Cheap small multifx unit like the Pockrock?

[Dollywitch]

Since I'm thinking of getting a new synth, I'm looking for a simple FX unit. Recording I can use VSTs but for jamming and exploring sounds it would be useful to have simple effect like chorus, delay reverb and distortion.

The Pockrock seems like a potential choice - the drives sound kind of crappy through headphones probably because it's meant to go more into an amp with the cab sim off(it calls them drives rather than amp models), but the sort of distortion it gives could be really cool on a synth. I'm wondering how clean the "Clean" channel is, though, so I can use it off with the reverb/delay.

I suppose I could just pick up something like a second hand G1on or digitech unit.

Any other ideas? Looking for something under 40 to be worth it. Ideal would be a CDR but I can't really fork out for that right now even if it's great value.

[jvin248]

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If you have a Joyo American Sound it can be your cabinet and then run that direct into your recording (or a gig PA). It covers the tones of a lot of Fender amps (see intheblues youtube channel and another guy 'nico' demo) and sounds really good. It also works as a front side pedal.

Look for used Digitech RP series like the older "55"/etc (they had 50s/70s/80s series). I've seen a guy who bought a handful of them for $25 or so each and then uses them like individual pedals after reprogramming a couple of the presets. So he might have a Country pedal, Rock pedal, or several different delays set up and not scrolling up/down through a hundred programs.

Line6 POD "bean" from twenty years ago is another option, look for the Anderton's reveiw of Helix/amplifier/and one other against the POD where Lee says "the twenty year old tech holds up quite well" where the benchmarks are thousands of dollars each.

Behringer V-Amp, there's a good Wampler review "A $100 Helix?"

The PocRock is the least expensive New option out there, the others used.

If you are looking for pure distortion on the cheap, Get the "Black Rat" on Amazon, Azor 303 Fuzz, Azor Black Distortion, or Golden Horse all under $25ish range. Go on Amazon and put in "guitar pedal" and "sort low to high price" and you'll find a lot of fun options.

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[boppy]

Maybe check out one of those Sonicake fly-rigs.

The Rockstage has distortion, chorus, delay and reverb. It also has a cab-sim.

I just got the Black Hammer high gain model a while back. It has boost, distortion, noise gate, chorus and delay. It also has a 3-band EQ instead of the cab-sim.

Great little grab 'n go thing for around $70.

[ElephantDNA]

I have a digitech 360 that I picked up dirt cheap used that could fill this role inexpensively. It's not going to blow you away, but like most digitech products, the reverbs are all lexicon reverbs so they sound pretty good. The modulation effects are passable. To my ear, the delays and distortions are the weakest element of the unit, though some sound better than others (their OCD clone and some of the rat type stuff is OK, most of the muff style or distortion style units don't sound great to me).

[timtam]

I have a NUX PG-2 as a travel multi-effects / headphone amp. Small and cheap. Does the job.