FBV Express Foot Controller Review

FBV Express delivers instant access to channel memories via four gig-ready footswitches built into a road-ready steel enclosure. FBV Express also enables tap tempo for effects, and the built-in, chromatic tuner allows for quick and accurate tuning on stage or in the studio. A full size, heavy-duty Volume/Wah pedal adds must-have control for the performing guitarist. FBV Express connects via standard RJ-45 cable, and is also fully compatible with PODxt and PODxt Pro guitar and bass series products.

Ease of Use:	8.8
Sound:	9.5
Reliability:	9.8
Impression:	9.3
Overall rating:	9.4
Users rating:	8.6
Comments:	23

overall: 9.3

Featured review by: Ember, on february 20, 2006

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Ease of Use: 4 channels, a tuner, and a wah/volume pedal. It is made for Spider II, Vetta II, Fextone III and other FBV-compatibles. It is very easy to use. You just have mess around with it. Mine came with a simple manual, which tells you about the tuner and other little things. It is very hard to switch from volume to wah when you are sitting. // 8

Sound: I plug it into a Line 6 Spider II 112 (75 watt) and my guitar is a Gibson SG Special Faded. In theory, this is not a effect pedal, but if you want to talk about sound, then this is just amazing! The distortion is insane and the clean tone is a beauty. You can play any kind of music with it. On my Line 6, I got 12 different amp models, from clean to blues, from crunch to insane. The tuner is descent, very useful on stage. The volume/wah pedal isn't the best, and the volume pedal is too responsive but they are just bonuses that came along. // 10

Reliability & Durability: It is very hard and stable. I accidently dropped it onto concrete in my basement, can't find a single scratch. I knew then that this would be a long time companion. I can definitely depend on it and would use it in a gig without backups. // 10

Impression: I play classic rock and punk. This is just blend in perfectly. I have been playing for 4 years. I also own a Boss DS-1, just a simple distortion pedal and a classic. I would definetely replace it if I lost it, or maybe buy a FBV Shortboard. I just love this. Everything on there is my favorite feature. It work just perfectly well along with my other gears. I compared it to other FBVs, the price and its functions. I choose this one at the end and I do not regret it. // 9

overall: 9

Reviewed by: aenimafist, on may 28, 2007

Price paid: $ 106

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Ease of Use: The first thing that I like a lot about the FBV is that it goes right into your Spider or other Line 6 amp without having to use extra patchcords and such. However, the cord is huge and kind of clumsy looking and as far as I know you need to supply your own carry case. The manual is not the most complete thing in the world because all it really tells you what to do is how to use yhe tuner and I had to go online to find out how the wah function worked. Ohter than that I have been able to use the unit quite easily. // 8

Sound: Since it goes straight from amp to the floor the sound doesn't change at all and still sounds nice. When you go from one channel to another, there isn't any static or popping noises during the change so it is a nice smooth transition. There is a wah function and I had to go online to find out how to engage it and it sounds decent for an added bounus but I still may try a Crybaby or Ernie Ball, or Epilady just for the heck of it. // 9

Reliability & Durability: I accidentally dropped it out of the package onto a linoleum floor when I brought it home and it didn't even scratch so I figure it has a pretty durable shell. I have been using it for quite a while now and it has never shorted out or done anything wierd so I don't think I will have to be replacing a foot controller for quite a while now. Since I am a newer guitarist and don't know as much about equipment, I would use backup. // 10

Impression: The Line 6 amps are basically hardcore amps used primarilly for the more metallic side of music and since the controller is made for Line 6 amps, it is nearly impossible to even contemplate incompatability. All of the other Line 6 foot controllers have extra effects which I wish the FBV had but they don't have channel switchers. They are only for the effects you program into the Machine. I prefer being able to select my bank and use a particular A, B, C, D. // 9

overall: 9.5

Reviewed by: unregistered, on may 27, 2008

Purchased from: Music Matters Ltd (Maidstone)

Ease of Use: On This Fbv Express There Isnt Many Features; Just The Basic 4 Channel Changers (A-C), Wah And Volume Pedal And A Tuner. It Connects To The Compatible Line 6 Amps Via A Special Cable Whhich Comes In The Box. All You Have To Do It Connect It Up, Calibrate It Then Play Away. it's That Easy. The Old Manual Used To Suck But Now They Have Added How To Calibrate It In The Manual Which Also Speaks About The Tuner Etc. There Are No Adjustment Knobs To Adjust The Wah Tone So it's Really Simple. This is not and effects pedal(Except From The Wah And Volume). // 10

