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Man I'm disappointed after waiting for 6 months and hearing the vids posted by BassikLee. Seems like the octave and fuzz are basically unusable. Much like marmadaddy I was hoping to replace my whole pedalboard short of the wireless with the BFR and looks like it's not gonna happen now. Tech 21 is a great company and I've used their products in the past with no issues and either they bit off more than they can chew or we were expecting too much from a $299 multi effects pedal.
I see both sides. On the one hand, if you bought all the stuff in this pedal individually, you'd be well above the $299. On the other, the effects stuff is digital anyway, and not only does my $149 zoom MS-100BT do more and sound better doing it, so does my $65 Zoom B-oneX, or whatever it's called.
If I don't use the distortion on the distortion channel of my MXR M80, then it becomes a footswitched boost. Add in the Zoom, for the effects, and I have more functionality than the BFR, and better sound at most of it. Only slighty bigger, slightly heavier. Still fits in my gig bag. Still runs off that Warwick Power XL LT block in the video. Not entirely sure I wouldn't have been better off with a few rechargeable 9 volt batteries instead of that, but it's a sunk cost. Anyway, back to the basslab, to see what I can do with the MS-100BT. The good news is that that pedal has the greatest hits from the 50G, 60B, B3, as well as some other stuff contained therein.
If I don't use the distortion on the distortion channel of my MXR M80, then it becomes a footswitched boost. Add in the Zoom, for the effects, and I have more functionality than the BFR, and better sound at most of it. Only slighty bigger, slightly heavier. Still fits in my gig bag. Still runs off that Warwick Power XL LT block in the video. Not entirely sure I wouldn't have been better off with a few rechargeable 9 volt batteries instead of that, but it's a sunk cost. Anyway, back to the basslab, to see what I can do with the MS-100BT. The good news is that that pedal has the greatest hits from the 50G, 60B, B3, as well as some other stuff contained therein.
After owning a Zoom B3 for going on a year now I gave a fleeting glimpse to the BFR when it was first announced but these reviews have affirmed that the fleeting glimpse was only just that. 
There is only one multi that I would ever consider at this point and it's trying to find a decent price on a Boss GT-10B.
There is only one multi that I would ever consider at this point and it's trying to find a decent price on a Boss GT-10B.
Yeah, to say I'm HUGELY dissapointed would be an understatement. My guitar player's RK5 sounds great. Hell, even the BFR sounds great, other than the octafilter section. Give me ONE effect that it will do well. For me, i'll take an octaver. This one, no
$299 seems like a lot of money for something as underwhelming as the BFR. I, like some others was waiting for the "you must buy it" reviews but it very much seems like a glass half full. Too bad.
Now, are you looking for a gated, synth fuzzy feeling? Or more of a heavy distortion?
Sorry, couldn't resist.
Thanks for the suggestion. Too use the compressor to 'compensate' just to get the octafilter working properly, would be to find a setting such that it works well for the octafilter (say vol higher than usual). If like me, you like to set the comp at unity gain, you wouldn't be able to use the comp the way you wanted to. I wouldn't sacrifice the comp just for a better sounding filter.
And great that you clarified the interactivity of the controls. Im getting a hang of it.
Seriously, how will u react when u come up with a product and ppl gave you negative reviews? Will you be apologising and humoring the crowd, or will you be reacting by giving people constructive comments about how it should work/ how to get them to work. I think they have reacted perfectly. Kudos to the tech21nyc team.
That being said, I wish to reiterate that by NO MEANS I think the BFR is a bad product at all. I was even expecting the comp and the chorus to work as well as they do.
I don't think it's a bad product either. It simply doesn't work for me. By the time I introduce the pieces I need into my chain, to do the things I had hoped this would do, it is rendered redundant. If a guy doesn't want/need a good octave and distortion, it's a really nice pedal. If you need dirt that is usable, and an octave that tracks quick passages, this isn't for you.
Different strokes...
I'm doing a lot of casuals and conferences. Load-in/load-out and setup time are critical.
For silent-stage gigs, I'm currently carrying an MB Fusion head as my active DI. It provides 4-band EQ, a little tube saturation, and a switchable volume boost. I'm also carrying a tuner pedal, cables, IEM's, iPad charger and cable, an extension cord and adapters. All of this barely fits into a laptop bag, and takes several minutes to set up. My settings often get nudged in the bag. Plus, it's a major squeeze to add my Diamond compressor, which I should carry with me more often.
That's everything I need for the styles of music I cover.
Although they would be fun to have, I don't really need a fuzz, octave, or filter pedal. Besides, I've tried those effects in various multi-FX pedals and floorboards (Zoom, Boss, etc.) and they all suck. If I needed those functions, I'd be going for dedicated effects.
So along comes the guitar Fly Rig, which sounds even better with my bass, weighs a few ounces, slips into a string pouch, and eliminates everything in my current rig except the tuner and XLR out.
I was hot to trot, until I heard about the BFR. With this, I also get the tuner and XLR out, plus a compressor, pre/post switching, a character control, bright switch, headphone amp, a decent chorus, and some other crap I don't need.
All of this comes in the same form factor as the original Fly Rig, and for only a few bucks more. Because everything's onboard, I get to eliminate a couple of AC adapters and patch cords. I can ditch the laptop bag, and squeeze everything into the front pouch of my Dingwall gig bag.
I'd have to be nuts to not go for this.
I'm doing a lot of casuals and conferences. Load-in/load-out and setup time are critical.
