While the unit is capable of allowing a Roland-ready guitar in standard tuning to play in alternate tunings (such as Open-E or Keith Richards' favorite tuning, Open-G), these VG-88 created tuning conversions sound far better playing chords than single notes and arpeggios. There's a microscopic but still noticeable glitch or overtone when the VG-88 transposes a note into anything other than octave, for example, when the unit has adjusted the E string down to D, in Open-G tuning.
Still, if I was playing live, and my band had to do one song in open tuning (Say "Start Me Up" or "Brown Sugar"), this could be a viable alternative to carrying a second axe or retuning between numbers and slowing the pacing down. And speaking of which, there also some very usable bass patches, which would benefit the guitarist who needs to play bass from time to time live, but doesn't want to schlep a Fender bass to the gig.
The VG-8/VG-88 wiki site has a wish list of features for Roland's next generation guitar modeling product; I would like to see the ability to easily raise and lower the output an octave by pressing a foot pedal, particularly with the synth and keyboard patches. And an effects loop for additional, outside stomp-box effects would have been nice. Also, a pair of low impedance XLR outputs, and a digital and/or USB audio output would have been useful as well, though the combination of left and right quarter-inch outputs and a separate quarter-inch stereo out are certainly serviceable. Also the unit should come with USB-enabled patch editor software, and not rely on third party MIDI software to do the job.
But those are all relatively minor quibbles compared with what the VG-88 is capable of, and what it portends for the future of the electric guitar. That "Guitar Army" that Jimmy Page was always talking about in the 1970s? Its footlocker is here.
Article comments
1 - Darren
It is interesting to see a review for an item that is nearly four years old, but it is a misnomer to call the VG-88 (or its predecessor, the VG-8), a guitar synth. It is in fact a guitar modeller and not a synth at all. For guitar synths, check out the GR range, such as the GR-33 and the GR-20. Sorry to be a pedant. ;-)
2 - Mark Saleski
i have a GR-50, though when i bought i the outboard pickup wasn't using midi, but some proprietary Roland signals.
works pretty well, though doesn't track nearly as well as this thing supposedly does.
3 - Connie Phillips
Congrats! A link to this article now appears at our Myspace Profile page.
4 - mike ferr
The author seems to think that this thing is a MIDI device that can control synths etc. Wrong - this does not output MIDI note-ons at all. It doesn't transform guitar notes to MIDI, it digitally recognizes the waveform and modifies it. A basic misunderstanding of the difference between an effects box (which this is) and a MIDI guitar synth
5 - Van Ng
Great article! I don't see where the author had indicate the unit as a guitar synth or midi device. It was clear to me that correct references to synth patches do exist on the VG, and the GI 20 or other hex/GK to Midi device would provide true guitar to midi conversion for connecting to synths. This review is well written and highlights the age-defying and technology innovator such as Roland VG. I still use my VG 88 today, version 2, sometimes as a standalone, and other times in serial/parallel with my valve and solid state amps. I would separately control my synths via a midi controller, but in my opinion and playing style would prefer bridging my VG with a GR or similar through a Roland US20, GR would connect to midi distro box to synths, without having to leave my guitar to play synths.