Conference napalm::guitar

Well, I can't quote current prices,, but if you have a few days,
you may want to think about Mail Order from EAST COST SOUND in
Danbury Connecticut..  So far they've beat alot of local stores by
a wide margin.

Example: DSP128+ I paid 299 for it at East Coast (Feb. 90).  Everyone else
(those who had it...) wanted alomst 100 dollars more.

Just a thought for comparitive pricing/shopping.  East Coast is
really reliable too...  (Bought lots of stuff, including a Strat
via mail order..  No problems at all.)

    How long will you be in the States, Nigel.  The best prices on this
    stuff is through the mail order houses (as .-1 suggested), but it takes
    some time for it to arrive (and you'll probably need someone local to
    use their address to ship it to).
        
    Greg

Article 4558 of rec.music.makers:
From: [email protected] (Craig A. Vanderborg,407 Thurston,54044,)
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers
Subject: Re: FX dilemma
Date: 9 Apr 91 00:34:05 GMT

From article <[email protected]>, by [email protected] (Tom Huber):
> I'm looking to buy an effects box to use with a couple synths.  I've narrowed
> the field to either a QuadraVerb or a MultiVerb III.  Can anyone provide some
> information on either of these, or a comparison of them?  I'm particularly
> interested in the flexibility of the effects routing, the programmability, and
> the MIDI control.

Unfortunately, I have become very knowledgable in this area in the last 6 
months.  In my opinion, you are considering two of the WORST contenders in
the field.  In particular, I really hate the QuadraVerb.  I recently bought
one and liked it so much that I returned it immediately. 

REASONS:
   1.) It was a very, very noisy box (hum in particular..)  Miraculously, it
       seemed somehow to induce hum in the other DSP units in my rack.
   2.) Very low quality reverb.  The Alesis and ART reverbs are about the
       worst in the field of DSP, in my opinion.  The QuadraVerb is reasonably
       good at other things (pitch and modulation effects), but NOT reverb.
       If you buy a QuadraVerb, just call it a "Quadra" because the "Verb"
       ain't worth mentioning :(

Beware, netters.  After finding out the "hard way", QuadraVerb and ART 
MultiVerb are JUNK, as far as doing musically useful things.

The Solution:

Run, don't walk to your nearest YAMAHA dealer.  SPX-900 is a very good example.
I realize that it costs almost twice as much, but it is more than 10 times
better.  Honestly, I cannot say enough good things about this box, but I will
try:
    1.) Really, really good ("Tier A") reverbs.  I mean amazing reverbs.  
        Alesis just cannot touch these reverbs with a 10-ft pole.
    2.) Dynamics processing.  SPX-900 has a very good, very FLEXIBLE 
        compressor/expander that can be used by itself or in MFX configurations
    3.) Really great modulation (chorus, flange, modulated pitch) effects.
        Great DDL.  Quite extensive MIDI control.  Most effects are
        available in MFX configurations, but the "stellar reverbs" require
        100% of the processing power.

"Feature for feature", you might conclude that, say QuadraVerb, has more
"features per $".  BUT, I contend that the only thing that really matters is
SOUND QUALITY.  Be warned that ONLY the YAMAHA stuff does anything great
for under a grand, the other stuff is really "just junk".  The YAMAHA FX-500,
by the way, which is a "guitar box", seems to be much better at just about
everything (especially reverb) than the QV for about the same dough.  Buyers
beware!!  The music-industry magnates want to give you JUNK for $$$!!!
                                                      Craig Vanderborgh
_______________________________________________________________________________
Craig A. Vanderborgh     607-255-4044           [email protected]
Materials Science Dept   407 Thurston Hall      [email protected]
Cornell University       Ithaca, NY 14853-4414  [email protected]      
        

    I don't read the Usenet music newsgroups, but based on some of the
    things I've seen reposted in here, I'd have to say that there must be a
    lot of people there that are just totally anal-retentive tech heads! 
    
    And people accuse us in here of overly concentrating on high buck
    equipment...
    
    I've known several people that had Quadraverbs and they all said they
    were very quiet and had good reverbs!  I personally think that the ART
    reverbs are very good.  
    
    Greg

    We're not bad, just different ;-)
    
    There is some stuff in there that you can read without laughing ;-)
    A large percentage of those posters are college kids.  I usually read
    in that context.
    
    Mike

    re .-1
    
    yeah, that's why I stopped reading USENET stuff. It seems like
    most of the people are writing because they enjoy seeing their 
    names at the top of the articles.

Editorial correction. I MISTAKINGLY SAID 299 FOR A DSP128+ in reply .1

<<Example: DSP128+ I paid 299 for it at East Coast (Feb. 90).  Everyone else>>
<<(those who had it...) wanted alomst 100 dollars more.			    >>

It was actually $199... (woops.. 'slip of the keypad..) 

