Roland GK-3 pickup

Hexaphonic pickup with adjustable curvature & length of the cable and large jack socket with smooth-running volume control

The Roland GK-3 is a so-called hexaphonic pickup that enables conventional electric guitars to communicate with guitar synthesizers, modelling processors and MIDI systems. Unlike a standard humbucker or single-coil, which mixes all strings into a single signal, the GK-3 has six separate pickup units - one for each string.

The design of the GK-3 is characterised by its user-friendliness. The control unit is usually stabilised via the guitar's strap pin, while the narrow pickup is placed between the bridge pickup and the bridge. A particular advantage is the adjustable curvature of the pickup element: a small screw can be used to adjust the radius of the pickup to the curvature of the fingerboard, which guarantees an even volume across all strings.

Although the GK-3 was primarily developed for Roland and Boss devices, it is now considered the industry standard for 13-pin systems and is the first choice for guitarists who want to expand their tonal palette beyond the limits of traditional amplifier sounds.