Roland VK-7

If you're a straight-ahead Hammond guy or gal, with no synth or midi experience whatever, you'll still be able to use and enjoy this instrument right out of the box. But to get the most out of the VK-7 you'll have to gain some basic skills.
Synth-savvy Hammond afficionados will find it easy sailing, as I have.

Not mentioned so far by other reviewers: first, how easy it is to use a second keyboard and bass pedals with the VK-7, just plug them in and go, no worrying about midi channel assignments; second, how easy it is to switch between organ and orchestral voices assigned to either keyboard or to the pedals just by hitting one button.

On the downside: first, not having separate sets of drawbars for two manuals and for bass is slightly inconvenient for me. Since I generally only use a few settings for bass and the lower manual, I can program these into presets. Others may find this more limiting. The new Korg CX-3 has two sets of drawbars which is nice, but there is absolutely no provision for bass pedals. I'd much rather have the pedals.
Second, and more difficult for me personally to adjust to, is the way the drawbar LED's are laid out: on a Hammond the drawbars are next to each other, there is no space between 5-1/3' and 8' or between 2' and 1-3/5th's. When I look at the LED I have a hard time visualizing the drawbar settings.

No sense in repeating what others have said here, features for a Hammond simulation are great and quite extensive, plus there's other stuff if we care to get into it.
One reviewer mentioned that not having separate vibrato/chorus controls for each manual was a drawback and I totally agree- but I've found that the orchestral voices, while not 'organic', can provide necessary contrast many times in a similar or even more expressive way. It's all in how authentic we choose to be.
As regards the keyboard action of the VK-7 I'd like to point out that different Hammonds have different actions, although many of them are adjustable. I've had Hammonds where the action is way too soft and others where it's way too stiff. I like the VK-7 action, it doesn't get in the way of my expressing myself musically.

I don't consider a Hammond organ or an acoustic piano a 'keyboard', they are what they are, and they are incomparable.
That having been said, my VK-7 is by far the best keyboard I've ever owned, simply because it emulates the real deal so well that I can get beyond what's producing the sound into the music itself, as if I were playing the real deal- with enhancements. It's not the same as a cranking B3 with a 122, but it's totally cool in it's own right.

As far as enhancements, I consider some of the orchestral voices very useful- especially the strings, acoustic bass and guitar. Purists might want to remember that Jimmy Smith recorded with Lalo Schifrin, and did some orchestral stuff- check out 'Walk On The Wild Side', 'Old Man River' etc. The orchestral voices give us additional choices, whether or not we choose to use them.

I too feel that that the electric piano patch bites bigtime, and that a decent acoustic piano patch would have been extremely useful. But for what this instrument really is- a Hammond emulation with additional sounds- I can find absolutely no fault with it.

I've owned the VK-7 about a month now , and I own other Roland products which have been reliable, so I have confidence in the company and the quality of it's products. But there's no way I'd ever do a gig without backup equipment, that doesn't make sense to me.

With my demo unit there have been a few issues to take care of, and Roland has been courteous and supportive, that's the extent of my experience with tech support. I do wish they had an 800 number though.

If it were lost or stolen I'd definitely replace it, it's well worth what it cost new, although I was lucky enough to buy a demo.

I've been playing for over 30 years, have owned 15 +/- Hammonds, 3 acoustic pianos, plus maybe 25-35 assorted keyboards in all, and assorted modules. This is the best keyboard I've ever owned, bar none.

I owned a Hammond/Suzuki XB2, tried out the XK2, and the Oberheim, currently own an original Korg CX3 custom midi module. The VK-7 has the fattest, warmest sound of them all, it inspires me to make music, and I'm back playing organ after too long away, thanks largely to this fine instrument.

The VK7 is quite simple to navigate directly out of the box. There is no necessity to crack the manual initially; to harness the real power of the thing one has to dig a little deeper, but it is no brain twister.
The presets are generally OK, if a little unimaginitive. I'm not sure why the various theatre organ presets are useful, but I think Roland is attempting to cover a lot of ground with this board; professional players, studios, churches, pro-jobbers, and whatever else. I loaded the thing almost exclusively with my own registrations. I don't use the orchestral sounds a great deal, but I actually like them. The strings are nice, the brass is passable, and the Rhodes and bass are very good. I wish there were a way to split some of these (like Rhodes and bass), but to my knowledge, there isn't one.
Editing is largely a cinch. I found that the "clean" tone wheel option preferable to the "vintage" as I run mine through a 147, and I changed almost all the registrations to clean.
The manual is in fairly typical Rolandease, which is to say not particularly user friendly. That said, it's ok given the simplicity of the instrument.

