Behringer GDI21

Way too easy to use. If you can't dial in a good tone with this unit I would say it is YOU with the problem.

Excellent sound quality. Dead on with the Tech21 GT2. Thats a good thing.

Super reliable. Only a ham-fisted dolt could break it.

Never used them.

This is a great unit. $30 for a quality piece of equipment is always great. Remember though that this is a direct rip-off of the Tech-21 GT2. The GT2 is made here in the US. It is a top quality unit. This Behringer is made in China with, I would guess, lesser quality parts and such. But the gap in quality is so narrow. Behringer hit a home run with this baby!

Being familiar with Overdrive/Distortion pedals this unit is pretty easy to use.
Just a Two-sided sheet is the "Manual" with all basic info. I would recommend Behringer to include the Input-Output max voltages/dB as a reference.

I use a modified Stratocaster, equipped with Lace Sensor (Blue) on Bridge and a Red on Neck Position; Yamaha RGX with Seymour Duncan JB on Bridge and a DiMarzio Fast Track II on Neck. I??ve used several combos (30-50 watts)most of them solid state and a Mackie 12-chan. mixer for recording.I can get from cool slightly overdriven to blues very easily but it seems imposible to get full clean sounds with humbuckers or high output single coils (just like the Lace Sensors I use).If I run directly to the mixer it cleans up a little bit, I mean, the sound is good, I like it a lot but it??s not totally clean.
The Bluesbraker set-up (BRIT amp + CLN mod) it works very good with the Strat (mmm Robin Trower!!)and Les Paul/Humbuckers (Clapton, Page), full bodied guitar sound, sustain.Again, there??s no way to get a "clean" sound from this set-up, even with the DRIVE fully counterclockwise.
The HOT mod seems too noisy on all AMP settings, but not a big deal for me ??cause my favorite sounds are on CLN and HI G modes.I never use the CALIF amp set-up.
Using it as D.I. Box works very well, so you can record and add effects later on (this is probably the only way to get real clean sounds, but without amp simulation)

Although this unit can be used as a distortion/overdrive pedal I think it??s a good (and very cheap) tool for studio.
I won??t recommend it for live applications unless you use only one sound (carry your AC/DC adapter please).

N/A

I play Rock/Jazz/Blues so I like to go from distorted to clean sounds and everything in between. I played for over 25 years mostly on small clubs and a lot of home recording. My favorite sound is the Strat/neck pu and marshall set-up, very dynamic, it cleans if you pick softer and explodes if you pick harder for solos.
Again, This is more studio/recording oriented, not for live applications. It??s even cheaper than many distortion pedal but this one has the XLR output very useful for studio.

Fairly good sounding unit. Sounds like what it's a copy of except they tweaked the gain and eq a touch...a touch too much. If you are using EMG's or hot pickups, getting a clean sound is difficult.
I compared it to a Tech21 Tri-ac, and the Tri-ac blew it out of the water for clean tones. With some work I was able to get a similar british tone on the two units but without a mid control I couldn't find a tone I really liked on the GDI21.

I was using a F-100 with emg81-85, A dean with two 81's, and a PV with Hot Rails. This ran directly into an alesis Monitor one.
I a/b it with a Tech 21 Tri ac and a V-amp.
Aside from the difficulty getting clean tones, there was also a wierd
chirp sound that came and went with palm mutes on both the British and California tones. Sounded like the chip hitting its supply rails.
I lowered the levels and it got better but was still there untill I lowered the guitar's volume.
I am pretty picky about tone and go from a real clean warm tone to a very heavy super saturated but clear metal sound. This thing could certainly saturate, but not well.

I'm sure it would hold up fine for what it is. I bought two and they will both go in my PA case...yes one is a backup.

Grrrrr

I play metalish originals, occasional cover stuff. Been playing off and on for 10 years.
If it were stolen, I'd buy something else for myself, but replace it for the PA.
Don't love it or hate it, it will serve as a backup just fine for when guitarists "forget" to bring their amp.
I tried it because I thought I might use 4 of them to build a 4 channel guitar preamp, and because I bought the BDI21 and ADI21 as well for the PA. Also thought it might be close enough to the original
to use at home. Not so, I'll have to buy a second original.

This device is easy to get a good sound out of. I don't mess much with the knobs and instead rely on the switches. The manual is minimal, but it offers some switch and knob settings that might be helpful in getting started.

