MB1 Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 MB1. Are these any good?....your comments please....have seen the Harmony Central user reviews,anyboby get one for Christmas? Martin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YouMa Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Mine was usual great sounding boss quality but was a bugger for sucking tone,i sold it in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziggenpuss Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Had one for a couple of days, a late xmas pressie to myself. It sounds ok so far, much better tone wise than the Zoom B1 I managed to kill somehow but lacking the drum machine the B1 has. The snyth bass patches aren't up to much but you can play around with things and alter them to your liking, not got that far yet, I'm still getting used to it. I did expect better for the price but having said that it does have all the bits I want at the moment- compressor, tuner, wha pedal and an input for CD/MP3 players. I've sent for a lead off e bay so I can plug the lap top into it hopefully and jam along with/learn tracks. Overall it has improved the sound of my crappy Carlsbro 55 amp and I'm having some fun with the fretless/Jaco type patch. A very brief , and cynical, overview of the pre-set tones is that they will give you a pale immitation of: Jaco Marcus Miller Boostsy Flea & Lemmy The main problem I've found with it so far is that each of the 10 patches in the memory mode gives you three different sounds, one assigned to each pedal so if you need to change between patches mid song and the sounds aren't in the same bank you have to: stop playing, bend down and press the up/down button slip a shoe off and press it with your big toe or buy an additional Boss footswitch that allows you to go up and down the patch banks! I may be wrong on that as I've not fully delved into all the ins and outs so far but that's how it seems to me at this stage. It's nice and sturdy (metal case) and I was seduced by the fact that it's a well known brand so should (fingers crossed) be reliable after the dissapointment with the Zoom. Sorry it's not an in-depth review, just my first impressions really but I think once I've figured out how to edit/store& recall the patches it has the potential to be a useable and versatile tool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Cooke Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 (edited) [quote name='ziggenpuss' post='369426' date='Jan 3 2009, 05:44 PM']The main problem I've found with it so far is that each of the 10 patches in the memory mode gives you three different sounds, one assigned to each pedal so if you need to change between patches mid song and the sounds aren't in the same bank you have to: stop playing, bend down and press the up/down button slip a shoe off and press it with your big toe or buy an additional Boss footswitch that allows you to go up and down the patch banks![/quote] got mine second hand some months ago... overall, the sounds are very good, the slap patch is excellent, even I can sound good with it using flatwounds... as above though, changing banks is a real PITA... can be done just using the footswitches provided you've already selected memory mode, but takes several seconds of holding footswitch 3 so it goes into bank change mode, then you've got to podge footswitch 1 or 2 several times to get to the right bank and then you've got to hold footswitch 3 again for a couple of seconds to get out of switching mode and then select the patch in the bank... thing that annoys me is it doesn't come back up as you last had it when the power gets interrupted... it comes back up in editing mode with patch 1 bank 1 selected & you have to put it back into memory mode and manually select the correct bank & patch... My Zoom B2.1U always comes back up in the patch I was last using. Edited January 3, 2009 by Paul Cooke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass Culture Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 My wife bought me one for Christmas. I'm a newbie to multi-effects but the guy in the shop recommended the Boss unit over the Zoom B2.1 as he said he thought it was more suitable to use live. I do think it pays dividends to spend some time with the manual before you start tinkering. And then spend more time setting up your own patches. Of the factory presets there's an awful lot that I personally wouldn't use. I don't think the Synth effects are up to much but I've got no personal experience of others to relate that to, just the fact that they are a bit too unsubtle to fit comfortably in anything I'm presently playing. I'm starting to get my head around the use of the unit now and in memory mode - the mode they suggest you put it in for live use - one of the pedals is 'active' at all times, so you can't have it without a patch being in use, a dry signal in other words. Unless I'm missing something, which is a distinct possibility as, as I mentioned, I am very much a newbie with multi-effects. A patch can consist of no more tham EQ settings though so it seems to me that, during the same song, unless you engage in some VERY nifty footwork, you can swap between no more than three patches - one per pedal. This is fine for me as I wouldn't expect to need any more than that and swapping banks between songs only seems to take a few seconds and a patch itself can obviously be made up of more than one 'effect'. There may be others though who might find this not enough. For me I'm really enjoying using the pedal a lot but I can see me setting up no more than about two or three banks of patches which I'll use live with my covers band. If I start playing more original stuff I think Imay end using a few more than that though. In short, I think it's great! Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earbrass Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 There's a video overview of this pedal at [url="http://www.bassplayer.tv/"]http://www.bassplayer.tv/[/url] Select Basses & Gear from list in left hand pane, then select "Multi FX Pedals" from same place: you'll see a list of compared multi FX pedals, including the Boss ME-20B Cheers, E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziggenpuss Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 [quote name='Earbrass' post='372194' date='Jan 6 2009, 05:07 PM']There's a video overview of this pedal at [url="http://www.bassplayer.tv/"]http://www.bassplayer.tv/[/url] Select Basses & Gear from list in left hand pane, then select "Multi FX Pedals" from same place: you'll see a list of compared multi FX pedals, including the Boss ME-20B Cheers, E[/quote] That video is much better than the one on the Soundslive site. Wish I'd seen it sooner it would have tipped the balance for me to buy one a bit earlier I think. Still messing around with mine. I've learned how to do the tap dancing bit to switch the patch banks up and down now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonewheelkev Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 (edited) Small world innit!!? Just sold my ME20B last year....used it mainly in rehearsals with an ELP trib band. Very easy to use, and some great sounds...8 banks of 3 available. Only disadvantage I could find was lack of midi connection, so settings could not be saved/displayed. Don't know if other pedals have this feature? Kev Edited January 13, 2009 by tonewheelkev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toasted Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 MB1. - They're alright, but IME not as good as high quality seperate pedals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shonks Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 (edited) [quote name='Toasted' timestamp='1231847237' post='378818'] MB1. - They're alright, but IME