Replace multiple pedals with TC Nova System?

chrisj1602 · August 2013

Hi

Has anybody on here done this, or something similar?

I have a Pedal Train JR with a few pedals on it, which was great when I was gigging a lot. I'm not doing as much at the moment, so I have this big bag of board, pedals, leads, power supplies etc that is not getting much use and taking up space. Thinking about the effects I actually use, the NS would do all of this and more and is a nice tidy unit. I'm thinking I could sell my stuff off and get the NS and have change too!

not_the_dj · August 2013

I did a similar thing but on a smaller scale using a Line 6 M9 (to replace modulation, delay and reverb)

It was fine, but in the end it just didn't click with me. I came to the conclusion that I just get more excitted about individual pedals than I do about menus/patches/scenes in a multi unit, and nothing's going to change that. Maybe a fancy switching unit someday, but seperate boxes does it for me.

I ended up selling then buying back quite a few pedals so in the end it did cost me...but sometimes you just have to go there to come back (is that a song title?)

YMMV of course

Drew_TNBD · August 2013

I'd go the whole hog and do it with a GT-100.

vasselmeyer · August 2013

I did the same with a Line 6 M13 which is much more flexible than the M9 (4CM, placeable FX loop etc). If you use it in latch mode then you can string up to 4FX at the same time and have 12 instantly selectable patches. I kept some off the board pedals (Guv'nor Mk 1, and wah) because they're fine effects. I generally use the M13 for modulation, delay, harmoniser, compressor etc and use external pedals and amp switching for drive (and wah, although the 6 wahs in the Line 6 are perfectly good FX). A decent Multi FX is perfectly capable of doing everything you need for a full gig.

However, I have recently succumbed to buying some interesting (and/or cheap - Joyo for example) pedals again. I tell myself "I'll just use these for a pickup gig, or a jam". That's how I justify it to myself anyway!

chrisj1602 · August 2013

Drew_fx said:

I'd go the whole hog and do it with a GT-100.

That Boss does look good.

One of the main thing that appeals to me on the TC is the way you can also use it like individual stomp boxes. I don't use any expression pedals either.

vasselmeyer · August 2013

chrisj1602 said:

One of the main thing that appeals to me on the TC is the way you can also use it like individual stomp boxes. I don't use any expression pedals either.

That's a really good feature and is how the M13 works. You can use it as up to four chained stompboxes all switchable in 48 different "scenes" giving you a huge number of combinations or in "latch" mode where you set up 12 different presets of up to four sounds. very flexible.

Drew_TNBD · August 2013

chrisj1602 said:

Drew_fx said:

I'd go the whole hog and do it with a GT-100.

That Boss does look good.

One of the main thing that appeals to me on the TC is the way you can also use it like individual stomp boxes. I don't use any expression pedals either.

Aye, I believe you can do the same on the Boss. Basically all these units work the same, just depends on what flavour of effects you want. The TC would be too limiting for me, and I'm not keen on the tone of the M-series effects (which is why I sold all mine) so if I ever feel like going back to a multi-effect, I'm gonna try the Boss one out.

chrisj1602 · August 2013

vasselmeyer said:

chrisj1602 said:

One of the main thing that appeals to me on the TC is the way you can also use it like individual stomp boxes. I don't use any expression pedals either.

That's a really good feature and is how the M13 works. You can use it as up to four chained stompboxes all switchable in 48 different "scenes" giving you a huge number of combinations or in "latch" mode where you set up 12 different presets of up to four sounds. very flexible.

I've looked at the M9 and M13 too, the possibilities of these type of units mess with my head, but in a good way. Thanks for the advice so far!

Grumpyrocker · August 2013

I've just taken the dirt pedals from my board and replaced them with modelled ones using my Zoom G3. Managed to get a nice rock tone on the Metalzone sim dialled back some and a light crunch with the Z Neos effect.

So my board is now:

Behringer Noise Gate (set to lowest setting works very well) > Zoom G3 > Zoom MS70-CDR > TC Flashback > TC Hall of Fame > Boss RC-3 Loopstation.

Created a patch on the Zoom G3 as follows:

Noise suppressor > Pedal Wah > Z Neos > Metalzone > Acoustic Sim

Have the G3 set so it's showing the Wah, Neos and Metalzone. The Noise suppressor is left on. The Acoustic Sim is off, just there for pissing about with on clean tones. I've got an expression pedal next to the G3 so I can kick in and use the wah and also have two dirt pedals on the same unit. Sounds pretty good in front of a clean amp.

