Upgrade or retrograde?

[skipclone 1]

Something that occurred to me - you may want to look for a multi-effects unit that has some kind of Ext Send/Return loop, so you can insert your Overdrive pedal after the Wah or Compressor effects, for example. It's a useful but often overlooked feature.

 

To me, the main limitation of almost any multi-effects unit is what Craig Anderton calls the "One-from-column-A" approach, in that you can't have two effects from the same effects block, OD/MOD/DLY. (I admit, fixed effects algorithms are worse, but you hardly ever see them anymore.) That gets to be a pain, and it's part of why a lot of us use pedal effects along with our multi-effects, or even wind up chaining multi-effects.

 

The TC Nova system has a send/return but it`s after the OD circuit, so it can`t really drive a tube amp. That`s one advantage of having a separate pedal for that. But I`m thinking I`d probably want it DI through the amp.

 

I`ve had some cheaper units that have the limits on what can be combined-this is when the parameters are rigidly separated into `banks` where you can`t take things from the same bank. But I would find it hard to believe that more advanced units would have that same problem-at least for original user patches. I think mostly you can take anything from anywhere. But anyway once an amp gets into the picture, I think you would want to have clearly separated DI and loop lines.

[harvey]

I'm going the hybrid route and I like it but my stuff is ancient but it is paid for. Also I know how to program my multi effect effect unit pretty well. But that Fender Mustang Floor is something I want to check out when the local store gets one in.

 

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y70/CEB2/DSCF0130.jpg

 

Another GT3 in the GPF 'hood.

[Winston Psmith]

While recent Multi-effects are more flexible, there are still limits to how much processing power can be dedicated to any one effects block, so you still hit limits, in terms of what you can chain or combine, even within user patches. I haven't found one that will let me stack OD or Mod effects, for example, although most of the Boss units have given Chorus its own block. You probably won't be able to combine effects like Pitch Shifter & Guitar Synth, because of processor limits.

 

BTW, there are some cabling schemes that will allow you to use you amp's In jacks, and FX Loops, with different multi-effects. The old Lexicon MPX G2 was set up to use both, Dynamics effects into your amp, and Delay/Mod effects in the FX Loop, but I think it was too cumbersome for some players to set up the system properly.

[skipclone 1]

I just had a quick look at the GT-100-what is this silly `EZ tone`

feature. My ME-33 has the same thing, gee I don`t know what a `clean` sound is, I better use EZ tone.

Gimme a break.

[Winston Psmith]

All the GT series had something like that - on the GT-3 they called it "Easy Edit". I've never used it. I think the idea was to make it easier for folks who were used to pedals, instead of parameters.

[Gifthorse]

Skip, I just read your first couple of posts but I can't believe you aren't interested in POD HD 500 live, or one of the POD X3's.

 

Amazing sounds (better than a transistor pedal in my opinion), and super versatile.

 

 

[Caevan O’Shite]

Skip, I just read your first couple of posts but I can't believe you aren't interested in POD HD 500 live, or one of the POD X3's.

 

Amazing sounds (better than a transistor pedal in my opinion), and super versatile.

 

 

It's also pretty cool- and fun- to hit digital modelers such as those with various pedals in front of 'em.

[skipclone 1]

Skip, I just read your first couple of posts but I can't believe you aren't interested in POD HD 500 live, or one of the POD X3's.

 

Amazing sounds (better than a transistor pedal in my opinion), and super versatile.

 

 

Hi Gifthorse-

Actually I do have that in mind the whole time-basically I want to decide between keeping what I have, or getting the most up-to-date unit out there (within my means of course). I suppose I should wander into guitar town at some point and see what they have that I can try out.

[Gifthorse]

Well, you moved to Japan because of the bigger market, and I would say that there are probably more Line 6 products than most of Asia.

 

I think that the cost of say a POD X3live or POD HD live used would accomplish every goal you would ever want. I mean, you could embellish that with a power amp and cabinet if you wanted down the road. But out of the box it in my opinion would sound 100 times more organic than an ART or any distortion pedal---but you knew I would say that. HEHE

 

Dude, I hope you make it back soon I miss ya.

[skipclone 1]

Oh I knew alright ,

the ART holds its own but there are definitely

better units out there.

I`m pretty much set on buying new-and the markup in Japan is pretty brutal. It`s much better for guitars made here. I`ll be going back stateside for summer, most likely I`ll get something shipped to the parents` place and then bring it back with me.

Ya miss you too bro, I may have mentioned that my teacher was having something ordered from the mainland and I was going to wait for news from him before heading back there. But it`s taking longer than I expected so I may buzz over for a long weekend later in the year.

[Mojo Bone]

Definitely check out the POD X3L; the thing's a Swiss Army Knife. It has a loop send/return for integrating with external FX, operates as a USB interface, the Wahs (six emulated, plus you can assign the pedal to modulate a filter or pretty much any parameter)and there are tons of guitar and bass amp models, modeled mic preamps for vocals, (yep, there's a mic input, too) acoustic instruments, etc.

 

It's the heart of my tube/digital hybrid rig and has held up well for the three years I've owned it; only the intermittent display backlight has ever been a problem. (and then only on a blacked-out stage, since it's LCD) It even does some cool mono synth sounds, and the reverbs and effects are pretty spectacular and despite all the firepower, you can get sounds really quickly with the top panel knobs.

 

It's extremely deep and programming it is not for the faint of heart, but the editing is fairly easy to grok and consistent. (though dual amp programming is a little counterintuitive) From listening to your Soundclick tracks, I think you should definitely check it out, but don't go by the factory presets, DL the manual and check out the FX list; bet your ART doesn't have a barberpole phaser....It's overkill for a roots-oriented guitarist like me, but I think you could really go nuts with this thing.

[Terrell]

Avoid the HD500, super powerful for a tweak of the amp response, but multi FX are short of expectations.

[skipclone 1]

Ya, the HD500 seems to be more about the amp mods. That has its appeal but this rig will eventually include a good tube amp, maybe even one for live and one for recording if a suitcase full of money falls in my lap.

That would help with the high notes on vocals too .

[Larryz]

My Fender Mustang Floor is doing the trick (it even has the ducking delay I read about on this channel a while back), so I'm boxing up my classic pedals and heading for the flea market this weekend and taking 3 guitars and a bass with me too...i'm keeping the amps for now as I've got enough stuff for the 1st trip already...