DigiTech RP500 Guitar Multi-Effects Switching System & USB Recording Interface  

I have to say that I am blown away at all the features on this thing! 100 factory presets along with 100 user presets, all tweakable to your liking, you can find the tone your after...I honestly believe it! After the update, you get a 20-second looper. There's also software to edit each of your presets on your computer. You can turn the amp/cabinet off and just go with effects or bypass the pedalboard completely and use your own effects pedals.

Honestly, this thing is built tough! Love the feel and sound of stomping on the switches! Lol! Makes me feel like a pro! Lol!

To be honest, in my opinion, with as much as this thing can do, I believe the price is just right! 

If you want an upgrade or a multi-effects pedal that is fluid combined with your own effects pedals, I recommend this one! I honestly believe you will not be disappointed!

It has EVERYTHING you'll need. Presets are very good in general. Some do require editing to make them better sounding, and this is easily done if you read the manual and learn to twitch the settings. The tuner is great. Remember to upgrade to version 2.0 of the firmware via USB and an internet conexion: this will give you a 20-second looper which works great too!

This think is a tank. Yes: A TANK!

Great value for the price!

Love my RP500!

The tuner is excellent.

Playing in all modes sounds great - I have been playing mine in pedal board mode, straight to the mixing board lately, having the sound come back to me through a monitor.

I have been tweaking my pedals quite a bit too. The chorus effect, on most pre-sets, is way too crazy/deep, but can be easily modified to make a lush but subtle change to the sound. Also, the reverb choices are nice and editable too. I have been using "RODENT" distortion the past few weeks - it has great attack and nice crunch. The compressor is nice to use during solos.

It took me a while to start tweaking the sound, but now I am confident to turn the knobs at will.

I do not know about the other available pedals, but I would recommend this one.

STEEL!!!

Decent...

LOVE IT!!!

No doubt this unit is packed with great features. Nice modeling, good stompbox selections and parameter tweaks both on board and with x-Edit s/w; gets a "4" IMO only because there are some limitations on the ordering of multiple effects.

I've had this unit for 3 years. It's very solid and gig worthy, absolutely no complaints there. The metal switches can be stomped on like a traditional stompbox with no worries. I've played dozens of shows (mostly bars) with it and it can take a fair amount of abuse. Like anything electronic, don't pour a beer on it and expect it to pull through. But it can take it's fair share of normal "accidents" without getting shot. I do have one big complaint on quality - the headphone jack is very weak. This pedal is absolutely perfect for learning songs - plug in a MP3 player and headphones and you can jam away - so I use this feature a lot. The problem I've had is that after less than a year of owning the pedal I started hearing a delay in the phones with one channel cutting out. If I jiggled or repositioned the headphone plug it would "fix it" but wouldn't stay put. So I had the unit repaired under warranty (took several weeks) and it was good for another year and now it's starting again. In my book this is a serious flaw since using the headphone jack is a big reason I bought this - the ability to practice without driving the wife crazy.

Great value when you think about all the effects and stompboxes you can replace or not buy.

Overall this a nice unit, it greatly simplifies my live setup while providing tonal flexibility and it's great for practicing at home. But like a Swiss Army Knife, there are some tools that are great and others that are weak. For example, IMO the wah-wah sound doesn't compare to my Morley, you just don't get the depth on any setting. Also, there are leveling problems between clean and distorted tones that are difficult to overcome - takes a lot of tweaking within the patch and still not as effective as switching on a traditional stompbox or amp channel switch (not enough boost for leads). As for the "mileage may vary" factor -  I've found that it can sound very different depending on the amp you use. In my experience it sounds best in front of a clean amp like a Fender DR. On my Fender DR it is surprisingly musical; the effects respond nicely to my playing and the distortions drive the amp beautifully, just like the traditional stomps did. So this is my main gig setup for the rock/pop/blues/funk covers I play. It does tend to color the tone once you add effects to the chain, not a lot but you might want to use the on board EQ to compensate, depending on your own taste. I don't use the on board EQ live because I prefer to EQ on my amp and not have to engineer EQ's for every patch combination I use. But on some amps, it can be dreadful, especially through the effects loop - like on my Soldano HR50 only the chorus and delays sound good; same with some Marshalls I've tried to use in the studio and I'm not thrilled with the tone runing the unit in front of those amps either. Probably a matter of extensive tweaking which doesn't appeal to me; I'd rather play than have to engineer settings for every possible setup I use. With the Fender DR - done and it's a nice simple gig rig. I have never used it live going directly through a PA or power amp using its amp modeling; I consider that my backup plan if my DR goes out. Recording with modeling directly into Logic or GB, it's directly compatible and sounds good although I prefer mic'ing an amp. I would definitely recommend this product but also advise that if you plan to use it live, test it out on your amp first while having it hooked up to x-Edit (easier to go through all the parameters). I am giving it a 4 because of the headphone jack issue.

I use this unit as a stomp box pedal board only.  I have turned off the amp and cabinet models.

It is very versatile and has great sounding effects.  I don't compare them to the original stomp boxes.  I just find one with the sounds I like and store them.  I especially like the fact that each patch has separate effect controls.

I started off with an RP355 but I it has too many features (looper, learn a lick) that can be inadvertently turned on when you don't need them.  I sold the rp355 and purchased the rp500.  Much better control and effects.

This unit is built well and seems to be versital.  I did extend the power supply wire because the original is a little too short.

I was lucky because I purchased my rp500  for a great price.

Overall I would recommend this product.  I have owned separate stomp boxes and a few BOSS multi effects units and this is the most versatile and user friendly of them all. Just needs a longer power cable.