Korg AX3000G

I stated programming this before I even looked at the manual -it is that simple to set up and a joy to use.

I have made set ups for classic rock, Pink Floyd as well as harder rock. I know my way around effects and so I can tune in a sound very quickly and easily.

I am using a Vintage Les Paul deluxe (V100wr) with mini humbuckers and an Epiphone Les Paul standard with a Phat cat neck pick up and a toneride classic PAF (with coil tap) at the bridge. My amps is a Hartke G60 which has a superb clean sound but the distortion is 'orrible. going into a Crate 4x12 cab.

I have a box full of effects units from Morley, Wasabi, marshall and Behringer and was considering getting a selection of overdrive pedals before I priced this unit up. If this was as good as the reviews then I would be able to sell all my other pedals and pay for it twice over.

I was most skeptical about getting a realistic crunchy British valve overdrive sound. If I could manage to get this sound and a decent lead sound it would pay for itself.

The result?

For sale one box full of Morley Marshall Wasabi and Behringer effects!

The sound is incredible. It is so customisable. So versatile, there are really useful things like the overdrives and the smooth chorus sounds to the faintly ridiculous (Sitar sim, Synth sounds and ESS sequencing).

It looks tough, and I will love it and hug it and never let it go! (awww)

Korg are pretty good - at work we have a Korg D1600 mkII digital recorder, when the hard drive packed up they helped us source another one.

I play classic rock, Pink Floyd covers and my own brand of music that covers everything from Jazzy semiacoustic sounds to hard rock.

All the keys are easily accessible and setting a tone and editing it is a child's play. The user interface is not at all complicated. You might need the instruction manual for basic understanding. The manual explains all the functions in detail.

I am using a Jackson Dinky Pro and a Marshall amp. Since my amp is a tiny one, the cabinet simulations are of great help. All the effects are extremely good. But the flanger gets out of way sometime(when I experimented with extremely heavy distortion). Otherwise its amazing. Some simulations like MOD/DRIVE replicate some pedals(distortion pedals in particular) used by many guitar Gods like Brian May et all which otherwise are too expensive to afford.

I am not a gig master. I've used it in many coffee pub gigs and some casual gigs. Its never let me down.

I play anything from blues to classic-hardrock. I've found it very supportive. But the built-in arpeggios would show the easy way to a kid and would get him rid of the pleasure he might get playing those arpeggios himself. Its THE best processor one could get at this price. Unlike other processors that pack a lot of features and bill you for those features that may not be used by man-kind for eternity, AX3000g is a modestly priced processor which offers only things you need for playing great music. Or if you are that kid obsessed with crap like death metal or some gothic crap, dont waste ur money, jus get a $50 guitar and a distortion pedal(Its all you need).......

The Toneworks AX3000G is very easy to use. You get a button with pre fx usage containing 11 effects. Next you get a drive/amp button with 8 distortion effects and 8 amp models to choose from. Next, again is a modulation button with 11 choices for flange, chorus filters . . . After that you get a delay button with 11 choices. The echo plus selection is the best. Last, you get a reverb button with 11 choices. The hall effect is the best, in my opinion.

You can tweak each and every effect on this stomp board. Finding the right effect is easy, and tweaking it gives you a lot of control. I've been searching for the right Pat Methey effect, and I found it using the AX3000G. I have perfect delay and reverb. For distortion, I chose the metal dist effect. Great sound for Edward Van Halen rip offs.

I run this box through a Fender FM 212r. The amp is mediocre until you plug this box into it. The box is a good pre amp for my FM 212r. All of a sudden, people are complimenting my playing. Before I purchased the AX3000g, I couldn't cut a break -- everyone thought I should stick with the bass guitar. Now, I'm considered a decent guitarist. I knew my playing had potential, and this effects unit brings out the finer elements of my playing.

I've owned this box for one week. So far, so good.

They sent me a warranty along with registration material. If the box breaks down, I can get it replaced -- according to the dealer.

I play jazz, blues, classic rock, and alternative rock. This box sounds very natural. The Boss Gt-5 and 8 offer many bells and whistles, but the sound is very digital. The Korg unit sounds like a tube amp with great pedals. It offers several bells and whistles as well, but for $249, you get the essentials - distortion, plenty of delay, lots of reverb, and loads of chorus and flange. What more could yolu ask for. It even has a synth effect function.

