RC-2 and Me-70/GT-10

[cnev]

OK just ordered a new set of tubes for the Hot Rod Deluxe and bought an RC-2 loop pedal last night. The loop pedal will be used mostly for practice but I do want to use it for use in some of the songs we do with the band, from extra guitar parts to adding things like the bells ringing in Hells Bells etc. It's the first new toy I've had in awhile and something I really think will help me make progress with the soloing.

As some of you know I have struggled with getting the right tone I'm after and have never been happy with the sound I get out of the Hot Rod. I don't have many pedals now other than a couple distortion pedals, a chorus and an Eq. I have borrowed a VS Jekyl and Hyde from the other guitarist and which is the best sound I've gotten out of the amp since I had it, but if I have to buy that pedal it's about $150 and I'd still want more but I already dread the idea of all the cables/pedals etc to deal with so I am thinking about purchasing an ME-70.

My teacher just bought one with his son as they are both in bands and he loves it. I've read a bunch of reviews and most have been positive. A few along the lines of the effects not being quite as good as individual pedals but most said the ease and number of effects out weighed that.

I think I posted asking if anyone had one and didn't get any responses but I know Roy has the GT-10 which I beleive shares the same processor so Roy if you read this tell me what you think of the GT-10 effects.

[ph0nage]

I have no opinion that will actually benefit this post. I just wanted to say a "woo hoo" on getting to borrow a Jekyll & Hyde

[cnev]

phOange that's as good as any. The jekyl and Hyde is a good pedal I like the overdrive alone better than the distortion though.

I don't know if it's me or what but even when I don't change the settings on the amp or pedal for some reason it never seems to sound the same. I'm hoping that it's realted to my tubes which I'm not 100% are shot but I figure with a new set I shouldn't have to worry about the tubes being an issue and I can concentrate on the pedals and dialing in the right tone.

[rparker]

hi cnev,

Sorry I'm so late. I just now saw this. I came in here for tuner pedal threads. While we're at it, the onboard tuner on the GT-10 works just fine. It's for the other set up.

To answer your question, in short , I do like this a ton. They both have their digital tone software that they call COSM. Whatever. I like it. Most anything you've heard from me has come from my GT-10. I'm sure some good players have them on YouTube.

I've seen the GT-5, GT-6 and up used locally here both into a HRD and a PA system. The ME-70 at first glance looks good. I'll compare a few differences that I notice as I read the descriptions. Looks like just a totally different set up than the GT-10. Much fewer presets, but how many do you need? (I think it said 36 factory and 36 user) where as the GT-10 has 200/200. And just so you know, I have not used a factory patch in ages.

I'll download the manual and see if there's anything striking. They both have the same loop time. I'm willing to bet that the extra effects I might have in mine are all stuff I could really care less to have. Might have been an amp model thing? I can't remember. I got this two years ago.

[cnev]

Thanks Roy. I'm still debating on what to do although the new tubes didn't change my sound drastically it definitely made a difference in the sound I was getting out of the amp and I think I finally OK from that standpoint.

Like I mentioned I was using the Jekyl and Hyde pedal a friend let me use and it's the best pedal that I've used so far. I mentioned before that I liked the overdrive more then the distortion but I checked and it was actually the distortion I like better than the overdrive but these can be used together or seperately and I haven't tried all the different possibilities.

I'm interested in the Rocktron Metal Planet that darkhorse has been talking up. I've yet to try a distortion pedal that does the low end well and this one sounds interesting.

As for the ME-70 or GT-10 my instructor is really happy with the ME-70 and has used pedal boards for years. He just tells me he can get any sound he wants out of the ME-70. I would expect the GT-10 you have is that and a whole bunch more.
I'm not ready to make a purchase for an ME-70 or GT-10 yet I'm going to try a few more pedals first.

[slejhamer]

Chris, could your tone quest be hampered by the fact that you want a heavy metal distortion tone and you're using a Fender amp? Maybe try a Marshall or Mesa/Boogie or something more associated with heavier tones?

[cnev]

That's definitely a problem and something I can't do much about at the moment but yes that's part of it. I think all these years the tone I hear in my head that I want is coming out or Marshall half stacks not a Fender amp and it's probably why I have never been happy.

The other guitar player is playing through a Marshall half stack so when we play the difference is huge. I will say though with the new tubes and The Jekyl and Hyde it's gotten alot closer to the sound I'm looking for.

[rparker]

I was looking at the manuals on line for them both. The 70 has a lot less features than the GT-10. For $300, there should be a lot of options. I think the more options you have, the better chance you hit on something. I mean, mine has a few more Marshall preamps than the 70.

I've not heard it yet, but smokindog got a Vox tonelab ST over the winter. It looks like it's very feature rich. I've not heaqrd one in action, but curiosity has my interest piqued. I'm wondering what it would sound like hooked up to my Super Champ XD. $199. I'd listen more to him than I would to me. We play entirely different types of music.

After saying all that, I really do like the GT-10 and I hope it will stay intact for years to come.

[cnev]

To be honest I think both have more features than I'd ever use or need to begin with. I think I could probably get away with maybe 4-5 active pedals to be able to get the sounds I'd need for the songs we are playing.

There might be a few I couldn't get but I won't lose any sleep over it. I'm not as convinced as my instructor about the multi effects boxes in the first place, maybe somewhere down the road I'll be converted.

If I were gigging regularly where I had to move a pedal board w/cables etc. around all the time I'd think alot harder about using one but for the few times I move my pedals now it's no big deal.

[Nuno]

Chris, did you already get and check the RC-2? Really fun pedals. As you know I was thinking on buying a loop pedal several months ago.

[cnev]

Nuno yes I did buy yhe pedal and it is fun. I've been quite busy with a project at work and haven't gotten a chance to use it much but the other day I just found a beat I liked and ended up just improving for over an hour. It's easy to get caught up in the fun and lose track of time.

I want to start laying down some rhythm tracks to work on my soloing that's the main reason I bought it.

[Nuno]

Thanks and enjoy!