Roland GK-3B Quick Start Guide
Owner’s Manual
Thank you for purchasing the Roland GK-3B divided pickup.
Before using this unit, carefully read the sections entitled:
• USING THE UNIT SAFELY (page 2–3)
• IMPORTANT NOTES (page 3)
These sections provide important information concerning the
proper operation of the unit.
Additionally, in order to feel assured that you have gained a good
grasp of every feature provided by your new unit, Owner’s manual
should be read in its entirety. The manual should be saved and
kept on hand as a convenient reference.
Copyright © 2004 Roland CORPORATION
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in
any form without the written permission of Roland CORPORATION.
USING THE UNIT SAFELY
Used for instructions intended to alert
the user to the risk of death or severe
injury should the unit be used
improperly.
Used for instructions intended to alert
the user to the risk of injury or material
damage should the unit be used
improperly.
* Material damage refers to damage or
other adverse effects caused with
respect to the home and all its
furnishings, as well to domestic
animals or pets.
001
• Before using this unit, make sure to read
the instructions below, and the Owner’s
Manual.
.........................................................................................................
002a
• Do not open or perform any internal
modifications on the unit.
.........................................................................................................
003
• Do not attempt to repair the unit, or replace
parts within it (except when this manual
provides specific instructions directing you
to do so). Refer all servicing to your retailer,
the nearest Roland Service Center, or an
authorized Roland distributor, as listed on
the “Information” page.
.........................................................................................................
004
• Never use or store the unit in places that are:
• Subject to temperature extremes (e.g.,
direct sunlight in an enclosed vehicle,
near a heating duct, on top of heatgenerating equipment); or are
• Damp (e.g., baths, washrooms, on wet
floors); or are
• Humid; or are
• Exposed to rain; or are
• Dusty; or are
• Subject to high levels of vibration.
.........................................................................................................
007
• Make sure you always have the unit
placed so it is level and sure to remain
stable. Never place it on stands that could
wobble, or on inclined surfaces.
.........................................................................................................
The symbol alerts the user to important instructions
or warnings.The specific meaning of the symbol is
determined by the design contained within the
triangle. In the case of the symbol at left, it is used for
general cautions, warnings, or alerts to danger.
The symbol alerts the user to items that must never
be carried out (are forbidden). The specific thing that
must not be done is indicated by the design contained
within the circle. In the case of the symbol at left, it
means that the unit must never be disassembled.
The ● symbol alerts the user to things that must be
carried out. The specific thing that must be done is
indicated by the design contained within the circle. In
the case of the symbol at left, it means that the powercord plug must be unplugged from the outlet.
011
• Do not allow any objects (e.g., flammable
material, coins, pins); or liquids of any
kind (water, soft drinks, etc.) to penetrate
the unit.
........................................................................................................
012d
• Immediately turn the power off, and
request servicing by your retailer, the
nearest Roland Service Center, or an
authorized Roland distributor, as listed on
the “Information” page when:
• If smoke or unusual odor occurs
• Objects have fallen into, or liquid has
been spilled onto the unit; or
• The unit has been exposed to rain (or
otherwise has become wet); or
• The unit does not appear to operate
normally or exhibits a marked change
in performance.
........................................................................................................
013
• In households with small children, an
adult should provide supervision until the
child is capable of following all the rules
essential for the safe operation of the unit.
........................................................................................................
014
• Protect the unit from strong impact.
(Do not drop it!)
........................................................................................................
2
104
• Try to prevent cords and cables from
becoming entangled. Also, all cords and
cables should be placed so they are out of
the reach of children.
.........................................................................................................
106
• Never climb on top of, nor place heavy
objects on the unit.
.........................................................................................................
108c
• Disconnect all cords coming from external
devices before moving the unit.
.........................................................................................................
118c
• Should you remove the parts of installation
(screws, washers and springs), make sure to
put them in a safe place out of children's
reach, so there is no chance of them being
swallowed accidentally.
.........................................................................................................
IMPORTANT NOTES
291a
In addition to the items listed under “USING
THE UNIT SAFELY,” please read and
observe the following:
Power Supply
307
• Before connecting this unit to other devices, turn off
the power to all units. This will help prevent malfunctions and/or damage to speakers or other devices.
Placement
351
• Using the unit near power amplifiers (or other
equipment containing large power transformers)
may induce hum. To alleviate the problem, change
the orientation of this unit; or move it farther away
from the source of interference.
352b
• Noise may be produced if wireless communications
devices, such as cell phones, are operated in the
vicinity of this unit. Such noise could occur when
receiving or initiating a call, or while conversing.
Should you experience such problems, you should
relocate such wireless devices so they are at a
greater distance from this unit, or switch them off.
354a
• Do not expose the unit to direct sunlight, place it
near devices that radiate heat, leave it inside an
enclosed vehicle, or otherwise subject it to temperature extremes. Excessive heat can deform or
discolor the unit.
