# A Bunch Of Pedals Or A Multi Effects Unit?



## Steadfastly

I don't understand why people have all these pedals when there are such good multi-effects units available like The RP series from Digitech, Boss and the POD series from Line 6. It just makes more sense to me to have the one unit, that is so very versatile rather than half a dozen or more pedals that, in many cases, are nowhere near as versatile as the multi-effects units.

If you have a board with a bunch of pedals on it, why are you using them instead of a multi-effects unit?


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## mrmatt1972

There needs to be a "both" option, doesn't there?

I personally can't stand multi-effects. I owned a little pod unit for a while, but the only effect that i could stand was the delay. I like pedals for their simplicity, speed of set up and, well, unmatchable versatility. Look at how many flavours of fx are out there now. A multi, unless its something spectacular, is only a model of some of those. That said, I'm also pretty spartan in my choice and number of effects.


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## hollowbody

I've tried a few different multi-fx units from Boss and Vox, as well as a bunch of VSTs, and as versatile and flexible as they can be, I prefer the sound and tactile interface of pedals. 

Modelers tend to sound best direct into a PA or a full-range amp and sound kinda meh through guitar amps. I like my tone through my amps, so I want something that I can use with that tone, not something that changes it entirely.


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## mspizziri

I had a Line 6 M9 and it was an excellent unit with a ton of great sounding effects for the money

I found I just spent way too much time playing around with it rather than actually playing guitar. As well a lot of the effects I just never really had a use for

Now I just have a my amp distortion for high gain a Keeley SD-1 for low gain and an Ibanez DE7 delay (I may also get a chorus pedal) and I find the setting I like best then just leave knobs where they are


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## mhammer

People still find reason to use multiple pedals instead of a multi-FX unit because:

1) Sometimes a particular sound they want is not attainable within the stable of sounds in the multi-FX;

2) At least for budget units, sometimes you can't get the sequence of effects that you want;

3) Again, for budget units, imposing too many tasks on the DSP engine in the multi-FX can undermine their sound quality;

4) DSPs do everything else well but still have a hard time with distortion, particularly when the same processor is doing distortion on top of delay, modulation, amp sims, EQ, etc.

5) Manufacturers like to be able to save production costs by using displays, menus, and universal adjustment knobs. Players like to be able to reach down and tweak on demand.


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## jimihendrix

multi-fx have the benefit of a single power supply versus a dozen batteries...and a single patch cord rather then a whole bunch of mini ones to join several pedals...

some digitech pedals have two dsp chips doing the processing work so there is no sound quality loss due to "over working" the processor...

they are also more compact and easier to carry than some pedal boards...

having said that...you are limited to the same "brand" of effects...whereas with separate pedals...you can have boss pedals sitting next to digitech or maxon or ibanez or boutique pedals...for more variety and perhaps your personal signature sound...

individual pedals can also be modded to suit specific needs of specific players...


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## Brennan

Individual pedals are, in my oppinion, far more versatile than multi-effects processors on stage where it counts. Adjusting anything on the fly with a multi-effects pedal is damn near impossible when you're on stage in the middle of a song. With a string of stomp boxes, it's just a matter of turning a knob or stepping on the right switch. Add to that the ability to mix and match boxes to get exactly the sounds I want, instead of the sounds Line-6 or Boss think I need, not to mention that I have yet to hear a digital effects unit that doesn't sound like a digital effects unit (which I admit could very well be due to a bias on my part). 

Now with the advent of quasi-affordable midi-loopers, you can get the best of both worlds.


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## Mooh

Both. For multi units I've only got 2 small ones at the moment (Boss ME20, Digitech RP100R). Of the 2, the Boss is passable, the Digitech not.

My floorboard of individual pedals is an evolving and de-evolving thing. The trick is to have lots of variables and options.

Small multi-effects units only do it for me as convenience items, nothing more. I've tried the larger Boss, Carl Martin, and Vox ones and they seem pretty good. Ultimately I prefer the guitar direct into the amp.

Peace, Mooh.


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## High/Deaf

Similar to a hi-fi systems:

- You can get one box that has the preamp, eq, poweramp, cd player and ipod inputs all in one 
- Or you can have a separate preamp, poweramp, eq (if desired), turntable preamp, separate cd drive and electronics, etc.

To me its a no-brainer as to which one is better sounding. And the separate pieces are modifiable on a per piece basis (ie upgrade the power amp without changing everything else). 

While I have a couple all-in-one stereos, for my main livingroom stereo, its separate pieces. Same with effects, while I have a multi-fx unit, my 'serious' effects are separate. That said, I've never tried the TC Electronics or other higher-end units, I'm sure they are great but pretty expensive - and you have to buy it all at once, not one $200 piece at a time.


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## Stratin2traynor

Both for me too. I have a Nova System which I find sounds great and is relatively easy to use (at least for my needs). I like the fact that the effects sounds great and there is not a bunch of power cables and patch cords everywhere. Having said that, if I am looking for a particular distortion sound then I revert to pedals. I have both set-ups and depending on what I'm playing I'll use what I find most appropriate. Generally speaking I'll use the Nova System when I play with modulation type effects and little distortion/OD.


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## 4345567

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## gtrguy

Individual pedals for me. I've had multieffects, rack setups with preamp switching, MIDI control, etc. and while regularly gigging with a band, I had a true tone revelation when my rig didn't show up for an out of town gig. 

Luckily I was able to borrow a basic setup from a local musician consisting of a really basic tube amp and a few pedals. What I felt was going to be a disaster ended up being one of my best gigs from a tone standpoint- after some initial tweaking during the first couple of songs I spent the rest of the night just playing and enjoying the simplicity and the sound. What I really noticed is that if I needed to make an adjustment it was just a twist of a knob rather than paging through a menu, tweaking a setting, save, exit, etc. and I had more control over turning individual effects off without changing patches.

Obviously there are more and more units incorporating front panel knobs for more easily making on the fly adjustments but the flexibility of being able to rearrange your effect order, swap out one unit for another etc. is great. What if your multieffect chorus doesn't do it for you? You're essentially stuck with it.

