Got to play a Fender VG synth guitar today for an hour

[Robert Burns]

Damn that sucks

Couldnt you still buy one from the USA for say $1650...then just pay
the $350 import duty? Still would be way less than $3900.00 imo

[roodyrocker]

Will Roland make a a kit for just the VG system so I can put it in another guitar? THEN it would be a great score since I wouldn't like to have all that in a strat (just for the visual aspect of it).

I think it will be exclusive to the Strat. Besides, trying to fit that VG system on your own into another guitar would require some serious hacking. Have you seen the back of the VG Strat? Its not something I'd want to mod a guitar to fit on my own. Now from the front it really doesn't look much different than a standard Strat. The only extras you see are a white GK pickup by the bridge, which blends into the white Strat pickguard, and one tone knob is replaced by two mini-knobs to control the various VG functions. I think they did it rather cleanly myself.
Once again, the biggest thing I wish it had on it is Eb tuning as I stated earleir and Jack Napalm pointed out too. I would use Eb tuning much more than some of the other tunings on it. I will use drop D though for the Van Halen and Ratt tunes we do in my band

Rudy

https://www.wickedrocks.com

[El Chiguete]

I will use drop D though for the Van Halen and Ratt tunes we do in my band

Rudy
www.wickedrocks.com

Unchained!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[roodyrocker]

Unchained!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, my band does Unchained as well as Ratt's Lay it Down. Both are in Drop D. I use my 87 Purple/Black Zebra Soloist with D-Tuna or my EVH Art Series to cover these songs live.

Rudy

https://www.wickedrocks.com

[Sanctuary]

Couldnt you still buy one from the USA for say $1650...then just pay
the $350 import duty? Still would be way less than $3900.00 imo

Absolutely. The local retailers are rip-off merchants. Having said that, what happens when you have a warranty issue? Kind of hard to take a punt on a guitar that you've never played before too. But alas, I'm not a strat guy. I was just curious about these things; to see how far the technology has come since the Roland Midi guitar days.

[SpudBoy]

I love my MIA RI... I'd hit that too.

[Shwayman11]

i played one when it first came out
I love that thing!
it plays and sounds great- i felt right at home on it.
the neck feels amazing
I wouldnt by it but its defiently a class axe!

[~K~]

How does this compare to a variax?

The only problem was it doesn't do Drop C and so I would still have to bring 3 guitars along.

Variax will drop an Octave

Will Roland make a a kit for just the VG system so I can put it in another guitar?

You can buy then cheap enough and buy Warmoth parts now. I built a killer modeling strat and had Sully paint it

[Carbophos]

VG vs Variax

VG Pros:

• USA made
• Has a distinct Strat look
• Has a "real guitar" mode
• Very simple to use
• magnetic pickups are replaceable
• tremolo is replaceable

VG Cons:

• Not so many models/presets
• Not programmable
• No external power

Variax Pros

• Has a good price range with the same electronics.
• Wide choice of models including even banjo and sitar
• Very programmable
• Can work in totally digital domain
• 3 powering options (batteries, phantom w/adapter, phantom w/digital link)

Variax Cons

• Questionable design
• No "Passive" mode
• In some aspects a bit less realistic compared to VG

Overall its up to one's choice. But for average rock/blues/country guy who needs just a bit of soinc enhancement, VG is a better choice. Because having a real thing for a main job is important for many.