betaphase Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 I was at my local music store, and decided to try out some effects pedals. The salesman at one point had me plugged into some digitech effects that I really liked, I think it was a "digidelay", "synth wah", and "hyper phase". It created this really trippy sound that I looooooved! So now all of a sudden I'm desperate for some effects, and VERY curious to try out all different types of stuff. Although I'm sure I wont get the tone quality out of a multi effects processor, it seems like I would have to spend a ton of money to be able to get as much stuff (that I would actually use) and it just wouldn't be as versatile. I'm not really going for copying anyone's specific sound. I just want to play around with some effects and create so cool sounds of my own. I am, therefore considering, buying an m.e.p. such as the Boss GT6 or the GT3, or the Digitech GNX1 or GNX2. I want something in the $200 - $400 range (definitely as close to the 200 as possible), that will allow me combine effects, such as all the effects I mentioned above, has an expression pedal, and possibly even be useful for some recording eventually. I would like to hear your thoughts on this. Recomendations on gear, evalutations of the units I mentioned, and wether or not you think I will be able to come even close to the clarity and tone I would get with a few stand-alone pedals. Maybe all there is to life Is to ask the questions, And to Survive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strat0124 Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 To me the multieffects pedals are kinda like a new video game. At first its cool as hell, and fun. But after a while that sucker is gonna collect dust. Especially after your tone quest matures a bit. Mines still maturing!!!!! I hope anyway! Down like a dollar comin up against a yen, doin pretty good for the shape I'm in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimK Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Geenard and I have different opinions on this. I have a GNX1 and am very happy with it. First, the effects are very, very good. Multis have a come a long way over the years and can now rival separate stomp boxes (IMHO). Second, the GNX series has some good amp and speaker models. Also, you can combine amps and cabs to create your own models. If you're the type of player who has one or two sounds that you love, and have no need for more, then a multi may not be your thing. That type of player should get the best amp they can afford, a few stompboxes to meet their needs, and have a blast. But if you're the type of player that likes to try a lot of different things, then a multi/modeler is a good choice. If I had to pick an amp or two, and just a couple of effects, I'd be screwed. What I play, and the sounds I'm looking for, are all over the place. They'll have to pry my multi from my cood, dead hands In an effort to improve the responsiveness of e-mail for everyone, the e-mail servers will be out of service. We are hopeful that this change will improve the performance of e-mail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc taz Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 There is one advantage to stomp boxes, though: the ability to change settings on the fly, and the order of effects. I've yet to see a multiFX unit that can do this effectively, at any price IMHO. This comment from a multiFX guy... but I still love my DOD GS30 however funky it is. LAter... sevenstring.org profile my flickr page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TieDyedDevil Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 I won't get into the sound of multi-FX vs. pedals vs. nothing at all - that's a matter of preference. However, I will weigh in on the usability issues. I think it's important to have a pedal where all the important controls are available on knobs and switches. Menu-based interfaces are (barely) tolerable when you have loads of time. When you're on stage and want to make a quick change using a menu-based interface... you can't. It interferes with the flow of your performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimK Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 The two previous posts are right, stompboxes are easier to adjust on the fly, and menus suck. The GNX series has very few menus. In fact, there really aren't any menus for editing the actual effects. You just push a button to select the effect you want to edit, and then use 6 knobs (yes, real knobs) to adjust the parameters. It's easy, but it's not something I'd want to try to do on stage. Of course, you can also edit everything from your computer using a MIDI cable and the supplied GenEdit software. In an effort to improve the responsiveness of e-mail for everyone, the e-mail servers will be out of service. We are hopeful that this change will improve the performance of e-mail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strat0124 Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Hey JimK....actually I agree with you. They are alot of fun. I do own an old DOD FX something or another, that has some neat stuff on it, and of course I bought the original POD. I tend to use them as signal processors now rather than guitar effects, cause I like wacked out sounds on things occasionally. Maybe I haven't found one that sounds like I am conditioned to hearing what I think my guitar ought to sound like. I came from the days of guitar heroes going from guitar>cable>amp, and thats the sound I associate with most. My tone quest is more aligned toward matching guitars and amps to each other, rather than front ending with effects. One of the major complaints I have with most multieffects units is that you do in fact have to front end. That is, putting time based effects in the front end. Which to me kills the overall tone, to a degree. And I play live alot in a band that is supposed to be relatively organic sounding. Which I prefer naturally. Nothing against them, it just doesn't meet my needs. They are in fact a blast to play with. Try running drums or vocals through some of your patches.....think Tchad Blake! Down like a dollar comin up against a yen, doin pretty good for the shape I'm in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 i am also lookin for effects for my guitar. May i suggest the Line 6 Pod AM-4 stompbox, its a great piece of kit and well worth a look. Gud luck in