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GMC Forum _ GEAR & PRODUCTION _ Buying A Multi Effect

Posted by: vampire18 Mar 21 2009, 03:33 PM

im interested in buying a multi effect.
i heard about podxt and guitar rig3 but i really dont understand much about this things so i wanted to ask what multi effect whould you reccoment and why

Posted by: ZakkWylde Mar 21 2009, 03:39 PM

Do you want just effects for your amp or do you want an amp modeling board with effects?
The new boss me70 would be an effects board while pod x3 or boss gt-10 are simulating amps too.

Guitar rig 3 is a modeling software for your computer!

Posted by: vampire18 Mar 21 2009, 03:49 PM

lol im so confused god... so many option and i started reading reviews and some are hella good and some say its crap and sounds super digital and my money is better spent just buying the pedals.
im getting dizzy from all the options.

in the mean time all i want is a nice heavy distortion a wah pedal and a delay pedal so maybe i just need to buy the pedals themselves. unless you think that the other effects and amp modeling is important?

Posted by: vampire18 Mar 21 2009, 04:14 PM

i dont know how important modulation is. i never used any effects or tone change before. until now all i ever used is the amp knobs and my guitar.

i guess up to 350$

Posted by: MickeM Mar 21 2009, 04:30 PM

Since you are confused about multieffects it's equally confusing trying to sort out what you should get.

Try to answer a few questions for guidance.

How do you plan to use it?
- for live gigs
- for bedroom playing
- playing with headphones
- for computer recording

What do you expect from it?
- it's got to have a tuner built in
- it should be able to sound like a Marshall... and a Fender... and a Mesa Boogie
- superb god like analog effects sound
- I don't care, as long as I can dial in distortion, delay and such

I've got:
- A tube amp
- a solid state amp with built in digital effects
- A regular solid state amp
- I play through a PA
- something that says GT8 on it wink.gif
- nothing

I want:
- a thousand choices
- a few real good sounds
- everything built into a small box and it shall be able to do everything. It's going to be my new best friend.


and more description f you can smile.gif the more the better

Posted by: vampire18 Mar 21 2009, 05:42 PM

i play a fender squire through a fender front man 25. i will use it most of the time for bedroom play but on gigs from time to time. i do play with headphones sometimes but only when i practice late at night so its not super important.
i would like to use it to record but i guess my web cam is fine as well so its also not thatt important. tuner i dont care and different amps... well i dint have the chance to hear different amps i guess it should be nice but a killer heavy distortion would be more important. and about the last quetion i dont realy know what other effects there are besides distortion overdrive wah and delay

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Mar 21 2009, 06:54 PM

I would recommend getting a Wah and delay pedals...Regarding distortion you can get a pedal for that but I guess you need to dial in that sound on your amp itself and not using the pedal...Should sound better that way..

Here are some recommendations regarding pedals :

Jim Dunlop Cry Baby 535Q



Boss DD-3 Digital Delay Pedal



IMO pedals are way to go , especially if you don't need so many effects (like most of us do not need).They will give you a nice sound and often better compared to some multieffects units...

Posted by: FFranco Mar 21 2009, 07:02 PM

I would seriously recommend the Digitech RP350 its got everything you need and its in your price range.



Check it out here:
http://www.digitech.com/products/Multi-Effects/RP350.php

Posted by: Sircraigery Mar 21 2009, 07:17 PM

I'd recommend buying a couple of the Electro-Harmonix instead. Multi-effects pedals get so tire-some to program all the time, I've always got lazy and stopped using them.

They are the best pedals on the market (IMO), and they are cheaper than most of the boss, or line 6 pedals. They are analog (at least most of them are), and have true bypass.

I recommend a Metal Muff and a Stereo Memory Man w\ Hazari.

The Memory man, has got delay, echo, reverse, and a 30 second LOOPER! No wah, but wah pedals on multieffects units aren't the best anyways. Get a Cry Baby when you save more cash.

Definitely watch the youtube demo's of these. You'll be really surprised.




Posted by: Hisham Al-Sanea Mar 21 2009, 07:18 PM

any multi effects from Boss would be nice

Posted by: vampire18 Mar 21 2009, 07:41 PM

thx for all the help guys bot if i was confused before i am even more so now.
i understand that the pod is to expensive and complicated becuase you need to buy the pedal for it separately so i will go for pedals. now the cry baby looks and sounds great so i will get that one but what about distortion and delay?
the rp 350 looks amazing does anyone know if it sounds and is worth as good as it looks oh and does it have a big community of people so i have lots of other presets people made?

ps.
jsut finished seeing the metal muff... wow it looks powerful and sounds pretty awsome

Posted by: vampire18 Mar 21 2009, 08:55 PM

what is its advantages over the rp350?

plus it costs more than my amp and guitar combined lol

Posted by: MickeM Mar 21 2009, 10:17 PM

You know what. Like Bogdan says I'd go for analog pedals for a couple of reasons.

