Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: JRCavileer on December 03, 2007, 01:54:43 AM

Title: Multi Effect pedals
Post by: JRCavileer on December 03, 2007, 01:54:43 AM
My friend is looking for one, we really haven't done much research on them so you could just point us in the right direction (like which ones have impressed you and such) we would be eternally great full.


Since you guys were so helpful before i thought i would start here on our quest, thanks in advanced!
Title: Multi Effect pedals
Post by: Mr Ed on December 03, 2007, 11:40:25 AM
I would strongly advise you to look at separate stompboxes, you just get such better sound quality and variety.

However, if you're set on a multifx... which I personally think are terrible... the Boss ME50 is pretty decent for what it is.
Title: Multi Effect pedals
Post by: tellthatmick on December 03, 2007, 11:44:26 AM
i strongly agree with mr ed....

my first pedal was a digitech RP100 multi unit and it was truly diabolical. it put me off FX for a very long time...i'm only now really getting into them.

multiFX pedals can also suffer from a problem where there is a brief loss of sound when switching between modes - not cool.
Title: Multi Effect pedals
Post by: 38thBeatle on December 03, 2007, 12:12:05 PM
I agree with you guys about the quality multi f/x and individual pedals tend to be better ( some makers are better at some things and not others etc etc) but he did ask about multis and I have used a Korg AX1500G and with some tweaking it is not too bad.I am not keen on the chorus and the distortions are none too clever but it is good for what it is and it covers a fair amount of ground. Best thing is to narrow it down to a few likely suspects-getting one that is easy to use is important and the Korg fits into that category for sure. I have only second hand experiences of Boss but I know a session guy who uses a GT8 and he is a fussy about what he uses and so I'd bet it is pretty good if he uses it though a bit more expensive and complicated. Having said that, given the choice I'd use just amp, DHA Purist pedal,  compressor and guitar any day of the week but in a covers band, not practical.
Title: Multi Effect pedals
Post by: Twinfan on December 03, 2007, 12:24:54 PM
I would ask what exactly it is he needs.  He may only need a couple of pedals, in which case separate stompers and a pedalboard may be a better option.  If it's just to try everything out and cover all bases OK-ish then I'd get a used Boss board off eBay.  He'll then lose less money when he comes to sell it.

And he will sell it.....
Title: Multi Effect pedals
Post by: noodleplugerine on December 03, 2007, 01:12:06 PM
G Major and a midi pedal wouldn't be bad though, rite?
Title: Multi Effect pedals
Post by: Scotty477 on December 03, 2007, 03:15:29 PM
You could do a lot worse than have a look at a Boss GT 6.

There is no delay when changing sounds and the build quality is rock solid.

With the release of it's successor the GT 8, you can pick these up for a good price on ebay or online stores.

I've been using a GT 6 for about 4 years now and haven't had any problems with it.
Title: Multi Effect pedals
Post by: badgermark on December 03, 2007, 03:20:59 PM
I've played with a few people who used multi-fx, and every single time the rehearsal was punctuated by a high pitched SQUEEEEEEEEEEEE from the fx. Avoid cheap ones like a poo covered stick.
Title: Multi Effect pedals
Post by: hamfist on December 03, 2007, 04:36:48 PM
For reasonably unbiased, yet still well informed info about MFX and modellers I would strongly recommend visiting www.thestompbox.net .

   If you need great variety in your tones then I think there is a place for them. I've owned Line6, Vox and Zoom modellers, and spent a lot of time trying to get the best out of them.
    But, at the end of the day, I'd rather be stuck with fewer but higher quality tones by using an amp with pedals.

Alan
Title: Multi Effect pedals
Post by: the_bleeding on December 03, 2007, 05:55:46 PM
yeah, individual stomp boxes sound better than multieffects. Especially the digitech or low end boss ones. The only decent multieffect i've ever heard was the gt-8, but its overdrive models werent exactly good overdrives. I'm sure the gt-6 isnt far off from it.
Title: Multi Effect pedals
Post by: Scotty477 on December 03, 2007, 06:18:44 PM
The overdrive tones in the GT 6 only needed a slight tweak to sound nice.

It really shines in the 'crunch' and clean sounds, with a good choice available.

Another good feature - for live work -  is it's build quality. It has a solid metal casing and a clear, easily readable screen.

