new zoom stompbox

Concretebadger · Post by **Concretebadger** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 10:29 pm

Sounds like a no-brainer to me as well. I was thinking about saving up for an M5 as a swiss-army-knife modulation thingie but this might be an even better bet. What's the pedalboard footprint BTW? It looks pretty compact.

I was wondering if Ben's issue was specifically with the expected build quality alongside such a low price tag, but it doesn't look too bad. TBH I've not broken a pedal before just by tweaking or stomping on it since I'm an eight stone weakling who plays guitar while only wearing socks on his feet; even my plastic-y Behringer analogue delay sounds fine and has yet to suffer any mishaps.

Let us know what the tremolo and phasing sounds like...I'd get it just for those two things alone.

NickS · Post by **NickS** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 8:28 pm

Mike wrote:I daisy chain it off my normal supply btw

Oh, I didn't realise from the description that you could, I thought you needed a special AC supply. Thanks.

NickS · Post by **NickS** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:19 pm

Dave wrote:I've read a couple of reviews that say it cannot be used as an interface.

http://www.gak.co.uk/en/zoom-ms-50g-stompbox/74284

A mini USB port is provided so that the pedal can be used as a compact audio interface when connected to a computer.

I would guess that's input to the PC only.

luciguci · Post by **luciguci** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 9:54 am

I kinda want to get it for the Z-Organ pedal, I want me some POG-gy organy goodness. Also, that Slow Attack, and that Bit Crusher.

Gabriel · Post by **Gabriel** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 6:25 pm

daftsupernova wrote:I kinda want to get it for the Z-Organ pedal, I want me some POG-gy organy goodness. Also, that Slow Attack, and that Bit Crusher.

Ah, I hate to be a kill joy but the Z-Organ model really sucks, very out of tune and there isn't a whole lot you can do about it. Sadly the pitch shifting is Zoom's weakest point. Everything else is awesome. I used the 'Squeek' distortion for a show the other day - the only reason I didn't bring my MBM overdrive was because the solo was the only time in a two hour show that I needed distortion and I didn't want to have to set up another pedal - and that sounded really really good.

luciguci · Post by **luciguci** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 6:26 pm

Damn. Looks like I'll just get the Organizer and keep saving for other things. Some day, I might get it for the bit crusher.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Thu Dec 27, 2012 1:28 pm

NickS wrote:
Dave wrote:I've read a couple of reviews that say it cannot be used as an interface.
http://www.gak.co.uk/en/zoom-ms-50g-stompbox/74284
A mini USB port is provided so that the pedal can be used as a compact audio interface when connected to a computer.
I would guess that's input to the PC only.

Zooms website states 'firmware update' for the USB connection. I'm sure I read a couple of reviews stating it could not be used as an audio interface to use edit and save functions on your PC and can't find any reviews that state you can. That blurb you quoted seems to be consistent on all the shop sites. It's too ambiguous, but i would have though Zoom would have stated this and not just 'firmware update' if it were a feature. Hopefully someone who has it can it confirm for sure.

NickS · Post by **NickS** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 9:38 pm

How does this compare with the G2Nu, which is about Â£17 more at GAK?

Thom · Post by **Thom** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 12:08 pm

Now you've had it a bit longer, any more thoughts on it Mike? (Or anyone else who got one).
I like the sound of the MS100-BT version that can have sounds added to it through iPhone/iPad app.

Post by **Mike** » Fri Jan 18, 2013 9:07 am

Since we had Xmas and New Years and now my tonsillectomy I've not really played it with the band yet - will report back when I have.

The iPhone/iPad one looks ace!

Thom · Post by **Thom** » Fri Jan 18, 2013 9:51 am

Nice one - cheers. Hope the recovery is going well!

timhulio · Post by **timhulio** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 12:20 pm

Is that a Plon Fentaur in the middle of the second shelf? Mike how does it compare?

Thom · Post by **Thom** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 1:34 pm

Saw this on TGP when searching for info on these, mentions the Plon...