First - They give a better sound than a multi effects pedal.
Second - This is also part of the learning. I think an old school approach is prefered where you start with an amp, learn it inside out, add analog effects and as a final step you could make use of a multi effects pedal.
Why?
Because if you get a multi effects pedal now, without knowing how effects work and what they do I'm quite positive a multi effects pedal will be overwhelming. It will contain hundereds of things you will never use or know how to use them.

Adding analog pedals give you plenty of time to explore each pedal and learn how they function. I get a feeling you don't want or even need hundereds of different effects and I suspect if you had them you'd get lost along the way.

When I got my first multi effects pedal after owing an amp and some analog pedals, it was the ever first Zoom by the way and it was mid 90's, I was just overwhelmed... I didn't know how to get the best sound out of it and it contained so many things I never ever even used. I went back to analog pedals because they sounded better and was easy to use.

So at this point I think a multi effects pedal isn't your best choise. Better go analog for now and learn along the way. In a few years when you feel that you need four different chorus effects, a couple different tremolos, a dozen distortion sounds etc etc etc in one pedal, then concider it. What good is it with a thousand different presets when you don't know what's inside them. It'll only be confusing.

Like I said, right now for your own sake and your musical gear development, stick to old school analog pedals. You'll be doing yourself a favor. At least for now.

Posted by: vampire18 Mar 21 2009, 11:49 PM

so i should go for
metal muff
memory man
cry baby?

but i know that the multi affect is very complicated and overwelming but as a start i can use only the presets and patches other people designed and take it from there.
it has all the effects i need from top to bottom for 200$.
wow this is so complicated... i mean buying the 3 pedal combo will cost more than my guitar and amp. i wish we had it in the stores in Israel so i could try it lol. maybe ill drop by my local music shop and listen to how everything they have there sounds.
i think i will go hit the stores and hear for my self how everything sounds with all of you what you guys said in mind

Posted by: MickeM Mar 22 2009, 12:33 AM

QUOTE (vampire18 @ Mar 21 2009, 11:49 PM) *
but i know that the multi affect is very complicated and overwelming but as a start i can use only the presets and patches other people designed and take it from there.

Yes you could, but one point I made was that you'd be using something you would not understand the basics of.

If you have a delay pedal and dial in different settings you'll see it in front of you and you'll hear the result. It's graspable. In a multi effect it's not so much, and especially if you use the presets you'll learn nothing.
As I see it it's useful to learn each effect, how they function for real.

It's like basic theory on effect pedals wink.gif

But of course, if you're just after the sounds simple at hand a multieffect is great. Better even.

Posted by: GuitarMonkey Mar 22 2009, 02:38 AM

QUOTE (vampire18 @ Mar 21 2009, 08:33 AM) *
im interested in buying a multi effect.
i heard about podxt and guitar rig3 but i really dont understand much about this things so i wanted to ask what multi effect whould you reccoment and why

How long have you been playing? What type of music do you play? Are you interested in playing a diff. style at anytime?
If you are having trouble getting a good, basic sound from using only your guitar and amp, no effects in the world are really going to help you. I would save the $$$ and get a better amp, and guitar. Start with the very basics of that in your equipment chain, and build from there.

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Mar 22 2009, 03:21 AM

I understand it can be confusing. But buying multiple effects can be tricky if you are a first time buyer, and if you need it for all those situations. What I can tell you from my personal experience is that low budget and semi priced digital gear don't sound so good live, only pedals do. If your focus is playing at home, it is best to consider some Boss MultiFX unit like Boss ME-50. It has pedal emulation, and effects, and Boss is the brand that is famous for making transparent effect, so they are pretty reliable even for live gigs. This means it will serve you great in the house, and fairly good live.
It's all about priorities in general. If you need the gear for home use, buy digital modeling unit. If you need for recording, buy a good sound card/audio interface, if you need it for live gigs, buy pedals or rack effects. You have to make a decision what you need the most, and choose appropriate. When you decide, tell us, and we will try to give specific models for recomendation.

Posted by: Sircraigery Mar 22 2009, 03:44 AM

Yeah, I agree that if your stuck on getting a multi-effects unit, go with a Boss if you've got the scrilla.

If your just wanting to play certain bands at home, get a line 6 pocket pod.

If you want a killer distortion, GET THE METAL MUFF. I bought it today, and WOW. My Line6 ubermetal is now for sale. I suggest you just buy a good distortion pedal for now. You'll be surprised what your guitar can do with good distortion, it will really bring your amp to life. You won't use all the stuff on the multi-effects (or at least I never did... twice), it was cool for about a week and got old really fast.

However, saving up for a new guitar is also a good idea... but that's probably going to take a while.

