Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
ME-50B video demo
- Thread starter wushuguy
- Start date
hmmm it sounds ok, if its cheaper than the digitech bnx3 i'd get it, but it does look very cool with a nice small footprint and beefy construction from what i can tell from the guitar version
I like this guy a lot better than the annoying PRS-equipped guy who does the Roland guitar demos.
I just ordered the las one from Elderly. I'll let you know if it's as cool as I think it will be. Gets here tuesday.
I'm looking forward to it. I don't use any effects now, but I think this will be a nice compliment.DeeZee said:
Hey jugg... I didn't know anybody had stock yet... and then I find you took the last one... not only that... you're the one that bought my bass
(o.k. not my bass, just a really cool bass I had thought about, and drooled over) Let us know how you like the pedal after it arrives
Biker4Him said:I'm looking forward to it. I don't use any effects now, but I think this will be a nice compliment.
Hey jugg... I didn't know anybody had stock yet... and then I find you took the last one... not only that... you're the one that bought my bass
The early Jugg gets the worm.
You shoulda bought that Fbass man. Unbelievable. I'm really glad you didn't.
I've been calling all over for the past few weeks and hearing about shipipng delays, etc. Finally Elderly got them in when I checked this morning and were almost sold out by the time I called. Seems like everyone is jazzed about this unit. I'm just happy they put out a unit without all the modeling crap I don't want or need. I'm really hopeful this will be what I hope it is. Good quality useful effects and EQ.
The NAMM demo on Rolands site convinced me. Now the unit itself has to.
I'll post a review after I play with it for a few hours.
I got one yesterday from zzounds.
I have my individual pedal setup for gigs etc, but I'm always on the lookout for a multifx in a decent size to use to rehearsals and small gigs. The low end Digitech's and Zoom's are good, but aren't good enough for the sound I'm looking for.
I'm still getting to grips with it, but here are initial impressions:
1. Has some really good od/distortion sounds.
There's an 'overdrive' effect, which sounds really nothing like overdrive. This confused me until I looked up the manual and it said 'modelled on odb-3'. That explained it all
But the BassDriver (modelled on Sansamp) and Natural are very good natural sounding overdrives. There's a 'high band drive' which only applies distortion to the top end, which sounds very cool.
2. Synth sounds aren't up to much
Kind of disappointing, maybe I need more time to get used to the various settings. Was able to get some coolish sounds using the expression pedal as a resonance control.
3. Nice use of expression pedal
By pressing and holding it down, you can switch between volume and expression mode. Handy.
So, that's it so far. I like it better than the GT-6B, which was kind of big and I didn't really like the effects that much.
I have my individual pedal setup for gigs etc, but I'm always on the lookout for a multifx in a decent size to use to rehearsals and small gigs. The low end Digitech's and Zoom's are good, but aren't good enough for the sound I'm looking for.
I'm still getting to grips with it, but here are initial impressions:
1. Has some really good od/distortion sounds.
There's an 'overdrive' effect, which sounds really nothing like overdrive. This confused me until I looked up the manual and it said 'modelled on odb-3'. That explained it all
But the BassDriver (modelled on Sansamp) and Natural are very good natural sounding overdrives. There's a 'high band drive' which only applies distortion to the top end, which sounds very cool.
2. Synth sounds aren't up to much
Kind of disappointing, maybe I need more time to get used to the various settings. Was able to get some coolish sounds using the expression pedal as a resonance control.
3. Nice use of expression pedal
By pressing and holding it down, you can switch between volume and expression mode. Handy.
So, that's it so far. I like it better than the GT-6B, which was kind of big and I didn't really like the effects that much.
Does it have a pitch shifter on it? I need that effect but honestly I don't wanna buy a BNX or GT-6B.
ME-50B/PODxt combo is on my mind.. what do you think about it?
