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 VG-99 
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Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 7:55 pm
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Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Post Re: VG-99
Thor wrote:
No, that part of my post was unrelated to the VG-99... you see, I don't actually own a stick...yet! But it was just a thought i had when brousing the tuning section of Stick.com. I meant to say that since there is no "open string" because it is dampened when you tune a string to a note then is the first playable note infact a semitone higher? Or can you tap on the dampened fret? Stupid question probably, but purely going on pictures I was curious.


The first playable note is a semitone higher than the open string, you can play the first fret (the one the damper is behind).

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Sat Jan 05, 2008 11:09 am
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Post Re: VG-99
Thor wrote:

No, that part of my post was unrelated to the VG-99... you see, I don't actually own a stick...yet! But it was just a thought i had when brousing the tuning section of Stick.com. I meant to say that since there is no "open string" because it is dampened when you tune a string to a note then is the first playable note infact a semitone higher? Or can you tap on the dampened fret? Stupid question probably, but purely going on pictures I was curious.


That's what I was thinking, my third paragraph somewhat answers your question. But yes, you can tap on the fret with the damper, it's not tall enough to interfere with fretting the note. It only interferes with the open note, which if it were not there, you would have to pluck the string.

Curious to know from Devon777 if he's experienced any intonation issues with the COSM & PolyFX tones in the VG-99.

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Sat Jan 05, 2008 3:10 pm
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Post Re: VG-99
I've had the VG99 for a few weeks now and it is awesome. Still tweaking many sounds but the potential is unbelievable. I've used the VG88 for many yeras and look forward to making the switch. Besides the amazing possibilities available, I really appreciate the fact that it's half the size of the previous unit and only weighs 4 pounds which is great for transport.


Sat Jan 05, 2008 9:48 pm
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Post Re: VG-99
Thanks for clearing up that little querry guys!


Fri Jan 11, 2008 3:38 pm
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Post Re: VG-99
I went to a VG-99 demo a few days ago and had a chance to try it out with my Grand. I already have a VG-8, so I'm familiar with the concept: the VG-99 sounds better and is more responsive in my opinion. It also has a MIDI output for external synths, which is great.

A very cool feature that the demonstrator showed me: the VG-99 has in practice a dual signal path, so that you can have to guitar models at once - with the Stick you can use the GK under the melody strings for one channel and the straight output of the stick bass side on the other (It also accepts a guitar input, not just GK!). So there you go, VG guitar and multieffects for bass in one unit with stereo output! I was just checking out of curiosity, but this seems to be a must-have unit for the Stickist with a GK pickup...

There is also a way to accomplish something similar with the VG-8: use a mono cable to connect the output of the Stick pickup to the GK, then, from the VG use the "guitar output" into a Pandora or similar and back into the "mix in" of the VG.

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Tue Jan 29, 2008 7:54 am
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Post Re: VG-99
Shedua511 wrote:
I went to a VG-99 demo a few days ago and had a chance to try it out with my Grand. I already have a VG-8, so I'm familiar with the concept: the VG-99 sounds better and is more responsive in my opinion. It also has a MIDI output for external synths, which is great.

A very cool feature that the demonstrator showed me: the VG-99 has in practice a dual signal path, so that you can have to guitar models at once - with the Stick you can use the GK under the melody strings for one channel and the straight output of the stick bass side on the other (It also accepts a guitar input, not just GK!). So there you go, VG guitar and multieffects for bass in one unit with stereo output! I was just checking out of curiosity, but this seems to be a must-have unit for the Stickist with a GK pickup...

There is also a way to accomplish something similar with the VG-8: use a mono cable to connect the output of the Stick pickup to the GK, then, from the VG use the "guitar output" into a Pandora or similar and back into the "mix in" of the VG.


One thing I found (I only run the GK-3 with my guitar), if you want to blend the original signal with the GK-3, you have to split the channels to do that; I was unable to blend within one channel. I'm thinking with a Stick you are stuck with a guitar model (full MIDI) or your melody tone (MIDI off) if you run the bass through the other input. Also, there are two bass amp models accessible without the GK-3 If someone finds a way to blend MIDI and the original PU tone in one channel, please share.

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Tue Jan 29, 2008 4:20 pm
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Post Re: VG-99
MichNS wrote:
If someone finds a way to blend MIDI and the original PU tone in one channel, please share.


Actually there is no MIDI involved. It is a common misunderstanding, that extends to calling the GK a "MIDI pickup". In reality it is a hexaphonic pickup, that is it has a separate signal from every string, but otherwise it is yer god ol' magnetic pickup.

With a GR or GI, the hexaphonic, analog signal is converted from pitch to MIDI (very conveniently the VG-99 offers this converted signal at the MIDI output), but at the basis of the VG series there is no MIDI conversion whatsoever : think of the VGs as six parallel multieffects in a box, one per string.
As Mich notes, the only no way to mix the guitars' pickups and the GK internally in the VG-99 is to dedicate one of the two chnnels to that (mono jack from the guitar output to the guitar input on the GK-3, on the rear panel "guitar out" to "guitar in"), but it is also possible to send the "guitar out" to external equipment and, using a mixer, mix that with the output of the VG-99.
In this case both channels on the VG-99 can be dedicated to the GK output.

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Wed Jan 30, 2008 12:56 am
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Post Re: VG-99
Sadly, putting a damper in my plans for world domination (a dual GK-3/VG-99 setup sometime in the future), Roland and other users have said the VG-99 is less than ideal for bass range instruments... the pitch shifting and synth algorithms don't work well.

Perhaps Roland has a new bass specific version in the works with some of the new dual effects chain features (it's been 6 years since the V-BASS).... in a case like this I wish they would take the Line6 approach and have more general purpose effects units that can suit both, since the Stick doesn't fall strictly in either category.

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Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:02 am
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Post Re: VG-99
robmartino wrote:
Sadly, putting a damper in my plans for world domination (a dual GK-3/VG-99 setup sometime in the future), Roland and other users have said the VG-99 is less than ideal for bass range instruments... the pitch shifting and synth algorithms don't work well.

Perhaps Roland has a new bass specific version in the works with some of the new dual effects chain features (it's been 6 years since the V-BASS).... in a case like this I wish they would take the Line6 approach and have more general purpose effects units that can suit both, since the Stick doesn't fall strictly in either category.


Thank You! Now I don't feel bad about NOT getting a GK-3 pickup for my new Stick. I didn't think a 36" scale instrument would work to well with all algorithms as you are required to enter a scale length. It's going to be a long time before I get out of the habit of saying MIDI :oops: I like my guitar, and I love mixing acoustic tones with electric via the VG-99. It's the best acoustic simulator I've ever used. It also has the best distortion effects I've ever run my NS through, which I run through the normal guitar input.


Shedua, thanks for the mixing tip. Looks like I need to pick up a small mixer at some point,

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Thu Jan 31, 2008 5:52 pm
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