Vox ToneLab and More Effects?

[NeoMagick]

So i'm looking at picking up the Vox Tonelab modeler, as I move between electric violin, acoustic 12-string, and an archtop semiacoustic electric during a single show. If not patching straight into a FOH mixer, it'd go into a Fender Acoustisonicwhateverthehell junior twin, so I can use a single amp for all three instruments, but with their individual sounds (clean when I need it, warm and tubed when i need it).

I'll be honest, I hate every multieffects pedal i've sat down and played with. I haven't tried this one yet, but not only am I a great fan of Vox, but it's got a Tube which encourages me, and every review i've seen says this thing just rocks for the kind of noises I'm shooting to make.

I was going to use it primarily for amp modeling, sounding like an AC30. With the tube, i'm sure that alone will sound great (tho I'll check it out first). But how do the rest of the effects sound? Anyone tried this with the VC4 foot controller? Is the wah and delay worth a damn? Or would you prefer going Guitar -> Wah -> Echo (or whatever) -> ToneLab, so it serves only as a virtual amp/cab ?

Would appreciate any insight.

 

[NeoMagick]

If anyones interested -

I took my guitar (an Epiphone Sheraton II, stock) down to GC to try this thing out. I've been planning to get that fender acoustic amp for a while now, and this encouraged me even further. I hooked up the base Tonelab unit (just the modeling and effects, not the upper model ones with built in footswitches and everything) and tried it out.

I was F'ING FLOORED. I am SO SOLD on this puppy, it's insane. It gave me a beautiful, pristine, vintage vox sound. I managed to get gorgeous clean bluesy sounds, a little grittier crunching, or all out fuzzing, and everywhere in between. Many, many combinations, all that sounded brilliant.

It does have quality built in effects, the fuzz, wahs, delays, etc, but I don't think I'll end up using them on stage. Personally, I think the $300 I'm prepping to pay for this thing will be worth it as only an amp modeler, and I can use my own wah, delay, etc (which I tried out with it as well, and was very pleased with).

(Side note: As a U2 fan, to a probably unhealthy extent, I had to smile at the 'Joshua' preset, but its delay needed tweaking).

Anyone thinking about this should *definitely* find a way to check one out. But i suggest asking to take one back into a practice room (with a clean amp), so you can hear what it really does, without having other amp characteristics - let alone TVs, yelling kids, and other overdriven fender amps muddling Enter Sandman through them - muddled on top.

Cheers.