Some guy on TGP wrote:So I'm a couple of days into owning the MS-100BT

My existing pedal rig comprises:

Korg tuner
Diamond Compressor
Small Stone nano phaser
Analogman Prince of Tone (set to boost, distortion at 80%)
Boss BF-2 flanger
MXR Carbon Copy analog delay
TC Flashback digi delay (with the lower gain EP-3 toneprint on 90% of the time).
TC Electronic Hall of Fame reverb
Daneletro Cool Cat Tremelo.

I'm playing a Gordon Smith GS1.5 and an Alden Quadraverb (low gain filtertron pickups, bigsby) into a Vox, set clean.

So - nothing too exotic. For me, I'm looking to see how I can use the MS-100BT to add another palette of drive (higher gain OD, Rat / Fuzz) and figure out how much of my existing rig could be replaced with MS-100BT patches. I've got no interest in the tuner, amp sims, nor the compressors so everything below is based on me running my existing Diamond Comp first.

Initial thoughts:

- The pre-loaded patches are bobbins, as they always are.

- It doesn't take too long to get to grips with navigation, although am still struggling to remember how to get it into 'sequential patch mode' on the pedal switch itself.

- Downloading the new pedals via the iOS app is really straightforward, although it puts them to the 'back' of the group. The drives are ordered by gain, as far as I can tell, and it puts the Plon at the very end.

- All the drive 'level' settings are way too high by default and work best at around 35-70 depending on type.

- Having downloaded the Plon Fentaur, IMHO it is superb - by far the best of the low / medium gain ODs and real pleasure to play. I would be entirely happy to own this as a standalone pedal Perhaps lacking very slightly in harmonics, but entirely useable and a real favourite right off the bat. The OD-1 is also pretty good, as is the Governor

- The 'Squeak' Rat effect also sounds pretty good, especially as it's missing the 'noise' from the real thing.

- Not totally sold on the FuzzSmile or GreatMuff yet, but need to do some tweaking.

- The vibe isn't impressing me at all - not very convincing 'throb' going on. My old Danelectro Cool Cat sounded loads better.

- I don't really like chorus, but they sound OK to me. The Detune and Ensemble sound quite useable, and I'm going to be messing about a lot further in an attempt to get close to the Yamaha FX-500's brilliant "Soft Focus" instant Slowdive patch.

- I've downloaded the Boss BF-2 effect to compare it to my real pedal, which I have set permanently on the same settings used for 'A Forest' by The Cure (manual - 60% / Depth 75% / Rate 50% / Res 25%). The MS-100BT can get pretty close indeed IMHO - like 95% close, but it's not entirely there - it is noticeably missing some analog warmth.

- Very impressed with the downloaded Small Stone. I actually think it sounds better than my Small Stone Nano, both before and after drive.

- The Bend Chorus and to a lesser extent the Z-Organ sound good and are going to get some tweaking soon.

- The delays are all really good. I can dial in an analog or mod delay that sounds, to my ears, almost precisely the same as the MXR Carbon Copy. The downloaded EP3 effect 95% nails the lower gain EP-3 tone print on my Flashback. The reverse delay is also great.

- I think the reverbs are good, but - controversially - not great. With the exception of the 'room' setting adding a bit of ambience, the Hall of Fame thus far is blowing them away. There's nothing to touch the HoF's 'Room With A View'. No plate. And no shimmer reverb. Not that impressed with the HD Reverb or HD Room, so far. I think I'll be keeping the Hall of Fame.

So far this is my favourite patch, with the effects in this order:

CentaGold - Gain 60 / Treble - 55 / Out - 30
AnalogDelay - Time - 170 / FB - 12 / Mix - 50 / HiDMP - 8 / PP - Mono / Level 100 / Tail On
TapeEcho 3 - FB - 55 / Mix - 55 / Time - 430 / RecLv - 60 / Sync Off / PAmp - On