need a "one pedal" - multi-effect for bedroom

I'm looking for a one pedal that will let cover a lot of stylistic ground. Am thinking about the $150 range of pedals that include expression pedals. It would be great if it had a cd/mp3 playalong feature.

I'm a returning guitar player - played rock, blues, and pre-alt.country (the name hadn't been invented, but lots of us were playing in that vein) in bars in college. I love a fender into a fender with a little distortion and a lot of reverb. But I've gotten away from playing for several years, first acoustic, then kids and work and what-have-ya.

Basically looking for a bedroom wanker pedal. Headphones, goofing on country/metal/rock/jazz. There seems to be a wealth of amazing things out there. I'm sure that I'd be happy with most any of them what with all the modeling, multi-effects, simpler interfaces, etc. I just need to be steered in the right direction.

Thanks in advance.

-capt pearl, once and future fender strangler

I got one of THESE (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/DigiTech-RP200A-Modeling-Guitar-Processor?sku=150183) for just that reason, works well through the headphones, and most of the effects and drum loops sound pretty good. Also the price was reasonable. I still use separate pedals through the amp, but for messing around with the phones on, it's quick and easy to pick a preset and play without waking the kids. Hopefully this helps.

- Jay

I bough Digitechj RP 50 to add reverb and trem to a Pro Jr. For the sake of $59 I considered it to be a throw-away. It has some really nice reverb, trem, swells, and TS-9 sounds. The factory presets stink (kidee stuff) but yoou can really get some nice tones from the thing. At $59, it comes with the wall adapter.

about the only thing the Digitech RP200 doesn't have would be a lick-learner (records a short section and slows it down). don't know if that's still invogue.

the price is right and I'd pay the extra $40 over the RP50 to get the expression pedal, if only for the time wasting potential, eh?

does anyone know if the "modeling" is the result of the major investment that digitech made doing the hendrix/brian may modeling, or just a generic, "gosh, this sounds like a old tube amp" that they did a decade ago? not that it really matters. or is that what what you get for $50 more with the RP250?

Can anyone compare the Digitech RP200/250 to the competetors? I have to admit that I have a lingering distaste for digitech/DOD - great reverb and delay type effects, but they just always seemed to "miss" the mark on the sound.

Still, that's a heck of a lot of bedroom wanking for the bucks.

Thanks.

best,

-capt pearl

RP50 is the coolest for tooling around the bedroom naked, just showin' off for your girl(oops tmi)! And it has that cool head phone feature, sounds ain't exactly "dead on" but what do you want for $50? Actually I got one for $20 at a pawn shop so you know I ain't complainin'. Cute little drum trax included.

Where do plug headphones into the RP 50?

Ca you plug headphones into the amp output jack? If so how do you control the volume?

Headphones go into the output on this thing, volume is controled by the triangle buttons on the right labeled value/master volume

Thanks. We have three kids under 10. I'll try it after thay go to bed. Now I have a new/old toy.

The new RP units (150, 250, 350) sure seem like they sound miles better than the old ones (at least from the clips). They are priced right too, for what you get. The 350 even has a phrase sampler they call "learn-a-lick" which can slow down up to 10 seconds of inputted material. The 250 and 350 both have an aux input for play-along.

(No affiliation, just looks like a cool machine!)

The RP 200 has a separate headphone jack (but it is one of the small 1/8" type). There is also a 1/8" input jack for an ipod/ cd player. The built in drum loops cover all the basics, and are very nice for practicing along with. There is no battery power, you need to use the non standard 9V AC (not 9V DC) adapter.

As far as the "advanced amp modeling" IMHO it's just a fancy way of saying reverb that sounds like different cabinets, and overdrive response that acts like different manufacturers electronics. I myself haven't heard any amp modeling, either software or hardware, that sounds as good as the real thing. That being said, the sounds are o.k. especially through headphones.

Like you said Capt Pearl the Digitech reverbs and delays on this are pretty good. The expression pedal for the WAH sounds are also pretty good too. Also works well as a basic volume pedal too. The distortions and overdrives are a bit too harsh for my tastes, (maybe o.k for hard rock or metal though) but YMMV. The one thing I really like though is the single coil to humbucker setting can fatten up the tone on a Tele single coil pickup nicely, even though it doesn't really sound like a humbucker, it sounds nice. The rest of the effects are a free bonus I guess, although I rarely use them.

