Boss ME-30

...FEATURES
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The boss ME 30 is a guitar multi effect. Which means there are several effects available (16 effects, and up to 9 used at the same time):
- analog distorsion: several available: warm, blues, fuzz, hard, metal (basically from slight overdrive up to violent and heavy distorsion)
- Equaliser: you can set trebble, middle and bass.
- compressor: allows to increase the sustain of your note.
...background when you are using a distorsion.
- other effects: flanger (your sound sounds like it is turning around), chorus (I can't describe this effect. Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) was using it all the time, if you listen to the sound of the guitar on "come as you are", that's chorus), tremolo (your sounds vibrate), pitch shifter (allows you to higher or lower the pitch of your guitar as you want)
- reverbs (you play the note and ... more

I purchased my ME 30 like 3 or 4 years ago when it was just released. It was a great piece of technology at the time, but now, you can probably find better (I say probably because I stick to my ME 30)(I'm a faithful man).

LOOK / DESIGN
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It is not the most beautiful piece of plastic, but, hey, we are talking music here, not fashion show (some will say: but is Britney Spears about music or about fashion and look? I respond to these people by a nasty slap behind the head).
The display is a luminous LCD and an icon-driven interface which are little "chained" stompbox icons that confirm the effects that currently in use.

FEATURES
**************
The boss ME 30 is a guitar multi effect. Which means there are several effects available (16 effects, and up to 9 used at the same time):
- analog distorsion: several available: warm, blues, fuzz, hard, metal (basically from slight overdrive up to violent and heavy distorsion)
- Equaliser: you can set trebble, middle and bass.
- compressor: allows to increase the sustain of your note.
- noise reductor: reduces the "wind sound" in the background when you are using a distorsion.
- other effects: flanger (your sound sounds like it is turning around), chorus (I can't describe this effect. Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) was using it all the time, if you listen to the sound of the guitar on "come as you are", that's chorus), tremolo (your sounds vibrate), pitch shifter (allows you to higher or lower the pitch of your guitar as you want)
- reverbs (you play the note and its sounds fades out progressively as if you sing in a church) and delay (echo): you have the choice between several sorts...
- expression pedal: this wonder comes with an expression pedal which can be used for: volume pedal (you can lower as you with the sound of your guitar), wha wha pedal (when you press on the pedal, your guitar makes a "whaaaaa" sound), pitch shifter (kind of whammy-like effect: lower or higher more or less the pitch of your guitar according to how much you press you foot on the pedal).

- The multi effect comes with 30 factory settings, and you can save 30 of your settings on it.

- Built-in "Phrase Trainer" Makes Leaning New Licks a Breeze
Ever wish you could master a new riff by slowing it down a notch or two? The ME-30's phrase trainer function and built-in auxiliary input makes it easy for players to record up to 12 seconds of their favorite CD for "loop"-style playback. Then it lets you slow down the sampled phrase to as low as 25% of its original speed without affecting its pitch.

- built-in tuner
- onboard amp simulator for "live" sounding late night headphone practice and recording, an adjustable input setting with icons for different guitars/pickups, and optional battery operation (using six AA cells). Alas It doesn't come with a power supply

SOUND
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The ME-30 starts with BOSS' newest ultra-clean digital signal processing technology. Effects are sampled at CD-quality 44.1kHz, and AD/DA conversion is 20/18-bit. This is pretty impressive, especially compared to some other similar devices.
But what does this do for you? It keeps your guitar's signal as pure as the instant the vibration leaves the strings, hit the pickups and resonate through the guitar's body. It ensures that every drop of your guitar's tone and every detail of your playing nuance is faithfully captured.
The factory presets sound really good... However, most of your sound will rely on your guitar and your amp...

EASE OF USE
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Editing Is As Easy As Turning Knobs On a Stompbox...
The effects using the a luminous LCD and a super-friendly, icon-driven interface which uses "chained" stompbox icons to to instantly confirm which effects are in use at a given time.

In "Edit" mode, the blinking effect name above each pedal icon lets users know exactly which effect is being edited. And with "virtual" knob editing icons, even beginners will have no problem creating and editing their own effects patches it's as simple as turning knobs on a stomp box. Once created, these patches can be named and stored in any order for practice or performance.
Yes you can name your own presets. That's cool.
The ME 30 comes with a manual which is very clear.

PRICE
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I paid it about £200 3 or 4 years ago. I just checked it on ebay, and you can get it from £65.

MY OPINION
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This multieffect is really good. If you are a beginner looking for effect, get this. AT £65, you won't be disappointed. I really like mine. I still have it and I never had any problem with it. I dropped it, i spilt drinks on it, it snowed on it... And it is still working. The only problem is that it is a bit hard to read what is on the screen when standing up, so it might be a problem when on stage. However if you program your thing properly, you don't need to look at it...

THE ME-30 DOES
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Allow you to have a large panel of good quality effect for a reasonnable price, make your play more enjoyable, make you sound different.

THE ME -30 DOEN'T
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Change your sheets, wash your dishes, tidy your room or clean your cat's arse.

Thanks for reading...

 

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