Line 6 has expanded its multi-effects pedal line to include the deluxe M13 ($499 street). Going a step further than the smaller M9 multi-effects pedal, the stage-oriented M13 allows you to chain up to four effects at once, save 48 programmed "scenes" of pedalboard sequences and settings, and create loops of up to 28-seconds. The unit also offers a tuner, stereo inputs and outputs, an effects loop, expression pedal control (pedal available separately), and MIDI capabilities.

The Dirty Dozen
The M13 is a solidly built metal floor unit measuring 15.25 inches by 11.75 inches. The rear panel includes two inputs, two outputs, stereo effects sends and returns, two expression pedal inputs, and MIDI I/O (see Fig. 1). The included 12-foot power cord is a big plus for live performance. There is no digital I/O on the M13.

Fig 1: You can use the M13 as a stereo or mono processor, and with two expression pedal inputs, you can have more than one sweepable effect—volume, wah, and whammy—at a time.

Firmware updates, which offer new effects models and improved functionality, are available at no charge from the Line 6 website, and presumably will be ongoing. An advanced users manual is also available online. Though brief, the quick-start manual that ships with the M13 covers all the crucial functions.

Four identical effects modules are arrayed across the top of the M13, each with a rectangular LCD screen, six plastic knobs, and a protective bumper below the knobs to protect them from a misplaced boot. When an effect is activated by depressing one of the three footswitches located below it, the screen lights up and the top-left Model Select knob selects the active effect.

Rotate the knob to scroll through all the effects available within a color-coded type: delay is green, distortion is yellow, filtering/EQ is purple, time-based modulation is blue, and reverb is orange. The system makes all of the effects available to any of the four pedal modules, in any sequence. The remaining five knobs are assigned to the parameters illustrated on the display. The parameters, of course, vary from one effect to the next.

Each of the four pedal modules has three chrome footswitches below, labeled A, B, and C. Think of these as smart switches, each of which stores a pedal assignment in memory and makes its settings immediately recallable. The effect color is displayed brightly above the switch when active and glows dimly when bypassed, as a reminder of what type of effect is stored at that location. The letters A, B, or C are shown in the display window when engaged.

In FX Unit 1, for example, the A switch might be a delay (green), B might be an EQ (purple), and C a distortion effect (yellow). On the other hand, you could have the three switches recall three different settings of the same overdrive effect, useable for the verse, chorus, and solo of a song, respectively. Multiply this three-way pedal system by four banks, and the M13 gives you a total of twelve stompbox emulations available instantly.

When you’re ready to program and recall effects settings and pedal sequences, the M13 stores a complete pedalboard setup (including all A, B, and C memories) as a scene. The Scene Setup switch is located on the right of the pedalboard, below the M13 logo. Up to 48 different scenes can be named and stored within four folders of twelve scenes each. Scenes can also be backed up to a computer via a MIDI SysEx dump.

The M13 comes loaded with 12 factory-programmed scenes, all of which can be overwritten. Because only one folder with up to twelve scenes can be displayed at once (three scene names appear on each LCD screen,) not all of the scenes are instantly accessible via footswitches. Changing folders requires scrolling with the Model Select knob.

Double-Duty
When you enter loop mode by pressing the switch labeled Looper Controls, some of the A, B, and C switches serve a secondary function: rec/odub, play/stop, play once, undo/redo, half speed, rev (reverse), and pre/post, which assigns the looper before or after effects. Hold down the tap tempo switch at the lower right-hand corner of the pedalboard to access the full-featured tuner. The M13 lets you change the tuner’s reference frequency, as well as mute the output or bypass effects while tuning.

For all of its convenience and bang for the buck, the bewildering amount of controls on a multi-effects box can make your head spin. However, the layout and switching of the M13's four effects banks is clearly labeled and completely intuitive. After unpacking the unit, I was able to tune my guitar using the tuner and dial-in all the effects without cracking open the manual.

For saving scenes there are several easy-to-follow steps, and initially it is best to keep the manual close at hand for this purpose. Switching between scenes is generally free of audio dropouts, depending on the effects you’re using at the time.

The looper functions are also straightforward and should be familiar to anyone who has used the Line 6 DL4 or other looping pedal. The M13 doesn’t have a single-button bypass, although one could program the tuner in bypass mode to accomplish this.

Sound Check
For my tastes, the M13 offers a few too many phaser/chorus emulations and not enough distortion options. In addition, some of the distortion flavors are samey, lacking the kind of tonal variety one would get from plugging into a succession of real pedals. But all of the overdrive and fuzz emulations include at least one tone adjustment, and time spent programming would definitely yield a more satisfying palette of options.

Off-beat effects like ring modulation and seeker (a frequency-based step sequencer) were fun to play with, as were the various harmonizing options. Pitch Vibrato, based on a Boss VB-2 pedal and strongly reminiscent of the famed Magnatone amp vibrato, was another favorite effect of mine.

The M13 also includes some credible analog echo and delay emulations. The reverbs were more of a mixed bag however. The '63 Spring reverb was good, while more common effects such as hall modeling might better handled by a dedicated digital reverb box.

Studio Tan
As a studio engineer known for employing guitar pedals to color a mix, I couldn't resist using the M13 as an auxiliary effects unit while mixing. Because the unit is not set up for line-level input, it was necessary to add effects such as Boost Comp (booster/compressor) to get the level up to a useable standard. This approach worked fine, with very low noise and low latency as well.

I really enjoyed trying out the various analog echo models in the studio. And while these lacked some of the quirky charm of the real thing (such as echo overload on an Echoplex, or analog-tape wow and flutter), I liked the tones and wouldn't hesitate to use a number of these echo patches on a mix. Harmonizer effects like Bass Octaver also showed potential, with accurate pitch tracking and rich sound quality. And the ability to create scenes, so you can recall specific effects days or weeks after a mix, is a bonus.

Having such an array of effects to choose from or combine is pretty unbeatable for creative studio mixing. I would seriously consider having an M13 around just for this purpose. However, for studio work, having basic digital I/O would’ve been a plus.

Put Your Foot Down
Although stageworthy multi-effects stompboxes are hardly a new idea, Line 6 has come up with a simple and user-friendly way to pack an entire road case of classic effects into a durable package at an affordable price. It includes important features such as MIDI I/O and an effects loop, supports two expression pedals, and the housing is well-made and seems like it will stand up to repeated onstage abuse.

While we all have our likes and dislikes among pedals, the M13’s selection of over 100 effects is diverse enough to please anyone from basic blues players to the most extreme metal heads.

Pros: Easy to use. Well built. Convenient number of effects available at one time. Built-in tuner. Looper can be used before or after the effects.
Cons: The reverb patches are a mixed bag.

Myles Boisen is a guitarist, record producer, and composer in Oakland CA. His website is www.mylesboisen.com