Help me pick a MFX

[pjmuck]

Long post here so I appreciate your patience in advance.

 

I'm new to MFX and I've been playing in a steady cover band gig and my pedal board's quickly getting out of hand. I'm up over 16 pedals and I'd like to simplify things with a MFX and hopefully replace as many of these as possible. (or at least come reasonably close in quality). I've narrowed it down to the Boss GT-8, Line 6 PODXT Live, or the Zoom G9.2tt. My amp is a Rivera Rake 55w w a Marshall 1936 cab/Celestion Vintage 30's. I'm not so much interested in the amp modeling, but mostly quality effects that I can route either direct to my head or through the Rivera head's FX send/return. (or preferably both).

 

Here's what's on my board right now (in order). Note that I may keep some of these if I can't get specific effects to cover the ground in an MFX (like the Synth Wah, for example, which looks like only the GT-8 has synth patches). I'd also love to be able to route my effects in the same order, though it's pretty complicated right now (unless there's a simpler suggestion):

 

From guitar to Rivera amp input:

Boss LS-2 - POG and Synth wah in loop

Boss AC-3 - line out to a PA

Boss HR-2 - in both Rivera input and Rivera FX loop for tracking

Digitech Brian May Red Special - line out to PA

Digitech Synth Wah - in LS-2 loop

EH POG - in LS-2 loop

Boss CS-3 monte allums opto mod

Boss BD-2 Keeley mod

Boss NS-2

Dano Fish and Chips

 

in Rivera FX loop:

Peterson Strobostomp

Boss HR-2

EH Small Stone

Boss CE-2

Line 6 Roto Machine

Line 6 Echo Park

Digitech Digiverb

 

So here are my questions:

 

1. Will any of these MFX units enable me to disengage the amp models and run effects only direct to the head? Will any allow me to split the various effects to both the amp input as well as the amp's FX send/return? (i.e. delays, choruses, and reverbs to the FX send and others straight in).

 

2. Will any enable me to send effects only without amp models to my Rivera amp while sending the same effects + the amp models out to a PA/mixer? It's been my experience that some effects sound better through a PA than into an amp (an acoustic simulator, for example), and it would be nice to run both simultaneously for a wall of sound or different sounds combined.

 

3. Best for simplicity of programming/editing, especially on computer. I'm a Mac guy and it seems that the GT-8 has no Mac editor or any editor for that matter other than 3rd party development! I'm leaning towards the PODXT here because there are literally thousands of free patches online you can download and the online community is strong.

 

4. I notice that all MFX boards have specific footswitches/buttons labeled, "overdrive", "dealy", "chorus", etc. but does that mean that only those effects can be assigned to those switches? My goal here is to be able to assign any effect ot any footswitch and map out my set lists as song patches, simply calling up my settings for each song with the stomp of a button depending on what's needed. (I'm perfectly happy with my distortions and overdrive out of the Rivera, so I'd like to be able to use the "overdrive" MFX footswitch for something else, for example). Can I remap the board to designate whatever effects I want wherever I want? Could I also use the same effect multiple times within the one patch and map the board to have the effect assigned to different footswitches? For example, could I map the whole board and store a patch with just a harmonizer effect and assign different harmonic intervals to each footswitch?

 

5. Speaking of a harmonizer, do any of the boards that have this effect feature intelligent harmonizing?

 

6. I'd prefer an onboard fx loop as well in case I need to use one of my pedals.

[thatmullingskid]

The Zoom is amazing. Period.

as far as your questions go, though

1. just about any multi fx allow you to disengage the amp sims, and using the four-cable method (works with the gt-8 and the zoom) you can send some to the front while sending others to the effects loop.

2. i don't think so....but maybe.....maybe the gt-8

3. as far as onling community, the pod's a better choice... but it's effects are just a bit more digital to my ears (especially the amp sims and dirt boxes.... if you're going to be using them)

4. ....not really, but i think you can do something similar to this with a midi foot controller with most mfx units.

5. boss and zoom and most others, not sure about the pod

6. a lot of higher end units have onboard effects loops, but those are used in the 4 cable method, although you could place your pedals between the effects send of the unit and the input of your amp or between the output of the unit and the effects return of your amp if you wanted it might make for some messy wires you might not want when playing live.