The VK is completely polyphonic. I find keyboard action quite pleasing, even though I'm most accustomed to piano and real Hammond actions. It is not of the annoying hair-trigger variety, it's nicely responsive, and feels natural to play.
The reverb is very good. The overdrive can be very effective, but if the onboard Leslie simulator is bypassed, the OD is bypassed as well! Strange. In my case I really don't need a Jon Lord-type thing anyway. The onboard Leslie is very good and the VK offers quite a number of Leslie configurations and editing features. The chorus/vibrato falls woefully short of the mark, and oddly cannot be edited. I generally don't use it.
The power of the VK does, however, lie in very extensive editing capabilities. Initially, I wasn't getting quite what I wanted out of it, other than the relief of portability. (I have been dragging a B3, M3, and all the rest around for 15 years). So I sat down and did some A/B experimenting with a real Hammond rig and the VK to try to determine what I wasn't getting from the VK. Generally, it seemed that the vintage sound with leakage "swam" a little to much for my taste and was diluted further when run through a Leslie. So I tried the clean sound, and things started to come around. Then I worked on the EQ, key click level, and so forth. With just a bit of work, I had a board that I have really come to like. I did other things like manual splits (I quite often have to play keyboard bass), program my favorite registrations somewhat sequentially, ie. "Hip Hug-Her" 1,2, and 3, so that I could access them on the fly.
Is it a ringer for a B? Not quite, and I think the intangible that isn't there will continue to be evasive. I own over 20 Hammmonds, and have played professionally my entire adult life. There is a certain "broadness" to a single note on a Hammond that remains elusive for all simulators. I've tried 'em all-Korg, Voce, Rhodes, Hammond/Suzuki, oddball stuff. FWIW, the VK beats them all handsdown.

It's fantastic. But I wasn't won over until I heard someone else using one. That someone was Larry Goldings. I went to a show with Goldings as a sideman, chomping at the bit to hear his wonderful organ playing. When I saw a VK on the stage, I coulda wept. Until he played. It was just a medium blues, but that's the front line for Hammond stuff. Forget it!!! It sounded Sooo good. The bomb...
Since then I've done myself a favor and worked the VK exclusively into my rig. Fellow musicians are always gassed. I can do almost any thing I would do on a B or an M, and more. On an extremely high profile gig I would opt for a B. But I don't have a crew, and play between 200 and 250 gigs a year; almost exclusively one-nighters. It wasn't a hard choice. The VK and my $40.00 Wurlitzer, both through my $75.00 Leslie. Playing out is fun again.

Roland stuff is extremely durable. Sure I'd use it w/o a backup.

Haven't needed it, but Roland is still in business, so I reckon I could track 'em down.

I would buy another if it disappeared, unquestionably.
I've been playing 30 years, 25 professionally. I'm primarily a pianist, but have played organ all along. I play bop influenced jazz, swingin' blues, gospel, roots rock, and love almost all styles.
I own so much stuff it makes my head spin sometimes. When I was coming up as a young player, I could barely afford a Rhodes, let alone a $5000.00 early polyphonic synth. So in my adult years I've aquired all the treasures that were unavailable to me in my yoot, usually in duplicate or triplicate.
I love the VK for making my life immeasurably easier. And yeah, it sounds beautiful.

Having owned a Hammond B3, and played professionally with one for many years, it was disturbing to hear the Roland VK7.
The sound is so close to the original, it makes you think you are playing the real thing.
The presets are fine, but Hammond lovers will want to turn, immediately, to the drawbars. These function the same as did the B3 and can be adjusted in a variety of ways.
Patch editing is a breeze. I have altered the configuration in order to turn on/off the rotary simulation with two foot pedals (one for speed and another for the brake). Everything works well, although it is a little touchy in distinguishing between Ext1 and Ext2.
As an added plus, the strings on this unit are superb. They are the best I have heard since some analog synths I had in the mid 1980s. The other "canned" sounds are very accurate and can be accessed with or without the Hammond sounds.
The manual is fine. It not only provides tutors that are suited to obvious usages (such as the rotary options) but also includes helpful information about the specifications (such as balanced outputs to your amplifier -- these provide quiter connections).

