Multi Effects Unit To Replace Existing Board

[-Asdfgh-]

I've been playing with a recently-acquired Zoom B3n. AFAIK, it has the same options as the MS60B but can be programmed into a more easily accessible menu array...more "stompable", so to speak. Some of the effects are good, others are passable but all lack something when solo'd IMO. They sound better when mated with a least one addt'l effect, usually a preamp or full amp profile. Resign yourself to the fact that only 25% of the options will suit your particular tastes. For example, you may have 10 compressor models but only 1 or 2 will really catch your attention.

If I had to run out the door at this very moment for a pick-up gig, I'd grab my Bass Fly Rig v1. The OctaFilter does some neat stuff but I'm not a fan of the Fuzz or Octave.

Riis

It takes a while to get decent synth sounds from the B3n and I had stuff from way back that did better in this regard. The amp emulations can work but sometimes just feel a little meh and one-dimensional. Last I night a watched a video with a Hotone Ampero go against a Zoom G5n and it sounded much better than the Zoom, but I don't know what it offers for bass. It matches my experiences with the G-series Zoom pedals and guitar.

I've considered running Cantible on a laptop, my Zoom B9.1UT as a controller and I/O, and various VST plugins, but it's a recipe for uncertain results.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Old school as hell, but I like the BOSS ME50B because with all the knobs, I can see at a glance how each effect is set . . . . instead of standing there and scrolling and scrolling through an itty-bitty screen.

I used to have fun with the ME-6B, especially the synth sounds!

 

[mam1862]

If you've got the money, everything I've read about the Neural DSP Quad Cortex would fit the bill. If the unit doesn't have the FX that you need, you can simply model your own pedals and store it in the Quad.

I never heard of this. I just checked it out. Very cool. The capture feature is amazing. The bad part is the price. You could justify this if you sold all pedals and gig rig and only used this at a gig with a monitor. Great idea!

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I never heard of this. I just checked it out. Very cool. The capture feature is amazing. The bad part is the price. You could justify this if you sold all pedals and gig rig and only used this at a gig with a monitor. Great idea!

You'd want a flat response monitor for that. I'd prefer to gig with a backup for a multi-FX, though, which is why I could use the B1on as a backup for the B3n, or B2 for B9 to some extent.

 

[Bartrinsic]

I've tried many with the goal of finding a small set of presets that sounds excellent and only change between songs, unless I need a boost or scoop, which can be done with one pedal or the onboard preamp/volume pot. I failed and gave up. Now I bring either:
Apollo x4 | Desktop Thunderbolt 3 Audio Interface | Universal Audio
or an older Apollo 8 that I have on a portable rack. This is an expensive solution, although an Arrow should be a workable alternative. I bring a small Spectre laptop as a controller. No issues so far and my live rig sounds like my home studio and like my headphones (when fully EQ'd for the room). FOH is another story. I set up the rig so it can run with or without UAD processing, just in case. I'm also working on a backup laptop--this time a Mac so I can have Luna if needed. This is overkill for most people, but I can't find anything that gives me full control over a my tones with this level of quality. This could be set up for real-time pedal switching (read Ableton Live), but I just don't need it.

 

[ClusterFlux]

That's the crux of the biscuit - if you're picky (like me), it takes a dozen tries to get a decent overdrive, another dozen to get a decent boost, and so on - the likelihood that I'll be able to get all of what I need, ad have it sound just like what I want it to, all in one device, is....astronomically small.

The odds rise when the multi-FX unit has 6 overdrives, 6 distortions, 2 fuzzes, 8 direct boxes with drive channels, 10 amp sims, multiple ways to boost the volume....

You might not get every single thing you want in a single multi box. But if you could replace 4, 5 or 6 pedals with one highly flexible device, and still have the option to hook up additional stomp boxes, I really don't see the downside.

And then the issue is giving yourself the controls you want at your feet, but no more.

Uhhh.... What does this mean?

 

[micguy]

The odds rise when the multi-FX unit has 6 overdrives, 6 distortions, 2 fuzzes, 8 direct boxes with drive channels, 10 amp sims, multiple ways to boost the volume....

You might not get every single thing you want in a single multi box. But if you could replace 4, 5 or 6 pedals with one highly flexible device, and still have the option to hook up additional stomp boxes, I really don't see the downside.

If it works for you, great. I fully understand and agree that combining (where it makes sense) is a good idea. For me, though, 1 multi effect is not likely at all to happen - I tried the Aftershock twice, and no amount of tweaking could get any of their overdrive models to really work for me. Lots of options (and 6 isn't very many) aren't a guarantee of success. Source Audio's EQ2 is the one success I've had combining stuff in one box - a great eq and a good tuner!

 

[micguy]

Uhhh.... What does this mean?