If you can live with the gold colour case, I'd give it a try for low price but high quality.
Title: Multi Effect pedals
Post by: sgmypod on December 03, 2007, 06:55:59 PM
have done it both ways had the seperate stomp boxes then the podxt etc....now have mixture of both the Mfx that I have is the tonelab.le..great at what it does..with not too many FX (pod could take 5 days just to choose a delay)
Title: Multi Effect pedals
Post by: Roobubba on December 04, 2007, 09:53:58 AM
I still use a Zoom G2.1u, which I have been very impressed with. I now mainly use it for the odd bit of flange I need in a track, or a tiny bit of compression for my cleans, and it works wonders. I don't rely on it for distortion sounds (any more), as I now have a Peavey 5150-II which does the high gain stuff beautifully :)

I know that many, many people have a grave disliking of multi-effects units, but I have to say that I would still buy another Zoom G2.1u if mine were stolen, as it's easy to use, doesn't cut sound when switching between presets, and actually doesn't sound bad!
I used to use it for everything (distortion included), and found that the guitar-zoom-amp setup where the amp does the distortion and I just use the zoom for a bit of "signal conditioning" works much, much better.

I have no reservations recommending this unit, but with the caveat that it needs to be used properly - that is, use it to give yourself a whole load of effects which you use sparingly (for which you'd need 5 or 6 individual stompboxes, costing hundreds of pounds!). Don't buy one if you're looking for "the unit above all others", because such a thing doesn't exist!

Most importantly (which I didn't do, but got lucky!), try before you buy!

Roo
Title: Multi Effect pedals
Post by: Pickup Artist on December 04, 2007, 05:57:09 PM
It depends on your requirements and budget.

If you don't want to spend much I would get a Zoom G2.1u, it has the best electronics spec of everything in the market.

If you want to spend a lot get the tc electronic G System - that can hardly be called a pedal though.
Title: Multi Effect pedals
Post by: noodleplugerine on December 04, 2007, 07:23:16 PM
I still say a G Major and a Midi pedal.

Together you can get that for about £300 if you buy either 2nd hand.
Title: Multi Effect pedals
Post by: pagan7 on December 04, 2007, 11:13:45 PM
Been using a DigiTech GNX3000 for over a year now and love it, and would have to say that the main advantage of a multi FX over seperate stomp boxes is the lack of extranious noise from a multi FX as apposed to a string of boxes.
This thread will only prove that there are as many opinions about what makes for best tone as there are guitarists.
The only way you'll find what creates the best tones for you personaly will be to try them all till you find the one you like.
"one mans meat is anothers poison" etc
Goodluck.  :)
Title: Multi Effect pedals
Post by: blue on December 04, 2007, 11:18:17 PM
like Pagan7 says, everyone has a different view.  i use individual pedals myself because i only ever want one or two effects and a multi fx just wouldn't get the use.  i have tried one, didn't really like it.  meanwhile, a friend of mine uses a digitech multi fx, he uses a lot more effects than me and he gets good sounds out of it.  horses for courses as the saying goes.
Title: Multi Effect pedals
Post by: JRCavileer on December 05, 2007, 02:31:23 AM
I'm surprised im not paying for these services, Thank you comrades.

I think he's going to get one (if funds permit), i figure it couldnt hurt. At least it would give him the opportunity to get a feel for a variety of effects out there, if he likes one in particular he'll probably get a pedal specified for that task.

thanks again.
Title: Multi Effect pedals
Post by: psy on December 05, 2007, 08:10:05 AM
I'm another Boss GT6 user & works great for me.  Still tinkering with the sounds.  Multi FX are great for turning a few different FX on or off at the same time without doing a crazy dance like you would trying to step on a bunch of individual stomp boxes.

For example on my main overdrive patch if I step on the wah it adds a little delay, a little boost & the wah.  Much easier than stomping on 3 pedals.

I guess it all boils down to what kind of music you play really.  Sometimes a big muff is all you need.  :roll:
Title: Multi Effect pedals
Post by: Kesus T on December 05, 2007, 10:07:59 AM
GT-8 user here. Like it alot, but not too fussed on the 4 cable method - persisted with this during live work, cause I had forked out for the x-tra cables, but finally gave in and sent all through the front end of the amp. May be different with a different amp though, as my master volume on the amp is placed before the fx loop, so fx return was always running the power amp at full throttle, the overall volume then controlled by GT-8 output level. Not a very good sound level to noise ratio.
Really only practical use of a multi like this, still using the high gain channels and clean channels of your amp, is to get midi control - otherwise you still have to change amp channel and fx patch seperately.