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Zoom MS-60B announced... at last
- Thread starter ga_edwards
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I figured I'd post this question here:
I'd like to use my MS-60 to get a nice fat synth tone to use when I cover "You Dropped A Bomb On Me" by The Gap Band. I'm not chasing the EXACT bass tone (I think it is keyboard synth anyway), just something close. I'm not much a synth guy, so, im looking for ideas.
For information: Bass---> MS-60B ---> Sansamp Programmable BDDI ----> Amp
(As an aside, this setup is by far the absolute best I have ever played through. I love my MS-60B. )
I'd like to use my MS-60 to get a nice fat synth tone to use when I cover "You Dropped A Bomb On Me" by The Gap Band. I'm not chasing the EXACT bass tone (I think it is keyboard synth anyway), just something close. I'm not much a synth guy, so, im looking for ideas.
For information: Bass---> MS-60B ---> Sansamp Programmable BDDI ----> Amp
(As an aside, this setup is by far the absolute best I have ever played through. I love my MS-60B. )
This thing is getting a lot of praise, but it seems like most people are saying it's got a steep learning curve and ultimately they get 1 or 2 usable sounds out of it? Is anyone using this in lieu of a board full of pedals?
Regarding the learning curve, I think it is perceived as steep because the way you interact with it is different from other products on the market. In my opinion- It's different to use, not difficult.
For my cover band, I am using 4 patches regularly. I have 3 patches that I use for one song only (Chorus, Filter, Fuzz). I am looking to build a synth for "You Dropped A Bomb On Me" (see my post above).
I am not trying to defend the pedal, but help others to understand it. I still use my Sansamp, although I use much less now. The Zoom and the Sansamp compliment each other.
If you have several music projects- an originals, a cover project, and basement jam... this pedal could cover all your basses (see what I did there?).
I have found it really easy and intuitive to use and set up. Not fast enough to do patches at a gig, but definitely easy to set things up you could easily do a patch or three during a set break.
As for replacing a full pedal board, it really depends on what size and capability of pedal board you're talking about. It is not ideal for queueing up 4 different pedals in a patch and engaging/disengaging each pedal separately, or switching between a number of different effects on the fly. So in that sense, no, it won't replace a pedal board.
But if you always use a particular effect on a song, or a few effects together on a song, and just want to turn that one patch on/off during the song, then it could replace a moderately sized pedal board.
I think it excels in adding a lot of options/capabilities to a small pedal board, which is what I am using it for.
I've owned a B3 for a while now and absolutely love it! I want to pick up a 60B and duplicate some of my favorite patches from the B3.
My plan is to migrate over my main meat-n-potatoes custom patches from the B3 to the MS-60B. Thus freeing up additional room on the B3 to add icing to the proverbial cake, with the 60B in charge of holding down the core-foundation of the patch tone.
Anyone already doing this? If so, how do you find it to be working out?
My plan is to migrate over my main meat-n-potatoes custom patches from the B3 to the MS-60B. Thus freeing up additional room on the B3 to add icing to the proverbial cake, with the 60B in charge of holding down the core-foundation of the patch tone.
Anyone already doing this? If so, how do you find it to be working out?
My main pedal board is not that big - tuner, compressor, filter, octave, tone hammer - but it hasn't left my house since I bought the MS60B.
I love it! I bought the 60b first to add to an existing board, liked it so much I sold everything else and bought a B3!
I use the 60b first in line with the ZNR>GraphEQ>BassBB>BottomB. Everything always on but the BB which is on screen so I can click it on for a boost. Then on the B3 I have FlipTop>MFilter>160Comp.
In my current band, this is all I need right now for great tone. Use the the boost to get runs to pop, and I use the filter for solo sections.
Started the whole adventure to add an effect here and there, and it has become "my tone!".
J!
Its really not that hard to figure out how to operate it. The one thing I still have a small issue with is when its on my main baord, which has 17 pedals on it including the 60b. I still have trouble integrating into my main effects based playing. That doesnt mean the 60b cant do it, it just means I have to learn how to operate it better on a need to use basis in the same line as the rest of my chain. If that makes sense.