Multieffects work for some and I've heard guys get great sounds. Personally I'm much happier with individual pedals.


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## keeperofthegood

Hmm

Comes a point where you flip a switch, and the multieffects does everything else. Kinda leaves you feeling like your in kindergarten again and the teacher does all the work for you. I mean, with the 450 top guitarists sounds preprogrammed in for your knobby selection, where does that leave you room to be your own self? 

Personally, I would rather be the player that uses an old amp, rusty speaker, loose cables, bent strings, with raspy voice.


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## Rugburn

I think if your playing atmospheric, effect heavy types of music, a multi-effects unit might be the simpler and more versatile way to go. On the other hand, if your a simple classic rock/blues type player, your probably going to find multi-effects units unconvincing tonally speaking. A friend had a very cool effects unit that was fun for creating unique sounds, but we once tried to assign the expression pedal a "classic wah" effect and it was awful. 

Shawn


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## Guest

My multi-effects unit makes most pedalboards look like a child's plaything.


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## Steadfastly

I'm surprised that so many opt for individual pedals. With the ability in many of the multi-effects units to dial in your own sound and save it, I would think it would be easier in the long run to get the sound you want, tap the foot switch and Bob's your uncle. Obviously, I'm in the minority here.


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## 4345567

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## mhammer

FlipFlopFly said:


> I'm surprised that so many opt for individual pedals. With the ability in many of the multi-effects units to dial in your own sound and save it, I would think it would be easier in the long run to get the sound you want, tap the foot switch and Bob's your uncle. Obviously, I'm in the minority here.


I think it is a matter of the relative weight and costs/benefits of the one format over the other. For someone who employs a great many very different sounds (e.g., someone in a commercial cover band), the convenience of preset storage is every bit as important as you suggest. For someone who might be in a blues band, the preset aspect is of much lesser importance, and the ability to reach down and tweak to taste may be of greater utility.


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## keeperofthegood

Multi-effects are made using Rockwell products such as:

[video=youtube;RXJKdh1KZ0w]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXJKdh1KZ0w[/video]
YouTube - Rockwell Retro Encabulator

Just thank the powers that be, that SONY doesn't yet make a multi-effects pedal! 
*** LANGUAGE WARNING *** if you like Trailer Park Boys and know the response to "Knock knock" then you wont have a problem with this 

[video=youtube;73-S8lt_z5E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73-S8lt_z5E[/video]
YouTube - Sony Piece of shit lol


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## Alien8

100% array of pedals. Once you put time into making a travel worthy pedal board it is by far the superior choice, at least for my purpose. The interaction of pedals with each-other is where magick happens! Not to mention durability, and ability to repair.

With that said, if you need regular repeatable exact results, and don't take the time to set it up then a multi fx unit will do that quickly, but at a cost of being locked in to some kind of control system. 

Note the evolution of Line6 & BOSS products. They started out with amps / fx units that had memory for tones, and the ability to switch presets on the fly, but little ability to remotely and easily modify the preset. Then they went to pedals with knobs again, and a few banks of memory, with some really neat abilities to morph multiple settings together which was unheard of except in the synth realm. Then they went to preset systems with knobs so that you could modify again, then they went to being able to modify the order of the FX... so it's quite obvious which method is still dominant since the modelers are still trying to model what everyone wants.

The bottom line is that a computer program will always do what it is programmed to do, and nothing more. Analog "glitches" (or combinations) are the reason that people have their own sound.


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## Guest

keeperofthegood said:


> Just thank the powers that be, that SONY doesn't yet make a multi-effects pedal!
> *** LANGUAGE WARNING *** if you like Trailer Park Boys and know the response to "Knock knock" then you wont have a problem with this
> 
> [video=youtube;73-S8lt_z5E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73-S8lt_z5E[/video]
> YouTube - Sony Piece of shit lol


 You know Sony used to make mulit-effect rack units, right? They don't seem to have anything in their current line up of pro audio stuff any more, but there's old faithfuls like the DPS series of mefx units.


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## david henman

FlipFlopFly said:


> If you have a board with a bunch of pedals on it, why are you using them instead of a multi-effects unit?


...simple:

1. you can't get decent o/d from most of the multi-effects units on the market.

2. even if you could get a decent o/d from a multi-effects unit, when you decide you want better/different o/d, you either have add additional pedals or replace the entire unit.

trust me, i've been paying attention to topics like thios for years. if it were possible to get decent o/d from a multi-effects unit, most of us would be using them.

-dh


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## david henman

...i should also mention that i have been waiting for far too many years for just one manufacturer to realize that there is an absolutely enormous global market for an AFFORDABLE multi-effects unit that only has "effects", like delay, reverb, chorus etc. 

the best they have managed to come up with are multi-effects units that have the capability to bypass or disable the o/d effects, amp sims etc.

one of these fine days one of these multi-effects unit manufacturers is finally going to figure that out, and when they finally do, their profit margin is going to go right through the roof.


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## mhammer

Many of the effects that digital multi-FX units excel at are those it does* in spite* of the signal, rather than *in conjunction* with it. All time-based effects (chorus, slapback, flanging, reverb, delay) are things the DSP can perform without having to "know" anything (or very much) about the current signal. For compression, or limiting, it has to know a little bit, but not a lot. For cabsims and EQ, very little if anything. For autowahs, it has to know when the note starts, but after that, not much. For distortion, it has to know what the signal is like at every single millisecond, and adapt to that or transform the input in some as-yet-to-be-identified way. That latter task requires *far* more clock cycles to accomplish.

Of course, those accustomed to the analog world would scratch their heads and think "Huh? It takes two freakin' transistors and a smattering of additional passive components to make a Fuzz Face, and it takes a half dozen chips (some of which contain several thousand transistors) and a fistful of other components to make a delay. How could it be harder to make a decent-sounding distortion in a multi-FX than a decent sounding delay?".

I have most of the LIne 6 Tone Core line, and I have to say that the distortion modules (Uber-Metal, Crunchtone, Dr Distorto) soud pretty good. One should note that each of these allocates a *single* DSP chip to a *single* effect. Therein lies the difference.


