multi effects units

StuffnJunk

my friends and i are about to start a "typical" cover band, and i was thinking i should probably get something to give me all kinds of diverse effects.....in our original bands we've had, i've stuck to my ts9, delay, and phase, but for this band i probably need more effects

any suggestions?

exhausted

line6 pod xt live, bearing in mind new versions are coming out soon.

vox tonelab, whatever the big floor based one is called.


i still don't like the amp models, i've never gotten anything i'm happy with from my pod or from a tonelab, but the effects can be quite good if you're using the units in conjunction with an amp and bypassing the amp simulations.

not sure you can bypass the amp sims in the vox. can't remember.

ianvomsaal

Multi-Effects units are difficult (most sound okay through headphones or at low volumes, but sound BAD live).

DON'T GET:
- Digitech - their units sound terrible live (my singer use to use a Digitech GNX3000 Workstation. He said it was the worst
$350 he ever spent (I agree 100%) - things constantly went wrong with it live, and it didn't sound good live - way to thin.
- Line-6 - their POD stuff really sucks (all of their multi-effects units sound fine through headphones, but like garbage live).
- *VOX - overpriced and bad live sound - not really worth the $$$ you'll pay for something like the Tonelab. Okay, so you might
say "but it's got a tube in there." Yeah, the tube is a joke (literally). The glowing tube is an illusion (they gotcha)! The glow is actually
coming from a light behind the tube, making the tube appear to glow - the tube barely has any current passing through it (and
definitely not enough current to make it glow). No real current running through the tube, hence no real tone from the tube - NEXT!
- Korg - Toneworks , gross live sound - bad build.
- Behringer - (one word - SHIT - rock bottom prices and you'll know why).
- Rocktron - some are better than others (anything under the $300 price point pretty much isn't worth it).

HOWEVER:
- Boss - the GT-6 and GT-8 are okay.
These pretty much sound like their pedals in an all in one unit (but used in the effects loop gets a better sound).
- Roland - same as boss (same company)
- TC Electronics - probably some of the best modulation and delay effects available.
TC Electronics G-System - works great, sounds really great, but is fairly pricey.
TC Electronics G-Force - like the G-System but rackmount and pricey.
TC Electronics G-Major - works good, and is about the same price as the other units (you just need to get a midi foot controller for it).
TC Electronics G-Sharp - same thing.
- Rocktron - most their stuff over $300 is manageable.
- Carl Martin Quattro Analog Multi-Effect Pedal - nice, not as many effects as others, but sounds good.
A little more expensive than some of the others, but sounds better than most (and you get a 2-channel OD).

I think I've covered most of them.
Cheers . . .

- Ian C.T. vom Saal

xtremehardy388

I dislike multieffects with a passion BUT....


the Tone Lab is amazing...I've heard great things and used it a couple of times...

lucylespian

Multi-effects units are fine for live performance, quality will obviously vary.
Notwithstanding Ian's scathing comments, many people are reporting good results with POD-XT in a live setting.

My take is that digital stuff is fine when you are playing for other people, but only tubes will do when you are playing for yourself.
Impeccable tone is wasted in a noisy pub.

They have the advantaage of lotsa tones in a wee package, and can be patched up for exactly what you want.

IDgotI

It's about whatever gets you rocking and making music. I tend to agree with Ian's comments. I did a period with some Line 6 stuff, and even some Zoom stuff. At the time I was so excited with the large new pallate of sounds that I came up with loads of tunes riffs and ideas. Since then I've come to realize that the Line 6 stuff has a really grainy hazy cheap digital feel, something I've only come to appreciate by getting my hands on better gear. But, by the same token, I wouldn't have gotten those tunes and riffs done without the sudden rush of discovery that access to the "all in one" solutions provided. When a tune or piece of music works, it just works. There are plenty of old albums that sound like crap, but the music is so good no one cares (take your pick depending on style, early Genisis, Motown, heck even the Joshua Tree is a pretty bad over compressed album from a purely technical standpoint). So to sum up, again if it's just a question of evaluating quality of gear I'd agree with what Ian wrote, and go a step further and suggest steering clear of multi effectors if you can. But, on the other hand, if you are low on dough, and trying to figure out what sounds and effects are out there, and what they can do, then multi-effects could be a way to go. On top of what's been listed, here are some rack units to consider. Remember, rack units are not a natural best friend for guitar players, and they aren't super convenient to operate with pedals... but for recording or exploring by turning knobs these two units can be prety amazing. They can also sometimes be had for $250 or so on ebay:

