Thoughts On Digitech RP500

[Lucid_Lunatic]

Anyone played around with the Digitech RP500 unit much? I got a trade offer on a newer one for my old Morley wah. I checked out some of the specs and it seems to be a pretty cool pedal. I like the idea of having different models arranged where you can turn them on and off like a stomp box. How's the sound quality? Owners, how do you rate them overall?


Thanks



:friday:

 

[Hellion]

Re: Thoughts On Digitech RP500

I have an RP-1, which was the first version of those self contained "rack-system in a floor pedal". I like it, but it's not my "go-to" system. It's not the handiest unit in the world to use and you have to do your homework before you take it live, but I've always liked Digitech distortions and their echo and chorus models are, as far as I'm concerned, some of the best. If I had to rate it, I'd say it's maybe a 6 or 7 out of 10.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Thoughts On Digitech RP500

The newer RPs aren't bad. You're gonna get a bunch of people on here going "The JCM800 model doesn't sound exactly like my real one, so it sucks". Take it for what it is.

If you want the thing to replace your Marshall, you're gonna hate it. If you want it for an enormous variety of tones that are pretty cool if you goof with it for awhile, you'll probably dig it.

 

[Lucid_Lunatic]

Re: Thoughts On Digitech RP500

The newer RPs aren't bad. You're gonna get a bunch of people on here going "The JCM800 model doesn't sound exactly like my real one, so it sucks". Take it for what it is.

If you want the thing to replace your Marshall, you're gonna hate it. If you want it for an enormous variety of tones that are pretty cool if you goof with it for awhile, you'll probably dig it.

Yeah, I'm not looking for something that I can run through my Mace and replace my Marshall with. I'm playing 95% of the time through my Lead 15 Micro Stack, just because it's not feasable to sit arouns and practice through my DSL. I read over all the different models it has and it's a long list. For what I do, I think it will work out pretty good, just be able to get different tones from one box. When I jam around here, I may play some old Metallica followed by some Warren Haynes, then GNR to BLS. To get that wide array of tones, especially from the Micro, it would take tons of different pedals. I can dial in alot of different gain on my DSL, but it kind of sucks having to stop between songs and twek amp knobs. I'm hoping the RP500 will solve that.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Thoughts On Digitech RP500

I say go for it. These days every floor unit is actually pretty impressive IMO. Once upon a time they were hit/miss with weird effects, crappy effects of one kind or another, weird functionality, missing parameters, etc...

But today, every one of them is ten times as packed with function, and 100 times better for quality. All it REALLY takes is spending a little time sitting down and really working the settings and eq to get what you need. The best Marshall sound I have ever made was with an old Boss ME-8 (single digits baby!).

Like JB said - people who don't believe anything but a Marshall can sound like a Marshall will never dig them. People who have ears and a brain, however, can create some mighty killer tones with a small box for cheap. And some of those Marshall snobs might be surprised to find out what their favorite recorded Marshall sound really is ("Well, we had this old DS-1 pedal, and we sent it straight into the board, with some great EQ. I think I was using an old 70's LP with stock pups....")

 

[ErikH]

Re: Thoughts On Digitech RP500

I have one and love it.

Here's my review...

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=148769

Clips...

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=149175

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Thoughts On Digitech RP500

It sounds like you would probably enjoy the thing.

 

[Reload in 5]

Re: Thoughts On Digitech RP500

Also, use their forum. There are patches you can get there that will get you close to what you want (I used to get patches for my rp200 there)
I say go for it.

 

[Lucid_Lunatic]

Re: Thoughts On Digitech RP500

Also, use their forum. There are patches you can get there that will get you close to what you want (I used to get patches for my rp200 there)
I say go for it.

Dude said he shipped it out yesterday, so I'm stoked about getting it.


On the patches you speak of, do you have to download them onto a card or something or does it just tell you what to set everything on? That sounds pretty cool!

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: Thoughts On Digitech RP500

Like JB said - people who don't believe anything but a Marshall can sound like a Marshall will never dig them. People who have ears and a brain, however, can create some mighty killer tones with a small box for cheap. And some of those Marshall snobs might be surprised to find out what their favorite recorded Marshall sound really is ("Well, we had this old DS-1 pedal, and we sent it straight into the board, with some great EQ. I think I was using an old 70's LP with stock pups....")

+1, and what's more, some folks might be partial to their "real" JCM800 without knowing that it's one of the crappy ones. Comparing two or three of the same model of amp will prove that some are just better than others...rest assured that the model guys spent some time finding their idealized sound from the best Marshalls around.

 

[Reload in 5]

Re: Thoughts On Digitech RP500

Dude said he shipped it out yesterday, so I'm stoked about getting it.


On the patches you speak of, do you have to download them onto a card or something or does it just tell you what to set everything on? That sounds pretty cool!

On the RP200 it was just a listing of what to set it to. I think yours has the ability to be programmed on the PC and you can just download the patch and apply it. If you decide to trade it off for any reason let me know.