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## jimihendrix

the digitech rp 500 has a simple button the disables amp sims...the pedal then becomes a pedalboard that turns individual fx on/off...

the digitech rp 1000...allows the guitarist to incorporate their favorite personal fx pedals...giving the best of both worlds...

[video=youtube;OeSlnvYPYnU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeSlnvYPYnU[/video]


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## david henman

...then why aren't guys like me rushing out to buy one?

i would suggest that at least one reason is that we'd rather not pay for stuff we aren't going to use.

-dh




jimihendrix said:


> the digitech rp 500 has a simple button the disables amp sims...the pedal then becomes a pedalboard that turns individual fx on/off...
> 
> the digitech rp 1000...allows the guitarist to incorporate their favorite personal fx pedals...giving the best of both worlds...
> 
> [video=youtube;OeSlnvYPYnU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeSlnvYPYnU[/video]


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## Guest

david henman said:


> ...then why aren't guys like me rushing out to buy one?


"guys like" you? What's that? Luddites?


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## david henman

iaresee said:


> "guys like" you? What's that? Luddites?


...well, that too!



still, my prediction stands. there are a lot of players like myself that are impatiently waiting for a manufacturer to introduce an affordable "effects only" multi-effects pedal.


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## Guest

david henman said:


> still, my prediction stands. there are a lot of players like myself that are impatiently waiting for a manufacturer to introduce an affordable "effects only" multi-effects pedal.


 I think the trouble is: there's probably so many varying tastes in how things should sound that you'll never make one, affordable (because that means you can't make it have everything and the kitchen sink) box that satisfies everyone. Also, affordable is relative. You might put something out there that hits all the tonal sweet spots but costs $700 and suddenly $700 isn't "affordable".

Have you tried any of the TC Electronic offerings? The G-System is a bit expensive but it's little brother, the Nova System, is probably about as affordable as you're going to get in the Still Sounds Really Good realm. The Nova and G-System are effect-only boxes. No amp or cab modeling. The G-System sports 4 loops so you can patch in in your amp and up to three other effect chains (add in your favourite over driver and distortions for example). The Nova System has a built-in _analog_ overdrive circuit that can be programmed with the presets. Both get good marks. Not the most flexible systems, but they do sound very, very, very nice. A G-System was almost the centerpiece of my rig before I found the AxeFx. The design considerations that when in to these two boxes are incredible. Both of them are super duper easy to program and to access parameters on. Nothing is more than a click away. On the G-System, those cool buttons double as knobs -- so you've got lots of knobs for tweaking parameters, only a click away.

There's also the G-Major 2, rack mount, processor from TC Electronic -- again going after the effects-only crowd with a very easy-to-use interface. I think it's ~$300 or so, no?


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## mhammer

To add to Ian's point, one of the reasons why modular effects never caught hold, despite their many advantages, was that no manufacturer would produce all the modules and sounds you wanted, and if manufacturer X's modules wouldn't fit into manufacturer's Y's form factor, than you simply werren't interested in either of their products.


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## jimihendrix

maybe guitarists should become pro-active and try contacting these companies to express exactly what we're looking for...rather than waiting for the summer/winter trade shows to see what the fx companies are developing and releasing...hoping and praying or "wait-and-see" might not work as the best strategies for getting what players demand and need...


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## Steadfastly

david henman said:


> ...then why aren't guys like me rushing out to buy one?
> 
> i would suggest that at least one reason is that we'd rather not pay for stuff we aren't going to use.
> 
> -dh


You are right in a lot of cases. People only use 1-3 or perhaps 4 pedals. On the other hand, I've seen boards with 5, 6, 7 and more pedals, even 10 or more. With pedals costing $50.00-$100.00 and sometimes a little more, $300.00 or so doesn't seem out of line in the budget department any longer. Plus you don't need all those cables, batteries or power supplies to run them and hook them up. On top of that, they have to be mounted on a board that has to be purchased or made by somebody. I'm not saying pedals are not better or worse, but a multi-effects unit just seems so versatile and simpler to me. As I said before, I seem to be in the minority here.


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## Rugburn

FlipFlopFly said:


> You are right in a lot of cases. People only use 1-3 or perhaps 4 pedals. On the other hand, I've seen boards with 5, 6, 7 and more pedals, even 10 or more. With pedals costing $50.00-$100.00 and sometimes a little more, $300.00 or so doesn't seem out of line in the budget department any longer. Plus you don't need all those cables, batteries or power supplies to run them and hook them up. On top of that, they have to be mounted on a board that has to be purchased or made by somebody. I'm not saying pedals are not better or worse, but a multi-effects unit just seems so versatile and simpler to me. As I said before, I seem to be in the minority here.


Well, as I said before, if simplicity and versatility are primary concerns than going with a multi-effects unit is likely the better way to go. On the other hand, I didn't much care for the bulk of what I heard in the Digtech thingy demo jimihendrix posted. The "Clyde Wah" and "57 Champ" models were particularly bad to my ears. The "shred" gainy stuff was OK, but I've never been big on those sounds to begin with, so I'm not much of a judge. To players who use a handful of old school pedals and tube amps, these "all-in-one" units fall short of the real thing IMO.

Shawn.


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## mrmatt1972

here's this:

BOSS ME-50 Guitar Multiple Effects :: Overview

Effects only, no amps. I've played it - a friend had one. It is pretty good, really easy to set up etc. The issue is that because of shared controls, you can't say, stack a couple of overdrives, or adjust parameters of two different stompbox models on the fly if they share controls. Also, the pedal models are pretty much all Boss, so there is a lack of "tonal pallet" if you will.

Matt


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## sivs

I've spent a lot of time thinking about this. I work with a lot of young players who want to be able to make lots of sounds and don't have a huge budget. Most of them end up playing a cheaper multi-fx unit and part of the problem is they simply don't know what sounds good. Most of those guys end up going to a few pedals that sound good and learning to play with that simplicity (upon my advice). 

I run 12 single pedals on my board and I've wondered about replacing 5 or 6 of them with something like the Line 6 M9, which a lot of guys are going for. I think it depends greatly on how your using effects and how they become part of your playing process. If you're in a touring band that plays the same set of songs gig to gig, I think multi-fx can make good sense because you don't need to reach down and tweak anything. If you are in a band that jams a lot or plays lots of different stuff, the flexablity of pedals is great. 

