Multi-effects pedal recommendations?

[Kat73]

After playing for over 20 years with minimal effects (I only have a DOD chorus pedal and an MRX distortion pedal), I played with a friend's multi-effects pedal last week and had a blast playing around with it. I have a variety of guitars (LP, Strat, Axis) and one amp (Blues Jr. NOS). I mostly just play at home (blues, classic rock, alternative) these days, so I'm not very concerned about gigging.

 

I've been looking at the Digitech RP150. The reviews have all seemed okay, but I wanted to see if anyone here could provide additional feedback on the RP150. Do you like 'em, hate 'em, etc. Are there any other multi-effects pedals that you'd recommend for the money? Any risk in buying used?

 

As always, I appreciate everyone's feedback!

[yzfou]

I don't have that much experience with that unit, but I really like my POD XTL. Best money I ever spent on gear.

[Bluesman001]

I currently use a Boss GT-8 and it does everything I could want.

[billythegoat]

IMO the RP series pedals are absolute {censored}. I had the 150 or 200 for a week or so and took it back.

 

+1 on anything POD.

[FuzzyDXMG]

im anti multieffects and my gt-8 is the only device that i can recommend. The digitech stuff is absolute garbage.

I can make my gt8 100% transparent and use 7 different effects at will that all work in time with each other . Its the only one as far as im concerned.

 

Ps i have tried the pod stuff ( i own one of them too) and for recording or playing D/O its great. but i never made it play well with an amp.

[jbiggs1]

the new x3, with it's effects loop, is a great option. you can put your stomp gain based stuff in the preamp, run your mod and delay stuff in the loop with the 4-cable method. pretty cool.

[Kat73]

What brand is the new x3? Without spending too much (around $100 - $150), is there anything that you'd recommend? Or would it be worthwhile to save up and spend more money?

[Hand Amputation]

Save up and get the newest POD.

 

IMO its the only one worth a damn.

[mdintx]

I have the RP150 but bought for specific reasons. For what I wanted, it has worked really well. If you had some specific questions, I could answer those for you.

[Kat73]

What were the specific reasons that you bought it? It sounds like you're happy with it.

[savoldi]

 

I've been looking at the Digitech RP150. The reviews have all seemed okay, but I wanted to see if anyone here could provide additional feedback on the RP150. Do you like 'em, hate 'em, etc. Are there any other multi-effects pedals that you'd recommend for the money?

 

 

They all do a passable job for what you want them for. Some may be marginally better than others for different reasons, but don't buy into the "this one's great and this one's {censored}" business. As a home player you don't have to worry about how it sounds on a stage. Just check out the reviews and go with whatever has the features you want.

[Ouzhewen]

I have the RP50 and while its ok for the office, its not something I would recommend. From what I have heard, the RP150 is just the RP50 with more choices [though the quality is still not great].

 

I tried out the Boss GT10 [http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Boss-GT10-Guitar-MultiEffects-Pedal?sku=151133] and that was nice, though you will spend alot of time getting to know it [so be prepared]. I eventually want to invest in it, though the Boss ME-70 is supposed to be out soon [NAMM 09] which is built upon the GT-10 technology. I'm still waiting to see what that is capable of..

[rslowr]

I've been using the Digitech RP 350 for just over a year now, and I'm pretty happy with it. Amp and cab emulations are not bad at all and most of the fx are very usable. The best thing about it is the software that allows me to tweak and swap patch orders on my laptop. Some of the factory installed patches are a bit over the top, but with a little patience I've come up w/ a dozen or so patches that work very well. Also, I like the expression pedal a lot.

 

I haven't gigged with it, tho I used to gig with its predecessor, the RP 200 (I think, and which wasn't nearly as good a pedal soundwise). The key was to line up the patches in the exact order I would need them over a set; if I needed to go from one patch to another and back again in a song, I'd just order them A B A, etc. I didn't do a lot of switching generally, so it worked fine. I ran it into a Tech 21 Trademark 60 (2 channels w/ boost, which I used as well). I expect when we go out again I'll use this as well.

 

I assume you've checked out the thread on the RP 250 in the Pro Reviews forum? Lots of good material.

[SnowStorm]

If your only looking to experiment with a Multi-effects pedal than you don't need a high end Pod. I'd look at a Boss ME-20 or ME-50. Those will give you a taste of a lot of effects.

[WildWill]

I went with the RP350 a while back for $180 from GC. Has the AB switch, built in tuner, more inputs, multi-function expression pedal, tons of good presets, ability to store a ton of custom presets... all around a good setup for home studio recording at a great price. (I've talked to guys that actually preform with them, too.)

 

Now considering a GNX4. Like I need more stuff.

