Favorite multi-effect/floor units

[jackthehack]

Don’t do it Max!  :evil4: :evil4:
The best floor effect in the world is a pre-1968 Blackface Fender Super Reverb and a guitar cord.  :laughing7: :laughing7: :laughing7:
Save your pennies and get the grail. :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:

Can't argue with that, but you DO need some other effects to get some different sounds; NOT talking about "modeling" setups which invariably do a piss-poor job of replicating different amp/cabinet sounds, but distortion/compression//phaser/flanger/echo, that sort of thing. (Cry-Baby always first thing after the guitar...)  Back in the day we could use a couple of antiquated (by today's standards) items, I just used  Cry-baby -> original Big Muff -> original Electric Mistress -> Echoplex or Roland SpaceEcho.

<rant>

I can't seem to find any multi-effect or series of individual pedals to get that same tone any more, even though I do have some that sound cool individually like the Xotic BB. The new individual pedals seem to muddy the sound all to shit set up in series. None of the multi-effects I've tried really has an all around good set of distortion/flanger/whatever, some effects are OK, others suck. Closest I like is a Korg ToneWorx AG1500, but it's so input-sensitive you can't use one set of pre-sets, you have to tweak for different pickups and sometimes even with almost the same pickups on different guitars.

Guess I should break down and shell out to get some old vintage effects like I used to have....

<\rant>

 

[dmraco]

I just used  Cry-baby -> original Big Muff -> original Electric Mistress -> Echoplex or Roland SpaceEcho.


Guess I should break down and shell out to get some old vintage effects like I used to have....

I used to have a vintage Big Muff...the one with the extra black switch on the back...sold it 20+ years ago for $25 bucks...I miss it every day.

I bought a new one a few years ago....not the same.

 

[mayfly]

The old pedals were cool, but they were just circuits trying to model studio tricks.  Phasers, flangers, overdrive, distortion, all of them were invented after those effects were generated in the studio using studio gear.  Not saying that's bad, or they sounded bad, but just sayin' that they were already an approximation of the original sound.

The new toys do sound different - no question about that.  But I'll argue that it's still a very usable sound.

 

[jackthehack]

The old pedals were cool, but they were just circuits trying to model studio tricks.  Phasers, flangers, overdrive, distortion, all of them were invented after those effects were generated in the studio using studio gear.  Not saying that's bad, or they sounded bad, but just sayin' that they were already an approximation of the original sound.

The new toys do sound different - no question about that.  But I'll argue that it's still a very usable sound.

Name a multi-effects unit that has good implementation of all those effects (forget distortion, good tube amp provides that) and I'll go try it and most likely buy it.

 

[mayfly]

The old pedals were cool, but they were just circuits trying to model studio tricks.  Phasers, flangers, overdrive, distortion, all of them were invented after those effects were generated in the studio using studio gear.  Not saying that's bad, or they sounded bad, but just sayin' that they were already an approximation of the original sound.

The new toys do sound different - no question about that.  But I'll argue that it's still a very usable sound.

Name a multi-effects unit that has good implementation of all those effects (forget distortion, good tube amp provides that) and I'll go try it and most likely buy it.

I think you need one of these:

 

[m4rk0]

has anybody tried the rocktron utopia G300?
I am still planning to get the Tonelab, but may be pushed towards the rocktron if anybody had any good experiences with it.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

The old pedals were cool, but they were just circuits trying to model studio tricks.  Phasers, flangers, overdrive, distortion, all of them were invented after those effects were generated in the studio using studio gear.  Not saying that's bad, or they sounded bad, but just sayin' that they were already an approximation of the original sound.

The new toys do sound different - no question about that.  But I'll argue that it's still a very usable sound.

Name a multi-effects unit that has good implementation of all those effects (forget distortion, good tube amp provides that) and I'll go try it and most likely buy it.

I think you need one of these:

Oh Mayfly, you gotta stop thinking small, he really needs the Ultra!!  :icon_jokercolor:

 

[mayfly]

The old pedals were cool, but they were just circuits trying to model studio tricks.  Phasers, flangers, overdrive, distortion, all of them were invented after those effects were generated in the studio using studio gear.  Not saying that's bad, or they sounded bad, but just sayin' that they were already an approximation of the original sound.

The new toys do sound different - no question about that.  But I'll argue that it's still a very usable sound.

Name a multi-effects unit that has good implementation of all those effects (forget distortion, good tube amp provides that) and I'll go try it and most likely buy it.

I think you need one of these:

Oh Mayfly, you gotta stop thinking small, he really needs the Ultra!!  :icon_jokercolor:

Couldn't find a photo of the ultra  :headbang1:

 

[Death by Uberschall]

The old pedals were cool, but they were just circuits trying to model studio tricks.  Phasers, flangers, overdrive, distortion, all of them were invented after those effects were generated in the studio using studio gear.  Not saying that's bad, or they sounded bad, but just sayin' that they were already an approximation of the original sound.

The new toys do sound different - no question about that.  But I'll argue that it's still a very usable sound.

Name a multi-effects unit that has good implementation of all those effects (forget distortion, good tube amp provides that) and I'll go try it and most likely buy it.

