Christmas is coming, and Branden wants some guitar pedals/effects. I'm not a big-time guitar player or even really really into it, but I do enjoy playing for a bit sometimes and kind of fiddling around. Now, I need you people to help me in finding a good product for me. Basically what I want is something that has quite a few effects for a pretty good price, and preferably that can hook up to a pedal. It definitely needs to have distortion, and then whatever other effects that I can play around with. I don't really know what they are, or what they do, but I think they'd be fun. So help me, dammit. <3 EDIT: what the hell is an Amp Modeler?
If you can afford it, buy a Boss GT8: http://www.music123.com/Boss-GT8-Guitar-Effects-Processor-i155674.music Tons of effects to choose from, comes with 4 programmable effect pedals, an amp control pedal (channel switching), and an expression pedal.
An amp modeler is one of these God-like things that we broke people use to make our little shit amps sound like Marshall stacks. They basically have settings such as Tweed, Botique Clean/OD, Rectifier, etc. that model sounds of different amps. An example: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=guitar/s=effects/search/detail/base_pid/480674/ Then, there are Modeling Amps, which are basically the same thing, only in an amp. Anyway, you most likely won't find everything in one effects processor, but I recommend the Boss GT-8. I have a video review on my Guitar World disc, and it's got some pretty cool stuff.
Yeah, I definitely don't have the funds for that. Would something like this be what I'm looking for? Remember, it doesn't need to be great, it's not like I'm in a band. But would something like that do what I'm looking for?
An RP80 would be a good start if you're just looking for some effects and an expression pedal, my old band's bass player used one and it could do some pretty cool stuff.
In fact, I own the bass "version" of the RP80, and if you want a cheap effects processor with a bunch of sounds to fiddle around on than its definately a good buy IMO. My RP80 had Wah effects, chorus, reverb, octave pedal, a fuzzy distortion channel, a harmonizer, envelope filter (another kind of wah sound) and a lot of other stuff that are pretty good simulations of the actual pedals. There's 99 presets to put whatever effects combinations that you want on. Theres a drum machine there (great for bass players especially)...although only some basic 4/4 beats (about 30) they were a bonus. I was definately able to get out some pretty cool sounds, there's so many different combinations and sounds that its great for someone like me who likes to fiddle around and play with screwy effects. Cons: My only real gripe with the sounds is the fretless sounds on the bass processor. I was disappointed with those as they sounded too rough and distorted compared to the true fretless sound, but not like you'll have that on a guitar RP80! Another problem I have is that it limits your input when you plug it into your amp, or at least thats what happened to mine. I'm gonna talk to the guys at the local guitar store about it but basically what it does is the amp loses all control over the volume and the processor only turns up so far. This is fine when playing on your own or even a guitarist or two but if your playing with a drummer forget about it! But if your playing by yourself its fine! In my band though, I'll probably use it for some effects when we record Well, hopefully my review gave you a bit of insight into the whole thing, if you have any questions, just give me a shout.
Thanks a lot Odaton. I'll probably look into getting that then. Tasta, thank you also. Actually, I do have a question. Why are there three pedals? Like, in the picture, there are three pedals on the contraption. What exactly do they all do? Just three different effects can be loaded on it at a time or something?
Well, the two smaller ones are controls for either the bank of settings, or activating effects, I think, and the large one's an expression pedal for controlling wah, Whammy (Pitch bend), etc.
Listen to this guy. The two smaller ones you tap with your foot to change presets (bank of settings) and you can press both the turn of the presets and use a normal sound, and the larger one is a pedal that you use for wah, whammy, volume, and all that stuff.