New Zoom Multi FX: the MS-60B+

[la bam]

I've got one of these now. They really are excellent. 

[tauzero]

I know you're all eager to hear this - when your batteries are running flat, the old MS series stopped working (but you could check the battery level). On the Plus series, AFAICS you can't check the battery level but when the batteries run flat, it stops working and the panel flashes twice a second accompanied by a CLACK CLACK CLACK noise, so that's, er, really handy.

[tayste_2000]

Tomorrow I get to plug mine in 😅 been sat taunting me all week

[dave_bass5]

I just got another one of these. 

Last year I was looking for a one pedal solution, and as much as I liked this pedal, it did cut it for me, at the time. Now im going for a 2 box solution. EBS Microbass 3 for preamp and tuner, plus comp, and one external box for everything else. 

This time around im going to use it as a phaser/Chorus/OD (mostly OD) in conjunction with my Microbass 3 for now. I looked at pretty much everything on the market, but couldnt find anything close to this for this task. 

Almost got the ToneX one, but it seems fiddly to go between the above effects without extra work. Same with the GP-5. 

Thought about the HX One but again, seems fiddly. I dont need much, but what little I do want only seems to be in the MS60-B+. 

 

I think the MS60 will also work well for headphone practice, as I will get back the IR/cab sim feature. Maybe at some point I will sell the MB3, but I like the ability to adjust EQ settings with real knobs. 

Edited Wednesday at 22:41 by dave_bass5

[dave_bass5]

On 29/04/2025 at 12:19, tauzero said:

And there's some additional information in the very brief user manual on MIDI mapping other than the PC mapping, and a Zoom interface explorer at https://www.waveformer.net/zoom-explorer/. This could be handy for anyone who wants to build a controller to allow all six effects to be switched on and off without scrolling.

 

For the original MS pedals (MS-70CDR, MS-50G), mapping of MIDI CCs to effect parameters only works smoothly for the first three effect slots. For the remaining three effect slots, changing the effect parameters will trigger a patch reload, which will result in audio being muted for a brief moment.

 

For the MS+ pedals (MS-70CDR+, MS-60B+, MS-50G+) the MIDI CC mapping works for all effect slots.

 

CC    Target
2    Effect 1 on/off
3-14    Effect 1 parameter 1-12
17    Effect 2 on/off
18-29    Effect 2 parameter 1-12
33    Effect 3 on/off
34-45    Effect 3 parameter 1-12
48    Effect 4 on/off
49-60    Effect 4 parameter 1-12
63    Effect 5 on/off
64-75    Effect 5 parameter 1-12
78    Effect 6 on/off
79-90    Effect 6 parameter 1-12
 

Thanks for posting that. When I had my first 60+ last year I wasn't aware/didnt cross my mind I oculus use a midi pedal. what put me off the 60+ is the fiddly way of tuning effects on and off. I already had a Boss FS-1 WL for keyboards and other things, but never thought it could more or less become a pedal board. Can't wait to try that over the weekend. 

I plan on using just one patch. Comp - Chorus - Phaser - OD - Amp (SVT). I'll possibly duplicate this and change the amp to maybe a Fliptop  for more mellow stuff, and possibly change the FX's if needed. The  foot switch only has 3 buttons, but that's perfect as I'll set them for blocks 2-4. 

[dave_bass5]

Oh well, the above plan has gone out of the window, seeing as my footswitch works with everything on the planet other than the MB60B+.

50/50 if ill keep it now. 

[LukeFRC]

7 hours ago, dave_bass5 said:

Oh well, the above plan has gone out of the window, seeing as my footswitch works with everything on the planet other than the MB60B+.

50/50 if ill keep it now. 

Can your midi controller do usb host?

[dave_bass5]

2 hours ago, LukeFRC said:

Can your midi controller do usb host?

No, that’s the thing i didn’t  know i had to have. 

[LukeFRC]

39 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

No, that’s the thing i didn’t  know i had to have. 

Mvave chocolate plus  will do if you want a cheap alternative 

[dave_bass5]

1 hour ago, LukeFRC said:

Mvave chocolate plus  will do if you want a cheap alternative 

Yea, ive been looking at that. I think I would be fine with just using the pedals foot switches at the moment. I am struggling to get it to sound as open as my EBS. Im only using headphones and im sure through a rig it would sound fine, but I cant get away from hearing something like a blanket over everything. Ive tried various EQ adjustments, but it's always there. I'll have to wait until next weekend when I'll be rehearsing and see how it sounds through a rig. It will certainly do the job if I can get past this issue. 