For silent-stage gigs, I'm currently carrying an MB Fusion head as my active DI. It provides 4-band EQ, a little tube saturation, and a switchable volume boost. I'm also carrying a tuner pedal, cables, IEM's, iPad charger and cable, an extension cord and adapters. All of this barely fits into a laptop bag, and takes several minutes to set up. My settings often get nudged in the bag. Plus, it's a major squeeze to add my Diamond compressor, which I should carry with me more often.
That's everything I need for the styles of music I cover.
Although they would be fun to have, I don't really need a fuzz, octave, or filter pedal. Besides, I've tried those effects in various multi-FX pedals and floorboards (Zoom, Boss, etc.) and they all suck. If I needed those functions, I'd be going for dedicated effects.
So along comes the guitar Fly Rig, which sounds even better with my bass, weighs a few ounces, slips into a string pouch, and eliminates everything in my current rig except the tuner and XLR out.
I was hot to trot, until I heard about the BFR. With this, I also get the tuner and XLR out, plus a compressor, pre/post switching, a character control, bright switch, headphone amp, a decent chorus, and some other crap I don't need.
All of this comes in the same form factor as the original Fly Rig, and for only a few bucks more. Because everything's onboard, I get to eliminate a couple of AC adapters and patch cords. I can ditch the laptop bag, and squeeze everything into the front pouch of my Dingwall gig bag.
I'd have to be nuts to not go for this.
And I'm glad it works for you. I do some stuff where I'm playing keyboard bass parts. The only way I can get close to that is with an octave that tracks well. This one simply doesn't. If not for that, this would be great. I actually wish they had just left the whole octafilter section off the damn thing. Then those of us who've played it and were sorely disappointed would not have expected it to be there at all. I'm sure I'll send it back, and then TC will introduce the subnup mini at namm later this week, and I'll kick myself. If that's the case, so be it.
This seems like a lot of fuss over a couple of iffy effects. Every multi-FX unit I've ever sampled, had at least a couple of turkeys.
I still have a Zoom MS-60B. It's cheap offshore junk. It can get a little noisy unless I use a good high-output power supply. Plus, it contains a ton of sub-par effects that I'll never use. Patch changes and programming are a PITA.
Yet it isn't going anywhere. Why? Because it cost about half of what I paid for my favourite compressor, and several of the effects are still usable.
So why the sudden disgust with the BFR? The user interface is simple and intuitive. It's a domestic product, and miniaturization is never cheap. Yet the analog signal path replaces an $80 basic compressor, $120 clean boost, $170 Sansamp, $50 headphone amp, and a $50 DI. If FEA Labs made something like that, it would be at least twice the size, and there would be a waiting list.
Meanwhile, the parallel digital section replaces an $80 tuner and $80 chorus.
That's over $700 worth of product before you go shopping for a Pedaltrain and a power supply. Or throw in a crappy octave fuzz and a filter pedal just for laughs. The only major thing missing compared to separate components, is the Pedaltrain's carry bag.
Tough crowd...
I still have a Zoom MS-60B. It's cheap offshore junk. It can get a little noisy unless I use a good high-output power supply. Plus, it contains a ton of sub-par effects that I'll never use. Patch changes and programming are a PITA.
Yet it isn't going anywhere. Why? Because it cost about half of what I paid for my favourite compressor, and several of the effects are still usable.
So why the sudden disgust with the BFR? The user interface is simple and intuitive. It's a domestic product, and miniaturization is never cheap. Yet the analog signal path replaces an $80 basic compressor, $120 clean boost, $170 Sansamp, $50 headphone amp, and a $50 DI. If FEA Labs made something like that, it would be at least twice the size, and there would be a waiting list.
Meanwhile, the parallel digital section replaces an $80 tuner and $80 chorus.
That's over $700 worth of product before you go shopping for a Pedaltrain and a power supply. Or throw in a crappy octave fuzz and a filter pedal just for laughs. The only major thing missing compared to separate components, is the Pedaltrain's carry bag.
Tough crowd...
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No sudden disgust here. As I've said more than a few times, the parts that work well are great. For my needs, the parts that don't work well are important. As such, this unit doesn't work for me.
Given that you are in Canada, Zoom is just as "domestic" as Tech21 NYC.
Your numbers are also off by a good bit. You can get a tuner for under $20, same with a boost. Your overall point is valid, however.
Here's my BFR opinion, actually having played one. Still sitting in my music room, likely going back today. It is a great, small, all in one unit, if you don't need more than the things it does well. If you do, then the size and all-in-oneness of what you may have to use makes the $300 something you might want to consider. For me, for my uses, the "cheap offshore crap" Zoom MS-100BT into an MXR M80 will be exactly what I need, and do the octave as well as the dirt better than the BFR. The fact that I already own those two units makes the decision a simple one.
Here's my BFR opinion, actually having played one. Still sitting in my music room, likely going back today. It is a great, small, all in one unit, if you don't need more than the things it does well. If you do, then the size and all-in-oneness of what you may have to use makes the $300 something you might want to consider. For me, for my uses, the "cheap offshore crap" Zoom MS-100BT into an MXR M80 will be exactly what I need, and do the octave as well as the dirt better than the BFR. The fact that I already own those two units makes the decision a simple one.
The commentary so far on the BFR regarding the Fuzz/Octa section reminds me of the output I get from my Tech21 Red Ripper, though I've never experienced some of the sounds that some of you have posted. The pedal masters at Tech21 seem to really love those moogy style sounds for bass. I've gone through this whole thread and I'm not sure if I've heard the Fuzz all by itself yet.
Even if I get this thing, I'll still keep my POG2, which is a fantastic octave/detune pedal.
Even if I get this thing, I'll still keep my POG2, which is a fantastic octave/detune pedal.
