Who uses those multi-effect pedals (Digitek) or has a say?

I can't decide what to do about my effects' situation. Here's all that I can think I'll ever use.......

Reverb
Delay
Chorus
Overdrive

My amp has vibrato and I have a boss cs-3.

I'm on a tight budget, and I can't decide whether to buy all 4 new effects in a multi-effect pedal (Digitek, etc).......... or whether to keep buying them pedal at a time at a higher $$$.

I know individual pedals are much more popular, but does anyone have any opinions on the quality/sound of the multi-effect pedals, because it would give me a quick fix for a lot cheaper.

Thanks.

Multi effect pedals are a great way to learn about effects. Often any given multiFX will have some good sounds and a lot of really bad sounds. Generally the factory settings are bad in my experience and require a lot of tweaking. Once you get it dialed in they can sound pretty good. I've found there will be a certain sameness to the sounds from the multiFX also. The other major problem is if you play out and the thing dies you are pretty screwed.

With individual pedals you can eventually have a simpler rig with just the sounds you want, that can be adapted for any gig by bringing more or less pedals, is easier to change settings on the fly, and if one dies you just yank it out.

But as far as sound quality on a gig-in my experience nobody in the audience could ever tell if I was using a well set up multiFX or indiv effects pedals even though I could.

Cheers
Matt

If you do get a multi-FX, look at the Korg AX1500G. Very easy to use and sounds good.

Chorus+Delay = Visual Sound H2O $140 new on ebay
OD + Dist = Zinky True Grit $100

I've got three. On the low price end is a Digitech RP50, next the Digitech Genesis 3 and on top, the GNX2. All three sound poor through my guitar amps when used strictly for effects. So, I use individual analog effects instead. Someone else may like them but I have not had good luck.

Now, for studio and computer recording, it's a different story! I've recorded nice tracks with all three. They work great for that.

The RP50 is my late night practice amp. 6 AA Alkalines last me 6 months and it drives a set of headphones. One of my young guitar students has an RP80 and he is happy using it as his only effect between guitar and amp.

In all cases, and IMHO, these Digitechs seem to prefer single coil guitars, especially Strats. My humbucker equiped guitars sound less stellar.

Gary

What are some other models that've worked.......

I play a Tele --> GNX2 --> HotRodDlx. Previously, I used a GNX1 until I accidentally stomped (no, I mean literally...STOMPED...) on it at a gig. Thankfully, it was the last song o' the night and I was just pissed at myself, but not screwed the rest of the night. So, I did the only thing I knew, and got a GNX2. However, I agree with what Matt wrote...it needs to be set up properly and if you smash it or the power supply goes out, you're screwed.

Funny you bring this up because I'm looking to replace my GNX2 with ind. stomp boxes. I've always played through a MultiFX box, just because that's where I started and what I'm used to, but the more I go to music stores, the more I love that analog stompbox sound. Also, I don't know ANYONE in the local circuit that plays thru a MultiFX - they're all stompboxes. I find that the MultiFX sucks your tone, now that I've played through ind. pedals. I can't believe the difference. I believe that part of it is all of the amp modeling, cabinet modeling, pickup modeling, they try to do. You can shut that modeling off, but it still seems to suck the life out of the tone. I've got mine set up pretty well for what we do and I've received nice comments about my sound from audience and sound people before, but I'm not really happy with it anymore. Maybe the grass is always greener, but when I go try ind pedals out, I just like the tone a LOT better.

So, I would personally stay w/ ind pedals if I were you. I have to replace compression, tuner, wah, delay, reverb, EQ, distortion, chorus, flange, etc to get rid of mine. But, when I'm done, I believe that I'll have a MUCH better quality sound, not so tinny and harsh.

The two I used extensively were the Yamaha DG-Stomp (reincarnated as the MagicStomp) and a Boss GT-3. Both worked well but don't sound as good as the pedals in front of a tube amp that I use now. I don't think an audience would have noticed a differece with any of the above rigs. But I notice a difference and it makes me play better.

