Simple, straightforward, easy multi-effects for techo-phobe

[solo4652]

Errr, I thought I'd posted this as a New Topic. Apologies to Mods if I've double-posted. Techno-idiot here.

I've always aimed at a really simple signal chain; passive P bass, into simple amp head into speaker. No effects anywhere. Very much plug-and-play - I've seen plenty of guitarists bring a band to a standstill while they fiddle endlessly with pedals, dodgy patch cables, e-bows etc. Not for me, thank you.

However, It's becoming increasingly clear that my KISS approach may be falling short on some songs in my covers band. |For example, bass-synth on How will I know (Whitney Houston). I've read the "Which multi-effects" threads on here and I very quickly glaze over and become completely confused.

Shopping list;

Must be as simple and straightforward to use as possible.
Mainly interested in octave down, synth effect, on-board tuner, maybe reverb (for singer to use in emergency, perhaps)
Not really interested in dirt, grind, flanger, drum-machine, amp modulations, fuzz, wah, tremolo
Floor, not rack mounted
Hit footswitch to bypass when I don't need effects, which will be most of the time,
Small, light, easy to set up. Plug and play
Don't need to switch effects mid-song

Did I mention that it needs to be idiot-proof since I have no idea how such things work?!

Quick web search throws up Zoom B1, Stomplab 1B. Any good?

Be gentle with me, please

Steve

Edited February 7, 2015 by solo4652

[tonyquipment]

Boss me50b or something like that

The zoom things always have lots of menus and things which can confuse people

My mate had a zoom g3 and the thing confused me ! Pages and pages of things to cycle through

At least with the boss you can see it all in front of you

[Skybone]

Zoom B3. It's set up like a pedal board, so you can turn effects on and off as you need them, flicking between patches seems a bit convoluted (though I guess that will become easier with time). It sounds good and is easy to use.

The downside with some mulri FX is that you can't switch effects on/off, where the B3 can. Not sure about the Line6/BOSS/etc versions, but I'm pretty sure it can be done, though the simple 2 switch units like the B1 & StompLab, you'd have to organise your patches with your set list as you can't switch effects off as you go (in my experience). I was considering a StompLab 2b for some time, but bought a B3 instead because of it's flexibility.

[Britsie]

If you're a techno-phobe, I would also go the Boss ME-50B route. All the other multi-effects (that I know) have menu's. Menu's and techno-phobes don't mix well.

[solo4652]

Boss ME50B is £220! Crikey. Anything out there that does a simpler job, no menus for less money?

[tonyquipment]

Singular pedals!

[Byo]

Zoom B3 is pretty easy to use.

[Truckstop]

Second hand Boss ME-20B!

Can be had for around £60, has all the effects you wanted and more. Very intuitive to use, well built, small and has great quality Boss effects.

I've had one for 3 years, used nearly every weekend and it's never missed a trick.

[Lozz196]

[quote name='Byo' timestamp='1423275225' post='2683127']
Zoom B3 is pretty easy to use.
[/quote]

Agree. I`m pretty rubbish with most technology things but I managed (in the end) to work it pretty well.

[ratman]

The Zoom B3 is the simplest multi FX I've ever used.

[Happy Jack]

Steve, I know this isn't what you asked but I've read your post several times and I'm not convinced that Multi-FX is the way to go. Bin there, dun that, sold it.

In an effort to make their product stand out from the herd, each manufacturer loads their Multi-FX unit with a staggering range of knobs, dials, functions, parameters, etc. and - like most people you only actually need a couple of effects in a whole gig. It's overkill.

I'd suggest you try and find a Pedaltrain Nano and mount on it a decent pedal tuner, an octaver pedal, and a simple synth pedal or maybe envelope filter. Bought new, those four items will cost a fair bit more than a Multi-FX unit ... so don't buy new!

The marketplace on Basschat routinely has half a dozen people having a ***HUGE PEDAL CLEAR-OUT !!! *** so you shouldn't struggle to find what you need.

That will give you a small, light, modular, and above all [i][b]targeted [/b][/i]pedal board which does exactly what you need, no more and no less.

Being modular, if you later decide that you really need a chorus pedal rather than a synth, or you're desperate to try out a different Octaver, then you can re-configure as you please.

Good luck.

[solo4652]

Thanks to everyone for your responses. I have to admit that the more I read about effects in general and multi-effects in particular, the more I'm wondering if I'm looking down a road that I don't really want to travel. I've sold basses which have either been active or have had too many knobs, and I've sold over-complex amps all in the quest for an uncluttered signal chain. For me, simple is good.

I've played in covers bands for 6 years now without any effects. Really, it's just the one song - How will I know - that I'm struggling with. A full-tone key drop alongside the key change towards the end of the song means I'm playing one octave higher than I'd like. Our keys player is busy doing other things in the song, so the bassline is all down to me. I need to work out a way to get the 80's synth sound in the lower register, and that's what I can't do. I have a bass-boost on my amp (GK MB500) which I don't generally use, so I could try that to see if it thickens my tone a bit, but I think it will still leave me without the big bass sound that we need for the song. I generally play with a very clean sound - no grind/clipping/breakup, and fairly mids-forward (the Yamaha BB1200 does that on its own, anyway)

All ideas and suggestions (most probably without using any effects) welcome. My rig: Yamaha BB1200, GK MB500 head, two Tecamp XS 112 cabs. Oh, I also have a Behringer BD 121 pedal. Never used it.
Thanks,

Steve

Edited February 7, 2015 by solo4652

[lefrash]

Another shout for the B3. Just treat it as 3 separate pedals, each one has 3 knows to control the parameters. Press up and down on Any of the three pedals to choose your effect. I actually don't think it could get easier!

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

If it's for only one song, don't bother. See if mr. Guitar can get a sound. Try a more alternative version. If, however you intend to use synthy effects for other stuff , go for the digitech bass/synth wAh pedal. Can get it for about. £30 on here in excellent condition.
Cheap cheerful , fun and not an expensive mistake

[solo4652]

Thanks Ray-Machine. I've just looked at a couple of YouTube vids of The Digitech synth bass wah thingy and it does look interesting. The Octasub function alone is getting close to what I'm looking for. £30 new from DV247, too. Hmmmm....

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

I have one. If you live in london , you can borrow mine .

[solo4652]

Thank you - that's a kind offer. I live in Stockport which sort of rules that out. Might just go mad and drop £30 on a new one, once I've talked it through with keys player and guitarist.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Stockport . Too far to walk unfortunately. Yeah, just get it ! If you get bored , offload it on here.
I got mine on here .

[barkin]

[quote name='lefrash' timestamp='1423319290' post='2683490']
Another shout for the B3. Just treat it as 3 separate pedals, each one has 3 knows to control the parameters. Press up and down on Any of the three pedals to choose your effect. I actually don't think it could get easier!
[/quote]

My thoughts exactly.

[Japhet]

For the amount of effects you want I'd say go for a small board and a few individual pedals. (Then you can succumb to GAS and swap around at will.)