The Ugly Truth About The Line5 M5 Stombox Modeler

If you've red my other posts that mention Multi-effect processors, then you know that I am not a fan of them. I like true-bypass and clicky-clacky switches. However, I understand that true-bypass is not always the best thing and soft switches can work just as well, but that's why they are called, preferences. So when looking for pedals that create certain effects, I stumbled upon the Line6 M5. I was previously aware of the "M" series, but I admit that the M5 has never been on my radar. The larger units, for me, have stole the show. The M9 and M13 are large "all in one" type processors that we are used to seeing, but the M5 is something different. It doesn't want to be your "everything in one box" product. What the M5 has done is taken many of the effects from there other successful pedals and put them in a little box that could find its way onto a pedalboard. That is exactly what has peeked my interest. Even though this pedal has some nice features, there are some ugly fact that we need to remember.

It's still digital

Yes, this is just like all the other little processors that we scorn. It is going to take your signal and have it's little binary way with it. There is a way around this. A bypass box will maintain your analog tone. that is until your run it into a delay, reverb, chorus or other pedal that use those ones and zeros.

It's a processor

That means that there is a learning curve. Must likely before you start making awesome noises, you are going to need to read the manual. Failing that, you are going to need to spend hours with this thing to get the most out of it. Sure, there are going to be presets that are "usable", but in order to make it bow it you will, you will have to learn the inner workings. Menu screens and editing and things that I couldn't tell you about will have to be done to change and edit the effects. Using more than one effect for a particular set? You're going to have to set that up in advance.

Digital Distortion

Those two words don't belong together. I actually owned the Line6 Distortion modeler. It was absolutely terrible. Nothing sounded natural. I thought it would help nail some tones that my Fender Twin I was using at the time wouldn't produce on its own. I tried a every setting, but it wasn't adding up. There is a reason everyone talks about the DL-4 and FM-4 but the other two (the blue and gold ones) get left out of the conversation. They ether don't offer anything unique, or in the case of the distortions, they don't hold a candle to what they are modeling.

It's Huge

Yes, the pedal is not giant, but there are tonnes of effects in it. A few of my favorites are: Seekwah, Auto Swell, and pitch-shift. That's well and good, but tonnes of options make shuffling though of those other things a little of a pain. It's almost like have a million dollars, but its all in singles, or something you aren't likely to use (like yin). But on that rare occasion that I need a chorus, phasor, flange or crazy mod, it's there. There is also the bulk of the thing. It is the smallest in the line, but it will still dwarf most single pedals. Think original EHX Muff to get an idea of the size of this thing.

In conclusion

I want a Electro Harmonix Pitchfork, DOD 201 Phasor, Boss RV-6, Boss Slow Gear, and Seek Wah. Those pedals alone would cost close to a grand. Will this pedal do everything that those other pedal will? Absolutely not. Will it add a lot of flexibility to the sounds that a already made and make sounds close to those that I've listed. Kinda. There have been a few pedals that have made me excited recently. This is not one of them. But it is a little bit of all of them.