DigiTech 2101

this amp will take some time, but will be worth it. the gain structure on this amp is extremely strong , so a little pinch goes a long way. if you want to plug into a one trick pony with some foor pedals ths amp is not for you.

this pre amp is not for kids, its not a plug in and play, this is one of the best sounding amps ever created . with a little sound skill and patience and paired with a quality tube power amp this amp can yeild incredible transparent gain, rich and full of even order harmonics with touch sensitivity rivaling any high end amp made.i am pairing the pre with el 34 50/50 marshall's ,custom shop strat's. some of the effects may not be as good as others on the market but the versatility can not be matched.

we have 2 on stand by , but never needed to use them . these units have been from stage to stage for over 10 years, they recieve regular maintainance as do the power amps.

n/a

we play funk , funk rock. i play thru all kinds of amps but for sound versatility and ease of use on stage the rack set up will allways rule.

It came with a manual so thick that I expected it to take more time to read than the complete works of Dickens. So I simply handed everything over to my trusty guitar tech so he could program it for me. I simply did not want to be bothered ;-)

You have to fiddle around for a day or so to figure out how to program this thing. I guess...

When I bought it, I first used it as a preamp as well as fx processor.

But although it uses tubes, the preamp lacks definition, clarity, tone and dynamics, so at some point I bought a Mesa Boogie Triaxis and just used the fx.

Then I bought a Rocktron Intellifex, since I only use chorus and delay, and this unit just sounds sooooo much better. It is also much easier to operate. So then I only used the Digitech for EQ and to use it as a midi switcher.

Some time ago my tech made me buy a HOTPLATE, so I could use my Mesa 20/20 poweramp as tone generator. Now I am able to use the tubes to the max, the tube distortion gives the sound the punch, bite and attack it lacked before. So exit the EQ!

So, dear reader, in the end the Digitech was reduced to a very expensive midi controller. But wait! There's more. See the "Reliability" section to read the tragic ending.

Last Saturday I played this huge festival, and then it happened: For some reason every time the lights on stage changed, so did my patches!

So at one point I was playing this really sensitive CLEAN intro, then suddenly it changed spontaneously to DISTORTION! An back and forth it went. Halfway through the show I turned the unit off, which meant I had to switch manually. Rather inconvenient!

When I got home I unscrewed the Digitech from my rack, threw it from the second floor, smashed it to pieces and set fire to the remains.

I would never ever use it again. Well... I can't really!

did not try. It's far beyond repair now anyway. ha ha!

See the rest of the review.

It is really TERRIBLE, but excellent for anger management!

The same qualities that make it so flexible also make it difficult to program. Some programs have probably 100 parameters. The analog section is pretty straightforward, reverb, modulation effects and mixers are pretty difficult. It is best to find the closest thing to the sound you want and modify it from there. I like the compare feature where you can compare the edited sound to the previous sound. If you like the new sound select "store" if you don't like it, you can exit without saving and start over.

Overall I like the sound a lot. The distortion sounds are great, and I love the reverbs and delays. Many of the distortion settings have 2 gain controls which you can cascade. Varying the 2 levels gives you different sounds. I have a hard time getting the sounds I want with the phasers chorus and flangers (so many parameters!), but I don't use those much anyway.

The unit responds different with different guitars, I have a Strat and a Les Paul studio. I ended up having to program different channels for each. However, I like the fact that it doesn't cover up the character of the instruments. The foot controller has up to 10 banks of 10 settings each. I use bank 1 for the strat and bank 2 for the LP.

My only complaint is I have to use a lot of noise gate to control unwanted noise, which causes me to lose sustain. I am running through a 79 Marshall, which may be part of the noise, (although I run the amp clean with preamp volume at 4 or 5). I give it an 8.5 for sound, it would be 9.5 if not for the noise.

I have a loose connection on the input midi jack of the foot controller, which I need to get fixed. However, I used it on regular live gigs for 7 years, and have had several drunk fans step on the cable over the years.

