Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

What are folks' opinions about the various high-level MFX/amp-modeling pedal boards out there? Specifically, I'm looking at various flavors of the Vox ToneLab (VE, SE, etc.) to match up nicely with my 620. There are also well-reviewed models from the usual suspects (Boss, Digitech, Line6, etc.) Just looking to have fun in the house and doing some recording...not really gigging with it. I like the idea of all that sonic flexibility (have other guitars besides the Rick).

Thanks in advance for any opinions.

[This article is what got me thinking about all this lately:
http://forum.thestompbox.net/showthread.php?t=5765 ]

Hi Max - and welcome to the forum from Oz.

I have both a Korg AX1500G and a Vox Tonelab SE. I orginally bought the Korg over both Boss and Digitech because of ease of use and to some extent price.

The Vox came later and hasn't seen much use yet simply because the Korg is always set up and ready to go at home...... it's also far more portable when you're heading off to band practice or gigs. I haven't even bothered to do any programming on it yet - the 48 standard ones pretty much give me what I want. I have to find time to give the Vox a really good going over.

Check out as many of them as you can!

I have both a Valvetronix amp head and cab as well as the Tonelab. I use my 620 with both and can't say enough about either one. They are fantastic, an s programming the Tonelab could not be easier, either by twiddling the knobs or through the usb interface to the computer. With the 620 and the Tonelab I get pretty much anything I need from vintage clean to mid 80's hairmetal tones.

I tried out a Line6, and the Boss but was completely unimpressed. They sounded far too dry and buzzy for my taste. I couldn't quite get the picking dynamics the way I like them. I had to work a whole lot harder to get a Billy Gibbons tone with them than with the Vox products.

It really depends on the tones your looking for. I would go Vox for vintage style tones, maybe the new Digitech if I was into really recent metal tones.

...Dean

VOX Tone Lab if you MUST go multi-effects

I have a Pod and a Line6 amp and while they are good, after going back to tube amps, it is really hard for me to use them anymore. I don't view the Digitech stuff as any better than the Line6, but I haven't had much time with them.

I was non-plussed by the slightly older Boss unit.

The only think that I've played in the last two years that I liked at all was a Vox, but I'm still not a big fan of pedal things.

A slight editorial statement here is that I spent about 25 years looking for the ultimate processor and/or pedal box. I went back to just mostly dealing with naked tube amps and I'm much happier thit way (I also do use "silent cabinets" and attenuators when I need to.)

I'm a BIG Tonelab SE fan. I've had mine for a couple of years and I'm still only scratching the surface, but it's very flexible and totally programmable. (I do wish someone could exactly nail the juicy sound of a Fender outboard tube unit...). It even has a tuning feature.

I think it was me that raved to Aitch about how cool these are, and I think he'll be very pleased with how many things the SE does very well.

Correct, Paul....... you did! The Korg and Tonelab SE have not dissimilar functionality in many respects - especially the effects. I've often wondered whether the Vox incorporates an implementation of Korg's REMS technology.

They absolutely do use REMS technology Howard. That and the tube reactor circuit are what makes the TL so great tonally.

Paul, I have a 'verb patch I am working on from my AD120VTH head that seems pretty good at band volume. I am still tweaking (eq and delay) to get it just right on the desktop TL though. I seem to be able to get close mainly using the reverb and tape delay settings, and very small adjustments. I'd be happy to share the settings.

..Dean

Include me in, Dean?

Oh..... BTW - have you managed to work out any decent 'can' settings?

Oh yeah.... I almost forgot about that myself, Dean! I would love to hear if you've made any headway on the "Jammin' in the Can" song inspired by that crazy thread from a couple of years ago!

No worries Howard. Re: the can settings - actually yes. I found a decent one on my way to the surf sound. Let me translate it to the TL (these are all on the AD120VTH) and email it as well.

Still a "project in the works" Melissa. I had some cool ideas that didn't work out very well. I had hoped to get something out for the Canadian Confluence and the first forum CD but never got there. I'll revisit my notes and the old thread and see what happens...

...Dean

I have had my Tonelab SE for about six months and I was nervous about doing any programming on it because there are so many features. I finally worked up the nerve (and found my midi cables) and plugged it in to my Mac. Sooooo easy. I sat down with our setlist, figured out a couple of sounds to use as a base and just went from there.
I had an old Digitech RP-6 for years, and I always hated the drive/deistortion tones because it was all digital. The SE blows it out of the water.

I have a Line 6 POD XT Live, that I've been pretty happy with. To my ear (lots of time around loud music and jet engines) I've found that most of the amp models are pretty fair approximations, except for one....Vox (wouldn't you know it). I'm just going to have to break down and buy one eventually.....