Well, today is the day. It's officially Black Friday. My name is Daryl, and I'm a gear addict. I prepare myself for Black Friday all year long, making sure I can bag a bargain when the day finally arrives.

Now, when it comes to gear, I'd say my tastes mainly fall under the vintage and traditional category. My main loves are vintage-reissue Gibson guitars and retro-voiced valve combos. That said, with so many multi-effects, digital modellers, and floor units on sale this Black Friday, my head has been turned, and maybe it's time to ditch the cumbersome tube amp in favor of its contemporary digital counterpart.

While my home studio is littered with amps from a '68 reissue Fender Twin to the far more portable Fender Blues Jnr, a monstrous 100W Soldano-inspired head and cab, I always gravitate towards one in particular, my all-time favorite, the Vox AC30. This diamond-clad combo is my go-to gigging companion, and while I love its throaty midrange bark and fierce top-end, I could really do without its back-breaking weight.

Below is a selection of digital modelling units from IK Multimedia, Line 6, Neural DSP, and Boss. These are the models that I'm genuinely considering this Black Friday.

For more deals, be sure to head over to our Black Friday guitar deals live hub, where we're sharing live updates on the best six-string offers around.

What's stopping me buying a multi-effects unit?

At my last show, it really hit me that it was time to make a change. After loading the car up again with two guitars, a handsome mahogany Gibson Explorer and the somewhat less good-looking Gibson Theodore, my downsized pedalboard, and then the AC30, my back was in bits - and the thought of doing it again at the other side was enough to bring me out in a cold sweat.

Now, digital modeling technology has never been better, and the likes of the Line 6 Helix, Fender's Tone Master, or the IK Multimedia TONEX are stunning examples of what is possible in this day and age. So, I know I can easily get a convincing AC tone from a modern floor unit, and its lightweight nature will drastically reduce the effort it takes to load in and out of gigs, but I'm still left wondering if I'll use it to its full potential.

I'm not a massive user of effects. Currently, my board consists of my main heavy overdrive, a lighter gain stage, a boost for solos, an octave pedal for when things get riffy, a harmonic tremolo for some spacey movement, and a wah that I'm guilty of overusing.

My fear with a multi-effects unit is that I won't use half of the effects, amp models, and other fancy features. That said, who says I need to use it all? Surely, a handful of great effects, a seriously convincing amp model, and the added portability are enough to make the unit a well-worth investment. I guess there's only one way to find out... I'm going to have to buy one and try it live.

For more Black Friday discounts, be sure to keep it locked to our Black Friday guitar deals page, where we'll be showcasing the very best deals from across the internet.

Shop more Black Friday sales

• Amazon: Black Friday instrument deals
• B&H Photo: Black Friday pro audio deals
• Fender store: Player II Strat, lowest price ever
• Guitar Center: Up to 40% Black Friday sale
• Guitar Tricks: $899 $99 annual sub
• IK Multimedia: Up to $300 off Tonex hardware
• Musician's Friend: Black Friday 50% sale
• Reverb: Epic Black Friday sale
• Sweetwater: Up to 80% off Black Friday sale
• Universal Audio: Major UAD software bundles
• Waves: Huge plugin bundle deals up to 95% off

What is it?

You’re probably already aware, but the gear industry has been on a push in recent years to make our rigs simultaneously more convenient and more powerful with preamp pedals, direct solutions and FRFR cabs.

The Darkglass Anagram is the brand’s step, or rather leap in this direction - a premium unit that wears multiple hats, enabling it to straddle the transition between home practice and recording use, as well as offering an on-stage solution.

Part multi-FX, part preamp, amp/direct solution, it’s eying up its place as the centerpiece of your rig with a comprehensive list of effects and amp modeling, dozens of cabinet options, flexible audio routing and outputs, a USB audio interface, looper, 7-inch color touchscreen and more.

All of this is fueled by a six-core processing engine and squeezed into a compact, but not cramped housing measuring 210mm x 105mm x 62mm.

Specs

• Launch price: $1,199/£907
• Type: Bass amp modeler/multi-fx
• Controls: 6x rotary controls (assignable), 3x footswitches, 7-inch touch color screen
• Features: Preamps (4), amps (4) bass cabs (39), guitar cabs (6) effects blocks (39 inc. distortion, EQ/filter/dynamics, modulation/pitch, delay/reverb, utility, Neural Amp Model compatiblity, looper, tuner, audio interface
• Connectivity: Input, outputs 1&2 (XLR), outputs 3&4 (1/4-inch jack), FX loop headphones (mini-jack) MIDI in/out (mini-jack), USB C
• Bypass: True bypass
• Power: 9-12v DC, 2A
• Dimensions: 210mmx105mmx62mm
• Weight: 815g/1.8lbs
• Contact: Darkglass

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★½

The first thing you'll notice when unboxing the Anagram is that it comes equipped with a lightweight, but shell-style fabric-covered case. While this might not survive the precarious rigors of heavy touring, it's more than capable of protecting it in normal transit, and a welcome inclusion that will house the Anagram and its power supply neatly.

Removing the Anagram from its cocoon, I'm met with an impressively sturdy build quality. All Apple-like crisp, clean and slick aluminum that reassuringly shouts 'premium'.

The sockets on the back remain rigid when plugging or removing cables, and the six rotary controls feel substantial and wobble-free, further reinforcing confidence that this unit is built to withstand life in a number of different situations.

One of the big draws with the Anagram is its touchscreen. However, it's a potential blessing and a curse, because while it offers hands-on control for a lot of functionality, there's also the risk (as with any screen) of damage from dropped objects or clumsy movement of stage furniture.

There's nothing to suggest that the screen is particularly vulnerable, but to break it would render the Anagram fairly incapacitated. So, it's worth keeping that in mind if you or your bandmates are prone to mid-gig accidents.

Usability

Usability rating: ★★★★½

When plugging the Anagram in for the first time, I’m met with an on-screen notification pointing out that a firmware update is available for the Anagram. This is loaded-in by downloading the free Neural Suite software, which is available for Windows, Mac OS, IOS and Android and also serves as a preset editor/manager. It’s all very quick and straightforward, and within minutes the box-fresh Anagram is up-to-date.

Anagram has three user modes for displaying your signal chain. Preset, as you’d expect allows you to navigate through the Anagram’s banks using the footswitches to jump between completely different setups.

In Stomp mode, the Anagram is configured as a collection of individual stompbox modules – more like a traditional pedalboard, and finally there’s Scene mode. The latter allows you to recall variations on a preset using the existing processing blocks within that preset. So, for example, if you wanted to switch multiple effects in or out simultaneously for different sections of a song, while also tweaking individual settings you can create a Scene. In this mode, you’ll get seamless switching between sounds using the same signal chain, and won’t need to fill up the user preset banks with multiples of similar sounds.

Of course, as with any unit of this level of power and complexity combined with a compact control layout, there are a few learning curves. However Darkglass has made this as intuitive as possible, getting a whole lot of mileage out of just three footswitches and six rotary controls.

This is helped massively by the inclusion of the colour touchscreen. If you want to see the elements within a preset, you simply swipe across the screen to get a linear view of the chain.

You can move models to a different block by pressing and dragging, and when you want to make changes to an amp or effect, it’s an obvious tap on the block you want to edit, and your parameters are displayed. At this point, the rotary controls take over, which at first seems a little defeatist, but does also remove any clumsy touchscreen mishaps, and allows for more accurate editing.

I did find that sometimes, it was a bit too easy to end up dragging a block when I was intending the swipe across the screen, but after a few days with the Anagram, I got used to the required pressure to stop this from happening so often.

The rotaries are easily assigned too, using the Bindings view. This allows you to create easy-access controls by assigning the footswitches and six rotaries to the most commonly-changed parameters within your sound. This way, if you want to change your overdrive’s gain setting, a filter cutoff frequency, octave level or any other parameter, you can map it to a control.

Cleverly, the Anagram also supports macro Bindings, which allow multiple behaviours at once from the assignment - again, this brings more efficiency from what is a fairly modest control set, however it can become confusing if you create too many complicated Bindings, particularly if you’re jumping between presets often.

Some of the big usability features on the Anagram come from its routing flexibility. There’s an external effects loop, which uses an internal block to interface with the signal processing inside the Anagram.

You can place the effects loop block within your signal chain, giving you the option to incorporate any external pedals or preamps into your presets with ease. Similarly, there are two output busses. So, you can send the signal out of outputs 1 & 2 (XLR sockets) for a balanced connection straight to front-of-house, then say, another output to an external amp or interface.

The only thing it’d be nice to have seen from a performance perspective would be the facility to connect an external footswitch or expression pedal. Yes, you can use a midi controller, but if you already own non-MIDI footswitches, you won’t be able to use them.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★½

If you know anything about Darkglass, you’ll know that it is synonymous with modern, hard-hitting bass sounds. That’s all here, with recreations of some of its best-known overdrives, (Micro Tubes X, Alpha Omicron, Microtubes B3K). There's a solid selection of preamps and amps, too, ranging from emulations of classics from Ampeg, Marshall, Fender, Mesa Boogie, Galien Kruger and more, plus a wealth of cab configurations – complete with multiple mic options – to run them through.

The presets reflect the meat and potatoes approach overall, with plenty of growly, heavy tones accessible straight out of the box. But it’s not all modern bowel-clenchers, Vintage Microtubes and, in particular the Duality Fuzz offer some retro warmth, with the latter pairing extremely well with the pitch and filter effects.

Of the two onboard envelope filters, the Moog-aping mo**erf***r is probably the more responsive, and with the sensitivity, cutoff and resonance set right it’s pretty easy to get rubbery funky warble going. But, I can’t help feeling like Darkglass has put a lot of stock into delay and reverb sounds, where some more adventurous less-traditional synth and filter effects might have been just as welcome.

The time-based selection offers three delays: Delay (digital) Analog and Modulation, along with four stereo reverbs - Room, Plate, Hall and Shimmer. I spent the most time using the Analog and modulation delay models, which are particularly useful for imparting some movement when combined with the pitch effects. Likewise, Shimmer reverb takes things in a more ethereal direction for further experimentation.

With that said, two monophonic and two polyphonic pitch effects (Subcitri and Pitch Shifter) combined with the plethora of overdrive/distortion/fuzz blocks, envelope filtering and modulation (Mint Chocolate Chorus and Flamingo Flanger) serve up the fundamental building blocks of ‘outside the rock’ synthy bass tones. If you want a more traditional wah effect, you’ll likely be reaching for a Crybaby and some patch cables to make use of the effects loop.

The sounds on offer, along with the presets they’re arranged in give an excellent starting point for getting to grips with the Anagram’s navigation and features.

There could be a little more variation straight out of the box, but in Darkglass’s defence, pretty much everything provided is usable rather than the all-too-often ‘weird for weird’s sake’ high-number presets that multi-FX units regularly include.

If you do want to expand the Anagram, you’ll be pleased to hear that Darkglass has included support for the Neural Amp Modeller. Essentially, this allows you to seek out user-generated and third-party ‘models’ of gear by heading to the NAM website, which in turn links to resources for downloading models.

Once you’ve downloaded your desired model, you can load it into a Neural block. Tone3000 is the largest collection, and while there are lots of models on there, it’s a bit of a melting pot of guitar and bass models, however the bass side of this is only likely to grow with the inclusion of the Anagram.

Verdict

There are many reasons to love the Anagram, starting with the fact that it’s a pretty comprehensive set of sounds, aimed at bassists first. This corner of the market has been dominated by the Line 6 HX Stomp, which includes many strengths, but there’s no denying that it was designed with guitar players in mind.

The Anagram flips this on its head to create a well-stocked (for the most part) unit that delivers quality first. Yes, we always want more, and while that’s entirely possible thanks to the flexibility of software upgrades and the integration of Neural’s Amp Plugin user-generation, this review is based in the present.

The most appealing thing about the Anagram is its do-it-all nature. From incredibly high-quality tones and features for practicing on headphones, studio use or as a ‘fly rig’ solution with very few compromises, it delivers.

Guitar World verdict: Quality amps, preamps and gain-providers meet a huge selection of cab options and a solid complement of staple effects. The routing options and connectivity make the Anagram a brilliant all-rounder for practice, recording and live performance.

Also try

Hands-on videos

Scott's Bass Lessons

Deadbeat Studios

Nate Navarro

• Best bass effects

Mooer has continued to develop its Prime line of Intelligent Pedals by launching the M2 – a characteristically futuristic take on the humble multi-effects pedal, which looks to be the firm’s most compact feature-packed Prime stompbox yet.

In a world where the likes of Line 6, Neural DSP and Fender are all hogging the limelight in the multi-effects amp modelling world, Mooer is one of the emerging unsung competitors that has slowly been making waves in its own corner of the market.

The firm has done so over the past few years by drip-feeding its ‘smart’ pedals into the market, from the Prime M1 – one of the smallest multi-effects pedals out there – all the way to the AI-equipped GS1000 floorboard.

Now, the firm has bolstered its arsenal by introducing a spiritual successor to its Prime P1 from 2022, with the Prime M2 promising an absurd amount of tones and functionality from a pedal that looks no bigger than your standard iPhone.

Indeed, the M2 looks more like a smart phone than a conventional effects pedal, with a circular touchscreen display – yes, touchscreen – that telegraphs exactly what function the stompbox is performing at any given moment.

It looks more compact than a Tube Screamer, but despite its humble chassis, the M2 boasts 194 built-in effect models and tonal emulations that can be arranged into the 80 included preset slots.

These tones are divided among “overdrive, preamp simulators, cabinet models, delays, reverbs, modulation” and more, with the M2 also allowing players to use third party IR sample files. A very, very neat function for a pedal this tiny.

But the tonal performance isn’t the only thing that makes the M2 so intriguing. It contains a looper with an 80-minute capacity and 10 recording save slots, as well as a metronome and drum machine that lets you play along to any of the included 56 drum grooves and four metronome varieties.

There’s also a tuner, Bluetooth functionality, MIDI compatibility and a built-in rechargeable lithium battery with six hours of life – so you don’t even need to plug it in when you’re playing – and a USB-C port for direct recording. Two footswitches have also been equipped, which can serve a multitude of functions.

It is, at least on paper, a very powerful and conveniently spec’d bit of kit, and though the tonal performance needs to be heard and felt before judgement can be passed, the Prime M2 enters quite comfortably as one of the smallest, lightest and most feature-packed multi-effects pedal out there.

That touchscreen is what has really got our attention. Usability is key when it comes to advanced signal processing and digital effects pedals, so the decision to implement one here, even on a pedal as small as the M2, is a nice touch.

“The Prime M2 Intelligent Pedal is set to be an impressive new addition to the Prime series,” writes Mooer.

“It features augmented functionality when compared to past models, yet still in a minimalist and easy-to-use package, keeping the size small and light yet still packing in footswitches, a touch screen, and other flexible control systems.

“Combined with the fact that the M2 is powered by a rechargeable battery, it makes for the perfect addition to any traveling electric guitarist’s rig.”

The price for the Prime M2 is yet to be confirmed, but with Prime M1 weighing in at $105, we can't imagine this will be far off that.

Head over to Mooer for more.

What is it?

Judging by the abundance of effects that the TC Electronic Plethora X1 TonePrint Loader makes available to guitarists, it is obvious that TC knows what it means to have a plethora.

Just the same, if having too much of a good thing brings you joy, then TC Electronic’s Plethora will bring much delight with its many desirable and stellar-sounding effects – each offering a wealth of options.

The Plethora X1 is basically a single-effect version of TC’s previous powerful and versatile Plethora X3 and X5 multi-effects units. The X1 provides the equivalent of 15 different TonePrint pedals that can be accessed one at a time, consisting of compression, delay, gate, modulation, pitch shift and reverb (but no overdrive/distortion) effects, each complete with a full range of adjustable parameters.

Three assignable parameter knobs allow adjustments on the fly – just like using a standard pedal – and users can download artist TonePrints or program their own TonePrints in greater detail using free desktop or mobile TonePrint Editor apps.

Usability & Build Quality

The Plethora X1 is housed in the same compact-size pedal enclosure as other TonePrint pedals like the Flashback 2 and Hall of Fame 2 and features the same four-knob control configuration.

It’s sturdy and roadworthy, with a high-quality no-click footswitch, and bulletproof side-mounted stereo ¼-inch input and output jacks. The rear panel houses a 9-volt/250mA minimum power input jack, recessed Connect switch for linking the pedal with a mobile device via Bluetooth and a USB C jack for downloading firmware updates or connecting the pedal to a desktop computer for editing functions.

The pedal’s knobs consist of three assignable parameter controls (A/B/C) and the Board Selector rotary switch with seven detented positions. A mini toggle switch allows users to scroll up or down through TonePrints (such as Hall, Plate, Room, etc. TonePrints for the Hall of Fame 2 Reverb pedal) or secondary footswitch functions accessed by also holding down the footswitch.

Navigating TonePrints, footswitch settings and parameters is fast, easy and intuitive, helped considerably by the color display that packs a ton of info into its small, brightly lit space.

Users can easily customize the performance/functionality of the footswitch. Bypass modes include latching (typical on/off function), momentary (effect is on only when footswitch is held down) and momentary + MASH (effect on when footswitch held down, selected parameter also responds to pressure upon footswitch).

Secondary footswitch modes include MASH (pressure upon footswitch adjusts parameter settings), A/B (toggles between A and B TonePrint slots to access all 15 TonePrints), Tap Tempo (for Flashback 2 delay, Vintage Echo and Pipeline Tap Tremolo effects only) and Ramp (for morphing between Viscous Vibe rate settings). Other settings like Kill-dry on/off and true/buffered bypass are accessible only via the TonePrint Editor app.

Usability and sounds

All of the 15 TonePrints in the Plethora X1 match the sound quality, performance and versatility of their standalone pedal counterparts 100 percent. The reverbs are every bit as lush and three-dimensional; the delays are crisp and organic; and the chorus, phaser, flanger, tremolo and vibe have the same character and depth.

All of the effects are highly useful on their own merits, although perhaps the Sentry Noise Gate seems a little underwhelming due to its “blue collar” tool functionality compared to the whiz-bang nature of things like the reverb and pitch shift/harmony effects. However, if you ever find yourself in a situation where a noise gate is essential, it’s nice to have this effect immediately on hand.

And that truly is the essence of the Plethora X1. It’s more of a chameleon-style effect that can be whatever you want it to be at a moment’s notice (as long as that isn’t overdrive or distortion). If you’re indecisive about the pedals you want in your rig or you may occasionally need a certain effect to temporarily spice up your sound, the Plethora X1 offers a cost-effective way to have it all.

The X1 even makes it easy to switch to a completely different effect in between songs. You could also consider it a demo for other TC TonePrint pedals that can help you decide which dedicated pedals might work best as permanent additions to your rig before you decide.

Verdict

The TC Electronic Plethora X1 provides a true plethora of effects – 15 different TonePrint effects, to be exact, which would cost over $2,000 if you bought each TonePrint pedal separately.

Guitar World verdict: If you’re on a budget but want to explore a full variety of high-quality effects or if you have ever-changing needs for your pedal rig, it offers a great way to get maximum bang for your buck in the effects department.

Specs

Launch price: $179/£159
Type: Multi-effects pedal (one effect at a time)
Controls: A, B, C Parameter control dials, 7-way board selector switch, 2-way toggle switch for loading factory TonePrints accessing secondary footswitch functions and bypass settings, MASH footswitch
Connectivity: 2x 1/4" inputs, 2x 1/4" outputs, Bluetooth, USB, standard pedal size 9 V center negative power input
Bypass: Switchable
Power: 9V DC, 250mA min
Dimensions (W x D x H): 72 x 122 x 50 mm.
Options: None
Contact: TC Electronic

Hands-on videos

TC Electronic

Sweetwater

The Studio Rats

• “Each provides the flavor of the amp they’re modeling. In some cases the range of sounds is extended”: TC Electronic AmpWorx Series review

What is it?

The US brand Fractal Audio is known for its high-end modelling products, notably the Axe-Fx III, packed full of amps, cabs and effects, and its FM9 and FM3 floor processor spin-offs.

Besides those, the company has historically provided effects-only units as a solution for players who don’t need the amp and cab modelling.

Its FX8 eight-footswitch unit was most recently available in the MKII guise but has since been discontinued. And now the effects-only tradition continues with the much more compact VP4.

This four-footswitch ‘Virtual Pedalboard’ offers four simultaneous effects chosen from 400 onboard effects derived from the Axe-Fx III. Fractal says the VP4 is designed to work seamlessly with a traditional amplifier but also excels at providing pre- and/or post-effects with any modeller, so it could easily slot into your rig whatever your working methods.

Usability and sounds

The VP4 has a large coloured display with lettering that’s easy to read from the floor while you’re standing. There’s plenty you can do with just the footswitches, so you might not even need to tweak any knobs once you’ve got it set up to your liking.

As with many other preset-based modelling units, getting it set up in advance is the key to using the VP4. This is reasonably simple to do via the hands-on user interface, or by connecting it to your computer and taking advantage of the excellent VP4-Edit software, which lets you organise your presets and the effects in them. You can also take advantage of Fractal’s official Axe Change site to get hold of other user’s presets.