I have been using MS-60b through out the last few months and have to say this is a pedal a great tool to have in the bag.
One of my touring issues is hired in back-line not being up to the spec, or having back line in a support show that i cannot alter any settings on/use because the headline act do not allow it.
The MS-60b frees me from carrying pedals, to carrying just one.
As a rule i would take a tone pedal with me as back up and a tuner.
So its a choice of a Tone Hammer, Sansamp Tech 21, with a tuner
Those comparable features in the MS-60b work great for me
The tuner is great, comparable with many tuners on the market that are about £20 cheaper.
The compressor is as good as many on the market in the £150+ range, so just those two alone make the £100 price tag a bargin.
The drivers means i can set up a bit of 'grease' on my sound if needed.
I am using the acoustic amp and the D Comp for my main default for electric bass, but will set up and store one for fretless, double bass, pick bass, and a few of the other projects i am involved in.
Add to that the fact it uses easy accessible AA batteries, that means easy to buy,easy to fit, is a big plus as 9v batteries can be hard to find.
The fact i use re-chargable AAs for my tranceiver means i always have batteries to use if needed.
The pedal fits in to my power chain so i can run the pedal off the transceiver power supply, again ease of compatability for my use.
Small and light enough to fly with, patches, compressor, tuner, it does for me what a number of pedals used to do. The only thing missing is a DI out....apart from that it is the must have pedal to have for players on the move looking to be self-contained, or have a back up option in their gig bag in case of amp failure.
In the studio it records great, on a home recording board it records great, in a live situation it records great, not found any issue with it on those situations. As a one stop stand by to have in the case/gigbag it has replaced my Tech21 and tuner......may even replace my Tone Hammer pedal when i get into what it can do when i find some time to put it fully through its paces....but i feel many players would benefit from having one as a back up for the night when they flick the switch on the amp and nothing happens.
One of my touring issues is hired in back-line not being up to the spec, or having back line in a support show that i cannot alter any settings on/use because the headline act do not allow it.
The MS-60b frees me from carrying pedals, to carrying just one.
As a rule i would take a tone pedal with me as back up and a tuner.
So its a choice of a Tone Hammer, Sansamp Tech 21, with a tuner
Those comparable features in the MS-60b work great for me
The tuner is great, comparable with many tuners on the market that are about £20 cheaper.
The compressor is as good as many on the market in the £150+ range, so just those two alone make the £100 price tag a bargin.
The drivers means i can set up a bit of 'grease' on my sound if needed.
I am using the acoustic amp and the D Comp for my main default for electric bass, but will set up and store one for fretless, double bass, pick bass, and a few of the other projects i am involved in.
Add to that the fact it uses easy accessible AA batteries, that means easy to buy,easy to fit, is a big plus as 9v batteries can be hard to find.
The fact i use re-chargable AAs for my tranceiver means i always have batteries to use if needed.
The pedal fits in to my power chain so i can run the pedal off the transceiver power supply, again ease of compatability for my use.
Small and light enough to fly with, patches, compressor, tuner, it does for me what a number of pedals used to do. The only thing missing is a DI out....apart from that it is the must have pedal to have for players on the move looking to be self-contained, or have a back up option in their gig bag in case of amp failure.
In the studio it records great, on a home recording board it records great, in a live situation it records great, not found any issue with it on those situations. As a one stop stand by to have in the case/gigbag it has replaced my Tech21 and tuner......may even replace my Tone Hammer pedal when i get into what it can do when i find some time to put it fully through its paces....but i feel many players would benefit from having one as a back up for the night when they flick the switch on the amp and nothing happens.
Wow, this qualifies as the best endorsement so far for the MS-60B!
I've got about 6 or 7 settings that I've tweaked and keep in the switchable list. Most are tone shaping and then a little compression. I find these to be the most useful for rehearsals and gigs where it's not my backline. I have patches for other effects - octave, filter and synth - but don't feel like these are yet tweaked to my liking. I've got a tonehammer on my board too so love to hear if someone has come up with a comparable patch.
