Ratings
Pros:
Just about every modulation effect you need in one compact box. Good for players who prefer tweaking their tones with simple knobs.
Cons:
Significant volume drop in the flanger. Some tones lack the warmth and sensitivity of analog effects.
Tones:
Ease of Use:
Build/Design:
Value:
Street:
$169
Mooer Mod Factory Pro
mooeraudio.com
A Lot of Mod
If you only used the two banks of eight onboard modulation effects individually, the Mooer would be well worth the price of admission. But with its ability to blend effects in three distinct signal paths, this pedal could replace damn near every mod pedal in my rig. Effects like stutter, ring, and liquid phase, as well as the ability to run stereo, are sure to appease the most tonally adventurous players.
Once I found a sound I wanted, it was easy to save it to one of four foot-switchable locations. I could also hold the preset switch for a brief second and activate the pedal’s tap tempo mode. And the pedal’s on/off footswitch is also a momentary switch for accelerating modulation speed, which is especially cool for ramping on the rotary effect. Oh—it also has an assignable expression pedal jack. Unbelievable.
Put to the Test
I also couldn’t believe how easy the pedal was to navigate in the heat of performance. I didn’t struggle with menu-diving nightmares. And though some of the pedal’s controls are small, the intuitive layout and spacing made changes on the fly a piece of cake. Another huge plus is the brilliant footswitch spacing. Both pedals were easy to access individually, and there are a lot of super-powerful multi-effects out there by notable companies that could take a lesson in layout here.
In performance, the pedal has few audible shortcomings. In my first rehearsal with a band I encountered a volume drop in the flanger effect that remained no matter how I tweaked the tone. Luckily, after sweeping through the rest of the effects, I found it only plagued the flanger effect. Other effects like the Phase 90-esque phaser gave me the familiar swoosh and warble I like, free of volume drop issues.
Boutique tone snobs my not be overly impressed with the Mod Factory Pro’s tones. Some effects definitely betray digital origins. But if you’re like me and you only rely on modulation for bits and pieces of songs, the admirable sound quality and sheer convenience of this pedal far outweighs any tone-purist hang-ups.
The Verdict
The Mod Factory Pro is so loaded with player-friendly features and workable tones, and has such road-worthy construction, that I can’t think of any guitarists who wouldn’t benefit from having it on their boards. The frustrating volume drop on the flanger setting notwithstanding, every other sound in this box is usable and surprisingly tweakable. If you’re a gigging guitarist, you should consider this pedal. If you’re a bedroom tone tweaker, you should consider this pedal. If you’re a boutique analog purist who turns his or her nose at affordable digital pedals, get over yourself and give this thing a shot.