If this unit were stolen, or lost, I'd buy it again.

Again, my favorite effects are the delay choices and reverb choices -- particularly the hall reverb effect and the echo plus delay effect. When mixed together (and a little tweaking) you get a perfect Pat Metheny sound. Everytime I play, it feels like Christmas -- the sound quality is very calm and interesting.

Everything is laid out very nicely on the panel of this box. Its very easy to get started right out of the box without the manual, however, some features are easier found after using the manual (like most things, huh?)

All the effects are very usable....depending on your style, i guess. the modulation effects are very very nice and delays are fantastic.

I must say that the reverbs are very cloudy and the decay times are to short even at their max values (for what i prefer).

sure, i imagine it would be...it's made of metal and pretty heavy. I've only had it for about a week, so we shall see...

one thing is that the pots are surface mounted, so they wiggle a little when you grab 'em...i can't see this being a good thing for long term reliability. I would prefer the pots be bolted to the panel, but hey...this box WAS only $250. You get what you pay for.

I'm sure its fine. Like any of the larger companies (Korg, Roland, Yamaha, etc). You can get great service, or you might end up having a bad experience. No one wants to lose a customer. But things do happen sometimes.

I'm really satisfied with my purchase. I think I got every penny worth from this box.

A couple of things that i wish it did that it does not (feel free to correct me, if i've overlooked something):

I reeeeeeeally wish it supported midi sync for delays and the ESS feature. I have no idea why korg would not have programed that feature into the software.

In individual mode, when you switch an effect off, it cuts off the effect abrubtly...for example, if you had a delay with a long feedback and you turned the delay section off, the delay trail cuts off immediately. This is quite a bummer. It would be really if turning the effect off, just turned off the "input" to that effect- rather like closing an aux send. this would allow you to...say....keep a feedback loop running and play uneffected over top of it. or use a delay as a simple looper.

well it's ok..if u read the manual it's even easier... ;)

i don't think i ever tried to get the sound of other artists. i prefer makin my own patches and use them as long as i want to..the distorsion is quite ok, especially the metal dist, in fact, that's the only one i use on an ibanez rg 320 fm and a peavy bandit 112..it the clean although sucks because you don't have a good acoustic simulation...the noise reduction is the best...overall the sound quality is...

well there's a problem here...

overall rating :

Its easy to use!

I've tried this pedal with multiple amps and many guitars.I've found it sounds best through a good tube halfstack (needs a good clean) with a guitar that has passive pickups. But, it really depends on what you play. The pedal sounds pretty good clean. The distortion can sound alright depending on what kind of distortion you want. I've found it hard to get a good distortion suitable for metal (speed, death, doom, black,...). People who say it has tube like distortion obviously have never heard a good tube amp. I've heard better clean and I've heard better distortion, but I have heard far worse.

Its Reliable!

?

If this is the best you can afford, I'd actually try to find the AX1500G if they still make it and buy that. I think that sounds better. If you have the money, buy the line6 xtlive pedal (I think thats what its called). Its only a $100 or so more and sounds better in every aspect. And the rackmount version of the line 6 pod is superior to both.

For my range of experience and present function that this unit is used for, I say I get a pretty good sound out of it. I basically use chorus, flanger, phaser, vibrato, rotary, delays, overdrives and some distortion. Several of the factory presets were useable but I tweak most of them. The overdrive, distortion, synth and ring mod combinations are wierd to me and couldn't be used out-of-the-box.
Editing is easy enough. I tried to figure out what units the AX3000G is modelling; look up for those manuals to find any sample settings or I check other websites (Musicians Friend & Boss-Roland are the best). I download the samples (if possible) and try to tweak the AX3000G to those sounds - if they are applicable to my playing situation.
The manual is simple BUT it assumes that you know about using many of these modelled units. I wish it had sample settings but then again, it is easy enough to go to the factory presets and copy KORG's settings to new patches. There was NO infor on the current drw but it probably wasn't necessary since the unit came with a 9v/600mA adapter.