Having the controls you want at your feet? in my case, I'm used to the paradigm of a few different effects, with an on/off for each one. No menus, no scenes - I need to be able to turn that one thing (whether it's a hardware pedal or a "virtual" effect in a box) on and off directly, as the spirit moves me during a performance. Having a pedalboard where those options are there, and where I can't get lost as to the state of my pedals is key to keeping me in my "happy space". If you want me to use a multi-effect, the interface in terms of what's at my feet has to make sense to me - having to remember that scene 104 is the one with a flanger, but no eq, is a complete non-starter. For some folks, scenes make perfect sense - especially on a tour, where you play the same set over and over - you label the scene with the song name, you put them in order as the set list goes, and you're off. I don't do that - every weekend (plus some mid week gigs as well) is a different set list for me. I need simple and direct to do my job well.

One thing that younger folks may not realize is that the first pedals came without led indicators to tell you if something was on or off. As a result, early pedalboards did NOT have 20 pedals on them - the idea of having to keep the state of what was on and what was off in your head with that many pedals (as you couldn't see what was on, you absolutely had to remember what was on) limited things a lot. It was an interface thing, just like I'm talking about here - the controls and indicators at your feet have to make sense for you to be a musician, and not a MIDI technician at the same time. Does that make sense?

 

[-Asdfgh-]

You might not get every single thing you want in a single multi box. But if you could replace 4, 5 or 6 pedals with one highly flexible device, and still have the option to hook up additional stomp boxes, I really don't see the downside.

I'll emphasise this.

I have a Zoom GCE-3 which allows me to replicate the Zoom G series, and while I can do something with the B series pedals for bass overdrive I like, I can't seem to get much I like out of the G series overdrive emulations for guitar (*). But I could replace a whole load of stuff with a G series pedal and run my old Boss and Award Session overdrives in front of it, as I've tried it with the GCE-3. Maybe I am missing something and should get some expensive bass overdrive pedal to put in front of the B3n.

(* I have an R-16 interface, and prefer the overdrives on that, and the old 9150 worked OK with a Mullard preamp tube).

 

[HateTank200]

I can recommend the Boss MS-3 and the GT1000 Core.

I have the MS3 and I love it. I was able to set it up for both my guitar and my Bass. It even comes with factory presets for both, Does amp switching , and has MIDI control. It's worth looking in to.

 

[Turtle71]

I'll throw another vote for the MS-3...It's truly an underrated device that often gets overlooked.

I use mine for mostly modulation sounds & the noise gate, but also as an amp channel switcher & Midi control device.

I keep a few pedals in the loops that I'm fond of, but most of the heavy lifting is still done inside the MS-3

If I had only 1 complaint...I wish I could move the individual loops around inside my chain (like the ES-5 & ES-8), instead Boss has it set so all 3 loops move together, you can still move the onboard FX order around in the chain, but the loops all move together as a block of 3...not a deal breaker, but still one thing to be aware off.

Truth be told...I could probably gig with just the MS-3 & a DI box, and be quite happy as well. (and a lot less to carry)

 

[dmichaels10]

Another fan of the MS-3 here. Keeps tap dancing to a minimum and honestly once you get used to it I don't think it's that hard to make on the fly adjustments with it. Pretty easy to get into a setting and twist a knob, save the patch and get back to business.

 

[HateTank200]

Not trying to hijack this post but I'm curious what preset you guys use on your MS3 . I'm using the factory 21:3 (Pick Pop) setting. I setup another preset with a Limiter and compressor but doesn't sound as good as the Pick Pop factory one. Thanks

 

[Turtle71]

Not trying to hijack this post but I'm curious what preset you guys use on your MS3 . I'm using the factory 21:3 (Pick Pop) setting. I setup another preset with a Limiter and compressor but doesn't sound as good as the Pick Pop factory one. Thanks

I don't use any of the factory presets.

On each bank my first preset is always "clean bass" basically just my bass passing through using the onboard gate...Comp & BDDI sit at the end of the chain before the signal goes to my amp.

Then for the other 3 buttons I'll create patches like...button 2=chorus, button 3= phase, button 4= wah etc...

For some banks those 3 buttons will fire off midi commands for the other pedals...but always coming back to button 1 being clean on every bank.

I'm a big fan of the CURNUM function too, this switcher has so much to offer, you just gotta be willing to put in the time.

 

[dmichaels10]

Not trying to hijack this post but I'm curious what preset you guys use on your MS3 . I'm using the factory 21:3 (Pick Pop) setting. I setup another preset with a Limiter and compressor but doesn't sound as good as the Pick Pop factory one. Thanks

I don't use any of the factory presets.

On each bank my first preset is always "clean bass" basically just my bass passing through using the onboard gate...Comp & BDDI sit at the end of the chain before the signal goes to my amp.

Then for the other 3 buttons I'll create patches like...button 2=chorus, button 3= phase, button 4= wah etc...

For some banks those 3 buttons will fire off midi commands for the other pedals...but always coming back to button 1 being clean on every bank.

I'm a big fan of the CURNUM function too, this switcher has so much to offer, you just gotta be willing to put in the time.

Also not using any of the factory presets

I have mine setup as follows, hopefully this makes sense.

