Sometimes, simpler is better. Consider these situations: a small stage, a quick set-up and tear-down, a gig that requires a plane flight, a pick-up gig, a jam or rehearsal, or if you simply don’t want to deal with all of the mucky-muck of cables; a consolidated pedalboard gives you one less thing to be concerned with.
Convenience is key with this list. The criteria is that each pedalboard has to represent the basic effects categories, have the ability to turn individual effects off or on with a footswitch, and include dedicated knobs for each effect to control parameters for on-the-fly tweaks. They all do at least four simultaneous effects, can be connected with only two cables, and only need one power outlet.
All of these units sound great and function flawlessly. They’re also tough enough to withstand being hauled around to different venues and put on the floor to be stomped — as stompboxes should be!
Tech 21 FlyRig5
The outstanding feature of the Fly Rig 5 is its tiny size; a mere 2.5″ x 11.5″ x 1.25″ and 1.16 lbs! The amazing part is that in that tiny space is a SansAmp modeler with EQ and reverb, a Plexi-style distortion section, an adjustable, foot-switchable boost, and a tape-delay emulator with a Drift control for modulated delays.
The inclusion of a SansAmp modeler makes it possible for the Fly Rig 5 to be your entire rig; just add guitar! It’s small enough to keep as a back-up rig for any situation; just put it in your cable bag or guitar gigbag pocket to get you through amp failure or effects rig disaster. My cohort here at Sweetwater, Mitch Gallagher, does exactly that.
T-Rex SoulMate
The SoulMate takes effects drawn from four of T-Rex’s most popular pedals — Moller, Mudhoney, Replica/Reptile, and Room Mate — and adds a tuner, an effects loop, and stereo outputs. The delay has a tap-tempo switch, which is also a mute for the tuner when held, and both the delay and reverb offer modulation options. Not only can each effect be switched on or off individually in Live mode, but ten different combinations of the effects can be stored and recalled by putting the SoulMate into Bank mode. The SoulMate also uses high-grade components, switches, and connectors for excellent tone and durability. An all-analog dry signal path keeps your guitar tone intact. It even comes with its own zippered carry bag.
The effects loop is located between the distortion and delay in the signal path. That allows you to either insert a favorite effect — phase shifter, rotary speaker simulator, chorus, etc. — into a critical point of the signal chain or to patch the delay and reverb into the effects loop of your amp using a “four-wire” routing scheme. That’s a nice option because putting time-based effects in your amp’s effects loop keeps the tone stack and input stage of your amp from coloring the effects, resulting in cleaner and fuller sounding repeats and ambiance.
Boss ME-80
The ME-80 is a full-featured, amp and effects modeler using Boss’ COSM modeling technology, with a massive array of options and programmability; pretty much what you’d expect from a Boss all-in-one unit. However, the thing that sets the ME-80 apart and places it on this short list is a feature called Manual Mode. In Manual Mode, the footswitches become on/off switches for the labeled effects and the knobs corresponding to those effects become the active settings. Now it operates just like a pedalboard full of stompboxes!
Although a bit larger than the Fly Rig or SoulMate, you get more sounds and options plus a built-in expression pedal. Including the preamp section, there are seven simultaneous effects available that each have their own dedicated on/off switch and knobs. There are lots of tweakable parameters for each effect, and several models available under each effect category. The ME-80’s layout is well planned; even though there are two rows of footswitches, the bottom row is Comp, Overdrive/Distortion, Modulation, and Delay, which would probably be the most used effects in the heat of battle.
It would be difficult to compile this list without at least a mention of the venerable Line 6 M13. While it may not exactly fit all of the criteria, this tried-and-true veteran gives you four simultaneous effects that can be individually switched and controlled with dedicated knobs for each effect slot. Since it’s a stompbox modeler, any of over 75 effects can be placed anywhere in the chain. You can also enter Bank Mode and use presets, plus there are footswitches that can be dedicated to the onboard looper. The extra real estate that the M13 occupies affords a lot more options.
With any of these four self-contained pedalboards, you get a simple, ergonomic solution for adding essential effects to your rig without hassles. Just grab one of these, sling your guitar over your shoulder, and a grab suitably sized combo amp, and you’re ready to go — one trip from the car to the stage! Fast and easy.