ME-50B/PODxt combo is on my mind.. what do you think about it?
try watching the video aeternus.... the guydemoing teh unit mentions teh pitch shifter and the whammy function it sounds pretty decent
Looks very cool. Does anyone know when/where it will be available in the uk. It is advertised all over the place, but no one seems to have it is stock. Would really apprechiate it if someone knew,
Matt
Matt
DeeZee--I agree with your sentiments. I actually have always used single unit effects but have always fought with them live (troubleshooting cords, ground loop issues when the front of the stage is far away from the amp, and the inconsistency of some of my favorite Electro-Harmonix effects). Yet I have always been disappointed in multi-effects units. Most of the bass models are either modified guitar multi effects, or they are too zany in scope and ease of editing to lend themselves to playing live. Leave it to Roland/Boss to figure out that most of us bass players hate menus, but love knobs. This unit may be the answer for me.
I recently sold my fulltone bass drive and electro harmonix synth which will fund the purchase of a ME-50B. If I can get one or two usable distortions and a good synth sound or two out of the unit ,I'd be happy to have the Boss quality/reliability upgrade and compact package. We'll see...
I recently sold my fulltone bass drive and electro harmonix synth which will fund the purchase of a ME-50B. If I can get one or two usable distortions and a good synth sound or two out of the unit ,I'd be happy to have the Boss quality/reliability upgrade and compact package. We'll see...
Well, after putting this thing through the wringer, it's a keeper. The OD and distortion sounds are really good, the modulation effects are solid and useable with a good flange and chorus, very useable delay and verb. The tone filter section has some useable stuff as well. the mid-shift delivers a good tight slap sound and the hollowbody simulator sounds good on a fretless. Pretty decent upright sound out of it once you dial it in.
I found 1 or 2 t-wah settings that were useable but that was it. The synth patches pretty much suck. I expected that though. Boss has yet to make a decent bass synth or filter IMO. I'm keeping the Deep Impact on my board to cover that. The octave divider works and tracks well down to low B.
The expression pedal is great. Nice and smooth. Plus you can have it double up as a volume pdal/expression pedal on the same patch. Nice to be able to add wah or resonance control into any or all of your patches. Makes the unit even more versatile. The wah itself sounds pretty darn good. I went in and recalibrated the pedal more to my taste.
The hold delay and sound on sound functions are fun to play around with, but I doubt I'll ever use them live. The whammy function is nice and you can either do whammy-up or whammy-down. Another function I won't use much.
Most of the presets blow, but that's par for the course. I reprogrammed the first 12 to my taste and that should be plenty.
I found 1 or 2 t-wah settings that were useable but that was it. The synth patches pretty much suck. I expected that though. Boss has yet to make a decent bass synth or filter IMO. I'm keeping the Deep Impact on my board to cover that. The octave divider works and tracks well down to low B.
The expression pedal is great. Nice and smooth. Plus you can have it double up as a volume pdal/expression pedal on the same patch. Nice to be able to add wah or resonance control into any or all of your patches. Makes the unit even more versatile. The wah itself sounds pretty darn good. I went in and recalibrated the pedal more to my taste.
The hold delay and sound on sound functions are fun to play around with, but I doubt I'll ever use them live. The whammy function is nice and you can either do whammy-up or whammy-down. Another function I won't use much.
Most of the presets blow, but that's par for the course. I reprogrammed the first 12 to my taste and that should be plenty.
Does the unit have a true bypass?
Thats what I've been wondering and if it does, then I'm definitely gonna pick one up...
Thats what I've been wondering and if it does, then I'm definitely gonna pick one up...
How easy its it to change between patches. In the demo, the bloke (man for my U.S. friends) seems to use two fs-5u's. Bank up/down? How does it work?
It's not true bypass.
As for bank switching, you can attach a single fs for moving up cycling through banks. Or you can attach two fs's and use them for up/down bank switching.
As for bank switching, you can attach a single fs for moving up cycling through banks. Or you can attach two fs's and use them for up/down bank switching.
All right. I received mine yesterday, and spent about 30 minutes with it. Decided to leave it home alst night. I've spent another 15 minutes with it this morning. It's cool, and does all the things well, just like jugghaid said it does. I'm just thinking I really am not an effects guy after all, and wondering why I bought it. 