Since I mainly use clean FX, it works very well for me. I find the quality of the FX to be very good. I try to copy sounds from other artists but my learning curve is short when I read helpful user reviews or other modelled products' manuals. Generally, the overdrives are very useful but I would have preferred to be able to have a clean amp tone PLUS an overdrive/distortion.
Its easy to set patches, match volume/amp levels. Noisy?.........no way! This unit is very useable for live stage. I haven't tried recording it yet. Off course, distortion, fuzz, compressor has noise levels that is normal. I wished the compressor had more knobs though but I've tried using settings similar to those for the MAXON compressor.

I use a PEAVEY T-60 guitar with a customized GraphTech Piezo pick-up >> BOSS GE-7 (modified) >> AX3000G input. Then I run a BOSS CE-3 Chorus in the FX Loop. In the past, I have run BOSS DS-1 or DOD Daddy O with a separate Eq pedal. Now I use a CARLSBRO Sherwood 80 amp - Channel 1 is for the T-60 electric tone (from the AX3000G) and Channel 2 is for the Piezo tone via a DOD FX40B Eq to help bring out the acoustic voicing. I take the Tweeter off with the option switch (back of the amp). But just this weekend, I went T-60 straight to amp (with Tweeter on) and I love it!

I've been trying to get the BOSS PH-3 sounds but I'm not complete in my efforts. The Octave is okay but I use the octave option in the Pitch mode to play when I'm chording. The Synth is UNUSEABLE to me! I can't use it for any worthwhile patches. Help anyone??? Drone is good; I never use the Acoustic cause I have a real Piezo pickup. I use the Vox Wah hardly but more use the AutoWah with the Fultron - I like that! I'm now exploring the ESS features but I bought the unit partly because of this feature.
When I use the amp models, I go for the BTQ Clean, AC15, AC30B, sometimes the 212; I also use the UK68, UK80's, Tube OD, BTQ OD. The Control feature plus the Loop can offer so many options for hook-up of outboard gear. At one time I also had a BOSS PSM-5 Master Switch/Looper/Power supply. So I had this loop control other pedals while also using the AX3000G's Loop. I power my entire board with the 1-Spot (1700mA) 9v adapter. Absolutely NO PROBLEMS!! Get 1...or 2.

I had a BOSS ME-50 before this but it had no Loop AND saving patches was a pain since there was no way to control the volume levels. Then when you switched from manual to presets or vice versa, there was a big difference in levels. I consider myself a BOSS guy but I read and read before I bought this KORG. I AM HAPPY. sure, there's no On/Off switch but its ok - just save any changes you make and you're good to go.

The paint chips easily. The Headphones should be 1/4" instead of 1/8" but I built a breakout box with 2 stereo 1/8" cables (about 12-14" long) into a project box (RadioShack) with 2 stereo chassis mounted 1/4" female jacks. This enabled me to plug my regular headphones into a 1/4" jack without hassle. The other 1/8" cable I plug into the AUX, so I also can run, say, my drum machine thru' the AX3000G. (I'd be happy to send pics if anyone is interested).

I DO DEPEND ON IT - 100%. I gig without a backup!

My unit is mounted on a DIY pedalboard with other pedals, DI box, etc. It all fits into my PEDALTRAIN case - easy carrying. I run the board off of my 1-Spot adapter...so I have a backup adapter.

At one time, I was playing 2 different setups per week: campus type worship ministry with up beat stuff (overdrive/distortion, etc) so I had saved settings for use with my PEAVEY Studio Pro amp. Then, I had separate settings for running into the mixer/PA at my church. Basically similar patches with/without amp modelling. I'm still researching the stuff I can do with the basic effects and the unit itself. I found articles by Craig Anderton that suggest tips for using multi-effect units - very helpful.

I've contacted the customer rep and he has answered email within 24-36 hours. He provided answers...pretty customer-friendly. Never had any repairs or upgrades.

The www.korg.com site has sample sounds and a video by Rob Math BUT I found some of the footage to be impractical in showing precisely what to do to tweak certain sounds. Check out www.musiciansfriend.com. there is a support group on yahoo.com See also www.stompbox.com and stuff by Craig Anderton. Read the manual online too.

