Zoom 506 Bass Effects

Quite easy to use, of course after reading the manual (Easy to under
stand,comes in many languages).Editing patches is very very intuitive, and fast, 'cause de effects have got only one parameter.Has got BANK HOLD and AUTO LOAD options, that are quite useful when you've got two effect you use un one song that are a few banks appart.

I use it with a Samick 4-string with passive pickups, a Marshall BassState 30W, and plugged in the Effects Loop (Wise thing, because if connected Bass->506->AMP is WAY to noisy, even more).
Only one distorion is good (Fuzz), the other are not what I like, I don't feel that they give SUCH distortion...Auto-Whas are decent, but when using the expression pedal, it quite sucks (If you want wah-wah, then try another multieffect processor or get a real wah)
The compression and limiter are good, although they tend to feedback when using in high amounts when distortion.Wide Variety of 'distortions (2 Cleans,fat,slap,drive,vintage,fuzz and thrash).
Haven't got the oportunity to get really really good sound, 'cause it steals some high-end, and when I try it to fix it with te pedal's EQ it gets really a squealer.
The choruses,flanger are good, the synth is qute crazy, and god octaver (The only effect that performs well with the expression pedal).THe Delay and reverbs (Hall and room) are good.
But I still find it noisy, and a bit a dull sound.

If you wanna use it, NEVER use it with a battery, within 3 hours it'll be dead. Get a cheap 9V adaptor.
I've used it in some gigs (And some friend too) and performed weel, but I wouldn't trust the plastic case.
Also the parameter changing buttons (the ones at the sides, not the big ones) get stuck after a month of use.
Although it's survived a lot of rough use, it's still plastic.

It's a good pruchase for beginners.
I bought it a year after I began playing, and it has survived wuite well, but i'm looking forward to changing it for a KORG AX1B.
Chose this for the price.
NEVER,NEVER buy the Expression pedal.
Sucks.
If you REALLY REALLY need to use it, get some volume pedal from a keyboard, (I use a Casio VP-1 I think...)

Many options. 24 effects that can be mixed and matched and put in the order you desire

ITs all pretty cool stuff

It kills bateries. MY suggetion is get the 9 volt adaptor

It kicks ass if your looking for a cheap multy effect pedal.

Very simple to use, tuner is easy to calibrate, effects easy to shift through, simple setup, manual is clear, and if bought used, you can download it at Zoom's webpage

Very great sound I use a Kustom 25 watt mixer amp with a 4-string Samick bass, it sounds incredible, it can get hissy at times but other then that it's excellent

I would depend on this pedal without a backup, with a power supply of course, batteries I'd recommend Duracell ULTRAs they last the longest, about 3-4 hours before lights out.

Never had to use it.

It is excellent for a bassist on a budget, go for it!

The Zoom 506 Bass Effect Pedal is very, very easy to use. A minute after I got it out of the box, it was, literally, working. It requires no setup and most of the provided patches work well. The editing of patches can be a bit confusing, but nothing you can't handle.

I use an Ibanez bass with the Zoom 506, and it is working just fantastic. There is little or no hissing or buzzing, which I am very pleased with. All the effects work and sound very well, but are limited in some ways. I especially like the synth bass with distortion to get that industrial/dance/techno sound. The choruses also sound great!

So far I have had no problems with the Zoom 506, and I expect I will not have any. Even though it is built from plastic, it is well constructed and never fails to amaze me!

No Problems Yet

I generally play rock/industrial/techno/dance music and this pedal works absolutely fabulously for me. I have been playing for a few years now and really love this product. This product definitely does not get in the way of my music, but makes it better!

I've been playing for about 3 years now and the 506 is the first bass effects pedal I have ever used. I found that it was very easy to get started with and the manual was very easy to understand... editing took a little getting used to, but now that I've been using it a while creating new patches is simple. Getting a good sound out of it sometimes takes some work with the noise reduction/amp sim but it's not that complicated. Lose the preset patches by the way, most of them are worthless.

I usually play a yamaha 4-string through a crate bx-15 at home, and with some work the 506 sounds great through it. Once you play around with the effects a bit, most of them sound great. My favorite effect is the fuzz distortion, it really rocks when you play around with it a bit.

It's very dependable with an adapter, and I would use it at a gig without a backup.

I've never had to use it.

I play hard rock, and most of the effects are a good match. It has a lot of good effects for the money, if you want a versatile pedal and you don't have a lot of $, this is what you want.

Pretty easy to use after playing around with it for a while. I have had mine for a year or more now.The sounds are ok but i dont feel it cuts it for gigging.its way to easy to hit the wrong patch. The manual is pretty easy to understand.just take your time reading thru it.