No experience with support, I haven't really had any need to call for support.

Overall very satisfied. You could probably get a better sound with top quality individual effects, but this unit is hard to beat for the price. I got mine in a pawnshop for $250. They sell for about $300-$350 on ebay. For live gigs, I also love the convenience of being able to control multiple effects with the press of a single footswitch button.

Fairly up front and easy to use especially after programming my quadreverb.I dont like the fact that you can't stack effect after effect in the order and how many times you want to like you can in the 2112 but this was basically the first of its kind so I can't really complain.

The only distortion tone that I feel is useable is the GRUNGE tone and I really only use it for practicing because the overall distortion has a brittle sound like most DIGITAL distortion.I feel that the noise gate is excellent and the EQ and CHORUS are very good.The reverb and delay are a bit TRASHY sounding but useable for alot of guitar sounds but I recommend running your signal through another unit after the 2101 to smooth out your sound.I do also like the digitech WHAMMY and HARMONIZER sounds they aint no EVENTIDE but who the hell wants to pay for one of those things?I would say that overall this is a very usable unit with a UNIQUE sound.Jennifer Batten used Digitech alot in the past so if you like her sound you might like this.

VERY good!!!!

VERY good!

A good unit with a variety of unique sound!

No es facil. Ahora que llevo con el mas de 10 a?os puedo decir que se manejarlo. Tiene cosas que en la practica no vas a usar.
No tiene control de entrada y eso si seria practico. Respecto a sus evoluciones, 2112, 2120 es mas comodo de usar. Tiene separada la seccion de previo de la de efectos. puedes saltarte el previo o no segun quieras. La Control One es precisa, con phanton pero demasiado grande. El Whamy es un juguete, para divertirse.
Mi unidad tiene el viejo chip, con la mitad de capacidad que las nuevas y aun asi nunca he agotado la memoria en ningun algoritmo.

Suelo tener esta configuracion: PRS custom 22, Boss CS-3, TS 9, Clyde Deluxe Wah, Tech 21 GT-2, GT Trio Preamp, 2101 (solo efectos digitales), Mesa Boogie 2:95 Power amp y Cabinas Mesa 2x12". En esta cadena la 2101 solo aporta chorus, revers y delays. Mucha gente dice que estas unidades de efectos colorean el sonido. CHORRADAS !!! CLARO QUE LO HACEN !! De eso se trata, si no te gusta TOCA A PELO !!. Los efectos Lexicon no colorean pero porque suenan en paralelo al timbre original. Si te curras el sonido con efecto y te gusta el resultado eso es un TIMBRE !! que mas da quien aporte que !! Yo lo que hago es baja el nivel de efecto, muchos efectos pero sin destacar. Para este trabajo la 2101 es perfecta.
Para tocatas ligeras, la 2101 es perfecta, usando su previo, efectos, salidas con simulador y a mesa. No suena que te mueres pero escapas.
La calidad es notable, seguro que no son los mejores efectos (Lexicon, Tc Electronic, Electro Harmonix) pero los hay peores.

Solo unas valvulas gastadas. Pille nuevas y listo.

Articulo descatalogado. No existe ampliacion para mi unidad porque es muy vieja.

Fue la pionera de una saga. Ha sido superada en muchos aspectos individuales pero en su conjunto los de Digitech se metieron un golazo historico con la 2101. Durante un tiempo pense venderla por vieja pero, visto lo visto, me la quedo por "clasica"

I've owned 2 digitech 2101's throughout the years, i first bought one new back in 1995, version 2.01 with the control one for $1,000!. the second one i bought was $300. Although some people say it's a little hard getting around the patches, but I found it very easy to use, and to edit patches. I think mostly because I don't go into great detail with all the endless amounts of decays and freuencies you can adjust. I think that is only critical when you are recording with it, not with live situations, which i mostly use the 2101 for.

There's a list of buttons for each patch you want to edit (distortion/delay/eq, etc...) when i bought a second 2101 and upgraded it to version 3.0, by buying the 2 chips from ebay. Digitech charges $100 for these two chips, but you can find them on ebay for around $20. I never really used the manual.

