VG-99 Recap 9-26-2014

[Bill Ruppert]

I have to say I have spent 4 weeks with the Gt-001 as a studio direct device for clean sounds and in the end I am back to the VG-99.
The 99 just seems to have a greater headroom before crapping out.
Its night and day. In fact it kept me up a few nights wondering if I was imagining it.
In the end I wasn't.
I think the VG-99 sounds more open.
It scares me as it may be the same for the GP-10...
Why is it the A/D stuff made in Japan ALWAYS sounds better than the stuff made in Taiwan?

[fokof]

I don't know about the VG99 but the VB99 D/A sounds very good when I use it as USB interface for general music listening.
Detailed and wide.







PS : I have HD192 and Apollo interface at home to compare to.

[supernicd]

I haven't tried the GT-001 or the GP-10.  I have used and still own newer modelers including the GR-55, GT-100, HD500, a Variax, and various desktop/iOS software products before purchasing a VG-99.  I'm a late comer to the 99, purchased used after it was discontinued.  The VG-99 is what I'm using as a main rig, and the others are pulled off the shelf mainly for experimenting and comparing or just to try a different approach to something.

Compared to the newer modelers, I feel I'm sacrificing a small amount of play feel, and a small amount of detail that has been improved with upgraded algorithms and faster processors.  The play feel is noticeable only by me, and the detail is  maybe noticeable by other guitarists, though none ever comment to that effect.  On the other hand the list of things I'd sacrifice by using one of the other units instead of the 99 as a main rig is far longer and far more painful, and frankly the tones I need are all inside 99s walls.  All I need to do is take the time to dial them in.  Despite technology improvements of recent years, it is still unparalleled in so many ways.

When my G.A.S. flares up and I think about buying something new, I have to ask myself if I could really see it replacing the 99 as a primary rig and the answer comes back no, and I wonder if I shouldn't instead get a backup 99 before they become too scarce.  This is not to knock the other units - they are all excellent and have their unique strengths as evidenced by that I haven't sold them.  I'm sure the GP-10 and GT-001 are pretty sweet and have their unique strengths too.  But for me in Sept 2014 the VG-99 is still a dream rig.  I love it.

[supernicd]

I rescind the preceding statement.  What I really meant is that in 2014, the VG-99 is antiquated rubbish, and you should probably sell me your mint condition unit dirt cheap while it still has any resale value at all.

[aliensporebomb]

Maybe the Japanese engineers have more of an affinity for sound and what good sound needs?

Every day the VG-99 surprises me.  I now realize why the folks at Roland had a issue doing their patches for this unit - it's real easy to create a "rough" patch, the magic is where the refining is.

All my patches I've worked on I've refined over a period of years and it's gotten to the point where if I'm auditioning a track in the car where I've got a Mesa Boogie patch that sounds EXACTLY like my Mesa Studio Preamp - it's totally uncanny. 

I can't tell the difference unless I refer to my track notes.  All the EQs give an amazing level of refinement.  But we all knew this. 

[ericar123]

I would love to hear from Bill Rupert and others in this group that might have used the
the 2 other big ones( Axe FX II and Kemper). Everyone keeps talking about the other 2
but I feel that the VG99 can still do more.

[musicman65]

I would love to hear from Bill Rupert and others in this group that might have used the
the 2 other big ones( Axe FX II and Kemper). Everyone keeps talking about the other 2
but I feel that the VG99 can still do more.

I own a KPA and still use my VG99 exclusively. I even bought a 2nd 99 and built a hybrid VG99/KPA rig. Its the ultimate tone machine for me....but it's complicated and bulky. Maybe one day I'll switch...but the 99 works so well on its own.

[Now_And_Then]

I have to say I have spent 4 weeks with the Gt-001 as a studio direct device for clean sounds and in the end I am back to the VG-99.
The 99 just seems to have a greater headroom before crapping out.

Bill, could you please explain what you are using and why? I seem to recall that you were so impressed with the GP-10 that you stopped using the VG-99; I am not sure where the GT-001 fits (or had fit) in your setup.

At any rate, insofar as "intense pressure" and "need to do get things done instantly and perfectly" seem to be integral parts of your working environment, it'd be interesting to know what you are using and why.