The most important thing is knowing what you'e got. I've heard guys sound good and bad on both pedals and multi-fx units. I've seen guys buy both just to be different and get attention from other gear heads. Figure out what's in your budget and what you want to use - borrow gear and play as much stuff as you can to figure it out.


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## Phlegethon

I'm normally a guitar into amp player . . .but am working on getting the cash to put together a pedal board for my teaching. I'm the teacher so I do need to know how to use them, and explain what each effect does. having separate stompboxes is far easier to deal with in the sense that it's far more user friendly as people have pointed out. not to mention the WYSIWYG factor due to the fact that each stomnpbox only does one thing means my students that are learning how to use them will be able to learn better if there's less distractions (having to use one interface for multiple effects has the potential to complicate things)


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## gearalley

OMG - wow I LOVE this thread. I used a multi-fx for years with a couple of stompboxes in front of it for OD/DIST and it worked pretty well. Now it's straight-up stomboxes and I'll never go back. All-in-one units are very portable and once they are set up, you are good to go. But if you need to change something, sometimes you have to re-program the entire patch. These days a pedalboard with stompboxes can be just as portable. Velcro your pedals on, buy a DIY cable kit and get it all set up. From then on it's pack & go until a new unit leaves/enters the fold. Some people are getting pretty out of hand with their pedalboards though. NAMM reported last year that the average player has 10-12 stompboxes on their board. I think the forums are causing a lot of 'pedalboard envy' and it becomes an arms race to keep up or outdo the other guy. How many of us have $700+ for a Klon? How many of us have actually tried or heard a Klon? It's not for me. Prices are now averaging $150 - $350 per pedal. Times that by 10-12 pieces and you have a good used car or a motorcycle. Food for thought I guess. It really pays to set a budget, do your homework, and look for deals.


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## 4345567

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## Steadfastly

nkjanssen said:


> Not me. Fortunately, I bought mine brand new straight from the builder for $329.


Just curious to know how many pedals did you get for $329.00?


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## mario

FlipFlopFly said:


> Just curious to know how many pedals did you get for $329.00?


He got 1 pedal.....a great pedal at that!


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## jimihendrix

i just picked up an awesome pedal...


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## 4345567

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## david henman

...the g-system is right at the top of my wishlist, but currently unaffordable.

i may try and save up for a nova system in the meantime, although its not exactly what i'm looking for, as it stilll has built-in o/d.

obviously, tc electronics is the only manufacturer that at least "gets it".




iaresee said:


> I think the trouble is: there's probably so many varying tastes in how things should sound that you'll never make one, affordable (because that means you can't make it have everything and the kitchen sink) box that satisfies everyone. Also, affordable is relative. You might put something out there that hits all the tonal sweet spots but costs $700 and suddenly $700 isn't "affordable".
> 
> Have you tried any of the TC Electronic offerings? The G-System is a bit expensive but it's little brother, the Nova System, is probably about as affordable as you're going to get in the Still Sounds Really Good realm. The Nova and G-System are effect-only boxes. No amp or cab modeling. The G-System sports 4 loops so you can patch in in your amp and up to three other effect chains (add in your favourite over driver and distortions for example). The Nova System has a built-in _analog_ overdrive circuit that can be programmed with the presets. Both get good marks. Not the most flexible systems, but they do sound very, very, very nice. A G-System was almost the centerpiece of my rig before I found the AxeFx. The design considerations that when in to these two boxes are incredible. Both of them are super duper easy to program and to access parameters on. Nothing is more than a click away. On the G-System, those cool buttons double as knobs -- so you've got lots of knobs for tweaking parameters, only a click away.
> 
> There's also the G-Major 2, rack mount, processor from TC Electronic -- again going after the effects-only crowd with a very easy-to-use interface. I think it's ~$300 or so, no?


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## jimihendrix

there's a g-system here....

TC Electronic G System - Hamilton Musical Instruments For Sale - Kijiji Hamilton


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## keithb7

The choice between multiple FX pedals and a single multi-FX unit is a matter of personal choice. Your choice should be based on experience, and not just price. I have owned both and they have their purposes. My live rig, and best sounding set-up is with an array of FX pedals. I also own a Boss ME-20 that I leave set up at my band's rehearsal space. It's fine for practising but not what I would prefer to use for live performances. It depends on your choice of related gear as well. Not only do all my pedals sound great with my 64 Bandmaster blackface amp, in my opinion it's shamefull to plug my Boss ME-20 into it. The tube amp has so many great tones I find the ME-20 masks those tones. Sure you can noodle all day and night with a GNX-4 or a Boss GT-10 for a mere $600 or so. However building your pedal board up over many years is far more rewarding and better sounding in my opinion. As an added benefit with the right pedals you have resale value. The good ones hold their value, and increase over time. If you paid $600 for a Boss GT-10, you may have trouble getting $300 for it in a few years.


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## whackystrings

I use both a multi and individual boxes...
Slowly, I have been moving away from all-purpose units like the PODxt. I could never quite get rid of all my pedals and, in fact, I started accumulating more of them over time. I have recently "graduated" to a tube amp (Traynor YCS50) and I use a combination of a Line 6 M9 for go-to delays and such whereas all my dirt pedals are stomps (BC108 Hendrix FF, TS808 RI, BYOC Ram's Head clone, Radial Tonebone Classic Distortion). Also, there is no way I am going to give up my Electric Mistress.
In defense of the M9, I have to say that it is one heck of an improvement on Line 6's other units. Units like the Modulation and Delay modelers are definitely staple effects on many guitarists pedalboards. Perhaps they used real tape echoes or real Phase 90 'scripts' in the studio but something else is used on their touring pedalboard. One chap's comment here stated that he spent way too much time adjusting parameters and not enough on the playing aspect of "playing guitar" so he got rid of his M9. I can definitely see that happening. I suppose I have had mine long enough that I use it with a specific purpose in mind so I have gotten to that place of "set & forget".