355b
• When moved from one location to another where
the temperature and/or humidity is very different,
water droplets (condensation) may form inside the
unit. Damage or malfunction may result if you
attempt to use the unit in this condition. Therefore,
before using the unit, you must allow it to stand for
several hours, until the condensation has
completely evaporated.
Maintenance
401a
• For everyday cleaning wipe the unit with a soft, dry
cloth or one that has been slightly dampened with
water. To remove stubborn dirt, use a cloth impregnated with a mild, non-abrasive detergent. Afterwards, be sure to wipe the unit thoroughly with a
soft, dry cloth.
402
• Never use benzine, thinners, alcohol or solvents of
any kind, to avoid the possibility of discoloration
and/or deformation.
Additional Precautions
553
• Use a reasonable amount of care when using the
unit’s buttons, sliders, or other controls; and when
using its jacks and connectors. Rough handling can
lead to malfunctions.
556
• When connecting / disconnecting all cables, grasp
the connector itself—never pull on the cable. This
way you will avoid causing shorts, or damage to
the cable’s internal elements.
558a
• To avoid disturbing your neighbors, try to keep the
unit’s volume at reasonable levels. You may prefer
to use headphones, so you do not need to be
concerned about those around you (especially
when it is late at night).
559a
• When you need to transport the unit, package it in
the box (including padding) that it came in, if
possible. Otherwise, you will need to use equivalent packaging materials.
562
• Use a cable from Roland to make the connection. If
using some other make of connection cable, please
note the following precautions.
• Some connection cables contain resistors. Do not
use cables that incorporate resistors for connecting
to this unit. The use of such cables can cause the
sound level to be extremely low, or impossible to
hear. For information on cable specifications,
contact the manufacturer of the cable.
3
Contents Main Features
USING THE UNIT SAFELY..........2
IMPORTANT NOTES ...................3
Panel Descriptions........... 5
Attaching the GK-3B
to the Bass ...................... 6
Precautions Before Installing ....6
Adjusting the Divided Pickup ....8
Attaching the Divided Pickup ....9
Attaching the Pickup with Double-
Sided Tape ..........................................9
Attaching the Pickup with Screws..12
Attaching the Controller...........13
Adjusting the Length of the Pickup
Cable .................................................. 13
Attaching the Controller with the
Holder................................................ 14
Attaching with Double–sided Tape
and a Screw....................................... 18
How to Connect
the GK-3B ..................... 19
Specifications ................ 21
The GK-3B is a special divided pickup,
which, when installed on an ordinary bass,
allows you to use the bass to play the sounds
of GK-compatible bass devices (Roland GR20 or V-BASS etc.).
• With the pickup section featuring six
individual pickup coils, this unit is
compatible even with six-string basses.
• Spacings between the pickup coils are
adjustable in a range from 16 mm (0.68”)
to 19 mm (0.75”), allowing mounting on a
wide variety of different basses.
• Included with the GK-3B are special
holders, spacers, and other accessories,
which allow you to easily attach the unit
to any of a wide variety of bass models.
• You can use the controller switches to
control the various functions of
connected GK devices.
About the GK-3B Warranty
Roland guarantees the GK-3B (and all
included parts) to be free of defects in
materials and workmanship. Contact your
retailer or nearest Roland Service Center if
repairs become necessary.
Roland cannot be responsible for any
damage caused to your bass or the GK-3B as
a result of your attempt to install or remove
the GK-3B. If you are not confident with
your ability to properly install the Pickup or
Controller unit (especially where drilling is
involved), please contact your Roland
retailer or nearest Roland Service Center.
4
Panel Descriptions
fig.0010
DOWN/S1 Switch
6.
7.
UP/S2 Switch
Power Indicator
8.
GK Volume
2.
GK Connector
3.
4.
Normal Pickup Input Jack
Controller
1. Divided Pickup
This is a pickup that senses the vibration of
the bass strings. Attach it by the bridge of
your bass.
2. GK Volume
This controls the volume of the connected
GK device.
* Certain GK-compatible devices also permit the GK
Volume function to be changed. For more detailed
information, refer to the Owner’s Manual for the
GK device being connected.
3. GK Connector
Connect the GK device to this connector.
4. Normal Pickup Input Jack
This jack is for inputting the bass’s normal
pickup signals to the GK-3B. Connect using
the normal guitar cable included with the
GK-3B.
Pickup Cable
Center Marker
Select Switch
5.
Divided Pickup
1.
Pickup
5. Select Switch
This switches between the output from the
connected GK device and the normal bass output.
* Changing the GK Volume function also changes the
function of this switch. For more detailed
information, refer to the Owner’s Manual for the
GK device being connected.