[Elantric]

I seem to recall that you were so impressed with the GP-10 that you stopped using the VG-99

Ugh - I recall that was voiced by me  (not Bill)

I prefer the Boss GP-10 at live gigs mostly because it can survive antics which would kill/destroy any VG-99 under 30 seconds)

[aliensporebomb]

I've been lucky but I've also tried to not get gigs that would put the 99 in massive harms way.  I have my "analog rig" for that.

[Now_And_Then]

Bill, could you please explain what you are using and why? I seem to recall that you were so impressed with the GP-10 that you stopped using the VG-99; I am not sure where the GT-001 fits (or had fit) in your setup.

Ugh - I recall that was voiced by me  (not Bill)

Do I correctly infer, then, that you have changed your opinion of the relative merits of the VG-99 vs GP-10?

[Elantric]

Do I correctly infer, then, that you have changed your opinion of the relative merits of the VG-99 vs GP-10?

If you read only my posts ( at link below) many will  still find my real opinions a bit elusive. 
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=profile;area=showposts;u=4

The specific gear that gets loaded into my Van really depends on the task at hand and having the right tool for the job - long time readers know I have a rather complete arsenal ( herd!)

Bulk of the live shows I perform at occur in more hostile environments, in the pursuit of entertaining  folks who really don't care what type gear I'm playing  -
Despite all the new toy discussions here, I'm still a firm believer that bulk of any guitarists ability to connect with the LIVE crowd with highest level of non verbal communication and expression revolves around an experienced brain, ears,  and fingers. what counts most is  playing in the groove, with good pick attack, carefully timed vibratos, and  string bending technique and carefully chosen chord voicings with a well rehearsed band - all play a much larger role in generating artistic  expressiveness that connects to the human spirit than any stomp box

Choosing the right tools for a live show to perform in a dusty corner of the local park for live show, (with chance of rain) its more important the gear be as robust as possible, and  can survive hard knocks, is very different to what gear works best in the studio,     - lately been using the GP-10 into a  couple stomp FX then straight into a Cube 80XL

Since July 2014,Ive already played more live gigs, fund raisers, car shows,in the local supermarket parking lots, with my GP-10 than my still  pristine 2007 VG-99, which seldom leaves my home studio. Asking me which one I prefer is like asking which one is my favorite child.

[Now_And_Then]

The specific gear that gets loaded into my Van really depends on the task at hand and having the right tool for the job - long time readers know I have a rather complete arsenal ( herd!)

Well then let's take this in the context of studio recording insofar as that permits (or, you know, requires) that you concern yourself only with sound and not durability or roadability: how often do you find that the GP-10, in that situation, is better for any given task than the VG-99?

Although I have not listened to them, I assume based on the opinions which I have read here that the GP-10 has better acoustic guitar sounds than the VG-99, but in what other areas do you consider that the GP-10 surpasses the VG-99?

[Elantric]

While the VG-99 offers MUCH broader palette of Controls and features and tweezer like  precision editing with its multiple EQ stages  A/B signal chains and gain stage VU metering at every FX stage to watch for clipping during patch creation,  The Boss GP-10 has broad dynamic range, and is quieter  / less noise than my VG-99  with fast responding zero lag CTL pedals and Expression pedal  (GP-10 just flys for me and feels like an analog box with ultra low latency,  has  far more useful real time controls for live gigs compared to the sluggish responding GR-55, where silent gap time  between every patch change can be measured with a sundial ) On GP-10,  all classic meat and potatoes guitar and amp Modeling tones have a wide dynamic range and GP-10 Acoustics, DSP Alt tunings, decent sounding COSM Nylon Guitars without the dreaded VG-99 audio Drop out during soft passages "bug")   sound better to me when I plug it into my amp  / PA
And Ive stated before the GP-10 with its all metal chassis construction can survive the gigs I play at - under harsher conditions in noon day sun that I would never take my Kemper or plastic chassis VG-99   

[pasha811]

I've been lucky but I've also tried to not get gigs that would put the 99 in massive harms way.  I have my "analog rig" for that.

Aliensporebomb, can you detail what analog rig stands for? At the moment I am looking at GP10 or ME80/GT100 and I endorse what Elantric said in this thread about what gives the difference in a gig not being the stomp you use...
So I am just curious.