Connectivity is flexible. The pedal can be run in mono or stereo, and you can use the four-cable method to put effects in front of your amp and some in its effects loop. You can also use the VP4 as a 2×2 24-bit/48kHz audio interface, and there’s robust MIDI capability and provision to connect up to two expression pedals or switches for real-time control of effect settings.

There are 104 presets onboard in 26 (A to Z) banks of four. Each preset can hold four effects, which you can choose from 24 different effects genres – ‘blocks’, in Fractal-speak.

Each block has a range of models (effects types). For example, the Drive block has 63 modelled pedals, while the Reverb block has 78 reverbs. There’s no restriction on which blocks you can have in a preset, so you can have four different ones such as a classic Drive, Modulation, Delay and Reverb setup, or four of the same if you fancy stacking up four drives. The only thing to watch out for is not to eat up all the CPU available, but the VP4 will warn you if that’s the case.

Each of the four effects actually has four channels (A, B, C and D) that, if you choose, you can either load with different models (for your drive effect, say, you could have a boost, overdrive, distortion and fuzz) or perhaps the same model with four different gain settings.

With your chosen effects loaded in a preset, you have several ways to use them by selecting one of the VP4’s Modes (Preset, Scene, Effects, Tuner). You can change modes by pressing footswitches 1 and 2 together and then making your selection via one of the other footswitches, each corresponding to a different mode shown above in the display.

Preset mode lets you gaplessly select the four presets in a bank with the footswitches, with bank changes available by a press-and-hold of footswitches 1 (bank down) or 4 (bank up). Meanwhile, Effect mode is the method most akin to using a conventional set of pedals, whereby the footswitches facilitate standard bypass for each of the four effects.

In this mode, you can also quickly change which channel of any effect you want to use by holding down that effect’s footswitch and selecting your choice. If you don’t want to switch between whole presets, but you need to turn on multiple pedals at once for specific combinations, then Scene mode is the place to be, offering combinations of effects under control of a single footswitch.

Each preset supports four different Scenes and you can store whether an effect is on or off and also its channel, so each Scene could have a different drive model or delay time, for example. Finally, the fourth mode, Tuner, calls up a really well-specified tuner, as expected, plus a tap tempo function.

There’s no need to start from scratch with the VP4 because all the preset banks from A to T are filled with very usefully dialled-in factory presets. However, it’s easy to build a preset and, needless to say, there are loads of parameters available for tweaking each effect to perfection should you wish to dive in.

The unit is full of classy-sounding effects. The Drive models are accurate, eminently playable and cover all dirt flavours. If you prefer to stick with your own favourite hardware dirt pedals then everything else is here as the unit excels at modulation, delay and reverb effects.

There’s also more esoteric stuff such as the pitch effects that include harmonies, atmospheric detuning and a virtual capo so you can play 1st position cowboy chords in other keys. Delay is well sorted with 128 delay types in four different blocks – one just for multi-taps – and there’s lots of variation available in the Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Rotary and Tremolo blocks.

Verdict

With its massive flexibility, the VP4 could be the sole pedalboard with your amp or amp modeller, or employed as a complement to your other pedals.

Some players may embrace tap dancing between presets, Scenes, effects and channels, while others may simply use a single favoured preset for a gig and just switch the individual effects in and out.

Guitar World verdict: The asking price represents a sizable outlay, but we think it’s justified, considering the sheer range of quality effects on offer, along with the practical options in how you use them, all wrapped up in a bulletproof, sensibly sized unit.

Specs

LAUNCH PRICE: $699/£700
ORIGIN: USA
TYPE: Multi-effects pedal
FEATURES: Buffered bypass, tuner, 104 presets, 400+ effects, tap tempo, noise gate and EQ on each preset
CONTROLS: Soft knobs (A, B, C, D), buttons x 6, Footswitches (1, 2, 3, 4)
CONNECTIONS: Standard inputs L (mono) & R, standard outputs L (mono) & R, Pedal 1 & 2, SPDIF In & Out, MIDI In & Out, USB
POWER: Supplied 9V DC adaptor 1300 mA
DIMENSIONS: 252 (w) x 162 (d) x 62mm (h)
CONTACT: Fractal Audio Systems

Hands-on videos

Leon Todd

Ola Englund

Andy Wood

• Fractal Audio Systems Axe-Fx III review

HeadRush Flex Prime 5.0 Firmware Update

As is the way with multi-effects pedals and amp modelers these days, getting free updates is something that players expect, and is crucial in keeping amp simulator pedals competitive in a sphere where there are frequently new releases. The HeadRush Flex Prime 5.0 firmware update certainly made me sit up and take notice, thanks to some very interesting additions to an already pretty great value-for-money bit of kit.

Although we’re dealing with HeadRush Flex Prime today, this update is also available for the full-fledged Flex model, and the smaller Core version. Probably the most interesting addition is a brand new drum machine, which brings sounds from Alesis and BFD drums, two large players in the electronic drum kit and drum VST game.

16 kits sounds, 134 ‘styles’ across 15 genres, alongside footswitchable fills and integration with the Flex Prime’s onboard looper make for an enticing proposition. There’s also a brand new Tidal integration, so you can stream your favorite music in high quality, direct from the unit, great for jamming along to tunes or learning new material.

Of course, there’s also some fresh amp and effects models, with a brand new ReValver amp model, the ON-1, debuting. It’s made up of 3 amp models covering clean, crunch, and lead tones, with matched cab impulse responses. There are two brand new overdrive pedals with Timmy OD providing transparent tones, while the Palace OD adds some vintage-inspired sounds. The pitch shifter has also been enhanced, allowing you to pitch up +1 to +12 semitones, while the DropTune function has had its tracking enhanced and now allows you to drop to -12 semitones.

With my current unit on version 4.0, I set about updating to the newest version of the firmware. The Flex Prime has Wi-Fi connectivity, so you can download it straight to the unit, or if you prefer to do it the old-school way, you can connect the unit to your computer and download the update, which is just shy of 250MB. I choose to do it via Wi-Fi, and the whole process takes no more than a couple of minutes to download and install.

My first port of call is to try out the drum machine, which is accessible via the global menu in the top left corner, or by a long press of the stomp/rig footswitch. The first sound loaded up is a rock kit with a blues beat playing, so I start there with some cowboy chords and a clean-ish patch with some spring reverb on it. I’m immediately impressed by the quality of the drum sounds, and I instantly hear a progression in my head and start playing along to it, which is a great start.

In the drum machine section, you’ve got a few different options to play with, though at first I was confused about why I only had one drum kit sound. After a couple of restarts and double-checking that the firmware had installed correctly, an online search led me to find that these need to be downloaded separately. You only get a single kit sound from the initial firmware installation.

Sticking with the rock kit, the style option allows you to switch between different genres, and there’s an additional modifier to change the style of play, with options like ‘Jackie’, ‘Polar’, and ‘Full’ not making themselves immediately obvious as to what they do. It turns out that these are the beat styles, and various options are available depending on which genre you select. The drum machine menu also allows you to change the intensity and volume of the beat, and there are deeper editing options for changing the overall tonal quality of the kits, like adding more reverb or drive to it.

Much like you would use a looper, the controls for the drum machine are accessed via the three footswitches, which allow you to stop and start, accent certain beats, add fills, and record loops. With only three switches on the Flex Prime, I find these a little limiting, as one of the footswitches is given to changing between three different banks of two settings each. The play/fill and accent controls are on page one, the looper controls on page two, and the stop button on page three.

When I’m combining and looping different sounds on the fly, it means a lot of button presses accessing various menus to change my guitar tone before going back to loop or modify the drum beat. I get used to it after a couple of hours, but if I were going to do that live, I’d opt for the HeadRush Prime, so I could have everything on one screen. It’s great fun for home players once I get the hang of it, though, and I while away a good view hours concocting various riffs and lead licks of questionable quality.

Moving on to the new amps, I’m very impressed with the ON-1 sound. It’s very modern, with a clean, crunch, and lead option available. According to the HeadRush website, it’s an original model of their own, and it sounds very ‘hi-fi’ to my ear, crisp and articulate on the clean and crunch settings, with a lot of cut on the lead channel.

The Timmy OD and Palace OD are inspired by the MXR Timmy and Analogman King of Tone, respectively, and both new models deliver that transparent overdrive that doesn’t color the amp models too much. Admittedly they probably won't be the thing that tips new users towards this unit versus a Boss or Line 6 one, but it's always nice to have new sounds available for the existing user base.

Overall, it’s a brilliant update. The drum machine is absolutely the star of the show here, adding a lot of value, particularly to those players practicing at home. I’ve encountered many less-than-stellar quality drum machines over the years, so it’s refreshing to hear the top-notch sounds the HeadRush Flex Prime is capable of. Add in some extra toys to play with, plus quality of life upgrades, and it makes its reputation as the most underrated amp modeler around right now even more deserved.

Listen to our HeadRush Flex Prime audio demos:

What is it?

Although HeadRush probably isn’t the first name that comes to mind when you're thinking about buying a modern multi-effects pedal, maybe it's time to change your perceptions a little. Quietly building a great reputation for themselves in the sphere, the HeadRush Flex Prime is aiming to show the company can more than compete with the big boys in Boss, Line 6, and Neural DSP.

A seemingly natural competitor to the Boss GX-10 and Line 6’s POD Go, Flex Prime offers plenty of modeled amp and effects tones in a compact chassis. Boasting a touch screen, a looper, gapless preset switching, built-in Wi-Fi, and a cloning (read: capture) system that allows you to capture the sounds of your favorite amps, effects, and even VST plugins.

It’s a heady cocktail of functionality, and on the face of it, it looks as though HeadRush has made a wishlist of all the best features available in multi-effect pedals and crammed them all into one unit. Is it going to be more jack of all trades, master of none though? Time to find out...

Specs

• Launch price: $499/£459/€555
• Type: Multi-effects pedal
• Controls: 3x footswtiches w/color LEDs, 1x expression pedal, 1x 300° main volume knob, 1x 360° navigation/data encoder
• Features: 97 amp models, 109 effects, 82 cab models, 356 IR slots, 5-minute looper, expression pedal, ReValver Amp Cloner software
• Connectivity: Inputs: 1x 1/4" (instrument), 1 x 1/8" (aux in), Outputs: 2 x 1/4" (L/Mono, R), MIDI: 2 x 1/8" TRS Type A (In, Out), USB: 1 x Type B, Headphones: 1 x 1/8", Other: 1 x 1/4" TRS (expression), 2 x 1/4" TRS (FX send, FX return)
• Bypass: N/A
• Power: 12V DC 3A center-positive power supply (included)
• Dimensions: 149.8 x 294.6 x 69.8mm
• Weight: 1.56kg
• Contact: HeadRush

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★★

Coming in more compact than both the POD Go and the Boss GX-10, the Flex Prime feels relatively lightweight, yet durable and rugged in your hands. The front of the unit is a thin sheet of metal with hard plastic back and sides and overall it feels well put together. Although I wasn’t willing to test it for real, you’d hope the touchscreen is made of something very rugged as it dominates the front of the unit. A wayward stomp during a gig could potentially cause some serious damage.

The two knobs to the left of the touchscreen feel nice and sturdy, replicating something of the look of those on a Marshall. I like that the volume knob goes to 11 too. The 360-degree encoder moves in notches for fine-tuning, and you push it down to confirm a selection. Meanwhile, the three footswitches are nice and tall, with a smooth feel minus any loud clicking when you press them in.

The expression pedal on my review model was very stiff, too stiff in fact for fine control when using a wah effect but it is adjustable using a hex wrench. It’s got a skateboard-style grip on the top of it as well which means no slipping at all, even when you’re using it in your socks or barefoot.

The size could be a factor for some though, especially if you’re used to a full-size expression or wah pedal. You just don’t get that same control that you would and for my UK size 9 foot, it was just a little bit too small for my taste. I was never able to get both my heel and the ball of my foot on the pedal at the same time, which made it difficult to get my usual level of control over the wah, volume, and whammy effects.

Usability

Usability rating: ★★★★½

My first test of any multi-effects pedal is how easy it is to use without any prior knowledge, so I always dive into any tests in this particular category without having read the manual. The Flex Prime is definitely one of those you can just get straight to using thanks to the very clear display, and overall it felt intuitive for pretty much everything apart from deeper editing options.

Changing banks requires a press of two footswitches at the same time but with the way they’re positioned it's easy enough to do this even barefoot. If you’ve got tiny feet you might have to start twisting your ankles to do this though. The footswitches aren’t the usual latching type you might expect to see on a guitar pedal, however, which means slight presses when hovering your foot over or a brushed cable can accidentally trigger them. Something you'll need to look out for if you want to take it out on the road.

I was immediately impressed by the seamless switching. There’s no discernible drop in sounds that you get with a lot of units, even the hallowed Quad Cortex, which means you can use multiple rigs for the same song and not have to worry about a slight gap when switching. It also massively opens up the possibilities for your sounds, meaning it is entirely feasible to use a Fender clean tone for your verse arpeggios, a cranked Marshall for your chorus rhythm, and an Engl Powerball model for your solo.

The display is nice and bright even in full daylight and when playing standing up I could just about read the preset text with my glasses on. Each preset has two modes, usually a rhythm and a lead, whilst the third footswitch toggles an extra effect on or off. If you hold the first footswitch down it gives you the option to switch between stomp and rig modes which makes for slightly easier preset switching, although I was happy to keep using the two-footswitch option for this.

Jumping into the editing modes can be done via a hands-free mode accessed by holding in the first footswitch, so you could make your changes just using the footswitches but for me, this was way too convoluted. Instead, when using the touchscreen you can simply double-tap on any of the effects or amps in your chain to jump into a zoomed-in mode that allows for tweaking. If you press and hold on a parameter you can then slide your finger to increase or decrease, which works really well, even if you’re only doing incremental changes.

If you’re not a fan of touchscreens or you don’t want to cover yours in fingerprints, you can also use the encoder knob to select your parameter, push it in to select, and then tweak your settings that way. It does give you a slightly finer control this way, with each notch in the encoder moving the parameter by 1%. Exiting took me a while to work out as it’s a tiny icon on the top left of the screen that isn’t immediately obvious.

Changing up your signal chain can be done by dragging and dropping the blocks, or tapping on an empty block to add something new. It makes it super easy to experiment with sounds, like moving a chorus block from in front of the amp to in between your amp and your cab. The movement of the blocks feels smooth and easy to use, and no different from using a smartphone. I didn’t suffer any lag or jumping around during my tests, although my screen did get absolutely filthy in the process.

Using the looper is again pretty self-explanatory if you’ve used one before, and I really like the loop display which shows you how long you’ve got left until it loops back around again. It’s accessed via a long press of footswitch number two and works similarly to most two-button loopers. There are a lot of deep options too like the ability to move your looper in the signal chain, doubling or having the speed of your loops, reversing playback, adding a metronome, sync tempo, and a myriad of other choices.

The Flex Prime also includes both its own amp cloner software and a copy of ReValver. This means you can capture the sound of your amp and cab, amp alone, or your favorite drive pedals. The process itself is surprisingly simple and took me just a couple of minutes to capture the tone of my Orange Rocker 32 with an SM57 pointed at it. In fact, I spent longer setting up the amp and mic than the actual process of capturing.

With some EQ tweaking of the final product, I was able to get the tone pretty close to my actual amp. Not exact, but close enough that I was happy with it. HeadRush also allows you to create what they call a ‘super clone’. Clones (or captures as they are more commonly known) are just a snapshot of the amp with particular settings, so tweaking these settings doesn’t result in the same response you’d get from your actual amp. With a super clone, you can capture your amp at a variety of different gain levels for example, then blend them into one to allow you to change the gain realistically via the hardware unit.

It’s a cool option to have if you’re that committed to getting a realistic capture of your tube amp, and also opens up some creative options where you could potentially combine different amp tones and sweep through them using the hardware unit. Having tested the Quad Cortex Nano capture process as well, I can say they’re both as simple as each other, and both deliver superb results in relatively little time.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★☆

It’s all good having a million and one options for tweaking, but at the end of the day what’s most important is how it sounds. I use the Positive Grid Spark Live to test my modeled amps at volume with its dual FRFR speakers, and I've had a Quad Cortex, HX Stomp, and Boss GX-10 through the same rig to compare it to.

In a vacuum, the HeadRush Flex Prime sounds are really good. The amps offer a very realistic feel to them whether you’re using a clean tone, mid-gain, or high-gain chugging. It was easy enough to lose myself in the idea that I was just playing in front of an amp rather than a pedal through a speaker.

There was no fizziness that I could detect at higher gain settings and all of the base-level patches have an excellent quality feel to them, although you’ll probably want to tweak some stuff to suit your personal playing style. Amps are very personal but having played essentially all the multi-effects platforms out there right now, HeadRush competes with the big boys here.

The sheer choice is fantastic, and the combination of HeadRush models, ReValver clones, and the ability to create or download 3rd party clones means you won’t be short of amp models to pick from. It’s the same with effects too, and there are some really out-there options like the time-warp pedal, plus loads of synth patches that can turn your guitar into a completely different instrument.

While the amp models are great on their own, when comparing them to other units I've reviewed I found they didn't quite give me the same grin-inducing feel that more high-end modelers have. Comparing it to others in the same price bracket, it definitely holds its own, but if you're looking for the utmost realism in your amp tones, you might find that some of the models in the Flex Prime don't quite nail the dynamic response of their real-life counterparts without significant editing or the addition of 3rd party IRs.

I recently tested the Boss GX-10 for Guitar World, which is a great unit for direct comparison. While I preferred the amp models on the Flex Prime, I found the effects were superior on the Boss GX-10. To my ear, they sounded more high-definition, delivering plenty of 'wow' moments when I tested it. The effects on the Flex Prime are by no means lackluster, but they didn't make me jump out of my seat either.

Verdict

For me, the HeadRush Flex Prime absolutely competes for attention in the crowded multi-effects pedal market. It’s managed to collect all the best features of each of its competitors and place them into one pedal, giving you captures, amp modeling, a looper, plenty of DSP power, signal flexibility, plenty of connectivity, and an expression pedal into an easy-to-use, compact, and durable feeling unit.

There are some small issues for me, like the sensitivity of the footswitches which is too much, and the touchscreen and menu navigation can be a bit fiddly too. I can see the touchscreen-heavy functionality putting certain users off and without many hardware buttons, you’re left with the rather convoluted hands-free mode with just three footswitches to change your parameters.

Final verdict: The amp and effects models aren’t the best I’ve ever heard, but it’s a solid competitor for both the Boss GX-10 and the Line 6 POD Go in terms of both sounds and particularly functionality. It's also fantastic value for money for what you get, and gives you more features than the comparable Boss and Line 6 units, albeit for slightly more money.

Also try

Hands-on videos

The Pedal Picassos

Andertons

The Studio Rats

Michael W. Westbrook

NAMM 2025: TC Electronic has unveiled the Plethora X1 – the latest addition to its Plethora family of multi-effects pedals, which finds the firm going toe-to-toe once again with Line 6.

The Plethora range is one of the most popular and successful multi-effects lineups on the market. The flagship Plethora X5, for example, received a glowing 4.5 out of 5 star review from Guitarist when it first arrived, as did its sibling, the downsized Plethora X3, which arrived in 2022.

Now, the firm has streamlined its Plethora pedal once again in the form of a single footswitch stompbox that seemingly sets its sights on wrestling Line 6’s HX One for the title of the market’s go-to sole-switch multi-effects unit.

For some context, the Line 6 HX One arrived earlier this year to much fanfare. Upon its release, it made Helix-grade effects more affordable than ever before with a price tag of $299 and, again, promptly received a golden 4.5-star review from Guitarist.

In practice, it offered a huge range of Line 6’s Helix effects in a tiny form factor that could be squeezed into even the busiest of pedalboards.

With that in mind, TC Electronic’s Plethora X1 is a direct competitor to the HX One, offering a suite of the brand’s guitar effects, a seriously simple control layout, stereo inputs and outputs, and that compact form factor.

Through its interface, the Plethora X1 delivers 14 onboard effects, which are divided into two banks of seven ‘Boards’. The pedal comes pre-loaded with some high-profile TC effects, including Hall of Fame 2 Reverb, Flashback 2 Delay, Corona Chorus, Pipeline Tap Tremolo and more.

These can all be accessed through a selector control, and sculpted via three nondescript control knobs that are in charge of the various effects’ parameters. Furthermore, the Plethora X1 can be hooked up to the free TonePrint app via Bluetooth and USC-C, where users can upload more TonePrints (read: presets) as desired.

“The boards and slots are 100% flexible,” says TC Electronic. “If you want 14 different FlashBack 2 Delay TonePrints, simply upload them. The 1” LCD screen will help you keep track of what is loaded at any given time.”

For extra versatility, the true bypass switch serves five functions: a classic on/off, an A/B for switching between two effects, latching, momentary, and TC Electronic’s Mash effects.

Present on previous TC Electronics’, Mash opens “a whole new world of ways to manipulate your effects”, serving different functions depending on the effect. Effectively, it can provide everything from frozen delays to ramping modulation and more.

