Zoom 504 II

Editing was pretty strait forward, one trip through the manual and your done. Easy to modify and change patches.

I am playing a Cort MR740FX and a Godin Josh Cook Signature(electric).I usually plug strait into PA. I ddo find it a little noisy by itself, nothing extreme. When the whole band is playing it's fine. Very disapointed in delay(what delay). I don't know why delay is even mentioned, it's really not noticable. Some songs I use some, guess I'll have to get delay pedal. Otherwise the chorus is good and some reverbs not bad, really a matter of taste and a little fiddling around. I like the crisp fat sounds I am able to get with my acoustic. The acoustic simulator is OK, good enough to finish a song or two when I break a string on my acoustic.

I nthink I could depend on it. i won't be jumping off any chairs onto it so it should be fine. i have a friend who has been gigging regularly with his 505 for years and it is still in great shape. So despite the plastic I will use it without backup.

Don't know, better be good

Overall it will do just fine. I play alot of contemporary christian music ,as I am a worship leader so this thing has really done some good things for the sound. There are only 2 presets that I like, but easy enough to add a few more. Unlike others I bought the Zoom power supply, i have wrecked pedals before with bad power supply. I love the size and the look. It will be easy to pack around. Tuner is a great option as well is the external pedal feature. As I mentioned though they could have been a little more generous with the delay. Overall, for the money it's great.

Simple enough to just plug it in and start plucking or struming it away. Editing patches is relatively straight forward too by just turning a knob and pressing on the "+" or "-" buttons followed by pressing the "store" button twice to save the patch. Manual is available in pdf format from Zoom's website. Too bad they do nbot have sample mp3 files for this effect.

I'm using a Yamaha FG-450SA with a custom installed piezo pickup. Tested this device on a Marshall valuestate but it simply produced too much feedback even with the "anti-feedback mode activated" plus feedback stopper cap on the soundhole. Direct out via the PA system is much better. I probably reckon that it is because the Marshall valuestate is not an acoustic instrument amp. Generally the effects are alright, depending on your configuration. The factory settings are a bit lame especially for patches designed for electric guitars. You can delete all those as they are totally non-effective on an acoustic electric.

This pedal tends to be noisy with hissing sound produced at high volume. This is especially so for 12-strings simulation and patches with high chorus settings. Delay can be longer or more variable like the 505II with a time option.

Due to the fact that it is noisy and has far limited options. I will give the category a below average.

With reasonable care this pedal should lasts. The only backup that u might need is extra batteries. When batteries level is low (indicated by a blinking light in the display) slight knock to the side of the pedal will reset the patch to "A1".

Never dealt with Zoom. Hopefully I don't need to. The only advice I got is from the music shop where I bought this thing. The salesperson warned me to get the correct power adaptor of 300ma with a 9V dc and a negative minus centre plug. The original Zoom adaptor costs A$50! *Ouch* 1/4 of the price of the pedal. I bought a brand new adaptor from an electronic store for only A$18 and it works perfectly with no humming sound.

I play all sort of music as long as they sound nice to me. Have been playing for 10 years. Besides 504II, I have 505II which I think is a much better buy considering I got it for only A$159 brand new with more functions and better sound. If it is stolen or lost, I will probably wait for Zoom to come up with a newer version before buying. I love the price and the stuff that comes with it. It's a cheap pedal with heaps of options. There isn't much competition in the price range and there isn't a lot of acoustic pedal to choose from in the market within this price.

I wished that it comes with ZNR (Zoom Noise Reduction). The feedback suppressor is not as effective as compared to ZNR.

I rated this category for it's value for money.

The unit is very easy to use: just press the large "up" or "down" foot switches to cycle thru the patches. Even a complete "stomp box newbie" like me can figure that one out!
I haven't even tried to edit the patches yet - not because I can't figure out how to (I've been programming computers for 20 years...), but simply because of lack of time. From reading the manual, it looks very straight foreward.
I'd give the manual a B- or a C+. I've seen a lot worse and I've seen better, too.

I play a 1972 Martin D-18 thru a Peavey Ecocustic amp with a Fishman pizeo pickup. As other reviewers have stated above, the 504-II does a good job of getting rid of the pizeo "twang".
As for the effects, there are so many of them that you can't say generally if they're good or bad. Some sound great, others are OK, and a few are junk.
I read above that someone didn't like the wah-wah effect; well I think it sounds interesting once you learn how to attack the strings and get the effect. Also, you can add a foot pedal to the 504-II which supposedly makes it like a "real" wah-wah.