I've got about 6 or 7 settings that I've tweaked and keep in the switchable list. Most are tone shaping and then a little compression. I find these to be the most useful for rehearsals and gigs where it's not my backline. I have patches for other effects - octave, filter and synth - but don't feel like these are yet tweaked to my liking. I've got a tonehammer on my board too so love to hear if someone has come up with a comparable patch.
I have been using MS-60b through out the last few months and have to say this is a pedal a great tool to have in the bag.
One of my touring issues is hired in back-line not being up to the spec, or having back line in a support show that i cannot alter any settings on/use because the headline act do not allow it.
The MS-60b frees me from carrying pedals, to carrying just one.
As a rule i would take a tone pedal with me as back up and a tuner.
So its a choice of a Tone Hammer, Sansamp Tech 21, with a tuner
Those comparable features in the MS-60b work great for me
The tuner is great, comparable with many tuners on the market that are about £20 cheaper.
The compressor is as good as many on the market in the £150+ range, so just those two alone make the £100 price tag a bargin.
The drivers means i can set up a bit of 'grease' on my sound if needed.
I am using the acoustic amp and the D Comp for my main default for electric bass, but will set up and store one for fretless, double bass, pick bass, and a few of the other projects i am involved in.
Add to that the fact it uses easy accessible AA batteries, that means easy to buy,easy to fit, is a big plus as 9v batteries can be hard to find.
The fact i use re-chargable AAs for my tranceiver means i always have batteries to use if needed.
The pedal fits in to my power chain so i can run the pedal off the transceiver power supply, again ease of compatability for my use.
Small and light enough to fly with, patches, compressor, tuner, it does for me what a number of pedals used to do. The only thing missing is a DI out....apart from that it is the must have pedal to have for players on the move looking to be self-contained, or have a back up option in their gig bag in case of amp failure.
In the studio it records great, on a home recording board it records great, in a live situation it records great, not found any issue with it on those situations. As a one stop stand by to have in the case/gigbag it has replaced my Tech21 and tuner......may even replace my Tone Hammer pedal when i get into what it can do when i find some time to put it fully through its paces....but i feel many players would benefit from having one as a back up for the night when they flick the switch on the amp and nothing happens.
All it needs is a DI!
Cool - thanks for the feedback! The pair running together seems like a powerful combo with many, many tone options!
If I didn't like the FlipTop so much, I would have more FX slots to choose from. My initial thought was all tone pedals on the 60b, always on, with the B3 handling FX, but in my current band situation, the FT is the perfect tone.
That's my dilemma too - I've found some killer tones with some different bass pre's, compressors, overdrives, etc. but it doesn't leave me any more room for adding in more things such as an amp emulation and such. Or I'll start with an amp emulation and still want to add more than two other items because the tone is not quite "finished" for my tastes or my song needs. I guess basically I am jonesing for using up to 6-effects at one time like the G3 users already have. The tonal capabilities would be outstanding to have on hand!
Mind made up - gonna order the MS-60B.
Tried it at practive Wednesday and this pedal is working out so well that I'm putting my Pigtronix Bass Envelope Phaser for sale.
Well... I still prefer my Mooer Ninety Orange (phase 90 clone). I think it is more subtle than the MS-60B phaser. But when that drummer kicks in...
Question and another great effect:
- How do I move patches to a different letter in the presets? I want to change assignment of A, B, C, etc. Can't see a way to do this.
- The Exciter! Not sure what the hell this does but used this last night with my full rig with Berg NV610. Holy crap, sounded massive without being to boomy/bassy
- How do I move patches to a different letter in the presets? I want to change assignment of A, B, C, etc. Can't see a way to do this.
- The Exciter! Not sure what the hell this does but used this last night with my full rig with Berg NV610. Holy crap, sounded massive without being to boomy/bassy
britbonic: You basically have to remove and add the patches in the order you want them. There is no direct method of changing the letter.
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