Zoom B2 or B1X - Which one should I buy?

MakoMan · #1 03-01-2013, 05:30 AM

I've decided to get myself a Zoom effects pedal and have found locally both a used B2 and a used B1X. Price difference is irrelevant... 10 bucks more for the B2.
My first instinct was to go with the B2, but I'm wondering if the expression pedal on the B1X would more than make up for the difference in quality.
In looking at the specifications I can't really find anything different between the two units. The effects seem to be the same, drum patterns etc.
Other than the B2 being made of metal, is there anything else that makes it worth more than the B1X with the expression pedal?

Silas Stingy · #2 03-01-2013, 05:33 AM

Not the advice you want but the B3 is great.

oerk · #3 03-01-2013, 05:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silas Stingy

Not the advice you want but the B3 is great.

Came here to post this.

MakoMan · #4 03-01-2013, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silas Stingy

Not the advice you want but the B3 is great.

LOL! Yeah, but slightly more than the 40 bucks I plan to spend for this project

lowfreq33 · #5 03-01-2013, 05:41 AM

If ten dollars makes or breaks your budget I'm afraid there won't be much helpful advice here.

MakoMan · #6 03-01-2013, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowfreq33

If ten dollars makes or breaks your budget I'm afraid there won't be much helpful advice here.

As I clearly said in my first post... the price difference between the two is irrelevant. I just want to know which one of the two I should buy.

KPJ · #7 03-01-2013, 07:45 AM

The B2 has higher quality sound and more flexibility with the effects parameters. The B1.x is OK for a starter effect unit. B2 is pro quality. You can always add an expression pedal to the B2 later. Or you could get a B2.1u which was the expression pedal built in.

MakoMan · #8 03-01-2013, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KPJ

The B2 has higher quality sound and more flexibility with the effects parameters. The B1.x is OK for a starter effect unit. B2 is pro quality. You can always add an expression pedal to the B2 later. Or you could get a B2.1u which was the expression pedal built in.

Thanks KPJ! That is exactly the type of info I was seeking. Just ran out and grabbed the B2.

KPJ · #9 03-01-2013, 09:44 AM

You shouldn't be disappointed.

Crystalman85 · #10 03-01-2013, 01:44 PM

If you're an advanced player, the zoom b2 would be a better choice. but if you can be able to save a little more cash, the zoom b3 would be a excellent choice for a multi-effects processor for bass. I have sound samples of the zoom b3 and the zoom b2.1u(which is like the zoom b2 with an expression pedal) on my soundclick website. here's the link.

www.soundclick.com/crystalman85

Feel free to check it out.

MakoMan · #11 03-01-2013, 03:45 PM

Thanks Crystalman! That is a fabulous link. I really enjoyed listening to the various patches.
I can see getting a B3 down the road, but really this is just a chance for me to learn a bit about bass effects. I have no clue at the moment on the subject, having to this point gotten by with just a compressor and tuner.
I picked up the B2 and have had a lot of fun with it this afternoon for a couple of hours. I'm really just scratching the surface of the unit at the moment - playing with the various preset patches, rhythm patterns and tuner - but I am very impressed so far, despite the fact I have no idea of what I am doing.

OzzyGreg · #12 03-01-2013, 04:00 PM

.

Quote:

I can see getting a B3 down the road, but really this is just a chance for me to learn a bit about bass effects.

I did a similar thing myself.
I bought a cheap Zoom 506II bass multi-effects unit (my first ever), got used to it, then upgraded to the B3.

PilbaraBass · #13 03-02-2013, 05:18 AM

I've been using a zoom B2.1u for at least 6 years...
@ Christmas time, I got a B3... but I still use the B2.1u, as well...

bassbrad · #14 03-02-2013, 08:51 AM

All I can say is you made the right choice going with the B2, features are much more useful.

Crystalman85 · #15 03-02-2013, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MakoMan

Thanks Crystalman! That is a fabulous link. I really enjoyed listening to the various patches.
I can see getting a B3 down the road, but really this is just a chance for me to learn a bit about bass effects. I have no clue at the moment on the subject, having to this point gotten by with just a compressor and tuner.
I picked up the B2 and have had a lot of fun with it this afternoon for a couple of hours. I'm really just scratching the surface of the unit at the moment - playing with the various preset patches, rhythm patterns and tuner - but I am very impressed so far, despite the fact I have no idea of what I am doing.

Glad you enjoyed it. if you happen to own one and needed some nifty patch ideas, come check out my zoom b3 patch ideas thread.

Zoom b3 patch Ideas

MakoMan · #16 03-02-2013, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crystalman85

Glad you enjoyed it. if you happen to own one and needed some nifty patch ideas, come check out my zoom b3 patch ideas thread.

Zoom b3 patch Ideas

I have bookmarked that thread. Thank you very much once again. Greatly appreciated.

MakoMan · #17 03-02-2013, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassbrad

All I can say is you made the right choice going with the B2, features are much more useful.

Yeah I am really digging the B2 so far. Really have not tried to experiment too much, but I have found some standard patches that I really like. I used it at a jam last night and between a few of the standard patches and the bypass I was really enjoying my bass tone.
The tuner is very, very good. It is extremely easy to use and dead on with my other pedal tuners. I really didn`t expect the tuner to be so good. In no way do I feel compromised by using it instead of a Boss or Korg tuner pedal.
I`m also having a blast with the drum machine. There`s some pretty usable practice patterns there and many that I can use for some basic jamming when we don`t have a drummer. I was using a Vox Rhythmvox Bass for that previously, but the B2 has just as many usable drum patterns and the digital tempo control is much better than the dial on the Vox. The only thing I wish I could do was stop and start the drum machine with one of the foot pedals, but I couldn`t do that before anyway

It`s also replaced the Vox as a headphone amp. It has waaaay more volume and the quality of the tone is incomparable. Sounds like a real bass through my phones now.
All in all I am really impressed and I have yet to even scratch the surface of what this thing can do in the couple of days I have had it. It`s replaced 3 pedals, two headphone amps and given me a MUCH wider range of tones and effects. Can`t ask for much more. I already sold the Rhythmvox for what I paid for the B2. It wasn`t needed anymore.

KPJ · #18 03-03-2013, 05:49 AM

You can get a footswitch like the ZOOM one or a Boss FSU and assin it to start/stop the drum machine. I assihn mine for bypass/mute. First suggestion I would make is to go into the user bank of the presets (the alpha-numeric ones) and shut off the noise reduction. I found that it seems to be to restrictive on many of the patches.

MakoMan · #19 03-03-2013, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KPJ

You can get a footswitch like the ZOOM one or a Boss FSU and assin it to start/stop the drum machine. I assihn mine for bypass/mute. First suggestion I would make is to go into the user bank of the presets (the alpha-numeric ones) and shut off the noise reduction. I found that it seems to be to restrictive on many of the patches.

Thanks for the tips KPJ! Greatly appreciated once again