Best
Pasha

[aliensporebomb]

Analog Rig:

Guitar
!
!
!
Giggity Pedal -> EHX Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai -> Strymon BigSky
!
!
!
Mesa Boogie Studio Preamp -> FX LOOP -> Lexicon Vortex -> TC Electronic G Sharp
!
!
!
Recording Outs to Roland JC-120 [it's sort of a PA amp that amplifies the preceding].

That rig is much more "normal" to regular guitar players than my GK rig.  The reason I use the recording outs is it sounds and feels more like a tube amp than the regular outs.

I've had the Studio Preamp since 1990 or 1991 I think.

[pasha811]

Analog Rig:

Guitar
!
!
!
Giggity Pedal -> EHX Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai -> Strymon BigSky
!
!
!
Mesa Boogie Studio Preamp -> FX LOOP -> Lexicon Vortex -> TC Electronic G Sharp
!
!
!
Recording Outs to Roland JC-120 [it's sort of a PA amp that amplifies the preceding].

That rig is much more "normal" to regular guitar players than my GK rig.  The reason I use the recording outs is it sounds and feels more like a tube amp than the regular outs.

I've had the Studio Preamp since 1990 or 1991 I think.

Thank you!
It looks great and I can guess it plays great as well! :-)

[supernicd]

Despite all the new toy discussions here, I'm still a firm believer that bulk of any guitarists ability to connect with the LIVE crowd with highest level of non verbal communication and expression revolves around an experienced brain, ears,  and fingers. what counts most is  playing in the groove, with good pick attack, carefully timed vibratos, and  string bending technique and carefully chosen chord voicings with a well rehearsed band - all play a much larger role in generating artistic  expressiveness that connects to the human spirit than any stomp box

I once loaned a buddy a piece of gear to play a benefit show with.  He asked me "what are all these buttons for?"  What made that question interesting is that I hadn't loaned him a VG-99, HD500, GR-55 or any other complex MFX pedal.  He was asking that about the 4-button foot switch that came with the Boogie combo amp I loaned him.  After I explained the functions, he paused for a second and then said "Hmm, OK I really prefer just 1 button to switch between clean and dirty.  Can you set that up for me?"

I thought it was an odd comment at the time, but, man, he played a great show and the audience was engaged all night.

[Alec Lee]

I would love to hear from Bill Rupert and others in this group that might have used the
the 2 other big ones( Axe FX II and Kemper).

I don't have any quality time with the KPA but I've racked up a ton of time on an AxeFx Ultra and AxeFx II. Here's my TL;DR breakdown of the advantages of each device:

VG-99

• non-guitar timbres
• altered tunings
• guitar modeling
• stomp box effects

AxeFx

• amp/cab modeling
• studio effects
• tweaking details
• delays & reverbs
• complex signal chains

For running magnetic pickups into a simulated amp, the VG isn't even close to the AxeFx. It has a hash quality to its distortion that breaks the illusion of an analog rig. When I'd run into that on the early AxeFx versions, I could dial it out with some PEQ. That's much harder on the VG due to the limited granularity of cutoff frequencies. With the AxeFx II, I don't even need to use the PEQ...though my signal chain can have two, in addition to the four GEQ blocks plus the GEQ embedded in each of the two amp blocks.

My impressions of the VG's effects are mixed. The stomp box models are what you'd expect but the "studio" effects (comp/lim, delay, reverb) lack richness relative to their AxeFx counterparts which are more in the Lexicon class. The tweakability (e.g., the PEQ limitation mentioned above) leaves me wanting more after five years dialing in the AxeFx.

Right now, the VG's killer feature for me is HRM and altered tuning. My band plays in Eb but I prefer to keep my guitar tuned in standard. I also like to pull out some non-guitar timbres.

If I weren't constantly looking for a smaller/lighter rig, I'd rack the VG with the AxeFx and use the VG just for guitar modeling & synthesis and use the AxeFx for amps & effects. For live work now, I'm running just the VG as something that's satisfactory but not the best tool at my disposal. I use the VG for scratch recordings but stuff I want to shine gets the AxeFx treatment.

My $0.02, IMHO, FWIW, YMMV, etc. 

[thebrushwithin]

Belew's is still incorporating the VG99 in his current tour rig.