a decent cheap Mex Strat and found a good deal on a Roland Ready GC-1. Guitar itself is sound - perfect nick, and apparently the parts are all American (just assembled in Mexico...no idea if this is true).

I have no interest in using the synth capabilities and have bought a new pickguard and a nice set of Lace Sensors to put in the Strat so...anybody after the internal gubbins? There's the pickup and pickguard, plus the various associated buttons and knobs, that will be lying in a box, in a cupboard, if nobody takes them. No idea on market value. Make me an offer?

Pics to follow if required...

Funkfingers

During the removal, did you desolder any of the Roland electronics? (Apart from the connections to the audio output jack socket, this ought to have been possible by just undoing the block connectors.) 

dampoldman said:

apparently the parts are all American (just assembled in Mexico...no idea if this is true).

At different times, Fender has offered both MIA and MIM Roland-Ready Stratocasters. Your GC-1 is, essentially, a modified Fender MIM Standard Stratocaster.

dampoldman said:

Pics to follow, if required...

Yes, please. Required. Hopefully, I will get to see them before Harry Seven gazumps me with a higher offer.

dampoldman

I haven't actually removed anything yet, so it's all fresh and clean currently  any advice here is most welcome! There's plenty of advice on how to install them aftermarket, but not much on how to remove them from a MIM Strat...

phil_b

dampoldman said:

I haven't actually removed anything yet, so it's all fresh and clean currently  any advice here is most welcome! There's plenty of advice on how to install them aftermarket, but not much on how to remove them from a MIM Strat...

I have the same MIM roland ready strat. I would be interested in the parts as spares for mine. but I think you will need to de solder the 18 pin out put and the rear circuit board to remove them from the body

Funkfingers

I shall have to consult the instructions from a Roland GK Kit before I can offer any worthwhile advice. 

Off the top of my head, everything that happens on the scratchplate stays on the scratchplate. The three-way Guitar/Mix/Synth switch is connected to the GK PCB by a block connector. It directs the signal from the magnetic pickups to either the jack socket or the 13-pin socket. The wires carrying the magnetic pickup signal to the jack socket will have been soldered to the hot and ground terminals. 

Funkfingers

phil_b said:

I think you will need to de solder the 18 pin output and the rear circuit board to remove them from the body

The 13-pin socket connections are push-in block connectors at both ends. You can see this for yourselves by removing the rear cavity cover plate for the GK socket. 

dampoldman

I think, for the sake of faff and hassle, I'll just remove all the internals, i.e. pickups, scratchplate etc (ideally as one piece) and sell it all together. Basically start from scratch.

Funkfingers

Good thinking, Batman. Two of the GC-1 controls employ pot values specific to the Roland GK circuitry. These will not be compatible with conventional Fender wiring.

phil_b

I do hope you will post some pics of the conversion. I would be very interested to see the conversion

dampoldman

Found a buyer who is much more adept at this kind of thing