Lexicon MPX-200 Users?

[Bongo Boy]

In my personal campaign to boost world equity markets, I purchased the MPX-200 the other day. I've removed it from my rack THREE times so far and put it back in the box to return to the store--and again re-installed a few minutes ago to "give another chance" to.

For my tastes, there are about 5 presets of the 250 available that I think I'd ever use--and those 5 all sound pretty much identical to me. I guess I didn't really know what to expect, but two hundred varieties of reverb, echo and tremolo wasn't quite it.

I'm using this through tiny little speakers and a studio PA, NOT thru a guitar preamp, head or combo. Should I maybe reserve judgement until I use it with 'real' equipment?

I'm looking for your opinions on this or similar units--how useful you think they really are (for whatever you use them for). Thanks.

[szulc]

If you are trying to use the presets you are not seeing all of the possibilities. Most people don't understand to the concept of 'less is more' when it comes to effects. If you really don't like this, take it back. But if you want an effects processor, learn how to program it, make your own presets, because the ones that come as presets try to show you all the 'wiz-bang' stuff that you might use someday but eventually find you have no use for. I have several rack mount effect units. Most of the presets I use have some reverb and a little chorus, Some of the more radical ones use delay, the more radical of these use long delays.

Most of the rest of this stuff is not that useful, and if you use a lot of effects you start to sound like a beginner.

Once I got a MIDI guitar Preamp and started trying to program all this stuff in I found I used about 5 guitar sounds with about 10 delay /reverb/chorus effects. Here I was with a preamp capable of 128 presets and I used 5 and an effects processor capable of 200 and I used 10. Now in reality of the 5 guitar presets I used the 4th and 5th less than 5 % of the time and of the effects I used about 4 roughly 90% of the time. Now I usually use my Mesa Boogie with 2 sounds and about 3 or 4 effect presets.

[Bongo Boy]

...less is more, yes. The few presets I think I can use are in fact those that simply add a slight reverb and suggest a modest-sized, somewhat 'live' room (like maybe a small night club with brick walls--that sort of thing). Other than that, so far my favorite preset button is labeled "Bypass" :)

This unit provides 64 user-defined programs, I probably could do with 4, as you suggested! Maximum "jet flanger" in "stadium" ambiance is NOT what I need. Might be fun, tho.

Didn't you say you were running one of the Mesa studio preamps? Do you also use a Mesa Boogie head or combo?

[szulc]

I run this through a Peavy 50-50 stereo tube amp through 5150 cabs. This amp uses 4 -el84 tube in each side, I run it half power
with only two tubes a side, 25 (50 total) watts in stereo is plenty to get the police over.

[Bongo Boy]

NOW your're playin' with power...yeah baby! It makes the hair on my neck stand right up.

[szulc]

25 watts is actually considered low power by most peoples standards. The thing you need the most power for is to play clean with well defined bass. Back in the 80's I used to use a Fender twin (135 watts) to play clean but the thing was rarely turned up past 4 my guess was I was using about 35 to 50 watts.

With the right kind of cabinet lower power will work. Since the 5150 cab has good bass response I don't need to use much to get a good solid bottomy clean tone. For the distorted tones I bet I rarely use 20 Watts. Your cab is just to help get a good sound, the rest is up to the PA and monitor system. So if your drummer can't hear you give him more in the monitor mix, If you can't hear you, give your self more in the monitor mix. Use a good mic on your cab and I also suggest a line out as well since this give the sound guy more options and some different colors to paint with. Don't forget to gate the mic to keep other stuff from entering your mix when you are silent.

[Bongo Boy]

Originally posted by szulc
25 watts is actually considered low power by most peoples standards.

Well of course--it's just that when folks start quoting gear spec's I get all goofy.

Anyway the whole effects processor is now out of the rack, back in the store, and out of my bloodstream. I'm thinking I probably 'need' a little bit of reverb tho just to give some feel to the sound, so maybe one of them there Mesa Boogie Recto-verb units might sound kinda nice.

Problem is, I think my wife told me I could buy something else when I "start to sound like that Methanie guy or whoever he is". Hmmm...I need a plan.

[szulc]

If you are waiting till you sound like Pat Methany you might not buy anything for a while!

It is common for people who are starting out to be seduced by toys to make them sound like so and so. Most of what you like about player X is in their head, hands and soul.
Develop your voice, be yourself, within a year or so you'll know if you have it.

If you are playing solos, record your playing often, then listen and try to capitalize on what make you unique. Work on the trouble spots. This will give you a lot of good ideas of what works and what doesn't.

I used to care about all that gymnastic olympic style playing, now I just want to make people cry or laugh, or think.

[Bongo Boy]

Your advice is very appealing, and makes sense. I already know how silly it is to compare myself to others (in a 'better' or 'worse' sense), this is just an another area when such comparisons are only destructive. Thanks.

I was just reading some comments by Scofield who is only a few years older than me, but started playing maybe 30 years ago (like Metheny). He said he only now felt he was really learning to play guitar. The guy's a little hard on himself, but I think I know what he means.

Odds are against me living long enough to be compared to any of the well-known, well-respected players, even if I spent all my energies trying to attain that silly goal!!