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## Nork

I think some multi-FX boxes would be fine the M9/13 is popular, but I don't personally don't need that many effects, so I stick to the pedals side. But if it sounds good to you, then that's all that matters.


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## Rugburn

Nork said:


> I think some multi-FX boxes would be fine the M9/13 is popular, but I don't personally don't need that many effects, so I stick to the pedals side. *But if it sounds good to you, then that's all that matters*.


Clearly your trying to bring reason and balance to this debate. That won't fly here Mister!


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## mhammer

Just out of curiosity, does anybody here use an "old school" all-analog multi-FX unit like some of the stuff one might see from DOD, MXR, or Ibanez in the early 80's? If everything else except for the delay is analog, that counts too.


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## -mbro-

The advantages to multis are very tempting and I've own many, most recently the pod XT live. But it eventually boils down to how good it sounds. If you can be happy with the sound of a multi you're gonna save allot of time and money. For me, I've decided on the type of fx's I like (wah, vibe, od, delay, reverb and vibrato) and replaced them until I found the sound I wanted.


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## captainbrew

I actually use both a multi effects unit (line 6 m9) and individual pedals. I mostly use the m9 for the filter effects and the looper but most of the effects in it are actually pretty damn good. 
I'm the only guitar player in my band so I want to cover a lot of ground.


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## Chito

Or it could be as simple as this: delay, chorus, OD/Dist. Really depends on what effects you actually like. Start off with the OD/Dist and move from there.


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## colchar

Multi effect units can be good tools for learning which effects one likes. If, after learning, the player is happy with the unit they can continue to use it or they can sell it on and get themselves individual pedals.

Personally, I am new to pedals and am just finding my way with them. I recently bought a Digitech Bad Monkey and quite like it but think I might have been better served getting something like a VOX Tonelab ST (or maybe the newer version of that unit) so that I could experiment with various effects, discover which ones I like and will use, and then could decide whether to keep the Tonelab or to go out and get individual pedals.


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## Chopper

I like having separate stomp boxes over a multi-effects unit. It's kind of cliche, but I like knowing that my signal is passing though a more analog (or natural) route and I think it sounds better to me. I enjoy that there are so many companies and individuals out there making pedals these days, and players can really put together an individualized rig/pedal board. I also like being able to swap out pedals at any time. If a multi-effects unit breaks, I could be screwed... however if a single pedal breaks, I can easily replace it or do without it for a set. Don't get me wrong though, I do know people who can pull off the multi-effects thing pretty well. A guitarist I used to play with had a Line 6 HD147 head, and after some tweaking and a good cabinet, he did get it to sound fairly decent. I just prefer having my pedals.


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## Milkman

I either use a modeling device which includes effects, or a conventional rig with stompboxes.

Both have their advantages. Lately I've been using the stompboxes. If I want simplicity I find the modeler (Vox Tonelab LE) works best.


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## Merlin

If I were playing a broadway musical type of show on guitar, I'd probably go for a multi-effects unit. All of the patches would be worked out in advance, and during the show, you'd just step on the advance button to go to the next setting. They're also good for setting up layered effects.

For most of my playing, a modular system works better. I have two pedalboards, a PT2 and a PT mini. The mini is the one that goes out with me most often. I can cram 5 pedals onto it.

For instrumental/surf, it's got a TC Polytune, Dano CC TOD v.1, Voodoo Labs Super Fuzz, Dano CC Trem and Boss Fender '63 Reverb.

When I do big band gigs, it's the TC Polytune, Dano CC TOD v.1, Dano CC Vibe or Chorus, Dano CC distortion, Boss digital reverb.


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## Chito

I do almost the same thing, although I mostly only replace the Dirt pedals. I have a bigger pedalboard but it's too heavy and so I go for the least pedals that I am comfortable with. I've never played with a multieffects so I can't comment on it except from what I have heard of people using them. Bottom line really is whatever works for you. As you can see from the comments here, it's not exactly just pedals nor multieffects. I got my pedals one at a time, starting with the dirt pedal, delay... etc. But that was years and years ago. So now I have accumulated so many pedals doing this. So be forewarned.


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## faracaster

I use both.....and sometimes at the same time. I have one multi effects unit (TC Nova system) and three fully functioning boards (small, med, large) and an assortment of otherpedals that don't do full time in either of these scenarios. Depends on the band and/or gig.
I certainly like convenience but I don't seem to pick the easiest route most times.


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## Presto1202

Both. 

I have a ZOOM G9 that, imo, might be the most underrated multieffects pedal currently on the market. But I also have a pedal board that I like to use. They both have their pros and cons.

Really, I'd like to get a GCX Voodoo switching system so I could put my pedals in a rack along with some rack effects and have the best of both worlds.


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## david henman

...i agree that zoom pedals are often under-rated. my a2 is my secret weapon for electrified acoustic guitar. i am constantly complimented on my acoustic tone on stage.



Presto1202 said:


> Both.
> 
> I have a ZOOM G9 that, imo, might be the most underrated multieffects pedal currently on the market. But I also have a pedal board that I like to use. They both have their pros and cons.
> 
> Really, I'd like to get a GCX Voodoo switching system so I could put my pedals in a rack along with some rack effects and have the best of both worlds.


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## keefsdad

Great thread. I did not use any effects for about the first 15 years I played, I was afraid of being dependent on them, and found them unreliable. now I own ten stompboxes, though my pedalboard only fits 5. Most of them are cheap stuff, with the possible exception of my Boss DD2, and my "71 Cry Baby. Now I play in a blues band, all I use is my Cry Baby, Transparent overdive, Dano tremelo, and my DF-7 on the TS-9 setting. I don't even bother with the board anymore.
I like having that flexibility, to use only what I need.


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## crashaholic

FlipFlopFly said:


> I don't understand why people have all these pedals when there are such good multi-effects units available like The RP series from Digitech, Boss and the POD series from Line 6. It just makes more sense to me to have the one unit, that is so very versatile rather than half a dozen or more pedals that, in many cases, are nowhere near as versatile as the multi-effects units.
> 
> If you have a board with a bunch of pedals on it, why are you using them instead of a multi-effects unit?


