Reviewed by:
Hutch666, on december 23, 2005
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
Purchased from: Dawsons Music
Ease of Use: Easy to use, well yeah I'd like to think so. And if not everything is made clear, the comprehensive manual that comes along with the unit will have you playing with various sound modifications in no time. The unit came with 6 x AA Batteries which said they where "for demonstration purposes only." They lasted a good few months of solid practice! Cheers Boss. The unit did not come supplied with a power unit, but they are available for about £10 or araound that. But I like to keep all the wires to a minumum. So I stick with batteries, which last ages in this system. The unit has the following I/O and jacks available:
- Input (obviously for your Bass Guitar)
- Output L & R (L being for Mono setups)
- Phones (for when your parents just can't take any more Vibes)
- Aux In (great for adding a backing track to play to from CD)
- Foot Swith (for yet more bass effects at your toe tips)
- Noise Suppressor (Variable on rear of unit)
- Power Switch
- And a DC in jack for the power unit with also a cable clip to prevent accidental unplugging whils playing.
Use is simple, Three push buttons of which all can be assigned with user defined sounds. And a foot pedal to add wah/resonance/octave/sound hold/kick drum and even volume! This unit also comes with an on board tuner. Great stuff! The manual explains literally everything you need to know to get started with modulating your very own effects. Obviously the manual covers all manner of useful tips as expected in this day of age including care of unit, warranty info etc etc. // 9
Sound: Personally I am using the "ole faithful" Fender Precision Bass through a HH 115 bass amp. The sounds are fantastic and I really enjoy experimenting with the defretter and bass boost (what self respecting bass player does not like boost). Other Effects include the usual distortion for heavier material and overdrive. Delay's are good fun but needs a bot of practice to stay in sync with the tune playing. Of course, the unit's time delay can be modified at the touch of a button. In the time I have been using this neat little kit, I have found the sound crisp and clean, even when switching through different sound banks and volume settings. As with all effects units, some sounds are impractical for the gigging bassist but most are fun and give you plenty of ideas to editing your own "unique" sound. To be honest, there is so much that can be done with this unit. // 10
Reliability & Durability: Reliability and Durability, well it's a Boss, so I'd likely to say that it would survive a nuclear fallout! Only thing I would say is write down your sound settings to back up the memory should you accidentally erase it or something. With regard to gigging (and your not using the power pack) have some spare batteries next to your pint ready. But the unit will give you good warning before it dies. E.g. I was halfway through a gig and the display flashed "b" indicating power low, but the unit kept on going for another 30mins. So plenty of time! // 10
Impression: This week I have been mostly playing Rock. But I feel the unit is capable of modifying in to any musical style as there are so many settings to play with. I've stuck with my setup now for such a long time, but I welcome this little well priced unit with open arms and cold beers. I would definately get this unit again should it's bigger brother (ME-6B, fail to impress). I like the way I can select a soft Bass tone for a intro and swith instantaneously to a fuzzy distorted chorus! I just dislike the amount of time I sometimes spend trying to find that "sound." But that might just be me trying to be a perfectionist! Oh, and I love the defretter feature, and yes it does work to a fantastic level. Get down to your shop and give it a whirl, but have a go at it's bigger brother, the ME-6B. // 9
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