Guitar Multi-effect for Bass of Bass ME for Guitar?

blipndub · #1 03-19-2008, 10:14 AM

So I'm looking at Multi-efx units and I have two purposes. One, to have more control over my tone and effects when playing bass in coffee shop setting where I'm going direct into a small PA. Two, to have effects for my home studio primarily for electric guitar going into an amp.

I'm not sure if I would do better with a bass unit or a guitar unit for these multiple purposes. I suppose the biggest difference would be with the octaver synth and amp modeling settings.

I like the Boss ME-50 and the Zoom B2u1

bongomania · #2 03-19-2008, 10:32 AM

I wouldn't generalize, you won't get good results thinking that way.

FWIW some multi's allow you to download the effect models that may not have been included in whatever unit you bought.

Nyarlathotep · #3 03-19-2008, 11:00 AM

The X3 Live is everything for guitar and bass that line 6 has done so far, in one unit.

I have not tried out the octave stuff yet, so i cant really tell you what thats like.

Also the reason i suggest the live is that both units you mention have the CPU and foot controller in one unit.

blipndub · #4 03-19-2008, 11:28 AM

That X3 is over the top! Wow! My budget is a little more humble than that bad boy.

I use a Line 6 Toneport for recording and I'm pretty pleased with the new Line 6 tones. However it doesn't have an expression pedal and it's really not very portable (you need a laptop).

Seems like many of the Guitar efx have bass patches but not the other way around. So maybe I should look on the Boss and Zoom sites and see which models have bass downloads.

ga_edwards · #5 03-19-2008, 11:31 AM

If you don't want amp sims then a bass one will work more than adequately with guitar, I used to use my GT6B with guitar and sounded great. (A lot of the boss stompbox models were guitar ones anyway).

On the other hand, if amp modelling is key, then you'll need something like the afore mention Line6 X3. Or at the cheaper end there's the Behringer v-amp which does bass, guitar, acoustic and keyboard effect and amp sims. I have one and it's great, sure not line6 quality, but your average punter isn't gonna notice. There's also the Korg pandora PX4D which covers bass and guitar, the new 5th (not sure of the model number) also works with a simple 2 pedal footswitch.

blipndub · #6 03-19-2008, 12:52 PM

Yeah amp sims aren't the most important element I'm thinking more of an efx/preamp kind of unit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ga_edwards

If you don't want amp sims then a bass one will work more than adequately with guitar, I used to use my GT6B with guitar and sounded great. (A lot of the boss stompbox models were guitar ones anyway).

On the other hand, if amp modelling is key, then you'll need something like the afore mention Line6 X3. Or at the cheaper end there's the Behringer v-amp which does bass, guitar, acoustic and keyboard effect and amp sims. I have one and it's great, sure not line6 quality, but your average punter isn't gonna notice. There's also the Korg pandora PX4D which covers bass and guitar, the new 5th (not sure of the model number) also works with a simple 2 pedal footswitch.

bassbrad · #7 03-19-2008, 06:21 PM

I have used my B2.1u with piccolo bass but am not really sure i would like the tones for guitar since most of the efx are voiced for bass. I have a G1x that gets the most action with the piccolo bass & is the house gtr processor and i am more than happy with it and there are some decent and interesting sounds in it for bass as well.

blipndub · #8 03-19-2008, 07:09 PM

I guess that's what I'm wondering, what does "voiced for bass" actually mean? And would that be something I could compensate for with eq, etc.

Nyarlathotep · #9 03-19-2008, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blipndub

I guess that's what I'm wondering, what does "voiced for bass" actually mean? And would that be something I could compensate for with eq, etc.

It usually means that it wont drop your low end like a steaming hot potatoe....

ga_edwards · #10 03-20-2008, 05:32 AM

Basically yes. On my GT6B, effects like reverb and chorus you could set a high pass filter so the low end wasn't as effect as the high end. (Reverb on low bass in a band context turns to mush).

The drives/distortion could also have low end cleaned up and blended with unaffected signal. This is the only way I've found to get a good bass distortion that sound good in a mix it to still have clean, unaffected bass blended with distotion.

You'll also find tracking effects like octaver, pitch shifter, harmony and synth are tailored to track better for the basses range, and don't track quite as well on a guitar, espcially playing high up the neck. Saying that, I did build a track for Steve Vai's 'Ballerina' on my GT6B that worked quite well.

PilbaraBass · #11 03-20-2008, 05:56 AM

I've said it b4 in other threads...

I use the B2.1u for both my bass and my electric guitar.

I can get some great tube-y clean, bell-like strat tones from my B2.1u

and while I'm talking zoom...dudes and dudettes, you MUST check out the new zoom zfx unit on the zoom site www.zoom.co.jp it's designed for guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals, and possibly even sitars and tenor banjos

blipndub · #12 03-20-2008, 11:51 AM

I've always shied away from multieffects because they seem to appeal to the "I want it all NOW" generation and I guess my hesitancy with the Zoom is just the fact that it has a drum machine, I would rather resources be devoted to quality than quantity and I don't need a drum machine. At the same time the next real upgrade does seem to be the Boss ME-50 and that's a lot of money. Also I'm concerned about patch volume consistency. I have an old POD and when you switch patches the volume can be really inconsistent without tweaking. It's annoying to have to repatch everything for an even volume. Maybe the POD wasn't really designed to switch patches on the fly. Hopefully the zoom is. I'll have to go try one out and see if it will meet my needs.

I know it's hard with an all in one solution esp for guitar and bass, but the zoom is sounding better and better.

bassbrad · #13 03-20-2008, 04:35 PM

The Zoom is pretty easy to set volume levels between patches, unlike many others. The rhythm section is really just a practice tool and it does not detract from the effects that are there and it only disables the reverb.
If you want clean guitar tones the B2 or B2.1u will be fine, if you are looking for distortion tones for guitar look elsewhere as those are voiced lower for bass or use a distortion pedal.
With piccolo bass I use an over drive I like and several clean patches on the B2.1u and even a crunchy Marshally sorta sound. Also the chorus, flanger and phase shifter frequencies are lower than a guitar unit but that is not necessarily a bad thing and does sound good to my ear. The delays are about the same but a guitar unit will have a better selection of reverbs.