ROLAND SYNTH GUITARS

The Roland Synth guitars were a series of electric guitars designed to be used as controllers with Roland's series of guitar synthesizers.

ROLAND G-202

ROLAND made the G-202 between 1980 and 1984

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ROLAND G-303

The Roland G-303, made from 1980-1984, was Roland's most popular synth controller guitar.  Some of this popularity came from the G-303's association with Pat Metheny, who played one in combination with the Roland GR-300 synthesizer. But the G-303 was also a high quality playable guitar in its own right, and although not the most technologically advanced synth controller its synth controls were intuiative and usable. The G-303s were made by the Japanese Fujigen Gakki company, an important OEM builder for brands like Greco, Ibanez, Fender, Squier and Yamaha.

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ROLAND G-505

ROLAND made the G-505 between 1980 and 1984

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ROLAND G-707

The G-707 was made between 1983 and 1986

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ROLAND G-808

ROLAND manufactured the G-808 between 1980 and 1984. It was designed as a controller for the Roland GR-300 guitar synthesizer and was the top of the guitar synth controller range offered by Roland.

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ROLAND GS-500

Production of the GS-500 began in 1977 and ended in 1980

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Specifications:

ModelImageConfigurationMade inNumber of stringsFinish colorsScale length
ROLAND G-202
1980 to 1984
guitar synth controllerJapan6 strings--
ROLAND G-303
1980 to 1984
guitar synth controllerJapan6 stringsnatural finish, white finish24.75 inches scale-length
ROLAND G-505
1980 to 1984
guitar synth controllerJapan6 strings--
ROLAND G-707
1983 to 1986
guitar synth controllerJapan6 strings--
ROLAND G-808
1980 to 1984
guitar synth controllerJapan6 strings--
ROLAND GS-500
1977 to 1980
guitar synth controllerJapan6 strings--
ModelBody shape featuresBody materialBody top materialBody style
ROLAND G-202
1980 to 1984
double cutaway---
ROLAND G-303
1980 to 1984
double cutawaymahogany bodymaple body top-
ROLAND G-505
1980 to 1984
double cutaway---
ROLAND G-707
1983 to 1986
asymmetrical body--shark fin style
ROLAND G-808
1980 to 1984
double cutawayash bodywalnut body top-
ROLAND GS-500
1977 to 1980
single cutawaywood body-Les Paul-style body
ModelPickup selector controlsTone controlsVolume controls
ROLAND G-202
1980 to 1984
1 pickup selector switch, 3 synth control switches2 tone controls2 volume controls
ROLAND G-303
1980 to 1984
1 pickup selector switch, 3 synth control switches, 3-way selector switch2 tone controls2 volume controls
ROLAND G-505
1980 to 1984
3 synth control switches, 5-way selector switch2 tone controls2 volume controls
ROLAND G-707
1983 to 1986
1 pickup selector switch--
ROLAND G-808
1980 to 1984
1 pickup selector switch, 3 synth control switches2 tone controls2 volume controls
ROLAND GS-500
1977 to 1980
1 pickup selector switch2 tone controls2 volume controls
ModelPickups configurationPickups brand and model
ROLAND G-202
1980 to 1984
hexaphonic pickups-
ROLAND G-303
1980 to 1984
2 humbucker pickups, hexaphonic pickupsRoland PU-114H pickup(s)
ROLAND G-505
1980 to 1984
hexaphonic pickups-
ROLAND G-707
1983 to 1986
--
ROLAND G-808
1980 to 1984
2 humbucker pickups, hexaphonic pickupsRoland PU-114H pickup(s)
ROLAND GS-500
1977 to 1980
hexaphonic pickups-
ModelTuner layoutNeck jointNeck materialNeck widthPeghead (headstock)Number of frets
ROLAND G-202
1980 to 1984
six-in-a-row tuners-----
ROLAND G-303
1980 to 1984
three-each-sideset neckmaple neck1.69 inches wide at nut--
ROLAND G-505
1980 to 1984
six-in-a-row tuners-----
ROLAND G-707
1983 to 1986
----reverse headstock-
ROLAND G-808
1980 to 1984
three-each-sideneck through bodymahogany neck, maple neck--22 fret
ROLAND GS-500
1977 to 1980
three-each-side-----
ModelBridgeHardware colorTailpieceTuners
ROLAND G-202
1980 to 1984
----
ROLAND G-303
1980 to 1984
tune-o-matic bridgechrome hardwarestop tailpieceGotoh tuners
ROLAND G-505
1980 to 1984
tremolo bridge---
ROLAND G-707
1983 to 1986
----
ROLAND G-808
1980 to 1984
tune-o-matic bridgegold hardwarestop tailpiece-
ROLAND GS-500
1977 to 1980
----