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Zoom 505 II Guitar Effects
Zoom 505 II Guitar Effects reviewed by The Man in the Jar
This unit is the improved successor to the old 505 and boasts nine new effects.
Features of the Zoom 505 II Guitar Effects
Construction - Plastic upper and metal base. It looks quite tough but don't jump on it from the top of the PA stack!
Ins and Outs - Standard Jack in and out with an extra input for an "expression pedal".
Power - 4 x AA batteries or DC adaptor (sold separately).
Controls - A Play and Edit control allows you to use the settings that exist or change them. There's a manual navigation key and two footswitches for navigation. A store key saves your edited settings and a round red display panel tells you what planet you're on.
Sound of the Zoom 505 II Guitar Effects
As this unit offers so much in the way of editing and storing custom sounds I decided to describe the settings as they are presented from the factory. That way you know what you got to play around with. The letter donates the bank in which the setting resides, the number shows the placement of the setting within that bank. The names come from the Zoom manual.
A1: Super Distortion - An excellent mid-heavy crunch type of distortion.
A2: Clean Delay - Very clean guitar sound with a 60's twinkle. Adjust delay to suit.
A3: Metal Panel - Highly useable metal sound without the brooding saturation of many other effects of this type. Consequently this stays tight for full chords.
A4: Wild Metal II - More saturated, but still able to stay tight on chords. Very impressive.
A5: American - Laid back pop sounds, perfect for strumming those classic summertime ditties. Just a hint of crunch in the background.
A6: Harmony Solo - Drops in a harmony note with just the right level of distortion. Lovely "Japanese" feel in the higher register.
B1: PVY Power - Fat and heavy rock crunch with a hint of echo.
B2: Multi Phaser - Blissed out noises for cool chordal work. Smoke up and enjoy.
B3: Standard OD - Great everyday rock tones. This will certainly become the most used setting.
B4: LA Powered - Zoom say this is an 80's lead guitar with detune. It's certainly very brash and self-confident, but nonetheless fun to use.
B5: Acoustic - Very serviceable acoustic simulator with a distinctly Spanish edge to the sound.
B6: Talking Cry - Quite "middly" lead sound with subtle auto-wah effect.
C1: Van's Driver - Based on Eddie's sound, this one goes to 11 and beyond (sorry, Nigel).
C2: Surf - Lovely old-fashioned sound with a touch of tremelo. Think of rock 'n' roll turnaround progressions and you'll get the picture.
C3: Zeps Stack - Good full overdrive sound. Enough menace without going over the top.
C4: Pedal Wah - Another "middly" wah sound.
C5: Rock 'n' Pops - Decent moderate crunch sound for classic pop rhythms.
C6: Sorrow - A good representation of the much-loved Santana solo sound.
D1: Jet Drive - This is great fun! Any Glam-Rock bands left out there? This one's for you.
D2: Funky Phase - Infectious disco rhythm noise, somewhat like a phaser and a chorus hooked up together.
D3: Echo Violin - Can't be bothered wrapping your little finger around the volume knob on your Strat? Well now you don't have to.
D4: Wah Fuzz - With a little tweaking on this you could recreate the rhythm guitar sound on Bowie's "Queen Bitch".
D5: Blue Note - An effortless Blues sound. Highly recommended.
D6: Cho Wah - A mix of distortion wah and chorus. Fun to use with fast, choppy rhythms.
E1: PWM Synth - This is a bit like using an E-Bow. Useful if you need some synth noises and don't have a keyboard player.
E2: Step Mode - This is science fiction soundtrack noise. One for those moments of enhanced consciousness.
E3: Space Contact - Sounds a bit like Metal Mickey having a seizure. Useful for DEVO cover bands.
E4: Step Jet - Play a chord and a mad invisible keyboard player improvises under that lovely jet guitar noise. If you can't fit this noise into your existing set, then I suggest you right a song especially for it.
E5: Symphony - Delicious clean sound with combined phase and chorus. Excellent.
E6: Steel China - Thin, spaced sound with a distinct wah voicing. Nice.
F1: Power Lead - Authoritative lead sound with a subtle doubling effect.
F2: Flow Flange - Another lovely spaced out combination of chorus and flange. Excellent noise for Prog Rockers.
F3: Rock Drive - Slightly fuzzy heavy rock sound with full tonal content.
F4: Treble Distortion - Definite smack of Brian May in this sound, especially in high sustained lead work. Also very convincing for power chords.
F5: Bright Chorus - Nice standard chorus sound.
F6: Duplex - This adds slight distortion and two shifted pitches. Excellent for strutting, anthemic rock solos.
Overall Impressions of the Zoom 505 II Guitar Effects
You can't please all of the people all of the time. No-one is going to like every effect presented on this little unit. But I firmly believe that any guitarist will find many of them immediately useable in live or studio situations. For the price, the 32 options offered make this a steal. The rock sounds will make your cover versions sound more authentic, the solo sounds will add bite to your playing and the chorus, phaser and flange combination effects will add creativity to your writing and recording. Highly recommended.
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