It looks like a pretty tidy bit of kit, and it will only get better, with TC Electronic promising regular firmware updates that will bring new boards, TonePrints and more.

At $179 from Sweetwater, it really does (at least on paper) represent serious value for money, especially when you consider the HX One costs more than $100 more at $299.

The HX One is more comprehensive (you can scroll through 250 Helix effects on the pedal) and has a second footswitch – but for a one-size-fits-all multi-effects pedal that delivers some classic reverb and delay algorithms, this more affordable approach is sure to win its own fanbase.

The Hall of Fame 2 on its own, for example, is only slightly cheaper at $159. It’s the same story for the Flashback Delay, which will also set you back $159. The Plethora X1 could be a very savvy investment indeed.

Head over to TC Electronic to find out more.

Mooer has taken the magic of its pocket-sized Prime Stomp S1 multi-effects pedal, made it even smaller, and shared its feature-packed fun with the bass community.

The firm’s Prime S1 arrived in March this year, and was billed as one of the smallest and cheapest multi-FX pedals on the market, boasting intelligent features that belied its tiny sizing.

Its successor, the all-new Prime M1, is somehow even smaller, and is a forward-thinking device that aims to go toe-to-toe with other impressive micro gizmos like Neural DSP’s newly-released Nano Cortex, for an absolute fraction of the cost.

The Chinese-based firm, beloved by prog extrovert Devin Townsend, has now offered improved usability with the Prime M1, which comes loaded with 149 high-quality effect models across 10 banks containing four patches.

Of the 149 effects, amplifiers, and cabinets, 20 are specifically curated for bass guitar. The additional features – such as the tuner, 80-second looper, 40 synchronizable drum machines, and 10 metronomes – don't hurt, either.

The M1 is powered by a rechargeable lithium battery so you don't have to worry about packing a 9V supply or an army of batteries into your gig bag. It takes a modern USB-C input and offers five hours of playtime on a two-and-a-half-hour charge.

Even smaller than the S1, it has slimmed down from four to two footswitches, therefore “facilitating a more compact and streamlined design”.

Since it is so small, its screen isn’t much use beyond on-the-fly display purposes, meaning pre-loading the pedal with your preferred presets and tonal wizardry is highly advised.

Each footswitch handles multiple tasks, from browsing preset slots to triggering loop recordings and controlling its modulation effects with tap tempo functionality. Two buttons sit atop its sleek surface and are used for triggering the drum machine and turning the pedal on/off.

A Master Volume dial can be found on the top side of the pedal, alongside input and output jacks, a headphone out, and the USB slot.

Handily, it’s supported by the Mooer Cloud framework for preset saving and sharing, and the Mooer Prime app for more user-friendly tone-sculpting. Devices can easily link to the pedal via Bluetooth, and third-party impulse responses are also welcome up to 512pts.

Pairing its USB-C connectivity with the Prime app can even facilitate on-the-go recording, perfect for when you need to quickly track a riff in the grocery store.

“Weighing up at just 190g and 12cm in length, the Prime M1 facilitates on-the-go guitar practice and performance, for an all-in-one suite for songwriting,” says Mooer.

The Mooer Prime Minimax M1 is available now for $105.

Visit Mooer for the full scoop.

My name is Daryl, and I'm a gear addict. Guitars, amps, pedals, you name it, I have a fascination with them. Now, I'd say my tastes mainly fall under the vintage and traditional category. My main love is vintage reissue Gibson guitars and retro-voiced valve combos. That said, with $150 off the celebrated Line 6 Helix, my head has been turned, and maybe it's time to ditch the cumbersome tube amp in favor of its contemporary digital counterpart.

While my home studio is littered with amps from a '68 reissue Fender Twin, to the far more portable Fender Blues Jnr, a monstrous 100W Soldano-inspired head and cab, I always gravitate towards one in particular, my all-time favorite, the Vox AC30. This diamond-clad combo is my go-to gigging companion, and while I love its throaty midrange bark and fierce top-end, I could really do without its back-breaking weight.

At my last show, it really hit me that it was time to make a change. After loading the car up again with two guitars, a handsome mahogany Gibson Explorer and the somewhat less good-looking Gibson Theodore, my downsized pedalboard, and then the AC30, my back was in bits - and the thought of doing it again at the other side was enough to bring me out in a cold sweat.

Now, digital modeling technology has never been better, and the Helix is a stunning example of what is possible in this day and age. So, I know I can easily get a convincing AC tone from a modern floor unit, and its lightweight nature will drastically reduce the effort it takes to load in and out of gigs, but I'm still left wondering if I'll use it to its full potential.

I'm not a massive user of effects. Currently, my board consists of my main heavy overdrive, a lighter gain stage, a boost for solos, an octave pedal for when things get riffy, a harmonic tremolo for some spacey movement, and a wah that I'm guilty of overusing.  

My fear with a multi-effects unit, like the Line 6 Helix, is that I won't use half of the effects, amp models, and other fancy features. That said, who says I need to use it all? Surely, a handful of great effects, a seriously convincing amp model, and the added portability are enough to make the unit a well-worth investment. I guess there's only one way to find out... I'm going to have to buy one and try it live. Thank God there's $150 slashed off the price!

For more Cyber Weekend discounts, be sure to keep it locked to our Cyber Monday guitar deals page, where we'll be showcasing the very best deals from across the internet. 

Shop more Cyber Monday sales

• Amazon: Guitar gear deals
• Fender store: 50% off guitars
• Guitar Center: Up to 50% off
• Musician's Friend: Up to 60% off sale
• Positive Grid: Save on Spark
• Sweetwater: Save up to 80% on gear
• Waves: Plugins just $19.99

“I don’t have a regular pedalboard. It’s one pedal and, basically, a multifunction deal.

“I like things to be simple and efficient because I want to focus on performing and delivering my song instead of worrying about a tap dance. But I also sing, so maybe I’d have a different attitude if I were only playing guitar.

“Many years ago, I had all these pedals that I liked and a traditional ’board that I combined with a Fender combo, but I wanted them to be easier to use. I went to Home Depot, got a metal box, took the components I liked and put them in that box. I had pedals – reverb, delay and tremolo – and suddenly they all lived together in this metal box, which I rigged up to have plugged into that single Fender amp.

“I showed it to my friend Andrew Barta [inventor of the SansAmp] at Tech 21, and he came up with the very sleek Richie Kotzen RK5 Fly Rig, which I’ve been using since 2013. It’s one giant pedal with five buttons on it, and it contains two-state overdrive, fuzz/distortion, reverb, delay and boost, which also can be a compressor.

“There’s even a button I can press where it turns into a Leslie [rotary speaker effect], where the delay feature becomes the speed of the rotary.

“We’re discussing a new version, but the 2013 version has served me well. Aside from the Fly Rig, I have a wah, too. It’s a standard Dunlop Cry Baby, and it’s got an optic thing where, if you press it, the pedal activates in such a way that it’s immediately focused.”

If I had to choose one pedal for an entire show...

“It would be my two-step overdrive. Without it, I’d sound way too clean because of the [Victory Rk50] amps I use. I need something to saturate my sound, and my overdrive, which covers boost and distortion, really screams.”

• Nomad is out now via BMG.

Mooer is typically associated with cheaper, budget-level guitar pedals, but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth looking into for serious guitarists. For the Amazon Big Deal Days event, Mooer has seen fit to heavily discount a selection of their guitar pedals and accessories, making them even better value for money. There’s not much longer left in the sale so if you’ve been saving for a new addition to your ‘board, it’s well worth a browse.

We’ve had Mooer pedals in our best multi-effects and best budget reverb pedal guides, proof that they’re more than capable of hanging with the more established names in the world of guitar. From individual stomps to multi-effects there’s an excellent selection, but Mooer also does loads of great accessories like guitar wireless systems, desktop guitar amps, and loads more.

We’ve had a look through the sale already and picked out some of our favorites for you. First up, is one of our top picks for budget multi-effects pedals, the Mooer GE200. It’s got a hefty 30% discount taking the price down to just $209.30. That’s a saving just shy of $90 which is incredible value for money. The ability to load your own impulse responses alongside a collection of 70 high-quality effects gives it a feature set that should arguably cost a lot more, making it a very capable multi-effects pedal for relatively little cash.

If you prefer single stompboxes, we highly recommend you check out the Mooer R7 X2 reverb pedal, which packs 14 different algorithms into a compact chassis. A $27.20 discount takes the price down to just above $100, which is seriously cheap for that many reverb sounds. It can cover everything from classic room and spring sounds to more futuristic, ambient reverb tones like shimmer. An infinite hold footswitch means you can have some fun with drones, and the ability to save your presets makes this an ultra-versatile pedalboard addition.

More guitarists are pairing up with the more ‘budget’ brands these days, like Jack White with Donner and in this instance, Devin Townsend with Mooer. The multi-talented guitarist and producer has made a pedal that’s all about sonic experimentation, with two delay channels that feed one another, you can record a loop, and change the order of all the effects or styles whilst it’s still feeding back. It’s got a $66.80 discount on Amazon at the moment, which is 20% off the regular price. For a pedal that’s just been released, it’s excellent value, but it's definitely one for those who like to get weird rather than traditionalists.

Jam Pedals and Greg Koch have combined their technical wizardry for the Koch Ness Monster – an absurd new signature pedal that crams four of the Greek firm’s greatest stompboxes into one multi-effects monster.

The collaboration has brought forth two versions of the pedal. The standard edition weighs in at $790 and contains – in order of its signal path – the Lucydreamer overdrive, Eureka! fuzz, Harmonius Monk tremolo, and the Delay Llama delay pedal.

For $2,190, the souped-up Supreme version more than doubles its pedal offerings. It hides a Wahcko wah, RetroVibe vibrato/chorus, Koch’s signature Gristle King boost/drive, a boost/buffer, Waterfall chorus, and two types of Delay Llama flavors beneath its sparkling orange housing.

It’s easy to bawk at their price tags – $790 for the standard version hardly screams affordable – but it only takes buying around three of the pedals individually to rack up that same outlay.

Moreover, there are some key benefits of the all-in-one Koch Ness Monster. Its tap tempo feature allows the different pedals to synchronize, and the expression pedal on the Supreme edition can be used as more than just a wah.

From controlling the speed of the RetroVibe to the time of the Delay Llama Xtreme and the level of its Boomster boost, such features start to present the pedal in a different light.

As for its double helping of delays – via the Delay Llama MkII and the Xtreme variant – Koch uses the former as a slapback echo and the latter for all his other delay pedal needs.

Koch first met Jam Pedals founder Jannis Anastasakis in 2009, and says had he known their soon-to-blossom relationship would lead to “this glorious, multi-effective doom and destruction,” he would have danced on the spot.

“This creature right here has everything but the kitchen sink,” Koch says. “After many years of using various devices in the Jam Pedals arsenal, we decided 'Lets make a couple of pedals together – one that's lean and mean that has the bare essentials, and one that just has everything.'”

He’s called the streamlined edition a “pared-down, throw-and-go, orange-clad warrior,” while the Supreme comes with a tailored gig bag and optional plexiglass guides with labeled controls.

Both versions are available now, with the standard edition shipping from the end of October. For players wanting the Koch’s kitchen sink design, shipping sadly won’t start until the end of the year.

The Jam Pedals Koch Ness Monster ($790) and the Kochness Monster Supreme ($2,190) are available to order now.

Check out Jam Pedals for more information.

Earlier this year, Jam Pedals revised its Rat-inspired Rattler, adding a raft of fresh advancements to its distortion pedal.

Koch, meanwhile, has recently been treated to another Reverend signature guitar, this time putting his spin on the Stratocaster template.

Kemper has announced not one, but two distinct upgrades for its Profiler Player amp modeler/effects processor, as it looks to take the fight to the compact all-in-one rig competition following the arrival of the Nano Cortex.

Last week, Neural DSP took on the Line 6 HX Stomp, IK Multimedia TONEX and Kemper Player Profiler by unveiling only its second hardware product.

The Nano Cortex, as per its maker, promises “an infinite number of amps and pedals on your pedalboard”, and was positioned as the ultimate ultra-portable rig replacement currently on offer.

Now, Kemper – whose timing may or may not have been influenced by recent developments – has sought to make its own compact amp-and-pedal offering even better than before by unveiling the LVL II and LVL III upgrade packages.

Naturally, these offer varying levels of new features, but the message from Kemper is clear: these updates will supposedly create “the mightiest guitar tone and performance monster per square inch”.

Such verbiage is telling: with the Nano Cortex placing huge emphasis on its tone-for-size superiority, Kemper is clearly swinging back with a statement of its own.

“The Profiler Player is the most powerful package from Kemper in terms of tone per device and size,” says the firm. “Now, the time has come to add some extra gravitas, and increase the impact of the Player’s footprint.”

At the base, LVL II offers “exactly what guitar players wished for”, including all the FX types the Profiler is famous for. That means all the reverbs, delays, pitch shifters, shapers and modulations that can be found on other Kemper products are now available on the Player platform.

There is also the Kemper Driver System, Kemper Fuzz System and a raft of corresponding EQs, as well as the Morphing feature – a neat function that combines two rig settings in a single preset, and allows for 'rig spillover'.

LVL III, though, “is a dream”. This lifts the Player to Profiler Stage league, expanding the humble pedal to accommodate a greater number of rigs. Namely, LVL III offers 125 banks with five rigs each, offering a total amount of 625 rigs from the tiny pedal.

It also offers a Looper (a hugely attractive tool) and Parallel Path routing options.

It’s a very smart move indeed, especially when the timing of the launch is considered. For all its perks, the Nano Cortex was noted for the inflexibility of its signal chain and the fact its effects options are very limited.

By vastly increasing its own effects pool – and combating Neural’s promise of “infinite” amps by bolstering its own rig count to over 600 – Kemper has kindly reminded everyone that they are a serious player in this race, and made its own product even more desirable in face of growing competition.

However, unlike Line 6 and Boss firmware updates, these upgrades from Kemper will both cost you a fair amount: $179 for LVL II and $149 for LVL III. Both can be purchased as a package for $299.

So, while the upgrades look great on paper, it remains to be seen how players will react to the upcharge – and whether it will be enough to tempt players away from rival devices.

Visit Kemper for more.

It’s been over a quarter of a century since Line 6’s unmistakeable red, kidney bean-shaped amp modeller burst onto the scene and kickstarted a tonal revolution, laying foundations for what is today a commonplace alternative to using an amp.

The POD, of course, still exists, even if it’s in the more conventional floorboard format. Line 6’s latest release also falls into the POD family, and while it takes the shape of a stompbox, there are parallels to be drawn with its ancestors.

The POD Express comes loaded with HX-derived amp and effects models – seven amps, seven cabs and 17 effects, distilled into a compact-sized pedal. There’s an on-board looper, a tuner, tap-tempo switch and a USB-C audio interface, plus you can hook up an external expression pedal, two footswitches, or a combination of expression and footswitch using a splitter cable.

The battery power, plastic casing, headphone socket and consumer-style volume wheel suggest this is aimed at headphone practice, but it can also be chained into your rig like any other pedal, or used as your amp simulator into a PA or cab. In short, it’s a Jack of all trades.

That’s well and good, but we’re hardly lacking for solutions when it comes to playing or recording our guitars in 2024, so the proof is in the tonal pudding.

The POD Express works in either Preset mode (you can save 21 of your own) or Manual mode. The first is a good way of getting to grips with some of the capabilities, but the fun starts with building your own sounds.

There’s no display, as such. Instead, everything is centred around the LED segments surrounding the Amp control in the middle. The POD Express is laid out into five sections (Dist, Amp, Mod, Delay and Reverb), and the LED bezel displays the range for whichever control you’re turning at that moment.

The controls serve double-duty when it comes to sound-shaping, with amp gain, three-band EQ and channel volume all accessed by holding down the Alt switch. There’s a lot going on, and the amps sound great, holding up that HX reputation nicely.

The same goes for the effects: deep, rich modulation, analogue flavour to the delays, and very usable, rich-sounding reverbs. In basic operation, everything is simple, but, delving deeper, you’ll find yourself having to memorise several combinations of button-presses.

There’s no doubt that there are a lot of features here, but we can’t ignore products such as the Positive Grid Spark GO and Boss Katana GO, both of which offer ‘smart’ features for practice and sound editing. In fact, a computer or mobile-based editor would make unlocking the POD’s full potential very easy.

That said, the POD Express has the added edge of being able to integrate into our existing rigs, and not everyone wants to get their hands dirty with the details. Ultimately, it’s an excellent all-rounder, even if it’s not quite a master in any single area.

Specs

• PRICE: $179/£199
• TYPE: Amp/Effects modelling pedal
• AMPS: 7 amps with 7 matching cabs (interchangeable)
• EFFECTS: 7
• FEATURES: Tuner, looper, audio interface
• CONNECTIONS: Input, output (L/R), headphones, external footswitch (1x TRS socket), USB C
• POWER: 3X AA or PSU (sold separately)
• DIMENSIONS: [WXHXD] 92 x 56 x 130mm
• CONTACT: Line 6

Universal Audio has expanded its range of UAFX pedal amps with the ANTI 1992 – a high-gain amp emulator inspired by the classic Peavey 5150.

After launching its first-ever hardware effects pedals in 2021, the software specialists then branched out into the world of stompbox-sized guitar amp emulator pedals, debuting the Woodrow ‘55, Dream ‘65 and Ruby ‘63.

It’s been a hugely successful move. Not only did all three receive a near-perfect review from Guitarist, but they were also famously championed by The Edge, whose high-profile switch from traditional tube amps to pedal amps was facilitated by the all three units.

Those three flagship offerings, as well as a fourth entry that arrived last year, were inspired by a quartet of classic amp tones – Fender, Vox and Marshall among them – and now Universal Audio has set its sights on harnessing another world famous amp sound.

“Now with ANTI, we’re giving rock and metal players an authentic emulation of this punishing high gain amp – with the exact mic/speaker pairings and boost/noise gate effects that were responsible for some of the most groundbreaking modern metal tones ever captured,” explains UA’s Senior Product Manager, Tore Mogensen.

Rumored to be inspired by the cranked tones of modded Marshall Plexi, the Peavey 5150 was originally designed as a signature amp model for Eddie Van Halen, and the first units from the early ‘90s arrived with EVH’s initials embossed on the front panel in block letters.

These were later removed and replaced in favor of a script signature alternative, giving way to another 5150 variant that is often seen as the ‘inferior’ 5150 model – despite the fact there is minimal difference between the two.

Regardless, it’s the block version that has been put into Universal’s latest UAFX pedal, which is described as “a complete emulation of the early ‘90s 120-watt tone monster that defined new genres of modern metal”.

Furthermore, UAFX’s dual-engine design promises to deliver “the most authentic emulation of the amp ever placed in a stompbox”.

On the pedal itself, there are two footswitches – one for bypass, one for presets – and three toggles. These access the three onboard cab sim types, the Lead/Crunch/Rhythm channels, and an Alt/Amp/Store switch that access secondary functions.

As for parameters, there are Pre Gain, Presence, Low, Mod and High knobs available, as well as a master output. Secondary functions include control over the built-in noise gate and overdrive, the latter of which is modeled after a Tube Screamer.

Further edits to the pedal’s function and configurations of its presets can be executed via the UAFX mobile app. The factory presets have all been designed by members of Nevermore, Arch Enemy, Tetrarch and The Black Dahlia Murder.

The ANTI 1992 is available now for $399.

Head to Universal Audio to find out more.

Zoom has announced the MS-80IR+ amp sim pedal, the fifth entry in the company’s next-gen MultiStomp series – following sequels to cult classic originals like the MS-50G+ and MS-70CDR+.

Amp and cab sim pedals are becoming increasingly commonplace on guitarists’ pedalboards, but Zoom reckons it has something that sets the MS-80IR+ MultiStomp apart from the pack: Multi-Layer IR.

While most Impulse Responses are recorded with amps and cabinets set at one volume level, Zoom’s own Multi-Layer offerings are captured at three different volumes, which it claims results in a more realistic tone (you can upload your own IRs as well).

The proof of that particular claim is in the testing, of course, but it certainly sounds impressive in the firm’s demo with eternally upbeat Chaka Khan and Wyclef guitarist Kappa Tanabe.

It’s got the numbers, too, with models of 16 classic amps and seven Zoom originals. Each of these can be paired with five types of room ambience and topped off with 12 other effects, including noise gates, EQ and delays. The result, says Zoom, is “the dream amp collection”.

Once you’ve finished honing your sound, it can be saved into 80 patches and navigated using the onboard Cross Key switches or triggered via USB-MIDI.

For live use, stereo ins and outs mean you can split your signal to send one output to an amp, and add an IR to the other for front-of-house.

But Zoom has thought about bedroom players, too, with one output set up for headphones, while the USB-C port also acts as an audio interface.

Other features include the same onboard guitar tuner we’ve seen across the new MultiStomp range, plus Zoom’s iOS Guitar Lab app for editing and downloading patches.