Oh..,. The DPS256 for $299 is a GREAT BUY - by the way.

Again, East Coast Sound 'dhey been Vedy-vedy-good-to-me...'

I recommend them highly.  And they're fast too..

If you do go M.O.,, ask for overnight.  Maybe an extra $17-20 dollars,
but you get it the next day....  (Of course, in Mass. it only takes a day
from Connecticut anyway...)

    The latest Factory Music catalog I got (Summer 91) lists
    the Boss SE-50 Stereo Effects for $329.00. That seems pretty
    low.
    
    Factory Music is a mail order place but I believe you can
    go there and buy stuff direct.
    
    Give them a call for other prices. They've been very helpful over the
    phone any time I've called there.
    
    Factory Music
    18 East Water St.
    Rockland MA   (617)871-0005
    
     Bob

    Please post an address (and toll-free number if available) for East
    Coast Sound.  Do they have a catalog?
    
    	Thanks.

    East Coast is based out of Connecticut, I think. But they recently
    opened a store in Boston. It's at the end of Hemenway Street near
    Berkeley School of Music (around the corner from Daddy's, EU
    Wirlitzer). 
    
    The (Boston) number is (617) 247-6141. They can set you up with
    catalogs. Brian Charles manages the guitar department.
    
    PG (beginner - friends starting to call me Slowhand Jr./ EC Jr.)
    

    
    
    re.0
    
    I'm in the UK and have a Yamaha FX500 and various other bits for sale.
    Mail me on the above if you're interested.
    
    -Tony

E.C.S Connecticutt number....

203-748-2799

I don't think they have a toll free # b.t.w.

    Eastcoast toll free number...800-356-5908.
    
    Robert Johnson

    re .11
    
    are they, perchance, NAUGHTY bits that you have for sale?
    
    - Eric Idle

 <<Eastcoast toll free number...800-356-5908.

shows ya what I know!

    re: .13 (!)
    
>    Robert Johnson
    
    Woah...

	This voltage difference could be a big problem to me. It seems that I
must already rule out the ART SGE as it has a 110V only internal power supply. 

	Do any other owners of similar FX units know whether theirs are
multi-voltage? 

	I may be best sticking with those that use a wall-bug, I believe all
the half-rack size ones must use an external power source e.g. Yamaha FX500,
Boss SE-50. 

Nigel

	I thought that I'd give an update on my trip & my purchases. I didn't 
get too much of a chance to visit a load of music stores but did get to Daddys 
in Nashua & EU Wurlitzer in Boston.

	The prices were indeed cheaper than the UK one of the main reasons 
being that we have a large sales tax (17�% VAT). New Hampshire has no sales tax 
& Massachusetts has a 5% tax.

	I didn't see any units with a dual 240/110 power supply but thinking of 
it I've not seen any in this country either. This immediately ruled out any ART 
or Digitech gear. The Alesis 'verbs all run off a 9V DC supply, I saw a 
Quadraverb for $399 (�234) which is a pretty good buy compared to UK price 
(about �300).

	Tempted as I was by the 'verbs I really wanted a unit that did 
distortion as well and finally settled on the Yamaha FX500. I tried this out in 
EU Wurlitzer using a James Burton signature Telecaster ($1300/�764 - price in 
UK >�1000) and was much impressed both by the unit and Wurlies. The large shop 
has a far bigger floor space & gear out on display than any shop that I've seen 
in the UK. Despite the fact that it was nearly closing time on a Saturday the 
staff were really helpful and didn't try & rush me at all. I bought the unit 
for $399 + 5% tax i.e. $420/�247. If I'd had more time I'd have tried to find a 
place in New Hampshire & saved the tax. The guy in the store helpfully made out 
a second sales receipt for approximately half the purchase price, as he
explained they often sell to musicians who are returning home to countries that 
have a 50-100% import duty.

	Which brings me to the downside of personal importing. I was reluctant
to simply walk through the green channel as I had a considerable amount of
luggage and had spent a lot of money on various things so I opted to be
reasonably honest and declare my goods. You are only allowed to import goods to
the value of �32 into the UK free of tax. Any excess is taxed at a composite
rate of 22.5% to cover VAT & duty. As I had approx a 15 CDs and a dozen LPs
plus various presents I was well over my limit. The Customs man asked me to
estimate the value of what I had I said �200 and he was happy to charge me �37.

	So the outcome for me is a small saving, my friends in the US now have 
a 12V power supply, I already had a suitable power supply at home.

	Would I do it again? Yes but I think that I'd look a little more 
carefully at prices especially mail order & avoid all sales taxes.

Nigel

BTW The customs man didn't actually look in my bags or I might have had a far 
more difficult time explaining the 1lb of white crystalline powder that I had 
in my bag (actually a fixative for some tie-dye dyes that I had bought.)