Multi-effect floorboards or stomp boxes?

[wingbl]

I currently have the Digitech GNX3000 Guitar workstation, but am thinking about switching to single effect pedals? Is this a good idea? Which ones should I start with? I play mostly alternative rock, but I love to throw in an acoustic from time to time...Thanks!

[bowlingshirt]

Which ones should I start with?

 

 

Since you already have a multi-effect thingy, you should already have some idea about which effects you like and which ones you can live without.

[Drifter182]

Alt. Rock = Mainly dirt and delay
Acoustic = Delay, Chorus (?)

So, I'd say go individual. 2 dirts and a delay to start.

Trust me, multi is cool, I like my GNx3 for practicing, but if you have a pretty good idea of what music your doing then go single pedals.

IF you plan on doing a variety of music, well tahts a diffrent story

[wingbl]

Not really...all I have used are the factory presets. Plus, they are all mixed match with different amp and cabinet models that totaly change the sound.

[wingbl]

Alt. Rock = Mainly dirt and delay
Acoustic = Delay, Chorus (?)

So, I'd say go individual. 2 dirts and a delay to start.

That makes sense... EQ, Compressor, Suppressor?

[Drifter182]

EQ wouldnt hurt, the other two I don't actually think would be needed

amp?

[mlabbee]

What are the settings on the presets you like the most? What kind of amp will you be using?

[Chris Loeffler]

Someone up above nailed it... there is nothing wrong with a multieffect pedal. Especially if you are just walking in to the FX world, it's nice to get a cursory overview of what sounds you ARE looking for. I prefer to pick each tonal color I add, so I need single stomp boxes to make this happen. I also prefer the way a chain of stomp boxes can interact with each other in unique and unexpected ways. I would imagine if you have a VERY good idea what sort of tones you are looking for you are ready to start reading through posts and looking for reviews of products that will get you close. It sounds like an OD or two (maybe an OD and a fuzz), a delay pedal, and some modulation will get you a lot of what you need.

 

The next question is... what do you want your OD to do? Push your amp? Add an entirely new flavor?

[wingbl]

Right now I'm just using a 150 watt crate on a marshall 4x12. I have found a couple of different dist. sounds that work for me, but then I went to guitar center to check out the single pedals. I plugged into the boss mt-2 and was blown away how much better it sounded than the presets I have been using. Then the salesman gave me his two cents on how pedal were better than the modeled boards. So I am just really curious what the public thinks before I sell this thing...

[Kassanova]

Well, the problem is that you haven't learned to tweak the GNX yet. I've heard some decent metal tones from the Digitech MFXs. Maybe someone on here can point you in the direction of an online GNX community where people share patches. That way you can get some better sounds and learn a bit more about the tool you already have. You can make a GNX sound better than an MT-2 if you know how to tweak it properly, although if the MT-2 has the sound you want - get an MT-2. No substitutions. Put it in the effects loop (if the GNX has one) and use it for your primary distortion and the GNX for the other effects.

[devonteran]

I've always gone for pedals because I like the control of knobs rather than a bunch of buttons and lights. I also like to go for a much more raw sound than I've heard out of most processors.

 

That said, there are some pretty incredible processors out there that make me drool.

 

One of the best parts about stompboxes, which I'm just now getting into, is modifications. I've done some simple mods on a few cheap stompboxes to get the sound I was looking for.

[SirJackdeFuzz]

 

Since you already have a multi-effect thingy, you should already have some idea about which effects you like and which ones you can live without.

 

 

 

+1

[wingbl]

if the MT-2 has the sound you want - get an MT-2. No substitutions. Put it in the effects loop (if the GNX has one) and use it for your primary distortion and the GNX for the other effects.

Great idea...I could definatley do that first.

[fly135]

I have a GNX3 and you really need to use the computer to edit the presets. Not saying it's impossible otherwise, but it's like stuffing an elephant in a pinto. It really takes a lot of work to tweak the GNX3 to make good sounds. The amount of tweaking options are large. I don't use my GNX3 for serious sound because I have a GT-8 with additional pedals. But I absolutely love my GNX3 for the rhythm machine that works in coordination with the onboard 8 track recorder. It's a great practice unit. Specially for noobs like myself.