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I'm thinking of trying a digital multi-effects pedal for 4cm with my Mesa Electra Dyne again.
I've recently been using analog pedals in front of the amp and my Stomp in the loop, as per @JiveTurkey 's suggestion, which sounds and feels better than any digital 4cm setup I've tried. Also love having direct access to real pedal knobs and being able to use my favourite pedals. They always sound best to me, in the end.
However, I'm thinking of returning to an all-in-one digital approach, mainly because I sing lead and it really simplifies and streamlines switching when playing live. Also, while I love the sound and feel of my current analog + Stomp board, there is an annoying hum that sometimes happens if I hit a pedal over-enthusiastically while playing with the band, and I haven't been able to trace where the loose connection is that is causing it. I just shift the board around and/or kick it again and it usually goes away. Not good if this were to happen at a gig! So the idea of less connections, etc, is appealing. Also wouldn't need my Trutone C6, Suhr Micro Midi, or big heavy wah, or even my PT-Jr board.
In the past, I have used the following in 4cm: HXFX, Stomp, BOSS MS3, FM3, and FM9. I'm pretty fussy/neurotic with "tone suck" and feel, and out of all those units, the best one was definitely the FM9. All of the other ones affected the sound/feel in some way and led me to move on to other options. (The FM9 just ended up being too big and heavy, while still needing an expression pedal, Suhr Micro MIDI, and power supply added on with it.)
So, currently, the GT-1000 is looking like it's worth a try for these reasons:
- size and form factor
- amp channel-switching relays that don't cause huge hum (unlike entire Helix line), eliminating need for Suhr Micro MIDI, etc
- expression pedal built in (really want a complete all-in-one option)
- I love BOSS drives in real life (SD1, BD2) as well as their chorus
- I've tried basically everything Helix and Fractal already and this could be fun/new
Some questions/concerns:
- I'm truly addicted to Helix/Stomp's Transistor Tape delay: how is the BOSS version?
- how is BOSS Uni-Vibe? Octave-down?
- will BOSS effects in general be boring/underwhelming after using L6 and/or Fractal for so long?
- how versatile are the BOSS switches? Can you change the colours of the LEDs to what you want (my brain thinks in L6 colours, ie. green for delay, blue mod, etc)
- how good is "Pedalboard" mode? I hear it was a later addition? I'm pretty much a simple, stompbox-mode guy, although I do like assigning 2-3 things to a single switch, when needed (ie. amp channel switching to clean + delay and chorus, or clean volume boost + delay). I don't use scenes or snapshots much.
- how good is the looper?
TL;DR: is GT1000 worth a try for 4cm if I've already used Helix/Fractal a lot?
Thanks for any input you can offer.
I've recently been using analog pedals in front of the amp and my Stomp in the loop, as per @JiveTurkey 's suggestion, which sounds and feels better than any digital 4cm setup I've tried. Also love having direct access to real pedal knobs and being able to use my favourite pedals. They always sound best to me, in the end.
However, I'm thinking of returning to an all-in-one digital approach, mainly because I sing lead and it really simplifies and streamlines switching when playing live. Also, while I love the sound and feel of my current analog + Stomp board, there is an annoying hum that sometimes happens if I hit a pedal over-enthusiastically while playing with the band, and I haven't been able to trace where the loose connection is that is causing it. I just shift the board around and/or kick it again and it usually goes away. Not good if this were to happen at a gig! So the idea of less connections, etc, is appealing. Also wouldn't need my Trutone C6, Suhr Micro Midi, or big heavy wah, or even my PT-Jr board.
In the past, I have used the following in 4cm: HXFX, Stomp, BOSS MS3, FM3, and FM9. I'm pretty fussy/neurotic with "tone suck" and feel, and out of all those units, the best one was definitely the FM9. All of the other ones affected the sound/feel in some way and led me to move on to other options. (The FM9 just ended up being too big and heavy, while still needing an expression pedal, Suhr Micro MIDI, and power supply added on with it.)
So, currently, the GT-1000 is looking like it's worth a try for these reasons:
- size and form factor
- amp channel-switching relays that don't cause huge hum (unlike entire Helix line), eliminating need for Suhr Micro MIDI, etc
- expression pedal built in (really want a complete all-in-one option)
- I love BOSS drives in real life (SD1, BD2) as well as their chorus
- I've tried basically everything Helix and Fractal already and this could be fun/new
Some questions/concerns:
- I'm truly addicted to Helix/Stomp's Transistor Tape delay: how is the BOSS version?
- how is BOSS Uni-Vibe? Octave-down?
- will BOSS effects in general be boring/underwhelming after using L6 and/or Fractal for so long?
- how versatile are the BOSS switches? Can you change the colours of the LEDs to what you want (my brain thinks in L6 colours, ie. green for delay, blue mod, etc)
- how good is "Pedalboard" mode? I hear it was a later addition? I'm pretty much a simple, stompbox-mode guy, although I do like assigning 2-3 things to a single switch, when needed (ie. amp channel switching to clean + delay and chorus, or clean volume boost + delay). I don't use scenes or snapshots much.
- how good is the looper?
TL;DR: is GT1000 worth a try for 4cm if I've already used Helix/Fractal a lot?
Thanks for any input you can offer.
), but did not like it in 4cm. Also I'm snobby about the GT-100 level effects.