I bought a zoom 9000 sometime back in the early 90's and loved sitting there just creating/editing sounds. I never really thought about it much, but in retrospection; I gave that more attention than my regular pedal chain (flanger, distortion,etc.) Maybe it was ease of use, easy to setup, easy to modify; I don't know, but I do know that when the board fried on it, I barely played my guitar until I bought a modern multi.
I don't obsess over a sound, but instead like creating different and sometimes strange ones.


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## Ti-Ron

FlipFlopFly said:


> I don't understand why people have all these pedals when there are such good multi-effects units available like The RP series from Digitech, Boss and the POD series from Line 6. It just makes more sense to me to have the one unit, that is so very versatile rather than half a dozen or more pedals that, in many cases, are nowhere near as versatile as the multi-effects units.
> 
> If you have a board with a bunch of pedals on it, why are you using them instead of a multi-effects unit?


I can't stand multi-effects units! That's it! I always getting lost with the interface and all the knobs. I'm really straight forward, I don't wanna mess with things, just play! For me it's easier to have 5 or 6 pedals in front of me than having a multi unit. I can't navigate thru a multi unit at home I can't imagine myself with one at a gig or practice!!!


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## Fiveway

Really interesting to hear all the differing opinions! Here's my story:

When I first started playing in bands I plugged my guitar into my into my amp and called it a day. The simplicity was awesome and I never felt like I was missing anything. I took a few years off and sold all my stuff. When I finally joined another band I was broke and needed a versatile rig, so I sucked it up and bought a big, loud solid state fender and a good multi-fx unit. I gigged with that for several years and it was great. I loved that I could set up an entire bank of sounds for a single song with multiple effects in each patch and one toe tap took me between sometimes radically different sounds. I didn't miss the tubes and I loved the convenience. Even when I recorded, I might use a tube amp for a track, but most of came from Amp Farm.

Now I'm old and fat and don't play in bands anymore so I've started to mess around with my rig. I bought a simple tube amp (Dark Horse) and have started plugging my multi-fx into it. But I'm not using the models, only the effects and OD/DS. But that led to GAS and now I've got two other overdrive and distortion pedals that I'm running through a loop in my multi-fx. 

So the moral of the story is don't use effects. They're addictive and you'll just end up all GASsed up with an overly complicated rig when all you ever really needed was a nice tube amp and a patch cord.


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## Steadfastly

The poll shows that more prefer individual pedals instead of a multi-fx unit. There are good reasons why a lot of people have both and why some prefer one or the other.

I think one of the reasons people prefer pedals is because you can start out with a pedal for $50.00 where a decent multi-effects unit is going to start at the $200.00-$300.00 range.

Also, the first multi-fx units were not that good and some were not that reliable. A lot of that has changed. They have gotten a lot better and being built to be a lot more rugged than some of the first ones.

One advantage that the multi-fx unit has, is you would only need to carry one spare but with a pedal board, if you wanted to be able to replace one right away, you would need to have one of each to cover all your bases.


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## Big_Daddy

Well. I would have chosen BOTH if it were an option. After 45 years of playing, this is the rig I have settled on..










The Nova System's distortion and OD effects are all analog and I actually have the OD set-up so that it has a great, saturated tube sound. If I want to make it more crunchy, I just roll off the guitar's volume knob. The Timmy is set for heavy gain/sustain. Everything else I really need is on the NS and (once I read the manual) I find it is very easy to adjust on the fly with minimal knob-twirling.


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## Les~Paul

I'm dont saying the multi effect unit's are not good but they are digital and not analog like regular pedals.
I think that bunch of hand made pedals are not like digital multi from China or another Asian cuontry.


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## studiodog

I have a BOSS ME-25 multiFX unit, but after an initial honeymoon period, it's sitting on a shelf collecting dust. I play very simply - either clean or mildly overdriven/crunchy for about 95% of what I gig. I personally get a lot more mileage and tone from my Roland Jazz Chorus amp + footswitch, and a straight-up volume pedal. The amp has built in reverb, "distortion" (really more of a drive channel) and of course the world-famous Roland stereo chorus. If I want more fx than that, I'll simply add the appropriate pedal. 

That said, the ME-25 is really handy to have around for gigging without an amp (run direct to PA). Its modelling if decent, the range of effects available is good, and it's compact. If it had a DI output instead of or as well as the left/right 1/4" line outs, I'd probably use it more. I do find it somewhat limiting in that you have to set and save your presets in advance; there is no facility to change your sound on the fly (ie adding chorus mid-song) without switching to another preset.


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## Presto1202

I think we need to be careful not to get trapped into thinking one or the other is always better. The posters in this thread have done a good job of staying away from that. Obviously everyone has their preference and for some people going one way or the other simply isn't a preferable option. 

For a new player the multi-fx unit is probably better because it's a cheaper option and allows someone to experience a wide variety of effects to see which they like. 

I still love my Zoom. It gets some really good sounds, as do some other multi-fx units. It has good distortions which I attribute to the fact that it actually has 2 tubes in it while most mult-fx pedals dont. Plus you can program a wide range of drastically different settings with multi-fx pedals that make them handy. If you're goint to play something like Pink Floyd's Run Like Hell or some other song with some unique effects settings you either have to have pedals dedicated to that song or do a lot of bending over and tweaking between songs. In that regard the multi-fx unit has the edge. It's also nice for recording direct.

One thing the individual pedals helped me with was finding my own sound. I had to find a couple sounds that work for a wide range of songs with just a few pedal tweaks and I don't think I would've done that had I stuck with just using the multi-fx units.


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## Milkman

I've sat on both sides I guess. There is definitely an advantage to using a multi effects or modelling unit, but more so if you go all the way and go direct to PA with them. Eliminating all the junk from the stage and having a direct feed to the mixer works very nicely for a number of reasons. That doesn't only eliminate pedals, it also eliminates the entire amp/cab set up.

Having said that, you can get a great sound by carefully selecting your pedals and amp. Whatever works for you. I can get my sound either way.


