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Fender Downtown Express multi effects


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Have we covered this already?

New 'multi effects' pedal from Fender looks interesting. Not really a multi effects pedal really, but looks interesting nevertheless. I wonder what the circuits are modelled on. Bassman? Rumble? Price isn't too bad. 

317800-1548159637969.jpg.8222cb9c4a76eb6dce5a0e038f183380.jpg

 

https://www.andertons.co.uk/fender-downtown-express-bass-multi-effect-pedal

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1 minute ago, Daz39 said:

It looks neat - yeah, it's a bit like a Fly Rig in a pedal. Or a more featured preamp.

Think I'd get bored of clicking the options on and off though!

Yeah I'd still want a tuner though. Nice touch with the toggle to reverse OD/Comp order. 

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16 minutes ago, CameronJ said:

I think one of the few things it’s missing is a headphone output and Aux input!

+1 plus it would have been helpful if it had a fixed or variable HPF.

But at this price point it does look appealing. 

Maybe if they sell well Fender may launch an upgrade "big brother" at say £199 with all the features they missed. As @CameronJ says if it had Aux in, headphone out, and HPF it could provide a one stop shop for many pe9.

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6 minutes ago, JohnDaBass said:

Maybe if they sell well Fender may launch an upgrade "big brother" at say £199 with all the features they missed. As @CameronJ says if it had Aux in, headphone out, and HPF it could provide a one stop shop for many pe9.

Or instead of waiting for Fender to play catch up, you could just buy this instead, which pretty much has all the extra goodies you're after and a lot more besides (just sayin' ) :) 

Image result for hotone ampero

 

Edited by Al Krow
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This looks like it's designed as a one stop unit for gigging bassists who don't have the desire to work with sub menus and presets or are terrified of them :)

I bet even the most technophobe of bass players could gig this if handed it 5 minutes before a gig and make it sound decent and have 80% of the sounds/effects they needed on a regular gig It would be interesting to see if Fender expanded or made another version if sales were good. I know they already have the Bronco 40 as a practice modelling type amp if that was your thing - not gigable at 40w but again not designed as a gigging unit. Many of the multi fx users still keep a couple of  specific pedals that they feel the multi's cant match so there comes a point where features for the sake of it becomes a bit moot ime.

Fair play to Fender for taking a punt on the gigging bassist - it's not every pedal for every player but I'd love to be handed one before my gig tonight and hear what it can do.

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Trouble is: do I need another EQ in addition to the one on my bass and my amp? (Not really). Is the compressor going to be any good (and better than a £60 TC Spectracomp)? Drive is very subjective.

 

Edited by Al Krow
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6 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Or instead of waiting for Fender to play catch up, you could just buy this instead, which pretty much has all the extra goodies you're after and a lot more besides (just sayin' ) :) 

Image result for hotone ampero

 

I was looking at that last night - know if it sounds any good? 

9 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Haha - you know our agreed terms of reference. My comments were general ones... 😄 

But specifically tonight, in answer to your Q: effects impacting my signal will be drive, active bass EQ, and a wireless (although I accept that's a performance pedal rather than a sound effect pedal). 

I did have my guitarist asking me when the full board is going to be unleashed last night at rehearsal, lol! He's even considering getting a Helix Stomp, having seen one on my board.

And in relation to your final statement: none of us have any chance of being handed one of these Fender pedals to try out, for free, before our gigs tonight. Enjoy yours; at least neither of us have to sing as well as play tonight! :)

 

Firstly... so you've got a gig set up.... and a full board.... and the full board includes a HX stomp.... but you're not using the stomp in the gig set up yet... but when you do presumably theres a lot of pedals...! (I'm more tempted by the HX stomp than the fender preamp here ) 

secondly just realised I  quoted you twice in one post!

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I guess my other slight gripe is with Fender describing their pedal as a "multi-fx". That's pretty much bollox.

It's just a variation of this (£137 pedal) without an aux in and headphone out, taking up more space on your board for a higher price.

Image result for tc spectradrive

Edited by Al Krow
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8 hours ago, LukeFRC said:

I was looking at that last night - know if it sounds any good? 

Sadly not, other than their spec sheet, as I think they have just been released. However if I hadn't already got a Stomp, I would definitely have wanted to consider this as an upgrade option from my previous Zoom B3n.

Edited by Al Krow
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It'd be safe to say the Stomp and this Fender are two very different devices very likely aimed at people on different stages of their Pedal Quest!