I think you need one of these:

Oh Mayfly, you gotta stop thinking small, he really needs the Ultra!!  :icon_jokercolor:

Couldn't find a photo of the ultra  :headbang1:

***cough***cough***

***cough***cough***

 

[bpmorton777]

a band mate of mine just got the tonelab st and has been running it through his silverface bassman...total crap sounding. maybe on it's own it would work fine but through a tube amp    :help: It's interface is confusing as hell to boot. He has used it for a couple of songs at the start of practice the last few weeks and then has to un plug the dam thing cause it's so noisy and crappy sounding.

+1 Podxtlive.....great sounds, 4 stomp box buttons per program, wha pedal, head phone jack for when it's 2am and you dont want to bother anybody, computer interface for recording or sharing patches on the internet. ...

Brian

 

[Kvebbs]

Max, I'll say for gigging the POD X3 Live really has proved both flexible, and practical as a pedal board. In comparison with the XT, I feel the controls are more responsive and also you have good lighting and buttons for both patches, and different effects in the chain of those patches... They really took a step up with the X3. The XT I felt was much more messy...!

I'd also like to say, atleast for my part, that versatility is nothing unless it's practical to use live... It may just be my low IQ, and inability to think much while I play live..., but; After running around rocking out and then running back to the mike, short on breath, to do some backing vocals and change some effects or patches I do not wish to be thinking, having to check or worst;forgetting to check things like ; "did I push the button that allows me to change effects or patches now?" or "shit, I can't nothing in this display, did I select the Dimmu Borgir dist sound or the shimmering strat-clean for this lovely bridge-part...". I'd atleast think of this as well, if you're gigging with it that is.... arty07:

I'm not saying the X3 Live is the best combination of practical and versatile, however it is important to keep in the back of your mind while trying alternatives out=)

Good luck=)
- Kvebbs

 

[Kvebbs]

Oh, for Mikael Åkerfeldt from Opeth uses the BOSS GT-something live - everything I believe is from there and straight into the clean channel of a Laney amp... I can tell you it  :headbang1: live!! Check out the Roundhouse tapes live DVD to se what he can do with it...

 

[Jens]

+1 on the Vox Tonelab´s and Boss ME70.
Not a fan of multiboards myself, but those two sound ok and are proper builds.
In my experience the Line 6 floorboards tend to brake too easily. Not very sturdy.

And your choice depends somewhat on how fond you are of reading manuals...
With the Line 6 POD X3 Live, for instance, is quite easy to get lost in the menus and screw up the settings.
Never heard an issue like that with Boss or Vox.
Just my two cents.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

The best way to get your base sounds with the XTLive is with a laptop or pc attached. It's a breeze to set up the sound/amp/effects combination that way. Then store and you're done. Once you have your base sounds, tweaking on the fly live or in practice is easy after that.

Everything is more visual and user friendly when using a pc to set up the sounds.

 

[mayfly]

The best way to get your base sounds with the XTLive is with a laptop or pc attached. It's a breeze to set up the sound/amp/effects combination that way. Then store and you're done. Once you have your base sounds, tweaking on the fly live or in practice is easy after that.

Everything is more visual and user friendly when using a pc to set up the sounds.

You can do this with the tonelab as well - there is a free application that runs on a PC or a Mac.  All you need is a midi device thingy.

 

[Kvebbs]

In defense of the PODX3-series - that one is build like a tank i feel... our bass player had a whole beer spilled over his once - the only thing that happened was it started switching patches because the up or down button became sticky from the beer... he opened it up, let it dry and put it back together... works like a charm=)

I do know of one problem they had in the beginning....  Some plastic-ring thing was holding the buttons in place on the inside so they hit the control-curcuit correctly... It often broke / came loose, it did on mine atleast! That was fixed free of charge on the guarantee for anyone.... I believe it's fixed on the current models.

It may be easy to get lost, at least in the start, in all the menus etc - however I find it more and more easy as well as the Gearbox-applicationg is really great for keeping order in things and tweaking... Don't know if the XT uses that one, it didn't when I had one atleast... The display on the X3 is heaven compared to the one on the XT - the XT I didn't even bother to tweak on anything else than my computer, but thats just me=)

Looks like there are some good things to say about them all - hard choice! You just gotta try them all out! Oh, and variax is cool as well

-Kvebbs

 

[Kostas]

I can't stand anything with a menu :sad: I need knobs :icon_scratch:
I still have a POD 2 which is very easy to handle but does not sound like a tube amp so it stays unused.
I prefer pedals and tube amps.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

The XTLive uses the GearBox app also.  :icon_thumright:

 

[thumb55]

and all of these companys put out a new and improved model every couple of years.

I've had a Boss set up and a Line 6 Flextone amp.  My reasoning for buying those was it was simpler and cheaper than a bunch of pedals.  In the end it seemed limiting too.

I've gone back to stomp boxes.  They never go away.  Max, I dont know what tones you are looking for but I'd go get good Crybaby, a delay, a chorus/flanger/phasor, and maybe a tube screamer of some kind.

 

[Justinginn]

It helps a ton to be able to just reach down and turn the knob instead of spending years thumbing through menues. The extra money you spend won't be worth anywhere near the amount of time you'll waste fiddling or the suck tone you'll get if you don't. JMHO. Plus the tone snob in you will never complain about your digital rebellion.  :evil4: