Beginner looking for good multi-effects for practice

[Hellhog]

I've been searching the forums the last few days for answers as well as the manufacturer websites, manuals, and youtube. I'm still not sure though.

I started about 2 months ago so am very new to bass still (I love my Squier Standard Jazz Bass ). I'm looking for an inexpensive yet still descent quality multi-effects pedal. I want one to use as a Headphone Amp (I will be spending most of my day and evenings at my college and not at home. So it needs to fit in my Fender Deluxe Bass Gig Bag, run on batteries, have a headphone stereo out (1/4th or 1/8th), I used the VOX AmPlug Bass last semester but returned it to buy something better) and of course to have fun with effects and learn what different effects I like. The more effects it has the better so I can try them out.

I've been looking at Boss, DigiTech, and Zoom. I like the idea of having an expression pedal but not sure how much I would need/use it or miss it if I didn't have it. All the models I looked at seemed like they will fit in my Gig Bag based on the dimensions.

The Zoom B1/B1X are well within a great price range for me but it seems that the editing is really complicated and they look like they will break easily. The B2/B2.1u still seem complicated but less prone to breaking. The USB/XLR on the B2.1u are useless to me and spending $175 for it is hard to swallow compared to $89 for the B2 or $69 for the B1X.

The Boss ME-20B seems to be much more liked based on my searching. The about $200 price point is too much for me but at the same time seems to have the best qaulity and most options with ease of use as well. If it was in budget I would really be inclined to jump on it. The dimensions should just barely fit in my bag.

Last I looked at the DigiTech BP80 ($80) and BP200 ($150). I'd be willing to drop on either for the prices and what they offer. However I've noticed a lot of people on here say the sound quality is lacking. Also the BP200 doesn't run on batteries which would be annoying when finding a place to sit and do school work/practice but does have Aux In which is nice.

The Zoom B1X is definetly a preference for the cost. But I'm still not sure which to get. What are your recomendations?


Just another quick question. I want to get an amp for home use (and have the effects inline). I'm looking at either the Fender Rumble 15 ($100) or Rumble 30 ($180). Obviously I'm not doing any gigs, purely for practice use. I was looking at the Rumble 75 ($250) but I'm petty sure it is too big for me. Which one would you recomend?

Thanks for all the help!

[bassguitar808]

I'd skip the multi FX

and go straight for a nice Overdrive pedal

Way Huge - Pork Loin ($150) is great for bass

and a Tuner

get Boss TU-2/3 ($80 or slightly cheaper on craigslist)

individual pedals can be swapped out easier,
if you are frustrated/bored with a particular tone
multi's are fun for a min. but once you get sick of the cheese,
you'll never use 95% of the presets

if you buy boutique pedals sometimes they even increase in value

as far as practicing goes, I usually practice unplugged at home

try to find a band to jam with in a similar level/slightly better than you
the fastest way to improve is play with other musicians frequently

[Rob22315]

If you're just experimenting and want to do it on the cheap, you can try Behringer pedals. These can be had for $20-$40 from bhphotovideo and are usually copies of Boss pedals at 2x the price or more. You can experiment on the cheap before going boutique.

The two big downsides to Behringer pedals are the hiss and the plastic cases but for headphone amp/bedroom practice they should be fine. The dazzling blue LEDs on these pedals will make a great nightlight too.

The BP200 can be had for much cheaper on ebay.

[Mingus Addict]

Check out the Korg pandora

[wolffman]

first if you’ve only been playing for 2 months i would suggest looking over effects for now and learn the basics of instrument better, spend the money on lessons. there is much to learn. effects are great tools, but if you don’t know the basics they will most likely become a distraction.

if you insist on buying effects- buy them used- you can almost always resell what you paid for it. after playing for years and deciding it was time to venture into effects i got a multi first- I wasn’t sure which effects i would really like and the ones i thought i wanted werent the ones I actually ended up using the most. so in my opinion the ability to sample 35+ effects and mix them for under $250 is a great way to sample. I liked the me-50b a lot because there are no menus to scroll through and it is very intuitive much like stomp boxes. It is probably bigger than you want though. i haven’t tried any of the other muftis you have listed.

[Atomik Rooster]

I have a Zoom B2 with the expression pedal, and I think it was money well spent for both although I use the pedal as a gain control since I don't do much in the way of on-the-fly effects. For your purposes, the pedal is definitely optional. The unit itself is sturdier than it looks (the case is metal whereas the B1 is plastic I believe) and it isn't horribly complicated. The manual includes a quick reference sheet that lays out the signal/effects path from input to output, and the presets are great for finding your preferred tone. Pick a patch that's close to what you want then tweak it to your preference. The output is stereo and will accommodate headphones.
I know this sounds like a sales pitch, but I have a Boss GT-6B and a number of individual pedals, yet I grab the B2 more often than not. I'm sure the B1or B1X would be comparable for the most part, but I don't own one so I can't comment on the differences. Good luck and have fun with whatever you choose!

[BassBob2112]

I have the Fender Rumble 75 for home use and I've been really happy with it thus far.

I think it's fine for jamming at home, and it's loud enough if you want to go practice with some friends. Good warm tone from it, good basic eq., and has a nice on/off gain with overdrive level and mix level, plus two other push button filter settings. Can also be tilted/kicked back.

Only downside is it's kind of heavy, and if you wanted to gig I don't think it would be loud enough on it's own.

[Hellhog]

Thank you everyone for the help. I just purchases a barely used Boss ME-20B for $145 shipped on ebay. The listing just went up and it was a buy it now. The only other one was in a bid war ending in an hour and up to $120 (plus was reallly scratched up). I was also looking at a Zoom B2.1u for $50 ($20 shipping) but ultimately want the Boss.

For those wondering, I will be taking lessons this semester from my college apart from my regular curriculum. 1 hour of instruction a week so 16 hours by the end of the semester. Cheaper than any local music shop and more convenient.

[blastjv]

I always recommend the Acoustic B20 as a little practice amp that does NOT sound little. Usually $75 or so on Craigslist.


-JV

[ilovenofrets]

You should be able to find a Boss ME-20B used for the price of a new Digitech, and you will be much happier. Also, as MingusAddict suggested, look into the Korg Pandora. I have the PX3B, and for headphone practice, it just doesn't get any better. It also has some very useful features for practicing, learning material, and it's got a chromatic tuner as well. A PX3B can usually be found for a real good price on ebay, and I have seen the PX4B selling a bit cheaper as of late also. Hope this helps. Cheers!

[Emm9T]

Originally Posted by blastjv

I always recommend the Acoustic B20 as a little practice amp that does NOT sound little. Usually $75 or so on Craigslist.


-JV

This. Nice find on the pedal btw. The Acoustic B20 has great tone and is unmatched as far as budget 20 watt amps go. It can also get loud enough practice with a band in most situations I've found, just make sure the guitarists done turn up too loud. I personally don't like the lower end Fender Rumbles, the more expensive ones are good, but their beginner gear is shoddy in my experience.