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Which do you prefer? Multi Effects processor or individual pedals?

D

de la mocha

Aug 20, 2005
1,488
16
NEW JERSEY
#1
I got rid of my Boss ME50B because in live settings it was cumbersome and awkward to switch to my individually stored effects. It was excellent for recording but I didn't like it live.

On top of that, the wah-wah on the Boss ME50B sucked so bad, all of the settings sounded robotic and artificial. Not my cup of tea.

Now, my live sound consists of these individual pedals:

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The heart and soul of my live sound. It's already preset to my "reggea" tone. I leave it off until I play my reggea songs to get that late 80's early 90's reggea tone.

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In certain parts in my songs or when playing in church, I need the chorus effect. Since I use this effect for very specific parts, it's pre-set and I can turn it off and on whenever I need it without fumbling through controls.

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I love this pedal. Gives me a little grit and a little bite when ever I need it for my "audioslave" style songs I like. I only have it set for just a little grit and bite.

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I don't have this pedal yet, but when I do, it will complete my pedal board.

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This is my wah pedal, the crybaby. The original. I love it and use it for my bass.

Me personally, I love individual pedals much more then processors. I like more control when playing live and I like tinkering with the signal path. I gotta say it's so much easier.

Now I need some sort of box for my pedals instead of having them all over the floor.....:p

So which do you prefer, processors or individual pedals?
 
#4
Actually both, I started using a Zoom 607 connected to a Zoom 3000b. After buying the overdrive and the chorus you showed us in your post, I ditched the 607 but I still use the 3000b. The reason? I like to change frecuencies of the flanger and phaser in certain songs, so I program differente setting for these effects; also I like the wierd stuff most multis offer. I'm still looking forward to buy single pedals, a blue box is on the way!!!

:bassist:
 
#5
KromaatiKlauun said:
Actually both, I started using a Zoom 607 connected to a Zoom 3000b. After buying the overdrive and the chorus you showed us in your post, I ditched the 607 but I still use the 3000b. The reason? I like to change frecuencies of the flanger and phaser in certain songs, so I program differente setting for these effects; also I like the wierd stuff most multis offer. I'm still looking forward to buy single pedals, a blue box is on the way!!!

:bassist:
Click to expand...

You just reminded me, another thing I hated about my multi effects processor I sold is that it had effects I didn't really care for such as the synth effects and the flanger and phaser stuff. I only needed the chorus, distortion and an EQ and the compression/limiter, that's it, oh yeah, and a wah.
 
#11
I use a Boss ME50-B on gigs because it is very practical and I don't worry as much about a patch cords going bad. I think also because it cuts down on clutter. Lately I have considered going to individual pedals in order to improve my tone. And as mentioned I don't use half of the stuff on the ME50-B. I guess I could get away with:

Tuner
Overdrive
Chorus
Wah/vol
A/B switcher for two basses
Compresser

For fun I might add some sort of auto wah.
So far except for the a/b switch the ME50-B does all of this.
 
#14
tplyons said:
You'll never again see me within 20 yards of multi-effects.
Click to expand...
That was my exact thinking until my effects got too much to set up! Now with my PODxt I have quite a few different patches, and all in the space of a sheet of paper!

Now w/ my new laptop I have an entire studio on the end of my bed, that I can pack away into quite the small space!

Multi just works better for me. Personal taste is all that really matters.
 
#17
You actually have less control over individual effects.

A capable multi like a GT6B or Line 6 PodXTL gives you options far beyond what you can get with singles. You can change your effects order between songs if you wanted to. You can have two, three, four and ad nauseaum different settings for the same effect within one song if you wanted to. Try that with singles.

My board is a mix of both BTW. Five singles and a multi.
 
#18
syciprider said:
My board is a mix of both BTW. Five singles and a multi.
Click to expand...

I have been thinking of adding to my multi if I come across something I feel I need. I do have an MXR M-80 on my board as well as an A/B switcher.
I currently don't use much as far as effects go so I don't really think there is much to upgrade. I have been looking at the POD XT though.
 
#19
Both. I use multiefx for convenience and also the fact that I can design and save a sound. Right now I am mainly using a Zoom 607 but also use a Digitech BP-8 for recording and more high end gigs. I then use single efx to augment the multi depending on the needs of a particular situation.
 
#20
I use a multi. It is so convienant live, all you have to do is push a pedal and you have your preset in place. No knob tinkering or anything. It would also take wayyy too many single pedals to achieve what the multi can do for me to even consider using singles live (I do use many different FX, such as about 5 or 6 different types of distortion). That said, singles generally do sound a bit better, and I would love to use singles on recordings if I had the resources to buy em all. And you can't compare a bad multi to good singles either... A $50 Digitech multi will never sound as good as a $300 single distortion pedal. But if you get a quality multi it is great live.
 

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