Eyeing a Pedal when I already have Multi-effects

Gear
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Local FB Market has a Darkglass Microtubes Infinity listed for $350. This seems like a really good price, especially if I can talk him down to maybe $300.

But I already have a Boss ME-90B multi-effects unit. Which has basically all the same functions and more.

The Darkglass would be more compact and arguably nicer electronics. It could serve as the nice hub of a future dedicated pedal board. It has the effects that cover probably 90% of what I play (EQ, comp, drive, di).

Our band focuses mostly on New Wave and post punk. Not metal.

Should I snag the Darkglass pedal? Don’t bother because I’m already set with the Multi-effects and I’ll use things like reverb, wah, and envelope that the Darkglass can’t do?

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I owned a Microtubes X and one thing the Darkglass pedals give you is a really nice amp-like tone. You don’t need to crank up the clank and it’s not all about metal (I am also post-punk, electroindustrial, goth and new wave focused).

Darkglass gear just has really great overall tone IMO even aside from distortion (which they are good at) and their trademark clank (ditto, even if not for everyone.) Especially the B7K, Microtubes, and VMT.

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Since you you can probably re-sell the darkglass at similar price, I would give it a try and see if it suits

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Yeah I actually turned a profit reselling mine.

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i’ve always been a big pedal swapper. mostly to satisfy my curiosity. if you do it right, you really don’t wind up having to shell out too much money to replace your used stuff that you sell on reverb.

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How do you like it?

I sold my HX Stomp and have a small pedal board

But I like the look of that.

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Overall, I’m quite pleased with it. It suits my needs very well and the price was right - especially getting an “open box” discount.

I think it has been just about the ideal first multi-effects unit for me. It’s about as simple and easy as it gets to just select a different effect, mess with the parameters, and try things out to see what happens. It’s quick and easy to mess around with and try something new.

It has drawbacks. I would recommend something with a graphical UI for a gigging musician who already has a handle on what different effects they want.

It’s annoying that it doesn’t have a good display. You can program patches, but then you have to remember or write down that like “U1 - 2” is my “Grunge Rock” patch. It would be nice to have a display with patch names.

You can’t custom order where different effects go in the chain. It decides that automatically, which is not a big deal.

You are somewhat limited in many of the effects being on the same bank, and not being able to do two at once. Like I can’t do an Envelope Filter and an Auto-Wah. Fortunately it gives you like 3 different places to do Compressors, so that’s not a big deal.

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Thanks for the thoughtful feedback.

I think I’ll keep my eye on the used market and snag one of these when they pop up.

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Also watch Musicians Friend. I got mine as an open box off of there which saved me like $100.

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This would actually be a showstopper for me.

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Aside from the noise gate per @John_E recommendation I don’t buy DarkGlass products. It’s a personal thing and I hold grudge, :joy:

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I don’t understand the either or, get both use both or neither when it’s applicable or whatever strikes your mood.

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They’re both moderately large and there’s a lot of redundancy between them. The Boss unit is already about as big as I’d want a pedal board to be. I might decide to use one over the other in different situations, but think it’s unlikely I’d use both together.

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Clarifying my question for making the decision:

Would I get a noticeable benefit from the Darkglass over the Boss ME-90B multi effects I already have? Will I have a regular use-case for it over the Boss?

The Boss unit can do everything the Darkglass can and a lot more. But I mostly use those to experiment at home.

The Darkglass unit has all the features I really need, that I rely on 90% of the time: Tuner, Compression, Drive, EQ, DI. It’s more compact.

Will the Darkglass offer higher quality of those effects than the Boss?

And/or: What price should I try to get this at that I can be comfortable that I can sell it on with no loss if I decide it’s not for me? Retail is $625. Reverb has them $600 new and $400-$450 used. I feel like the $350 asking price is probably a safe bet.

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In my experience yes, almost assuredly; Darkglass and NeuralDSP are outstanding. Boss is more of the Fender of effects; a standard that no one will argue with, occasionally great, occasionally not.

I’m a big fan of both Roland and Darkglass and some of my favorite pedals are Boss, but I would put Boss in general behind Darkglass, NeuralDSP, and Line 6 for effects quality, both hardware and software.

IMO anyway. YMMV.

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Thanks. That’s my general impression of this, especially against a more entry-level Boss unit.

I’m guessing that at $350, I should also be able to sell it on for little or no loss if I decide.

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boss has some of the most legendary pedals of all time and is the biggest name in pedals. DG has a ton of fanboys also and for me the VMT is the one i can’t live without it pedal. i would strongly suggest if you can swing it to just get both in your living room and trial them both, then resell the loser.

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Totally true and some of my favorites - RV-3, OC-2, etc… was not harshing on Boss above, but I also need to be honest about where they land in terms of average effect quality against some of the absolute best.

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yep and i agree, i have always found boss to be rather… generic? probably because they defined so many sounds. they do have some big hitters. edit: i just realized, i have owned so many pedals in my life that i literally truly don’t even remember a bunch of them. but i have never owned a boss pedal. i did have the little boss katana go headphone amp with effects. weird.

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Tu-2 :heart:

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