Saturday, December 14, 2024
GuitarGuitar Effects

My FIRST Rack Unit: ART SGE Multi FX Processor | 80’s Guitar Tones


The ART (‘Applied Reseach Technology’) SGE Multi FX Processor from the late 1980’s, was one of the first multi fx units that included pretty good (imho) analog overdrive/distortion. I had one when I was 13, that I unfortunately got rid of. But luckily I found one on Reverb to re-kindle my glorious 8th grade guitar tone!

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▶ TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 – Intro & Backstory
2:07 – Specs
4:06 – Sounds and Patches

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#Rack #Unit #ART #SGE #Multi #Processor #80s #Guitar #Tones

Originally posted by UCwDvqMU_Byor49FXRYQT40g at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCHbEMbc-_s

49 thoughts on “My FIRST Rack Unit: ART SGE Multi FX Processor | 80’s Guitar Tones

  • Very nice on the clean stuff..
    I have had a combination of rack gear and amps for many years now.. My first was a Digitech GSP 21 Pro that I still have. It was really good at getting your basic FX and sounded decent running through two peavey backstage plus amps set clean but pushing the volume.. Basically everything came from the GSP 21. Later I ran a Digitech 1101 I still have and occasionally use for just FX.. The tone came from my amps. I actually used it with my EVH 3 head and cabinet and it was really decent.. Now I’ve got a Helix and it’s hard to justify dragging amps around because the Helix is so good and has some great FX and tones.. Maybe I’m getting old and lazy ????????????

    Reply
  • Hi RJ. I bought mine back in 1992. It has been in it's box since 1993 when we moved to Virginia. This video made me go into my gear locker and find it and hook it back up. I bought this well before I knew anything about audio equipment. I plan to use it in my home studio as a tone box. Thanks so much for bringing my attention back to this nice piece of audio equipment.

    Reply
  • I own one of these 🙂 I like it wery much, I'ts meant to be used with everything you got, you can hook in a Keyboard, a synth, MIDI over a computer, guitar, bass by all means or microphone. It's not really spesific for a genre but more of a kind all rounder back in the day. Still the guitar effects are quite nice but as it is stereo I like it very much for Keys and Synths 😀 Thanks! Great walktrough!

    Reply
  • I had the ART sgx 2000 but i very quickly realized it didn't have a great real sounding amp sound so i sold it, worst 600$ ever spent, doubled down with 1200$ on the mesa boogie triaxis and had it 30 years

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  • You should do a shootout between this and whatever the modern equivalent is, a kemper or a helix or whatever other thing I’m never gonna buy. But I’d TOTALLY play this!

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  • Great walkthrough! Thank you for creating this!

    Im looking to get one of the sge models to plug a synth into or use it as an aux effect on the mixer. Really curious how that would work

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  • Brings me back. Me and a drummer friend were trying to get something going with a singer and another guitar player back in the early 90’s. He had a full stack with all ART stuff. I think he may have been using the 2000 (not really sure – rack stuff confused me back then – I kept thinking “where’s the amp/head?”). I was completely in awe.

    Not long after I got an SGX LT. I couldn’t believe how I instantly sounded like I was getting “pro” tones (albeit in my basement)

    To me it just shows that you can get great tones out of (almost) anything if you know what you’re doing, what you’re working with, and of course, can actually play (ie it sounding like “you” regardless of gear).

    Great vid!

    Reply
  • I had one for a punk band (yeah believe it or not, I ran a small rack system when I was 20, not sure why!). I thought it was awesome!

    Reply
  • For a newbee a quiestion please?
    Is it the compression that stops the sustain on spme of these types of rack mounts?
    Im looking for a recommendation for ine that has a a lot of distortion options and the basics for delay,reverb ect.
    Do you recommend this one? Any others?
    Thanks for this video .
    -Cheers

    Reply
  • I had the Mach 2 ran through my ADA MP1. Still have the ADA , but the SGE bit the dust about 15 years ago.. ????

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  • We are about the same age. I was 13 in 89 and that is when I got my first Charvell I believe. There was the GSP 21 pro. They were awesome.

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  • Hard to imagine that rack gear ever became passe'. The stuff is gold for great guitar sounds. Pedals cannot complete with the flexibility and depth of those old rack units.

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  • I have the night bass studio rack pre. Assuming the effects are almost the same. There’s some really cool gated reverbs in there.

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  • I reckon it sounds pretty good! Especially the modulation and time based effects. Used and tweaked properly I think it would be very serviceable for regular use.

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  • Had the mach 2… plugged it into my practice amp had a blast I got a ton of sounds out of it and through the little practice amp it sounded fine..

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  • i still have my Digitech GSP 2101, if you know how to program it, it still is the best full sounding gear i have ever played on….

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  • Thanks alot RJ for doing that. Much appreciated.. May the guitar be with you, always. LOL

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  • Still got mine from the 80's and I used it as a DJ, Most used preset was Pitch for vocals.
    Just plugged it in and it's lost all it's presets up to 100.

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  • Wow, this unit holds up surprisingly well. You’re right – lowering the Mix improves most patches.

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  • That brings me back lots of memories, I had the SGE Mach II, but most of the presets were the same. Actually some sounds with mix down are quite good! Wish I could try it out now, having bit more of a knowledge of FX chains!

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  • Ive used this rack for years it has a nice chorus. I always had it hooked it up in stereo through effects loops

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  • I just bought this unit. Look forward to playing it. Art was in direct compition with Digitech. Art units sound warmer…Digitech gsp 2101,2112 and 2120 units sound digital but nailed the tube tone and effects. Art gave up. The Art Sgx 2000 tube is good too. Rock On!

    Reply
  • Still have mine. A cool tone sculpting trick i used to use was to add the multi-tap delay, set the delay time really short, like 5-10 mS, then adjust the taps between 1-7 and it gave a great filtered sound that was great for leads.
    NIce video. I need to replace the Audio Harness in mine, I think that's the only thing keeping it from being 100% at the moment.

    Reply
  • I brought my ART SGE Mkii in 1990, and still have it today + another one I picked up as a backup (even though I haven't switched either of them on for awhile).
    I love the 2 second Sampler in it, you could capture a sample and then plug in a midi keyboard and play back the sample from the SGE Mkii at different pitch.

    Reply
  • I have an SGX 2000…the reason all of these units didn't have power switches, was because they were intended to be part of a rack ecosystem with a power conditioner that would be your master power switch for the entire rack ????

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  • I found the Mach 2 at Sam Ash, thinking of picking it up. I noticed you mentioned their was a difference in your intro.

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  • I have to say the ART guitar boxes just dont sound that good but damn they look great and so, so '80s. I had a Digitech that had that gate thing on it and you couldnt turn it off. Used to drive me nuts.

    Reply
  • i have one and they are great units very versatile and editable also good for any instrument
    you can customize and make your own presets good for aux send on mixing boards

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  • In the 80s these sounds frustrated me because they weren't raw enough and sounded "like plastic". Really, I wanted a 59 Bassman and a super fuzz, I just didn't know what that stuff was at the time. I still think most of this stuff sounds like plastic – but if you're trying to get that 80s vibe, this is it (though a Rockman XPR is more sophisticated)

    Reply
  • those things broke on me monthly. Bought a Quadraverb and it was solid…..for the 80s

    Reply

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