Despite the limited output options,
the StompLab’s tonal capabilities are quite
extensive. There are a total of 61 effect,
amplifier, and cabinet models to choose
from, each of which can be stored in one
of 20 user programs in any configuration
you can dream up (provided that your
dreams allow for a maximum of eight
effects at one time). Vox also includes 100
pre-programmed patches, which helps in
getting started with the pedal right out of
the box. Since the StompLab’s LED readout
is only able to display two numbers or letters
at a time, you’ll most likely be spending
some time referring to the manual until you
memorize the readouts that correspond to
each model.
That said, creating and altering programs
is a cinch. The StompLab’s default mode
(dubbed “program”) allows you to you start
off by selecting the desired musical genre
from the category control knob, which
will then pipe in an amp that reflects that
music’s tonal character. Two conjoining
knobs adjust the amp’s gain and volume
levels, and stomping on the pedal’s two
footswitches allows scrolling up and down
through the program banks. Pressing the
edit button engages the, yes, edit mode,
which reassigns most of the pedal’s controls
for secondary functions—such as calling up
effects, editing their parameters, and telling
the LED screen what values to display. You
can also assign the tiny onboard expression
pedal to control any parameter of the amps
and effects you wish.
Pint-Sized Powerhouse
When taking into consideration the surprisingly
great tones that live within its dainty
enclosure, the StompLab IIB provides a
lot of bang for the buck. With a Fender
American Jazz bass at the helm, Vox’s little
red devil dished out excellent clean tones
with plenty of definition and character. The
amplifier models assigned to each genre
selection lined up perfectly with what one
would expect, be it for warm and smooth
jazz tones, meaty and aggressive hard-rock
swagger, or even some really wild and
strange sounds for modern dance music.
What was even more impressive was how
nicely they tracked into my DAW, demonstrating
how well Vox understands that half
of a great, modeled tone is dependent on
good mic’ing emulation.
Even though each of the effects has just
two controllable parameters, they’re surprisingly
malleable. The envelope filters in
particular have a massive range from subtle
to extreme, and they respond to picking
dynamics with excellent sensitivity. Phasing
and flanging actually sound like they’re
performing their duties from within the
effect, instead of just careening through the
high frequencies with a digital edge that’s
common in other modelers in this price
range. And the onboard expression pedal
is not only handy for volume swelling and
wah effects, but also for ramping up modulation
rates and filter-frequency ranges for
some truly spectacular and bizarre tones. It
should be noted that I ran into some issues
positioning my foot to fully control its
sweep, simply because the expression pedal
is so small. With the limited space, I also
had to be careful not to accidently hit the
volume control knob with the end of my
foot, which I ended up doing several times.
The overdrive and fuzz boxes delivered
the only real questionable tones during my
time with the StompLab. Mild overdrives
were generally rich-sounding and added
burlier elements to the midrange—especially
with the UK Major and LA Studio models.
But as I turned up the gain into heavier
territory, the highs had a tendency to get
raspier and overbearing. Switching over to
distortion models like the Orange Dist or
Shred Dist—or the four fuzz models—only
compounded this issue. Still, I was pretty
impressed at how well the higher-gain
models could transform the tone into an
industrial-tinged wall of sound. The Techno
Fuzz and Crusher models in particular were
very effective in achieving wooly industrial-synth-fuzz tones in the vein of Nine Inch
Nails and Ministry, but those with a penchant
for classic-sounding bass overdrive
will probably want to steer clear of the
StompLab’s gnarlier distortions.
The Verdict
For a portable, tone workstation that’s
kind to both the back and the wallet, Vox’s
StompLab IIB is hard to topple. There’s
a ton of great sounds living in this little
box, and they’re worth exploring even if
it takes some time to manage the learning
curve. Bassists with larger feet will face a
little frustration with the small expression
pedal (though Vox does offer an expression
pedal-less version with the StompLab
IB for $69). And with just one 1/4" out,
the StompLab could have benefited from
having an XLR direct out or even a USB
output for direct recording. Aside from
those concerns, its versatility, tone, and
portability make it a very solid choice for
the bassist who is looking for a compact
modeling unit that’s ideal for travel and
on-the-fly jam sessions.
Will Ray
is a founding
member of the
Hellecasters guitar-twang
trio. He also does guitar
clinics promoting his
namesake G&L signature
model 6-string, and produces
artists and bands at his studio in
Asheville, North Carolina. You can contact
Will on Facebook and at 