[Woodinblack]

31 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

 but I cant get away from hearing something like a blanket over everything. Ive tried various EQ adjustments, but it's always there. 

 

I have had that with every zoom effects pedal since the B3

[dave_bass5]

13 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

 

I have had that with every zoom effects pedal since the B3

I think sometime its just my mood. Loved it before, now im hearing something else. Same headphones etc. I had the B1Four out during the week and could hear it on that, and it's less pronounced on the 60+, but I just cant get rid of it. 

When im playing along to music it's fine. If I didnt have the EBS sitting next to it (and hadn't spent over £300 on it in July) maybe id be more open to the 60+. 

Definitely going to give it a go with the band before I make any decisions. I was hoping to replace the EBS but I'll have to see. 

[dave_bass5]

6 hours ago, LukeFRC said:

Mvave chocolate plus  will do if you want a cheap alternative 

Do you know if the one that comes with a BT adapter will work? I can get hold of that quickly 

[LukeFRC]

2 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

Do you know if the one that comes with a BT adapter will work? I can get hold of that quickly 

There’s two versions - the original and the plus - both can come with by adapter - the plus version will do midi host. I’ve not actually owned one, @rwillett has…

[dave_bass5]

Thanks. I have a feeling it’s the standard one then. A mate has it and i could borrow it, although it’s a bit of hassle getting it. 

[LukeFRC]

2 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

Thanks. I have a feeling it’s the standard one then. A mate has it and i could borrow it, although it’s a bit of hassle getting it. 

host plus version says "host" above button B  

[dave_bass5]

16 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

host plus version says "host" above button B  

Yeah, thanks. I got him to send me a photos and it doesn’t have that port.

Ive ordered a Plus from AliExpress. Ive gotta give it a go before i send the 60+ back (if i do). Its one of those things that I’ll always think “did it work’ lol.

I can always use it with my keyboards or other things anyway so dont mind too much. 

[rwillett]

Happy to post it for you to try it out. 

[dave_bass5]

10 minutes ago, rwillett said:

Happy to post it for you to try it out. 

Thanks, that’s really kind of you. I’ve already ordered one and looking at what it can do i think I’ll make good use of it even if i dont keep the 60+
 

I’ve alao ordered a Tonex one to try as well. While the 60+ is more what im looking for, i cant help want to see how the Tonex sounds, and with the controller i think it stands a better chance of doing the job. 

Edited 4 hours ago by dave_bass5

[Woodinblack]

I tried the tonex one last night, but tried it after my dwarf (with an amp simulator) into an amp. It was a great sound but a bit too much for what I wanted. On its own it would be great.

I am still tempted to make a small pedalboard, with a tonex one as the amp, and a va5 as the effects, and maybe a synth box. 

Only problem is that ultimately that doesn't give me anything that the ME90B does, which I use in practices now.

[dave_bass5]

1 hour ago, Woodinblack said:

I tried the tonex one last night, but tried it after my dwarf (with an amp simulator) into an amp. It was a great sound but a bit too much for what I wanted. On its own it would be great.

I am still tempted to make a small pedalboard, with a tonex one as the amp, and a va5 as the effects, and maybe a synth box. 

Only problem is that ultimately that doesn't give me anything that the ME90B does, which I use in practices now.

I think we have too much choice. 

I really want a one pedal solution, but a cheap one, and a small one. Originally I was going to keep using my Microbass3, and add a multi FX like the 60+/Tonex one/HX one. That extra pedal would supply all the modulation/OD sounds. Id not need to  run more than one FX at a time so it would be a nice set up. But then, the 60+ and Tonex One also have the amp sims, so in theory I don’t need the MB3, as they can do it all. Only of course there are always going to be something that stops this being a smooth ride.

60+ would be perfect if I  loved the tone. Maybe I'll get used to it. ToneX one is more hassle to use. It seems like id have to keep certain patches in sync as id have to have the amp with one effect, then another patch with amp and a different effect. Any tweaks I do to the amp will need to be propagated across to the other versions. HX one doesn't do amps so it's back to a 2 pedal solution, but it does have my much loved BDDI, and the function to switch between two versions would mean normal and OD sounds are sorted. I could i suppose add a Phaser to that. I know the MB3 doesn't do amps either, but I find the tones it does are great, and having all the knobs available makes it easy to use. 

Edited 3 hours ago by dave_bass5