Yamaha TRBX504

December 2013 Guitarist 131
QUICK TEST
MISCELLANEOUS
With its ever-expanding
MultiStomp series, Zoom has
tapped into guitarists’ desires
for more effects crammed into
smaller enclosures. In our
reviews of the existing MS-50G
and MS-100BT, we reckoned
they were ideal as multi-
function utility pedals used in
conjunction with other
stompboxes – and Zoom’s latest
effort, the MS-70CDR, seems
particularly focused on fulfilling
this role, concentrating its
effected efforts on chorus, delay
and reverb only.
You see, if you’re playing into
an amp and already have your
dirt covered, you’ll probably
have no need for the other
MultiStomps’ amp and drive
models, and this is where the
MS-70CDR fits in. It has 86
types of effects (27 chorus/
modulation, 26 delays, 29
reverbs, four extras), including
all-new clones of effects from
the likes of Strymon, Eventide
and TC Electronic – models
that you won’t find on other
MultiStomp units.
Operating the pedal is the
same as using the other
stompboxes in the series. Three
knobs adjust effect parameters:
the first opens the menu to
rearrange effects; the second
opens the memory screen; and
the third displays additional
parameters for more
complicated effects. The four
buttons that surround the
footswitch scroll through
effects and add or remove them
from your signal chain. You can
have up to six effects in a chain.
These can each be saved as one
of 50 patches and assigned to a
letter of the alphabet, enabling
you to scroll through them with
the footswitch.
Sounds
Like its predecessors, the
MS-70CDR delivers a great
effect-to-cash ratio, with a
colossal range of tones from the
classic to the bizarre. The
reverbs are the best of the
bunch, whether they’re springs,
churches or caves, although the
most inspiring sounds come
from the more atmosphere-
laden ’verbs, which include the
mangled Particle and heavily
modulated Space Hole for
blockbuster soundscapes.
More esoteric options reside
among the delay models, too:
Pitch creates a rising scale trail,
while Trigger Hold quickly
samples your guitar for stutter
effects. Old favourites such as
Mod Delay and Tape Echo do a
reasonably authentic job, too.
On the chorus front, again,
there’s a considerable array of
options, from subtle shimmers
to warbles verging on vibrato.
For us, the sounds don’t quite
match the chewy, darker
tonality of a good analogue
chorus, but they’re all perfectly
serviceable tones. That said,
there is a certain amount of
crossover, so we would have
liked to have seen a few more
modulation options in place of
some of the chorus models.
Verdict
For players who want to add
a little – or, indeed, a lot – of
ambience to their sound, the
MS-70CDR is a commendable
compact option. Of course, it
has its quirks: the quality of the
pitch-shifted models varies, and
actually bypassing the pedal
isn’t that straightforward – in
fact, we’d advise using a bypass
loop to free up the footswitch
for scrolling through patches.
Nonetheless, the mostly high
standard of effects, particularly
the CDR-exclusive models,
makes the MS-70CDR a handy
pedal to have around.
[TC]
GUITARIST RATING
Guitarist says: If you’re
searching for an affordable all-
in-one solution to your reverb,
delay and chorus needs, look no
further than the MS-70CDR
A multi-effects power trio of chorus,
delay and reverb
CONTACT: Zoom UK PHONE: [phone] WEB: www.zoom.co.jp
Zoom
MultiStomp
MS-70CDR
£99
http://vault.guitarist.co.uk
GIT375.rev_quick.indd 131 10/31/13 12:02 PM