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back to article Digitech iPB-10 guitar effects pedalboard for iPad

When the Digitech iPB-10 arrived, I duly dispatched an e-mail to a muso mate with a link to this ultimate iPad guitar pedalboard. The wag replied: Nice machine you're reviewing, but I don't know whether 87 pedals, 54 amps and 26 cabinets is quite enough for me... Digitech iPB-10 guitar effects pedalboard for iPad Heavy metal …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The iPAD craze

    This is a step in the wrong direction. The iPB lacks important features from the previous top of the range model RP1000, cost more and requires an iPAD or USB-attached computer to edit patches. There's a lot of MFX floorboards on the market which interface with computers over USB. Why not simply add a short-range bluetooth radio to the MFX and run MIDI over BT to enable communications with any mobile device. It's nice to have an improved UI on a bigger screen, but I'm more likely to carry a smartphone than a tablet on the road.

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    1. moonoi
      Reply Icon
      Mushroom

      Re: The iPAD craze

      Basically what you just said is your ideal device would be something like a Gibson Firebird X, no need for anything extra, bluetooth and robot tuners built in to your guitar along with a multitude of effects..........

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  2. jake Silver badge

    ::rolls eyes::

    Perhaps a real musician could make use of this. For something. Vivian Stanshall would have loved it, just to needle the industry.

    iFads doth not make lusers artistic, any more than Macs did.

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  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Expensive...

    A grand (in total) for a fancy effects pedal that will probably die when someone spills a pint on it?

    I'll stick with my Marshall JMP and array of Boss pedals, thanks.

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  4. JDX Gold badge

    A bit confused

    Why exactly do you need an iPad, what specifically does it do other than act as a display? I don't play electric but for £500 can't you get a fancy bit of kit which you just plug your guitar into?

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    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: A bit confused

      you can record, that's a big advantage, you can even play music on the ipad and use it as accompaniment. street performs might like it therefore as well.

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      1. JDX Gold badge
        Reply Icon

        Re: A bit confused

        Wouldn't a regular bit of kit with a connection for iPad/line-in be as good, and more generally useful?

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  5. Tom 7

    I've just invented the iMagnifying glass

    @ £2000 for those too dumb to connect their guitar to a computer with any of 1000 free guitar apps that can be worked at iLevel so they can use this instead and develop a hunch back.

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  6. MikeyD85
    Thumb Up

    Good review, but...

    Without a few samples uploaded on to SoundCloud, it's hard to take much from it! Hint hint!

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  7. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    Gave you a free review unit did they?

    As a long-time gigging guitarist, these are both laughably expensive (£500 for the unit plus £whatever for an iPad versus the offerings of Line6, Vox et al), badly built and a batshit mental idea - why do you want your fondleslab unprotected on the floor of an effing pub or club, right the path of the next spilled pint and under the filthy soles of your shoes?

    In addition - I found the models to sound far too digital at any kind of volume, which asks questions of why the fruit it's packaged as a floor board.

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  8. Jamie Kitson

    Live

    Given that someone walked off with my brother's peddles the other day, this could get very expensive.

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  9. sabroni Silver badge

    an artist?

    Dude, you're a barista!

    3 0
  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Ergonomically, this is nuts

    You can't see the screen down there, and you can't touch it without bending down

    Put the iPad up on a mic stand (in a suitable protective sleeve).

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  11. Gerry Doyle 1

    Why the iPad?

    Considering that to use this machine, you would need to have forked out a thousand quid between it and the iPad, why didn't they just build in some cheapie Archos type thing as the GUI and then everyone could use it?

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    1. Giles Jones Gold badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: Why the iPad?

      Why not the iPad? Have you not noticed the fact that Apple kit tends to attract a lot of interesting accessories?

      The iPad for the same reason a serious guitarist buys a nice instrument and doesn't use some cheap plank from Argos.

      They want something that looks nice, built well, good support and that many others will have.

      If they use some Archos or other Android thing it will require a redesign every 6 months for different ports and layouts. Zillions of Android fan boys will complain that that model isn't supported or won't fit. Someone will hack it to work and then the company gets bombarded with problems.

      In the end it's just simpler to support one hugely popular brand (there's more iPads in musicians hands than Archos tablets?), especially on a device that already has loads of music tools already available for it.

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      1. Some Beggar
        Reply Icon
        FAIL

        Re: Why the iPad?

        I think in your excitement to launch into an irrelevant ipad vs android rant you skipped straight over the crucial words "build in".

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  12. Thomas 18

    I'll stick to my m13

    It's got all the effects you would ever want and only cost me £250 second hand.

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  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    How many guitarists does it take to change a lightbulb?

    Ten.

    One to do it, and nine to stand around muttering "Huh, I could have done that".

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  14. Carl

    A thousand bucks....?

    So 499 for the pedals board.

    And another 499 for an Ipad.

    And do I really want my ipad (not that I ever have one lol) in the way of drunk punters, lager, roadies and *shudder* BASS players.

    No balls to that I think. There is a reason BOSS pedals/board are build like brick out houses.

    Me? I use Rackarrack if Im playing around in the studio.

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  15. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Target audience

    Although I'd never buy one, this will sell well as it is clearly aimed at the middle-aged middle-management type who isn't a great guitarist but has a PRS and a nice boutique amp because it's his hobby and he needs something to spend his disposable income on. When it does get a heavy object dropped through the screen it'll either be replaced or get added to the big pile of stuff he didn't need but really wanted at the time.

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  16. Some Beggar
    Meh

    Excellent.

    Assuming you're playing twee electro-twaddle to a lounge full of shoreditch trendwetters.

    1 1
  17. Karajaal

    It should have knobs on it

    I've just got back into playing after getting too old for a life of debauchery. All the digital things sound digital (which is not surprising) But Alesis seem to be doing it better. I've got an iODock which after some initial loud noise problems i was eventually sorted by Alesis. Now they have something similar to this but with physical knobs on it and half the price.

    So when you bend over in the dark to adjust the virtual knobs - if someone hasn't spilled beer on £1000 worth of kit - you have to fiddle around with erratic virtual knobs.

    Think I'll stick with my G&L, VHT valve amp - which doesn't try and emulate a digital amp, TC chorus and various analogue pedals.

    KJ

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  18. Tim Walker
    FAIL

    What most other people said, plus...

    I have nothing whatsoever against using iOS devices for music production - there are some incredible music apps out there, like the Animoog synthesiser (one review called it an "app which will sell iPads"), and some decent-looking hardware products with iDevice connections/docks (e.g. Akai's Synthstation25, a portable keyboard controller with built-in iPhone dock for £50).

    However, as others have said, I really don't think Digitech have thought this one through very well at all. A £500-ish pedalboard which needs a £400 iPad to work, and which might well end up on the floor at a sweaty gig? And, which will end up obsolete within a few years, as Apple changes its product line?

    You might just get away with using this in the studio, but then you could use all manner of other iOS guitar-processing apps/hardware which cost a fraction of this. Sorry, Digitech - if I had £500 to splurge on some guitar kit, I'd bag myself a Roland GR55...

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