Sound: I Use A Line 6 Spider 3 75watt Amp With A Tanglewood Th502 And I Think This Is The Best I've Heard My Guitar At With The Sound Of The Wah On A Clean Green Or Blues Green With A Little Gain It Should Sound Like Birds In A Tree. The Pedal Never Effects The Amps Performance And The Wah And Volume Never Fail. I Can Get A Really Good Hendrix Tone Out Of My Setup. On A Twang Green With Like 5 Gain, 10 Bass, 10 Mid, 10 Trebble And No Effects.Use The Wah With This Setup To Get A Good Voodoo Child/Chile Sound. // 9

Reliability & Durability: I Will Alway Turn To Line 6 Because Their Products Are So Durable And Well Built. They Use Metal Framework With A Metal Case So It Can Withstand Anything That Gets Thrown At It.

Id Use This In A Gig As I Have One Coming Up I Shall Try It Out And See How It Holds. // 10

Impression: I Play All Sorts Of Music And This Pedals Wah Suits Every Genre. I Was Very Impressed With The Different Amp Setting It Can Mix With. From Clean To Insane It Sound Amazing. I've Been Playing For A Little Less Than A Year Now And I Also Have An Encore Guitar And A Stagg Practice Amp ( For Practice At Night ). I Also Have A Boss Ds-1. A Classic Distortion Pedal. If This Was Lost Or Stolen I'd Probly Try One Of The Dunlop Crybabys Out Other Than That I'd Buy This Again Because I Tend To Change Channels Quite Alot. I Love How You Can Just Plug It It And Rock Away On The Wah. No Setting Up Tones Or Nothing. My Favorite Feature Has To Be The Wah Because It Sound Second To None. I Compared It To An Ashton Wah Pedal But This Was 1000 Times As Good. I Wish It Had Seperate Pedals For Wah And Volume And Also I Wish It Had A Wahmmy Pedal Like The DigiTech. Which I'm Going To Buy Next. // 9

overall: 9.5

Reviewed by: mrxtreme_4, on september 06, 2007

Price paid: $ 110.5921

Purchased from: International musicland

Ease of Use: Increadibly easy to use. Recall any four saved channels with increadible ease, and acually if you hold the button on the channel you're currently on the preset mode will go off and manual mode (whatever your amp dials are at) will kick in. But the downside is that you have to hold it for like 2-3 seconds so it doesn't switch immediatly to manual mode. So it's actually like a 5 channel footswith. To Switch to wah you have to push a little hard on the toe but it's not that bad. Nicely lit and has a built in tuner with tap tempo delay (adjust the delay just by tapping one of the switches). Manual is easy to understand but you don't really need it. And the buttons are a little close together so that's why I'm giving it a nine. // 9

Sound: I use it with my flextone III plus and strat copy and it's wonderful. It won't change your sound, or make the amp sound better, it just changes what channel you're on. Tuners great. I personally think the wah is lovely, just gives you the basic kickass wah sound. Volume pedal goes from no sound right to the max. // 10

Reliability & Durability: Seems very reliable. I did use it at a gig and always bring it to jamming sessions or anywhere I bring my guitar. Although I am getting some squeak with the volume/wah I'm sure some oil will fix that. Also it comes with a very, very long chord to plug from the amp to the pedal. // 9

Impression: Great match for any Line 6 amp owners, whose amp is compatible with this product. I've been playing for about a year and this is the only pedal I own so far. However I once had a Line 6 spider III and an FBV Shortboard, but I traded those for my flextone III plus. I wanted to get the shortboard again but I realized I don't need 32 different saved channels and that usually the maximum of different channels I use at a time is 3. And if I need to change my sound completly it only takes about 20 seconds to save a new preset if you know what kind of sound you want. Obviously I wish I could save more channels but $349 for the shortboard was just too much. And for 139$ this was just too perfect, but if you have the cash, get the shortboard. // 10

Comments

[thrownaways]

just a sweet foot controller... loved it... thx ember for the review, nice job

[the spiker]

For $99.95 it's an excellent buy if you need something to remember presets when you're practicing. I don't see anyone using this thing for the wah effect, nor volume pedal. Just like this reviewer said it's pretty weak. Those four channels are very nice when you play a song that has a clean echo sound in the beginning, then a real dirty distorted sound for the chorus, then back to a clean sound with no echo to finish it all up. So you spider II amp lovers out there this is must.