I don't like to make sweeping generalisations but most of us where new to fx we wanted a couple of sounds we could switch in and out as needed before we went full Bootsy/dub step/synth engines. For a noob to effects Fender is recognised brand, the whole  look of the unit is familiar (knobs and foot switches - no menus), not too intimidating and while a little perfunctory for the more tech/effects savvy it's a good workable set of options for the majority of us out doing the pub thing banging out the classics.

I was playing a Stomp last week and its a nice unit. I'm happy with my admittedly minimal board and both the Fender or the Stomp could probably replace what I have but if I was unsure as a person new to fx and the Fender could do the simple stuff well it for £169 over the £400+ Stomp that might be enough. If was looking for the full gamut of fx, needed an interface for my pc/laptop, wanted an IEM type set up etc the Stomp would be the contender.

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If someone new to pedals wants to get a "multi-fx" they should get a Zoom MS-60B or Zoom B3n they don't need to start with a Helix Stomp. Both the Zooms are cheaper than the Fender, do a LOT more and frankly aren't rocket science. I gave my 18 year old relation who's starting on bass an MS-60B. It was his first pedal and it's the one he now won't be without. Downloand the Tonelib software and it's a doddle to edit.

Edited by Al Krow
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2 hours ago, Al Krow said:

I guess my other slight gripe is with Fender describing their pedal as a "multi-fx". That's pretty much bollox.

It's just a variation of this (£137 pedal) without an aux in and headphone out, taking up more space on your board for a higher price.

 

@Al Krowyou are absolutely correct Fender has stretched the "multi effects" term a little. Perhaps they should have used "Preamp". But Fender has simply joined the segment with what they believe is a decent proposition. For us Bass consumers it's another option to the TC Spectra Drive, Mesa Subway Pre & Subway Pre +, etc that are on offer for those who are on the journey of building a suitable flexible pedal board to drive their amp or FRFR rig. More competition in such a segment is always healthy for us bass consumers.

Edited by JohnDaBass
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2 hours ago, Al Krow said:

I guess my other slight gripe is with Fender describing their pedal as a "multi-fx". That's pretty much bollox.

According to my battered old Oxford English dictionary the literal definition of Multi is more than one. While it is often understood to mean loads in terms of multi-fx units that offer dozens or even hundreds of effects, it is still a perfectly apt and reasonable description to this single pedal that offers 3 different effects. Yes, pre-amp would probably have been a term that would have sat well with more us than multi effects, but it is still literally and grammatically correct. 

The argument about cheaper multi-fx doing way more for much less money also applies to things like your beloved future impact too. Just sayin' :P

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4 minutes ago, Osiris said:

According to my battered old Oxford English dictionary the literal definition of Multi is more than one. While it is often understood to mean loads in terms of multi-fx units that offer dozens or even hundreds of effects, it is still a perfectly apt and reasonable description to this single pedal that offers 3 different effects. Yes, pre-amp would probably have been a term that would have sat well with more us than multi effects, but it is still literally and grammatically correct. 

The argument about cheaper multi-fx doing way more for much less money also applies to things like your beloved future impact too. Just sayin' :P

To be fair, @Osiris makes solid points here!

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No doubt he does - and, come on BC'ers, surely Osiris' actual comment should get more "likes" than Cam's approval of the comment? 😂

6 hours ago, Osiris said:

The argument about cheaper multi-fx doing way more for much less money also applies to things like your beloved future impact too. Just sayin' :P

[Aside - on a more serious note if anyone is aware of a multifx that delivers the excellent bass synth that an FI does please do share - there will be more than me genuinely interested to hear. Neither my Zoom MS-60B nor Zoom B3n are even in the same ball park and @HazBeen who has got much more deeply into his Helix than I have yet managed to do with mine assures me he's not managed to create any patches on that, that come close. It's for that reason the FI is still on my board :)]

Edited by Al Krow
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Let’s settle this - firstly it’s marketed as a multi effect not ‘effects’ pedal or ‘fx’ pedal.

An effect pedal is an electronic device that alters  the tone, pitch or sound of an electronic instrument.

Effect as a noun - a change which is a result or consequence of an action or other cause

Effect as a verb - cause (something) to happen; bring about

Multi is always just more than one, even if the options are A and B or A/B/C it would still be a multiple choice question.

What will nearly all bassists use on a gig or any situation to a variable degree - Bass, drive, compression, EQ.

Sounds like it’s a good job done, esp with LED lights to see where your EQ points are at a very reasonable price point.

 

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