Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

This is off topic but cannot find a page to post to that would fit. Sorry.

Anyone have experience with the Vox Tone Lab? I've got a bead on one I may pick up. I typically walk away from pedals and effects and plug straight in to a tube twin reverb combo, but I seem to recall good reports on this one?

If you folks are out there... How is it used? I am guessing through an amp head, set to neutral, then to cabinet, or straight to board? And, I am guessing you'd want the most vanilla amp (solid state) you can get so you don't color the effects?

Any heads up appreciated.

Thanks,

JKC

I've used one for almost three years (well, I've actually used two... bought a second while one was being fixed under warranty). I've played probably about 300 gigs with the tonelab, so I think I can offer some pretty fair observations!

The Bad:
1. Does not like outside gigs. If you do play outdoors, cover it with a towel or something when you're not actively using it.
2. It cannot be bypassed- you can never use your amp alone and then engage the pedal.
3. Many of the sounds are well, not great. I've never found overdrives or distortion settings that are as good as a Line 6 Distortion modeller to name but one.

The Good:
1. It WORKS. Yeah. I did have the first one 'lock' on one patch but they fixed it and no problem. I have gigged a lot and it's been utterly dependable.
2. A very sensible layout. I am not a technical guy but it is easy to program.
3. Too damn practical. I have patches for several guitars built in so no desperate volume shifts between my 6 and 12, there's compression for the 12, a tuner built in that works... I use continuously about eight to ten different patches for most gigs. One pedal. Plug it in. Done!
4. If your amp dies (had this happen once) plug it in to the PA. Doesn't sound great, but at least you're still playing!

Bottom line: for the money, great value for the gigging musician. Doesn't have a lot of great sounds, but has a lot of very good ones and VERY convenient.

I have a Tonelab SE and an ST.

The SE is BIG and can be a PITA on a small stage. The ST is perfect in that regard... smaller footprint than an A4 sheet of paper.

Some of the sounds are garbage but there are enough good ones to outweigh that.

I bought the ST as a backup to the Korg pedal I normally use (it started intermittently emitting a squealing noise) and I tend to use it at rehearsals and jam sessions. Also, you can bypass the effects by going into tuner mode.

All in all a neat little unit and in my opinion far superior to the low to middle range Boss and Zoom multi effect pedals.

Thanks for the honest feedback, Guys.

This one is an older one... Not sure of the model or make. I may just stick with my current set up. I play rhythm (straight into the amp) and this may not be for me. Atlanta Craigslist if anyone here is interested.

Take it easy and have a great Sunday. I think I am grilling out some steaks or burgers!

JKC

The older blue desktop model has some decent sounds, but you will really need a Vox proprietary VC4 or VC12 pedal to make full use of all the features. The power cube is also a non-standard affair.

And on that particular model, you can't really turn off the amp modelling.

On the other hand, it's pretty solidly built, and they tend to go for around $120, which is close to the price of a new single effect pedal nowadays.

buchrob wrote:The older blue desktop model has some decent sounds, but you will really need a Vox proprietary VC4 or VC12 pedal to make full use of all the features. The power cube is also a non-standard affair.

Actually you can use any MIDI controller/footboard with the original destop Tonelab. I have used a Behringer BC01010 with great success. Even used a PC to send the patch changes from Sonar software during overdubs.

I use the desktop Tonelab live, depending on the gig. I plug the Tonelab to the effects return on an Egnater Rebel 20 and run through a 1x12 or 2x12 as needed. I still get many compliments and much praise on my tone. The key is to send the TL out signal to the return on an effects loop, and NOT the guitar input on the amp (bypass the guitar amp's pre-amp section and go straight into the power amp). With this very small rig I can get close enough to the tone of the amp I am modeling, that very few audience members can tell the difference. In fact most don't really care if your Marshall model sounds like a real Marshall. Most only care that it sounds really good. And my TL desktop through the effects return of a decent tube amp sounds really good.

I do not use the factory presets. I set the controls the same as I would on the amp I am modeling, then tweak any effects to get the tone I want, as if setting up a regular pedalboard. I also do not try to copy anyone's tone in particular, but tweak until my ears are happy.

Personally, I love the desktop TL. So much that I now own 2 of them ($120CDN off Craigslist). I'll probably pick up a third if the prices stay as low as they are.

Well, stick with this forum long enough and you DO get an education!!!

I will now hang on to my 2 Tonelabs, and go the midi route. But though I'm computer literate, I didn't want to have to program a computer just to adjust the boiling point of the water for my coffee...

Thanks bitzerguy.

Yes you get the amp modelling, but just throw away any effect your current model pre-amp has. Like mentioned above, the whole deal is to have good sound. Not too many folks in the audience complaining that your "brilliance" switch is off mean it literally!!!

Best use for me is thru an Ampeg 150 s/s bass amp with everything flat feeding an 8 x 6" cabinet with horn unless you can get the Tonelab output to the right level to match your "amp-in" socket.

And then your speakers will color everything...