Best Multi Effect for Bass and g**tar

[gatorfreak8031]

To preface:

Next year I'll be moving to a new city with one of my good buddies who just happens to be a very good drummer (funny how that works with bassists and drummers). We're both tired of how much trouble we have been having with finding good musicians and especially good songwriters to work with, so I've taken matters into my own hands and have begun the writing process for the band that we will run.

Now for the meat and potatoes:

With this new band I'm not sure whether I will be playing rhythm guitar and singing leads, playing bass and singing harmonies, or any combination of the above, it all just depends of the quality of musician that we find. At the same time, I'm in desperate need of some good pedals, and realize that my needs would be different depending on which instrument I play (i.e. a good muff pedal for bass vs something like a line 6 DL4 for some ambient guitar effects). Buying enough pedals for both isn't economically feasible at this point even with many pedals having uses for both instruments.

After quite a few hours put into research over the past couple days it seems like either a Line 6 X3 Live(even without the looping feature) or Boss GT-10 or 10B are the most popular and best options within a decent price range. As an added bonus if I ended up playing the nameless 6 stringed piece of wood, I wouldn't have to bother with picking up a combo amp to compliment.

To sum it all up, I'm really having trouble finding clarification on which effect unit while seemingly built mainly for either guitar or for bass has the least drop off for the other instrument. Any help and suggestions are much appreciated, and sorry for the semi-long post.

[infect]

LINE 6 POD X3.

[gatorfreak8031]

Originally Posted by infect

LINE 6 POD X3.

Thanks for the reply, any reasoning/ explanation behind it?

[velvetkevorkian]

Its the only one of the ones you've mentioned that has patches for both guitar and bass- the GT-10 and 10b are optimised for guitar and bass respectively, although I don't know how much impact that would have.

Another one to look at is a used Boss VF-1 if you're OK with a half rack unit- again, patches optimised for both bass and guitar.

[gatorfreak8031]

Yeah that was my worry. I saw a youtube video of a guy using a 10b with his guitar and it didn't sound half bad, but that's very little to go by which is why I came to the experts here. My worry on the X3 is that a lot of what I've has said the effects aren't the best and it's much better for amp modeling.

I do like the VF-1, and it seems pretty easy to find one at a decent price, my only worry is the foot switches that it says it's compatible with don't look very mistake friendly with only one switch.

[CatfishStudios]

Iuse my guitar PODxt live, for both bass and guitar.. I paid for the extra patches with bass specific amps and cabs and effects. I also use it as a p/c recording interface, since it has nice preamps and mic models. Recorded Keys, bass, guitar, vocals with great success. You can also use gearbox software to fine tune and program in real time through a laptop or p/c. also program whole setlist full of different settings and throw it on the floor for live performance.. it is almost TOO adjustable. Ive been using it lately as a preamp+compression and reverb for my NXT upright ... its a wonderful little box.

[fokof]

Roland VB99 , if money is no object.

I really like mine......

[gatorfreak8031]

Nice, Catfish, so you would say that the talk about the effects not being up to par is a bit overblown?

That VB99 looks like a sweet little box, but unfortunately money is a bit of an object. I am jealous, though.

[stflbn]

Don't count out the Line6 M13 or M9. If you don't want/need the amp/cab modeling in the X3 you definitely should look at the M13 or M9.

[CatfishStudios]

The thing about the pod is..the effects with the factory presets are not so hot..but the adjustability, tweak ability is insane..if you cant get a good sound out of it its because your not doing it right. Thats my opinion anyway..You can adjust the distance of the modeled mic from the modeled cab for instance... often running the pod into your poweramp bypassing your amps preamp (effects loop?) makes all the difference .... anything you could think about adjusting you can.

[gumtownbassman]

The GT-10B does have some Guitar amp models built in,
and the GT-10 does not have any bass amp models.
The Boss ones are built like a tank (indestructable), the GT-10B may have a slight advantage if you want a dual pupose MFX,
with XLR outputs and the extra compressor models and the ability to frequency divide the dual channel paths.

The GT-10 range has a fully movable chain order for all 16 effects blocks, and all 16 can be used at the sametime,
allowing up to 5 sets of EQ, 2 of most effects, 3 delays, 3 compressors, 2 noise gates, etc..

If your choice is down to Boss & Line 6, each has their own strengths, it is said that the Line 6 range has better high gain amp modelling, and the Boss has better effects.

[gatorfreak8031]

Great advice guys, cleared up a few things for me. I somehow overlooked the M13 which only makes the decision even tougher! I think that might be the way to go as long as I can get my recording gear to work again, even if I end up having to borrow a guitar amp later on.

[iualum]

...don't forget the Eventide Modfactor or T.C. Electronics Modulator...

[klk999]

The Johnson J-Station, Digitech GNX3 and GNX3000 all have bass amp models, though they are aimed at guitar. I have a GNX3000, and it is great for guitar, just ok for bass. I have a Zoom B2 that sounds much better with my basses.

However, all three have been discontinued by the manufacturer, so you will need to look for used ones.

[nutso42]

I noticed the 'economically feasible'. In that case, might I recommend a Zoom B1/B1X? I picked mine up for around $80 (give or take), and they have separate models for guitar and bass, so you could easily pick up both for the price of one normal Multi-effect pedal. If even that's too much, the bass pedal version does have several tones you would usually use on a guitar as well. Wah-wah, overdrive, distortion... I frequently use my bass pedal for guitar and it sounds just fine (not spectacular, obviously, but if you have a tight budget, just fine is about the best you can get).

[Baskesman]

Also note that there is a range of Amps with modeling and/or built-in effects functions on the Git-market. Marshall Haze amps, Line 6 Spider amps, ... I have no experience with their quality/sound however.

[gatorfreak8031]

I've gone through and done some research on each of the suggestions, all of them are much appreciated.

[strke-fender]

I recommend the Line6 M9 or M13. Very easy to use, great sounding.

not tooo much of a hit on the wallet.

[blubolt]

I opted for the M13 and haven't been happier! Great unit and I was able to find it on Ebay for 399$ shipping included with a full factory warranty.

[dkelley]

I have to say the boss me50 pedal system (the blue metal box with a few pedals and continous controller that has sims of most boss pedals and dozens of great competitor's pedals in it). I know there's a bass intended version of this, haven't tried it but I expect it's great too, but for me even the new version of the me-50 (is it me-70 or something) is somewhat inferior to my me-50. The new versions are missing a TON of the features I love, although they improved the comressor dramatically so it's a true modelling comp now, so it would be fun to try sometime. I use a series of outboard rack compressors ranging into the very expensive territory when I record bass, so I don't use stomp box comps any more, but back in the 80s I was a slapping fool with my boss comp LoL.

I use that exclusively these days as my non-rack fx system for guitar, and recently discovered that it's quite a bit better on bass than most of the affordable bass-marketed multifx boxes.

it doesn't do sims (but does have a sim built into the headphone out). so it's a before amp box, not a direct out to the board box imho, although one could use it like that.

the chorus, phasing, flanging, and other modulation fx are great on both guitar AND bass. the distortions are numerous (something like 16 of them, all fully controllable with the virtual analog knobs dedicated to the virtual distortion pedal), and while some are over the top, a couple work just as well on bass as the real boxes by the original makers do on bass. I can get a good Geddy tone from this thing quite easily, fender bass to the me-50 to the behringer bdi-21, my favorite bass DI (no price attached, and it just happens to be uber cheap). Also the delays and crazy things you can do with the wah/type pedal are very fun on bass.

I recommend it - very very low noise too, much better than the digitech and similar crap out there I've tried.