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Line 6 Roto-Machine
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Line 6 Roto-Machine
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Le Xav Le Xav
Published on 11/21/06 at 12:00
This stomp-box gives you a fairly convincing digital modelling of rotary speaker cabinets (aka Leslie).<div>Several parameters are adjustable:
- One can switch between three models of Leslie (145-L16-122);
- One can set the different speeds for slow and fast mode (this affects both rate and depth) and then alternate between them by gently pressing the pedal;
- Put an amount of grind/saturation with the drive knob;
- Anoter knob ('blend) controls the balance between the horn and drum (a reference to two parts of the original Leslie that greatly influence the color of sound)
- Three-position switch ('ramp') to control the speed of the transition from slow to fast mode and vice versa.
- Finally, the main stomp switch has two functions: if pressed normally it alternates from "slow" to "fast" and vice versa; if strongly depressed, it disables/enables the effect.


Stereo in and out. Accepts also mono, of course.</div><div>No tone control available.&nbsp;</div><div>
</div>

UTILIZATION

This pedal is a no brainer and gives your guitar a sudden old-fashioned tone. Of course it can -- indeed, must --be used with keyboard and organs, adding tons of authenticity to their sound. But guitarists too shall find it extremely useful. It fits in every musical situation where one tries to evoke 'that' leslie guitar tones of late Sixties early Seventies, as heard from the Beatles, Cream, Pink Floyd and -- much later -- from SRV. You can have both the tremolo (fast) and the chorale (slow) mode, to use the old Leslie jargon.&nbsp;<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">Different pickups positions greatly affect the final tone.</span>

SOUND QUALITY

The sound is really good! The people at Line 6 made an accurate digital recreation of the sonic outcomes due to the physics of original Leslies. As a result, every different knob position affects amplitude modulation (volume tremolo) and frequency modulation (phasing) in subtle ever-changing modes. The 'Blend' control, especially, varies the ratio between the signal from the rotating horn speaker and the tone mechanically modulated by the so-called 'drum' (please refer to Wikipedia entry on Leslie for further explanation), allowing infinite tonal variation in each of the three Leslie modes.

OVERALL OPINION

I just received it and it is excellent!
It is far from being the latest generation but there's everything you need: good Leslie tones!
So far with the Roto Machine I haven't had but happiness!
My Viscount D9 organ sounds good in all registers and finally expressive! My Telecaster gives al those beatlesque tones and a hint of Gilmour is at hand.
Now discontinued by Line 6 (they make now a more expensive Modulation big pedal) you can find it at bargain prices. Go for it. You won't be disappointed.