lookin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimK Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Originally posted by Geenard Skeenard: I came from the days of guitar heroes going from guitar>cable>amp, and thats the sound I associate with most. One of my favorite players is Alex Lifeson. He's not exactly the guitar->cable->amp kind of guy But I'll admit, there's days when I dial up a Tweed model in my processor and play just so I can enjoy hearing that classic sound. Simplicity can be nice. In an effort to improve the responsiveness of e-mail for everyone, the e-mail servers will be out of service. We are hopeful that this change will improve the performance of e-mail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc taz Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 Originally posted by JimK: Originally posted by Geenard Skeenard: I came from the days of guitar heroes going from guitar>cable>amp, and thats the sound I associate with most. One of my favorite players is Alex Lifeson. He's not exactly the guitar->cable->amp kind of guy But I'll admit, there's days when I dial up a Tweed model in my processor and play just so I can enjoy hearing that classic sound. Simplicity can be nice.That's how I tend to use my BP200 for bass. (Yeah I know which forum this is thanks ) When I want something different from my Peavey TNT 115's sound, I either use the Ashdown, Ampeg, Mesa, or one of the SWR amp models + volume pedal. I save the EQ for the amp. In fact, most of the time, when I do use my BP 200, I rarely use anything more than wah, or chorus. Yeah, I do have to front end it, but I have to really, or else the wah and the amp models sound weak. At least it adds very little noise when I use it (even with my active PJ bass). I do know how it feels to get a nice, pure tone. I just haven't done it much with tubes...perhaps once I land my future day gig (computer programming/hardware design), then it'll probably happen. sevenstring.org profile my flickr page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickerman Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 Personally, I dislike multi-effects STRONGLY! Digitech especially. Boss' multi-boxes are decent enough but Digitech is a waste of money. If you're just looking for lots of distortion/overdrive boxes, Digitech's amp models are quite nice but if you want it for the effects, DON'T! RUN AWAY!!! For $400 you're MUCH, MUCH better off getting four or five individual stomp boxes. Get yourself a wah, delay, chorus, phaser or flanger or some other modulation effect and you'll be well off. Far better than a Digitech will do. Those four effects cover you quite well, then, you can slowly grow your collection over the years... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmptinesOf Youth Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 Ive never any of the digitech GNX pedals only the Boss Gt-6. Ive had it since christmas and except for the MIDI stuff i know how to do everything on it....fast. ITs not hard at all, wana screw with the gain or treble or any other pre-amp option?, just turn the knobs till you find what you like. A couple other effects like chorus, delay and reverb are located as knobs right below it. When getting into the actual Effects like Flanger and Phaser, expecting your on a clean or whatever distortion sound you like already, you press the FX2 button turn the dial to what effect(i.e. flanger) and thats it. They already have the paremeters set for you which can be edited to whatever you need but what you choose right away is usually good. after thate press the "write" button twice to save it. Not hard. Same goes with arranging the effects Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNEDLEY Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 Please try the TC Electronics G-Major. It seems pricey but for the price of a few pedals it's just.......(I hate to use the word) awesome. Clean, rich, Stereo and you can change the order of effects easily. I've had many guitarists ask me what I was using. "how do you get that sound without sounding over-processed?" By the way, I don't work for TC or anything..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimK Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 The G-Major is a great processor. The price is about half of what it was a few years ago. But, the person who started this post is looking in the $200-$400 range (closer to $200). The G-Major is about $400, and then you need a controller for it (at least another $100), plus a rack to put it in. Hey Wickerman, tell us how you really feel about Digitech IMHO, Digitech's effects have improved a great deal over the last few years. I guess that's the beauty of this hobby: there's plenty of different ways to spend your money. In an effort to improve the responsiveness of e-mail for everyone, the e-mail servers will be out of service. We are hopeful that this change will improve the performance of e-mail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc taz Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 I am thinking of adding one or two Blue Tube pedals to add some tube color to my solid state rigs. See new thread... sevenstring.org profile my flickr page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc taz Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 Originally posted by Wickerman: Personally, I dislike multi-effects STRONGLY! Digitech especially. Boss' multi-boxes are decent enough but Digitech is a waste of money. If you're just looking for lots of distortion/overdrive boxes, Digitech's amp models are quite nice but if you want it for the effects, DON'T! RUN AWAY!!! For $400 you're MUCH, MUCH better off getting four or five individual stomp boxes. Get yourself a wah, delay, chorus, phaser or flanger or some other modulation effect and you'll be well off. Far better than a Digitech will do. Those four effects cover you quite well, then, you can slowly grow your collection over the years...I'm probably going to get some boxes someday too. Don't pee on DigiTech just 'cause you don't like them, man. There are pros who use DigiTech stuff too, and I've heard them used tastefully by others (aside from my own experience). I realize it's your opinion, but like JimK says, Digitech's improved in the last few years, on all fronts, I might add. At least with a MultiFX, I don't have to use an amp all the time. sevenstring.org profile my flickr page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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