6. DOWN/S1 Switch
7. UP/S2 Switch
The function of the S1 and S2 switches varies
according to the connected GK device. For
more detailed information, refer to the
Owner’s Manual for the GK device being
connected.
8. Power Indicator
This indicates that power is being supplied to
the GK-3B. Power to the GK-3B is supplied by
the connected GK device via the GK cable. No
battery or other power source is required.
5
Attaching the GK-3B to the Bass
The GK-3B can be attached to and used with conventional electric basses. Please read the
following precautions before installing the GK-3B.
Precautions Before Installing
• Do not use the GK-3B on basses with
doubled strings or other highly
customized basses, piccolo basses and
other basses with unusual tunings, or
basses with other non-metallic core
strings. The pickup may not function
properly in such cases.
• Make any adjustments to the bass neck,
string height, and other such
modifications before installing the GK-3B.
• Try placing the divided pickup and the
controller unit on the bass before actually
attaching them to confirm that there will
be no problem with the installation.
• When using the screw to attach the
controller, we recommend that you first
attach the GK-3B temporarily using the
special holder, then after confirming that
there are no problems when actually
performing with the unit, secure it with
the screw.
• If only the double-sided tape is used to
attach the controller, shocks from rough
handling during performances and from
extended use will cause the tape to
deteriorate, with the controller shifting
out of position as a result. Also, if the
finish on your bass is less than perfect,
you may discover that the finish is also
removed when you later remove the tape.
The supplied tape is intended to be used
only very temporarily, to help you
determine the optimum position for the
controller.
• With certain basses, the space between
the pickup at the bridge position and the
bridge itself is too narrow to allow
installation of the divided pickup. In such
instances, it may be possible to attach the
pickup by modifying the bass (for
example, by moving the bridge pickup
more towards the neck to make room for
the divided pickup); consult your bass
dealer.
• When attaching the GK-3B to the bass,
you should try to orient the unit so no
buttons or controls get damaged, and
handle with care to avoid dropping it, or
allowing it to fall or tip over.
6
Attaching the GK-3B to the Bass
Confirm that the package contains all of the following parts for installing the GK-3B.
fig.1010e (Accessories)
Flat-head Screw 3x16 mm
x 1 (for installing
the Controller)
Wood Screw 3x20 mm
x 2 (for installing
the Divided Pickup)
Spring
x 2 (for installing
the Divided Pickup)
Double-sided tape A
x 3 (for installing
the Controller)
Double-sided tape B
x 2 (for installing
the Divided Pickup)
Controller Cushion
x 1 (for installing
the Controller)
Holder A
Pickup Cushion
(for installing
the Divided Pickup)
Pickup Spacer A
(Thickness: 3 mm)
x 2
(for adjusting the height of
the Divided Pickup)
Pickup Spacer B
(Thickness: 1 mm)
x 5
(for adjusting the height of
the Divided Pickup)
Pickup Spacer C
(Thickness: 0.25 mm)
x 4
(for adjusting the height of
the Divided Pickup)
x 4
Screw 5 x 20 mm
Screw 5 x 8 mm
Spring Washer
Flat Washer
Clearance Gauge
Cord Hook
Holder B Holder C
x 1
(for attaching
the Holder B)
x 2
(for attaching
the Holder C)
x 2
(for attaching
the Holder C)
(for attaching
x 2
the Holder C)
x 2
Normal Guitar Cable
Hexagon Socket Screw Key
x 1
Screwdriver
x 1
7
Attaching the GK-3B to the Bass
Adjusting the Divided Pickup
As string spacings vary with the model of the bass, the spacing between each of the coils in the
pickup must be adjusted to match the particular bass. Unless this adjustment is made
accurately, the GK-compatible device will not function at its full potential, or may not operate
correctly. Please make this adjustment with care.
1.
Measure the distance between strings
on your bass.
To determine the distance between each
string, you can measure the distance
between string 1 and string 4 (or
depending on the number of strings, 5 or
6) at the location in which to install the
pickup (p. 9–p. 12), and divide by one less
than the number of strings (i.e., in the case
of a four-string bass, divide by three).
fig.1020e
center
Measure the distance
between these two strings.
1234
center
String
Example: a distance of 57 mm
57 divided by (4-1) = 19 mm
2.
Use the included screwdriver to loosen
the screws, move the markers to the
position of the appropriate distance
between each string, and tighten the
screws.
* Be careful not to tighten the screws excessively.
fig.1040e
2nd string marker
loose
tight
19 18 17 16 mm
Position
* This adjustment made so that both markers are at
the same position.
* Be careful when moving the markers; do not use
excessive force.
Be especially careful with those at both sides of the
markers.
fig.1050
5th string marker
loose
16
17 18
19 mm
tight
A gauge with pitches of 16, 17, 18, and 19
mm is printed on the GK-3B package, and
you can also determine the spacing by
placing this gauge against your bass.
fig.1030
8
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