Zoom B3 multi-effects

[cheapbasslovin]

@ Grateful:

I suspect that your effect send is clipping the holy hell out of the B3 and the B3 is simply passing that bad information on to your power amp. Amp effect sends are usually much hotter than instrument signals and I expect that is where your troubles lie.

I had a Boss ME50B that I ran in my effects loop for a long time, but when I upgraded to a higher output bass it would stop clipping no matter what I did to it. Awful, awful sounding clipping.

[gastric]

FX loops are typically line level, not instrument level. And depending on your amp, it may not even be a true line level. I had some MESA heads that would send some weird output level that would always adjust with my master volume level. It was never usable.

Note there is an active/passive switch on the B3. Though I doubt that'll solve your problem. But it's worth a try.

Originally Posted by Grateful

Question re: the fx loop...

When I run the B3 in front of the amp, it works great.

When I run it in the FX loop, it causes all kinds of break-up, almost sounding like it's trying to destroy the drivers in the cab, even when no effects are turned on.

The Master level is at 100, and I've even tried dilaing that way down, but I get the same results.

Is there a setting I'm missing, like a -10 pad or something?

[OzzyGreg]

.

FX loops are typically line level, not instrument level. And depending on your amp, it may not even be a true line level. I had some MESA heads that would send some weird output level that would always adjust with my master volume level. It was never usable.

As I set up each patch I "tune" the levels within the patches and also using the controls within the Total and/or Global menus.

I can call any patch up and I always have the same volume level as any other, which is ideal for my amp.

Works for me.

[gastric]

Ozzy - I was referring to the amplifier effects loop. Some amps provide great loops with instrument/line level switches, level controls, etc. Others just provide 2 jacks labeled "effects loop" with goofy levels, or worse, like my MESA heads, levels that constantly change with your master volume.

Many guitar pedals don't work well in an effects loop. Not saying the B3 won't work as I haven't personally tried it. But in general you're at the mercy of both your amp and the effect pedal you're trying to insert into the loop.

[slipperman]

Hello,

Does any one have any cool settings or ideas for the Zoom's Modulation and Delay effects.I know the best thing to do is mess about with it but surely you clever folk have a few fav settings.

Many thanks
_______________________
Warwick Thumb NT and Warwick BC20. ZoomB3

[CHILDISHGAMBINO]

Originally Posted by slipperman

Hello,

Does any one have any cool settings or ideas for the Zoom's Modulation and Delay effects.I know the best thing to do is mess about with it but surely you clever folk have a few fav settings.

Many thanks
_______________________
Warwick Thumb NT and Warwick BC20. ZoomB3

Check the patch ideas thread I posted a couple of weird delay patches. I like the Ringmod sweeping the frequency from 30 to 50 with an expression pedal into the hall reverb. Hope this gives you a couple of ideas.

[Ryan L.]

Well, mine should be here tomorrow. Finally broke down and had to get one for myself to check it out.

I'm hoping I can get a decent chorus sound, and a couple different/funky auto-wah type sounds. I have zero use for the amp modelling, so it's going to be used as strictly an effects unit.

Chances are, I'll run out of patience trying to program it, and it'll end up getting thrown in a snowbank outside......

[Bradass]

Originally Posted by Ryan L.

Well, mine should be here tomorrow. Finally broke down and had to get one for myself to check it out.

I'm hoping I can get a decent chorus sound, and a couple different/funky auto-wah type sounds. I have zero use for the amp modelling, so it's going to be used as strictly an effects unit.

Chances are, I'll run out of patience trying to program it, and it'll end up getting thrown in a snowbank outside......

Have patience...I was never overly frustrated with it but knew I could get more out of it even after I was sure I knew what I was doing. Invest the time in reading through and exploring the B3 threads here on TB. You will learn a lot of helpful tips that will shorten the learning curve.

[CHILDISHGAMBINO]

Yeah, it's not that tricky to figure out. I thought it would be a lot more difficult than it actually is.

[gastric]

Originally Posted by Ryan L.

Chances are, I'll run out of patience trying to program it, and it'll end up getting thrown in a snowbank outside......

Just mind the individual effect clean blend as well as the patch clean blend. Lots of clean blends to consider. Sometimes you forget and then wonder why the effect doesn't sound wet enough.

[OzzyGreg]

.

Ozzy - I was referring to the amplifier effects loop. Some amps provide great loops with instrument/line level switches, level controls, etc. Others just provide 2 jacks labeled "effects loop" with goofy levels, or worse, like my MESA heads, levels that constantly change with your master volume.

Whoops, sorry Gastric.
I didn't read your original posting properly!

[OzzyGreg]

.
Just a pair of reminders:

Details of various patches in Crystalman85's Zoom B3 patch ideas thread:
Zoom b3 patch Ideas

...and, if you come up with any patches yourself then why not upload them here for everyone to check out?....

Use "Zoom's Edit and Share" to upload/download patches:
Share Zoom B3 patches (using "Zoom Edit and Share") here

There are now 55 different patches uploaded!

[oerk]

I think the global volume on the B3 is a master volume, after all effects. It doesn't have an input attenuator. It sounds to me like the input is clipping, which makes sense since the FX loop is most likely line level as opposed to instrument level.

[OzzyGreg]

.

Chances are, I'll run out of patience trying to program it, and it'll end up getting thrown in a snowbank outside......

It must be awesome to live somewhere that it snows!
I have a five hour drive to get to the snow here in winter.

.... but then again, I am walking distance from three great beaches here!

Can't have both.

Greg

[Grateful]

Originally Posted by oerk

I think the global volume on the B3 is a master volume, after all effects. It doesn't have an input attenuator. It sounds to me like the input is clipping, which makes sense since the FX loop is most likely line level as opposed to instrument level.

Which begs the question: How do I drive the gain on the amp while still sending something useable to the pedal? I'm planning to test the active/passive thing in further detail tonight.

[Grateful]

Originally Posted by Grateful

Which begs the question: How do I drive the gain on the amp while still sending something useable to the pedal? I'm planning to test the active/passive thing in further detail tonight.

It's the pedal clipping the input from the amp. I'd love to see that attenuator on the B3 now!

I guess it'll just have to run in front of the amp. Thanks!

[Ryan L.]

Thanks for all the tips, guys. It should be here today, so I will hopefully get a chance to start messing with it tonight.

[Ryan L.]

Well, after playing around with it for a couple hours, I now have a couple patches stored with 3 filters in one, and 3 different choruses in the other. Not too difficult at all, actually.

This thing actually might just work out very nicely for what I was wanting!

[speak2planets]

Does anyone know how to get the expression pedal to work? I plugged up a Boss FV-500L (which is listed as supported) and everytime I rock the pedal forwards, it makes my B3 go into tuning mode. Anyone know what I am doing wrong?

[CHILDISHGAMBINO]

Have you got the expression pedal assigned to a specific effect or is it just plugged in? I had some weird things happen with a Roland EV-5 at first but once I fiiddled around for a bit I got it to work as it should.