I run an AL-2000 guitar through a Behringer Hellbabe wah pedal along with a Behringer FX600 multi-effects pedal. The sound goes to an old Charvel bass amp.
I love the distortion, especially in the "British" position. It has a great crunch to it. If you want to go really over the top, try the California setting amp setting on high gain. You might get some noise if you try that setting. I prefer British, hi-gain and classic for the mic position setting.

I've had it for a month with no problems. I don't gig, but I suppose this unit would stand up to all but the most enthusiastic stomping. It's cheap enough that a backup wouldn't be hard to swing.

Never dealt with Behringer on customer support issues.

I like to bang away on hard rock power chords and occasionally do some blues and jazz. This pedal gives me a good variety of sounds.
I've been playing off and on for a number of years and consider myself an amateur player. If I lost it, I'd get another.
I just love the sound of this box. It's a steal at $30.

Very easy to dial up a great sound.

Ok I bought this new for 25 bucks. I liked it so much I had to buy what it was designed after a Tech 21 Sansamp GT2. I was very suprised how much quiter and crunchier it is over the Sansamp. I am using this as a gain pedal. Setting and gear. Marshall MG100 DFX 1/12 combo.
Guitar, MXR Super Comp(output 75%,attack level 50%,Sen. 55to60%,Behringer GDI21(Drive 60%, Treb. 75%, Bass and Level around 60%, into Amp. The clean channel is the one. Vol. as desired, bass 40%, Mid 50%, Treb.65%. Balance the channels to use one as the lead Channel for a boost. I love the sound on the clean channel for rythym
so I set up the drive channel to boost when needed. The super comp adds endless sustain to either channel. Mind you I was trying to improve the solid state amp problem of sounding like a solid state amp. This helps alot.

The case is a hard thick plastic. The settings for the dip switch is as follows,Calif,Hi G, Off X.

Giged once and used recording. Everythings good so far.

Not Needed as of yet.

Great grind for a solid state amp. I like it over these pedals I do own and have used live and in the studio. Boss DS1, Ibanez Tube Screamer, Tech21 GT2. If it holds up to the consent use this is a best buy and a must have. At under 30 dollars I am blown away.
It does have a little heft and has a solid metal casing. Oh yes it can be used as a direct box and has a mike cable input between the two 1/4 in. standard inputs.

Well, all the knobs are already described, i just want to give hints on very easy mods for that gear

Maybe this aint no news for some readers, but there is a dead-easy mod, that enhances the tonal variation (not realy the quality, though it could sound better through your amp, dunno):
You can have

1. A British mode, that is much more cleaner und not that compressed, by twiddling the AMP selector inbetween the tweed and british mode. So when u use the britisch modified mode, it gives you some sort of boost to the stock and compressed british mode. If u like the sound, open the back and solder 2 wires to bottom LEFT pinouts from the AMP-switch and the two other lugs to a jack with a switching option. That way the "boost" can be footcontrolled.

2. A real boosting option for all the three Sound-modes:
Twiddle the MOD-selctor in between the CLN and HI G-mode. It sounds much more open and loder than the HI-G (as the CLN MODE is, too).If u want it to be footswitchable, solder two wires to the bottom RIGHT pinouts of the MOD-selector and to a jack with swithing option like mentioned above.

Hope that helps someone....

Without mod ill give it a 6.5 cause it sound to muffled an compressed and was not that variable in tone as i thought it to be (compared to the REAL GT2-Samples on the Tech21 Homepage).
With that mods its getting an 8.

Very easy to use.
No need manual. Just plug and play!

I use this for practicing and giving lesson purpose.
It works really well and fulfills my goals.
Normally, I give lesson with Epiphone Les Paul Special and some cheap transistor amp (50W, 1x12 inch speaker, in clean ch.)
In my opinion, it sounds really awesome.
I have also POD XT Live and GT-8.
I mean... in these days, amp simulators are really fine.
So if you need some cheap one, this is the best deal on the current market.

It made of plastic. So it does not seem to be tough.
I think it does not matter.
Seriously, is there anybody who is gonna use this in your gigs?
Come on!!!

Never dealt with them.

It costs about U$ 30.00, right?
You get what you pay for...
So there is no complaint.
I think it sounds really great.
Comparing Sansamp GT-2, it really sounds similar and GT-2 costs about U$ 190.00. (six times much!!!)

