Is the Zoom B2 Pedal woth buying?

[gimmeagig]

I need some advice.I have never used effects much but I am going to be playing in a smooth jazz duo where I'll be switching with the keyboard player on the melodies. So I'm looking for a nice chorus,a clean reverb,maybe a synth and a envelope follower and octave above.
How difficult is it to use the drums on the b2 and still have control over the effects? Can i use both at once and are the drum grooves programmable?
How much time can i get on a battery charge?
Does the direct signal of my bass loose some of it's fullness going through this device?
I do not want to use a whole bunch of different effects. I really want to keep it very simple.

[Tractorr]

I have not used this pedal, but I own the previous generation so I think I might be able to help you out. The effects are usable but not the quality you will get from higher end units. If this pedal is anything like the older one it is relatively quiet.

Looking at the website it looks like the drum feature is more of a rhythm trainer than an actual drum machine. The old one had a fairly good battery life and I doubt the new one is significantly shorter.

The old one definitely thinned out the tone a little. Unfortunately at this price point you are most likely not going to get a true hardware bypass.

[PilbaraBass]

B2 requires a bit of getting used to. You can't turn individual effects on and off. It works as a total patch. But switching is quite easy.

Chorus is pretty good, reverb is ok, but limited. Octave tracks well (IF you use the pitch change and not the "octave" effect). Synth effect is woeful, but you can get some great synthy sounds using a fuzz face driver patch coupled with a bit of auto-wah.

Drum grooves are not programmable. Drum machine is only really a practice tool.

You can mix as much or as little of your dry bass signal as you want on a per-patch basis. So you won't lose your bass' inherent sound (or as much as you want )

I find the real strength of the zoom b2 is in the amp/cab simulations. Can really add a lot of "dimension" to your sound. Plus the EQ is pretty powerful, too.

But it DOES take a lot of work to get your head around it. Once you do, it's pretty sweet piece of gear. I own two B2.1u units...because I rely on it so much.

If you can pick one up for $100... DEFINITELY worth it, IMO

[slap2much]

Had one for a while and was happy with it, I do agree about its limitations as others above outlined...I picked up a used Yamaha Magicstomp and liked the processed sound from there a lot more than from the B2 (I wasn't looking for amp/cab sims as much as straight instrument effects like flanging, delay etc.), ended up selling the Zoom. Seen 'em for pretty cheap on eBay, a good value for the $$ even if not 'pro' quality. Drum machine is great for solo practice.

[gimmeagig]

Great, I think I might get one.Does the fretless effect work in this unit?
You have me curious about the cab simulator now.
I have these Bag End S15 X-D cabinets. They are nice but I wish they were a little deeper sounding so I have also been considering buying a Carvin 10.2 BSX cab.
If the simulator in the zoom works so well, Is there a chance that I might not have to buy another cabinet?By the way my amp is a Eden WT 550 and I play a souped up 75 Jazz and a Atelier Z 5 string Jazz.I don't think my basses or the amp are the problem.

[Definitely]

zoom b2.1u?

[heavyfunkmachin]

We all wish this pedal did all the thigs he promises. But he don't...

Reverb sucks (WAY too digital) and Sytnths aren't really good ... I have one and IMHO just avoid it.

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by gimmeagig

I have these Bag End S15 X-D cabinets. They are nice but I wish they were a little deeper sounding so I have also been considering buying a Carvin 10.2 BSX cab.
If the simulator in the zoom works so well, Is there a chance that I might not have to buy another cabinet?By the way my amp is a Eden WT 550 and I play a souped up 75 Jazz and a Atelier Z 5 string Jazz.I don't think my basses or the amp are the problem.

Short version: NO ZOOM FOR YOU!

Long version: Your basses, amps, and cabs are all professional-quality gear. The Zoom is an entry-level gadget, good for practicing at home, but not something you'd want to gig with. It would be like wearing old bath slippers with a nice-quality suit. Nothing wrong with old bath slippers when all you're doing is kickin' it at home, but you wouldn't go to a job interview wearing them.

To be clear, I am not making a sweeping bias against all cheap gear! There are plenty of gems out there for cheap. It's the Zoom B2 line in particular that I'm talking about.

Especially in a "smooth jazz duo", where every nuance will be audible, you don't want to stand out there in tattered bunny slippers.

Maybe a Line6 M5 or M9 for you? I'm not a huge Line6 booster, but they are leaps and bounds better than the Zoom B2.

Regarding the Bag End cabs, they should have plenty of booty. You might just want to try EQ'ing differently. That's all that cab simulation is anyway: EQ.

[bassbrad]

I like the Zoom B2 & B2.1u, they are not the end all be all- no multi is - but what it does well is worth for me. For the 99 bucks new or 50 bucks used it's a heck of a bargain and I like the size. The chorus, flange and phase are usable and programmable and the pitch shifter and octaver work pretty well. I find the synth & envelopes very useful especially as there are a multitude of other effects to augment that and it's easy to create and save those sounds (have a B2 just for synth sounds). The delays are very usable and there is a good selection and it is possible to use 2 different delays at the same time. Reverbs are okay but leave something to be desired compared to many other units. Amp sims and Eq can be flexible and useful and the mix function for distortion is handy.
CONS
The bypass is not the best but you can always run it in a loop selector. the drum machine is not programmable and would be difficult to use in a performance situation but it is a fun and useful practice tool.
Bypass//tune/mute is hitting both switches at the same time but you can control the function with an external foot switch. Fretless sim is as good as any other close but certainly no substitute, makes for a nice arco effect. Comp and limiter are meh so I don't use them much.

[philtoler]

I have a B2 and a G1. Recently Zoom have launched a new "G3" and I have e.mailed Zoom Japan to find out if they are bringing out a "B3" - if so could be worth the wait! Here's a very comprehensive demo of the G3:

Zoom G3: Stompbox And Amp Emulation Under A Single, Affordable Roof (Video) - YouTube

The bit which caught my interest was the octave effect at 12.03 - it sounds like a big improvement compared to the older units.