Posted by: vampire18 Mar 22 2009, 07:57 AM

actually for gear money is not a problem i have alredy got the money on the side for a lefty ibanez 1570 prestige(the only good guitar that comes left handed btw unless you have better offers) but i have no idea how can i get it out side the us because stores in Israel dont keep it. so the gear it already handled i just gotta find a way to get it here

can i record with the me50? it looks simple enough for me to use.

Posted by: jdriver Mar 22 2009, 08:36 AM

I have the Boss ME-50, and I can say it is a joy to use. Very modular in it's approach, and no menu surfing. It reminds me of an analog synth. It's only possible drawback is using the presets while gigging, it can take a split second to change if it's quite different than the one you're playing when you switch. It's very well made and stage worthy.

Posted by: kaznie_NL Mar 22 2009, 09:31 AM

If I see how confused you are with all these effect, how about buy a very cheap multi-effects thingy first, like a Korg AX3G (50$ or something). It doesn't sound very good, but it has a lot of effects, then you can see what those effefcts do! After learning, you can buy a good pedal.

Posted by: vampire18 Mar 22 2009, 09:58 AM

i thought about doing it but we have very limited selection of things.. i have to go to the store and see what i have for purchasing before i make a big plan and i think thats what im going to do

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Mar 22 2009, 05:02 PM

QUOTE (vampire18 @ Mar 22 2009, 07:57 AM) *
actually for gear money is not a problem i have alredy got the money on the side for a lefty ibanez 1570 prestige(the only good guitar that comes left handed btw unless you have better offers) but i have no idea how can i get it out side the us because stores in Israel dont keep it. so the gear it already handled i just gotta find a way to get it here

can i record with the me50? it looks simple enough for me to use.


Sorry mate, but could you elaborate that first section of your post. I didn't understand what you were trying to say there?

ME50 is not a recording device, which means you cannot plug it into computer and use it as a sound card. What you can do if you have a proper sound card for recording, is connect the ME50 to line in on your card and record like that.

Posted by: David Wallimann Mar 22 2009, 06:46 PM

I use a Boss GT8 pedalboard. It's cheaper than the newer model and works great.
I use it for all my lessons...

Posted by: sted Mar 22 2009, 07:15 PM

Im totally fed up with modelling and stuff, seems i spend all my time messing with settings on modelling insyead of playing, all my stuff is on ebay tonight to make room for an old skool tube amp and some pukka boutique vintage pedals, yeah baby!

Posted by: Sircraigery Mar 22 2009, 07:26 PM

QUOTE (sted @ Mar 22 2009, 07:15 PM) *
Im totally fed up with modelling and stuff, seems i spend all my time messing with settings on modelling insyead of playing, all my stuff is on ebay tonight to make room for an old skool tube amp and some pukka boutique vintage pedals, yeah baby!


Agreed.

Posted by: vampire18 Mar 23 2009, 12:12 PM

QUOTE (Ivan Milenkovic @ Mar 22 2009, 06:02 PM) *
Sorry mate, but could you elaborate that first section of your post. I didn't understand what you were trying to say there?

ME50 is not a recording device, which means you cannot plug it into computer and use it as a sound card. What you can do if you have a proper sound card for recording, is connect the ME50 to line in on your card and record like that.


i replied to someone who said i should buy a new guitar first before i start investing in effects and i said i have the money aside for a new guitar and my problom for getting it is that i have to order it from abroad.

Posted by: 29a Mar 23 2009, 01:37 PM

QUOTE (vampire18 @ Mar 22 2009, 07:57 AM) *
actually for gear money is not a problem i have alredy got the money on the side for a lefty ibanez 1570 prestige(the only good guitar that comes left handed btw unless you have better offers) but i have no idea how can i get it out side the us because stores in Israel dont keep it. so the gear it already handled i just gotta find a way to get it here

can i record with the me50? it looks simple enough for me to use.

First about your lefty guitar. Schecter makes lefty versions of most of their guitars. Including the hellraiser, which is a great metal guitar. And you should definitely get a good guitar first and then worry about effects. The guitar is the most important thing. Then the amp, and then maybe the effects.

Now about the effects. I use a BOSS GT-10. The effects are pretty good for such a multi effects unit. And compared to others it seems to have a bigger dynamic range. You can use it to record too and it has got some fancy features like an external effects loop that allows you to plug in pedals or like I do, a preamp. Probably better in terms of sound quality would be the the TC Electronics G-System. But it's also very expensive.

Jonas

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Mar 24 2009, 02:13 AM

QUOTE (vampire18 @ Mar 23 2009, 12:12 PM) *
i replied to someone who said i should buy a new guitar first before i start investing in effects and i said i have the money aside for a new guitar and my problom for getting it is that i have to order it from abroad.


What gear to you own currently? This will help us to see what level of gear you can get to achieve a nice balanced gear chain.

Posted by: vampire18 Mar 24 2009, 08:46 AM

a squire lefty stratocaster and a fender front man 25r amp

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