This could be a smart play for Zoom. Assuming the tones live up to the hype, this is among the most versatile compact amp sim and IR pedals on the market. And at $179, it just about undercuts the Boss IR-2 Amp & Cabinet pedal, while offering presets and additional amp types.

The MS-80IR+ MultiStomp is available from September. See Zoom for more.

Neural DSP has unveiled its latest innovation, which the audio specialist says will usher in a completely new age of digital amp modeling and go beyond anything we’ve ever seen before.

2024 has witnessed a boom in the world of boundary-pushing digital amp gear, from Positive Grid’s proprietary Spark AI tone building tech to IK Multimedia’s AI machine modeling TONEX One stompbox.

Now, Neural DSP has thrown its own hat into the ring by unveiling a robot that uses machine learning to deliver “even more precise amplifier modeling”.

Yes, you read that correctly. Neural DSP has announced TINA – a Telemetric Inductive Nodal Actuator data-collection robot that is said to authentically and faithfully model the sonic nuances of a guitar amp at “an unprecedented level”.

There’s a lot to unpack there, but the firm has made its intentions for TINA crystal clear. Neural DSP has pulled no punches in waxing lyrical about the step forward this represents for the modeling world, with TINA promising to deliver “an unparalleled level of precision” that would be physically impossible for human data collectors to match.

“Meet TINA, the first robot capable of modeling amplifiers with unparalleled precision and speed,” says Neural DSP, who adds TINA is “faster, smarter and more accurate than any human”.

So, how does it work? Well, for the purposes of amp modeling, it looks as though TINA – a physical robot – is used to robotically access the entire spectrum of every control’s range by physically connecting with the amp via its actuator arms.

These are then used to sweep through each parameter, whose output is recorded for modeling purposes. From this data, a digital neural network is trained to replicate the behavior of the chosen device.

What’s the benefit of doing it this way? Not only does Neural DSP assert that TINA helps remove human bias and subjectivity, but it also dives deeper in faithfully emulating the microscopic nuances of an amp.

“In the spaces between the markings on an amplifier’s controls – gain, bass, mid, treble, presence, master – there is an entire universe of complex interactions and sonic distinction,” TINA’s creator explains.

“But in trying to digitally emulate that process, even snapshot models of different configurations of those controls cannot translate all of the possible fine-tuned interactive combinations, and managing those million or more combinations would be impossible.”

And that’s where TINA comes in: “By combining robotic data collection with machine learning, Neural DSP can distill the full range of an amp’s continuous control into a single neural network.

“The collected data is always a complete representation of the device and its history; every tube, every transformer, every pot, every ding, and every scratch; anything you can hear and feel will be a part of the data the models are trained on.”

As per TINA’s launch video, the robot has been modeling the amplifiers behind its recent CorOS 3.0.0 Plugin Compatibility, which will see its flagship Quad Cortex multi-effects pedal finally work in tandem with Neural DSP’s various recording plugins.

“TINA is the backbone of our robust and automated modeling pipeline, pushing the boundaries of model fidelity,” notes Aleksi Peussa, Machine Learning Team Lead and Researcher at Neural DSP Technologies. “The collected data provides the ground – truth for the sound and feel of the device. No assumptions, no preferences, no limitations. Purely data.

“The vast amount of data along with advanced machine learning approaches can systematically push model accuracy to unparalleled levels of realism. Our goal is always to create models that are indistinguishable from the real thing, even by experts.”

So, it’s a pretty significant release, and TINA may well serve as a significant milestone in the annals of gear history. Who knows: we may be looking back at this development as a genuine turning point in the trajectory of digital amp modeling.

What is also intriguing is the fact TINA can “digitally replicate analog devices, such as guitar amplifiers”. It's telling that general “analog devices” are mentioned. Could we also see TINA modeling physical pedals? Time will tell.

Visit Neural DSP to found out more about TINA and its CorOS 3.0.0 update.

Mooer has announced the new GE200 Pro – the successor to its $250 “giant killer” GE200, which offers a feast of features we’ve come to expect from next-generation modelers, but at a fraction of the competition’s price.

With so many players making the jump to digital amps, the market has been growing exponentially in recent years. Fender’s Tone Master Pro and Neural DSP’s Quad Cortex are just some of the industry's leaders, but with prices circling the $1,700 mark, cent-conscious alternatives have been growing in prominence, too.

Mooer, then, has been making waves with its more affordable models, with the Prime S1 dubbed “one of the smallest – and cheapest – intelligent multi-effects pedals on the market” in a Guitar World story.

In the case of the GE200 Pro, nearly 300 amp sims and effects, an “intuitive” interface with a 3.5” LED screen, and a looper can all be found. But there’s also a big emphasis on gig- and practice-friendly connectivity thanks to MIDI and Bluetooth compatibility, alongside FX Loop outputs.

Specifically, the 60-second looper can be BPM-synchronized, with a built-in drum machine with 70 patterns and several metronome options also making the cut.

Updated sound design bolsters its 286 combined amps and effects, with 20 slots available for your choice of Mooer’s own-brand IRs and third-party options. This leaves users with “countless chain combinations”.

Effects can be manipulated with an on-board expression pedal, but external alternatives can be used if players prefer a specific hinged stomper. They can also be conducted by tap tempo controls, with fully adjustable Global EQ settings rounding off what Mooer hopes is an affordable and effective all-in-one solution for guitarists.

The pedal's user interface, beamed onto a 3.5” LED screen, aims to make navigating the GE200 Pro's features quick and easy. The Select knob can be rotated or pressed to navigate settings, and there are also quick-access module buttons and preset switches for rapid-fire tone-changing.

The latter feature arrives with gigging in mind, as does the pedal's selection of standard 1/4" input and output jacks, parallel or serial FX loop send and returns, and stereo XLR outputs.

MIDI inputs and outputs are also available, meaning preset changes can be executed in perfect harmony with click tracks, while a 3.5mm headphone output ensures that solo practice features aren’t neglected, either.

Away from the stage, there’s a suite of digital connectivity options including Bluetooth for playing along to backing tracks and beyond, and a USB-C port for linking to Mooer’s cloud app, where downloadable presets can be accessed. This is also how third-party IRs are loaded in.

There are two versions of the GE200 Pro: a standard version, and the GE200 Pro Li, which runs on a long-lasting Lithium-Ion battery, so venues with awful plug counts (we’ve all played one) should no longer an issue.

The Li also features a customizable LED strip light for bonus aesthetic value, and its cosmic expression pedal design is quite the looker, too.

“The GE200 Pro presents itself as a much-anticipated update to the original GE200 while also providing a more affordable alternative to Mooer’s flagship GE1000,” says Mooer.

It adds that its latest GE series addition “improves upon the GE200 with the latest sound design language and features, bringing multi-effects processing to the masses”.

At the time of writing, no price has been confirmed. However, the GE200 is currently available for $250, the GE250 for $382, and the GE300 – which isn’t marketed as affordable – for $660. That should indicate the eventual asking price of the GE200 Pro, which, by comparison, is marketed as affordable.

Head to Mooer to learn more.

Catalinbread has launched a reimagined take on the Alesis Bitrman multi-effects pedal. Dubbed the Bitters, it allows players to create “lush, usable effects or make your sound a digital mess”. 

The Bitters features four knobs, for Distortion, Phaser, Mix, and Dual, while a fifth control activates four sound-mangling effects: Decimator, Bitcrusher, Frequency Modulation, and Ring Modulation. 

The Decimator samples a guitar’s input signal and lowers the sample rate for fizzy, almost otherworldly sounds, and the Ring Modulator delivers “outer space noises” via “a tremolo with an extremely fast modulation”. 

The Bitcrusher reduces the fidelity of the input signal “all the way down to one bit for true digital destruction”, with the Frequency Modulation (sometimes referred to as Pitch Vibrato) essentially warbling the signal for chorus vibes or utter carnage. 

The order of these can be shuffled around for different results, which is why Catalinbread calls its latest invention “a multi-effects pedal on steroids.”  

Alesis released the Bitrman in 2004, aiming its marketing at tabletop musicians and DJs. Part of its ModFX range, it featured what Catalinbread calls “pedestrian effects” – including tremolo, phaser, and flange – but calls its seventh effect, known as ‘Bitters’, “a beast all of its own.”

Its new creation focuses on the beastly signal manipulation that mode offers. However, Catalinbread adds that it has fixed “the original’s shortcomings and trimmed the fat” for a more user-friendly update.

Considering the madness this pedal has under its hood, the Mix dial can help tame its fireworks, and offers a key fix, as its progenitor didn’t have one – it just left players alone in the maelstrom. 

As such, everything from shimmery chorus tones to gnarly bit crushing and alien-like sine-wave phase shifting can reportedly come screaming out of this pedal.  

Just like its leftfield model, the Bitters is said to pair well with synths, drum machines, and DAWs as well as it does electric guitars and basses.  

Catalinbread ended last year with the release of its “most ethereal reverb unit to date” with the Sinkhole. Earlier this year, it chased the golden era of gain tones (ie: the 1970s) with its StarCrash collection of fuzz and overdrive pedals.

The Catalinbread Bitters costs $209.99 and comes with a three-year warranty.

Head to Catalinbread to discover more. 

Boss has issued free new updates for its GT-1000 and GT-1000CORE pedals that look to elevate the performance and functions of the multi-effects amp modelers.

While it’s been officially labeled as ‘Version 4.0’ for the GT-1000, and ‘Version 2.0’ for the GT-1000CORE, the update has introduced wholesale features that are universal across both stompboxes.

It is, notably, the first big update Boss has rolled out for its GT range in quite some time. Aside from December 2023’s Bug Fix update, the last time Boss ushered in a performance update this comprehensive was more than two years ago.

Further still, it’s the first time Boss has expanded on its flagship collection of X-amps, which utilize the innovative 'Multi-Dimensional Processing' technology found in the firm’s X-series effects pedals.

The update, according to Boss, reflects the firm’s “dedication to the continuing development of its flagship-class GT platform”. That dedication is evidenced by three newly developed high-gain amp types that build on Boss’ AIRD and MDP technologies.

'Augmented Impulse Response Dynamics’ looks to reproduce the tone of tube amps in digital form – “from guitar input to speaker output and everything in between,” according to Boss – paying particular attention to dynamic feel and musical responsiveness.

'Multi-Dimensional Processing', meanwhile, takes things even further. It effectively separates an input signal into various frequency constituents, and analyzes each one individually in order to achieve “a higher level of clarity and dynamics”.

To further put MDP into perspective, it was once described by Boss as “the pinnacle of 50 years of engineering”, and is said to deliver “impossible results with conventional technologies”.

These developments have manifested in the form of three new X-amps – X-Ultra, X-Optima and X-Titan – which are joined by six new bass preamps, two new drive effects, a new tuner display mode, and ambiguous “under-the-hood enhancements”.

As for the amps, X-Ultra is a “classic British stack amp modified with a modern multi-stage gain circuit”, which uses MDP to take control of each gain stage’s clipping.

Not only does this look to be a powerful feature for a digital amp modeler, it’s apparently said to offer an “extended dynamic response that’s not possible with traditional analog designs”.

X-Optima and X-Titan recruit MDP in similar ways. The former – which debuts an entirely new gain algorithm – makes the most of its adaptive frequency shaping function, promising to help craft rhythm and lead tones that can cut through the mix.

The latter, said to be “perfect for aggressive metal styles driven by heavy riffs”, meanwhile uses it to separate the string sounds to provide “tight sounds on the low strings” while maintaining “fatness and body” in the high range.

As mentioned, the Version 4.0 and Version 2.0 platforms are completely free, as is usually the case with such updates.

With Line 6 regularly updating its Helix software, Fender rolling out improvements to its burgeoning Tone Master Pro platform, and even Neural DSP beginning to build on its Quad Cortex software, this serves as a welcome – and long-awaited – development from Boss.

Head over to Boss to find out more.

Last summer, Boss overhauled its multi-effects pedal game with the ME-90, which came loaded with the firm’s flagship modeling tech.

Now, the brand has catered to bass guitar players with the purpose-built ME-90B – a low-end reimagining of the retro-styled guitar pedal.

With some bass-specific sounds and a fresh lick of paint to boot, the ME-90B adopts the same throwback aesthetics of its electric guitar pedal counterpart, and retains the key internal upgrades that made the original such a notable release.

What does that mean for the ME-90B? Well, Boss’ AIRD (Augmented Impulse Response Dynamics) technology once again makes the cut. Notably, this is the same tech found in the GT-1000, which replaced the Boss COSM tones in the standard ME-90.

At the time, the switch to AIRD was seen as a significant upgrade for the ME-90, and so it’s no surprise Boss has extended this into the bass realm.

Through AIRD, the ME-90B offers 61 effects optimized for bass, and 10 bass preamps. To tweak this array of tones, the pedal offers eight footswitches, a built-in expression pedal and a legion of parameter-sculpting knobs.

As was noted with the ME-90, the ME-90B might not look the sleekest, and it might be reminiscent of multi-effects from yesteryears, but the vibe has a certain charm, and it certainly appears intuitive to get around.

Pair that no-nonsense operation with robust AIRD tech that promises up-to-date Boss tones and effects, and the ME-90B has all the ingredients of becoming a rather popular pedal indeed.

A whistle-stop tour of what’s on top: there are sections for Preamp/EQ, Modulation, Drive/Synth, Delay/Reverb, Comp/FX1 and Filter/FX2. In each, there is a rotary knob to navigate the catalog on onboard effects, and parameters to tweak them as players see fit. 

Connection-wise, there are jacks for stereo and mono operation, an XLR jack with ground lift for sending a balanced DI signal to a PA, and USB for direct recording in DAWs, as well as a headphone output for quiet jamming.

Like most Boss products, the ME-90B can be hooked up to the firm’s Tone Studio. Here, players can edit tones, swap in amps and effects, organize presets for gigs, and bolster the onboard IRs with three user-supplied alternatives.

At $399, it’s slightly pricier than the ME-90, but still sits at a very competitive price point when compared with other, flashy-looking multi-effects (not to mention the $1,189 AIRD-loaded GT-1000).

To find out more, head over to Boss.

Boss has been busy bolstering its bass arsenal. It has also unveiled its flagship Katana bass head, which aims to change the bass amp game for good.

It was never the sexiest-looking pedalboard addition, but Zoom’s debut MultiStomp multi-effects pedal launched a quiet revolution when it landed way back in 2012. The MS-50G gave guitarists a way to call upon an entire arsenal of effects in one compact unit – ideal for that one song in the set that calls for a flanger or uni-vibe.

A number of spinoffs followed, but it was the MS-70CDR Chorus Delay Reverb that really captured guitarists’ imaginations. With emulations of Strymon’s Ice Delay, Eventide’s Black Hole and a wealth of reverse and spacious reverbs, it quickly became a favorite among ambient and shoegaze players.

To this day, the pedal has an active Reddit community, creating patches to emulate more esoteric boutique pedals with the CDR’s rudimentary signal chains.

So, when Zoom unveiled an updated version of its OG MultiStomp back in October 2023, we hoped and prayed that a new MS-70CDR was on the cards. The seeds were sown at NAMM, but now the MS-70CDR+ is here, and while the look hasn’t changed much, it builds on its predecessor’s legacy in a number of ways – so many, in fact, that Zoom has dubbed it “One small stomp for man… one giant leap for chorus, delays and reverbs”.

Let’s start with the numbers: the MS-70CDR+ boasts 149 effects versus the original’s 86. 43 of these new sounds come under the Chorus banner, but actually include phase, flange, tremolo, vibrato, detuning and pitch-shifting. The 29 delays span reverse and multi-tap offerings to pitch-shifted and oscillating repeats, while there are a whopping 33 reverbs onboard, including spring, plate, hall, arena and shimmer.

Finally, the feature set is rounded out with 44 dynamic/filter options, which includes all the nice-to-have stuff like EQs, compression, noise reduction and, intriguingly, “special effects”.

Up to six effects can be used simultaneously and saved in up to 100 user presets, while new 24-bit conversion and 32-bit processing promise a noticeable increase in sound quality over the original.

In the demo from perpetually upbeat Chaka Khan and Wyclef guitarist Kappa Tanabe, the spring reverb, chorus and delay sound decent enough, but the audio samples on the Zoom website (which are sadly not currently embeddable) showcase some really quite lovely shimmer and hold reverbs, which bodes well for the pedal’s ambient potential.

Besides the expanded range of sounds, Zoom has added additional parameters for each effect, bolstered by the addition of an extra push-button knob. You can now also scroll through effects and patches using the cross-key switches surrounding the bypass footswitch.

We’re not totally sure how easy these would be to hit mid-gig, but it’s a welcome concession to anyone who bemoaned the original’s one-way patch scrolling, so we’re flexing our dainty toe-points in preparation.

But there’s also a way to avoid such tap-dancing routines, as Zoom has added one of MultiStomp fans’ most-requested features: MIDI patch changes are now a possibility via USB (a feature, it should be said, that was excluded from the recent MS-50G+).

Other tweaks include a newly color-coded LCD screen to make it easier to see which effect category you’re scrolling through, while the onboard tuner – accessed by holding the footswitch – makes use of colors to tell you when you’re in tune. Cute. Zoom is also working on a Handy Guitar Lab app for iOS to make patch-building even easier, although that’s not quite ready yet.

Otherwise, the familiar MS-70CDR hallmarks are present and correct: full stereo operation, a metal chassis, and the option of AA battery, USB or 9V power.

It’s been over 10 years since the original MS-70CDR was released, and it is facing increased competition these days – not least from Line 6, whose compact HX One is well-catered for ambient players.

However, Zoom does have two advantages over its rival. One is its smaller, single-footswitch chassis. The other is that temptingly lower price tag, which at $149 is half that of Line 6’s offering (and works out at $1 per effect).

The MS-70CDR+ launches in Q2 2024, and is available to preorder now from Sweetwater.

NAMM 2024: Ever since its arrival back in 2021, Eventide’s ultra-powerful H90 Harmonizer has been at the forefront of the multi-effects pedal market. 

Building upon the precedent set by the pioneering H9 Harmonizer and H9 Max stompboxes, the next-generation unit promptly received rave reviews upon its release – a near-perfect score from Guitarist, no less – and the format has merely improved over the years thanks to its many algorithm expansion packs.

At this year’s NAMM show, Eventide was on hand to demonstrate another all-new effects algorithm, as well as perhaps its biggest functional update to date, which has been heavily requested by loyal Eventide users for quite some time now.

The headline-stealer is a new software upgrade that enables Bluetooth control for the first time, and as such the H90 can now be controlled entirely wirelessly from an iPad. In practice, that means all algorithms, parameters, presets and patches can now be fine-tuned from a smart device without the need of wiring up the H90.

“We have another free update which is Bluetooth support for iPad, so now you can control everything you need to do right on your iPad wirelessly,” Eventide's Patrick Flores said. “That’s been a huge request for us, so we’re pretty stoked about that one.”

The new Bluetooth update is joined by a new, totally free effects patch – PolySynth – which aims to further expand the tonal potential of your rig (while also keeping band personnel costs down).

“A couple of months ago, we released a brand-new algorithm called PolySynth. This is a polyphonic synthesizer you couldn't previously do with any other Eventide product,” Flores explained. ”The cool thing about it is you don't have to hire a keyboard player anymore!”

Guitar World’s Paul Riario – who said he was “blown away” by the H90 upon its release, calling it “one of the most amazing stompboxes out there” – was on hand at the Eventide booth, where he was given an in-depth demo of both new updates.

While at the Eventide booth, Riario was also able to revisit one of his favorite new releases – the Riptide, which he gave a glowing review “because I thought it was pretty spectacular”.

“We put two algorithms into one of these really small boxes: a really, really awesome overdrive and a true emulation of Shin-ei Uni-Vibe,” Flores went on. “It’s a really versatile pedal, especially for those people who just want to play guitar and get a good tone right away, this is the pedal for you.” 

Check out the full clip above and for more information on both the H90 ($899) and Riptide ($299), head over to Eventide.

NAMM 2024: This year’s NAMM show is packed with eye-wateringly beautiful gear and, as ever, much of it carries similarly eye-watering price tags. One of the most pleasant surprises of this year’s show, then, has been the unexpected alliance of Jack White’s uber-cool Third Man Hardware with affordable effects champions Donner. 

The result of the collaboration is a three-in-one multi-effects pedal – the excellently-titled Triple Threat – which is launching at a headline-grabbing street price of $99.

It’s predominantly aimed at the beginner guitar player, but we suspect it will also attract an interesting combination of White fans, tonal bargain hunters and anyone else in the market for a clean, clear analog multi-effects setup that can cause some sonic havoc.

Guitar World’s Paul Riario is on the floor at this year’s NAMM and made a beeline to the Donner booth to check it out – with a little help from Jack White’s trusted guitar tech Dan Mancini.

“For this pedal, we were really excited, and our main thought and concern was to get this out to entry level musicians and guitar players who are just starting out,” explains Mancini, in the clip. 

“You know what it’s like when we were teenagers and you wanted to go mow the lawn or shovel snow and save up to get your first guitar, your first effects pedal. We wanted to be able to do that and get people excited.”