I'm currently playing through a Roland JC-120, as well as a Roland Cube 30, and a Fender Pro 85 amp. These are all solid state amps. I'm sure the 2101 would sound much better through an all tube amp but i've been playing through a jc-120 for years and love the clean sound it produces. My guitars - 1986 Paul Reed Smith custom, a 2001 Gibson Les Paul standard, and a 72' fender strat, (USA made). the 2101 is not noisy, as long as you use the noise gate, set it at around -67 to -70 db. the only bad thing about this is your sound will shut off if you lower your volume on your guitar. so, use a patch that has a volume control for the wah pedal to lower and raise your volume while playing. It takes some trial and error to get each patch at the correct volume, the way i've conquered this is just by literally changes the volume controls for each patch while i'm rehearsing with my band. it can get a little annoying but once it's set i rarely change the settings. all i change are the main volume and the EQ's that are on my amp itself.
The main effects i'm using are; warm sweet solo (grunge setting with delay), ted nugent's patch, phaser in space, mandolin echo for delays, look wah no feet, (not a very full sounding patch but it'll have to do) and bright room for a clean sound with a little reverb. i use a few more as well.

I've used a 2101 since 95', and i've bought a second 2101 in 2004 just to have a second one. i've had no problems at a gig with it (knock on wood!) and i've relied on it for every single sound i've used, it's almost become my signature sound. People always say I have such a warm and full sound, they're surprised I don't have a tube amp, other than the 2 12AX7 mini tubes. I recommend maintaing it by replacing the 2 12AX7 tubes every year or so, depending on how often you play through it, as well as replacing the battery every year or two. you can buy the replacement battery at any radio shack for around $4. just keep in mind to back up all your sounds before you replace the battery otherwise you'll lose all your sounds and have to start from scratch. i think there's a program you can find online where you can store your patches and save them on your computer, or do it the old fashioned way and write them down on paper.

I've called them twice for some parts and got through to the parts department easily. they mailed me a free set of side panels for the control one foot controller. for some reason they don't stay on there, so i've lost a couple through the years. now i just use some black electrical tape to keep the side panels intact. the electrical tape doesn't leave a sticky residue like other tapes. they've also sent me a free set of hex screws and phillips screws, which i've had to replace from lugging my rack from gig to gig for many years.

I play a lot of rock, reggae, and dancehall type music. it's been great for clean sounds, chorus effects, and especially delay effects. i have 4 or 5 different delay settings, depending on the tempos for each song. i don't have to kneel down and mess with my one delay pedal to change the settings, it's already a patch and i just hit a button on my control one. i hate having a chain of effects for stomp boxes because if one little 1/4 inch patch isn't working it's hard to find the source of your problem. the 2101 allows only one cable straight to your guitar. I do however use a crybaby wah pedal, so actually it's two cables, and one midi cable for the foot controller. no extra power outlets to use, etc... ok, so i also use a furman 6 pack outlet, and a sabine tuner, but those are rackmounted in my 4 space rack, so it's all ready to go. i tend to stay away from the 2101's tuner, it's not as easy to use as my sabine, but i like to switch it to the tuner mode when i want to mute my guitar on breaks, or to tune during a song, then use my sabine. there's nothing worse than hearing a guitarist tune live in between songs or during a song!

any trainned monkey, do everething that rack does

Amazing...
congratulations to Whammy and for analogic Distortions (not tube).
Reverbs - totally profissional
Choruses, flanger and detuners - incredible
Wah - not so good, but usable
equalizers - very, very, very good
Tha most powerfull feature is the algorithim ... you can do everything with this

totally depend...
I would like more tubes !

any jackass with a screw driver and a Internet repair this rack... not need support from digitech

i play rock gospel music
from 15 years.
if lost or stolen i kill mylself.. ( lol :-) )
I love so much my rack
nothing compare with GSP-2101
if you see one ... buy... buy fast and don't think ...

