How is recording with the Zoom MS-60B (I have a Focusrite 2i2). I'm thinking of buying one if it will be good for that purpose. My current options are going into Guitar Rig Free or Tech 21 Blonde. Would the 60B be an improvement over those in recorded tone?
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Zoom B3 vs MS60B
- Thread starter J03YW
- Start date
I have considered both of these pedals. Then I thought, why not stack 'em. Get both! I saw some video of a guy who had two B3s together. Pretty versatile. I understand the amp sims use a lot of the processor capability, so you could put your amp/cab sim on the MS-60B, and your effects on the B3. I'm tempted myself.
The B3 is a better overall purchsse bang for buck wise. When weighing the extra cost with the added functionality it is a clearer choice. Especially if you are not already using a pedal board (the 60B being a bit smaller would fit better into an existing board).
Not if you want to use a fourth effect in a patch. I have an MS60b and run 4 effects with about 50% of my patches. The B3 just wouldn't cut it for me.
Theyre so affordable, why not just get both??
Its actually quite easy to navigate/switch between patches on the 60b in the middle of a song if you wanted to. Just have to spend the time to get all that stuff set up but once you do, youre golden. Dont have a lot of exp with the B3, but I know if you want a DI and a drum machine, looper and headphone amp, then the B3 is for you. But I still say get both. Great tools to have in any bassists arsenal.
Its actually quite easy to navigate/switch between patches on the 60b in the middle of a song if you wanted to. Just have to spend the time to get all that stuff set up but once you do, youre golden. Dont have a lot of exp with the B3, but I know if you want a DI and a drum machine, looper and headphone amp, then the B3 is for you. But I still say get both. Great tools to have in any bassists arsenal.
See for me that is not even an issue as I usually use no more than 3 effects at one time anyway....
That may or may not change if you want to add amp sims to any of your patches. I found that I used 4 effects in most patches I made due to the fact that I could add an amp sim to add more EQ and tone to any given effect.
Killing gods
Any word on a firmware upgrade for the MS-60B? Guitar version's already had one.
Now this is a legitimate question… Hopefully not a sign of ' Bass desertion' ( as seen with LIne 6 products). Either way, less than $100..Watcha' want for less than a bill?
Marc
I have both and use them together each week at my church gig. I run my bass into the 60b then to the b3 which is my DI out to the board. On the 60b I use the noise gate (if needed) and the 160 comp. On the b3 I use an amp sim. So this leaves me with two slots on the 60b available, and two on the b3 which I use to switch on/off overdrive and mod effects as needed. I love the setup, works perfect for my needs.
I bought the MS60B instead the B3 because I was looking for something small for small gigs.
The 60B is fine 4 me in cover bands as I don't need 2 toggle thru fx/patches in a song, just on/off at most n when I get 2 the next song I have time 4 the search as per the alphanumeric presets I assign 4 the gig. If it had a DI it would b perfect but my amp has 1 so...thinking about the B1xon thingy as well 4 fun n it's probably a bit more gig friendly 4 the frantic switchers who need that capability but it's so cheap, y the hell not?
Official response from Zoom is no firmware is coming. B3 has never gotten one, and now that so many bass amp sims and effects are available in the 100bt store app, I'm not expecting any updates for the 60b at this point.
Yes, I'm definitely getting a B1on. I typically use the 60b in conjunction with other pedals, but I can run a whole gig with just the 60b in a pinch. I think the B1on would be better suited for that because of the switching capability alone. The headphone/aux is huge, IMO, as well as the nearly double effects available. Will be perfect for keeping in my toolbox, too, for those times the pedaltrain bag doesn't make it into the travel van.
Ever? Typical.
Great they put that USB firmware update port on it, huh?
I *hate* getting jacked around by digital effects makers.
Ever? Typical.
Great they put that USB firmware update port on it, huh?
I *hate* getting jacked around by digital effects makers.
Jacked around? The 60b has a USB port that allows for updates "to keep the functions of your MS-60b on the cutting edge." It doesn't ever say it provides the USB port to give you twice the effects models you paid for, which seems to be a lot of people's expectation. That would be awesome, but it doesn't need it. For what all it does, I think it's an excellent value at the $99US I paid for it new.
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Well, as I've said many times before, in a long and eventful life, I have never seen a group of people who tried as hard to rationalize and justify their own cynical exploitation as musicians (gear buying ones in particular). It never ceases to amaze me.
The guitar version got all that expanded firmware update functionality at the same price. Bassists apparently get nothing. [shrug]
But yeah, this is a disposable $56 unit I'm getting (if FedEx ever delivers it from Sam Ash) for disposable scratch recording until my real studio gets back up, at which point this thing will get tossed into the junk locker with all the other outboard impedimenta, so who cares? The principle of the thing irks me, though.
DMFXs without editing software have always been a deal-killer for me, but the multiple editing screens on this thing just about do as good a job. It's surprisingly intuitive (except for the parts I can't understand yet). I do think they could have made an editor for this had they wanted to; it has full USB connectivity (why, if there was no intention of using it?).
But they also could have done a firmware upgrade if they'd wanted to, but as mere bass players we just aren't worth the resources. That's the bottom line.
As far as the sharing goes, I don't recall ever encountering a shared user patch on the various DMFX support sites that made sense to me. When I tried them, they always seemed really awful, so I don't feel the lack of that capability is any great practical loss.
Do either of these have a good fuzz setting?
My friends and I like Muse quite a bit and I'm thinking about trying to get some effects. I wanna try a multi to see what I really like though.
My friends and I like Muse quite a bit and I'm thinking about trying to get some effects. I wanna try a multi to see what I really like though.
My wife got me the MS 60b for my birthday last weekend. Without plugging it into a pc I made 5 patches and have replace at least 5 pedals on my chain (Polytune Mini, Boss GEB 7, Tech-21 Sansamp, MXR Dyna comp, Behringer BOD400). It has paid for it self 5 times now. If I buy 5 of these to replace each pedal on its own I would save 15bucks, with how well it works you only really need one of these. My only grip is that turning an effect off/on from the stomp level is not as easy as the B3. My plan now is to sale some of the stuff from above (and some of what’s left on my board), and buy a b3. Manly having the B3 for mod tones/ distortion/delays/ stuff that I will turn on and off in the middle of the song. My MS will be used for my overall tone per song/band. That’s a $300 board with crazy good tone. Not to mention the b3 lets you loop.
-If you change effects a lot in the middle of tunes and need only the 3 effects on your board. Get the B3 (for people who need full control over the timing or need a loop station)
-If you have a pretty consistent tone, and only need to change the overall scope from song to song get the MS 60b (for people who don’t use too many crazy effects however want to give each song its own bight)
-If you use use lots of gear and want the best of both worlds get bothand do what you want and have fun.(for pretty much everything else just get both. Just do it. I mean there super affordble and way cool. Not to mention handy.)
-If you change effects a lot in the middle of tunes and need only the 3 effects on your board. Get the B3 (for people who need full control over the timing or need a loop station)
-If you have a pretty consistent tone, and only need to change the overall scope from song to song get the MS 60b (for people who don’t use too many crazy effects however want to give each song its own bight)
-If you use use lots of gear and want the best of both worlds get bothand do what you want and have fun.(for pretty much everything else just get both. Just do it. I mean there super affordble and way cool. Not to mention handy.)
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