I'm looking to get a multi effects pedal to practice with. Also just to mess around with. Not to gig with or perform with in anyway. So I am looking for one unit that can do it all.

The main features I need it to have is a drum machine/drum beat feature and multiple effects to mess with. With a price of $200 or less.

I would like to be able to connect to the PC to record and play with the tones and effects with. But this is no way a must have. Mainly because price is a factor. The units that I have seen that can do that are in the upper end of my price range.

Some of the units I have looked at (but don't know much about) are the Digitech RP series. Such as the RP70/90/155/255/355.

Right now I am leaning towards the RP255 because is does everything I want it to do. But I'd like to hear from people who have or use this model and see what they say about it.

I am open to any other brands units. I just haven't done much research on them.

So what units do you all use? And what would you recommend?

remember, this is only for me to practice with so I'm not looking for a Pro model/ Unless its' in the price range of coarse. I'd like to hear from users of these products. Not just what the local salesman is pushing this week.

_________________
2009 Fender Strat MIM
2002 Squire 20th Aniv. Strat
30 year old Les Paul copy which is currently in the process of being rebuilt.

Well, I'm sure you can imagine that one unit that "does it all" and is priced at the fast low end of all those type of units is not going to be that great in comparison to the better ones.

Most decent units don't put "drum beats" into them, so that's on the novelty end of that range. I'd just forget that idea altogether.

You might want to consider getting a decent unit without the drum machine, possibly a better unit that's used. Get a separate drum beat machine/tuner/whatever.

The Line 6 Pod lines are decent for a lot of different sounds, and do the rest of what you want - minus the drum beats.

Hello scotty, I use to have heaps of pedals and $@!& but now all I have is a reverb unit and equalizer. If I really need some echo delay I lock myself in the bathroom with the portable recorder and go for it........and it works tooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo the madness of Vinny Pop never ends '' Save A Buck and change a life '' a message from Vinny Pop blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa and twaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

I've checked out the Line 6 stuff. And the effects are ok. I have a Line 6 amp and I wish it had better effects built in. That's why I was looking at other brands. I didn't want to end up with just more of the same effects that I'm not really happy with.

I'm not looking for anything to perform with. So lower end is fine by me.

I've never checked into a separate drum machine/beat type unit. I always assumed they were pretty expensive. I think I'll look into that now. That might be a better way to go. Plus I'd bet the drum tracks would be much better quality and more involved.

But since it is for practice only I'd like to keep it as simple as possible as well.

_________________
2009 Fender Strat MIM
2002 Squire 20th Aniv. Strat
30 year old Les Paul copy which is currently in the process of being rebuilt.

Digitech rp90

this is my first venture into effectsa nd I find it an all in one nice little box. cheap, effective and also has drum patterns it can play to jam along with

Hey Vinny, when I need some echo I'll head over to your bathroom!

With my Fiancee and daughter living with me I can't even get 5 minutes alone in my bathroom!

_________________
2009 Fender Strat MIM
2002 Squire 20th Aniv. Strat
30 year old Les Paul copy which is currently in the process of being rebuilt.

As far as effects, without sounding pessimistic you'll just have to experiment by trial/error like everyone else. I've personally never found an all-in-one device. There's a lot of good stuff out there and just when you think you've seen you limits on one specific device, change up how you're using it and you'll find there's more options.

Most players I've read about and met spend years tampering with things and it's always interesting to see what we go through just to achieve the edge we need.

I have a Korg PX5D which I like a lot for recording and a Korg AX3000G for "live" playing.

I find that 12 banks of well tweaked patches covers just about all I need. YMMV?

_________________
Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

I'm backwards...and lazy. I practice with my Twin and a couple of effects- mainly wah and delay. Reverb, tremelo, and gain are built into the amp. I play out with the Pod x3 live (thru the PA) and a powered monitor. It's alot less to lug around (my back is getting old). Most audiences will not know the difference. Of course I do, but I suck it up and my back thanks me.

Of course real musicians have roadies and groupies to wrangle their epuipment...

boss ME 33 pretty descent hehe

_________________
one woman.... many guitars!!!

Well, I got these multi effects in seperate casings. Will this work?


By bluesguitar65, shot with C4100Z,C4000Z at 2009-09-11

_________________


http://www.youtube.com/user/gmlasam

My favos are some of the vintage DODs and the Digitech Hardwire series, Barber, Ibanez, EH are all a blast.

I used to use several pedals. Now I use a Digitech GNX4 which I like a lot. This is a modeler that you can configure onboard or with software on a computer via USB. It also has an onboard 8-track recorder. You can also record to a computer via USB using the included ProTracks software.

The versatility for this workstation is endless.

_________________
Calling an illegal alien an undocumented immigrant is like calling a drug dealer an undocumented pharmicist.

I can recommend the Zoom G2 and it's variants, especially for home use. The G2 has drum patterns on board and you can play with some basic modelling too. Best of all - it's very cheap but certainly sounds better than it's priced.

I just got an RP 255 and have not had the chance to gig with it, but I can tell you that it has it's plusses and minuses. Plusses are the fact that you can tweak the settings and create your own sounds right from your laptop, plugging in to the USB interface. there is a button that lets you optimize output for either headphones of amp. The number of presets means you'll never run out of space. you can also save settings to your laptop, and recall them later. the 20 second loop with overdub is a great plus as well.

You can also name the effects and order them from the laptop so if I am playing one song and go immediately to the next in the set, it is a simple toe tap to get the effect for the next song.

the minuses are that the expression pedal is somewhat inconsistant (at least mine is) and there is alot of noise if you have your amp plugged in and the USB interface at the same time. finding the bypass can be tricky at times and on stage, it would be nice if the tuning LED's were a bit bigger, sepecially in bright sunlight.

on the whole, I DO like the pedal, it is a good addition to my pedalboard.

good luck on whatever you decide.