White has reportedly been a fan of Donner’s Alpha FX series (which provides the basis for the unit) since its launch and we note, that its previously-issued black and yellow Cruncher unit practically looks like a Third Man product already. 

“It started out just excited about Donner products and [the sense that] these guys were doing something special here,” says Mancini. 

“[We wanted] to get something at a price point that was manageable for any level of musician. It was great to be able to take what Donner had already started and custom tailor it – and get something that is really exciting for everyone.”

Later, Mancini (armed with a Donner HUSH Series travel electric guitar) is good enough to give us a demo of the unit and, despite offering the caveat that he’s “no shredder”, certainly gets more than a few convincing Jack White-esque tones out of the unit. 

There are some wild combinations on tap, too – particularly once all-three effects are engaged and that crackling distortion base starts to bounce around the phaser and echo.

In addition to the standard black Triple Threat, a limited edition all-yellow variant is also heading to online store Reverb as an exclusive listing.

“We like doing special little runs, just to get people fired up,” says Mancini. “That’s going for $129 – and they’ll be going fast!”

We agree. Check out the full clip above and for more information on the Triple Threat, head to Third Man Hardware.

NAMM 2024: Earlier this month, Jack White teased an imminent collaboration between his pedal company, Third Man Hardware, and budget gear builder, Donner.

A cryptic silhouetted Instagram post hinted that the fruits of their collective efforts would be a stompbox of some sort, though concrete details regarding the elusive effects pedal were practically nonexistent.

That was until now: meet the Triple Threat – a three-in-one analog multi-effects pedal that puts distortion, phaser and echo effects under the roof of one relatively compact chassis.

In hindsight, that the two parties would partner to produce a pedal comes as no surprise – Third Man Hardware is celebrated for its various wild and wacky stompbox collaborations – but the Triple Threat’s price tag is definitely a talking point.

As would be expected from anything with Donner’s name on it, it’s pretty darn affordable: only $99 for a triumvirate of Jack White-approved tones.

Indeed, this makes it the most affordable Third Man Hardware-produced pedal to date, comfortably undercutting the $169 price tag of the Double Down. Heck, even the Reverb exclusive variant – which arrives with a yellow lick of paint – is only $129.

It’s certainly an enticing price point, and one that will no doubt fit well within the reach of the Triple Threat’s target market: beginner guitar players. Sure, strictly speaking it might not be the cheapest entry-level three-fer pedal out there, but it's still less than $100. Plus, how many of its competitors can boast having Jack White in its corner?

In practice, the three effects each get a portion of the pedal’s topography and have their own control sets comprising a sole footswitch and three parameters. Distortion is given Volume, Gain and Tone; Echo offers Level, Feedback and Time; and Phaser has Level, Rate and Depth.

Officially, the Triple Threat project began after White took interest in Donner's Alpha Series of effects from 2017, but the White Stripes legend's desire to build a budget-friendly pedal goes back even further.

“It has been my hope for a while to make an affordable pedal for beginning musicians,” White said in a statement. “When I approached Donner they knew what I was aiming for and we were able to make something very cool that was also not going to break the bank for a beginning musician.

“All three effects: the distortion, phaser and echo are all heavy duty. I was very impressed with them the first time I plugged into the prototype version that Donner had sent. This set of effects is for all kinds of music, all genres. Maybe not opera, though. The Triple Threat will fit very comfortably on my pedalboard.”

After collaborating with MXR, Coppersound, Gamechanger Audio and Mantic Flex for a series of high-end offerings over the past few years, White’s partnership with Donner makes for a surprising, yet very welcome, turn.

Whether this sets a precedent for future collaborations between Third Man Hardware and Donner – or any other budget brand, for that matter – remains to be seen. The thought of some more affordable Jack White effects pedals in the offing makes for a tantalizing thought, though.

As mentioned, two versions of the Triple Threat are available: the standard black-finished variant ($99), and the limited-edition Reverb-exclusive yellow unit ($129).

Head over to Donner and Third Man Hardware to find out more.

To keep up to date with all the new gear releases, head over to our guide to the latest NAMM 2024 news.

NAMM 2024: Neural DSP has finally launched a dedicated desktop controller for its Quad Cortex multi-effects pedal – the Cortex Control.

The Cortex Control brings to a close quite literally years of waiting, after Quad Cortex loyalists had been forced to hold out for a desktop software that would allow them to control their digital rigs on a medium away from the pedal itself.

In this current climate, the main battlefield for the amp sim arms race isn’t concerned with tone. After all, amp and effect modeling technology is so sophisticated nowadays that there’s not much in it between brands.

Instead, it’s the smaller, refined details that make the biggest difference to potential players, with the likes of Fender, Line 6 and Neural DSP all looking to tempt guitarists with unparalleled functionality and usability.

The Tone Master Pro, for example, was heralded for its intuitive interface and control layout, and at the time of its release it was suggested that Fender was “at the head of the pack” because of the way it feels.

But now Neural DSP has sought to tip the scales in its favor with the Cortex Control, described by Dan Davies, the brand’s CMO, as “an important moment in the evolution of the Quad Cortex” and the result of “continued research and development as well as input from our community”.

Admittedly, the arrival of the Cortex Control is long overdue. Though one of the foremost innovators of the amp modeling multi-effects platform, the brand has faced stiff competition in recent years, with the development of the Helix family and, as mentioned, the arrival of the Tone Master Pro.

Notably, these competitors have further expanded on the template, with both Fender and Line 6 offering desktop control for its pedals.

That said, it’s still a significant development for the Quad Cortex. In practice, the Cortex Control “instantaneously” syncs with your Quad operational state, and can be used to tweak parameters, manage files, carry out tasks and load IRs.

In other words, “a fully integrated Cortex Control desktop controller lets you manage every feature and setting of your Quad Cortex”. As a bonus, mouse actions and keyboard shortcuts seek to streamline workflow.

It’s worth noting that Cortex Control has been designed exclusively to, well, control the Quad Cortex, and can’t be used as a plugin like, say, the Line 6 Helix Native. That said, it does have some powerful extras: it can be used to create Neural Captures, and lets users audition devices pretty easily.

The release of the Cortex Control is a clear statement of intent from Neural DSP, which also recently made inroads on another development players have been asking for: namely, Quad Cortex and Archetype plugin compatibility.

Indeed, Neural DSP launched its first-ever Quad Cortex-compatible plugin – the Archetype: Plini X – in October last year.

The Cortex Control is available to download for free now.

Head over to Neural DSP for more info.

When it launched way back in 2012, guitarists underestimated the original Zoom MultiStomp. While the MS-50G had an astonishing array of effects in a compact chassis, the retro LCD screen and interface didn’t exactly scream ‘pedalboard appeal’.

Fast-forward 11 years, and the pedal and its offshoots – most notably the MS-70CDR Chorus Delay Reverb – have become cult classics among experimental guitarists, who prize Zoom’s comprehensive array of conventional and oddball effects and the ways in which they can be combined.

To this day, the pedals have a thriving Reddit community, with threads dedicating to replicating boutique effects and generating ambient tones.

All of which makes Zoom’s announcement of the MS-50G+ – a next-generation successor to the MS-50G, dubbed “the pedal your ’board has been waiting for” – very exciting indeed, particularly in the wake of Line 6’s similarly targeted HX One announcement last week.

Let’s start with the core specs. The MS-50G+ essentially puts the company’s latest G2 Four multi-effects pedal into a compact chassis.

There are over 100 built-in effects and 100 memory patches. Each patch can contain up to six effects, while the pedal also boasts onboard preamp models and Zoom’s proprietary multi-layer IRs.

These are essentially three individual Impulse Responses, captured at different volumes and stacked together to emulate “exact tonal characteristics and feel of playing through classic amps and cabinets at different volumes.”

There’s no full effects list yet, but based on Zoom’s previous form, you can expect the classics… and the unexpected.

Sample effects include the Velvet Drive, which balances the dynamic output between wound and plain strings; SwellVibe, which adds modulation only to your sustained sound; and Geminos, an effect that overdubs the dry signal three times and introduces a random organic texture.

The company’s demo video – which features Chaka Khan and Wyclef guitarist Kappa Tanabe – showcases everything from auto-wah to modulated delay, spring reverb, tri-chorus and a sitar simulation that’s… not hugely convincing. Still, we’ll reserve judgement ’til we’ve played with the thing.

From a practical perspective, Zoom has kept the appearance of the MS-50G+ decidedly retro, but there are some tweaks that should make its myriad effects types easier to navigate.

There’s an additional push-button knob, with clear Add/Delete/Library/Menu labeling, while the pedal’s patch memory and effects chain can be scrolled using the square plastic switches surrounding the central bypass switch.

It remains to be seen whether these buttons will be workable in the heat of a live show, but it goes some way to addressing one of the chief criticisms of the original pedal, which could only navigate patches in one direction using its sole footswitch.

While it’s a little disappointing to see a similar-looking LCD screen on the new pedal, it does change color depending on the effect type selected, which is a neat touch. The onboard tuner utilizes screen color to tell you when you’re in tune, too.

Elsewhere, the MS-50G+ can run from a 9V power supply, two AA batteries or USB power, while it offers a single input and two outputs.

A mobile app, in this case Handy Guitar Lab for MS-50G+, will be available in the near-future to allow for signal chain customization on Apple devices, too.

While we’d be lying if we said it doesn’t look a little dated, Zoom has produced a compelling package here, assuming the sounds are up to snuff. Hardcore MultiStompers will be a tad upset there are no MIDI or external footswitch options, but we can only assume Zoom has excluded these features to keep the price of entry down.

Speaking of which, the Zoom MS-50G+ is just $129. That’s under half the price of Line 6’s slightly chonkier equivalent, the HX One, which launched last week, and can handle any one of the company’s HX effects at one time – but notably not its amp models or impulse responses.

The HX One is based on a tried-and-trusted sonic performance, but for the more adventurous – or cash-strapped – player, the Zoom could be a compelling alternative.

The Zoom MS-50G+ MultiStomp is available to preorder now – head to Zoom for more info.

Line 6 has made its Helix effects more accessible and affordable than ever with the release of the HX One – the smallest entry to the company’s popular HX lineup of multi-effects pedals.

Placing an impressive suite of Line 6’s effects into a single stompbox the size of your average overdrive pedal or delay pedal, the HX One pips the HX Stomp as the family’s most physically versatile unit to date.

We probably don’t need to tell you that this is a pretty savvy move from the guitar amp and effects specialist. Before, those wanting to dabble in the HX effect pool in a playing context had a choice: commit to digital and go full-out for a Helix, or compromise with the more pedalboard-friendly HX Stomp or HX Stomp XL.

Either way, a fair amount of rig real estate would have to be given to the designated pedal. For those who weren’t concerned with the HX’s wider features – amp sims, for example, or the nifty Snapshots feature – this could be seen as surplus to requirements.

The HX One, then, bridges the gap between the two extremes, similar to how the old Line 6 M5 aimed to bring the M9 and M13 effects to smaller ‘boards. Want just one of Line 6’s digital delays in your chain? Or want the freedom to cycle between a handful of modulations or gain pedals? Here, players can do just that.

That, according to Line 6’s Andy Paredes, was precisely the brand’s objective with this new unit: “The goal with HX One was to provide Helix-quality effects in an ultra-compact pedal that is easy to use,” he said. 

In practice, the HX One can access more than 250 effects taken from the HX processors, and offers three parameter-controlling knobs situated below the OLED screen. Effects can be selected, sculpted and saved into one of the 128 onboard preset slots, with deep editing available via a Line 6 smartphone app.

As an added bonus, players can jump between automated parameter settings in a single preset thanks to a secondary Flux footswitch, which also doubles as a tap tempo. True or buffered DSP bypass options are also on the cards.

Because of its size and main objective, the HX One is an effects-only unit, meaning it can’t be used as an amp sim pedal at the front of your chain for live playing. But that isn’t an issue – that’s exactly what the HX Stomp is for.

In terms of connectivity, the HX One has a MIDI I/O, as well as jacks for either an optional expression pedal or two external footswitches. Top-mounted stereo inputs and outputs for even greater versatility, as well as a USB-C jack for firmware updates, can also be found.

The HX One can be pre-ordered now for $299. Head over to Line 6 for more.

It’s been an interesting few weeks for the modeling and multi-effects market. After Fender rocked the boat with the Tone Master Pro – a unit that excelled on the UI front – Neural DSP made a significant step towards plugin/pedal compatibility for its Quad Cortex with the upgraded Archetype: Plini X.

Here’s something you probably weren’t expecting: Epiphone has launched a multi-effects pedal.

No, it’s not the brand’s answer to Fender’s new ultra-powerful Tone Master Pro – or any of the other multi-effects on the market, for that matter – but is instead a humble three-effect stompbox targeted towards beginner players.

That much is clear from the product's name: the Power Players Multi-Effects Pedal. Indeed, you might recall Epiphone launching its Power Players range of Les Pauls and SGs last year – 22.73” scale electric guitars that were targeted at young aspiring strummers.

As such, it’s safe to assume this multi-effects looks to cater to a similar pool of players – ie, those who are dipping their toes into effects pedal territory for the first time – by offering standard Overdrive, Distortion and Delay effects.

“If you decide to ride with the Epiphone Power Players Multi-Effects pedal, you'll find it's not just a one-trick pony,” reads a listing on Sweetwater. “This multi-effects unit is a winner for beginners because it offers three main effects that nearly every guitarist uses.”

With a footswitch and three parameters per effect, it looks to be all one could need from an entry-level multi-effects, and seems to take loose inspiration from the likes of Tech21’s FlyRig range, or even NUX’s slightly larger Cerberus.

To delve into those effects a bit further, Delay answers to Mix, Feedback and Time controls; Overdrive is wired to Drive, Level and Tone parameters; and Distortion has Gain, Level, Tone and an additional Hi/Lo toggle switch.

Conveniently, there’s also a tap tempo footswitch for the delay that doubles as a tuner.

It certainly is a surprise move from Epiphone and, by extension, Gibson. Is this a sign that the two companies could explore multi-effects pedals in greater depth in the future?

Well, Gibson revived the Maestro effects line last year, so on paper it already looks to have a pedal outlet, and may not be too concerned about the multi-effects war that’s being waged by the likes of Fender, Line 6 and Neural DSP. That, and Gibson’s remit has always been about honoring and “leveraging” its tradition.

To that end, Gibson Director of Brand Experience Mark Agnesi recently spoke to Guitar World, and seemingly distanced the brand from any modern multi-effects/modeling shenanigans. 

“Obviously, there's a whole new segment of players that are going towards digital on their amp choices and modeling and IRs and all that kind of stuff,” he said. “And I totally understand and get that, but what are they modeling? 

“Really the only innovation there is finding a way to make it digital, but that's not necessarily an innovative sound. It's an innovation in the delivery of the same sound that was created 50 years ago, but just having them all in one box.”

What we’re trying to say is, don’t read too much into it: this is just a handy entry-level multi-effects pedal.

The Power Players Multi-Effects Pedal isn’t on Epiphone’s website yet, but it has cropped up on retailers (such as Sweetwater) for anywhere between $159 and $199. No release date has been set.

Hotone has unveiled the latest addition to its lineup of multi-effects pedals, the Ampero II Stage.

The brand’s new offering joins the ever-developing amp modeling, multi-effects arms race, which has seen some significant changes over recent weeks.

Such shake-ups include the arrival of Fender’s flagship Tone Master Pro – a unit heralded for its new-age approach to UI – as well as the changing price of the Neural DSP Quad Cortex, and various updates to the unit.

In other words, the multi-effects sphere has never been more concentrated and competitive than it is right now, and as such, only a genuinely herculean effort that brings something new to the table will give companies the edge over one another.

This is the state of play in which the Ampero II Stage finds itself. So, how does it hold up?

The third iteration of Hotone’s Ampero II collection – following the Ampero II Stomp and Ampero II Mini – the Stage is described as the range’s flagship offering, and looks to “revolutionize your live performances”.

On paper, it hopes to do that through its triple-core platform, powerful AD/DA converters, evolved F.I.R.E modeling system for authentic tones, and suite of onboard amps and effects models. In total, there are 87 amps, 68 cabs (curated with a “more precise” algorithm) and more than 100 “legendary” pedal sims.

There’s also a dedicated Impulse Response loader with third party support, up to 50 custom IR slots and 20 included Celestion speaker IRs.

All of this is accessed via the enlarged touchscreen display. As we posited upon the release of the Tone Master Pro, feel and usability will be where the next stage of the modeler battle will be waged, and so a sleek touchscreen here is a big plus for Hotone.

Unlike the previous Ampero II models, the Stage is (as the name would suggest) crafted with live use in mind. That means there are more footswitches and more controls for stage performances.

Specifically, there are eight assignable footswitches, with one of those serving as a default selector between Patch and Stomp modes. Again, it’s pretty self explanatory: Patch mode navigates between separate presets, while Stomp turns the Stage into a de facto pedalboard with triggerable effects.

Hotone has also introduced a Scene feature in a bid to make the unit more stage-friendly. Here, users can seamlessly switch between five “scenes” – i.e., transition between presets, effects and parameters with no interruption.

That doesn’t mean the Stage is redundant as a studio or practice companion, mind. Owing to its connectivity options – and thanks to its 8x8 USB audio functionality – it can also be used as a recording and streaming device. There’s also a 60-second stereo looper and drum machine that offers 100 rhythm styles.

Elsewhere, there are two expression pedal inputs, a stereo FX Loop, balanced and unbalanced outputs, and two instrument/microphone jacks.

Like we said, the multi-effects scene is ultra competitive right now, but Hotone looks to have done enough to offer a fairly comprehensive, impressively intuitive package that would appeal to those looking to take the leap.

Moreover, there’s the price point. The Ampero II Mini was so alluring because it was priced at $255 – more affordable than many of its closest competitors – and since an official price for the Ampero II Stage has yet to be revealed, it could be another plus for Hotone.

To find out more, visit Hotone.

BOSS’s credentials in the world of effects needs no introduction: the company is one of the multi-effects pedals market’s leading figures, with units such as the GT-1000 and GX-100 to its name. 

Its enduringly popular ME Series is also a firm favorite among pro players and casual guitarists alike, and now BOSS has completely revamped the line with the ultra-powerful, high-value ME-90, which is available for $349.99.

It bears all the hallmarks of a classic ME unit with the comforting control layout and familiar aesthetics of its pedalboard-inspired predecessors, but there’s also a significant twist that will level up your tone game at an alluring price point: it’s loaded with BOSS’s AIRD Modeling tech.

Specifically, it's got the same Augmented Impulse Response Dynamics technology that can be found in the best-of-class GT-1000 model, with the highly celebrated appointment being drafted in over previous ME models COSM amp sims.

The AIRD tech delivers genuine tube tone and authentic touch response from its amp models, which line up alongside an IR Loader for pro level speaker sims. In the age of the digitization of the gear world, you’d be hard pressed to find modeling technology as competent as AIRD, with the ME-90 marking a potent option for guitarists on the hunt for a traditionally styled, feature-packed multi-effects.

As an overview of its impressive feature list, there are 60 effects types drawn from the brand’s back catalog, eleven on-board amp models with dedicated cab sims (ported from the GT-1000), and 36 user and 36 preset patches for comprehensive tonal tweaking.

Via the BOSS Tone Studio, users can access over 20 more amp models, and there’s also a new FX loop for integrating other stompboxes.

As mentioned, the ME-90 pairs the AIRD modeling tech with an easy-to-navigate pedalboard form factor. There are eight quiet footswitches and a range of control knobs to select and fine-tune the effects, as well as a built-in expression pedal with an integrated toe switch.

The result is a highly intuitive multi-effects that shortens the user learning curve, giving users instant gratification through quick and easy access to some of its most popular and high quality effects and amp sims.

It’s an all-in-one guitar rig at an immensely competitive price point, weighing in at cool $349.99.

To find out more – and to hear the ME-90 in action – visit BOSS’s website, Instagram and YouTube channels.

Though he’s only 25 years old, Steve Lacy has become one of the most in-demand guitarists working in modern hip-hop and soul.

As a musician and producer, his list of credits stretches as far and wide as Kendrick Lamar, Thundercat, Vampire Weekend, Calvin Harris, Solange Knowles and Tyler, The Creator.

He’s also released two critically acclaimed solo albums in 2019’s Apollo XXI and last year’s Gemini Rights, the latter of which won him his first Grammy and featured chart-topping single Bad Habit, which went viral on TikTok.

This year sees him partnering up with Fender for his debut signature Stratocaster, nicknamed the People Pleaser. The guitars comes in a striking Chaos Burst and feature an alder body, a 9.5” radius maple fingerboard, a modern deep C profile neck, narrow tall frets and Player Plus Noiseless single-coil pickups. 

As for customizations, there are plenty to be found – starting with the double dice inlay at the 12th fret, the Lacy- designed artwork engraved on the neck plate, the green/blue checker patterned back plate and the fuzzy green interior of the matching vintage-style hardshell case.

But we’d be lying if we didn’t say the new model’s biggest talking point has to be the custom-voiced Steve Lacy Chaos Fuzz Circuit, which – unless you’re Matt Bellamy from Muse – is a rare appointment indeed.

