New Tonelab SE... Many questions....

[Ironhandjohn]

I've had my new Vox Tonelab a few weeks now and I'm still not sure if I like it yet. I'm very much an 'individual pedal' user, and brand new to multi-effect/modellers.

 

I was made an offer I couldn't refuse on this unit, so I snatched it up. It's been across the country with me in the truck since I bought it, but I'm just now running it thru my Carvin X-100B at home. I can get some good tones out of it, but many of the presets are harsh, noisy, and just downright SUCK. The owner's manual is a little helpful, but it seems to spend so much of its pages telling me how good the unit is, and not enough telling me to actually get some good sounds out of it!!

 

 

There is always a HUGE jump in volume between some of the presets, no matter how I set one of the expression pedals to control the volume. Is there any way to EQ this out, or is it inherent to the unit? The high-gain settings are not only noisy, which I expected, but ear-searingly harsh, as well. It's a pain to go from a clean tone to dirty on the same setting, only to have to roll the highs off on the unit's EQ controls. This seems like it defeats the purpose of having a preset tone in the first place.

 

 

 

Acting on advice I got from over at the Carvin forum I'm running the unit into the RETURN of my amp's effect loop, but I've also run it straight into the front of the amp, which doesn't produce a remarkably different sound. Since I bought the unit primarily as a multi-effect unit, rather than an amp/cab modeller, I'm going to try running it in the loop w/ the cab/amp settings off. I was told that the Tonelab's strong point IS the cab/amp modelling, that the effects settings are a bit weak. If so then maybe I bought the wrong unit.

 

 

Being used to individual pedals the Tonelab is more complicated than I like. If I can find some good tones I can live with I'll keep it. If not then, despite my 15 year old son's howling objections, I may sell/trade it off.

 

I really like the built-in tuner, as well as most of the modulation, reverb, and delay settings. Ignoring the presets and dialing in individual cab/amp settings, and then adding the effects has given me some cool sounds. Using a 'Jimi' setting as a jumping-off point I can do Trower very easily...

 

 

Any Tonelab SE users here who can give me some tips on maximizing my tones with this unit(running the SE into a Carvin X-100B/ Peavey 412F half/stack)would be VERY much appreciated!! I'm trying like hell to like this unit, but I haven't been able to gel with it yet. Maybe it's the 'instant gratification' factor, or the fact that I'm really lazy when it comes to my effects pedals, probably both, but I've never been as frustrated with an effect unit as I am with this one....

[MrMunky]

The best advice I can think of is to avoid the presets entirely. They are pretty much all bad.

 

Start from scratch and make small adjustments until you get a basic "amp" tone that you like. Then start adding effects.

 

there are good tones to be had: http://inrerocknroll.blogspot.com

[Ironhandjohn]

An interesting observation just now:

 

 

Running it entirely in the effect loop with the cab/amp models off it seems like there is a lag between the time I hit the strings and what comes out of the amp. Not a big one, but noticable for sure...

 

 

What I find more than a little ridiculous is that there are a total of 96 patches on the unit, with the 24 presets repeating themselves 4 times up and down the banks. Instead of just being able to turn the presets off I need to write over them in order to clear them off. A simple( for a dumb ole' truck driver like me)PRESET OFF function would make it so much less frustrating for me.

[Nik]

If you bought it primarily as a multi-FX unit and don't really want to use the modelling, you are NEVER going to be happy with it. Ditch it and get a Boss GT3/6/8 instead - crap modelling: great FX.

[AndersonTech]

 

Originally posted by MrMunky The best advice I can think of is to avoid the presets entirely. They are pretty much all bad. Start from scratch and make small adjustments until you get a basic "amp" tone that you like. Then start adding effects. there are good tones to be had: http://inrerocknroll.blogspot.com

 

 

Some good advice, although I took some of the presets and tweaked them to my liking.

 

I realize you like "simple" stomp boxes, but the ToneLab SE is not that simple. Think of it as having different amps that each need to be set up plus all the onboard effects, which you also have to set. There's no majic "button" to hit for "great sounds". You have to work with it.