I paid $129, and I thought that was a good deal. There are enough effects and sounds to cover most of the bases, and keep you busy for a long time. A great practice tool and a reasonable price, especially now it's down to $100.
As always just my $.02, YMMV.

- Jay

RP 80 is a lot of pedal for the money only about 80 bucks

My friend has an RP100(a bit older), and it could run on batteries, i dunno about the current ones, it doesn't mention it.

My RP80 can use batteries too as can the 50 do not know about the others but I would suppose they can too except for the larger ones maybe.

I could also recommend the RP series for fooling around. They are not my cup of tea, but you can't beat them for the money.

Thanks for all the imput. I'm a bit surprised that no one's suggested another brand. The RP-200 or 250 is looking good. I'd go with the RP-80, but it doesn't have an audio imput.

Thanks all.

-capt pearl

I don't know, but the Behringer x V-amp (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Behringer-X-VAMP-Floor-Unit-Guitar-Processor?sku=480732) (floor pedal) looks similar to the RP80 and might be really cool. The Floor Pod (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Line-6-Floor-POD-Guitar-Effects-Pedal?sku=150446) is 50 bucks over your 150 range, but it might be a good longer-lasting deal. I'd bet the floor pods amp models are way better than the Behringer or the Digitech.

I just sold my 5years old digitech rp-200 last week. It's a great pedal especially if you have a solid state amp : it definitely smoothes the tone. But since I don't play with a headphone on and I have a tube amp now I have no regret ( I hadn't since I read your thread !!!!!!!) Merry christmas

I have a RP-200, but hardly use it anymore. It's too handy for certian things to get rid of.
Anyway, let me suggest the Behringer V-amp 2. IMO for a lot of little reasons it blows the digitech out of the water, cheaper. Again IMO and I have both and have tried others (Also have a Zoom, and a Tascam and have tried the pod).
For 100 bones you can get a V-amp 2 WITH case, and two foot pedals.
Why is it better?
Amp sims are way better, overall sound is better. Also has aux input for CD/drum machine (I've hooke up a stereo DVD to it to play along with DVDs!) the Digitech aux input HAS NO SEPERATE VOLUME control the Behringer does.
The knobs and controls on the V-amp are set up to simulate using an Amp, nice big knobs to tweak. Once you read the manual and understand the functions and how to get to some of them, the Behringer is way easier to tweak a good sound from.
I really compare it to the Pod in function/use/sound BUT cheaper.
It has no cheesy drum beats like the digitech, and the digitech has a few more effects (Some useless, but the Whammy pedal is AS good as the real Digitech Whammy pedal at half the price, go figure!) but in the overall, if I had to choose to keep just one of my multi-effect/modelers, it would be the V-amp.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Behringer-VAMP-2-Amp-Modeler?sku=480674

I have a zoom 707II from a few years back. It's good if you have a small practise amp and want to get a few more tones, but other than that, its's lousy. Avoid IMO.

Thanks for all the imput. I'm a bit surprised that no one's suggested another brand. The RP-200 or 250 is looking good. I'd go with the RP-80, but it doesn't have an audio imput.

Thanks all.

-capt pearl


I like the Zoom but I am not sure if one is available in the $150 USD price range.

Having said that--- http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/products/g92tt/index.php phew! I'd take this any day!

Another option is the VOX DA5 which is an amplifier and effects combined into one. It has good effects and you can turn the volume really low. It is good as long as you don't mind the small speaker.

I would have said the Yamaha Magicstomp -- bought one a couple of months ago when MF was blowing them out -- but it looks like they're gone, gone, gone. It's got a headphone out and a bunch of amp / cab simulations in there you can program from your computer, at least in theory. They never got around to updating their Mac software so I have no idea if this actually works or not.

I use this all the time for the single-effects presets. Nice sounding delays, verbs, choruses, etc. There's a modulated delay in there that's like instant Bill Frisell, and a couple of great sounding rotovibe-type things. Might be worth looking for.

There's a bunch of threads mentioning the older RP units. Apparently, there is quite a bit of difference between the RP 80, 100, 200, 300, etc. and the new series with the new chip: RP150, 250, 350. I think the new series' sound clips sound remarkably good for the money, but I'm not sure about the old series. I have never owned either new or old series units so I'm only going on web clips and reviews, but I'm very tempted to pick up a new RP350 based on what I hear and read, as well as the feature set.