I've played a couple of gigs with it - one of them outdoors at a Weinfest - and have no complaints. I'm still working on the first set of batteries, but I don't use it all that often, so don't take that to mean they'll last 3 months of normal use...
As for a backup, since I never used one of these gizmos before, if it bombs out on me, I'll just play straight thru my amp. I use it more for subtle effects and not to completely change my sound. Of course, I do have extra batteries with me.
The plastic housing worries me some. No problems yet, but I wonder what it will be like in 2 or 3 years...

My "band" is just a hobby for the four of us; we all have jobs, wives, kids, and other interests. We only do maybe 6 to 10 gigs a year at parties, Weinfests, etc.
Therefore, my main considerations was value when buying the 504-II. I wanted something which didn't cost a fortune which would add some subtle effects for maybe 10% of the songs we do.
In this light, I am extremely happy with the 504-II to date.
Yeah, I'd buy it again and I'd recommend it to anyone on a tight budget.

The 504 II is just about as easy to use as any foot box with a zillion effects thrown in. Basically you find a few patches that work for you and stick with them. The auto tuner is a nice feature, but it's pretty dumb and if you're not very close to the right tuning it doesn't quite know what to do.

But I played for a good while through a Boss AD-5 and I like the Zoom sound a LOT better (it's less synthetic) and it has more effects. Manuals are okay, anyone with previous experience will know what to do, first timers might need a little while. Best of all, there's a lot of flexiblity in editing the patches, and while I haven't played with many settings yet, I know I'll be able to fine tune the my sound.

I'm using this with a Guild D-25 an EMG soundhole pick up and an SWR California Blonde. Before I got the box I had a lot of acoustic HONK I couldn't get rid of. I found a few patches (A3 and C3) that give me the presense I need while sounding very natural. I feel I'm finally getting my money's worth out of my California Blonde, which by the way is the best acoustic amp I've played through, bar none.

So far so good, but I've had it only a month or so

I did send a few emails to the company before I bought the unit (lloing for an early distributor) and never received a reply, but this is a $75 item, so I don't expect much customer support, which is a sad statement on the state of customer support these days

I play an unruly fusion of blues, jazz, rock and country and this box is a good match for all of the styles. It's also light and small and fits in a equipment bag. Forget the batteries, though, it eats them for lunch, go for an AC adapter, even if you play a just a few hours a week.

Very easy to use. Editing patches are a snap.Some presets are good.The bad ones I just edited and saved.
The manual s pretty straight forward but can be a little confusing, but trial and error sets tou straight.

I actually use this with my strat. played through an old ampeg tube amp.The effects box adds some kind of dynamic range that I can't describe.It sounds real good.
It really doesnt make an electric sound like an acoustic but I figured as much anyway.Closest you might get to is maybe an ovation.I can and do get that 12 string electric Jimmy Page sound though.

I definitely wouldnt take this gigin.It's not built for it.

dont know

For the price I couldnt be happier. I've definitely grown attached to it and would buy another.The only bad effect is the auto wah(it's not bad it sucks). If you spend more money you will get something better but for the money....

The pedal is very easy to use. Much better than the earlier version. I also have a DOD which is also good. But the zoom uses batteries and that's a plus when traveling out side the country.

I think most of the sounds are very good. You have to realize that these companies put so much stuff in theses pedals, most players, I would think will only use between 5 and 10 patches. But it's nice to have all the flexability. Now one problem I am experienceing is in the brigter settings (preamp) for the acoustic. I'm get some "Breaking up" if the string attack is too hard and heavy unlike my DOD wich can take the punch. I did try it with the electric guitar and it did not seem to be as audible or not at all. I used a Takamine with a fine preamp system and it was noisy when playing on the more Bright side. I'm wondering if I have a bad unit. I will try and call Zoom and check with a tech. Otherwise I'm really dig'n it. It is small and durable enough and light weight unlike the DOD Acoustic pedal! I will rate this at about a 0 until I find out about the problem I'm having.Other wise the other setting are very cool!

I think it will be. But this is my first Zoom 504!

I think it is great and it is wonderful that there are few companies trying to keep the prices affordale on some of this stuff!

Very easy to use and change programs. Zoom must have taken the advice of previous reviews on the 504. The manual is now very thorough. They must have hired a tech writer who also plays guitar. I am not a gear head by any means (sometimes can't program my VCR). This is very easy to change perameters of patches as well as changing from patch to patch (much easier IMO than the DOD Acoustech, which a demoed side by side.)