The organ is completely polyphonic and this attributes to its solid, timbral feel. The keyboard action is good for a Roland but does lack the waterfall keys of a true Hammond. Unlike other reviewers, I have not found it difficult to get a good glissando using Roland's style of key design.
The rotary effect is, as other reviewers note, the best around. You can custom tailor it to your likes. I am using A Fender SFX amplifier with the two speakers mounted at 90 degrees to each other. With the right DFX setting, the Roland produces a superb rotary sound.
Other effects include overdrive, reverberation, and a host of edited changes. One small problem with the used unit I purchased is that the Reverb control only works after you jiggle it. Upon startup, it will not produce any reverb. After jiggling, it provides the correct amount.
The unit allows another keyboard and pedalboard to be added and it will empower all three (as with a full Hammond unit). I am unaware of any card or module additions.
It has full MIDI capabilities and no sequencer of which I am aware.

As noted above, this instrument is almost eerily accurate. You might have to look down to make sure you are not sitting at a B3.
It does the blues, rock, popular, and related styles fine. Classical musicians can play on it for fun, but it is not particularly great for Bach.
Effects, such as chorus and attack are correct for their Hammond heritage. They are, as well, adjustable through the editing mechanism.

It appears to be built like a rock. I bought a used instrument and it seems very solid -- no quirks or oddities.
I play popular music infrequently in public, but do use this and a Yamaha P80 together for a fine pop combination. Having very good piano and Hammond organ timbres available without MIDI change is an effective way to cover many styles.

Have only dealt with Roland to get old manuals, cards, and ROM cartridges. Do not know how they would deal with a warranty issue. Since I own four Roland products, it is good news that I have never had to approach them for service.

This is an instrument I would buy a second time.
Just as the Hammond B3 became an infamous cult instrument, the Roland VK-7 shows every sign of being just as addictive. The instrument is a pleasure to play and draws you to it the same friendly way as did our Hammonds.
BTW, I compared all of the Hammond simulators and considered getting the MIDI/Sampler units (because I have a Roland keyboard controller that could activate them).
I chose to purchase the complete unit because it was on sale. However, I have since decided that having the drawbars on the instrument itself is a good thing. They are positionned where the keyboardist is accustommed to seeing them and they act just like the originals.
What I like about the Roland timbre in comparison to the other units (Hammond/Suzuki, Voce, E-mu, et al) is its robust quality. This is a bold, bright, and happy sounding instrument just raring to get it on.
Use balanced cables for the amplifier (if it supports them) and plan on adjusting the rotary sound until you get it just right for your amplifier, room, and tastes.
I have been playing keyboards for over forty years and have more instruments than a single person should have. The Roland would not be the first one I would be willing to give up.

This is very easy to use. The only complaint is that the vibrato/chorus button is small, and hard to find and execute in a dark nightclub (compare the rocker switches on a Hammond). It would be nice if the VK-7 had real waterfall keys, but for a synth keyboard, the action is pretty good.

Like the hammond it emulates, there are 91 separate oscillators so you get full polyphony. The midi implementation is excellent, all three manuals and the orchestra sounds can have seperate channels, as can the controls, so it is easy to integrate into any midi system. The expression pedal nicely imitates the hammond expression (which in turn emulates opening and closing shutters on a pipe organ). Thus at its lowest setting, the highs are muted, at its highest they scream.

The power supply is built into the keyboard. A minor point perhaps, but wall warts are a tool of Satan.

The organ sounds are almost perfect and well within the variation of the various Hammond drawbar models (which tend to be very individual). One advantage the VK-7 has over the XB-2 or XM-1 is that the harmonics are tuned to equal temperment rather than just--this eliminates that beating effect when the black drawbars are used. The orchestra sounds are not as bad as I've read in other reviews. The chorus is ok--C3 works for registrations with just a few of the lower drawbars pulled out, its too much when the upper drawbars are added. I tend to use C2 as my standard sound and it's ok, but for rock and jazz the C3 setting is used more often. The vibrato settings are unusuable. There's a bleating effect that is downright ugly. The built in leslie and distortion simulation works well for stereo recordings and listening in headphones, it is less effective through my mono stage amp (Roland KB100). With a motion sound Pro3-T, the sound is awesome--I've owned 3 hammonds including a B3, and prefer the VK-7/Motion sound combo in terms of balancing sound vs ease of transport.

