Digitech RP 50 : need your opinions please...

Rahul

I have not owned this particular pedal, so I can't comment on it, but I have owned other Digitech pedals. They are pretty good and very popular.

An expression pedal allows you to control Wah and other effects. Without an expression pedal you can only get AutoWah, which can be very good, but is not as good as being able to control Wah yourself.

On other than Wah effects, expression pedals often serve as a volume control. On other effects they can adjust the depth of certain effects like chorus or reverb, or the speed of effects like tremelo. On Detune or Whammy effects the expression pedal allows you to either lower or raise the pitch.

If you are careful with a plastic pedal they can last a long time. Of course, pedals with metal housing tend to be much more durable.

So, I'll let others with experience with this specific pedal tell you their opinions. But I hope I answered your other questions.

Wes , thanks !! and one more thing , there is an effect called compressor in this pedal.

now what is that supposed to do.On looking over the pdf manual i found that it compresses the guitar signal. Now if i got it right and i compress the signal then can i output the signal through the processor to the hifi system..?

I don't own that model, but I have the next step up, the RP80. It's the same pedal with the expression pedal.

The pedal is fun to play around with and has a ton of effects. I haven't played with making my own yet, but the possibilities seem endless. I wouldn't play live with it. It's too "toy" like for that. Plus I find my standalone pedals sound much better. BUT, it's a great pedal to get if you aren't sure what effects you like. I used it to find sounds I liked and have started buying the individual pedals to get those tones. The drum machine is vey fun too. It's rather basic (you get 31 beats) and you can't add your own. I use the snare only beat as a practice aid to help with timing.

Also, a compressor is used to round out the sound. It limits the peaks and brings out the lows (volume wise) a bit. It's not really an effect as it should be used to control your tone. At least that's my understanding of a compressor (I recently bought a Boss compressor and have been playing around a lot with it).

Overall, I'm pleased with the RP80 and use it almost daily.

Jason

You didn't comment about the footswitch quality C n J ... just would like to know.
Do they get worn out really quick ?

I am having a first time electric guitar and a processor with it .. so i dont THINK i need the RP 80 or for performing live...

Heck i may even perform live.Right now i am not soo much ''anal about tone'' :lol:

(this was a topic post buried somewhere in opinions and polls , please don't get offended...it mean i am not soo much concerned about the tone quality , infact i don't exactly know what is perfect tone and the like....)

your suggestions are valuable...keep em coming..

Thanks,

Rahul

also can i used compressor and any other effect at the same time ??

Usually, you can use up to 5, 6 or more effects at one time and depends on what the pedal offers.
A compressor compresses the range of sound, so quieter passages are amplified, until they are within the boundaries set by the user and loud passages are softened, until they are reduced enough to fit within the boundaries set by the user. One of the side effects of a compressor is an increase in sustain.

I have a Zoom 707, so I can't comment on the specifics of this pedal. But, few general comments:

- I think it is worth upgrading to RP80 to get the expression pedal. This allows you to control the depth of an effect without taking your hands off the guitar. For example, you can have less distortion and more distortion, just by varying this pedal.

- Depending on what amp you get, you may not need to get an effects pedal right away. If you get a modeling amp, they usually include a lot of effects. I actually like the sound of the built in effects on my VOX AD30VT more than those on my Zoom pedal. Depends on your budget, and what you can get in India (VOX AD15VT and Roland Cube or Roland Microcube, or one of the Behringer amps all seem to get good recommendations for modeling amps.)

- If you are not planning to get an amp, but use a home stereo or headphones, the Behringer V-AMP2 might be a good choice also. It goes for $100 in the US, not that much more than the RP80.

Forgot about the pedal quality. For use at home the plastic foot pedal is OK. It doesn't have a spring so you have to manually move it up or down with your foot (instead of pushing down and just letting off). I've read complaints that the screw that holds the pedal in place comes loose. I've not had that problem and a simple screw driver would fix it anyway.

Obviously this pedal is no PodXT or whatever, but it does work well and the price is right. I'd say get it (but get the RP80 with the pedal, it's only a little bit more and worth it).

Jason

I've had the RP50 for about a year and it's plenty sturdy for home use, you can forget about the factory presets - there are only a handful of usable tones among them. It's a lot of fun exploring each effect and simulation individually and then putting your own combinations together. One thing to remember, effects are adjustable to preset levels, you can't tweak your sound with fine adjustments like you can with separate pedals. But then again, you get to try a lot of different effects and sim's for a lot less. So far I haven't really missed the expression pedal, but you can add a cheap volume pedal later to act as the expression pedal. So whether it's the RP50 or RP80, you do get a lot to play with.

IMHO the Digitech pedals are well made, sturdy & reliable within their price range. But to my ears - and I stress to my ears - the effects are harsh and unsubtle compared with Zoom or Behringer products. Again it's a matter of taste, and I can well imagine that budding metal people might prefer the in-yer-face quality of the Digitech units, while blues / jazz inclined people like me prefer Zoom.

Same goes for expression pedals. I'd use one once a month a most, and if I wanted one I could plug in an add-on to my Zoom GFX-1. And it's not just the 'pro'-style Zooms you can do that with - the good ol' 505 II has a socket for an expression pedal, and software stubs to allow you to use it with all kinds of improbably effects - pedal flanger, anyone? :roll:

different people and different opinions....its really a hard choice to make..(was this defined as the state of dilemma :lol:)

Well the only thing that now i have to do it to go to that store and try it out.(but actually even a bigger problem of finding a lefty is there.i am trying for all resources i have..lets see how much lucky can i get)

As always thanks for all your advices..they really DO help ,

Rahul

I was given one to test and play around with. it work great. I even used it to do some of the drums on a few backing tracks. I ran it stereo into an art 341 rack Eq then into the board. It sounds best when used stereo.

Joe

Hi Rahul have you tried them out yet?

Hi Rahul have you tried them out yet?

saturday tomorrow , most probably going (for a 2 hrs visit) and trying everything out ...

luck to me :D

Rahul