My signal chain also sounds a bit cleaner with the two physical dirt pedals removed.

chrisj1602 · August 2013

Drew_fx said:

chrisj1602 said:

Drew_fx said:

I'd go the whole hog and do it with a GT-100.

That Boss does look good.

One of the main thing that appeals to me on the TC is the way you can also use it like individual stomp boxes. I don't use any expression pedals either.

Aye, I believe you can do the same on the Boss. Basically all these units work the same, just depends on what flavour of effects you want. The TC would be too limiting for me, and I'm not keen on the tone of the M-series effects (which is why I sold all mine) so if I ever feel like going back to a multi-effect, I'm gonna try the Boss one out.

I think trying them out is the best way really, see what suits. I would be using both channels of my amp (Orange R30) but mainly the dirty channel. I would use a drive or boost setting for solo/loud bits and delay and modulation effects as songs require.

ragingben · August 2013

As an keen nova user I would say probably don't do it. The nova is great but it has some pretty major drawbacks. In the end I think you will miss at least some of your pedals, depending what you have. I have a gt8 and the boss units are a more complete system, but the nova has the edge in terms of quality, at least compared to the gt8,no idea with the gt10 or gt100. I never really liked the novas drive, but to be honest recently I've been using it a bit and the overdrive at least is awesome! We're you planning on the nova in an fx loop or up front of a clean amp?

ragingben · August 2013

Appologies for spelling and grammar - on the phone, it's got a bloody mind of its own!

monquixote · August 2013

As @raginben says there are some fairly major issues with the Nova System.

That's not to say you shouldn't buy one, but you need to learn about them before you buy one.

Happy to go through them if you are interested.

horse · August 2013

My advice is that you'll end up wanting to keep the nova system, plus buying more individual pedals (probably including some of the ones you recently sold)

chrisj1602 · August 2013

monquixote;21692" said:
As @raginben says there are some fairly major issues with the Nova System. That's not to say you shouldn't buy one, but you need to learn about them before you buy one. Happy to go through them if you are interested.

If you don't mind!

I'd be using it in front of an Orange Rocker 30, both channels. I don't run effects all of the time, my main sound is just guitar and amp, but I'd use drive for boosts, and delay is probably my most used effect. And i'd use bits of modulation here and there.

John_P · August 2013

I loved the sound of the Nova when I had one but I'd advise trying one if you can - the switching between patches isn't quite the same as most other multieffects and always irritated me.
I should have just added a little midi patch pedal but that kind of defeated the point of having an all in one box...

monquixote · August 2013

chrisj1602 said:
If you don't mind!

I'd be using it in front of an Orange Rocker 30, both channels. I don't run effects all of the time, my main sound is just guitar and amp, but I'd use drive for boosts, and delay is probably my most used effect. And i'd use bits of modulation here and there.

Well the main one is that they are a bitch to program. Probably the least user friendly of the modern FX units I've owned. Lots of little fiddly menus to scroll through which means tweaking on the fly is out of the equation.

It didn't ever want to go into tuner mode and once there wouldn't come out of it again.

The patch switching is weird and triggers slightly after you take your foot off the pedal.

The order and type of FX is fixed and limited and you don't get any fancy ones.

It doesn't have an FX loop so it only really works into the front of a clean amp.

Those reasons made me sell it, but in its defense it is the best sounding Multi I've ever tried (especially the OD)

chrisj1602 · August 2013

Thanks for that, I do like the TC stuff but its given me some things to consider. Maybe I'll have to try one out.

Grunfeld · August 2013

not_the_dj said:

I did a similar thing but on a smaller scale using a Line 6 M9 (to replace modulation, delay and reverb)

It was fine, but in the end it just didn't click with me. I came to the conclusion that I just get more excitted about individual pedals than I do about menus/patches/scenes in a multi unit, and nothing's going to change that.

Exactly this with me too. Had the Line 6 M13, it was great but didn't click; same with Boss multi-fx; same with the Zoom G3 I have for sale in my sig. There's nothing wrong with 'em... but like you say, they just don't click.

Bloody annoying because I love the idea of a tidy multi fx and not having to lug that f*cking monster flight case of my pedal board around every gig. Hey ho.