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Multi-FX advice...

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dr34dh34d

Mar 6, 2004
2
0
#1
I'm looking to get a multi-fx pedal for my bass, i just want something cheap that i can play around with (at most £200). As it stands I only have a 15W amp anyway so it doesn't have to be amazing, but I want it to at least sound fairly accurate.

I was thinking maybe the
Digitech BP200 Bass Multi-FX....??

any advice is much appreciated.

DH. :ninja:
 
#2
The BP200 has a few downfalls in my opinion. The first being no on/off switch. You have to unplug it to turn it off. Ive also noticed the the bypass is not a true bypass. It still affects the tone of the bass. Also sometimes the Expression pedal gets messed up and you have to reconfigure it....not a big deal just a pain in the behind. And my biggest dislike about it....The friggen tuner doesnt work for me. It reads a Gflat for my E string when it is perfectly in tune....So yeah, im not super happy with mine....but it does do its job pretty good.
 
#5
DryWater'Bass said:
I myself say,Boycott....Spend that 200 pounds on an amp, you'll use it alot more, and it'll probably sound better than the 15Watter and the FX pedal...If I could go back and reevaluate my Zoom BFX708 purchase...It sounded so plastic...Definately spend it on something besides Multi FX.
Click to expand...

Multi FX can be great if you buy the right kind, but with such a small amp, upgrading to a bigger one would be a better idea. However, if you insist on buying an inexpensive Multi FX try the DigiTech BP50... so far I've had no problems, and everything sounds cool. :)
 
#6
Really? you think I should get an Amp?
My main interest in a Multi-Fx pedal, is just that practicing without a band is becoming a bit boring, I mean I love playing but I just wanted to get something to spice up my practice sessions before sept' when I move into a house and our band can start to practice. As it stands my bass isn't anything to brag about, and i want to get new one eventually (got a yamaha RBX270 at the mo).

If you really think I should buy an Amp, do you have any recomendations for something around £200 (a little under $300). My current Amp is just a Fender Frontman 15B.

anyone else got the same opinions about Multi-FX?

thanks for your help guys, much appreciated :hyper:
 
#7
dr34dh34d said:
anyone else got the same opinions about Multi-FX?
Click to expand...
Yeah, I do. They are OK, but they don't do a great job at anything. Just several things OK. I suppose if it is only for low volume messing around with for fun, go for it.

You'll have to do some searches in the amp forum about your question. Just briefly, you have options at that price.

-Mike
 
#10
yeah, i vote for new amp, i mean, come on,15 watts, how do you jam with a band with only 15 watts? your guitar player must have something in the 1-2 watt range for his amp, if you can hear yourself! i jammed with a guitar player who had a roctron 50 watt amp and i had an ibanez SW 35 watt and i could barely make out what i was playing! but i won't argue with you for multiFX, i like them, i would recommend the BFX708 II pedal, because you get a few more features than digitech's bp200
Charlie
 
#11
Try The ZOOM BFX708 II

I own the BFX708 II - And yes I thought the pedal sucked initially.... But after reading the manual throughly ( 4 - 5 times ) and making parameter adjustments in small steps and tweeking a fair amount and especially utilizing the ZNR when using distortion settings.... the ZOOM BFX708 II is an awesome working musicians pedal...

Is it a pro players pedal?? Will you see this in Victor Wootens arsenal... NO way... But... most working musicians will find that this pedal will suffice and actually make some sweet sounds that are fully realistic and acceptable in a live and rehearsal setting.

The pedal does fall slightly short in the distortion modes... they're just a little thin sounding but can be fairly compensated by adjusting the EQ section of the pedal.

A real bassist will not find much use for distortion anyway... distortion from a bass amp sounds like crap any way IMHO.

Now for those snobs that wont settle for second best and buy only boss single effects and expensive rocktron rack processors then NO... there is not any constructive critisizm for this pedal from them because they are speaking with biased opinion...

Take it from a real world working bassist (been playing since 1989) I play this pedal through a Peavey Firebass 700 head mated to a Carvin 810 cabinet, Yamaha Active 5 string. My band has played 29 show so far this year 2007 and we have 21 more on the books to finish out the year of 2007 Link Removed I know what I am talking about here... you're getting a real world answer out of a mature and well seasoned adult player here not a 21 yr old kid that may have been playing a few years.

This pedal is bullet proof... has plenty of real world tones you can use, if your looking for a pedal that will disguise your crappy punk / ska NOISE style of chugging on a "G" note in full distortion...then look elsewhere.

Like I stated... yes distortions are passable but are really not that great.. the amp sims and cab models are nice, effects like flange and chorus are nice, enhance is nice, compressor is average, EQ is average..ring modulator..lmao... Vocal Wah is sweet if set right... Folks this is a digital unit and a lot of people get these digital units and go at em' with a full twist of the knobs... now that usually works well on analog pedals but being digital.. a little goes a long way...

The secret to this pedal and digital pedals like these is tweaking and I dont mean tweak the only the sesitivity knob and level.. I mean tweak all the parameters and then tweak the EQ and then ZNR and keep doing that till you get it right... some guys I can tell, get on a digital pedal and crank a few knobs and think right off of the bat "that the unit is SHIOT, when in reality if used properly, they are usually fully acceptable tones.
 
#14
ok guys just to clarify... I do like to drive my head to a very slight... and I mean slight growly breakup for a lot of our songs... but what I meant was distortion??? Distortion on a bass to my ears and the classic rock / metal that I play sounds like total crap... overdrive is ok to a certain extent.

I mean the reason I play bass is because I like to feel my bones rattle and after all... the real reason we bassist play bass is because it is what gets the hotties on floor shakin' thier rump!

A distorted bass line in my opinion is just not good.

But.. different strokes for different folks = )

Peace out
 

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