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## Gene Machine

I love the idea of a multi-FX unit, but with every one I've tried, I find that the delay time in switching between settings is a deal breaker. With an analog pedal, and at least my DD-5 delay, as soon as I hit the pedal it works, no delay or transition time. If I only use one sound for a song, then yes a Multi-FX will work. but if I want to shift mid song, it just doesn't cut it.

maybe I'll find one someday, and buy it. but for now my 6 pedals do everything i need them to do.


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## The Lullaby

^^^^^
same thing, the tiny drop out you get on a multibox is a "no deal" for me to. They always sound too processed (yer whole tone) to me.


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## Guest

Presto1202 said:


> Both.
> 
> I have a ZOOM G9 that, imo, might be the most underrated multieffects pedal currently on the market. But I also have a pedal board that I like to use. They both have their pros and cons.
> 
> Really, I'd like to get a GCX Voodoo switching system so I could put my pedals in a rack along with some rack effects and have the best of both worlds.


I have to agree with this user comments about the ZOOM G9. The Two 12AX7 tubes allows you to make some great overdrive tones with the natural harmonics and compression only a tube can add, all combined with the total recall of a multi fx.  I tried it against Line 6, Boss and Digitech and after some tweaking with my amps is clearly rose above the pack.


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## Guest

One of the things i enjoy about all multifx is that it pushes me out of the comfort zone. This is not necessarily the best for gigging however when one is being creative or in the studio its a big benifit.


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## david henman

bootstrapped said:


> I have to agree with this user comments about the ZOOM G9. The Two 12AX7 tubes allows you to make some great overdrive tones with the natural harmonics and compression only a tube can add, all combined with the total recall of a multi fx. I tried it against Line 6, Boss and Digitech and after some tweaking with my amps is clearly rose above the pack.


...i may have to take a look. my zoom a2 acoustic processor is my secret weapon (the trick with this pedal is to delete all the acoustic guitar "models"). i find that zoom products are often overlooked and underrated.


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## Steadfastly

Perhaps now that we have the RP1000 it makes many of the arguments for not using an effects unit, mute.

[video=youtube;u4fyJakwm9U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4fyJakwm9U[/video]


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## PaulS

One of the basic problems I have with a modeller is using the volume on my guitar. It's not the same as a good amp and a good OD. When you turn down the volume most don't clean up the way an amp and OD do.


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## fbmx

Maybe what we need is a modeller/loop switcher that has a few basic preset effects, some switchable loops and a special loop for pedal copying.

Patch in your favorite phaser or whatever and select the right basic patch and then press a button and the modeller could pass a series of tones through your pedal and clone it.

Imagine being able to clone all the rare or hard to replicate pedals on your board into a small switcher for live gigs.


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## Guest

fbmx said:


> Maybe what we need is a modeller/loop switcher that has a few basic preset effects, some switchable loops and a special loop for pedal copying.
> 
> Patch in your favorite phaser or whatever and select the right basic patch and then press a button and the modeller could pass a series of tones through your pedal and clone it.
> 
> Imagine being able to clone all the rare or hard to replicate pedals on your board into a small switcher for live gigs.


That's an interesting idea. You'd only be able to clone the pedal at static settings but this is technically feasible. The Kemper guys are doing something similar with their profiling amplifier.

Everything else you're asking for sounds like the TC Electronic G-System. Even the loops. Just no profiling.

That profiling is a cool idea.


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## Morkolo

I would have to say both as well, though I am loving the Boss GT-10 I picked up a month ago. The only downside to using a multi effects unit to it's full potential... having to read the manual.


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## georgemg

I like the idea of an all-in-one pedalboard for convenience, but tried several and was never happy with all of the sounds - especially the overdrive/distortion sounds. 

One I recently saw that seemed interesting was the Benado pedal board. It covers every sound I would want but at $1,100 (a limited-time discount even!) I think I'll stick with my individual pedals for now.


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## jimsz

I have a similar setup to BigDaddy. I use a Minstrel and FET dream for overdrive and the Nova system for everything else.


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## Guest

georgemg said:


> One I recently saw that seemed interesting was the Benado pedal board. It covers every sound I would want but at $1,100 (a limited-time discount even!) I think I'll stick with my individual pedals for now.


The Benado is a mistake imo. Paying top dollar for 1 brand of effects in 1 large housing completely misses the advantage of individual pedals, without the advantages of the multi. The only winner here is the maker who sells you 5 of their effects and only make 1 housing.

I bet not too many players have only 1 brand of pedal on their board.


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## mhammer

Player99 said:


> The Benado is a mistake imo. Paying top dollar for 1 brand of effects in 1 large housing completely misses the advantage of individual pedals, without the advantages of the multi. The only winner here is the maker who sells you 5 of their effects and only make 1 housing.
> 
> I bet not too many players have only 1 brand of pedal on their board.


Indeed, that is precisely why virtually every attempt to produce a "modular" system has failed over the years. Korg tried it (http://www.flickr.com/photos/joybot/6850547393/ ), Sequential Circuits tried it ( http://electricmusicbox.com/profx/main.htm ), Vesta Fire tried it ( http://www.effectsdatabase.com/model/vestafire/modular ), MXR tried it ( http://www.effectsdatabase.com/model/mxr/modules ), and I'm sure there were others. They all tanked because the "system" consisted of only their modules, and neither the form-factor or anything else was compatible. None of the companies was ready to produce as broad an array of modules as, say, Boss or DOD makes in the way of pedals. So, if one could not use _this_ overdrive with _that_ compressor and _that_ phaser, the magic and perceived convenience of modularity would soon wear off.

People who know me, know that I made myself a modular system, but since it is all DIY, I could make the modules *I* wanted, not just use what was available. The perpetual expandability of the system makes it more convenient.

I recently made use of a chassis I bought in 1990, and built a Dynacomp, Tube Screamer, and delay into it; kind of a mini Benado. Almost done. The delay is a rebote 2.5 with about 700ms total time, and a mod to make the repeats smoother. I included a "thru" power jack for running an adaptor in and a second cable out to another pedal. I'm also going to stick a send/receive loop between TS and delay so that other things can get patched in there, and so that it can support stereo.