[boogieman_dan]

I'd cut the Line6 from that list if your looking for mainly a fx only unit. The Zoom or the Boss are better suited for that task.

[bowlingshirt]

I would go with the Boss unit if you're only interested in effects.

[Gorgon90]

Any reason purely for the floor units?

With the possible switching and effects combinations you're talking about involving patch selection plus individual control of parameters with in those patches, I'd suggest that some rack units and a decent Midi foot controller might be a more appropriate solution.

It would also be possible to reuse some or even all of your current pedals by mounting them in rack drawers and just switching them into the signal path via a Midi switcher/looper.

Food for thought, good luck with it.

[Geno_xl]

Originally posted by Gorgon90 Any reason purely for the floor units? With the possible switching and effects combinations you're talking about involving patch selection plus individual control of parameters with in those patches, I'd suggest that some rack units and a decent Midi foot controller might be a more appropriate solution. It would also be possible to reuse some or even all of your current pedals by mounting them in rack drawers and just switching them into the signal path via a Midi switcher/looper. Food for thought, good luck with it.

 

 

If you bought a nice rack unit you could leave out all the amp sims altogether. Plus you could still use your old pedals (lets face it you'll probably want some of them still) without tap dancing around on stage!

 

good luck

[scott_335]

I would try them out and keep the receipt. Buy them from Musicians friend and you have 30 days. They seem like they will be easier to use, but I always find that they are more difficult and time consuming. And then, once you use them in a live setting, you cant easily tweak the effects. I tried for a long time to get the gt-6 to work, but eventually just sold it.

[pjmuck]

Originally posted by Gorgon90 Any reason purely for the floor units? With the possible switching and effects combinations you're talking about involving patch selection plus individual control of parameters with in those patches, I'd suggest that some rack units and a decent Midi foot controller might be a more appropriate solution. It would also be possible to reuse some or even all of your current pedals by mounting them in rack drawers and just switching them into the signal path via a Midi switcher/looper. Food for thought, good luck with it.

 

 

Interesting suggestion. What do you think of a GT Pro/FC-200 combo? I was looking over the specs for the Boss GT Pro, and it turns out it it comes with Mac editing software. Odd that it would be offered for the GT Pro and not the GT-8. Anyone know if the editing software is compatible with the GT-8?

 

Also, how would I use my current pedals mounted in rack drawers with a midi controller? Wouldn't they need to be routed into the effects chain or send/return of a rack like the GT Pro first?

[Gorgon90]

Originally posted by pjmuck Interesting suggestion. What do you think of a GT Pro/FC-200 combo? I was looking over the specs for the Boss GT Pro, and it turns out it it comes with Mac editing software. Odd that it would be offered for the GT Pro and not the GT-8. Anyone know if the editing software is compatible with the GT-8?

 

 

No idea about the GT-Pro I'm afraid as I've not tried one - would love to, but nice gear like that rarely makes it out into the sticks where I live.

 

 

Originally posted by pjmuck Also, how would I use my current pedals mounted in rack drawers with a midi controller? Wouldn't they need to be routed into the effects chain or send/return of a rack like the GT Pro first?

 

 

Jaymeister can probably explain better than I, as he does this with some of his pedals.

 

I assume you're familiar with the concept of loopers where pedals in a loop can be switched in and out of the signal path at will.

 

Essentially, in this case you stick the pedals in a drawer and turn them on. Each pedal or set of pedals sits in a loop which is switched in and out by a Midi controlled looper rather than a board mounted one. Look at Voodoo Labs GCX Audio Switcher and Ground Control for an idea of what's possible. Nobels also make some gear that can do this.

 

There are plenty of other manufacturers out there who also make stuff like this. Good luck.

[Squier Fat Telecaster]

TC Electronics M-One XL would be great in the loop for modulation/delay/reverb effects.

[Themetallikid]

With the possible switching and effects combinations you're talking about involving patch selection plus individual control of parameters with in those patches, I'd suggest that some rack units and a decent Midi foot controller might be a more appropriate solution.

 

 

with this in mind for about the price of the GT8, I'm selling my Gmajor, Behringer FCB1010 controller and rack case setup...

 

if interested PM me...