On the downside, even with all the digital grunge turned off (keyclick, leakage, vintage), there's a whine in the sound that you can here if you pull one drawbar out to its lowest setting (1). I tried another unit and it had the same problem so I assume its in the design. You can also hear it with the reverb turned on and the expression pedal turned all the way off. Its not so noticeable in performance, but I think it contributes to the harshness in the upper registers.

I bought mine new, but very cheaply because it was dropped while shipping to the retailer. Because of this, the power supply is flaky causing the the organ to reset in questionable power situations (long power cables at outdoor gigs, iffy club wiring etc). When it happens it's usually at a crescendo in a solo (when the band's power draw is at its greatest) so its pretty annoying. I've had it repaired three times, but the problem has not been eliminated.

I've owned lots of Roland keyboards and have dealt with their customer support far too often. It took six months for them to send me a service manual. On the other hand, I just recently replaced the tweeter in my roland amp--a five minute wait on the phone and I got the part in five days.

Organ is a big part of my sound--I've played hammonds throughout my career, and prefer the VK-7/Motion sound combo for ease of use and transport. Of course, nothing can compare to a Hammond B3 with dual 147 leslies, but compare 60lbs to 600. I tried both the Oberheim OB-3 keyboard and the XM-1 drawbar module before buying the VK-7. The OB-3 was weak, but I might have chosen the XM-1 if its tuning was authentic (equal tempered rather than just harmonics). The XM-1's chorus and vibrato are better than the VK-7. However, the VK-7 is far better than the XB-2 and beats any synth's emulation (including Kurzweil's 2500 "organ transplant" or the Voce micro-b--havent tried the other Voce models).

One welcome addition would have been an acoustic piano--I could then use the VK-7 as a standalone keyboard. The chorus and especially the vibrato could be improved. Also, it would be nice if the drawbars could send out continuous midi instead of discrete levels--then the VK-7 could make a powerful midi controller.

Finally, this axe is definitely worth what I payed even with the power problem mentioned earlier. In fact it is worth the full price normally charged. Along with my Alesis QS7 (a sample playback synth which has an excellent acoustic piano sound), I've finally got a rig that I can express myself and that I can carry around by myself in a compact car.

The VK-7 is very easy to use. Basically plug and play.The presets are average, as I prefer to use the drawbars to really tweek the tone of this high quality B-3 simulator. Once you start using the drawbars, the presets provide merely a starting point.The manual is exstensive as well as being useful, however, I have done well in navigating this thing w/ out the help of the operators manual.

I would perfer a bit more tension from the keys as they are smooth and easy to manipulate w/ the occasion to trigger an un-wanted note. The reverb is o.k. nothing I would use when in the studio, however live it seems to do the job.I feel the same about the overdrive, except for the fact I would not use it at all and opt for a better overdrive source (i.e.Tubescreamer). The VK-7 is a very complete organ (simulator). It has wonderful velocity sensitivity, no sequencer, yet I will say i do enjoy the multipul sounds in the orchestration section.

I have used the Hammond B-3 and find that the VK-7 is a good match if the B-3 is what you want. The leslie simulation is excellent, the tone YOU create is mostly warm however, the upper register of this thing can tend to be a bit harsh.I use the VK-7 mostly for retro styled original music, beach style and rock. it works very well for anytime the B-3 sound is the only thing that will work and you can't find the real deal.

I own numerous Roland keyboards and they all never visit the shop,(Knock on wood).

Roland is easy to work with. I needed manuals for my other synths, no problem.

Overall, this thing is the best organI have ever used. it is less noisy and cumbersom than the B-3 and in the studio it holds it's own w/ the real deal. If it were lost or stolen it would be replaced, however I still would consider a real B-3.At 625.00, I can tell you I will not find one again for that price.Worth EVERY penny!!The VK-7's sound overall it's functionality, classic good looks and reliability, give it the highest marks. The only thing I dislike is it's keys, kind of cheap.The VK-7 is the only true organ I own I currently use a Mellotron, prophet 5, Wurly-200, Matrix-12, Jupiter-6, Polymoog and many others and the VK-7 has been a complete joy to own and to hear.For me it has been a fantastic value.

If your used to drawbars, this instrument is a sinch. Editing the effects is easy as well. The overdrive and reverb knobs make it very easy to do real-time editing for mood swings.