Sony DPS v55
Ensoniq DP 4

Oh... also the Korg 'A' series, A3, A4 and A5 I believe. These were pretty popular for studio use in the 90s.

xtremehardy388

I used my friends old Korg stuff when I first started playing and it was pretty good. He has a Zoom which gets the job done, I guess and if you're low on funds, I'd suggest that. Check out pawn shops, they're a gold mine for nifty stuff. Digitech...I love the X-series pedals that I have. As stated earlier, the tone lab is pretty freakin' awesome if you like multi effects. It's worth every cent.

Pacomc79

+1 on the G system you can also integrate your effects pedals and run them through the G-system. If you're going to play a lot of shows and it sounds like you are, it should be good money spent.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/GSystem/ Yes it's about 3.5 times as much as most others, but amp switching, effects loops, great interface, solid construction, brilliant modulation etc etc. it's just really really good.

The Boss GT8 is a pain in the ass to program.

The Line 6 XT live is not bad and it's relatively easy to use and is good enough for most people but it dosen't sound quite as good as the G system. I've seen a lot of cover bands using Vettas.

I agree whole heartedly as well on Digitech, unreliable absolute pieces of garbage (in relation to thier rackunits and floorboards thier pedals are fine). Johnson amplification produced the most unreliable amps I've ever dealt with and they were essentially digitech 2120 preamps mated to power amps.

Also in rack mounts, the Alesis midiverb4 I like for modulation and the Sansamp PSA 1 (Tech21) is nice. Also Lexicon makes some damn good modulation rack effects.

It depends really on what you are playing. I am not generally a proponent of multifx but there are a lot of ways to get the job done. I do believe multifx and modellers sound thier absolute best through the PA.

90% of your sound comes from your amp, guitar, and OD/DIST. You can get by with a TS and a Rat for most covers and if you are doing 80's stuff a chorus, flanger, wah, perhaps some kind of vibe depending on what you are doing. Etc. Although you will have to turn knobs after every song instead of just changing presets.

Just keep your options open.

disconnected

I had to choose: Korg ToneWorks or Digitech. The Korg sounded much better then the Digitech they had. I also played a while on a Digitech RP-10, but I say I love the Korg....

Digitech GNX4: http://www.digitech.com/products/gnx4.htm

Korg ToneWorks AX3000G: http://korg.com/gear/info.asp?a_prod_no=AX3000G

Digitech RP 10 http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Effects/product/DigiTech/RP-10/10/1

Oh, Jimmy

Honestly you have enough pedals, imo. You may wanna add a wah and maybe some sorta wobbly effect. Thats all I have and my band plays a pretty broad range.

StuffnJunk

Oh, Jimmy wrote:

Honestly you have enough pedals, imo. You may wanna add a wah and maybe some sorta wobbly effect. Thats all I have and my band plays a pretty broad range.

i have a ts9, mxr phase 90, vox wah, boss dd 6 delay, ross compressor, and e-bow.......all the basic pearl jam inspired effects.....but for this band we're gonna be playing cheesy 80s shit and whatnot (stuff people wanna hear).......so i'm thinking if we play something like "livin on a prayer" it helps to have a talk box, something i would never need otherwise.....thats just one example

Oh, Jimmy

You can add alotta good 80s cheese with the flanger and delay. And its fairly easy to approximate a talk box with a phaser and a wah.

You may need the real thing for Livin On a Prayer, and if you are just lookin to spend some money get the real thing. Get the Heil.

I think with the money you would spend on a nice multi-effects jobber, you could finish off a nice little pedal rig to go with what you already have. Those multieffects things arent all their cracked up to be most of the time anyway.

New Orleans Dude

i've had the boss gt-8 processor for a while now, and have learned pretty much everything about it. its one of the best multi-effects processors out there. dont listen to those other people who say its too hard to program and what not. i didnt even read the 10 lb manual and i can do anything with it. it just takes some toying around with settings and then when you know how everything works, the effects possibilities are endless. i think its like $450 or something around that. if your not into processors, get a digitech whammy. that has lots of sounds

xtremehardy388

Get a chorus...that's what you'll need...that screams 80's right there.