Why effect pedals are preferred over multi-effect junks

[dubkitty]

yeah, i tend to use the 1x15" on all the small amps

[Gone Fission]

There is so much great rack stuff out there for awesomely shimmered, blurred, warped, or broken tones that it's ridiculous. Judging the whole class based on some cheap junk is like thinking that pedals get no better than [pick a cheap crap pedal brand].

How adapted it is for your workflow is a different matter than its inherent tonal or musical qualities. Yeah, I like knobs and pedal access better. Doesn't mean that I can't get some amazing sounds out of my digital stuff. Learning how to tweak the box, well, lemme ask: how much time do you spend on figuring out pedal order and how to play to sweet spots of your oscillating fuzz?

[Lisa<3]

rfurtkamp, muddfuzz and Gearmond are just a few of the brilliant responses I have read. Still reading though all that people have written. This is very informative and I really appreciate every single response. Thanks guys!

[The Mad Owl]

there's a certain charm to multi-fx units.

i own a very cheap one, and i'm really glad i do! i have effects on the fly and putting multi-fx in a feedback loop can yield some pretty awesome results!

i honestly wouldn't mind getting a mid-priced multi-fx and put it at the end of my guitar rig for last-chance tone colors (and madness)

[madmax1012]

it depends. I've had pedals and I've had multi/fx units. the multi's definitely have their place and are great writing tools. I also hate carrying around 15 pedals. And Multi's are starting to sound pretty accurate. But I still have more fun with regular pedals. they brought me to ILF after all

[Bassus Sanguinis]

I personally don't like multieffect junks because it is too many features. You would have to spend a week trying to get a grip on it. They also can sound a bit cheesy, though I know more recent units are probably pretty good.

So my reasons are:
1. I like knobs more than memory banks.
2. With pedals you hand pick each one, and get only the sounds or voices you use, and want on your board. If you aren't using a sound for a time or a particular gig, you can take it off your board.
3. Multi-effect units have countless sounds I will never use, and I would have to sort through them all to find the ones I do like.


So why are you hooked on pedals?

#2. I have spent enough time messing with multis to know what you can and can't do with them, and the thing is this: when I put together a set of pedals I pick what actually gets the sounds I want and that work best with my instrument and amp. I would LOVE a multi that SOUNDED and RESPONDED like my pedals with presets but the only way to do that STILL at this point would be to rack pedals with midi switchers/patchbays

Much the same as Mudzy already said.

When I started filling in for a guitarist with distorted bass, I spend tried countless hours at guitar shops and rehearsal place trying shit out. I would have actually preferred a compact multi fx solution but I wasn't too happy with the distortion and fuzz sounds, and I felt like the modulation and delay was the very last of my concerns anyway.