Members akliner Posted February 28, 2008 Members Share Posted February 28, 2008 So the onboard effects on my JP8000 are (SURPRISE!) {censored}. But, I knew that when I bought it. I haven't dealt with effects since my guitar days because the onboard effects on my Motif and Triton are more than adequate for my needs. I think I'm looking for a rack unit. I pretty much always buy used. Something that covers all the bases pretty well, without breaking the bank. $250-$300 range? Suggestions? Also, pardon my ignorance, but how can I do program changes on the effects unit live without actually touching the rack? Is there a foot controller? Do FX units take MIDI? Signed, Your favorite Super-Serious Senior Member. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gunslinger69 Posted February 28, 2008 Members Share Posted February 28, 2008 Yes, modern multi-effects rackmount units are MIDI-capable. I'm not going to make a specific recommendation, though, as there are others here who are better-qualified. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ElectricPuppy Posted February 28, 2008 Members Share Posted February 28, 2008 Dear Mister Super Serious, For that money, you should be able to find a nice used rack FX unit. Heck, you could even buy a Lexicon MX200 new for that, which I've found to be adequate for bread-n-nbutter effects. Yes, most FX units take MIDI. They store their settings in patches, like synths, and you just send 'em a patch change. Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members angstwulf Posted February 28, 2008 Members Share Posted February 28, 2008 I think I'm looking for a rack unit. I pretty much always buy used. Something that covers all the bases pretty well, without breaking the bank. $250-$300 range? Suggestions? Also, pardon my ignorance, but how can I do program changes on the effects unit live without actually touching the rack? Is there a foot controller? Do FX units take MIDI? Signed, Your favorite Super-Serious Senior Member. Lexicn MX200 is definitely worth a look. Foot controllers like the Behringer FC1010 (about $140) will do the job but if your guitar days go back to the poodle hair and rackmount amp years remember that a lot of programmable MIDI footcontrollers were made that are now selling for pennies on the dollar, like the ART X-something or other. Any interest in table top mulit-effects units? The Alesis Wedge uses the MidiVerb IV engine and still sounds good for the bread and butter stuff. Plus you can tweak it realtime while it sits on your keyboard. Yours in all Seriousity (of which you are Super), Tommy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members akliner Posted February 29, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 Lexicn MX200 is definitely worth a look. Foot controllers like the Behringer FC1010 (about $140) will do the job but if your guitar days go back to the poodle hair and rackmount amp years remember that a lot of programmable MIDI footcontrollers were made that are now selling for pennies on the dollar, like the ART X-something or other.Any interest in table top mulit-effects units? The Alesis Wedge uses the MidiVerb IV engine and still sounds good for the bread and butter stuff. Plus you can tweak it realtime while it sits on your keyboard.Yours in all Seriousity (of which you are Super),Tommy Thank you. I'd RATHER a table-top effect unit over a rack unit actually. I don't have a rack right now. Although buying a rack would open up a whole can of worms (oh this module is only $xxx...I think I'll buy it). Alesis Wedge, eh? Anybody have any other suggestions for a table-top effects unit? Best, The Serious Man of Serious Town,Jonathan Taylor Thomas from TV's Home Improvement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members eric Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 Alesis Wedge is a good one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members akliner Posted February 29, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 Alesis Wedge is a good one. Really? It's certainly affordable, but it looks limited. I can't find too much info on it. What's so great about it? Thanks Eric! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gunslinger69 Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 I ended up with one of these for a rack: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Gator-GRB-Rolling-Rack-Bag?sku=546159 although mine is not a Gator, and was quite a bit cheaper at GC - something like $40 for a 4-rackspace unit. I'm using a Digitech DS100 that I picked up cheap to use with the JP-6. It's not as nice as you're looking to get, so I didn't mention it before. I can, however, recommend the rack bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Khazul Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 If you are buying used, a Lexicon MPX-1 might be possible.Otherwise, TC Electronics M-One, other cheaper Lex maybe. Also hunt around fleabay for a fireworx - be very lucky to find one in that price range though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members akliner Posted February 29, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 If you are buying used, a Lexicon MPX-1 might be possible. Otherwise, TC Electronics M-One, other cheaper Lex maybe. Also hunt around fleabay for a fireworx - be very lucky to find one in that price range though. I was looking at the MPX-1, but apparently it's not very usable out of the box. Khazul, how do you feel about the Lex MX300? It looks nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ElectricPuppy Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 Tabletop, eh? How's about a Kaos? