Re: [Harp-L] Multi-Effects for (Electric) Harmonica

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

 Isaac Ullah wrote:
<With the G3, your "patches" are just preselected combinations of the three effects you want assigned to these <controls, and what the default settings for each effect will be when you flick to that patch. IMO that would <seem to give you a lot more flexibility to tweak on the fly and to use the unit more like a real pedal board <during performances,
< which is a lot more handy than the way most other multifx units are laid out (at the same price point), <including the digitechs (which I do love). The main draw back to the digitech style is that your patches are <pretty much static combos of effects, which makes them work differently on stage than a regular pedal board <does.

I don't understand the meaning of "static combos of effects" as a difference between the Digitechs and anything else--almost all amp modelers, except the next-gen Digitechs that are based on the iPad, give you a particular set of FX that can be chained in a given order.  Once you've set up a patch on the G3, that's what you've got--a set of FX chained in a particular order.  How is that different from any other multiFX device?

The Digitechs from the RP255 up also give you an expression pedal, which is the single most important thing for tweaking effects on the fly.  So far as I know, the digitechs are the only devices that offer an expression pedal as standard equipment on a device that sells for less than $150.  And if you're planning to reach down to tweak your effects manually while you play, you can certainly do that on the Digitechs.  But it's a lot easier to set up the sounds you want beforehand and then go to those sounds in performance.

<The G3's looper is MUCH better than those on the digitechs, and you can power the G3 by batteries (you can't <even hack a digitech to be powered via an external battery because they require 12v AC power!). Both of those <things are necessities for me, since I mainly play out in the street as a busker. Yeah, it is a bummer that you <HAVE to add on a continuous control pedal if you want to use any of those kind of effects, but at least you CAN <do so. And if you've got a passive volume control already, then you are in business!

Agreed that it would be nice to be able to run the Digitechs on batteries.  A volume control and an expression pedal are two different things.  The Digitech expression pedal can be used to control volume, but it can also be used to control any other aspect of any effect you're using.  

But in the end, it's all about the way the thing sounds.  I like the sound of the Digitechs. That's mainly why I use them.  Since none of us has heard the G3, there's really not a lot to talk about there until someone does.

Regards, Richard Hunter

      


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