Multi-effects v seperate stomp boxes

[tenbellies]

Hello!
I know as a guitar player that seperate stomp boxes are better than an electronic multi-fx, but is that the same with bass? If not what is the best lower proce multi-fx?

 

[David Wilson]

Yup, the best overdrive (for example) pedal out there will generally be better than the best overdrive available on a multi fx unit.

I'm not sure what you mean by lower price, but I'll assume you mean $150 and under.

To my ears, the Digitech Bp-8 was the best multi fx out there for bass. It's discontinued, but they come up regularly on ebay. It has a tube preamp section in it, so you get some nice warmth in the sound.

Other good units in this price range:
Zoom BFX 708 II - $150 new
Digitech BP200 - $130ish new I think

The Zoom has better effects IMO, but the Digitech is a more solidly constructed unit - it's metal vs the Zoom's plastic.

 

[tplyons]

I definately have to stick up for individual pedals here, becase we all know analog sounds better than digital effects, and well, multi-effects are digital. For instance, the best overdrives have maybe a dozen electronic components while the digitally created overdrives in multi-effects are run by little chips composed of a few dozen little parts and a few more outside. Now if I could only find those diagrams which show why analog is better...basically proving how digital effects clip the sound.

 

[Mo'Phat]

The only thing that justifies multi-effects is in a band situation where you have all these songs that need a particular set of effects and they're always the same. In one band I was in, I had this looping flanged delayed bass line, and in the next I had a slap-back delay. I went with a multi-fx pedal so I wouldn't have to stoop down and tweak the delay time on the stomp box or have to do the tap-dance at every show. Plus, you can program multi-fx so that it NEVER changes and it sounds like the cd.

Sometimes you sacrifice sound quality for convenience, but the Boss GT-6B sounds like every Boss stomp box I've ever owned. Same with the SE-70.

 

[wulf]

Individual boxes allow you much more control over your sound and, if one breaks, you've still got the rest of your 'toys' to play with. On the other hand, a multi-FX unit will probably work out cheaper if you can find two or three separate patches you like and is also more portable and quicker to set up than a bag of individual pedals.

I frequently use my Zoom 505-II (yes - guitar FX on the bass ) and while I fully accept that it's not the greatest sound quality, that's often not such a big issue in live environments. I've got one patch I use a lot, a couple more that come out now and again, and it's great as a very visible inline tuner. To get the same sort of sounds by building a collection of individual pedals would be much more awkward and costly for my purposes.

Wulf

 

[JES]

You can also mix it. I use pedals for distortion and filters, but a multifx for modulation. Sounds great.

Best,
--JES

 

[4Mal]

Mostly I use time based effects. Verb, Chorus, Delay and Flange. I have a few analog pedals which I really like, Flangers for the most part. If I'm laying down a track, I'm going to use a dedicated box and be careful to capture the nuances of the box.

In a live setting you can't beat the convenience of a racked MEU. I use an old Digitech GSP-21. The flange isn't as thick and gooey as either the MXR or ADA but the verb is good, the delay is clean and the chorus is OK - and I can buy two used replacements for about half of the cost of a good clean ADA.

The sad reality is that by the time that flange makes it through the rest of a live setting, you'd be hard pressed to tell one from another or the boutique or vintage pedals, for the most part ...

 

[bassbrad]

Originally posted by JES
You can also mix it. I use pedals for distortion and filters, but a multifx for modulation. Sounds great.

Best,
--JES

I'm doing the same thing right now my live pedal board is a Bass Balls, custom distortion, UniBass, Deep Impact into a Zoom 607 for everything else.