I play at church - a bit of many styles - Reggae, soft Rock, Blues, Pop, Folk/Acoustic, etc. This is a great match for me...no regrets. The OD/DS are okay but I may get a BOSS or DIGITECH OD/DS pedal and run it in the Loop. I've been playing electric for about 19 years - all of those in chuch settings and also in mixed combos & as a singer-songwriter. I own the BOSS GE-7 (mod) Eq, DOD FX40B Eq, BOSS CE-3 Chorus, ART X-Direct DI, CARLSBRO Sherwood amp and PEAVEY T-60 (w/customized GraphTech Piezo) guitar. No shame, no regrets - to each his/her own!
If stolen, I would certainly get this unit again OR I may opt for the DIGITECH GNX 3 or 4 - only cause I'd like not only to jam along but to phrase train, loop stuff, drum machine and record on one unit.
I WISH the unit:- had separately tweakable FX engines - so you could combine ANY effects; the manual clearly said what units/amps they were modelling; the synth could be EASILY tweaked to sound like a guitar synth; the Pitch would track better on fast passages; the amp and OD/DS presets were on spearate knob functons AND a programmable drum machine. I was inspired sinc e the day I decided to check out this unit- I LOVE IT.

I bought this unit because i believe it suited my needs - it does...most of them. the price was good for me - mine was a floor demo at Same Day Music. Compare reviews with any other units in its class and judge based on your own needs. Others' opinions are valuable but YOU take your owh risks. KORG didn't get a wink from me before I decided to check this unit out. I thought they were ony good for keyboard stuff. Think again!

simple and intuitive,but read the manual and you discover many things
you can't imagine

Great effects,studio quality."tube breathing" distorsions,warm modulations (flangers and phase are very nice,choruses sound lush)
astonishing analog and tape delays,clean reverbs (spring and bounce have that "tremulant" and warm realism).quite.I've built patches with vintage fenderian sounds (tremolo+spring/bounce reverb: a delice),pop sounds ala "Police"(comp+chorus+delays etc)beautiful blues crunches and classic/heavy rock tones.The wha is the best I've heard in a digital unit (modeled on two vox classics).

heavy and strong

I play blues/rock.Playing for 35 years,since I was a kid.great gtr tone machine for every genre

basically, most of the factory patches are more to showcase what the extremes of the unit are. fortunatly, editing the patches is a snap. i started tweaking the thing right away and had several nice patches within 30 minutes. manual is easy to follow. i'll give it a nine because only stomp boxes would be a 10 for ease of use.

ok, here is where i really wanted comment. having moved from southern california to a more rural area in Eastern Idaho, i've now switched my focus from playing in bands in live situations, to home recording and songwriting. miking an amp in my home studio was not a practical idea as i do most of my recording at night after the family is asleep. so, i wanted something that would record well and sound at least close to what a good amp would sound like miked up. after reading some decent reviews on this unit, i figured i'd give it a go as the price was definately right. plus, with musician's friend's return policy, i figured if it was terrible, i'd just send it back. well i've still got it and have found it to be a very usible, user friendly tool. i have played many high end guitars through many high end amps in my 18 years of playing. i say that to reference that i DO know what many of the amps this unit "models" actually sound like. make no mistake, there is no $250 effects unit that will reproduce the actual tone one gets from plugging a strat into an old tweed bassman, or a blackface twin or super. or a tele into an old deluxe. or a les paul into a marshall plexi, or an jackson soloist into a mesa triple recto.... you get the idea. the notion that any solid state "modeling" device will sound just like a "_________" is not realistic. what this unit does provide is a nice ability to quickly and easily dial in a quite usible tone with the convienience of having some decent effects all in one unit. i run this AX3000G into my tweed blues deluxe by way of either my Godin LGX-SA or my Jimmy Vaughan signature strat. live, i really only play at church now, and this effects unit allows me to be able to cover a lot of different sounds convincingly. the tube blues deluxe warms up the signal as well. what i really get the most use out of this unit for is home recording. with several different overdrive / distortion options and several cabinet simulation options, i can put some really nice sounds to disc without trying to hastle with miking an amp. there are a wealth of useful effects in here also. your regular reverbs, modulations, delay, ect. all which can be shaped quickly and easily to taste. i was surprised at how good the uni-vibe in this thing was!!! overall, a great buy for the money. i'll give it a 8 based on the tones i can produce, not based on how closely it "models" high end amps.... this is a very easy to use and valuable tool for recording especially which can also easily be used in live situations. analog pedals into a good tube amp will always sound better (imo) but there is something to be said for the convienience of having all the effects right here in one unit.

