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Digital Rack Effect Processor, want one or two

A

alexcccp

Nov 1, 2006
17
0
#1
I am currently looking in buying my first bass effects processor. I did some research and got more confused.:hmm: I had listened to analog pedals and I did not like the range of the effects of them. I am looking into building a rack and I think digital gives me more power. I’ve looked at Line6 POD live rack for bass but it looks kinda toyish(build in micro tuner). Now I am wondering what is better POD live rack or Lexicon /TC Electronics effect processor. On this board I read that effects not design specifically for basses have more useless “crap” for bass than effects that bassist really needs. Or effect processors design for guitars(not bass) will be better than regular effects processors? I want to experiment with the sound and at the same time I don’t want to buy stuff that will not fit me and waste money. I plan spend less than $1k. What should I buy?
 
#2
What effects do you want it to provide? What I would do is make a list of the effects that I "need", and another list of ones that might be amusing or occasionally useful, and then I would hunt down which units had those particular features. Not all bassists have the same "needs". :)
 
#4
TC Electronics is one of those companies. They make absolutely outstanding, beyond professional gear. Luckily, most of their guitar stuff does actually work on bass, but you won't ever get a straight answer on it because they don't want to be liable if you get pissed or if some things don't work quite right (I don't believe the company has tested their equipment on bass). I tried out the TC G-System and everything worked on bass except for the tuner and a foible every now and again. Give them a try.

Also, TC makes what are considered the best rack-mount delays in the business.
 
#5
I am torn between TC Electronics G-major+G-sharp, TC Electronics M One XL+M350, and Lexicon MPX1+MX200. All of them cost pretty much the same, Lexicon MPX1 more expensive.
I think it all goes down to which one has the least useless effects for bass, or they all have the same and line6 pod pro will be better. :hmm:
PS I need to check my local music instruments shop. :)
 
#7
bongomania said:
What effects do you want it to provide? What I would do is make a list of the effects that I "need", and another list of ones that might be amusing or occasionally useful, and then I would hunt down which units had those particular features. Not all bassists have the same "needs". :)
Click to expand...

bongo is wise. :)

alexcccp said:
I had listened to analog pedals and I did not like the range of the effects of them.
Click to expand...

What pedals did you try? Testing a couple of things and basing a sweeping judgement on that is going to leave you missing out on a lot of fantastic sounding effects. There are too many options on the market to exclude them in your search. Besides, there are a lot of analog effects that just sound better than their digital simulation.

What type of environment are you playing in? For recording, a top-end rack-mount delay/reverb/etc. processor might be fantastic, but for a live show, the details tend to get lost.

Like bongo said, it all depends on your individual needs. There certainly are some great-sounding processors out there, but for me, there's nothing that a digital rack-mount multi-fx processor can provide for me that sounds better or is more efficient for my needs than my small pedalboard.
 
#8
alexcccp said:
I am torn between TC Electronics G-major+G-sharp, TC Electronics M One XL+M350, and Lexicon MPX1+MX200. All of them cost pretty much the same, Lexicon MPX1 more expensive.
I think it all goes down to which one has the least useless effects for bass, or they all have the same and line6 pod pro will be better. :hmm:
PS I need to check my local music instruments shop. :)
Click to expand...

bump.

I've got a rack with two open slots and either a midline lexicon or tc electronics multi effects package is going to find its way into one of those.

I'm looking for something under $500, primarily for live use, with at least a decent selection of reverbs, chorus, and similar basic delay effects that will be distinguishably higher quality than entry level floor multi effects units.
 

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