Zoom 509

Advantages: Cheap, Simple to Use
Disadvantages: Quality of effects aren't great

...The Zoom 707 II is the slightly newer version of the 707. It has everything the 707 has plus the ability to insert a smart media card, which you can use to longer record samples, and/or exchange patches (the name given to the setting of the pedal, i.e. distortion, reverb settings etc...) on the internet. I bought the pedal several years ago when I had just started playing the guitar at a price of around 150 pounds. It comes with the unit itself and instruction manuals. If I remember correctly I had to purchase the power unit myself, but this was only around 5 pounds. The pedal can however be powered by 4 AA batteries instead. With 74 different effect ypes I feel this pedal provides more than enough for the beginner guitarist. There is a huge range of things you can do with this little pedal - the guitar signal goes through... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Lots of sounds, smartmedia
Disadvantages: made entirely of plastic, complicated interface

...I recently purchased this for £99 including p&p as I have been wanting a new pedal for ages, and rather than getting one which could only do one thing I decided to get one which could do a lot. A picture of the unit can be found at this site: http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/ --------------------------- So far I have been very happy with the unit which has a great range of features: 74 different effects including: distortion, modulation (e.g. chorus and flanger), reverb and delay effects, cabinet simulator, acoustic simulator. 60 built in 'patches' and the ability to program 60 of your own. These are combinations of the effects listed above. Runs for 11 hours on one set of AA batteries, or can be run from the main with an adaptor (which is rather annoyingly not included as standard). Using a 16MB SmartMedia card (sold... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Compact, cheap as chips, huge editability, great sound
Disadvantages: Not for the professional gigging guitarist

...Its always good to review something cheap, but even better when you're reviewing a gift! As it happens, I'm cheating because although this was a Christmas gift from my wife, I did actually buy it myself! This is the revised Zoom 505II guitar effects pedal. The major difference from the original Zoom 505 is that it starts you off with 36 effects patches instead of the original's 24. Its a very small pedal, just 14x12 centimetres, but it packs a great punch. My version is the sleek silver one, but the design is the same, which ever colour you buy. The essence of the device is that it allowes the guitarist to utilise up to 36 patch effects, up to 9 variations being available for use at the same time, and then to edit those patches and save the variations you design. There are even sites on the internet where you can download... Read review

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