The present invention provides a media guide system for guiding media unwound from a roll of a roll assembly along a direction of roll feeding in a printer. The guide system includes a guide base including a datum edge guide surface and a plurality of edge guide receivers. The datum edge guide surface is aligned along a direction of roll feeding. The plurality of edge guide receivers is formed in the guide base and extends along the direction of roll feeding. When the roll assembly is loaded into the guide base by engaging an edge guide of the roll assembly into at least one of the plurality of edge guide receivers, the datum edge guide surface of the guide base and the edge guide of the roll assembly serve as edge guides to guide the roll through the printer during a printing operation.