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Lester K vs Korg CX3 / Electro 2 / Roland VR09 sims?


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I'm eyeing the possibility to score an used Lester K soon with a good price. As I live in Brazil, it's almost impossible to find them in stores and test them to see if I like. I know about the preference of the ventilator by many, but here it costs about 2 times the Lester, so it's not an option.

 

My current clones are:

 

1) a 2000's Korg CX3

2) a Roland VR-09 (my main board, updated with the newest OS)

3) a Nord Electro 2 61

 

All of them are used solo or in combination depending on the gigs. I play mainly rock, blues, soul, funk, folk and latin music, very little jazz (and definetly not traditional jazz, just strange-y Medeski Martin and Wood kind of stuff here and there).

 

Considering all of this, how much of an improvement the Lester K would versus my current keyboards' internal sim and overdrive?

 

I'm looking for punch, quality of overdrive (love early Santana) and better realism and throw for the leslie sim with a nice separation, both in mono and stereo.

My drawbars go to eleven.

Gear: Roland VR-09, Nord Electro 2 61, Korg CX-3. Hear my music: facebook.com/smokestoneband

 

 

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FWIW here"s a demo I made with the Lester K and my Yamaha Reface YC. Bottom line is it"s way superior to the built in. I also have a backup NE2-61 and the Lester does work wonders over the built in as well.

 

[video:youtube]

 

Jake

1967 B-3 w/(2) 122's, Nord C1w/Leslie 2101 top, Nord PedalKeys 27, Nord Electro 4D, IK B3X, QSC K12.2, Yamaha reface YC+CS+CP

 

"It needs a Hammond"

 

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Thanks for the answer! My main concerns is that I only have my boards to compare too and never tried other sims... So I might have the impression that the VR09 is enough... If only I could do a side by side...

My drawbars go to eleven.

Gear: Roland VR-09, Nord Electro 2 61, Korg CX-3. Hear my music: facebook.com/smokestoneband

 

 

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I have both the Lester K and Vent. I prefer the Vent for its overdrive and the way it responds to the swell pedal. My vent is also modded to sit in the rack and be fed by the 11 pin socket. But the Lester"s rotary effect is very good. I really like the Lester.

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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Thanks for the responses so far... I'm especially interested to know what you think of the Lester K versus the VR09 sim with the new OS, as it's the newest of the bunch... One thing: does the Lester K cut the sound when you turn the bypass on and off?

My drawbars go to eleven.

Gear: Roland VR-09, Nord Electro 2 61, Korg CX-3. Hear my music: facebook.com/smokestoneband

 

 

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I presume by "cut the sound" in bypass, you're asking about a reduction in volume?

 

The Lester K's volume knob (far left) allows you to adjust the overall volume of the "engaged" sound independent of gain, as when engaged the effect tends to reduce perceived overall volume. So I use that to balance "on" volume with "bypassed" volume. It works well.

..
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No, I mean like a cut in the sound itself, a little bump when you press the bypass on or off. Or is it smooth, with no cut in sound? I have some guitar pedals that cut the sound when you press it in the middle of a sustained sound and then they return after.

My drawbars go to eleven.

Gear: Roland VR-09, Nord Electro 2 61, Korg CX-3. Hear my music: facebook.com/smokestoneband

 

 

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Just to add to the conversation, one thing I forgot to mention before: my main concern is to get the Lester and realise it sounds not better or worse than what I already have, just different. I really don't have the $ for "just different", I'm aiming for a real improvement in terms of sound. Hope that add-on helps on your inputs :)

My drawbars go to eleven.

Gear: Roland VR-09, Nord Electro 2 61, Korg CX-3. Hear my music: facebook.com/smokestoneband

 

 

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If the roland vr rotary is like the vk rotary that roland is putting in the ds series I'm betting it's the same as the stand alone vk8m and the rt20. That is pretty good. Not vent good. Not b3x good. Or even the burn. But it's still pretty good. I dont think the ehx lester is a major jump up from the roland.

FunMachine.

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If the roland vr rotary is like the vk rotary that roland is putting in the ds series I'm betting it's the same as the stand alone vk8m and the rt20. That is pretty good. Not vent good. Not b3x good. Or even the burn. But it's still pretty good. I dont think the ehx lester is a major jump up from the roland.

 

The VR new leslie is def better than the older VK/RT20 ones. Do you find it's not worthy then?

 

If you want to get close to the sound of a Leslie then get a Vent. Look for a used one.

 

Unfortunately, not one on sight here in Brazil. And if it shows up, 100% certain that the price is not gonna be in "used" fashion. I've seen Hammond XK2's announced with a price similar of a new Nord Electro, just because it's a "Hammond". That's how peculiar the market is here. And that's why my scenario only involves the Lester or keep going with the sims I already got.

My drawbars go to eleven.

Gear: Roland VR-09, Nord Electro 2 61, Korg CX-3. Hear my music: facebook.com/smokestoneband

 

 

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"... And that's why my scenario only involves the Lester or keep going with the sims I already got.

 

Yet you're unsure if the lester K is even an upgrade. If you want to be sure then get a Vent, that is a sure upgrade. I've seen too many people say they don't have the money for x, so they buy y and then are not happy with y, they sell y at a loss only to buy x. So in the end you're paying a premium for x. My two cents.

57 Hammond B3; 69 Hammond L100P; 68 Leslie 122; Kurzweil Forte7 & PC3; M-Audio Code 61; Voce V5+; Neo Vent; EV ELX112P; GSI Gemini & Burn

Delaware Dave

Exit93band

 

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"... And that's why my scenario only involves the Lester or keep going with the sims I already got.

 

Yet you're unsure if the lester K is even an upgrade. If you want to be sure then get a Vent, that is a sure upgrade. I've seen too many people say they don't have the money for x, so they buy y and then are not happy with y, they sell y at a loss only to buy x. So in the end you're paying a premium for x. My two cents.

 

That's a very strong point. Thanks

My drawbars go to eleven.

Gear: Roland VR-09, Nord Electro 2 61, Korg CX-3. Hear my music: facebook.com/smokestoneband

 

 

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Thanks for the videos, to both lightbg, and to Elmer.

Some great info, and playing there!

I own a Nord 5D and happen to feel that the built-in simulator is not appreciably worse or different than the others.

For most commercial gigs it's perfect...minimum of stuff to plug in or get lost.

Now...If only I could get the same sound I get out of my B3-X plugin...now that's something I'd be willing to deal with, if it were available as a pedal. For now, I will just MIDI the computer or iPad to either another controller or, directly to my Nord 5D. It gives enough control of the main parameters for most gigs.

But thanks for the video comparison! You guys rock! ;)

Tom

Nord Electro 5D, Modal Cobalt 8, Yamaha upright piano, numerous plug-ins...

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I have a Lester G (same pedal, but built for guitar impedance and has more controls and a compressor circuit) and several Ventilators. IMO nothing comes close to the Vent hardware-wise other than the real deal but that said, the Lester has a very nice sound and a bit different from the Vent. I also like how the low rotor takes more time to speed up and slow down in ratio to the high rotor versus the Ventilator. Another observation: the Lester sounds really great in stereo but not as much in mono - while the same goes for the Vent, it folds into mono much better to my ears.

 

If you can find one and can afford the bit extra, I say go for the Vent, but if you do come across a Lester K or G, I think you'd be pretty happy.

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