Multi fx pedal for practice

by **Dynamic Mike** » Mon Aug 12, 2019 5:31 pm

My Vox modelling amp has been evicted from the lounge. I'm looking for a small multifx unit to replace it. Vox do virtually the same unit in a pedal which seems the logical choice. But digitec, mooer and zoom do similar units with built-in drum loops which I quite like the idea of. I've got a behringer v-amp on loan but it doesn't have an on/off switch and I need to plug in behind the sofa.
Mostly looking for decent clean tones. Any recommendations around £100ish?

BTW pics are up in the dropkick murphys thread if you're looking for guitar porn ;)

by **The Elf** » Mon Aug 12, 2019 6:00 pm

Grab a secondhand Digitech RP500, or even an RP1000, if you can find one - and if the slightly bulkier form suits you - and I doubt you'll regret it.

by **Stratman57** » Mon Aug 12, 2019 6:12 pm

I have a Zoom G2, with an M-audio expression pedal that I use when the band have to do headphone practicing. There is a G2X (I think) that has a built in expression pedal. They have some reasonable amp models and effects and can be used with or without speaker emulation. I seem to remember the G2 was around £50 and the G2X £70ish.

Regards, Simon.

by **CS70** » Mon Aug 12, 2019 6:18 pm

I heard good things of the Mooer GE 200, which has a built in drum machine.

by **Stratman57** » Mon Aug 12, 2019 6:22 pm

Oh, forgot to say the Zoom's have a drum machine also.

Regards, Simon.

by **garrettendi** » Tue Aug 13, 2019 8:58 am

I used to use the G2.1u and found it great. Has an expression pedal, with amp sims which would be handy plugging straight into a mixer or using with headphones.

Sadly I gave mine away but I can't remember who to!

by **bobpick68** » Tue Aug 13, 2019 5:10 pm

I fully agree with the RP1000 suggestion but if you want cheap and good get a ZOOM G1x0n. 60 bucks and has some great models in it and an expression pedal.

by **Dynamic Mike** » Tue Aug 13, 2019 6:30 pm

Plenty of food for thought there. The RP1000 looks great but I'm really after something smaller & less obtrusive. Well I'm not, but I don't control the lounge! The little zooms look good though. I've got an R8 so I'm guessing the fx will be similar. Thanks for suggestions, I won't be pulling the trigger until the weekend, so keep them coming.

by **The Elf** » Tue Aug 13, 2019 10:51 pm

Dynamic Mike wrote:The RP1000 looks great but I'm really after something smaller

RP500?

TBH I have the RP50 and 55 too - they're all a bit of a secret weapon for me!

by **Stratman57** » Tue Aug 13, 2019 11:24 pm

Just thought of something else, I've got a Digitech Trio Plus, this will give you bass and drum patterns based (no pun intended) on the chords you play into it, plus it has a looper so you can record the chord pattern and then solo over it.

It has various styles you can choose from and you can build up a whole song and switch between verse, chorus, middle 8 etc. with an additional footswitch. And, it has a headphone output.

I bought one for practicing with when various members of the band are too busy in their day jobs/parental ill health/holidays.

Regards, Simon.

by **Dynamic Mike** » Wed Aug 14, 2019 1:22 am

That Digitech Trio Plus looks pretty cool but it's probably overly complex for my fairly simple needs. For anything like that I'd probably just drop a few loops into Cubase to noodle over. I've just watched the Andertons review and I'm now thinking the Mooer GE100 might be the best fit. It doesn't look the greatest build quality compared to the alternatives but it's cheap & only going to get very light use anyway. It also looks like it's pretty simple to use. I'm sorted for individual pedals & amps, it's really just something to tuck behind the sofa & pull out to use in front of the TV, or when everyone else is in bed that I'm after.

by **dpete** » Wed Aug 14, 2019 4:26 am

I've been using a mooer PE100 for about a month now, and been happy with it. I use the aux input on it to connect to alternate sources for play along. I haven't tried running it into an amp, since all I wanted it for was apartment / motel practice when traveling. It does the job.

by **Dynamic Mike** » Wed Aug 14, 2019 3:52 pm

Didn't know the PE100 existed until last night. Reviews suggested that the sounds were fine but the controls were a bit hit and miss. Also suggested it had an appetite for batteries but that wouldn't bother me. A possible contender that would definitely get Mrs Mike's approval.

by **Dynamic Mike** » Wed Aug 28, 2019 1:46 am

So all things considered I went for the Mooer GE100. On the plus side it works fine, it sounds okay through an amp, the drum patterns are useable, the modulation effects are nice, the volume/wha pedal isn't the worst I've owned & the looper is fun. It's pretty logically laid out & easy to find you way around without resorting to the manual.

What's not to like for £75? Well the amp simulations/distortions are pretty much unusable & postively headache inducing through headphones at any volume. I've kept it because it's quite good fun, even if it wasn't what I was hoping for, but I'm back in the market for a stand-alone practice pedal. I think I'll need to increase the budget somewhat to get the quality I'm after.

by **CS70** » Wed Aug 28, 2019 12:51 pm

I'm sure you've already thought of it, but in case... I see the unit uses the same output for headphones and amp? If so, there might be a control to enable and disable cabinet emulation?

Particularly buzzy and annoying distortion is a classic sign that there's no cabinet..

by **Dynamic Mike** » Wed Aug 28, 2019 1:59 pm

I don't think it has cabinet simulation which is probably the root of the problem. You can select between amp and line out in the settings but they don't really sound any different through headphones. Lesson learned: buy cheap, buy twice!

SOUND ON SOUND

You are here

Multi fx pedal for practice