One of the best, maybe the best leslie simulator in the business. I never used the midi port, however, I am sure there aren't any hangs using the VK7 as a controller. I would have liked to have seen different keys more suitible for glissing like a B3(I don't like synth keys that much). For synth keys though, the action is great. The effects are pretty good, the reverb is a little to wet, however you can edit the amount while playing the gig, that's nice.

The organ is very good and remarkably accurate. The percussion seems like it isn't routed before the leslie sim in the effects loop, so that the percussion does not "spin" like the drawbar sounds do. It is hard to notice until you use the 'slow' parameter in the percussion area. I am not into using other sounds so I cannot comment.

I treat it well, I haven't had any problems. Of course, any keyboard is prone to damage because of every 'little' piece involed in the mechanism. I haven't used it that long yet.

N/A

For an organist, this a must. I run it through stereo 15's and horns, and I think it sounds close enough to the real deal to fool other organists in the room that can't see you playing. In fact, I first heard it at a bar and a guy was playing it through a 145, I was in awe, I went for an hour listening from a view point where all I could see was the leslie cabinet, then I saw the little tabletop Vk7 on a small stand and was very shocked that it wasn't a Hammond. That's when I decided, I dig this keyboard.

The Roland VK-7 is as easy as they come. Right out of the box the sounds are great. The presets are a breeze to get around on and the leslie controls are located at the perfect spot for easy left hand switching between fast and slow. A footswitch can also be used to change speeds. Editing patches is very simple if you have a basic knowledge of keyboards. The drawbars make it possible to tweak the sound in real time which will appeal to the classic organist. The keyboard is really self-explanatory.

This keyboard is loaded with features, including overdrive, leslie simulation, percussion, and vibrato and chorus settings. The overdrive is pretty good but as you turn it up the volume rises which turns out to be a pain for the soundman. I opted to use a Tubescreamer TS-10 for overdrive because of the volume problem. I also found it to sound much more natural with the TS-10. The leslie simulation is one of the best I've heard. I actually decided to sell my Leslie 145 because it sounded so good(and because I couldn't carry it around). The VK-7 also has an extra set of presets with string sounds, electric pianos, and things. Besides the strings that I use occasionally for Pink Floyd type things(I use a vintage phaser on the strings) I found the extra presets to be a waste. I wish they would have left them off and saved us all some extra money.
The keys have a synth feel to them that I have grown to love, even though at first I wanted the waterfall keys because of the Hammonds I was used to.
As far as midi features and things of that matter, I couldn't be sure. I buy a keyboard because it sounds good, not because it could sound good after hours and hours of tweaking.

The sounds are where this thing is ahead of it's game. Overall this is the best combo organ going. If you can't carry(or afford) a B-3 and a Leslie get a VK-7. The organs are great although I do find them to be a little unique. There not the exact Hammond sound but you can't really expect them to be. I use the Tubescreamer and it adds a little warmness but at times the top end still seems to get a little harsh.
The presets besides organs(electric pianos, etc.) sound very generic. They might get you through in a crunch but definitely not sounds to use always.

After a month of playing time on the organ it started shutting down. At first it was here and there but soon turned into an every day thing. I called Roland and apparently it was a ground problem, a factory defect(they now have fixed that problem on newer models). I took it to a service center and they had it finished in about five minutes. Besides that this is a road worthy instrument. My VK-7 has been through everything from falling on the floor because of a broken x stand to being played in the rain at outdoor gigs. It has suffered a broken key and a busted outlet jack(both of which have been replaced) and just keeps on going.

Customer support was as good as it ever gets, long waits on the phone only to find someone who don't even care if you play or not.
One thing I must say is the music store/service center I bought the VK from was very helpful and still is everytime I bring something in. They take care of the warranty and calling the company when something goes down. If you decide to buy one, buy it locally. It will save you a lot of trouble in the long run.

Customer Support from Roland = 5
Customer Support from service center = 10

If it were stolen I would definitely get a new one. A good organ sound is a must in the band situation that I'm in, and the Roland VK-7 is the best going.