extremely easy. get use to hitting the wrong button several times and losing all your work. read the maunual..... keep the foot controler away from your feet that loses all your work too if you change the channel.

sounds very nice initially. lots of guys complain about some of the sound they get with it. just keep in mind all that upper frequency stuff gets knocked out when using it live. bodies absorb lots of it. i say initially but the same complaint as all the rest, the noise gate forces you into correction right out of the box. i had to take it out of everything to actually give it a fair run. i am still learning how to operate this thing to its limit but i do have a complaint, the levels of volume change substatially between patches. the other thing, i don't think the reverbs are very warm, like say a reverb in a 65 super. it isn't a part of your tone. very crucial for a blues guitarist. when you monkey with the different spring reverbs you can hear that fake ass slap simulating the springs being driven too hard. completely ruins it. i have never in my entire life owned a fender amp that ever did that unless i dropped it. nice try.
i do rate the other sounds this thing makes very high but watch all the eq's cause they do affect how bubble gum overprocessed this thing can sound.

no problems, yet.....

i bought mine after they stopped producing them. trying to find downloads for programming it or software specific to the unit, good luck my friend. lots of hodge podge bs. no centralized local for anything and sound bites? sets me a mind to do it myself.

overall, i will have to say it scores a bell shaped 7. i have other processors that are solid state that do a much better job. it was a nice try for a dead horse. proly why they unloaded it and went to the GNX. i currently use it as a flavor but i don't rely in it. i keep another processor at side. and split them into a marshall 9200 so i got one in the left and the other in the right. the other thing is i like to use a stomp box to drive the front end tubes with, you can't do it with this. i use the marshall jmp 1 in the effects loop of the 2120 and bypass the preamp of it all together. i can midi switch the hell out of the whole thing at once and use an ab box to change inputs to and away from the 2120.

my honest opinion and not sucking anyones crank? buy a tcelectronics major, jmp1, 9200, 2 4x12 cabs. you got a hell of a lot better rig than this will create.

takes some reading. go download the manual from digitechs site if you already dont have it. Takes about a solid hour or two to get your way around this thing easily. once you take the time, programming becomes alot easier...

I run thru a Sovtek Mig-100, marshall 4x12, thru my rack using a gibson SG or LP...sounds great to me! Compared to many other multi-effects processors, this thing sounds great! the effects are very real and sound just as good if not better then many boss/digitech stomp boxes. the Distortions are very nice as well. The saturated tube distortions are better then i could have asked for. over all, this guy gets some very satisfying sounds

Very solid...dont see it really falling apart.....

This thing is great...unfortuantly i had to return it becasue of its one major flaw....single S-disk usage!!! ahhhh! i couldnt stand switching patches and cutting out for .5 second. sounded too choppy! i returned it and got a Digitech 2120 instead...Thats got everything i neeed!!!!

I think is works very easy. Just press a few buttons and it does the work.

I am using is with mesa 50/50 and that sounds great, I get a very punchy and heavy sound (I use it to make deathmetal grindcore blackmetal). I use bc rich mockingbird (rico rules). It is noiseless when you use the noisegate (which is great, it is absolutely quiet when in between riffs).
The effect are ok, I do not use them a lot, but when using them, they work great.
Especially the distortions I like a lot and the phaser.

I also use the amp simulator and that also sounds great. I am using it to record a promo cd at this moment.

I have brought my first one back to the shop. The letters on the display distorted and that was very irritating. I had to do this a couple of times and in the end, I got a new one (thanks to bass connection, the shop where I bought it). But the new one still has some little bugs in de display.

see former selection

I play deathmetal grindcore.
I have been playing for 15 years now. I also use a pod pro (not good for metal I think, good for rock). I also use boss pedals, but I keep them more for nostalgic reasons than anything else.
I am thinking of buying the 2120, but I dont know if that is wise, is is much better or similar? Does it have much more options and better sound?
I have made about 9 cd's with the gsp 2101 so it helped me a lot during all the mayhem.