Channel 1 - "Clean Bass" = Noise Gate inside MS-3 with the Cali. 76 in loop 1 engaged
Channel 1 - CURNUM function is to turn off the Cali 76 and turn on the TAFM in loop 3 (nothing else changes) I go to fuzz a lot so I wanted one stomp fuzz
Channel 1 - Manual Mode -
1 = Octave (loop 2 OC-5)
2 = Chorus (onboard ms-3)
3 = Phaser (onboard ms-3)
4 = Bass Wah (controlled by the expression pedal)

Channel 2 - "Fuzz" = Starts with fuzz (TAFM in loop 3) and noise gate inside ms-3
Channel 2 - CURNUM function is to turn on the OC-5 in loop 2
Channel 2 - Manual Mode
1 = Octave (OC-5 in loop 2 again)
2 = Bass Slow Gear (onboard ms-3)
3 = Bass Harmonist (onboard ms-3)
4 = Chorus (onboard ms-3)

Channel 3 - Once again "Clean Bass" = Noise Gate inside MS-3 with the Cali. 76 in loop 1 engaged
Channel 3 - CURNUM function is to turn off Loop 1 Cali 76, turn on OC-5 in loop 2 and TAFM in loop 3
Manual mode - Honestly can't remember what I have in there right now. probably something very similar to Channel 1 This channel is just a quick way to go from clean to Octave Fuzz and back to clean for a particular song.

Channel 4 - "Bypass" everything.. this is here for me to quickly turn everything inside the ms-3 off to trouble shoot pedals or test things out without the ms-3 affecting anything.
Channel 4 - CURNUM function is actually a rat OD inside the Ms-3
Channel 4 - Manual Mode (I use this as a basic guitar pedalboard setup for the random times I actually play guitar)
1 = OD (internal Rat)
2 = Boost for lead tones (internal boost and also parameter changes with the OD)
3 = Delay (single delay inside the ms-3)
4 = Reverb (room inside the ms-3)

Thats honestly the meat and potatoes of the rig I never really get into anything else unless I'm deep into experimenting or chasing a sound for a song that I don't have programmed in already.

My signal goes
Bass -> Rockboard Mod 5 ->Tuner -> 2020S -> Lil'Fella -> Always on "Barbershop" -> MS3 -> Alpha Omega Ultra -> Rockboard Di Mod 5 -> out to wherever i'm sending signal. (amp, Daw, FOH, or all of the above)

Hope this helps?

 

[HateTank200]

Also not using any of the factory presets

I have mine setup as follows, hopefully this makes sense.

Channel 1 - "Clean Bass" = Noise Gate inside MS-3 with the Cali. 76 in loop 1 engaged
Channel 1 - CURNUM function is to turn off the Cali 76 and turn on the TAFM in loop 3 (nothing else changes) I go to fuzz a lot so I wanted one stomp fuzz
Channel 1 - Manual Mode -
1 = Octave (loop 2 OC-5)
2 = Chorus (onboard ms-3)
3 = Phaser (onboard ms-3)
4 = Bass Wah (controlled by the expression pedal)

Channel 2 - "Fuzz" = Starts with fuzz (TAFM in loop 3) and noise gate inside ms-3
Channel 2 - CURNUM function is to turn on the OC-5 in loop 2
Channel 2 - Manual Mode
1 = Octave (OC-5 in loop 2 again)
2 = Bass Slow Gear (onboard ms-3)
3 = Bass Harmonist (onboard ms-3)
4 = Chorus (onboard ms-3)

Channel 3 - Once again "Clean Bass" = Noise Gate inside MS-3 with the Cali. 76 in loop 1 engaged
Channel 3 - CURNUM function is to turn off Loop 1 Cali 76, turn on OC-5 in loop 2 and TAFM in loop 3
Manual mode - Honestly can't remember what I have in there right now. probably something very similar to Channel 1 This channel is just a quick way to go from clean to Octave Fuzz and back to clean for a particular song.

Channel 4 - "Bypass" everything.. this is here for me to quickly turn everything inside the ms-3 off to trouble shoot pedals or test things out without the ms-3 affecting anything.
Channel 4 - CURNUM function is actually a rat OD inside the Ms-3
Channel 4 - Manual Mode (I use this as a basic guitar pedalboard setup for the random times I actually play guitar)
1 = OD (internal Rat)
2 = Boost for lead tones (internal boost and also parameter changes with the OD)
3 = Delay (single delay inside the ms-3)
4 = Reverb (room inside the ms-3)

Thats honestly the meat and potatoes of the rig I never really get into anything else unless I'm deep into experimenting or chasing a sound for a song that I don't have programmed in already.

My signal goes
Bass -> Rockboard Mod 5 ->Tuner -> 2020S -> Lil'Fella -> Always on "Barbershop" -> MS3 -> Alpha Omega Ultra -> Rockboard Di Mod 5 -> out to wherever i'm sending signal. (amp, Daw, FOH, or all of the above)

Hope this helps?

Thank you so much! I know this took awhile to put to together. I appreciate it.

 

[viclobocga]

Does anyone know where to purchase a USB Micro to USB data transfer cable? I just purchased a Zoom B6 and the cable was not included in the shipment.
Your assistance is much appreciated.