For starters, I'm currently 96% Guitarist, 4% Keyboardist (hoping to gradually even the two out). I'm in a backup band for very talented male Christian Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist. We want to put some cool B3 pads/fills in places. Because his acoustic guitar is so huge sounding and because I've studied music theory for years and already play a tiny bit of piano, it makes sense for me to "double" on keyboards. That being said I'm also about to turn 40 and have always had a real passion for the B3 sound having grown up on Tower of Power, Chicago, and BS&T. One could also consider this "a mid-life toy". I have a limited MIDI/patch editing background but the VK-7 seems easy to me. The manual is a bit tedious. I kinda read a while, then play with the instrument to figure out what it is talking about. The Joey Defranceso (sp?) preset sounds very good. The rest are OK, but again my reference for different ogran sounds is not very broad.

The Organ sounds have full polyphony on all 61 keys. It's not really exandable except for MIDI IN/OUT. The VK-7 is really designed to function as a dedicated Organ. It has 9 real drawbars, analog "rotary sound" controls, real wood (walnut and alder) around the sides and top, and the general look and feel of "shrunken" B-3.
No sequencer. The keys are touch sensitive and respond very well. The keyboard has a very solid synth-action that is also pretty good for basic piano stuff (I MIDI to a Kurweil MicroPiano).

I do wish the VK-7 supported basic MIDI remapping and allowed for more than 16 user-defined presets. This would make it more attractive for a controller, but again that's not really what it's function in life so I'll live without these things (and eventually buy a second keyboard).

Ok, I've never owned a real B-3, although I've been around many B/C Hammond Organs since the early 70's. The VK-7 is clearly a "digital clone" and the fact that it's *not* housed in a 300 lb solid cherry cabinet is reason enough to suspect that it will not sound just like a real Hammond B/C-3. However, for my application the VK-7 is perfect because it is portable (33 pounds), affordable, and will always "just a layer" in our band. From the reviews I've read of the VOCE V5, I would condsider it if the organ has to be "front and center" in your music. I don't suspect I'll ever be an organ virtuoso, so the VK-7's sounds are very satisfying to me. One thing about the VK-7 that I absolutely love is the leakage, although a bit digital sounding it is VERY realistic (to my ear) and VERY VERY integrated with the basic organ sound.

As for the built in effects. I don't use the overdrive really. The reverb sounds pretty good. The Leslie Simulation seem very close to the basic sound of (especially when run in Stereo) but without the "woody" tone and 3-D doppler effect that only a real Leslie (and I'm told the Motion Sound cabinets as well) can produce. I can't tote a Leslie around so I'll probably wind up with the Motion Sound
Pro 3t/Low Pro(after my wife recovers from the VK-7 purchase).

The Orchestral Section has a couple of very cool sounds. Name the Acoustic Bass and the Pop Orcanina (very reminensent of Pat Metheny's synth sounds on the first melody in "Facing West"). The electric piano is perhaps the worst I've every heard. Sounds like a dead Rhodes going though a cheap bass amp will no treble or mids. This is hard to figure out because Roland makes some way cool digital pianos that have great EP patches. I'm guessing it's simple marketing - they want to sell you another unit to get the EPs.

Don't know yet. It seems solid but I this my first Roland.

No experience here and I hope I never have to.

Hum, If my VK-7 is ever lost or stolen, I would have to evaluate the current state of the art in Organ simulation technology. I also considered the Hammond-Suzuki XK-2 but shyed away from the oversize waterfall keys (because I also use it for Piano). I've not read favorable reviews about the XK-2's tonal qualities either. The VOCE V5 was in the running, but I backed away because I'm not into all the attendent hassles of multiple MIDI devices (i.e. VOCE V-5 (and EXTERNAL Leslie sim), Piano Module, controller, etc.).

The VK-7 is way cool and definetly a keeper given that I'm currently a beginning organist. I hope to develop some solid soul/gospel/R&B/funk grooves on this unit. I definetly think this thing is worth $1625.00. It has much more of the B3 vibe than your basic general purpose synth.

I also have a Kurweil MicroPiano which I MIDI to from the VK-7. I tried a JV-1010 but didn't like it's basic piano, sounds. I'm kind of a purist and I don't really need all of the other things the JV-1010 does.

As I said in the beginning, I'm primarly a guitarist. I've got a pile of cool vintage/repro gear (Don Grosh Retro Classic Strat, DR Z. Amp, Fulltone Pedals, etc.)

Again, I am blind and feel that this needs to be mentioned in the review. I have owned this since April. Most functions are really easy. Want to shape the sound? drawbars on the left. Leslie? Buttons just to the left of the keyboard, or get a pedal to control it from the floor. Distort it to hell? Overdrive knob very accessible. I love this board for its ease of use and have yet to dive into the menus to program it further, although I want to learn how so I can play.