“It’s a circuit that Fender developed for me,” Lacy explains, when he connects with Guitar World ahead of the launch of his first ever signature model.

“I gave them a couple of reference points. I told them I liked Jack White’s tone [laughs] – as well as that Scott Pilgrim kind of sound. Those were the two main ones. I was also after a fuzz that still allowed me to hear my chords. I didn’t want something that would drown out what I was playing with all this distortion. Those were all the notes I gave them…

“And then Fender came back with what they made and I was like, ‘Wow! This sounds dope!’ Initially when I designed the guitar, I wanted to change the words on the buttons to things like ‘Sex’ and ‘Chaos’ – with the latter being for my fuzz circuit. But we couldn’t really do that. It was a cool idea, though!

“Mainly I just wanted to have a pedal built into the guitar. I use it a lot when I’m playing live, mixed with the distortions I already have, and it sounds amazing.”

What is it about Stratocasters that made you want to play them almost exclusively?

“I think the Strat is a good representation of my roots as a guitarist. When I think back to the people that I loved and looked up to when I was starting out, they were all rocking the Strats. Jimi Hendrix was one of the biggest influences on me back then. I was a young Black kid watching Hendrix rocking the hell out of his Strat and thought ‘Damn!’ I started out on a Squier, too, so it was only right that I’d end up working with Fender to have my own signature.

“I always loved the ’60s-style models, so ended up referencing that era in my guitar. I actually just got a 1966 Sunburst not long ago as a little treat to myself. That was always my dream guitar but I could never really get one, because they were and still are crazy-expensive. With my signature, I wanted to make something that was more like an affordable version. To think I have my own signature is pretty wild!”

And we can’t say we’ve heard of a Chaos Burst before!

“Yeah, it’s a new finish! The initial idea was to have a regular ’60s Strat with a back that was completely pink – so people would see it and then I’d turn around and there’d be this whole other vibe on the rear of the guitar. We couldn’t execute that in the affordable price range. The specs were almost wrapped up at that point. 

“I really wanted this guitar to be as cheap as possible and with that kind of paint job, especially in this extra bright neon kind of pink, it would have been a lot more. So we arrived at this and I’m really pleased with how it looks. Chaos Burst is a bit like a pink Sunburst, which is very nice, too!”

You mainly seem to stick with Fender amps, too...

“Yeah, I keep it pretty classic. I like Fender Twin amps. I generally use Strats on stage, that’s what I’m rocking most of the time. There’s a guy called Eric who does my pedalboard – he has a shop in Highland Park, but I forget the name of it… sorry, Eric! He built my whole rig for me. I’m using some vintage pedals. My primary one, and I don’t really care if people shun things like this because they work so well for me, is a Boss ME-80. I’ve been using that for years.

“I like to mix the Boss multi-effects with old-school pedals, like this phaser I have from the ’70s. There’s also a distortion pedal that I like, which Eric built me in his shop. And then I have this Bee Gee fuzz pedal [Roland AF-60 Bee Gee] which is actually kinda broken right now. I’m not using it much recently and will probably replace it with a Morley pedal I’ve been trying out. There’s a Boss delay in there, too. That’s pretty much it. I like to keep things simple.”

You ended up co-writing and co-producing Kendrick Lamar track Pride back in 2017. How did you land the gig?

“All of this stuff happened pretty organically for me. During that time I was brought in by my friend DJ Dahi, who produces a lot of stuff for Kendrick. He invited me to come work on the album. We would have jam sessions together where he would stick on drum loops and I would play the basslines or guitar riffs. There was a moment where I was left alone in the room with Kendrick. I guess it was my moment to be like, ‘Can I play you some stuff?’

“This was before [debut 2017 EP] Steve Lacy’s Demo, so I was just playing him different things that I’d been working on. I played him this beat and it had another one of his regular collaborators on it, someone called Anna Wise. So I’d written that with her in a session. There was acoustic version, then I put a beat over it at home. That ended up being the song Pride. I played him a couple of things and it was that song that made him go, ‘Yeah!’ I could tell he really liked it. 

“He had it for a while and I didn’t bug him. I didn’t really think he’d use it until the very last moment when the tracklisting leaked. I was in London at the time. I saw my name in the credits and was amazed, like, ‘Oh my god, I produced a Kendrick Lamar song!’ And not just any Kendrick song, it’s a psychedelic rock song… it’s the one, which is pretty cool!”

What did you learn from working with Thundercat on Black Qualls, which you also co-wrote and played guitar on?

“Yeah, we had fun writing that one together. Funnily enough, his little brother [Ronald Bruner Jr.] is the reason I got into music! He showed me the stuff he was working on and what he was doing with Flying Lotus and Thundercat. That ended up being a huge influence on me. Now we’re all great friends, but I’m still a huge fan!

“I kinda wanted to be Thundercat. You can hear it in some of my basslines, mimicking the stuff I learned from him as well as Jaco Pastorius and Bootsy Collins. Those are some of my favorite bass players.”

And who would you say are your biggest inspirations on guitar – you mentioned Hendrix earlier on…

“I listen to a lot of Brazilian stuff like João Gilberto and people like that. I really love Joe Pass and those kinds of jazz players. I also find Raphael Saadiq really inspiring.”

Your song Bad Habit managed to top the US charts. Social media clearly had a part to play there, but it would never have succeeded like that if it wasn’t a good song to begin with...

“It was insane seeing that go to number one. I’m doing some crazy and technical stuff on that one and it translated well enough for everyone to connect to. I felt very grateful I was able to do that. 

“Those are some nerdy chords, especially during the bridge. I’m playing some stuff… throwing nines in there, plus suspended and augmented chords. It was pretty crazy hearing that on the radio. People don’t tend to use chords like that in today’s music.”

And you’ve also worked with rock groups like Vampire Weekend, who you partnered with for the track Sunflower...

“That was a crazy collab because they’re another big influence on me. I was super-fond of them when I was first learning the guitar, jamming stuff like A-Punk and Cousins. Those were some of my first riffs! So it was a dream to work with them. And I think I was their first feature ever, too, which was cool. I love Ezra [Koenig, singer/guitarist]. He was super-interesting to meet.”

Looking back on everything you’ve done, what’s the secret to being such a proactive session musician?

“I think it’s about being able to read the room. It’s an intuitive thing to keep the energy flow going and making people feel comfortable, as well as having a little bit or enough talent to hold your own and present new ideas. You need to find compatibility and some type of synergy together. That’s what keeps me going!

“I think my openness helps. I’m not too afraid to present something or try something completely different. That’s what I love about being a producer.”

• For more information on the Steve Lacy People Pleaser Stratocaster, head to Fender.com.

NAMM 2023: NUX has brought the multi-effects party to this year’s NAMM show with the release of the Trident – a robust-looking piece of kit that promises to be an entire guitar rig in one unit.

Built using a one-piece die-cast aluminum chassis, the Trident’s exterior is pretty darn impressive, with the sleek topography featuring a wealth of onboard control knobs and foot switches that aim to promote intuitive operation and usability.

However, though the hardware deserves an honorable mention, it’s the software that steals the show, with the built-for-live-performance Trident offering an array of onboard effects, a host of sound-sculpting parameters and – perhaps most importantly – the powerful, newly updated TSAC-4K amp modeling algorithm that vows to supply emulations of numerous amp models.

A bit more on the TSAC-4K, because the Trident’s beating heart is an impressive appointment. According to NUX, it’s twice as complex as previous versions, and works alongside analog circuits to achieve “a clear sound with low noise levels”.

In practice, 27 amps are included, with each model offering High and Low inputs, four inputs for patch cable jumping, toggle switches for voicing and other tone-tweaking extras.

By the looks of things, a host of Marshall, Fender, Matchless, Hiwatt and Roland amps are included in that list of 27, from the Roland JC40-inspired “Jazz Clean” and Fender-modeled “Twin Rvb”, all the way to the Vox-esque “Class A30” and high-gain “Hiwire”.

The TSAC-4K works in tandem with an IR Loader, with the Trident coming equipped with 27 cab IRs that can be sonically altered by a suite of the usual digital cab controls: four microphone models with three positions are available.

As expected, this library of Impulse Responses can be expanded with third-party IRs via the Trident edit software.

Control-wise, the amps can be manipulated via onboard Gain, Level, Bass, Middle, Treble and Presence controls, which can be found underneath a small display screen.

Notably, the Trident recruits two DSPs – one for the aforementioned amps, and one concerned with all the effects. These are controlled on-pedal, with the unit featuring reverb, delay and a broad buffet of modulation effects.

These are located on the left side of the pedal, which has dedicated Delay/Reverb and Mod/FX control sections. The former has knobs for Level, Time, Repeat and Decay, and three toggle switches that navigate Spring, Plate and Hall Reverbs, as well as delay times and modes.

As for modulation, two toggle switches flick between Chorus, Tremolo and Phaser, and Compressor, Filter and Pitch, with Rate, Sense, Depth and Level knobs completing the control set.

The array of footswitches, meanwhile, work to both trigger effects and recall amp models, and engage extra features such as the built-in tuner, additional Boost function and 60-second phrase looper.

As well as operating as a de facto all-in-one guitar rig, the Trident can also be utilized as an audio interface, thanks to the USB-C output. Other connectivity options include MIDI ins and outs, and send and return jacks.

An official release hasn't been confirmed, but NUX has revealed the Trident will be available for around the $450 mark.

At first glance, it looks to be a direct competitor to Blackstar's recently released Amped 2, which came appointed with a very similar set of features, including onboard effects and amp models.

More information can be found over on NUX's website.

Just a couple of months following the introduction of its six-string focused G2 Four and G2X Four multi-effects pedals, Zoom has lifted the lid on a bass-focused sibling to the units, the B2 Four.

Based around tech from the firm’s top-end B6 processor, the B2 Four models 11 classic amp units and 11 preamps, and also boasts six DI models (including three tube and three transistor-based units) and an additional 82 effects.

One of the headline features is the Multi-Layer IR (impulse response) tech, which featured on the B6 and G2 Four, and is essentially a method of recording IRs from cabinets at three different volume levels. 

These then react, via some clever programming, to the level of your bass, switching profiles accordingly and creating what Zoom maintains is an ultra-realistic recreation of those classic amp and cab tones. 

In addition to the gear modelling, the B2 Four also packs in a 60-second looper and an onboard drum machine with 68 rhythm patterns. 

The unit comes with 250 preloaded patches – so there’s plenty to experiment with – and an additional 50 blank slots for your own presets (using up to five effects, simultaneously). 

In a breath of fresh air for bassists who are fed up with after-thought presets on guitar apps, it has its own app – Handy Guitar Lab for B2 Four – which offers a library of patches to browse and install, as well as the ability to construct presets on your phone. 

The firm is touting the unit’s ability to handle anything from classic Motown style tones to modern metal, so it’s a pretty broad tonal canvas. 

It can all be switched and browsed hands-free using the cross key navigation switches, though you’ll need to train your toes if you want to tweak the four EQ/volume knobs on the fly.

There’s a useful selection of I/O including a balanced XLR output, expression pedal connection, aux input, ground lift, switchable impedance and stereo 1/4” outputs, plus the option to use it as a 2-in/2-out audio interface.

The B2 Four retails for $249. For more information on the pedal, head to Zoom. 

Budget gear specialist Donner has expanded into the multi-effects pedal and amp modeler market with the new Arena2000 unit.

Despite its low price, the Arena2000 has a healthy set of features, highlighted by 278 effects, 80 amp models, 50 cabinet impulse response models and 50 slots for loading third-party impulse responses. Between them, these aim to help players get the ideal tone for everything from 21st century pop to brutal thrash metal.

At its core, the Arena2000 is powered by Donner's FVACM (Forward Analog Virtual Circuit Modeling) tone generating technology, which features 24bit/44.1kHz audio processing. That, and the pedal's 23.2ms IR sample length, Donner says, "can precisely restore the tone of the IR collection object and reproduce the acoustic environment of the collection space, resulting in a tone with a greater dynamic range and a stronger sense of spatial authenticity."

A single user-created preset in the Arena2000 can comprise up to 10 individual effects, along with 1 amp model and 1 cab model.

As for controls, the pedal is outfitted with a CTRL control mode, and both a built-in expression pedal and an EXP2 expression pedal output for cycling between functions. 

Also aboard the Arena2000 is a built-in looper that supports up to 60 seconds of sound and 40 different drum rhythms.

The Arena2000 also comes with guitar, aux and MIDI inputs, L/R XLRs, an unbalanced ¼-inch L/R, a phone output, a headphone output, and USB interface capabilities.

Also onboard is a built-in cabinet simulation output option that allows users to switch between the ¼ and XLR output ports.

Donner's Arena2000 amp modeler and multi-effects pedal is available now for $269, with a temporary discount that lowers its price to $240.

We, for one, are eager to take it for a spin, and see how well it stacks up to the dominant Mooers, Zooms and Bosses in the budget multi-effects pedals category. 

For more info on the pedal, visit Donner.

Former Alice Cooper shredder and current Demi Lovato sidekick Nita Strauss hosted a clinic at Big House Guitars in Atlanta, Georgia over the weekend, and all was going swimmingly until a man stole her Boss GT-1000CORE multi-effects pedal directly from the stage.

The thief took his opportunity after Strauss had concluded an instructional session, and was elsewhere hosting a meet and greet with those in attendance. In footage posted to Nita Strauss’s Instagram page, the man can be seen brazenly swiping the GT-1000CORE, and covering it with an envelope in a vain attempt to conceal it.

The pedal’s whereabouts are still unknown, Big House has an array of security cameras which captured the crime in pretty clear detail. 

“After a fun afternoon clinic at Big House Guitars in Atlanta, this MF decided to steal my GT-1000 core pedal off the stage while I was doing the meet and greet,” Strauss explains on social media. “Didn’t count on the store having 30 cameras around the building I guess…

“Thankfully, nothing irreplaceable was taken and my [Ibanez JIVAX2] Ghost, which was also on stage, is safe and sound with me. Thieves suck.

In a separate post, Strauss strikes a more positive note, writing: “Thank you to all who came and spent your Saturday afternoon with us at Big House Guitars. You all were wonderful and I had a great time. Hope to see lots of you at the show tomorrow! Except you blue jacket guy, unless you’re bringing my pedal and an apology.”

Responding to a comment on a post made today asking whether the pedal had been returned, the guitarist says that it has not, and that the owner of Big House Guitars had replaced it for her, which describes as a “very kind gesture since it was absolutely not his fault it got stolen.”

There’s no word yet on whether the suspect has been caught or located, but due to the abundant and overwhelming evidence, we can’t imagine it’ll take long.

There's an absolutely ludicrous amount of choice today when it comes to buying one of the best multi-effects pedals. We've put 17 different units through their paces for this guide, and there have been plenty of others along the way that didn't quite make the cut. So, it's safe to say we know a thing or two when it comes to what makes a great multi-FX unit.

My first multi-effects was a Zoom 606, which I played alongside a Squier Strat as I was making my first forays into the instrument over twenty years ago now. Since then, I've been regularly playing the guitar live, using a variety of different multi-effects pedals in different ways over the years. When I first started, I used mine through a Fender practice amp, but nowadays a multi-effects pedal will replace your rig in its entirety, making it a great all-in-one solution for practice, recording, and live playing.

If you just want the best multi-effects available and money is no object, you should go and pick up the Neural DSP Quad Cortex. It’s jam-packed with some of the best-quality amp and effects models I’ve ever heard, and despite the incredible depth, it’s actually pretty easy to use. If you’ve baulked at the price of a QC and want something cheap and cheerful, the NUX MG-300 does a lot for relatively little money. I’d also look at the Boss GX-1 as an incredibly complete option for beginner guitarists.

Navigating the world of multi-effects can be tough if you’re new to the guitar, so go check out my how to choose section, which will help you navigate everything you need to know. I’ve also answered loads of common questions in the FAQs section, and you’ll find plenty of knowledge in my glossary of key terms, which breaks down all of the technical terms used when discussing these amazing guitar pedals.

Rather watch than read? The Guitar World team has made a video version of this guide.

Best overall

Overview

Part of the attraction to multi-effects units is the sheer potential for experimentation. All those glorious sounds, just waiting to be tweaked and changed. But how much tweakability would be considered too much? Have we reached peak tweak? Not if you ask Neural DSP, whose Quad Cortex is, it claims, the most powerful floor modeler on the planet. A big claim, sure, but it’s easy to see why.

Build quality

The Quad Cortex is relatively small for a gig-worthy amp modeler, and reasonably heavy due to the aluminium chassis. You could still chuck it in a backpack or a particularly large gig bag pocket, and you don’t need to feel bad about doing so, as it’s a very robust bit of kit. The fact that so many pro acts are using these as part of their live rigs should tell you everything you need to know about how rugged it is.

Usability

Although it sounds fantastic, for me the key feature, and what makes the QC so popular, is its usability. Even if you’ve never used a modeler before, the large, responsive touch screen and drag-and-drop operation make it quick and easy to start amending your signal chain. This is augmented by the clever rotary footswitches, which can be operated like knobs to make quick adjustments to whichever block you’ve got selected.

It’s also got its own WiFi connection, so you can update it without having to plug it into your computer. You can do the latter if you want to use it as an audio interface, or just use the XLR outs to go into a PA system or a mic preamp for recording. There’s also a headphone output for silent practice, two FX loops for integrating into more complex setups, and a capture out for making your own amp captures.

As if you would need any more connectivity, it’s also got MIDI, dual expression pedal ins, and combo XLR-1/4/-inch inputs should you want to use it to process mic signals like vocals or other instruments. It’s really one of the most complete feature sets on the market, in a surprisingly compact unit, and this is what makes it stand out versus some very stiff competition.

Sounds

In my testing, I found the range of tones available to be absolutely outstanding. Fender clean, Marshall crunch, Vox chime, Mesa high gain, it’s all here, and it sounds wonderful. The presets are fantastic, and you could get by just using these, but once you start tweaking things, the room for sonic exploration is pretty much limitless. Add in 3rd party impulse responses, and you’ll quite literally have every tone you could ever need.

The effects are fantastic too, with over 70 to choose from and more being added. These can be arranged in a variety of ways so you can have your rig evolve over a full set, or even just a single song. You can swap in amps and effects at will, modulate your parameters on the fly or with the click of a single footswitch, or just operate it like a traditional pedalboard.

Watch our Neural DSP Quad Cortex demo:

Best budget

Overview

The NUX MG-300 delivers a brilliant feature set considering the price. Its simple user-friendly design with expression pedal, tactile controls, push-buttons, and a color screen is easy to navigate - you’ll barely need to crack open the manual. The MG-300 doesn’t overwhelm you with too many features either.

Build quality

The MG-300 features a plastic build, which is to be expected at this price. It’s pretty rugged though, and certainly good enough for home use. I found the footswitches to be nice and solid, although I can’t see the knobs on the front face putting up with gigging level abuse. The expression pedal is nice and solid, with an adjustable tension via hex wrench so you can customize it to your liking.

Usability

Featuring nine banks with four presets each, it’s got plenty of options for players who want to create their own playlist of tones. Banking is easy via the two footswitches, and if you press both, you can access the tuner. I did find this a little awkward, especially when playing just wearing socks. You have to turn your foot sideways to ensure you hit them both as they’re spaced quite far apart.

Editing presets is nice and easy as you have dedicated knobs, some of which will control varying parameters as you scroll through the settings pages. The display is small, and a little hard to read when standing up, but it’s fine if you’re sitting or have the pedal on a desk. It’s also got a built in looper, and a ‘jam’ mode that lets you play along to some basic drum beats.

Sounds

I was really surprised by the quality of the tones on the MG-300, especially considering the low cost. The clean tones are fantastic, ditto with the mid-gain stuff. Admittedly, the high gain sounds had a tendency to sound a little harsh in the high-end, but overall it does a really great job. There’s some nice touch-responsive stuff here, and although it doesn’t have the hi-fi feel of some of the more expensive units in this guide, for beginners or those who want a cheap practice rig, the amp tones are good enough.

The effects sounds are great too, and I especially enjoyed the ping-pong delays with my headphones on, and the saturated sounds of the tape delay effect. The expression pedal can be lined up to change effect parameters, so you can control the time parameter of the delay block, or just use it for wah or whammy effects. You can also load 3rd party IRs to really take the amp tones to a new level.

Watch our NUX MG-300 MKII demo:

Best for beginners

Overview

Boss’ latest entry-level multi-effects offers players an incredibly complete rig for below the $250 mark, making the GX-1 a great option for players after their first multi-FX unit. It’s got a high-resolution screen, expression pedal, Bluetooth, and loads more features that make it my top pick for beginner guitar players.

Build quality

Boss’ build quality is well-renowned in the world of guitar, and this unit is no different. I found it to be surprisingly thin and lightweight, so even with the added expression pedal you can stick this in a backpack and take it to a guitar lesson or rehearsal. The metal chassis is super rugged, and everything is put together amazingly well, which lets face it is what you expect when you buy a Boss pedal.