The multis can sound a little canned, but sitting in a band mix that's all a moot point. There is another thread going now about cranking mids on the amp to sit better in the mix (which seems to work), even though the tone out of the amp doesn't sound good in a bedroom practice environment.

Oh the irony.

Cheers
Matt

I think theres a good chance that if you get a multi FX pedal, you'll eventually get the single effect pedals that create the sounds you try to make on the multi-unit. Cause usually multi-fx pedals are quantity over qaulity.

You can always start with the Arion chorus - excellent pedal, even better price. If you're only wanting those specific effects, you can probably get off to a good start with budget pedals for the same dollars as the multi-fx stuff.

I've had a Zoom 505 for years and my son has a Digitech RP-80A and the Digitech is nice - but the difficulty comes in tweaking. Those things are not easy to tweak "on the fly" and a tone that sounds great when you're practicing alone may not cut thru when you get around other instruments.




Edit: Looking at Musician's Friend, Arion makes chorus and distortion for 20 bucks each, and delay for 25. No reverb. I've only heard the chorus in person, but I would bet that the individual effects would be better than what's in a multi-fx unit.

I have a DigiTech rp300, and it is now my TV watching box... I run the TV audio into the CD input, and play while watching TV with the "sofa guitar" in my apartment with headphones. I like the drum machine... real simple. I like the headphone output.

I dont like the program functions, and the footswitches and pedal are cheesy and I wouldnt trust them to gig with... it is too easy to press more than one footswitch and the pedal squeaks.

The built-in settings are fun, and if you have hours to spend, you can program your own settings.

I thought I would replace a bunch of pedals with this unit, but after spending hours with it, it just sounds too digital... I have since bought pedals which do everthing that in on this box except for the whammy thing.

If I had to spend the money all over again, I would go with stomp boxes.

denny

Point your finger-gun and shoot my avatar for this one, but it's true: A few years ago recorded a number of tracks of shoegazy-dreampop running all electric guitar parts through a Zoom GFX-707, and felt that some of the presets were really rich and useful for certain applications. Great phaser, an "interesting" albeit overcompressed AC30-ish sounding crunchy, and a decent univibe sound that somewhow sat in the mix just right.

But....

I listen to some of those sounds now and really have learned to appreciate the chime and undigitized resonance and warmth that comes from a boosted clean sound going lightly compressed and tubed into the desk, but still think the multi-guys do a lot of work for you when money or experience isn't on your side to put together the rig that fits your needs...and they can be fun, too!

I had bought an RP50 when I needed a stage tuner. I figured I was paying for a tuner and getting the extra effects for free.

I was very surprised with how good the pedal sounded through a SS amp in the store. The delays, chorus, reverb, etc. were very nice. And while I had no intention of using the modelling features, they weren't that bad.

Then I brought the pedal home and plugged into a tube amp. Hated it. Nothing sounded quite right (and I am not super-picky about "tone suck"). It clipped when using my OD box in front of it.

So I brought it back and got a dedicated tuner.

But, the moral of this story is try one out with the amp you plan on using. If you like how a unit sounds, then it's probably good band for the buck.

I use the Digitech RP200 and find it good. I spent a fair amount of time playing with it to get it sounding good.
Most of the artist presets suck, especially with a single coil.
It depends , as others have said , what you are using it for. I jam with mine, and it sounds good, but I use smaller distortion settings, some of those models sound pretty bad.
A friend of mine just finished recording a cd with a Tele and a Pod xt and it sounds beautiful. It is amazing how good they sound now, and like it or not, it is the way of the future. Bye bye tubes..
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.just kiddin...
but it has come a long way... will continue to improve, and is amazing stuff.
Digitech will soon be introducing a "Jimmy Hendrix" pedal modeled from his popular sounds.