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members angstwulf Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 Really? It's certainly affordable, but it looks limited. I can't find too much info on it. What's so great about it? Thanks Eric! As a reverb unit, it may not compare with a high end unit like a Lexicon or Eventide but it certainly goes beyond the digital bees in an empty coffee can sound of earlier budget reverbs. It also does all the bread and butter stuff: chorus, flange, delay. It has a control surface with four sliders and a data wheel. There is some menu surface but it's pretty easy to get to all of the parameters during a performance. Plus its small enough to sit on a lot of synths. And if you have too little/much gain for your preset, you can correct the volume or kill the effect without having to look down or reach for the rack. If you want to test one out, I think Alesis still has the MidiVerb4 on the market (if it wasn't a victim of the great product purge). Craig Anderton was involved in the some part of its development (I think he wrote the manual) and there are a few discussions about both units in his forum. I dunno who wrote the Wedge manual but it's a keeper, too. Best of all, it's cheeeeep. I picked mine up from Ebay for $35 a couple of years ago. Alternatives: ElectricPuppy spotted probably the best current tabletop series, the Korgs. Anything but a brand new KP3 should fit your budget. Look at some of the multi-fx in a pedal boxes: Digitech/DOD and Zoom have a few that work nice as tabletops but I prefer the Alesis. I freaking love my Yamaha MagicStomp and often use that as a tabletop unit. PITA to tweak, mind you, but an awesome mangler. Not that it would be my first choice, but I've also used a Line6 Pod as an effects box. They are seriously great effects simulators. Laters, Tommy the Tabletop Fetishist P.S. Do not buy a rack: you will find excuses to fill it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members coyote-1 Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 Really? I find the delay and chorus adequate for most purposes.... or are you lamenting the lack of OTHER effects like distortion, phasing, etc? So the onboard effects on my JP8000 are (SURPRISE!) {censored}. But, I knew that when I bought it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members donaldcrunk Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 alesis wedge is neat, alesis also has the Ineko which is a lot of fun for some angrier stuff. rack wise, like people said there's a ton of stuff out there, especially if you don't mind used. there's so much in the 100-200 dollar price range its ridiculous, you could buy a Lexicon MPX-1 (the old style, same as the newer version just different faceplate) for your 'verbs and have crazy scrilla left over for some other stuff. ebay is always packed with good rack stuff, just browse the rack gear section. anyone with more than one keyboard should probably have a rack, IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members akliner Posted February 29, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 alesis wedge is neat, alesis also has the Ineko which is a lot of fun for some angrier stuff. rack wise, like people said there's a ton of stuff out there, especially if you don't mind used. there's so much in the 100-200 dollar price range its ridiculous, you could buy a Lexicon MPX-1 (the old style, same as the newer version just different faceplate) for your 'verbs and have crazy scrilla left over for some other stuff. ebay is always packed with good rack stuff, just browse the rack gear section. anyone with more than one keyboard should probably have a rack, IMHO. Salame. Rack it is...next, rack mixer!!!!!LOLZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ElectricPuppy Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 Do not want rack mixer. Instead get a rack mounted audio interface and hook it to thy PC of choice for DAW righteousness. Verily. Empty racks beget GAS, so beware. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members donaldcrunk Posted March 1, 2008 Members Share Posted March 1, 2008 ^ better choice than rack mixer for all recording situations. if you can get a digital interface that is also a mixer, you can kill both birds with one particularly smooth stone. like the MOTU, RME, TC Electronics etc. use it for recording, use it at shows as a mixer/processor, and even combine digital audio playback and mixdown in one handy device! very compact and handy system, and you can set up your settings for your gig ahead of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 Did someone say cool tabletop efx unit? I luv mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mike Conway Posted March 1, 2008 Members Share Posted March 1, 2008 Just a thought, because they're usually dirt cheap... I still use the Ensoniq DP/4. It's a great rack, with 4 different FX processors (all chainable) and a several hundred presets. The DP/4+ rack is even better, if you can find one. Totally MIDI controllable. Here's mine, sitting above some samplers and a Yamaha SPX900 FX unit. (The choruses and flangers blow the SPX900 away.) You can even use it as a mixer, since you can plug 2 stereo or 4 mono plugs into it. I also have the JP8000, but I usually just use it pad sounds. I don't really need specialized delay for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Diametro Posted March 1, 2008 Members Share Posted March 1, 2008 Did someone say cool tabletop efx unit? I luv mine. cool ... wanna trade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members suitandtieguy Posted March 1, 2008 Members Share Posted March 1, 2008 digitech studio 400? it can also do quite a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ShakaCthulu Posted March 2, 2008 Members Share Posted March 2, 2008 Tabletop? AdrenaLinnPod XT Zoom RFX300 I've got a Roland EF-303 as well, and would probably never give it up. Not the best quality effects all around, but it more than makes up for it in interface and the step sequencing of parameters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sizzlemeister Posted March 2, 2008 Members Share Posted March 2, 2008 You have to watch PODs and stuff made specifically for guitar like the Arenalinn...they only have mono inputs. This will be a problem for synth patches that are stereo separated or have panning parameters set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members akliner Posted March 3, 2008 Author Members Share Posted March 3, 2008 Thanks for the help guys. I certainly have a lot to think about. In many ways, I want the immediate control of a table-top unit. In an other way, I'd like to start on a rack. Guh. Oh well. On second glance, the EF303 looks like a lot of extra features I don't really need. Basically, I'm just looking for a Lexicon-type unit with a tabletop surface...alas I don't think those exist. I'll keep looking. Again, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members raffor Posted March 3, 2008 Members Share Posted March 3, 2008 I run everything trough my Boss RE-20 pedal these days. Gives a good dose of vintage to the sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.