The Roland vg-88
I've had the pleasure of owning this fine bit of technology for about a year. I want to dedicate a chunk of my website to this unit and the possibilities it affords me.
As of now, I'm still using an external GK-22a pick-up . I plan on getting an internal unit later this year. It really hasn't been in the way too much - I play a Strat, and it fits nicely by the output jack. I've also been using an ART X-15 midi foot controller. It gives me 2 more continuous controllers, and improved patch selection flexibility.
Here are some pointers for those of you who might give a damn...
Use the best headphones you can get while programming the VG-88. You want to be able to hear the sound as clean and as uncolored as possible. Guitar amps can (and will more than not) color the sound, and not give a true representation of what the unit is outputting. Even better than headphones, if you have the means, would be a pair of high quality studio monitors. I use a set of Mackie HR824's, and they give such a transparent sound.
If you are starting from scratch when building a sound, I suggest to turn all effects OFF. Once you dial in the guitar sound you need, then put the "grease" on it. You'll find it's easier to get a great sound. (Personally, I find that I'm pulling a lot of the effects off of the factory sounds, it seems the factory techs are a bit reverb happy at times.) Building a great guitar sound is a little bit like baking a cake - the frosting goes on after it's baked - otherwise you'll end up with a big pile of shit in a pan.
Pay close attention to your various "LEVEL" settings. Clip distortion sounds like crap. Also, be sure to spend plenty of time really tweaking the different COSM amp settings. I've played through many of the real amps that the VG-88 models, and the minds at Roland have really done a superb job at capturing many of the nuances of the individual amps.
