Roland GR-300 - Buyer's Guide, Full Specs, Video Demos
Roland GR-300
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Introduced in 1980, this pioneering analog guitar synthesizer transformed the electric guitar into a polyphonic powerhouse, delivering real-time tracking so precise it handled everything from hammer-ons to glissandos without missing a beat— a game-changer that left earlier models in the dust.
At its core, it packs 6-voice polyphony with two VCOs per voice, harmonically locked to each guitar string for flawless pitch following, plus a -24dB/octave low-pass VCF with envelope modulation via attack and sensitivity controls. A built-in LFO adds vibrato, while footswitches command VCO modes like single or duet for chorusing, harmonize detuning, and VCF sweeps—up, down, or bypassed—letting you tweak on the fly without touching your hands. The rugged blue pedal unit measures 15.7" wide by 11.4" deep by 3.9" high, connects via a sturdy 24-way cable to a compatible guitar like the G-808, and mixes dry guitar signal with synth output through stereo outs and a mono input, all balanced by front-panel knobs for cutoff, resonance, vibrato depth, and more. Touch plates near the bridge pickup even let you dab in vibrato dynamically.
Guitarists and synth heads still chase its thick, soulful tones—think Pat Metheny's iconic trumpet leads—with praise for the human feel and Minimoog-rivaling warmth, though some note the limited waveforms and occasional power supply gremlins from age. It's a live-performance legend that begs for a spot in any vintage rig.
Roland Corporation was founded on April 18, 1972, in Osaka, Japan, by Ikutaro Kakehashi, who established the company with a capital stock of 33 million yen and released its first products as rhythm machines. The company soon built its Hamamatsu factory and grew into a global leader in electronic musical instruments, maintaining a museum of vintage synthesizers, drums, and other innovations at its R&D Center in Hamamatsu that informs ongoing development.
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Videos
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Is This The Best Synth Guitar EVER?! | Roland GR-300
Andy Summers - Roland GR-300 Guitar Synthesizer Demo with Jools Holland - G-808
Roland Vintage Analog Guitar Synthesizer Adjustment Setup GR-300 G-303 G-808 Max Performance
Modern Jazz Noise: vintage Roland GR-300 and G-303
Roland G303/GR-300 Guitar Synth, Don't Stand So Close To Me
Roland GR-300 Analog Guitar Synth - Craig Anderton Modification Revised - Part One - Introduction
Roland GR-300 Function Test - Part One
Pat Metheny's Roland GR-300 Guitar Synth & GR-303 Controller
Roland GR300 analog Guitar Synth pitch bending
Roland Reinvents the Classic Analog Guitar Synth | Boss SY-1000 vs GR-300 | 80s Tech Revisited
Roland GR-55 Guitar Synthesizer GR-300 Tutorial Pat Metheny
1981 Roland G-505 + Roland GR-300
Roland GR-300 G-808 Guitar Synthesizer - Pat Metheny Tone
Roland GR-300 Analog Guitar Synthesizer - Pro Tip - Super Filter Modulation w/ Expression Ramper
Roland GR-300 Function Test - Part Two
Roland G-505 and GR-300 Instruction Video Excerpts with Adrian Belew (1981)
Roland GR-300 G-808 Guitar Synthesizer - Pat Metheny Tone 2
Roland GR-300 Guitar Synth (filter modulation)
Kasper Falkenberg's Roland G-808 and GR-300 - Trailer #soundmade
Roland G-505 Metallic Red Vintage Analog GR-300 Guitar Synthesizer Controller w/ GR-300
ROLAND GR GUITAR SYSTEM 1982 G-505 G-202 G-808 G-303 GR-300 GR-100 G-88 G-33 GR-33B CATALOG
Roland GR-100 GR-300 - You MUST Do This Mod! Power Supply Repair - Vintage Analog Guitar Synth DIY
Roland GR-300 Analog Guitar Synthesizer - Filter Pedal Shootout!
Pedulla XJ-S - GR-300 Roland Vintage Synthesizer Guitar Controller
Roland GR-300 and GR-300 with Boss SY-1000 BX-13-Micro
