SHOOTOUT FLOOR-BASED MULTI-EFFECT UNITS
The floor-based multi-effects family is a much misunderstood part of the wider guitar tribe. Starting to play and attend shows at the turn of the millennium, I can understand why. In the days before the boutique pedal and tube amp renaissance, many guitarists and bassists proudly owned these cumbersome units that gave one access to a seemingly endless library of fizzy distortion and novelty modulation effects. Lots of my guitar mates now look back on these rudimentary multi-effects units (mostly models of the Zoom and Boss ilk) as a humourous relics, conjuring up the two-note riffs we used to mosh to at teenage matinee metal shows while trying to not get roughed up by some guy with cargo shorts and a ponytail. While the sound might have left much to be desired, the basic concept behind these old pieces of gear was solid: it was something versatile, portable and – hopefully – affordable. These
