Variax + podxt live <> GK3 and VG88

[cincy_cosmo]

I have been thinking about getting a GK-3/vg-88 combo (again) and mounting it to my Fernandes Revolver Pro. But I've always had a love/hate thing going with the 13 pin cable.

 

-or-

 

I could dump the Fernandes on the market and take the money and partially offset the cost of getting a Line 6 Variax 700 and a PODxt Live and have pretty much the same capabilities.

 

Which is the better setup?

[cincy_cosmo]

I'm gonna bump this to see if the morning crowd has any opinions.

[orourke]

What's a GK-3/vg-88 combo?

 

As far as the Variax idea is concerned, I have a Variax 600 on order but I don't have any real world expeirence with it yet. I don't expect it to take the place of my LP, Strat or Tele. I doubt that the strings can interact with the pickup the way my regular guitars do. I'm also a little worried about having a guitar with such complex curcuitry built into it. Who's ever heard of a 50 year old portable computer that still works? Yet I have a 1959 Gretsch electric that still functions fine. I just like the idea of being able to switch between vastly different sounds during a song.

 

My advice to you would be, that unless you have some other standard electric that you really can rely on I wouldn't go off selling the Fernandes Revolver.

[cincy_cosmo]

 

Originally posted by orourke What's a GK-3/vg-88 combo?

 

 

Roland quietly sells one effect box that is a more comprehensive solution to guitar/amp emulation than the GT-8 and GT-Pro...that is the VG-88. To fully use the VG-88 you have to have a special pickup, the GK-3 attached to the guitar. The GK-3 and VG-88 'talk' through a proprietary 13 pin cable.

 

The result is very similar to a Variax attached to Podxt Live. The diffences are:

1. All the intelligence in the Roland setup lies in the floor unit, the VG-88

2. You can quickly adapt any guitar...ie guitars you LIKE, to the Roland system.

3. The VG-88 can do some string-to-string effects (like pitch shifting the 1st 2nd and 4th strings), or string to string (Polyphonic) distortion, which gives you some pretty interesting capabilities.

4. The Roland unit has no editor included.

5. The Roland unit has no USB connectivity

6. The Roland system can still use, process and even mix in the sounds of the magnetic pickups.

 

 

As neat as it sounds, Roland has been trying to sell the VG-88 idea for years with limited market acceptance. There are several guitars sold with the internals that can 'talk' the VG-88 (Godin, Brian Moore, Fender etc). Generally though the VG-88 setup costs more. In my case, I could see interesting things coming from the VG-88 and the Sustainer system on the Fernandes.

 

But, if you read the H-C boards here, it sounds like the Variax is a pretty solid product.

 

Again, I used to own a VG-88 (but that was a major software upgrade ago, as well as upgrade to the pickup hardware that eliminates the need to drill holes in a guitar or use big goopy two sided tape). Most stores don't stock VG-88s anymore. Heck, I haven't been able to find a store that I can really mess with a Podxt Live and a Variax 700 at the same time either.

[orourke]

Oh yeah, now I know what you're talking about - that Roland synth rig. I was thinking about that, but I'm very happy with my big-ass pedalboard right now, and I don't want another large piece of gear on the floor. Also, that pickup adapter thing is pretty hideous, which would mean I'd really have to buy one of those guitars (Moore, Godin etc.).

 

I haven't seen the Variax 700 in either of the big stores - GC or Sam Ash, but Sam Ash had the 600 and it seemed like a decent enough guitar. I tried the 300 through a POD xt Live into one of those weird Bose amps with the speaker that looks like a fence pole. I was unimpressed with the sounds I was getting out of the system, I thought the Variax sounded better through a regular Fender tube amp. But of coarse it's a complex system and my time with it was limited. One odd aspect of the Variax is that because all the sound comes from the computer, and they all use the same guts, they all sound the same.

 

Lastly, a creepy thing I saw at GC was when I asked to try the Variax 300 (powered by the box with the special guitar cable which the GC guys took 10 mins. to find). The high E string on the guitar didn't work nor did any of the acoustic guitar models. It was a malfunction that could never happen on a standard electric. They got me another one, and it worked fine. But if I get a malfuntion like that on my Variax after the warrenty is up, it might me hard to find a tech that wants to deal with a problem like that.

[Blackbelt1]

Hey Steve,

 

Congrats on getting the 600, I'm sure after you've spent some time with it you'll enjoy its versatility. Jumping between instruments or alternate tunings mid-song is pretty cool.

 

I have both a 300 and a 600; I got lucky with the 300 in that mine plays just fine, no fret issues and such. But I've played several in-store and the QC on the 300 models is inconsistent. Of the 2, I prefer the 600 hands down because it feels just like my Strats. Here's a pic of mine on my myspace:

 

http://www.myspace.com/steveplaystooloud

 

One thing I'll mention is that I put 9's on my 600 and the acoustic models just didn't sound as full. I'm using 10's now and I'm happy with all of the sounds. Also I don't know if you're mating it up with a Pod XT Live or not, but the 2 together really form a powerful combo. You won't need the power box and you can control the Variax from the floorboard. You would also be entitled to download and use Workbench for free as a Pod XTL owner.

 

~Blackbelt

Steve

[bdegrande]

The downsides of the Variax are 1)it won't get nearly as many different sounds as the Rolands will, and 2)you have to use the Variax guitar. There is SOME flexibility here, as the Variax can take Strat necks, and a lot of the feel of a guitar is in the neck. There have also been Variax transplants to other guitars, and Warmoth makes bodies designed for the electronics.

 

I used the Roland for years and like the Variax better in a few respects. First, and this is subjective, I just think it sounds better. I think the modeling is quite good, but I don't even care so much about that, just having a lot of good useful sounds. The acoustic/resonator sounds in particular are excellent.

 

I also prefer having the controls on the guitar itself rather than having to use footswiches, it just is more intuitive for me. You can certainly set it up to change everything including guitar models with one patch change using the Pod XT Live.

 

Line 6 support is excellent. The software and firmware has gotten useful upgrades, and there is an application (Line 6 Monkey) to make upgrades easy.

 

Lastly, I love that it can run off batteries. When traveling, I use a Variax and a Roland Micro Cube. I can play outdoors, and I can go guitar-cable-amp. With the Roland, you need AC power and at least one external box.