Guitar players, does a really good multi effects pedal exist?
 

In theory it sound like a great idea, why mess with a bunch of pedals and power supplies when you can get it all in one box!
I been out of the game for a decade or so but back in the day I experimented with some multi-effects boxes and always came away disappointed.
I'm guessing that is why most pros have "pedal boards"?

I'm just being cheap, I have a few old Fender amps that have a nice old fat tube sound but would be fun to have a little reverb, maybe a chorus effect for when I'm feeling folksy, a distortion setting for when I feel crunchy, a delay if I want to pretend I'm U2.

Line 6

That's all you need.

All depends on what you want. I have a lot of pedals. I don't like the multi effects boards. I play with a guy that has one and he seems all confused by all the settings. I like actually seeing what I have rather than clicking a bunch of menus. That's me.

I don't have anything fancier than Boss, but you can spend hundreds on dirt pedals that do it just a little differently. Subtle differences even and then dramatic. There's thousands of pages of discussion of this on the net.

I have considered a cheap Line 6 just so I can plug in my headphones and get some nice sounds at "instructional" volume. ;) Probably wouldn't leave the house with it.

Depends on what you want to do.

The Line 6 Pod is popular with a lot of modern players and does sound pretty good. The Vox Tonelab seems to do vintage stuff better. Where they excel is in delay, reverb, univibe, chorus and flange when run through the effects loop on a good quality amp. Where they seem to be most lacking is convincing overdrive and distortion tone into the front of an amp. I can't find a good digital blues tone that satisfies, so I stick with tubes and pedals for that.

They are worthwhile tools as long as you have realistic expectations.

Never did and still do not like multi effects pedals for a lot of reasons.

The selection and quality of pedals today is really amazing and a little addictive. If you want a simple analog delay maybe get an MXR carbon copy. Many good reverb pedals out there. J Rocket' Boing is nice and simple. I have a WET and like it. So many nice over drive pedals out there that it's hard to know where to begin. I love my JHS Superbolt and my JRocket Archer.

Here's my current setup...going into a 14 watt Victoria Chicago-lux (tweed vibrolux clone)
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1455663268.jpg

I've been out of the loop for a while , but recently got to spend a few days with a Fender mustang. It made every guitar sound that I have ever heard. $ though.

Also, you don't have to worry about batteries or power strips full of wall warts these days. If you don't want to use a power brick like a PedalPower you can use a One Spot daisy chain for about $25. Look them up

I'm a very new guitarist, but I have been pleased with TC Electronics for my couple of pedals. I have the Hall Of Fame Reverb, and the Flashback delay pedals. I tried a couple of multi effect pedals, and found them to be a hassle to dial in. I also didn't like the sound as much. I haven't ever owned one, so maybe with more work I'd be happy with one.

Which Mustang?
Ramons stomp board is uber cool but like you I'm a living-room jammer and can't justify such a rig.
Wifey is also not too excited about me dragging out my 60-75Lbs of stinky old amplifiers into the living room.
I looked up the Line6 Spider IV 15Watt, kinda interesting.
I found a couple of the Line6 PODs that NC posted on eBay for around $80-$100 (+$300 new).

Yes it does, but it's not a pedal. It's a rack unit called the AxeFX.

It is INSANELY good. Amp modelling, FX, the works.

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And yours truly,


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You guys that just want to play a little while sitting on the couch should check these out

Yamaha THR10 Modeling Combo Amp | Musician's Friend

I like the blues version. There's a metal version and an acoustic version too. Read the reviews. It's tough to find a bad review of this product. It's perfect for keeping on an end table in the living room, decent modeling, built in tuner and effects, can run on batteries, hook up an iPod etc.......pretty neat for what it is

Actually... Come to think of it, my guitar teaches using a Fender G-DEC 30 amp like this one. Onboard tuner, metronome, backup "band" in user defined key, editable tone profiles... He plays it through a Mess 1X12 Cab, it's a pretty good sounding rig with lots of the things you are asking about.
Fender G-DEC 30 | Sweetwater.com

I was using a Boss GT-3 for a long time, but went back to stomp boxes.
http://www.fototime.com/5864D9073986E9E/standard.jpg

When you get in to high-end amps, it's sort of a shame to use effects processors with them. Stomp boxes are a lot less technically advanced, but they let the amp's character shine through. I stopped using the Boss when I realized it was just silly to have Twin Reverb Silverface and then not to be able to use that amp's organic tone. You can probably get a GT-3 for under $100 now. I gave mine away a few mos. ago.

no, there is no one petal to do them all.

and if you want the best, look no further: Resonant Electronic Design

AxeFX is a very high end rack system for pros on tour. It requires keen understanding of how to use the tool. It has delivered some of the best, and worst guitar tone I have ever heard. Since Neal Shon started using one his formerly great guitar tone has gone into the toilet IMO. Not a tool for everyone.

No Spider amps ever. All foam, no beer and they always hurt my ears when someone is playing through one.

In the end, try em and trust your ears.

Hey Wolfe- you know that was a Tele..... -)

I played with a guy for a long time, he wheeled many amps in Bogners, Slos, a Friedman...then an AXE. He spent months dicking about with it. Very complicated, but very versatile, make any sound, but never ...quite...right. He went back to a Friedman and analogue board....I know two others guys who ditched the AXE. The guy I play with now uses a less sophisticated multi thing into an Egnator. Sounds like arse to me, mostly. I used to think modelling was the future, but I'll stick to the old school stuff.

My modded 100w Marshall Plexi does not take pedals out front very well at all. But the pedals are almost overpowering in the loop (I had installed). Still thinking of sending it to Dave Friedman for some more mods. His stuff sounds unreal.

FX loops...funny things. Series/parallel loops behave differently, loop impedance, pedal impedance, some work, some don't, some combinations don't work in the FX loop...then theres the matter of the cable run out and back (unless you've got some fancy switching or racking...) Ive given up. Everything in the front, bar a RVB, which I treat as an amp reverb, always on in the FX loop. Simple is good.

Regarding Freidman....the guy who built my current amp, who Ive known and used for 30 years, worked on previously mentioned Friedman "Marsha" or BrownEye whatever it was, said he was less than impressed with build quality.

Might depend on build date. Dave used to be a one man shop. Now the Guitar Center is carrying his amps and I think he's building well over 100/month. No way can you keep the boutique-level of workmanship when the production skyrockets. My SLO is a work of art and built like a tank. But it costs more than Friedman's most expensive model too.

I recollect he told me he'd ordered from Friedman direct, and collected it in the US from Dave, maybe four five years ago? This was it...(and sorry for the hijack OP)
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1455722588.jpg