This thing is very straightforward concerning dialing in the amp sound you desire. The manual was more like a small brochure, which is okay, because the unit is very easy to tweak. It's not rocket surgery.

Since EVH is my favorite guitarist, I've been mostly concerned with getting the "brown sound" out of the BRITISH setting. I don't have several thousand dollars laying around that I can buy a Marshall Plexi head and a greenback-loaded cabinet with, so, there you go. I have to agree with other reviewers who said that the cabinet simulation is thin, and that they needed to add a cabinet simulator after the GD121 to beef it up. Actually, I tried that (the speaker simulator from a TECH 21 TRI-OD pedal). It was okay, but it still lacked the "juice" my ears craved. I tried running it through different amps, but I didn't hit the jackpot till I ran it through my SANSAMP BASS DRIVER DI. So after a lot of tweaking and listening, I've come up with this formula for getting the brown sound, middle-class working man's style:
GD121: DRIVE>between 12:00 and maxed (depending on the output of your pickup). BASS>maxed. TREBLE>maxed. LEVEL>between 9:00 and 12:00.
AMP>British. MOD>Hot-Wired. MIC>Center. GND LIFT>N/A.
BASS DRIVER: LEVEL>12:00. BLEND>maxed. TREBLE>12:00. BASS>12:00. DRIVE>12:00. PRESENCE>12:00. The BLEND control really brings out the character of the guitar. After combining these 2 pedals, I came up with a very juicy, dynamic, articulate sound with plenty of preamp gain and power amp punch. The only thing missing is the feedback and overtones a real amp provides. Other than that, it's a very satisfying sound.
The TWEED sound is very basic. If you want that unmistakeable "soft clip" that a real Fender tube amp provides, you won't get it here. You should put a compressor pedal in front of the GD121.
The CALIF sound is good for hi-gain metal, like Metallica, etc., but you won't find any good clean Mesa sounds here. I was hoping I could find Larry Carlton's smooth jazz sound. Not available.
I didn't notice any noise with the unit unless I put a compressor and or eq in front of it.
I'm giving this a 6 since I had to add another amp simulator pedal to it to complete the sound.

The unit seems very reliable.
I wouldn't gig with it because there's no channel selection.

I haven't had to deal with the company.

I play mostly classic rock and blues. This works okay for it. I don't like having to combine it with another pedal though. I wish all the sound quality I want would be in one pedal. If it were stolen or lost, I'm not sure that I'd buy another one. But for $30, you can't beat it. Besides the sound quality, I would recommend that Behringer would make a multi-channel amp emulator, like the SANSAMP TRI-AC. This would make it giggable, instead of just a recording tool.

Easy to use, a few switches and knobs and theres also an XLR output which rocks.

This thing could blow your amp out if you turned all the knobs up, because it increases your output after about 9 o clock on the knobs. This is my favorite pedal because of the great tone. Even on crappy amps it sounds fantastic. It sounds best when I use it with my Marshall solid state, and also really good with epiphone valve junior (all tube). Grade A distortion! It does hiss more than my other pedals though

Love it. If I lost it, I'd buy it again in a heartbeat!

Very easy to use but it has a LOT of volume and distorted gain.

Controls are:
Gain, Treble, Bass, Volume
switch for 3 amp models, switch for 3 distortion modes, switch for said mic positions but really they're just cabinet models

Sound quality is good to very good. You can actually use a compressor or other pedal with enough volume output in front of it to overdrive it like an amp and plug straight into the board or PA.

It does a good job of overdriving an amp and of all the Behringer distortion pedals I've used and owned, it doesn't really get harsh as you push it. It also doesn't take much finess to dial in the sounds you want. It has so much headroom that you really shouldn't have to crank it up anywhere near max levels to get the desired level of gain and volume needed to overdrive your amp.

It just really has a LOT of power. I guess on some level it can take some finess to match up with your amp but it's not frustrating or anything along those lines.

Plastic shaft pots but in this case I'd be less worried about damaging them compared to the other Behringer pedals although they are more in the open to being trampled.

It's plastic body with heavy cast metal bottom plate like all Behringer pedals but this is definitely the most heavy duty. It would fair better than the others on the road and for gigging. The stomp button is odd but cool. Upon opening it, it's the same thing EVERY pedal has. A tiny PC button for bypass.

Overall it's THE pedal to buy, PERIOD. Pro, beginner..whatever. It's just incredibly useful and sounds really good. Sure it could be better but not much.

I'd definitely buy it again.