I am using this with a Yamaha FG-345 Dreadnought acoustic with rosewood back and sides and a Fishman Acoustic Matrix II under saddle piezo w/ preamp in the strapjack. I run this through the 504II into a Peavey KB60 50 watt keyboard amp with a 12" woofer an 1" compression tweeter. Compared to the DOD Acoustech, some of the patches were SLIGHTLY noisier althoght the noise is hardly noticeable on either unit. I thought that most of the effects were very good in both units. The 504II was a little weaker in the delay effect than the acoustech but the chorus, reverb, doubling and twelve string simulator I thought were very good on both units

I've heard enough of people griping because it's made of plastic. Yeah, if you dropped it alot it would probably break. So would your guitar and somehow most of us manage to keep from doing that. It seems as tough and sturdy as a walkman. The term "Stompbox" is just an expression. Just push it normally with your foot and it seems it should last OK.

I have not had any luck with Zoom responding to my questions before I bought the unit so I doubt they would be very resposive afterword.
They don't have an e-mail address just for technical questions. If they do, they hide it pretty good on the website. I would hope I would get better results using their phone number. In all fairness, DOD and BOSS were unresponsive to technical questions also. Only Fishman and Tech21`answered me back.

I play acoustic rock, pop, folk etc. (Beatles, Tull, Buffett, Taylor, John Denver, Pink Floyd, eagles, etc.) I've been playing for 20+ years. Only own the 1 guitar and I love it, it's not a Martin, but when you start using under saddle pickups into effects/DI/EQ boxes into amps, I'm afraid you are really not hearing much of the guitar my friend. I originally had planned on buying a Fishman ProEQ platinum EQ box. When I had my Fishman Pickup installed I was not happy with the sound being so harsh and brittle. I thought I was more of a purest and was not really interested in "Coloring" the sound of my acoustic with effects. I just wanted to get rid of the piezo attack and make the Fishman sound more natural. I was glad I happened to read about the Zoom on the internet. It not only gave me an arsenal effects, it got rid of the piezo quack (or at least minimized it as much as the Fishman Pro EQ PLatinum did) at HALF THE PRICE. LIke I said, I demoed this side by side with the DOD Acoustech. Both sounded good. I really would have liked to have compared it to a BOSS AD-5 too, but the music store didn't have one in stock. I can't help but think for 3 times the price and only having chorus and reverb that it would have to have sounded better. Although I think to take advantage of the stereo chorus, you would need to be running 2 seperate pickups into a PA, not an amp. As far as compared to the DOD Acoustech, I would have chosen the 504II even if it hadn't been half the price of the Acoustech. Beside it being half the size. You could change patches by only pushing one pedal (the acoustech you had to first press the "bank" pedal on the right, then one of the 3 patch pedals. The only problem I have with the 504II is they actually give you too many effects to choose from, many I thought sounded redundant, or at least damn close to the same. Most anybody will probably settle on 3 - 6 effects they would actually use on a regular gigging basis.. The effects they chose for electric guitar they should just junk. I use those 6 spaces to store the effects I use on a regular basis and have modified to my tastes. 1 for Strumming, 1 for flatpicking, 1 for finger picking, 1 for a twelve string sound (Although not the one they say sounds like a twelve string, too fakey and thin sounding), 1 for a kind of tremolo/wah sound and 1 for something I haven't decided yet.
Most of their preprogrammed patches are pretty good starting points and pretty good for what they say their intended use is, although you will most likely want to modify them depending on what kind of amp / PA/ pickup you are using. If you take the time to write down just exactly what parameters and effects are being used for each patch you can see that the only differnce between some are the preamp setting and maybe the high/low setting being used. Then you can fiddle with the parameters and still know where your starting point is from.
I love the fact that you can get a good "natural" acoustic sound as well as some pretty damn good effects for about the price of a basic EQ unit. Even if you don't think you want effects on your acoustic, you can turn off all the effects and just use the different pre-amp settings (they have one just for piezo pickups that takes off the edge) and High/Low EQ settings to get a much more natural sound than a straight under saddle piezo will give you (I don't care if it's Fishman, Baggs, Dean Markley or whoever). Although once you get a little taste of chorus, delay, reverb, etc. you can use it sparingly and people won't know why your sound is so much fuller than before. Also love the built in tuner, it's just as precise as the korg I have and it's great being able to tune silently on stage. Boss didn't even have a way to run an offline tuner from theirs. I think Zoom could charge twice as much for this and sell more. I admit I was prejudiced that it would sound cheesy because it was half the price of the