the housing is metal and it seems rugged.... i don't abuse my gear, so i never usually have problems anyway, but this seems like it could take plenty of abuse.

digital modeling technology has come a long way it seems. i still own a digitech RP-1 and a Digitech GSP-21 processor. this Korg AX3000G is far superior as far as sound goes.... at least to my ears. again, there is no way a $250 "box" is going to replace vintage Vox, Fender, Marshall, Orange, Hiwatt, Mesa, Ect. amps. if you buy this thinking it really will sound like a blackface twin, mesa triple recto, Vox AC30 and a Marshall Plexi all at the same time, you will be disapointed. but, if you are looking for a versatile tool for home recording and live situations and can take a few minutes to tweak some settings, you'll be plesently surprised at the tones waiting in this unit.

I had absolutely no trouble getting great tones from this multieffects unit. Editing and making your own patches is easy. The manual for the AX3000G explains how to use everything, how to use the ESS and assign steps for it, etc. The unit is very good and easy, and the manual is just as good, and easy to understand.

I can get the sound of probably any artist from this unit. I haven't tried everyone out and try to get their tones, but it's really good for Death, Thrash, Power, Black, and Speed Metal. The cleans are also very good. The only effect I don't like at this point because of the presets on the unit (and thus haven't messed with it yet because of my dislike for it) is the Synth. All of the other effects were very nice and impressive to me. I really loved how warm all the effects were. They weren't cold at all, but I'm sure you could get cold from it. I use an Ibanez SZ320 Goldtop or Hamer Vector Flametop flying V for guitars. I tune these from Eb-C standard, and I use a Peavey Rockmaster 120w Tube head. If it is noisy, that just means I don't have the Noise Reduction unit on, in which case, it is turned on, and properly set up so it doesn't sound unnatural. The effects are generally great, but Synth does sound weak, perhaps I am not using it right. I'll have to mess with it a bit. In the loop, I put my Ibanez Weeping Demon Wah, DS1, Rocktron Metal Planet and Rocktron Rampage sometimes for different things. I may assign the expression pedal to something other than a wah, then I've got it in the loop. Also, I've got a DS1 for overdrive, and I've got the other two distortions for if I bypass the Drive/Amp model, or use a cleanish or slightly overdriven model. Then I can have a variable dist depending on how it's setup. Very versatile for my uses and purposes of the pursuit of as many tones as possible.

I'm not entirely sure yet, we'll have to see how it runs in the longrun.

I have yet to deal with the support, but I think I might ask them something and see how they respond/how long it takes.

I play metal, and the unit does it amazingly. But, I had a blues/rock guitarist play with it, and he also liked it. I could get a few jazz tones, amazing cleans, so it's quite versatile. I'm sure what you put into it, and what it puts it's signal out of have a lot to do with tone, I bet. If it were lost or stolen, I'd definitely buy another one, especially if it was more moderate in price (from making another one more than likely.) I love all of it's features, all the models and effects, the noise reduction, the headphone jack for quiet practice, the 'individual' mode so that programs act like a separate rig like a line of stompboxes, and I was especially amazed by the expression pedal/Expression Step Sequencer system. Like said above, I don't like the Synth as of yet, and hopefully with time, I will figure it out and atleast find it useful for one thing. I compared this with the AX1500G, Behringer V-amp Pro, and Line 6 Pod 2/FloorPOD. I considered these others because of at that price range, they were the best. I later got the $70 more for the Korg AX3000G, and I'm glad I chose this.
I wish it had drum patterns or a metronome, to play to in rhythm. This helps me play music because I don't have to keep messing with knobs to get my tones. I just change patchs, and maybe go to Individual, switch on/off a mod or reverb, turn on the insert loop. Everything is very useful and the unit is very musical and warm without being muddy.