One of the things I find wanting in the Benado approach is that the sequence is fixed. You don't have to dig down very far in forums like this to see threads concerning what goes before what, and you don't have to dig very far withn those threads to see that most times anything can go before anything and yield _something _interesting, if not interesting for everybody. So when a multi-effect, whether digital or analog, commits me to a fixed order, I back away because it stifles my creativity.


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## Guest

Player99 said:


> The Benado is a mistake imo. Paying top dollar for 1 brand of effects in 1 large housing completely misses the advantage of individual pedals, without the advantages of the multi. The only winner here is the maker who sells you 5 of their effects and only make 1 housing.
> 
> I bet not too many players have only 1 brand of pedal on their board.


Despite being a multi-effects guy (I'm a very big user and fan of the Fractal Audio stuff) I agree very much with what you're saying.

A guy from Vintage Revolution posted about the PedalPro system (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWW_2ywut4c) they're releasing in another forum, asked for feedback. He got pretty much the same thing: despite being modular, it's only modular when it comes to their modules. And their modules cost...a lot. The base system is over USD$2k if I'm remembering correctly.

So, cool idea, but you're missing the point with analog effects developing something like this.

We seem to be more forgiving when it's in the digital domain...


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## Guest

iaresee said:


> Despite being a multi-effects guy (I'm a very big user and fan of the Fractal Audio stuff) I agree very much with what you're saying.
> 
> A guy from Vintage Revolution posted about the PedalPro system (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWW_2ywut4c) they're releasing in another forum, asked for feedback. He got pretty much the same thing: despite being modular, it's only modular when it comes to their modules. And their modules cost...a lot. The base system is over USD$2k if I'm remembering correctly.
> 
> So, cool idea, but you're missing the point with analog effects developing something like this.
> 
> We seem to be more forgiving when it's in the digital domain...


That Pedalpro is just way off to me. To have foot-switches that are pressure sensitive with 3 different settings depending on how hard you step on them is setting yourself up for failure in front of an audience. When playing live the last thing I want worry about is pressing too hard or not hard enough.

Then why all the technology? There are plenty of programmable selectors on the market for way less, so add your analog pedals of choice and a selector...all on the floor. No rack unit.


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## Guest

Player99 said:


> That Pedalpro is just way off to me. To have foot-switches that are pressure sensitive with 3 different settings depending on how hard you step on them is setting yourself up for failure in front of an audience. When playing live the last thing I want worry about is pressing too hard or not hard enough.
> 
> Then why all the technology? There are plenty of programmable selectors on the market for way less, so add your analog pedals of choice and a selector...all on the floor. No rack unit.


Yes, you're not alone in thinking that. More than a few of us made similar comments about the footswitch when he asked for feedback. He didn't want to hear what we were saying though. You could certainly learn to use it, but it adds to the curve.


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## mhammer

The Line 6 Tone Core pedals have dual pressure-level switches, though I imagine they employ a different mechanism. In terms of having a clean uncluttered interface, the multi-function pressure-sensitive switches certainly fill the bill. And while it may be wonderful when time is not of the essence, as Richard notes, the cognitive load imposed by having to pay attention to foot pressure, can be disruptive in a live context.


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## Stevil

Player99 said:


> I bet not too many players have only 1 brand of pedal on their board.


+1 I don't trust any single brand to do everything well. 
i think multifx are great to learn on. i went thru several figuring out what all the fx are & which ones i'd actually use. if your demands are met by a single box, then more power to ya. but for me & most people i've known who are hooked on pedals, we're looking for specific sounds & capabilities. a clean boost, dirt that does chug, a reverb with infinite decay, a fuzz that doesn't kill the bass tone. when you start to develop your own sound, these things tend to become more important & it usually requires some shopping around.


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## The_Penguin

There's a GT-8 in a local pawn shop for $140.00. It's calling my name. 
I keep looking at it.

Must Resist


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## ThePass

Years ago I had a Digitech RP-1. I liked it, but basically only used one patch consisting of OD, delay, compression and maybe reverb. I can't recall it's been years but that being said basically I never used it to it's potential I suppose.

I like the idea of pedals myself as opposed to the newer FX units. Just my two cents.


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## david henman

....for compression, overdrive, distortion etc: an an ever-changing array of pedals

for delay, chorus, trem etc: multi-effects unit


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## mhammer

david henman said:


> ....for compression, overdrive, distortion etc: an an ever-changing array of pedals
> 
> for delay, chorus, trem etc: multi-effects unit


Yep, if it is an affect which has to make recalculations, based on millisecond-to-millisecond differences in signals, I'll opt for analog and/or individual pedals. If it is basic algorithm management, then a multi-FX can handle that with aplomb.


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## Robert1950

If I want more than two effects, multi-effects. Simply cause I'm lazy.


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## FrankyNoTone

Noob question here: If you want to have different settings for delay using single effect pedals, do you need to have more than one so you can switch between them without twiddling knobs during a set/song?


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## Guest

FrankyNoTone said:


> Noob question here: If you want to have different settings for delay using single effect pedals, do you need to have more than one so you can switch between them without twiddling knobs during a set/song?


Depends. There are some "single effect" pedals that offer presets. See: empress effects multidrive or superdelay or the Boss DD-20. They all differ in how they do "presets" but the end result is that you can switch between multiple variations of the effect with your feet.


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## mhammer

The Line 6 M5/M9/M13 will let you save settings (at least 20), and scroll through them, using a simple up and down momentary switch. I suspect the various PODs do the same thing. Pretty much all the completely digital units will do something like that. The differences are a matter of whether the number of presets you need is provided, whether the display suits your needs, and whether the parameters for adjustment are the ones you need. For example, some players may want a volume level change for each patch.


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## FrankyNoTone

Those empress pedals look really well engineered and sophisticated (and pricy). I think being able to set and sequence any combination of effects per song or within a song would provide a lot of artistic freedom.


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## -mbro-

The most correct answer is both a multi and some single pedals . I prefer the sound of the single analog
pedals I have. Im picky about dirt pedals and have bought and sold many until I settled on a couple I really liked. The multi fx takes care of delay, reverb and any other effect I may need.


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