Usability

There’s a lot of visual feedback cues on the GX-1, from the bright screen to the LED lights above the footswitches, and the light up hexagonal buttons that mark your signal chain. All of these contribute to making this unit incredibly easy to use, even if this is your first time with a multi-effects pedal. Using the footswitches to access the tuner is slightly awkward, as is the way when it requires two button presses, but on the default mode the heel down position of the expression pedal also brings up the tuner, which is a really neat feature.

Although there’s no power supply included, you can power this unit via USB-C (400mA), a traditional pedalboard power supply at 9V (200mA), and even four AA batteries, which is really something considering the level of processing happening here. Flicking through the presets is simple, and you can instantly dive into the signal chain to start tweaking by pressing the appropriate button on the front face.

Sounds

The sheer number of amp and effects on offer here will be more than enough for beginner players, but I do find myself slightly underwhelmed by some of the amp models. There are those that are great, but I wanted a little more from some of the others. The clean tones are fantastic, but some of the mid-gain and high gain stuff feels a bit fizzy to my ear. Admittedly this can be solved by some EQ tweaking, and new players are unlikely to be able to tell the difference anyway.

The effects are absolutely outstanding though. With pretty much any Boss compact stompbox you can think of available here, it’s a smorgasbord of sound to play with, and will really help new players find their own sound or imitate that of their heroes. There’s some really out there stuff you find in the Boss synth pedals, and even tones that will transform your electric guitar into an acoustic guitar.

Watch our Boss GX-1 demo:

Best for gigging

Overview

The original Line 6 Helix series feels like it’s been around for an age now having been released way back in 2015, but now it’s finally gotten an update with the flagship Line 6 Helix Stadium XL to take it firmly into the modern era of modeling. With a massive touch screen, improved I/O, and a new modeling engine, the Stadium stakes its claim as one of the best multi-effects pedals available right now.

Build quality

The Stadium XL has a robust, brushed aluminium chassis that feels plenty rugged enough to cope with regular gigging duties. The footswitches press in with a reassuring clunk, and the expression pedal has a really sturdy action that’s adjustable for your particular tastes. The screen is massive, and the level of detail is really high, so I see little chance of it getting lost even under bright stage lights.

The scribble strips have also been improved from the original Helix, with a high contrast OLED display that makes them super easy to read. While it’s smaller than the original Helix, it’s still larger than other units like the Quad Cortex and Fender Tone Master. That said, it also has an expression pedal, whereas the others require an external one.

Usability

Utilizing the same block-based signal path as many other multi-effects and amp modelers, the Stadium XL is super easy to dive into and start moving things around to experiment with your sound. The icons are bigger and much easier to recognize, and you can split your signal at any point, as was available on the earlier versions. The capacitance footswitches also make a return, so you can simply touch a footswitch to bring up the block it's assigned to.

The 8-inch screen is larger than you’ll find on any other multi-effects currently available, and it’s super responsive, making it easy to drag and drop your signal chain. With so much potential to tweak, Line 6 has seen fit to include a search function so you can more quickly find what you’re looking for, and like the Quad Cortex, it’s got built-in WiFi so you can update it without connecting to a computer.

Sounds

The new Agoura amp models have been completely redesigned in order to make them more accurately mimic the real thing, and when I compared them one-on-one with the previous generation of Helix, there was a tangible difference. The playing dynamics felt better, the clarity of chords more apparent, and the harmonics and overtones responded more realistically as we turned down the volume knob.

The effects haven’t yet received this treatment, so they are essentially the same as those on the Helix series. For me that means the drives are a little lacking in detail, but the reverbs, delays, and modulation effects remain some of the best available right now. With Line 6’s previous commitment to constant and meaningful updates, I see no reason why the tones on the Helix Stadium XL will continue to get better and better.

Watch our Line 6 Stadium XL demo:

Best for recording

Overview

The original Kemper Profiler Head was a complete game-changer when it came to profiling technology. For a long time, it stood as the benchmark for digital guitar tones, but with recent releases like the Quad Cortex and Fractal units, the original started to show its age. Enter the Kemper Profiler Head Mk2, which aims to win back the top spot.

Build quality

There are a lot of buttons on the front of the Kemper, so make no mistake, this is not a beginner-friendly unit. The LCD screen makes it feel a bit dated though, especially compared to some of the full-color options available elsewhere in this guide. The aluminium chassis feels very rugged though, and all the buttons and knobs are well applied.

Usability

The Profiler Head Mk2 features extensive connectivity, so it's ready for pretty much any situation, whether you're recording in the studio or taking those recorded tones out on the road. The sheer number of buttons on the front face is at first rather intimidating, but once you take some time to learn what everything does, it actually ends up being pretty intuitive, especially if you've used this sort of tech before.

There's a large chicken head knob on the left-hand side, which helps you navigate through the huge variety of menus and sub-menus needed to operate a multi-effects with this level of depth. There's a bit of a delay switching between the main menu options, which I found a little bit annoying here.

Most people will probably use the Rig Manager software, as it feels like a much more user-friendly way to operate the unit. It's still not as slick as the equivalents from Line 6 and Neural DSP, but everything is well laid out once you get used to it, and you can run the app from your mobile phone or your laptop. One thing to note is that if you want to use the Profiler Head Mk2 for live playing, you'll need to buy the separately sold footswitch to make the best of it.

Sounds

The Kemper Profiler Stage uses captures rather than amp modeling, or ‘profiles’ as Kemper themselves like to call them. The reason many pro musicians love to use these units is precisely that they’re able to accurately snapshot a rig in its entirety. You are, however, subject to the skill of the person who created the capture, which means some are a lot better than others.

Thankfully, the Kemper comes loaded with over 300 profiles, and these are really great quality. Including everything from Fender cleans, Marshall crunch, Vox chime, and some high-gain stuff, they'll cover all the bases most guitar players need. You can amend these with additional profiles of your choosing, and the new Profile 2.0 sounds are some of the most accurate I've heard.

The effects selection is just as good, encompassing all the major food groups you'd expect to find with drives, distortions, modulation, reverb, and delay. The main effects tend to focus on classic pedals like the Big Muff and Rat, but there are some interesting Kemper-specific effects with more tweakability that allow you to craft some more original tones.

Best tactile

Overview

Blackstar’s amp modeling game has really kicked it up a notch in the past few years, and with the latest ID:X range the UK-based company has made a serious jump forward. The Blackstar ID:X Floor Three is their flagship multi-effects pedal, and rather than relying on software, it takes things back to basics.

Build quality

The Floor Three is an incredibly robust feeling unit, and my immediate impression when I was testing is that it’s quite heavy for a multi-effects. It’s around 3kg on my scales, which is heavier than the Quad Cortex despite it being smaller. With that weight however, comes a feeling of robustness that means I don’t doubt its ability to put up with live playing. The chassis is all metal, as are the footswitches, and although the expression pedal is hard plastic, it too feels very solid.

Usability

I’ve used the majority of the multi-effects in this guide, and this is where the ID:X Floor Three really stands out. Because its laid out like a traditional guitar amp, it’s incredibly easy to start diving into the presets and changing your tones up. The screen is there really just to be a guide to the tweaks you’re making with the knobs, giving you some handy visual cues like the position of the knob before you started moving it.

The effects do require a tiny bit of menu diving, but it’s all so intuitively laid out that it doesn’t feel like a slog to get there. Within five minutes, I was flying around the unit to make adjustments, without a thought to opening up a PDF manual or connecting it to the computer to load up the companion software. You can do this, of course, if that’s your preferred workflow, and there are some features like the CabRig editing, which you can only access via a computer.

Sounds

Despite only having twelve amp models, the sounds here are really quite good. All of your major food groups are covered from scooped clean tones to high-gain monsters, and they’re recreated with unnerving accuracy. There’s a feel thing at play here, and having used more expensive and cheaper multi-effects across the spectrum, I can say that the ID:X Floor Three really does feel like playing through a tube amp.

The effects are superb, and I particularly enjoyed the sound of the reverbs, as well as the room section of the cab simulation. With a pair of headphones, it really delivers on that classic amp in a room sound, adding a sense of space and realism that contributes to the overall engaging sound of this multi-effects pedal.

Watch our Blackstar ID:X Floor Three demo:

Best for pedalboard

Overview

Fractal was one of the first companies to start marketing amp modeling towards professional players, and for many, the Axe-FX III remains their modeler of choice. The Fractal Audio AM4 takes those same amp and effects models, but places them in a compact floor pedal that can easily fit onto an existing pedalboard.

Build quality

Like many of the other multi-effects here, the AM4 features a brushed aluminium chassis. It’s designed for live playing, and players will appreciate the footswitches that are slanted towards you, making them much easier to press. Each footswitch features a bright LED that changes color depending on what it’s doing, and there’s a nice heft to each footswitch that’s very reassuring.

Usability

Thanks to the combination of encoders and buttons, not unlike that on the Line 6 HX Stomp, navigating through the menus feels nice and fluid. The 6.3-inch screen doesn’t support touch input, and it would probably be too small for that anyway, but it’s nice and bright and your four presets are displayed clearly enough that you can see them when standing up.

The menus are very text-heavy though, and some modes are accessed by holding down two footswitches at the same time which can make things pretty awkward. Also when editing scenes, the screen view doesn’t change, which can make it difficult for you to know which mode you’re in. For this particular unit, I’d recommend using the edit app to make these more complex changes to your setup.

Sounds

The amp tones here use the same engine as those in the Axe-FX III, and you can definitely hear that from the off. These amp models sound like studio guitar tracks with EQ and compression already applied, and respond to picking dynamics brilliantly. There’s bags of clarity even with super saturated sounds like the Peavey high gain model, and there’s plenty of cutting high-end on the AC30 model as you’d expect.

There’s plenty of effects choice too, and A/Bing the Tube Screamer model with its real-life counterpart, there were only minute differences in these overdrive tones. The Fuzz Face fuzz pedal emulation is really well done, something modelers can struggle with, and there are plenty of reverbs and delays on offer with basically every tone imaginable taken care of.

Watch our Fractal Audio FM4 demo:

Best portable

Overview

Nowadays, I think it’s safe to say that the Quad Cortex is the gold standard for floor modelers, and with so many pro players using these in their live rigs, I don’t think I’m alone in that. For those who baulk at the size of these modelers however, you can now access all that power in less than half the size with the Neural DSP Quad Cortex Mini.

Build quality

Let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way, yes, there’s a lot of glass on Quad Cortex Mini. While we tested our unit with the usual rigors of practice, live shows, and home use, thankfully, Ola Englund stepped up, or stepped down rather, by driving his foot into the screen of the QC Mini repeatedly to see how it would hold. It more than held its own in multiple tests and when we chatted to John Connearn, the Neural DSP ambassador, he challenged us to try our best to break it!

Usability

While it has the same amp models and features as the larger Quad Cortex, the Mini is a decidedly different pedal when using it. You’ll need to memorize different footswitch presses to unlock certain functions like the tuner, looper, and different modes. In different modes these footswitch combos also perform differently, so there’s a bit of a learning curve memorizing everything.

The footswitch layout is an interesting one, too. For me, I’d prefer it laid out like the HX Stomp or Fractal AM4, with all the switches along the bottom. The fact that it’s flat also means you have to sort of reach over with your foot to get the ones at the back. Actually tweaking stuff is mostly the same, with a few extra steps due to the lack of footswitches, and of course, it’s a touchscreen so you can quickly drag and drop like you would on the full Quad Cortex.

Sounds

The thing I love about Neural’s models is that they instantly sound good with minimal tweaking, and that’s exactly the case with Cortex Mini. All the same amp and effects models are present and accounted for, whether you want Fender cleans, Marshall crunch, or EVH brown sounds. Many other modelers struggle with those edge-of-breakup tones but not so here, the QC Mini accurately replicates the sound, and probably more importantly, the feel of these types of sounds.

It also features the new Capture V2 models, which have improved on the sag and bloom of classic tube amps, as well as the dynamics you get when playing with actual analog gear. The effects selection is uncompromising too, with pretty much any effect you can think of represented. It means that rather than being an addition to a pedalboard, the QC Mini makes a case to replace yours entirely.

Watch our Neural DSP Quad Cortex Mini demo:

Best for bass

Overview

It’s been around for a while, but the Line 6 HX Stomp is still a great multi-effects pedal and amp modeler. I’ve been using one on my own ‘board for many years now, and thanks to plentiful updates from Line 6, it’s remained up to speed with the newer amp modelers that have launched more recently. For bass players, it’s one of the few multi-effects that features a good number of bass amp models and matched cabs.

Build quality

I’ve been gigging the HX Stomp for around five or six years now, so I know from personal experience that it’s more than hardy enough to put up with the abuse that comes with live playing. It’s very solidly built and relatively lightweight, and the size is such that you can easily chuck it in a backpack to take to a gig with your bass guitar. All the footswitches and knobs have put up with plenty of stomping from me in punk rock and metal bands, so you won’t have any worries about using this as your live rig.

Usability

Using the HX Stomp does take a bit of learning. Even after having owned it for some time, I still occasionally find myself having to look up the particular shortcut for a function or how to access a particular feature. Thankfully, it does have a decent amount of buttons and encoders, so making tweaks to your signal chain is pretty simple once you’ve gotten your head around where everything is.

I prefer to make deeper changes to my signal chain by using the Helix Native app, which is available at a discounted rate for those who already own Line 6 hardware, and acts as a full-fledged guitar plugin you can use in your DAW. It also has three different modes with stomp acting like a traditional pedalboard, scene letting you move through a signal chain with different settings, and preset letting you line up multiple presets to switch between.

Sounds

Despite it being slightly older, the sounds here are absolutely fantastic for bass guitarists. As Line 6 owns Ampeg, there are official models of these, like the SVT-4 and B-15. There are also some models based on Fender, Orange, Aguilar, Mesa/VBoogie, Gallien-Kreuger, and more, so plenty for low-end merchants to get stuck into. A bunch of these models also have matching cabs with 8x10, 4x10, 2x15, and many others available.

The range of effects on offer in the HX Stomp is amazing too, so you can get all those classic bass effects like chorus, filters, wah, octave, and of course, compressors available to play with. You can also load in 3rd party IRs for modeling if you prefer to use your own cab sounds, or send it into the FX return of an existing bass combo amp to utilize the power amp and physical speaker.

Spec comparison

Here you'll find a table to compare our top multi-effects pedal picks. This allows you to see each model side by side and determine which is best for your needs:

Also consider

How to choose

It’s a wide world when it comes to multi-effects, which makes picking the right one for your own wants and needs a little tricky. Let’s help you narrow things down, then, with these key criteria you should bear in mind before you buy.

1. Amps vs effects

When looking at multi-effects pedals, you don’t really have to pick between good amp modelling and good effects patches; they aren’t as mutually exclusive as they once were. Still, different devices by different manufacturers play to different strengths. As such, it’s worthwhile figuring out which one means more to you.

If your primary hope with a multi-effects pedal is to get a decent emulated amp sound, you’ll want an amp modeler with tweakable amp models, like a Kemper amp profiler – as opposed to a multi-effects pedal with amp-tone presets or snapshot captures, which are less customizable to your needs. If you want access to a wide variety of effects, sounds and routing options, you’ll want a device that focuses more on powerful patches than amp emulation – like the Line 6 Helix.

2. Form factor

Size isn’t a vitally important consideration, but it is something to bear in mind if you already have a pedalboard – or are hoping to put an easy-to-gig rig together. Multi-effects pedals with large floor footprints are designed to effectively replace your pedalboard, so these are a good idea if you’re after a full-service, one-stop shop for all things tone.

That said, smaller multi-effects are not necessarily less capable. The Neural DSP Quad Cortex Mini, for instance, is small enough to fit on a medium-sized pedalboard but dense enough to provide a whole host of pedal-effect firepower. You sacrifice some granular control of your patches as a result of that smaller footprint, but the tradeoff is a worthwhile one.

If you have a full pedalboard, minimal space and the need for amp models or extra effects capacity, though, you might need to go even smaller; thankfully, there’s a host of micro-sized multi-effects on the market for those cramped corners of your ‘board, the Tonex ONE amongst them.

3. Ins and outs

A multi-effects pedal is only as useful as its inputs and outputs are to you. Guitarists with simple needs will not need to worry so much about this, but there are still some things to bear in mind. For instance, do you want to run everything in your multi-effects, and send your output straight to your audio interface (or the FOH desk at a given gig)? If so, you might want a multi-effects pedal with a balanced DI output, to preserve the tone and noiselessness of your guitar sound.

The more complex your rig gets, the more I/O you stand to benefit from. If you want to integrate pedals of your own into your setup, or use the four-cable method with your digital patches, you might look for a multi-effects pedal with an effects loop built in.

For complex and evolving patches, MIDI or CV control inputs can give you better control over different effects parameters. MIDI is particularly powerful for live performance. You could use an external MIDI footswitch to control different parameters; you could even hide MIDI commands in your band’s backing track, automating the switching of effects presets to the progression of a song.

FAQs

Key terms

• Algorithm: A series of digital processes used to transform an audio signal – often to achieve an emulation of a real-life or analog-audio transformation, such as a reverb or a simulated guitar amplifier.
• Amp modeler: A multi-effects device primarily concerned with emulations of amp tones and characteristics.
• Audio interface: A device that takes incoming analog audio and converts it into digital information for receipt by a computer or smart device, and vice versa – used for recording audio into a DAW or receiving audio from a DAW.
• Capture: A snapshot of an amp, cab or guitar tone, taken using an impulse response.
• CV (Control Voltage): A form of digital control, where incoming voltages are used to change parameters in a device.
• DAW (Digital Audio Workstation): Computer software that enables the recording and editing of audio.
• Direct out: A balanced output from an audio device, used to reinforce and preserve an audio signal over long distances.
• DSP (Digital Signal Processing): The alteration of an audio signal using digital technology.
• Expression pedal: A foot pedal used to give additional control over parameters in an effects pedal – for example, delay time or wet/dry ratio.
• Floor modeler: An amp modeler or multi-effects device that sits on the floor, like a conventional pedalboard would – as opposed to in a 19” rack, or in an amp head-style format.
• FRFR (Full Range, Flat Response): A type of active speaker cabinet that reproduces the full range of an audio signal, with a flat frequency response. Where conventional guitar cabs color the sound leaving an amp, FRFR cabs do not – allowing you to use amp and cab simulations from a multi-effects pedal without additional coloration.
• FX loop: A set of send and return terminals, which enable you to place pedals of your own between algorithms in your multi-effects pedal. They are traditionally found in guitar amps, where they enable you to insert pedals between your preamp and power amp to avoid coloring or saturating time-based effects.
• I/O (Input/Output): The sockets or ports on a pedal that enable the input and output of audio or control signals. These are typically ¼” jack sockets for guitar signal in/out and expression pedal input, but multi-effects pedals can also utilize: XLR for mic inputs and DI outputs; 1/8” jacks for headphone, MIDI or CV; 5-pin DIN for MIDI.
• IR (Impulse Response): A snapshot recording of a space, guitar cab or piece of equipment, which preserves its sonic attributes for reproduction on your audio signal – using convolution.
• Latency: The time delay between the production of an audio signal and its arrival at a destination – be it a recording device or your ears.
• MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface): A protocol that enables different audio devices and instruments to talk to – and control – each other using a standardized language.
• Modulation: The altering of an attribute in an audio signal – typically pitch, speed, or volume.
• Patch/preset: A setting in a multi-effects pedal, which contains a pre-designed chain of effects and/or amp and cab emulations. Multi-effects come with presets of their own but also enable you to build and save your own patches.
• Profiling: The comprehensive modeling of an amp, including the changes brought on by different amp settings, for reproduction in an amp modeler.
• Routing: The manner in which your effects are arranged, whether physically on your pedalboard or digitally in your multi-effects pedal’s patch. A signal can be routed in series (one pedal or effect algorithm after the other) or in parallel (coincident streams of audio signal, affected independently by different effects).
• Sample rate: A measure of audio fidelity in digital audio, referring to the number of samples taken per second. Higher sample rates mean more audio information, hence more clarity and better transient response amongst other benefits.
• Snapshot/scene: A sub-preset within a given multi-effects patch, which enables you to engage, disengage or alter specific effects algorithms without needing to switch to a different patch altogether.
• Tap tempo: A function that allows the user to set the tempo of effects like delay or modulation by tapping a footswitch in time with the desired speed.
• True bypass: A feature that allows the signal to bypass the effect circuit when the pedal is turned off, preserving the original tone of the guitar.

Why trust us?

☑️ A global audience of 3.8 million guitarists monthly
☑️ 1,200+ reviews on GuitarWorld.com
☑️ 30+ years of product testing at Guitar World

Guitar World boasts over 44 years of expertise and stands as the ultimate authority on all things related to guitars. The magazine and website feature expertly written gear round-ups and top-quality, authoritative reviews penned by a team of highly experienced industry professionals.

Guitar World's inaugural print issue hit the shelves in July 1980, and ever since, it has been captivating players and enthusiasts with engaging lessons, insightful interviews with the most prominent guitar heroes, and priceless buying advice for newbie players.

