SOUND ON SOUND

[The Elf]

But, TBQH, if budget is an issue, the Zoom MS-CDR70 is totally amazing for reverbs, and a lot more.

+1

You can pick those pedals up for a song and they are very good indeed. Look out for the hack that lets you choose any of the Zoom MS series effects blocks for any device! I've added a couple of the MS-50G distortions and compressors into my MS-70CDR and it has made it a much more versatile device.

And I'll mention my personal budget favourites, the Digitech RP series. I can vouch for the RP50/55 and RP-500/1000 as being extremely good for the money S/H.

And finally a shout for the smaller Helix models. To my ears the reverbs are as good as the Strymons and you get a lot more for your money.

[Hewesy]

Just picked up the new Flashback 2 as Amazon UK had it for £30 for a brief period.

Literally just arrived so this weekends toy, the Crystal mode looks amazing...

Hewesy

[Watchmaker]

Good stuff! I have no experience with Line 6. I have a totally unjustified instinctual negativity towards them. I haven't been moved by the modelling revolution yet, although I will be experimenting with the Celestion speaker IR files in the near future. I have an old Rivera load box that's a little too clean for recording, but that's another topic!

I'm old and foolish enough to prefer discrete analogue components over digital when it comes to manipulating tones ahead of the amp, with some notable exceptions. I adore the Boss DD delays for example, but the Catalinbread, Octopus, Subdecay and other digital toys I have all sort of flop in the end. The tone doesn't really improve, it just changes.

[The Elf]

Good stuff! I have no experience with Line 6. I have a totally unjustified instinctual negativity towards them.

You have a wonderful revelation ahead of you! Some of the best guitarists I know are using modelling systems (mostly Helix), and in most cases you wouldn't know.

[Watchmaker]

You have a wonderful revelation ahead of you! Some of the best guitarists I know are using modelling systems (mostly Helix), and in most cases you wouldn't know.

How can I resist an endorsement like that? Since I'm lucky enough to afford toys this week, I shall...off to look at modelling in a bit more detail. cheers!

*edit* Ack! The Helix is pricey lol. Probably worth every penny, way more than I could ever use really. I'll stick to discrete devices until retirement becomes official and I can spend all day playing again.

[Sam Spoons]

Have a look at the Headrush Gigboard, https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/headrush-gigboard I decided on it due to it's workflow, it is effectively a virtual pedalboard with a touch screen for setting up 'rigs'. Soundwise it's pretty good (it's a development of the Eleven Rack systems), a simple rig comprising of similar pedals to my pedalboard sounds pretty much the same. Costwise it was not much more than ⅓rd the price of a full on Helix at £450 so good VFM.

[The Elf]

*edit* Ack! The Helix is pricey lol. Probably worth every penny...

It is (I use one with my keyboard rig), but the smaller Helix devices do the same job in a cheaper package.

The power of the biggest Helix, for me, is all the I/O, including audio inputs, pedal connections and the control it gives me over the rest of my rig. If none of that is for you then even the humblest Helix can be viewed as something of a bargain by comparison.

[Dynamic Mike]

*edit* Ack! The Helix is pricey lol. Probably worth every penny, way more than I could ever use really.

Happy user of the Pod Go here. Helix tones at a sensible price. Less DSP & no dual amping but otherwise exactly the same sounds & you can still load IR's (if that's your thing). Some users found the original software flakey (I didn't have any problems) but seems to be stable now. Easy to edit from the top panel or via the PC software. Presets are mostly dreadful but building sounds from scratch is easy other than there's simply too much choice at times.

If you're familiar with all the amps/cabs/fx offered you might find it easier, but I've now restricted myself to learning to use maybe 5-10% properly before exploring the rest. I've used modelling stuff like Valvetronix before but this is a different beast. I'm almost glad I couldn't justify the full-fat version!

[The Elf]

Happy user of the Pod Go here. Helix tones at a sensible price.

Yep, it's a steal at that price.

If you don't need all the fancy Helix connectivity and power you really can't go wrong with that one.

[ManFromGlass]

I read an interesting Helix review from someone who has lived with it for awhile - he said it’s a great unit for live performing but if you work with a computer then the DSP in the Helix is quite restrictive compared to the computer’s resources. He suggested that a number of the guitar effects plugins for computers are much better than the Helixes and presented a non-scientific view that if a, say, UAD simulation was ported over to the Helix then that would tie up almost an entire DSP chip in the Helix.
In the end it would come down to sound and features for me (and $$) but he presents an interesting take on the Helix for people who record into a computer.

[Watchmaker]

The Helix would be awesome if I needed that feature set. I have much more humble needs!

I've gone on a bit of a pedal bender this week with four new toys to be slotted in. One of the things I struggle with is switching multiple pedals at the same time so I'm also looking at a GigRig. I almost bought the GigRig2 but now they've announced version 3, I may go that route.

Views on switchers anyone?

https://www.thegigrig.com/switching

[Sam Spoons]

One of the things I struggle with is switching multiple pedals at the same time so I'm also looking at a GigRig. I almost bought the GigRig2 but now they've announced version 3, I may go that route.

That was one of my reasons for buying the Gigboard, the hope being that I can use out like a discrete pedalboard but without the limitations of fixed connections and pedal layouts.

[Watchmaker]

Thanks Sam. That looks very interesting indeed. Would be cheaper to try that than to layout a fancy switcher, but it'd take a bit of convincing to leave me trusty pedals. I wonder how i can lay me grubbies on a demo...

[Dynamic Mike]

he said it’s a great unit for live performing but if you work with a computer then the DSP in the Helix is quite restrictive compared to the computer’s resources. He suggested that a number of the guitar effects plugins for computers are much better than the Helixes and presented a non-scientific view that if a, say, UAD simulation was ported over to the Helix then that would tie up almost an entire DSP chip in the Helix.

https://uk.line6.com/helix/helixnative.html is available if you're happy to be tied to your PC to get more processing power.

But in reality you never actually run out of DSP on the Pod Go. What happens is some options are greyed out so you may need to select a less intensive amp/effect. However, you have to make some odd choices for this to happen. It's mostly legacy stuff (presumably included for compatibility) that drains the DSP.

The gigboard looks good too but it's £50 more for 4 less footswitches & no expression pedal, although you do get a touchscreen for editing. The Gigrig G3 looks awesome if you're one of those lucky people who normally sorts products 'priced from high to low'. :o

[Watchmaker]

The Gigrig G3 looks awesome if you're one of those lucky people who normally sorts products 'priced from high to low'. :o

Masochistic you mean.