[sabrecat]

After playing for over 20 years with minimal effects (I only have a DOD chorus pedal and an MRX distortion pedal), I played with a friend's multi-effects pedal last week and had a blast playing around with it. I have a variety of guitars (LP, Strat, Axis) and one amp (Blues Jr. NOS). I mostly just play at home (blues, classic rock, alternative) these days, so I'm not very concerned about gigging. I've been looking at the Digitech RP150. The reviews have all seemed okay, but I wanted to see if anyone here could provide additional feedback on the RP150. Do you like 'em, hate 'em, etc. Are there any other multi-effects pedals that you'd recommend for the money? Any risk in buying used? As always, I appreciate everyone's feedback!

 

I have an RP250, and sadly it lays around doing nothing. It may be me, but I cant get a tone out of it that I like. YMMV. I had a POD Xt Live and I loved it but lost it in a a bad trade. I'll be getting an X3 Live with my tax refund

[mdintx]

 

What were the specific reasons that you bought it? It sounds like you're happy with it.

 

 

I don't use any of the amp/cab modeling or drive pedals. I bought it because of the EQ. I set up combos of effects and EQ for different guitars. For example; my amp sounds great with single coils (my strat) but not as much with humbucker pups. So I can use reverb/delay/trem/etc. but fine tune the EQ for each guitar. Settings 1-4 effects combos for single coils, 5-8 same effects but with EQ setting for a Les Paul. In this application, it works great. I really like the Hall reverb. The Spring is good but you get the drip a little too easily. The modulated delay is really nice. The trem is okay. My little Dano does a better job.

[bsman]

I have a Zoom G2.1u. I'm not really interested in anything more expensive than that, because frankly individual effects are always going to be more flexible. Anyway - I can get some good tones out of it, I also use it as a headphone amp, and it has a built in rhythm track for practicing. Also, it is useful as a preamp for my acoustics (I can add some compression, reverb and chorus, etc. as required for the song. The presets are (75%) crap, but it's not too difficult to tweak it and get useful stuff. Just my 2cents

[Fireproof777]

I use a Vox Tonelab SE (they don't make the SE's anymore...bummer too as they have two expression pedals; the only company that had one like that) and I love it. It's the only processor that has a tube preamp in it which allows for as true of a tube sound as you can get out of a multi-effects unit. While it doesn't have as many bells and whistles as the Boss GT8 or 10, IMO, it has the best sound. The only downsides are the SE didn't come with a good distortion simulator for Metal (that really over the top kind), but that's a simple fix by connecting an external Metal OD pedal if needed; the other downside is the compression sim, wah and ODs are all on the same button/switch. Which means you can't run them simultaneously; it's one or the other. I think the newer ones (the LE) has taken care of these "issues," but I'm not sure. I've been gigging with mine regularly for the last 4 yrs and it's handled everything I've thrown at it. I also like the simplicity of it (chicken head knobs vs a scroll bar style menu, metal construction, heavy weight, ease of creating your own patches, etc.).

 

My suggestion is to go to your local GC (or other retailer if you have one; Sam Ash, etc) with your guitar and plug into everything they have and trust your ears/instincts.

[JC777]

I have a GNX4 that I bought for a specific use. It's versatile and has a ton of flexability. 60 some presets repeated twice. The second set are replacable or reconfigurable.

 

One of the Guitar mags (PlayerWorld) used to have settings for the songs that were tabbed out each month that could be programmed into the GNX.

 

It's useful, it served it's purpose when I needed it.

 

I use it just occasionally now.

[cincy_cosmo]

I've owned several of them and the Boss GT-8 was the best. I don't own a GT-10 though, but the GT-8 worked great. I own a VG-99 now and it is a different league of product, but the Boss / Roland products seem to me to sound the best.

[lukeswall]

 

I have a GNX4 that I bought for a specific use. It's versatile and has a ton of flexability. 60 some presets repeated twice. The second set are replacable or reconfigurable. One of the Guitar mags (PlayerWorld) used to have settings for the songs that were tabbed out each month that could be programmed into the GNX. It's useful, it served it's purpose when I needed it. I use it just occasionally now.

 

 

I have one of those and it's great. Apart from it's recording capabilities (which is the main reason I bought mine for), the modeling is actually pretty good, as long as you take your time to tweak everything (from the amp's controls to the cab tuning, which is an art in itself), there are great modeled tones to be had. Its bassman model with a greenback or brit 4x12 sounds almost too good.

[Will Chen]

Damn you guys! Look at the guys budget.

 

Him: I need a new car can have $5000 to spend.

You Guys: Oh, save up and get a Ferrari.

 

End rant....

 

The new Digi RP line is really good especially for the price. Though I'd at a bare minimum suggest the RP250 for the expression pedal and additional features.

[knucklechutz]

 

The new Digi RP line is really good especially for the price. Though I'd at a bare minimum suggest the RP250 for the expression pedal and additional features.

 

 

i fully agree, the rp250 with its edit-x software is kickass....

[Belva]

The low end digitech products are garbage. I have a one year old RP80 that is starting to give me problems. Tuner has always been lousy & lately it will come out of "silent" mode while tuning. One of the 2 footswitches is also needing a couple of stomps to work. I bought it used so I'm stuck with a piece of {censored}! I'm not hard on gear. This is just poor quality.