I have been using an Ibanez SR800 thru a Hartke 350 watt head and Hartke speaker cabs 4x10 and 1x15. I have found that it really robs my tone and is noisy as hell.The distortations are weak although the chorus and other effects are ok. Patch editing is ok but I really miss having knobs to tweak(!)i play in a generic rock cover band so i have to cover a lot of different sounds. Why can't effects makers get some good fuzz sounds for the bass??

its dependable for home use and practising.It actually sounds way better thru headphones.i would not use it for gigging anymore as it really sucks your tone up

Never had to deal with them

If I were to recommend this unit to someone then for price alone its worth it.I have seen it advertised for 99 bucks new so money wise its not a large investment for a bunch of effects.However Zoom have brought out a new version of this unit called the BFX so that might be worth checking out instead. I would say this unit is for beginners or folks on a low budget who want to mess around with different sounds. Better if bought used at this point.

Very easy to use. More importantly- very easy to get nice sounds out
of the 506. Editing patches is nothing more than punching a few buttons. Manual is decent.

The sounds I get from the 506 are extremely nice considering the price. I use an Ernie Ball Stingray through a Hartke amp and Carvin cabs. When I kick the 506 in- I don't lose my natural tone and the unit doesn't add overly noticable noise. The distortions and choruses are very nice, and some of the synths are really cool!

It has been reliable so far. It is made from plastic though, with plastic pedals. I wouldn't go jumping around on it. I use it without a back-up, only because if something does happen I can always play without it if necessary.

N/A

My band plays everything from alternative, grunge type stuff to slow ballads and I can always find places to put the 506's effects. I think it is an extremely nice unit for the price. Sure there are better out there, but you are gonna pay for it. By the way- take this over the DOD BassTec any day. The BassTec is the worst piece of equipment I have ever touched!

Very tough at firsst to figure out how to work the banks and so on. It gets easier after you fool around with it a while

Not the best at all. I would rather use a setup of a DOD death metal and flanger combination with a expression pedal

I only had it a few days before I got rid of it. But by the looks it couldnt tand to much

I play from Metallica to Marilyn Manson candlebox and all sorts.I really dont care for it. I own an excellant ampegs 200 wattt cabinet 400 watt head so i know it aint the amp. I would not buy another if stolen. I have a $300 zoom guitar pedal which i hate just as nuch.
A WORD TO THE WISE: STAY AWAY FROM ZOOM

i found ut very easy to use and it sounds great

it sounds very good, with or without the amp. the amp simulater is excelent. the wah is great as well as the overdrive distortion. ther are 24 effects with many different volumes for each.

i woundnt know it hasnt failed in the two weeks that ive had it though.

it didnt come when i ordered it, but it was the sellers fault not zoom

i love this pedal. in the amp simular and tuner, it almost pays for itself. but with 24 different effects, many costing over 100 bucks seperately, i have found this very cheap and a hogh quality product. the delay effect is great.

Well, we can all happily forget that any of the presets ever existed (because they are all totaly useless) and make your own, which is easiler than picking your nose, turn the bank hold OFF, the auto-load OFF and you've got a pedal which my dog could use. The only thing is that the expression pedal can be difficult to use at the same time.

Well, first of all, if your amp has an effects loop, USE IT!! What this does is bypasses the amp's preamp, and the pedal doesnt make any noise at all. Everyone's saying "its noisy", well, thats true if you plug your bass into it, and then into the amp.
Most effects sound excellent on their own, although when you put something on top of it, then the effect goes crap. The most obvious of these is the flanger. If you put a distortion on top of it, the flanging SUX.
The distortions, especailly the fuzz, are all great. They all give the right sound for what they should, eg the clean is clean, the vintage sounds like '70's rock, the thrash is also good.
The chorus, compressor, pedal fat wah, fuzz, thrash, amp sim, hall reverb and tuner are all excellent.

It won't break, and it sometimes gives feedback (in 200+ watt amps) and is durable.
As for power......
BUY AN ADAPTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
nuff sed

No customer support required, because this unit doesn't break. This unit was dropped out of my bedroom window, had a 1.5 meter fall, and it still works as if nothing happened.

I play punk rock, grunge, techno, old '70's rock, funk and jazz. This pedal is perfect for what I'm after, using mainly the thrash distortion for punk, fuzz + chorus for grunge, vintage distortion + room reverb for '70's rock, synth + lots for techno, slap distortion + compressor for funk, compressor + clean distortion + amp simulator + lowest EQ setting + chorus + very little hall reverb for jazz (and this setting sounds exactly like a double bass, only with frets). And when i put it through the effects loop, no noise! *gasp*

I play a yamaha 4 string, through MANY different amps (from headphones to 30 watt practise to 100 watt performance to 500 watt stage amps) and the only thing is that iff you put more than 6 effects all at once, you get feedback from BIG amps.

If it were stolen, i would get it again, + the expression pedal, because they're really compact, inexpensive & easy to use.

If there was one thing it was missing, it is a pitch bend. That would top it off.

I've had this pedal for about 2 years now (and it isn't making noise) and I've still got it, and its working fine. Its best for what I need.