I like the Zoom B2, as well. However, scrolling up and down between patches is a pain. What I've done is program every other patch as a blank, then scroll to an appropriate blank next to a patch I'll be using for the next song, then it is only one tap away.
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Multi effects with decent EQ
- Thread starter Petebass
- Start date
I've decided this is the way to go. Can anyone recommend an inexpensive and compact bypass box?
+1
And a nice tube preamp and an analogue high pass compressor.
Its almost the bomb, but not quite, PM me for why if you like...
Can you say why in public? I'm a fan of free exchange of info so everyone can benefit.
Looks nice, good price, and very small! But a 3/4 week wait while he builds it..... I guess I can wait if I have to. But anything that can ship immediately will also be highly regarded.
Yeah, I've said it before but its the same issues as for almost all other 'bass' multi fx.
Generally speaking the manufacturers are just reusing DSP chips from existing guitar fx with some tweaked settings (EQ points for instance).
Trouble with this is bass needs different fx to have the most DSP power since different fx are more relevant to bass. Also the order of the FX is an issue with almost all Bass FX.
In the case of the BP8 it essentially does this chain:-
Comp -> Preamp (distortions etc) -> EQ -> Expression Pedal -> Modulation -> Delay/Reverb -> Master level
Which looks fine EXCEPT, modulation includes the envelope filter, so add any compression and/or overdrive and you negate that effect's abilities alot. Reverb is fairly useless for bass, as is delay - not always but usually. Yet we can have one of a chorus or phaser or flanger or env filter AND a reverb or delay. We CANT have env filter and phaser, or chorus and env filter. Which shows that this is really a guitar FX unit, since both the above are very reasonable wishes for a bassist. We cant distort the output from an env filter either, neither can we compress the output from an envelope filter after the env section, which is what you want to do. But we can put a reverb on any of the above - which you just wouldnt do _normally_.
It really really gets up my nose that no one really makes a multi fx unit for bass designed to properly meet the needs of a bassist.
The BP8 is good, it has a really really good compressor, a tube preamp, a usable (with some fiddling) env filter, a really cool tremelo (u can get some groovy B3/leslie chords out of it!), and its very quiet, but it could have been phenominal if they got the processing order right and the correct strategy around what bassists need to use together.
The retired Yamaha Magicstomp has 4 band of full parametric EQ (with freq, Q, and gain setting).
I pulled the trigger on one his "Micro" models with the led. He had one that was "ready to ship". It should be here in a few days! YAY!
I just bought a Boss ME20B, and I absolutely love it. Very easy to learn to program, good EQ-- Boss's easiest multi-effect pedal to work with yet. I'm no genius with processors, and I spent 15 minutes reading the manual and bam, nothing on the unit I don't know how to use. Great sounding effects, lots of usable presets, and my favorite multi-effects envelope filter yet-- great for slap and fingerstyle funk solos. It's only $220.00, so definately give it a spin before you spend more on anything else.
My "Loopmaster" arrived late last week. I've used it for 4 gigs and WOW! It really does emphasise exactly how much of a tone sucker the AX1B and the Zoom 506B are. The first thing I had to do was increase the level of all my effect patches by 5 notches on the AX1B because the "True bypass" was so much louder (and cleaner) than the bypass offered by the effects unit.
The beauty of the AX1B is that once I sorted out the effected levels against the true bypass levels, the effects still sounded beautiful! Very musical, and the on board EQ section makes fine tuning a breeze!
Now that I can flick through patches without the sound changing, I think I'm set. All up, I spent less than what is cost me to buy the Zoom 506B, and my effects arsenal is 100% better. As a bonus, my sound also improved when I'm not running any effects (which to be honest is about 90% of the time).
Thanks for all your help and suggestions guys! TB rocks!
Time for a 6 month update.
The combination of Korg AX1B and the loopmaster true-bypass is nothing short of brilliant. I'm even on the hunt for a backup AX1B after I had a scare last week where my pedal board was very nearly lost by my roadies. They're discontinued so I'm going to have to be patient, but that's OK.
Once again thanks for all the help. I'm yet another satisfied TB customer
The combination of Korg AX1B and the loopmaster true-bypass is nothing short of brilliant. I'm even on the hunt for a backup AX1B after I had a scare last week where my pedal board was very nearly lost by my roadies. They're discontinued so I'm going to have to be patient, but that's OK.
Once again thanks for all the help. I'm yet another satisfied TB customer
Breakdown of the line 6 units I know of:
Bass PODxt = 6 band with freq/Q controls
PODxt/POD X3 = 4 band with freq/Q controls
Bass PODxt = 6 band with freq/Q controls
PODxt/POD X3 = 4 band with freq/Q controls
Multi effects boards aren't worth the trouble. They all sound like crap. Do yourself a favor and save up for some real pedals.
Since I happen to have used a few really good multi-effects boards in the past, and given that my guitarists record with Line 6 POD products for tones that often sound as good (sometimes better) than the amps they play with...
...I think your comment is rash, over-generalized, and ignorant.
Been there, done that.
I'll use the wha as an example. I could buy a nice wha pedal, but what do you do if you want a different type of wha for slapping than the one I use for playing finger style? I don't have time at a gig to be mucking around changing settings, nor do I want to be one of those musicians who is constantly on one knee fiddling with knobs. I'll save my Genuflecting for Church
I'd end up having to buy two wha pedals and having each one set differently.
I then had that same problem with my overdrive, EQ, chorus, octavers etc. and ended up with a massive pedal board. And I haven't even started combining more than one effect yet. That complicated matters further............
Besides, I think we've established not all multi-effects sound "like crap".
if you want a good wah sound, the Line 6 stuff is out. Epix phail on the wah models imo. Even an overdrive after them eats whatever "wah" they produce.
This is from a bass standpoint BTW, for all I know they sound epikly awsome on guitar
This is from a bass standpoint BTW, for all I know they sound epikly awsome on guitar
This is from a bass standpoint BTW, for all I know they sound epikly awsome on guitar
Based on my lead guitarist's practice rig (Vetta combo and matching control board), it IS awesome.
BUT... his Morley Bad Horsie 2 and Mesa rig sound better. Different, but still better.
"Besides, I think we've established not all multi-effects sound "like crap"."
Well everybody's got an opinion I guess. I think it was Neil Young who said something like-
"Music is like water. Analogue effects are like pouring a bucket of warm water slowly over your head. It's warm, smooth and soothing. Digital effects use the same water, same bucket, but the water is frozen in to ice cubes, and it's poured on your head all at once. I know which one feels better to me."
So go ahead and pour a bucket of ice cubes on your head, I don't care. I was just trying to help.
Well everybody's got an opinion I guess. I think it was Neil Young who said something like-
"Music is like water. Analogue effects are like pouring a bucket of warm water slowly over your head. It's warm, smooth and soothing. Digital effects use the same water, same bucket, but the water is frozen in to ice cubes, and it's poured on your head all at once. I know which one feels better to me."
So go ahead and pour a bucket of ice cubes on your head, I don't care. I was just trying to help.