Meet the experts:

How we test

When testing the best multi-effects pedals, there are a few different things we like to look at. We’ll follow a similar format to our usual review process in looking at the build quality, usability, and sounds, but we do pay special attention to the usability of the units, as ultimately the sounds of modern multi-effects are very close to one another.

One of the key considerations is the use of a touchscreen versus physical controls. Some users prefer one over the other, so some multi-effects come with a touch screen while others don’t. We’ll often use the multi-effects without looking at the manual first, just so we can see how easy it is to dive into the unit.

When we’re testing, we’ll look for things like how well labeled it is, whether or not it’s easy to change the settings of the amp models and effects, things like lag between switching, and anything else players might encounter in real-world use. We’ll also test the DSP limits by stacking the unit with as many ‘blocks’ as possible to see what it’s capable of.

When looking at the sounds, it’s important to note the differences between modeling and capturing, as this affects the way the unit responds. A modeler tries to recreate the internal circuitry of a guitar amp with code, whereas a capture or profiler takes a snapshot of a guitar amp with particular settings, microphones, and a cabinet. This means while both are adept at what they do, they can sound quite different from one another.

We'll also test multi-effects pedals in a variety of different scenarios. This could be straight into an audio interface, just with a pair of headphones, or into the effects loop of a guitar amp to use it with a traditional speaker. We also try them through FRFR speakers, as this is a common use case for live playing.

As we’ve tested nearly all of the major multi-effects available right now, it allows us to compare them to one another, giving us a great overview of the pros and cons of each in terms of sound. We’ve used this knowledge to place the products in this guide in particular positions, whether it’s the usability or the sound that makes it particularly adept to a common use case.

Read more about how how we test products and services and how we make our recommendations.

Latest updates

In 2020, TC Electronic threw its hat into the multi-effects market by unleashing the impressively configured Plethora X5.

Now, in a bid to rival smaller units of the same nature, the Danish company – which isn't attending NAMM 2022 – has debuted a downsized, pedalboard-friendly iteration of its celebrated pedal: the Plethora X3.

As the name would suggest, the compact Plethora unit features only three configurable switches, though retains much of the X5’s feature set and even introduces some fresh extras. 

Thus, the X3 lets users curate, save and switch between up to 127 individual 'pedalboards', which can be created using TC Electronic’s comprehensive TonePrint pedal range.

The selected TonePrint pedals can then be finely tuned via TC Electronic’s Bluetooth TonePrint app – which lets users import a wealth of additional sounds and grants access to numerous parameters – and by using the three assignable control knobs that sit above the screen.

Available effects from the TonePrint range include the Helix Phaser, Viscous Vibe, Hall of Fame 2 Reverb, Flashback 2 Delay, Hypergravity Compressor, Vortex Flanger, Corona Chorus and many more.

Two other knobs – Effect and TonePrint – are in charge of the larger functions. It’s all pretty self-explanatory: while Effect dials in the specific effect, TonePrint scrolls through a specific TonePrint.

A final Play/Edit mode toggle keeps sound-sculpting and performance activities separate, with the X3 saving any off-the-cuff changes you make as you go.

Elsewhere, the multi-effects unit offers a Tape Deck looper – offering 80 seconds in mono or 40 seconds in stereo – and introduces a UniTune chromatic tuner, which is accessed by holding down the TonePrint knob while in Play mode. 

Eight onboard cabinet simulations are also available, and can be added to the end of the signal chain for going straight into PA systems and audio interfaces.

Other notable functions include the preset-navigating toggle switch, which lets you move up and down between your saved effect combos, and pedal-swapping powers that let you easily configure your 'board by changing the pedal order.

And, unlike the X5 – whose signal chain ran from left to right – the direction of the ‘boards‘ flow can be customized to whatever you desire.

Again, TC Electronic’s MASH expression feature is available. By holding down any of the unit’s three footswitches, they can also double as expression pedals, and aim to give the user a more dynamic control over the chosen effect.

In essence, the X3 operates almost exactly the same as the Plethora X5, though, obviously, with two fewer footswitches.

The Plethora X3 is available now for $309.

To find out more, visit TC Electronic.

Minneapolis-based firm 3Degrees Audio has announced its first guitar pedal, the Bygones – a stereo “nostalgia” multi-effects. 

The Bygones aims to “unlock the world of nostalgia” and does so by combining pitch, delay and noise effects in order to make your guitar signal sound old and degraded – in a good way. Think lo-fi scratched vinyl and warped tapes, essentially the tonal equivalent of Super-8 home movies.

It’s a digital stereo pedal with MIDI connectivity, from which 3Degrees promises “a comprehensive suite of audio degradation algorithms with incredible range, permutability and granular control”.

There are 12 dials in total on the unit, split into brightly colored, distinct output, pitch, delay and noise sections. This allows you to manipulate individual effects in the chain and then control overall EQ and volume. 

The single footswitch has several functions. Pressing it once activates the pedal, holding it for one second cycles through the seven preset slots, and holding it for three seconds stores a preset.

YouTuber Ambient Endeavors certainly offers a compelling demo that has us picturing idyllic (mostly invented) scenes of youth, amid some crackling swells and warbling tape tones.

The Bygones retails for $325. For more information head to 3Degress Audio's official site.

Boss has expanded its lineup of amp and multi-effects units by debuting its all-new GX-100 multi-effects processor pedal.

Compatible with electric guitars and bass guitars, Boss’ latest floor unit comes equipped with a number of features and effects found on the flagship GT-1000, though introduces a host of neat new appointments.

Chief among which is a rejuvenated ultra-modern design, as well as a more intuitive operation thanks to the color touchscreen display that can be used to curate signal chains containing up to 15 simultaneous effects blocks.

Such chains can make use of series and parallel signal routing, and can utilize up to two separate amp blocks. The presence of 200 onboard user memory slots also means a wealth of custom-configured presets can be saved to the GX-100.

In terms of effects on offer, the options are – as you’d expect from a Boss unit – pretty impressive. Boasting Boss’s AIRD technology and a refined Tube Logic approach, the unit promises a “natural tube amp feel” with each of its 23 amplifier models.

There are over 150 effects – including drives, distortions, modulations, reverbs and delays – available, which are derived from the GT-1000 and that can be controlled in real-time thanks to the onboard expression pedal. A “wide selection” of onboard speaker cabs is also available, and there’s room for importing third party IRs as well.

As for navigating the pedal itself, there are eight assignable footswitches, an output level knob and an expression pedal that also houses a toe switch. The display, meanwhile, works in unison with four parameter controllers, a Select knob and Page scrolling buttons. It’s a layout that’s said to deliver a “frustration-free experience”.

As well as having control over fluid parameter tweaks, signal chain adjustments and patch selection, the GX-100 also boasts a Manual mode that turns the pedal into a conventional stompbox controlling-style unit.

It can also be used as a USB audio interface, as well as a silent practice companion thanks to the headphones jack and onboard looper function.

Other appointments include Boss Tone Studio compatibility. As well as letting you tweak parameters on Windows and macOS, the Tone Studio app also connects to the GX-100 via Bluetooth – with the optional MIDI Dual Adaptor – allowing users to introduce off-the-cuff effects changes.

Boss will presumably be hoping its new offering can lure guitarists away from rivals HeadRush and Neural DSP, who have both included touchscreens on their flagship processors, the Pedalboard and Quad Cortex, respectively.

The GX-100 is available now for $599.

To find out more, head over to Boss.

Last year, cheap gear champion Harley Benton took a break from building insanely cheap electric guitars and acoustic guitars to release the $140 DNAfx GiT multi-effects pedal. Now, after taking the design back to the drawing board, the brand has unleashed the DNAfx GiT Pro – an expanded version of the brand’s flagship floor modeler.

As well as increasing the size of the chassis and introducing new controls, Harley Benton has also super-charged the pedal’s spec sheet in terms of sounds on offer and rig compatibility. 

The new-and-improved version has slightly fewer amp models – 51 compared with the original’s 55 – though boasts 31 cab models, five more than the DNAfx GiT originally offered. These can be visually tweaked via the five-inch display, and work in partnership with an IR loader, which aims to capture genuine amp tones.

Elsewhere, the unit features an immense range of onboard effects – 64 in total – which arrive in the form of various wah, harmonizer, overdrive, distortion, chorus, flanger, phaser, rotary speaker, delay, noise gate and tremolo effects, as well as room, plate, spring, hall and church reverbs.

Further familiar appointments include a drum machine with eight rhythm styles – complete with 10 different grooves each – as well as a 52-second looper.

Unlike the previous incarnation of the DNAfx, however, Harley Benton’s new offering aims to bridge the gap between floor modelers and hardware guitar amps by way of an Amp Control output feature, which lets users switch amp channels directly from the DNAfx GiT Pro.

Another fresh addition is the inclusion of MIDI in/out and balanced stereo XLR outputs, which allow for more versatile rig integration possibilities. This is a pretty substantial upgrade, given the original DNAfx only offered one mono jack input and output.

There’s also a stereo FX loop, meaning the DNAfx GiT Pro can be used with third party pedals.

What remains the same from the original is the onboard expression pedal, as well as the aux input, headphone output and USB port, which allows for audio recording and software editing.

There’s been no word regarding when the DNAfx GiT Pro will be officially released, though the multi-effects pedal can now be pre-ordered for $323 from Thomann.

To find out more, head over to Harley Benton.

Seven months after Chaos Audio announced its first-generation Bluetooth-enabled multi-effects guitar pedal, the music tech start-up has returned with a new-and-improved version of its intelligent, all-in-one stompbox, the Stratus.

With the help of numerous performing professionals and electric guitar heavyweights, Chaos Audio has tweaked the original design, resulting in a “more versatile, more affordable and more intuitive” offering.

Described by the brand as “the perfect effects solution for beginner and advanced guitarists alike”, the updated Stratus boasts the same innovative app-controlled interface that lets users dial in, sculpt and stack a variety of different effects on demand.

Current offerings include a range of distortions, overdrives, fuzzes, reverbs and delays, as well as an array of modulations such as phaser, chorus, wah and flanger.

In action, users connect the pedal to a dedicated Chaos Audio app, which in turn can be used to send effects signals to the Stratus. Players can then choose whether to select one or up to five effects to play through at once, with the brand saying that entire digital pedalboards can be easily curated.

Aside from the effect-manipulating properties, the compact pedalboard-friendly fixture also boasts a five-minute looper, controlled via the parameter control knob, and an on-board tuner.

Final updates to the Stratus include a fresh aesthetic design, more tactile footswitch, quieter internal electronics and a cleaner mobile app user interface.

Said Chaos Audio CEO Landon McCoy, “Stratus retains the features that made it exciting in the first place. The looper, tuner, intuitive smartphone UI, and device customizability are all intact and we’ve made noticeable updates to the pedal’s design.”

According to Chaos Audio’s Kickstarter page, the Stratus has already smashed its financial target, receiving over $23,000 from multi-effects fans around the world despite setting a preliminary goal of $10,000.

For more information, head over to Chaos Audio.

We’ve been touting the super sounds afforded by the new NUX MG-30 modeler, which boasts the company’s TSAC-HD (True Simulation of Analog Circuit) algorithm, a “white box” modeling algorithm that offers the most impressive and authentic real tube amp response, with the ability to model every component, including capacitors, tubes, transformers and more, in order to emulate the entire amp circuit.

And that’s only the beginning of the MG-30’s capabilities, as shredder Sarah Longfield points out in this new demo video.

“It’s a super affordable and super powerful guitar modeler…and bass modeler…and drum machine,” she says. “It’s, like, a ton of things.”

To be sure, the MG-30 boasts two NXP RT processors and drives 1024 samples with Impulse Response resolution with ultra-low system latency. There’s also two premium 32-bit two-channel audio CODECs for high-quality sound performance and a dynamic range of 110dB.

Features include 25 electric guitar amp models, two acoustic amp models and three bass amp models, as well as eight guitar and bass cabs, eight mics and three mic placement options.

“I know that doesn’t sound like a lot,” Sarah says, “but honestly, this thing just cuts out the bloat and gets to the point.”

Sarah demonstrates just how well it does this by trying out a host of different sounds and features.

As she illustrates, “You can get some pretty versatile sounds out of this thing. And that’s just scratching the surface.”

What’s more, the MG-30 also boasts a slew of pre- and post-effects, as well as a tuner and phrase looper, 4-inch LCD screen with intuitive UI, external foot control, USB recording interface. QuickTone edit software, meanwhile, allows users to tweak parameters, download patches, load third-party IRs and more.

“There is so much going on in this super compact modeler,” Sarah says. 

And just how compact is it? For reference, she lays her beanie over it. “I could pretty much put this in my hat,” she says with amazement.

For information on the MG-30, head over to NUX EFX.

Line 6 has unveiled an upgraded version of its existing HX Stomp, the HX Stomp XL multi-effects pedal.

In a bid to offer up a more comprehensive and hands-on user experience, the souped-up model sports a total of eight capacitive-touch footswitches – five more than the original HX Stomp. 

The appointment of additional switches hopes to remove the need for third-party pedals to control the unit, with Line 6 describing its new pedal as its own “master controller”.

In terms of tones available, the HX Stomp XL comes equipped with more than 300 amps, cabs and effects – including a series of polyphonic pitch-shifting effects – as well as 128 factory presets, which deliver a host of vintage and modern-sounding setups.

A number of presets, amps and cabs specific to bass guitar players are also packed into the HX Stomp XL’s immensely vast pool of sonic offerings.

Boasting the SHARC DSP chip found in the rest of Line 6’s flagship Helix range, the HX Stomp XL is able to run up to eight processing blocks simultaneously, with the configurable footswitches allowing you to customize your control layout in a number of versatile ways.

Other features include a stereo effects loop to integrate external devices, a jack for external expression pedals if required, and a multi-channel 24-bit/96kHz USB audio interface.

Further flexibility is introduced when the HX Stomp XL is partnered with the HX Edit app, which lets you customize pedal parameters and save your unique presets.

Eric Klein, Chief Product Design Architect at Line 6, said, “HX Stomp has been a very strong product for Line 6. Thanks to its Helix-quality tones, immense flexibility and tiny footprint, it’s found its way onto countless pedalboards all over the world.

“However, the HX Stomp pedal’s size dictates how much real time control one has,” he continues. “Many users have added third-party footswitches and MIDI controllers to push its limits.

“The HX Stomp XL adds five additional capacitive-touch switches to not only preclude the need for external control, but also turn HX Stomp XL into a master controller itself, all in a box smaller than two HX Stomps.”

The Line 6 HX Stomp XL is available now for $1,049 (street price $749).

Head over to Line 6 for more information.

NAMM 2021 isn't taking place in the physical realm this year, but you'll find all the hottest January gear launches in our guide to the biggest guitar, amp and pedal releases of 2021 so far.

When NUX introduced its MG-300 modeler, a compact unit based around the company’s TSAC-HD (True Simulation of Analog Circuit) algorithm, last year, the company called it “dollar-for-dollar, the best multi-FX on the market.”

Now, NUX may have bested itself with the new MG-30, which it touts as offering even better definition, from HD to 2K.

Boasting two NXP RT processors, the new unit drives 1024 samples with Impulse Response resolution with ultra-low system latency. There’s also two premium 32-bit two-channel audio CODECs for high-quality sound performance and a dynamic range of 110dB.

Features include 25 electric guitar amp models, two acoustic amp models and three bass amp models, as well as eight guitar and bass cabs, eight mics and three mic placement options.

It’s a smaller virtual gear set, but as NUX explains, “Working musicians don't need hundreds of mediocre amp models. Knowing this, we focused on 30 classic essentials, and made each and every one live up to the standards of the most demanding players.”

The MG-30 also boasts a host of pre- and post-effects, as well as a tuner and phrase looper, 4-inch LCD screen with intuitive UI, external foot control, USB recording interface. QuickTone edit software, meanwhile, allows users to tweak parameters, download patches, load third-party IRs and more.

We've seen the pedal listed for £220, which translates to a sub-$300 price tag. For more information on the MG-30, head to NUX EFX.

In our view, Line 6's HX Stomp is quite simply the best multi-effects pedal you can buy.

Packing a truck-filling guitar rig's worth of sounds into a stompbox that weighs in at less than two pounds, the HX Stomp provides you with more sonic versatility at its price point than just about any other pedal out there. If, however, you find that its jet-black looks leave you cold, we've got great news for you.

Line 6 recently built a new version of the HX Stomp, finished in a decidedly Star Wars-esque 'Stomptrooper White.' Better yet, thanks to a great deal at Sweetwater, you can now get this galactic multi-effects unit at a killer discount.

Usually $649, the HX Stomp in Stomptrooper White is available now for just $599, a whole $50 off. 

That means, for just a hair under $600, you get space for 126 presets, over 300 effects and amps, the pedal's trademark triple capacitive-footswitch setup, USB recording output, four-cable amp integration and a whole lot more.

Be sure to act fast though, as this deal is only live until September 30.

So be sure to head over to Sweetwater ASAP and secure a great bargain on this aesthetically pleasing, industry-leading multi-effects unit.

With Amazon Prime Day on the horizon, we're hoping (and expecting) to see more amazing bargains like this on all kinds of guitar gear. Be sure to bookmark our Prime Day guitar deals page to be the first to hear about them.

Read our Line 6 HX Effects review.

Big Ear Pedals has introduced its first digital multi-effects stompbox, the Albie, inspired by Nightmare of You guitarist Joe McCaffrey.

Touted as an ambient modulator, the Albie boasts eight different settings specifically curated to cover late ‘70s- and early ‘80s-style new wave and post-punk “jangly, shimmering, modulated sounds.”

The Albie features a streamlined control set of just an Effect knob, which allows the user to change between eight different pedal-chains or “stacks” of effects (with the LEDs lighting up with the corresponding effect), and a Blend knob that mixes the chosen effect setting into the clean-tone of the guitar.

The standard footswitch can also be held down to provide a secondary setting for each effect. Big Ear calls these extra settings the “Neil Modes,” in honor of Neil Graham of Dr. Scientist, who programmed the Albie’s digital code as well as designed the secondary settings.

The Albie comes in a transparent Aqua Teal die-cast enclosure and runs on 9V DC power, and is available for $199.

For more information, head to Big Ear Pedals.

Harley Benton spends most of its time building insanely affordable electric and acoustic guitars, but now the company has announced its first digital modelling multi-effects pedal, the DNAfx GiT.

The new pedal offers hundreds of amps, cabs and effects in a portable and, yes, super-low-priced package.

Among the included features are 55 classic and modern guitar amp models with real tube amp tone, feel and response, 26 IR guitar speaker cabinet model sims with added support for third-party IR files and 151 built-in effects, including drives, compressors, noise gates, EQs, modulation, wah, pitch, filters, delays, reverbs and more.

The unit also offers access to nine types of effects simultaneously, with up to 200 store-and-recall preset patches.

Additionally, there’s an integrated expression pedal for on-the-fly parameter adjustments, tap tempo function, 80-second phrase looper, drum machine with 40 drum patterns and 10 metronome rhythms and an LED chromatic tuner.

The DNAfx has USB connectivity for PC/MAC editing, direct audio recording and software updates, stereo, mono and headphone jacks and an included 9V DC power supply.

And like all Harley Benton products, it comes with a ridiculously affordable price tag of just $140.

For more information, head to Harley Benton.

NUX has unveiled the MG-300, which the company boldly claims is “dollar-for-dollar, the best multi-FX on the market.”

The compact unit boasts audio modeling based on NUX’s TSAC-HD (True Simulation of Analog Circuit) algorithm, which delivers high-definition, pro-quality electric guitar tones with realistic feel and playability.

A pre-effect block recreates a variety of classic analog overdrive and distortion pedals, while post-effects include chorus, flanger, phase, vibe, rotary, vibrato, delay, reverb and more.

There are also 25 built-in cabinet IRs that combine four classic microphones with three positions, and third-party IR files can be loaded via NUX QuickTone edit software.

QuickTone can also be used to tweak parameters, download patches and set up USB audio-stream routing.

Other features include an expression pedal to control volume and effects, 56 drum beats (eight rhythm styles, each with seven different beats), 60 second Phrase Loop Synchronization and a global three-band EQ.

For more information, head to NUX EFX.

Mooer has announced the GE300 LITE, a more compact version of its flagship GE300 multi-effects processor.

The new multi-effects unit offers 108 digital amp models based on Mooer’s non-linear amp modelling technology, 43 factory cab sims and a full-featured IR loader.

There’s also a range of classic and modern effects that can be expanded on via Mooer's GE Labs and Studio platforms.

The control set is anchored by a triple-mode eight footswitch design with assignable LED colors and functions, 13 effects blocks, and 255 preset banks.

The GE300 LITE also features Tone Capture, which boasts three different modes – "Amp,” which samples and captures a real-life amplifier; “Guitar,” which capture the EQ characteristics of the user’s instrument; and “Cab,” which provides an all-in-one solution to sample speaker cabinets and create IR files.

Keen Mooer fans will note that, although most of the amps and effects have crossed over, the GE300's Synth Engine doesn't make the cut here.

Additional features include a programmable stereo effects loop, 30-second looper station, external device switching, direct USB audio and more.

The GE300 LITE is offered for $549. For more information, head to Mooer Audio.