I know these keyboards are very old but if someone can point out the major differances between them it would be help full. I was under the impression that is pretty much just the zip drive between the two.

I have an opportunity to purchase one or the other which i will use 70% as a controller the the other 30% the on board styles.

Is the Roland G1000 the better way to go?

Here is some information for you.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec98/articles/rolandg1000.835.htm

mc

Both the G-800 and G-1000 are 64 voice polyphony, 32 part multi-timbrel arrangers with 128 onboard backing styles. The G-800 uses the 689 voice Super SC-88 sound set, while the G-1000 sports the 1152 voice SC-88 Pro sound set. They were strictly polyphony saving, small wave sample, single element GM/GS voice arrangers. You will not find any large wave sample, multi-element high quality voices in them as with full featured synths. They were very good for their time, but still somewhat limited sonically.

For full details, you can download PDF copies of their owner' manuals for free from here:

http://www.rolandus.com/support/owners_manuals/?group=3



Regards,

Ted

Thank you,

I guess the G1000 is there better way to go. The only thing now it would force me to buy a used portable zip drive to store styles and songs.

Does Fran still use a G1000?

mc

The G1000 uses 100Mb ZIP Disks, NOT the 250Mb. If you get a 250 external for your PC, make sure you get 100Mb disks and format them to 100Mb, otherwise the G1000 will not read them. Also, if you load files from your PC onto a ZIP disk, you will need to download and use the Roland Database Manager to do it, otherwise the operating system will not be able to see them. The G1000 also has a 1.4Mb HD 3 1/2 inch diskette drive. It may be easier (and a lot cheaper) to get an external USB diskette drive and port files from the PC to the G1000's internal ZIP drive that way. In that case, the OS uses its built-in Database Manager when you do the file copy from diskette to ZIP. No external Database Manager needed. The G1000's internal ZIP drive will also format blank ZIP disks if needed, but I never bought any that were not preformatted. There is a 25 pin "D" connector on the back of the G1000 for connecting to external storage devices. It looks like an old PC serial connector, but it is actually an Apple SCSI connector and will only address the first ONE GB of whatever you connect to it. What a waste !

Good luck !

Fran graduated to a G70 some years ago and still swears by it.

Regards,

Ted

PS

If you go with the G1000, I still have mine and will be available with help and advice as needed.

Well my new old Roland G1000 is on it way being shipped as we speak. I'm excited even though its an older keyboard. I not sure if the original zip disk is included. But im sure I can find it online.

can't wait.

talk to SZ member Fran Carango G1000/G800 geru !