[Ember]

oops, i forgot to put i got this for 100 bucks.

[PaperStSoapCo]

i think its great. to bad it only works with line 6 amps, cause something like this would be loved by any guitarist. i have the same spider II 112 as the reviewer, i love that as well. line 6 is awesome. ive been thinking about getting a toneport ux2 or the new kb37. but no one here has written a review for those. just the ux1

[TFK_62]

Thanks for the reviews! I might be buying one some time and this certainly helps me decide.

[Ben S]

hey, mine didn't come with a manual, how do u change the tweak from volume to wah??

[TFK_62]

I guess you just gotta put more pressure on it. I just bought it less than an hour ago and I'm already online for instructions. The manual sucks anyway man don't worry about it.

[calypso101]

can you plug any effects in through the foot pedal like is there an input jack on the back because im thinnking aboutm getting a real wah and using the foot pedal as a volume ive tried putting my stompbox between my guitar and the amp and it sucked basically im asking can you plug in effects with the pedal if not does a wah sound good between the guitar and amp

Ben S wrote:

hey, mine didn't come with a manual, how do u change the tweak from volume to wah??

Press hard on the front end of the pedal, then the LED changes.

I don't own one, but I've been on my friend's lol.

Anwyay, checked.

[NINNGHIZHIDDA]

hey, mine didn't come with a manual, how do u change the tweak from volume to wah??

Damn I remember when I bought mine I thought I wouldn't get a wah wah pedal, I was pissed, then the music store dudes told me to push like a mighty hell on the sucker and then it clicked, it's a decent wah wah not the greatest but the pedal never fails me.

Nice.

[NINNGHIZHIDDA]

can you plug any effects in through the foot pedal like is there an input jack on the back because im thinnking aboutm getting a real wah and using the foot pedal as a volume ive tried putting my stompbox between my guitar and the amp and it sucked basically im asking can you plug in effects with the pedal if not does a wah sound good between the guitar and amp

No, there isn't an input jack just the cat cable one, but i'm sure you could run it through the amp it self.

[mrxtreme_4]

by the way mine cost 130$ not 110.5921$...did i actually type it like that? sorry if I did.

[the13ghost]

hmmm i want lol i got a spider III amp here and really need this cause bending over to hit the clean channel or just kicking the button while on stage is a pain!!!

[HELLSHREDD]

Get the shortboard , way better.

[Siempie666]

Is the wah good enough to have a laugh with a brother and play the wah-stuff from Enter Sandman?

[Tartan_nick]

Its crap. I just got it. After 1 hour of wah wahing, its gone from awesome to connector cable that wont come out, its STUCK, to the wah speaking horrendously loudly because of the shoddy worksmanship in the build, like plastic rubbing against plastic.

And its got a display showing loads of stuff you cant even use.

I am really dissapointed :'( What a waste of my saved up money...
Oh, the wah sounds nice though.

[iTzMaTT]

Got mine for $110.00 CDN.
It's alright, could be better.

[Five Magics]

That pedal is the dog's bollocks right there. I use it for my Line6 LD150 low-down bass amp and it works absolutely gorgeously fine. I often love to whack on the distortion and use the wah pedal to create a kick ass tone or just fiddle about with some lead stuff. The switch-pedal function certainly comes handy when you're about to go from bass line to bass solo in the middle of a song for that change in the tone. The volume control function is also useful too. Overall, it's a fab pedal, much better than that Line6 FBV2 two-way pedal that i only found out wasn't compatible with my amp model after i bought it...bastards!

[6_Feet_Below]

its pretty nice, especially for the price
i personally prefer the POD XT LIVE though
it has waaaay more options and channels although its
a bit more pricey

[SG-boy]

yes this is a great foot controller. I use one, and for the price its awesome

[S.D.M.F.]

Compat. with Spider III? and is that 99.99 $AUD100

[RRW Whitey]

Got mine for 100 bucks and the only way someone will take it away from me is when they pry it from my cold dead hands.

Dumped a bunch of stomp boxes and dialed in 5 banks A-D of my fav. tones from my Line 6 Spider III 120. Great size, sturdy and can take a licking and keep on ticking.....A+++++

[landerson]

bloody hell it wont go to wah when my fat cousin jumps on it.