 

The first thing I did with mine was to over write all the redundant presets. Then, I balanced the volume of what remained with my amp's clean channel volume. That took care of the nasty surprises when switching.

 

Next, I weeded out the presets I would never use. This took some time, but there were several that don't match the styles of music I play. (I figure I can always re-program anything I took out if I changed my mind and wanted to experiment with it later on.)

 

OK - now you have a lot of channels with nothing on them. (If you haven't figured out how to get a "blank" channel, just turn off all the models and effects, rename it as "blank" or "all clear" or something like that, and save it.)

 

Then, you can start out simple by programming just the effects you like. For instance: Save a bank of channels with the different overdrives you like. You can use these with all the channels on your amp. You can do the same thing with the wah-wah pedal, flangers, chorus, etc. - just programming the effects and nothing else. Now you have a series of channels that just give you effects (just like a line of stomp boxes). There are no amp models involved, so it's pretty simple.

 

Now, as far as the models are concerned:

 

Like I said above, each model involves all the settings you would encounter with an amp. That includes The head type and speaker configuration. After you choose those, you need to set the Bass, Treble, Gain, VR Gain, Noise Resistance, and Reverb. Clear out anything else and start with these basics. Once you have them where you like them, choose your pedal. I usually choose some type of overdrive, but there are others. Change the pedal settings to where you like them. Then choose your reverb and change those settings. Do each additional effect one at a time and save your settings. Leave out those things you don't want. (Just like setting up any amp and pedal chain.)

 

If you try to select and change too many things all at one time, it's easy to get confused and frustrated. Also give yourself some time to learn how to set up the switching and pedals.

 

It took me several months to get things organized where it made sense, and I made a lot of little tweaks while learning how to use my ToneLab SE to its full advantage. You can get there - it just takes a little patience.

[mfergel]

Make sure that you are setting the global output properly depending on how you are running it into and amp. If going through the front of an amp, set it to amp, if an effects return or power amp, set it to line.

 

As mentioned, pretty much all of the presets on the SE suck. Start from scratch.

[Ironhandjohn]

2 weeks later and things are slowly starting to gel with this unit. I'm still getting the hang of things, but I find that running it into the RETURN of the loop gives me the best tone. I'm still in the 'modifying presets' phase of learning, mostly the Jimi settings with a few high-gain ones for my 15 year old son.

 

 

I don't think I got the original manual, as mine is loose sheets of paper held together by a big clip. Maybe downloaded or scanned and copied.

 

Jury's still out as to whether I'm going to keep it or not, but I have to admit that the sounds I've found that I like are awesome!!

[Porkchop Xpress]

All you need to know about the Tonelab

[Ironhandjohn]

I've saved the Tonelab site to my favorites and like what I've read so far.

 

 

I think I'm going to have to make out a 'Noise Chart' ala Tom Morello so when I find a good setting I've created I don't lose it.

 

 

As with my individual pedals I'm trying to get tones close to Pink Floyd(early and later stuff), Robin Trower, and Eric Johnson. With my pedals running into my X-100B I was pretty much satisfied with my distortion, and bought the Tonelab mainly for delay/reverb/modulation effects. The odd lag when running the Tonelab fully in the loop, rather than into the RETURN of the loop, has caused me to avoid running it like that in the future. If I run it into the front of the amp the distortion can be pretty harsh, I'm guessing from both the preamp of the SE and from the amp.

 

 

 

IF I decide to not keep it( a possibility, not for sure yet..) I guess HC is the best place to post a For Sale ad, right?

[GCDEF]

Ebay would be the best place. I think I responded to you over in Carvin. If you're looking for an effects processor, the Tonelab is a very poor choice. It's an amp modeller with some pretty decent built in effects, but is very limited in which effects you can use at the same time. One of these days I imagine they'll come out with a new version that removes those restrictions, but till then, it's pretty badly handicapped.

 

You want Trower tones. His big effects were wah, fuzz and univibe. Tonelab won't let you use more than one of those at a time.

[mfergel]

For effects, I've found the BOSS series to be the best, with the XT Live and the Zoom G9 to be tied. Of course, there are other options if you want to go with a rackmount setup.