You need to understand that this is a Hammond simulator. No good for techno unless you want to use a real sounding hammond organ in your songs, which would be a change from the random noise most techno is usually. Other reviewers have discussed the features here, so I will pass it by.

I play rock and progressive rock and some heavy metal. For prog rock lovers, this is a must-have to play those ELP, Yes, and genesis songs. If you are into Deep Purple, crank up the overdrive and have yourself a ball. This thing is the best thing since sliced bread. I am not a Hammond purist, so I cannot nitpick about the sound, but you have your choice. Be a purist and throw out your back carrying the thing, or get pretty damn close and spend less money and hassle. I have to comment on the orchestral bank. I find it OK, although I do with there were a sustain pedal option for that bank. I sue the strings sometimes and with I had a sustain option for them. I may have missed it in pedal assignments, but it still would be nice.

Only had it a few months, but it is kicing major ass.

i mentioned this in my xp80 review that roland seems to be good at answering questions, even when they are dealing in situations that they are unfamiliar with, such as blindness. I only wish I knew their 800 number.

If it were stolen, I would probably go on a killing spree. I had a ekyboard stolen from me and it sucks. I would definitely replace it. This thing is a godsend for me. I have been searching for this all my life. And here it is. If you love organ, you have to buy this. Screw everything else.

The keyboard is easy enough that you can work most things out without the manual, though it's worth reading to get the detail.
It's very "playable" compared with most other Hammond generators. You can tweak sounds on the fly with the drawbars, overdrive, reverb etc.

The organ component is fully polyphonic - you can play all 61 keys at once if you want!. The "orchestral" sounds are 64 note polyphonic (which may mean fewer than 61 keys if the sound uses multiple sources).
Keyboard action is good, solid, overhanging organ/synth type. Note that it doesn't have the square-front "waterfall" keys of a B3, which some consider important (doesn't bother me, but that's probably my classical organ background).
Built in effects are rotary speaker simulation, overdrive and reverb. Setting them up for a particular patch is a bit of a fiddle (you can do things like choose different amp simulations for overdrive and different room sizes with reverb by going into the edit mode). But once set up, you can just turn the knobs to dial in the chosen reverb and overdrive. For the rotary speaker (Leslie) you can just hit the conveniently located fast, slow and brake buttons.
Many parameters can be connected to external foot controllers (up to three) for even better access.
No real expansion capabilities, other than adding foot controllers or a Leslie speaker.
No sequencer.
As a Hammond tonewheel emulator, it has pretty much all you need.

The Hammond sound is excellent. It's virtually indistinguishable from the real thing (or at least some versions of "the real thing"!). Unlike sampled keyboards, the VK-7 runs 91 digital oscillators continuously, just like the Hammonds run 91 mechanical tonewheel oscillators. The outputs of the oscillators are then mixed according to the drawbar settings and keys pressed. There's none of the "muddiness" you get with sampled Hammonds. These often sound okay when you play one or two notes, but by the time you have a big chord with bass, they sound like mush. They often seem short of samples, so the bottom end sounds like the mid tones played at quarter speed.
The orchestral sounds are pretty standard - comparable with good GM/GS/XG type sample boxes. Unlike some other reviewers I do think they're a worthwhile addition to the VK-7. Strings and bass are common needs. These are much more accessible than most modules. Some of the "attack" sounds add interesting attack to the Hammond sound. The big disappointment is the "electric piano" which is possibly the worst I've ever heard.
The pipe organ sounds are good, but there are only three. Adding a bank of these would be a really valuable addition.
For type of music: very flexible. I play mainly rock, and a bit of classical. It works well for both. I've heard jazz played on it and it sounds sensational.
The onboard effects are all good: the rotary speaker is equal to the best electronic simulations I've heard. Overdrive isn't quite as flexible as it could be, but better than many, Reverb

It's certainly well built. As far as gigging without a backup . . . I have my piano and XG MIDI module as backup. That makes me calm.

My limited dealings with Roland Australia have been positive.

I'd buy it again. I've been playing 26 years (with a big break in the middle!).
I love its playability - it definitely helps make music. While sample modules are great, their limited ability to adjust sounds easily while playing make them unresponsive. With the VK-7, if a sound isn't quite right in a particular situation, just grab some drawbars and change it.