not as good as high quality seperate pedals. [/quote]don't agree, I use a compressor(Boss), octavider(MXR), tuner(Ibanez), and Chorus(Boss)and the ME20B does all of them as well if not better and provides a a volume pedal as well, which is a plus - so I'll be getting rid other the other stuff. Had to drag the pedals along in its own case attached to a pedal board and occasionally have to deal with faulty connecters etc. The ME20B fits in my guitar bag and is trouble free, It doesn't effect the basic sound of the bass as so many have moaned about. Totally recommend this big time. Oh yeah...its got lots of other stuff on it that may be good or not....as I said, compression, octavider, tuner , chorus is all I want, and bar the the compressor I could do without any those to be honest. I've played around with some of the other bits on it and it all seems cool, but that's just noodling in the front room, however, a bassist doesn't really need much of that kinda stuff in the real world of gigs!! Edited September 18, 2012 by Shonks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oopsdabassist Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Blimey Thread resurrection! but hey ho I'll play, had one for about 5 years, use it all the time, and yes I bought the extra 'bank up/dn' pedal, but I rarely use that. I like the built in tuner, compressor, chorus sound, phaser, octaver is ...ok but I don't get much chance to use it. maybe I'm easily pleased, but it does everything I need, in 1 easy package Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shonks Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 [quote name='Oopsdabassist' timestamp='1347990949' post='1807837'] Blimey Thread resurrection! but hey ho I'll play, had one for about 5 years, use it all the time, and yes I bought the extra 'bank up/dn' pedal, but I rarely use that. I like the built in tuner, compressor, chorus sound, phaser, octaver is ...ok but I don't get much chance to use it. maybe I'm easily pleased, but it does everything I need, in 1 easy package [/quote]exactly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattbass97 Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 My second effects purchase! (first being ehx bass blogger) It was really what got me into effects and left me wanting more as i sold it months later for single effects! But for what the little guy is i say go for it especially if its going to be an introduction to the effects world its a great way to start! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shonks Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 [quote name='Mattbass97' timestamp='1347992987' post='1807866'] My second effects purchase! (first being ehx bass blogger) It was really what got me into effects and left me wanting more as i sold it months later for single effects! But for what the little guy is i say go for it especially if its going to be an introduction to the effects world its a great way to start! [/quote]rubbish - its not for 'starters' or 'amateurs'....its just a good bit of gear! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I'm well annoyed I sold mine a few weeks ago. Bought a Boss GTB-6 which of course is a lot more versatile and in my opinion essential, but I miss the simplicity of the ME20b just for messing about with. Especially as it fits in my gigbag and can run off batteries. Might have to buy another one... Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Only had the ME50-B for 2 days so have only got core sounds out of it. I managed to get a great one configured for a Muse track...it doesn't sound much like the Muse bass but it works for me. It has distortion/OD, with a filter effect added to synth plus a flanger so the bass sounds BIG enough to be noticed which is the whole point, IMO. If I can get this saved and working LIVE then that will be a result. Generally, I think effects can be too cheesey soundwise so therefore limited to single rather than a multi effects units as there will be so many you pay for but never use...but this one sound might be getting close to be worth the money... and it will do the simpler singles well enough as well Have to say, I am not an effects person generally but you just need to put your time in and make sure the sound works across the strings... For example, I find some distortion works great on one string and weak on others....and the top end gets buried across strings but maybe that is me not working thoroughly enough though the patches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Yeah I found the EQ on the ME20b to be quite sensitive and certainly worth a tweak if you're not quite getting the sound you want out of the synths, OD and drives. Another pluse while I'm thinking about it; I love the no frills chorus/delay patch. Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fumps Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 I have had one for about a year now & still love mine loads. I can only echo what has been said before, no thrills & simple to use. But most importantly it sounds reet gud !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shonks Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 [quote name='fumps' timestamp='1348067773' post='1808819'] I have had one for about a year now & still love mine loads. I can only echo what has been said before, no thrills & simple to use. But most importantly it sounds reet gud !!! [/quote]hey! love that avatar!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fumps Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Its a little cranky....i feed it on Absinthe & Disco's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yamahabass Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 I really loved this unit. Especially the limiter, octave, chorus is amazing and also a great auto wah. The only problem is that you can't use autobahn and octave at the same time so I bought an oc-2 so I could get that synth effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattbass97 Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 [quote name='Shonks' timestamp='1347993350' post='1807870'] rubbish - its not for 'starters' or 'amateurs'....its just a good bit of gear! [/quote] i didnt say it was for any specific audience...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shonks Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 [quote name='Mattbass97' timestamp='1348433097' post='1813651'] i didnt say it was for any specific audience...? [/quote]hey - no problem. Its just so many have put this unit down and say its only good ias an introduction to using effects. That is what you said wasn't it. It was remarks like that which put me off from buying one for ages. Specially after trying a Digitech which although was a decent enough bit of gear was noisy and well below what I'd call useful. This unit however is recommended, by me at least! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattbass97 Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 [quote name='Shonks' timestamp='1348465899' post='1813831'] hey - no problem. Its just so many have put this unit down and say its only good ias an introduction to using effects. That is what you said wasn't it. It was remarks like that which put me off from buying one for ages. Specially after trying a Digitech which although was a decent enough bit of gear was noisy and well below what I'd call useful. This unit however is recommended, by me at least! [/quote] Yea I understand, but I also agree in thinking that you could do perfectly fine beyond beginner/introduction with this guy, by introduction to effects I meant that through use ability and such that it is a good place to start quality wise it's not bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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