Multi-fx or board?

dropbear59

I'm trying to build up a new rig after selling all my gear. 

1. I'm not going to be gigging
2. Has to be fairly compact
3. Has to be relatively cheap
4. Has to not be fake-sounding...
5. Has to be versatile. I like playing rock, metal, blues, and some atmospheric-y stuff. 

I'm looking at Line 6 and BOSS stuff. What would you pick or what do you use to cover-all-bases and why? 

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

Define 'relatively cheap'?!

Also, are you playing into an amp or do you need something to provide amp modelling too?

Maybe look for a second hand HX Effects, that would probably be the most versatile unit without breaking the bank, assuming you have an amp already sorted.

ICBM

Boss multi-FX.

meltedbuzzbox

Buy a bunch of mooers

hotpickups

Bit of both. I use a H9 multi fx unit but add a few other choice pedals in the mix if required?

Jota

You can do both.

Caffeine_Vampire

If you know the sounds you’re looking for, buy the pedals that will provide it. If you don’t know the sound you’re looking for, buy a multi-fx unit. 

paulnb57

I utterly detest multi fx, too much faffing with menus, sub menus etc......pedals are soooo instant!

John_A

paulnb57 said:

I utterly detest multi fx, too much faffing with menus, sub menus etc......pedals are soooo instant!

I think the opposite, with pedals I spent more time  fiddling than I do with a multi, which I treat pretty much as set and forget.

Handsome_Chris

I'm with @John_A on this one.  I have 'real pedals' on my board but I do have to resist the urge to tinker with 'em.   The multi-fx stuff is more 'fire and forget' for me: I set it up and let it do it's thing .

I'm saying this as someone who has come from a traditional setup to a total Axe-FX II rig, back to pedals and a Boss GT-1000.

I was dismissive about the GT but I've really warmed to it.  

NelsonP

I have an Atomic Amplifire and it sounds great for the genres you mention.

Some people moan that the user interface is a bit buttons on the Amplifire and Helix etc are definitely better in that regard, but I find that it stops me from constantly mucking about. You can always plug a laptop in a use the editor if you need to.

There's an Amplifire 6 for sale here:
http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/149834/fs-amplifire-6-tech21-fly-rig-musicomlab-62m-specular-tempus-gurus-1959-strymon-others#latest
That would get you started quite nicely. You can always add other stuff onto a board with it later as it is pretty compact.

Only other thing that I would say is that you need to think about how your usage might develop over time. Helix is also a USB interface (I bought one separately) and has a looper (I'm looking at buying one separately). So Helix might be better as an all in one solution. Should be able to get an LT second hand for <£600.

ICBM

paulnb57 said:

I utterly detest multi fx, too much faffing with menus, sub menus etc......pedals are soooo instant!

The Boss ME-50/70/80 has no menus or sub-menus, and has no faffing with power supplies, cabling, swapping pedals, or anything else. Want a different type of distortion, modulation or delay pedal? Turn a knob. *That's* instant.

joetele

ICBM said:

paulnb57 said:

I utterly detest multi fx, too much faffing with menus, sub menus etc......pedals are soooo instant!

The Boss ME-50/70/80 has no menus or sub-menus, and has no faffing with power supplies, cabling, swapping pedals, or anything else. Want a different type of distortion, modulation or delay pedal? Turn a knob. *That's* instant.

Seconded. One of my biggest regrets in life is selling my ME-50 to some idiot who spilled beer on it. I've got a full pedalboard (two, actually, chained together) but the ME-50 still appeals to this day for quick, simple playing and sound choices. 

gearaddict

Yeah, I keep being tempted by these - like a lot of others, I had an ME-50 back when they were expensive At the time I couldn't imagine not getting my main sounds from a valve amp so in the end the lack of a 4CM option was an issue. These days, I'd be quite happy going into a power amp of any kind.

Not tried the later ones but my experience with this sort of thing is that 'new and improved' usually means 'worse'.

Grumpyrocker

i've been quite tempted by the Nux Cerberus. Looks like a good no-nonsense mutli-fx option.

http://www.nuxefx.com/content-72-272-1.html

PolarityMan

Id def go with helix..but if that stretches your budget too far you can buy my GT-10.

paulnb57

ICBM said:

paulnb57 said:

I utterly detest multi fx, too much faffing with menus, sub menus etc......pedals are soooo instant!

The Boss ME-50/70/80 has no menus or sub-menus, and has no faffing with power supplies, cabling, swapping pedals, or anything else. Want a different type of distortion, modulation or delay pedal? Turn a knob. *That's* instant.

Thanks for the info - you learn something new every day!

My opinion has now changed!!

Wazmeister

Helix of some variety 

dindude

Wazmeister said:

Helix of some variety 

Are you thinking of selling your pedals and going this way again. It is Tuesday.

ICBM

paulnb57 said:

Thanks for the info - you learn something new every day!

My opinion has now changed!!

I completely agree with you about the menu-programming thing by the way .

That's why I keep going on about the ME-50 like a stuck record. When I recently decided to try a more 'advanced' multi-FX again, five minutes trying to programme it was enough to make me decide to stick with knobs!

paulnb57

ICBM said:

paulnb57 said:

Thanks for the info - you learn something new every day!

My opinion has now changed!!

I completely agree with you about the menu-programming thing by the way .

That's why I keep going on about the ME-50 like a stuck record. When I recently decided to try a more 'advanced' multi-FX again, five minutes trying to programme it was enough to make me decide to stick with knobs!

When I bought my Zoom you suggested the Boss, but I didnt make the conmection about no menus!...Doh! its long gone now though.....hated it, same with the Helix FX, thats gone too!

Might have to look around for a Boss to try....although now I have a board with two Hudson Sidecars, an AB footswitch,  a Fuzz, a Chorus and a Reverb pedal which I really like, loving the simplicity of it...