Amazingly Flexible Unit, but don't expect plug and play

I bought this for the synth sounds (work in an 80s cover band and needed to be able to copy synth bass lines), but the COSM bass models and amp models are actually even more useful. With a change in patch I can cop a Music Man, a Jazz Bass, fretless on a fretted (sort of... in the mix it sounds find), all through a series of class amps.

The unit is non-trivial though... it can be rather complex in places, but as long as you invest a little time reading the manual, it's straightforward and consistent in it's interface. For me, using the PC editor is so much easier than the onboard controls, it's essentially a must-have (free download from Roland's site). The first notes at the first practice with the thing made the whole band go wow... which is pretty rare for a bass player (in my experience), so on that basis alone it's won a permanent place in my arsenal... but it's far more than glitter, it's a real tool.

Game Changer

I've been playing bass for more than 25 years, and have always pushed the limits when it came to effects and gear. This changes everything for a bassist. I have the GK-3B mounted to my 1988 Modulus Quantum 4. It tracks perfectly. I have a GT-10B, which does pretty well with synth tones, but the tracking on the VB-99 is impeccable when set-up correctly, which couldn't be easier. The GT-10B is headed to eBay. The synth sounds are fantastic. The upright tones are very usable in a band situation. I've never been into Modeled basses or amps, but this works exceptionally well. I'm ordering another pickup for my Carvin Icon 6. MIDI tracking is good on the small strings, but weak on the big strings, which is just a physical limitation of MIDI pickup. One cycle to get a MIDI note, and bass cycles slowly (hence the deep tone) so the E and A strings have a bit of latency. But I was playing some convincing Grand Piano lines on the D and G controlling my Juno D with the Bass to MIDI function. Mind blowing. Excellent. You need one. I needed one. Best bass processor ever.