Boss ME-20B Review
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Pedal Info
Multi-effects units are sort of the Rodney Dangerfield of the effects pedal world - they don't get any respect! Truth be told, multi-effects pedals are sort of the swiss-army knife in the musician's toolkit. It's rare that they do any one thing really well, but they often do several things pretty darn well. Boss is known for producing some decent units for guitar players, and they've decided not to leave bass players out in the cold with the Boss ME-20B.
All of the usual suspects are here, effects-wise: compression, overdrive/distortion, modulation (flanger, chorus, phaser), delay, and reverb. In addition to these standard effects, the ME-20B includes some not-so-usual effects, including synth, octave, defretter, and touch wah. An extensive onboard equalizer is also included. The unit is also versatile regarding power, accepting either an external adapter (not included) or six AA batteries (included).
Like other Boss multi-effects units, the ME-20B can be used in "real time" like individual effects pedals or you can recall one of 30 user presets as needed. An onboard expression pedal lets you control many different effects parameters, including volume, as needed. There's also a "Bass Enhance" function that gives a presence boost for solos, etc.
User Reviews
The reviews of the Boss ME-20B are highly favorable on the whole. Users praise the cost to performance ratio as well as the convenience of the multi-effects format. Many user reviews comment on the durability of the unit as well as the long-lasting battery life.
However, most users also complain about the lack of an included power supply (though batteries are included). A few users comment that you don't get the flexibility you would get with dedicated pedals, but they also realize that you don't get the headaches either. On the whole, it's a widely respected bass multi-effects unit for a very low investment.
Summary
Name of Gear: Boss ME-20B Bass Multi-Effects Unit
List Price: $299.50
Street Price: $219.00
Manufacturer Info: Boss; bossus.com
Pros: Durable; affordable; wide range of sounds
Cons: No included power supply
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