Vigier Debuts the Memory Guitar at Musikmesse
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(Click for a close-up) |
March 5, 2003
At this year's Musikmesse show in Frankfurt, Germany, Vigier Guitars unveiled a prototype of its new memory guitar, able to remember settings like the active pickup configuration as well as the volume and tone control settings.
The memory system memorizes how to produce a passive sound but, does not modify or process the original sound of the pickups.
This is not a modeling guitar - it's a standard electric guitar with the ability to recall settings so you don't need to dial them in for each song.
The guitar is MIDI compatible so you can select your guitar settings via a MIDI device such as a pedal board.
Up to 128 patches can be stored and selected via MIDI.
A set of four switches control the pickup configuration.
- SW1: 3 positions for the neck pickup, (OFF/SINGLE-COIL/HUMBUCKER)
- SW2: 2 positions for the middle pickup, (OFF/ON)
- SW3: 3 positions for the bridge pickup, (OFF/SINGLE COIL/HUMBUCKER)
- SW4: 3 positions, STANDBY (all pickups OFF), BRIDGE PICKUP HUMBUCKER ALONE/SW1+SW2+SW3 MASTER
Pickup selection is indicated by 6 LEDs.
Volume and tone controls work like on any standard guitar.
To memorize a sound you simply have to set your pickups, volume and tone where you want them, then press once on the record button. Choose via a pedal board (or any other master device) the patch number you want to record the setting into, and hold the record button a second time for two seconds. When the recording is done, all LEDs will flash.
You can change the volume and tone at any time. As soon as you move them, they will put the guitar into edit mode. A change of switch position, will turn all switch settings into manual mode ("what you see is what you get".) Modifying parameters won't change the recorded setting until you press record.
The electronics are powered by a single 9v battery and memorized sounds will remain intact even without a battery.
The audio OUT and MIDI IN is done with a single 5 pin DIN jack.
For more information, visit their web site at www.vigierguitars.com. | 
