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1171 Views 6 Replies Latest reply: Nov 18, 2009 9:10 AM by buffyrat RSS
buffyrat Just Startin'
buffyrat
6 posts since
Nov 16, 2009
Currently Being Moderated

Nov 16, 2009 1:28 AM

Pre Sale Questions...

... so apologies in advance... I've done my best to answer most of the below in FAQs etc :-)

I've been looking into getting an X3 Pro but have a number of questions, many of which I've Googled but there are a few I'm not sure on if you good people could indulge me...

 

1 - How good is the Tremolo? (i.e. is it usable, what settings can you control etc)

 

2 - If I get the basic foot controller (FBV2) the website days you can flick through "the first bank of four presets"... does this mean you literally only have access to of one bank of presets? Or does it mean you can you go up and down ABC and D of whichever bank you happen to be in? (which would be ideal)

 

3 -  Stomp Box editing... am I correct in assuming the four black rotarys below the screen basically become your fx knobs when you're editing a pedal? (tone, gain etc)?

The reason being I do like to "fiddle" with sounds, which is why I've always used pedals, and I'd hate to feel trapped behind menus when it comes to speedily tweaking the amount of effect. I get the impression though you just select the stomp box and use these controllers? i.e. super easy??

 

4 - Is the tuner good? Small point but I'm trying to get rid of carrying pedals.

 

5 - To create a new preset from scracth, what's the default "blank" setting? Is it literally amp1/speaker1 and no fx... what I'm driving at is if, say, I just want one stomp box on a JCM800 is it a case of turning more stuff off then on? My main concern with moving to a beast like the X3 is I do tend to like quite simple dry sounds and I'm concerned I'll end up using too many fx... so I need assurance it's very easy to create simple set-ups.

 

6 (last one I promise) - It seems although there are acoustic settings, there's isn't an "acoustic simulator". Is it possible to get "accousticy" sounds from an flat body or semi regardless?

 

Thank you in advance... as you can probably guess I like to do my homework. Just to give you the background to this, I current use a Behringer V-Amp which is ok but lacking in a few fx I require (main a tremolo) and the filth isn't great either... so I'm debating whether to replace it with an X3 or just buy a couple of extra fx boxes

Cheers.

  • Matt_J71 Just Startin'
    Matt_J71
    103 posts since
    Jan 25, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Nov 16, 2009 4:54 PM (in response to buffyrat)
    Re: Pre Sale Questions...

    The tremolo effects are very good. I think they are some of the better effects on the X3. You can choose the type of wave, speed, depth, etc. Very tweakable.

     

    I used to use an FBV with my PODxt. You can choose between the 4 presets in a bank, but I don't remember if you can go up or down between banks. I never needed more than 4 presets, so it was never a problem for me.

     

    The 4 knobs below the display are for tweaking stomps, effects, and some of the amp and cabinet controls. Tweaking the effects is very intuitive and easy with these knobs.

     

    The tuner is pretty good. It is stable and doesn't jump around. Seems pretty accurate.

     

    There isn't really a default blank patch - but it is very easy to turn off what you don't want or need and just turn on the things you want.

     

    I used to run my Ibanez acoustic electric through the PODx3 with good results. You could get pretty acoustic'y sounds with a semi-hollow. Not anything that would fool you into thinking it was a real acoustic, but it does sound pretty good.

     

    Hope this helps.

    • buffyrat Just Startin'
      buffyrat
      6 posts since
      Nov 16, 2009
      Currently Being Moderated
      Nov 17, 2009 4:53 AM (in response to Matt_J71)
      Re: Pre Sale Questions...

      Thanks for your detailed reply... very much appreicated and just what I was after and very very useful

       

      I think with the acousticy guitar sounds it's going to have to be a case of biting the bullet and hoping I can get a suitable sound out of my guitar. It's only for live strumming so I'm sure I'll come up with something good enough (Gretsch, and quite a deep acousticy one at that). Currently I use a Boss Acoustic Simulator which makes perfectly passable sounds for the job.

       

      RE the FBV however, I've since read that it isn't compatible with the X3 (but is with the XT). I THINK it just jumps between the 2 input channels rather than up and down a bank of presets... which isn't very useful.

       

      So I'd have to get the FBV Express which is a bit annoying as I don't really need an expression pedal and it's all extra "stuff" I have to carry around.

       

      Cheers,

      Mike.

      • Matt_J71 Just Startin'
        Matt_J71
        103 posts since
        Jan 25, 2007
        Currently Being Moderated
        Nov 17, 2009 5:10 AM (in response to buffyrat)
        Re: Pre Sale Questions...

        I actually was thinking of the FBV express when I answered your question. It is a really nice pedal, not too big, and a volume pedal/wah pedal is always nice to have. It also has the tuner built in, which is nice.

         

        You could always run the Boss Acoustic Simulator through the loop of the X3 and just have it on all the time. You can have the loop turned on or off on each patch.

         

        Any particular reason you are going for the Pro? Does it have a feature that you need that isn't included on the X3 Live or the desktop version?

        • buffyrat Just Startin'
          buffyrat
          6 posts since
          Nov 16, 2009
          Currently Being Moderated
          Nov 17, 2009 5:28 AM (in response to Matt_J71)
          Re: Pre Sale Questions...

          The FBV Express does look great, I'm just trying to minimise the gear I carry around (see below) but it's not the end of the world if it's just a bit bigger than the one I was expecting to get. On the plus side at least I realised before I bought one

           

          Same goes for the Acoustic pedal... I can, as you say, loop it if I need to... good to know the loop can be set on/off as appropriate though, that would be useful as it wouldn't have to be "on stage" as it were... effectively the FBV would turn it on.

           

          I'm going for the Pro because I already carry a rack around which contains a mixer that goes to my powered PA speakers. Currently I'm running a V-Amp Pro so I can plug my guitar and/or bass in (depending which hat I'm wearing) as well as run the keyboards, sequencer and mics through the mixer (again, a man of many hats).

          So I just want to replace the V-Amp Pro and slot it into my rack and therefore have as few pieces of "floor kit" as I can get away with. But an FVB Express and one Boss pedal is still much less than a pedal board full of pedals as the rack would be coming whether it has an X3 in it or not.

           

          Cheers.

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