Roland VG-8 - 27 year old technology still sounds great

[JiveTurkey]

Roland VG-8 VeryFX! patch on SY-1000

Roland VG-8 VeryFX! patch on SY-1000

www.vguitarforums.com

Good to see you here!

 

[mbenigni]

I’ve always been interested in these as a result of hearing Kirk Hammett use one on the Load album. That clean guitar part in “Until It Sleeps” was supposedly the VG-8. There were some other tones on that album I know he used it for but I can’t remember anymore. If I can find one for $200 I’d scoop that up.

I was supposed to get a Fishman Triple Play a few months back but I think it turned into another guitar or a bunch of pedals.

I see lots of VG-8's on Reverb in the $150-$200 range, but the VG-8EX's.... well, let's just say the sellers seem to know the difference.

 

[mbenigni]

I'm not courageous enough to make an overseas purchase on eBay, but (allegedly) there is this:

Roland Guitar System VG-8EX with box, Manual | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Roland Guitar System VG-8EX with box, Manual at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

(Makes me wonder - did Roland do localized firmware for these devices? I.e. would menu items be in Japanese or English? I can see the silkscreened labels are all in English.)

 

[Piing]

The VG8 has accompanied me on hundreds of gigs since I got it in 1995. Not only with the sounds, but also as my main floor controller for my "FRFR" rig, together with a Roland EV-5 expression pedal that I still keep and works like the first day. I started with the JMP-1 and Boss GX-700, and I've lost account of of all the rack gear I've had on these racks. I can only remember some looking at old pictures: Roland GI-20, Axon AX100, Roland Fantom XR, Yamaha MU-100R, EMU Orbit, Lexicon Vortex, Muse Receptor, ADA Microcab, Egnater M4, Boss GT-Pro, Nord Modular G2 Engine, Eventide H3000, Eventide Eclipse...
even a fruckin' Rad Harmonic Converger, for the GT-Pro

I've found a nostalgic picture

A setup routing, when things started to get complicated

I used that Boss FS-5U momentary pedal to freeze the notes of the MIDI Guitar synth, and play leads over the background chords.

It has always been so easy to assign MIDI functions with Roland gear! even with the old VG8. Both the EXP PEDAL and the EXT SWITCH could be assigned to send MIDI CC to other equipment. That is something that the Axe-FX III is not capable of doing, even though it has been on the wish list since the Axe-FX Standard.

 

[JiveTurkey]

The VG8 has accompanied me on hundreds of gigs since I got it in 1995. Not only with the sounds, but also as my main floor controller for my "FRFR" rig, together with a Roland EV-5 expression pedal that I still keep and works like the first day. I started with the JMP-1 and Boss GX-700, and I've lost account of of all the rack gear I've had on these racks. I can only remember some looking at old pictures: Roland GI-20, Axon AX100, Roland Fantom XR, Yamaha MU-100R, EMU Orbit, Lexicon Vortex, Muse Receptor, ADA Microcab, Egnater M4, Boss GT-Pro, Nord Modular G2 Engine, Eventide H3000, Eventide Eclipse...
even a *****in' Rad Harmonic Converger, for the GT-Pro

I've found a nostalgic picture
View attachment 827
A setup routing, when things started to get complicated
View attachment 829
View attachment 831

View attachment 833
I used that Boss FS-5U momentary pedal to freeze the notes of the synth, and play leads over the background chords.

It has always been so easy to assign MIDI functions with Roland gear! even with the old VG8. Both the EXP PEDAL and the EXT SWITCH could be assigned to send MIDI CC to other equipment. That is something that the Axe-FX III is not capable of doing, even though it has been on the wish list since the Axe-FX Standard.

I love everything about this rig \m/ That Ibanez is awesome

 

[Piing]

I love everything about this rig \m/ That Ibanez is awesome

That RG550LTD is still the best guitar I've ever had. Better than all the many Ibanezes, Shurrs, Charvels, Tom Anderson, and all the expensive guitars I have owned.

 

[JiveTurkey]

That RG550LTD is still the best guitar I've ever had. Better than all the many Ibanezes, Shurrs, Charvels, Tom Anderson, and all the expensive guitars I have owned.

That finish with the white binding is

 

[mbenigni]

The VG8 has accompanied me on hundreds of gigs since I got it in 1995. Not only with the sounds, but also as my main floor controller for my "FRFR" rig, together with a Roland EV-5 expression pedal that I still keep and works like the first day. I started with the JMP-1 and Boss GX-700, and I've lost account of of all the rack gear I've had on these racks. I can only remember some looking at old pictures: Roland GI-20, Axon AX100, Roland Fantom XR, Yamaha MU-100R, EMU Orbit, Lexicon Vortex, Muse Receptor, ADA Microcab, Egnater M4, Boss GT-Pro, Nord Modular G2 Engine, Eventide H3000, Eventide Eclipse...
even a fruckin' Rad Harmonic Converger, for the GT-Pro

I've found a nostalgic picture
View attachment 827
A setup routing, when things started to get complicated
View attachment 829
View attachment 831

View attachment 833
I used that Boss FS-5U momentary pedal to freeze the notes of the MIDI Guitar synth, and play leads over the background chords.

It has always been so easy to assign MIDI functions with Roland gear! even with the old VG8. Both the EXP PEDAL and the EXT SWITCH could be assigned to send MIDI CC to other equipment. That is something that the Axe-FX III is not capable of doing, even though it has been on the wish list since the Axe-FX Standard.

So much cool stuff here. (I'm especially fond of the levitating cat LOL.)

I had a Nord Micro Modular in my rig in the early 2000's as well. (Not quite the same, I know.)

 

[dk_ace]

I haven’t used one of those in probably 20 years. I remember the acoustic sounds being really good, is that my memory playing tricks on me? I was not exactly schooled on great acoustic tone back then so I have no idea if they were really any good.

I’ve wanted to pick one up just to mess with but the special pickup thing always keeps me away.

D

 

[Piing]

I haven’t used one of those in probably 20 years. I remember the acoustic sounds being really good, is that my memory playing tricks on me? I was not exactly schooled on great acoustic tone back then so I have no idea if they were really any good.

I’ve wanted to pick one up just to mess with but the special pickup thing always keeps me away.

D

The acoustic tones were not bad, but they are perfect on the Boss GP-10 and the SY-1000. I would not go back to the VG8 for that

This is the GP-10