The Vox StompLab IG is a floor multi-effects processor for guitar, announced in September 2012 as part of a four-pedal StompLab series and set to arrive that December1. It provides 103 types of modeling effects in a compact metal body, and Vox describes the series as "impressive new contenders that pack powerful sounds into compact and sophisticated looking metal bodies"21. Floor-dwelling multi-effects for guitar have traditionally been rather large units, and MusicRadar's reviewer Trevor Curwen noted the StompLab range as among the latest to exhibit a smaller footprint3.
Presets and controls
The IG comes with 120 onboard memory slots, 100 of which are presets, leaving 20 opportunities to edit and archive your own sounds3. The factory presets are categorised by musical style, and in the guitar pedal you get Ballad, Jazz/Fusion, Pop, Blues, Rock 'N' Roll, Rock, Hard Rock, Metal, Hard Core and Other banks3.
Getting around the memories is simple:
- A rotary switch selects banks: there are 10 banks of 10 factory presets and a single bank containing all 20 user presets3
- Two footswitches scroll up and down through the presets in each bank, loading them immediately3
- An onboard tuner is built in, as on all pedals in the range3
Vox says the StompLab series is designed to be easily usable, even by novice players3. On the presets themselves, Curwen's verdict was mixed but mostly positive: "Although there are some outrageously over-effected tones in there, the presets are generally very playable"3.
Power and silent practice
Power comes from four AA batteries, though Curwen imagined that in most cases users would employ a nine-volt adaptor3. Vintage Guitar's news item on the series likewise reported that the pedals operate on batteries4. The single output will also drive a set of stereo headphones for silent practice, which makes the IG usable at home without an amp as well as on a board or floor3.
The StompLab series was announced as fitting a gig bag easily for on-the-go convenience, and Guitar World reported the range would be available fall 20125.
The StompLab series
The StompLab IG is one of four units Vox unveiled in the series, alongside the IIG, IB and IIB, all set to arrive in December 20121. Vox's own product pages list the range as the StompLab 1G, StompLab 1B, StompLab 2B and StompLab 2G2. The IG and IIG are the guitar versions, while the IB and IIB are the bass versions of the same multi-effects concept4. The related pages for the StompLab 1G, StompLab 2G, StompLab IB and StompLab IIB cover the individual units, and the multi-effects pedals page places the series among its alternatives.
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Questions
Does the Vox StompLab IG run on batteries?
Yes. Power comes from four AA batteries, which makes the pedal usable away from a power supply. MusicRadar's reviewer noted that in most cases players would likely employ a nine-volt adaptor instead, but battery operation is built in, and Vintage Guitar reported that the StompLab series as a whole operates on batteries.
Can you plug headphones into the Vox StompLab IG?
Yes. The StompLab IG has a single output, and MusicRadar's reviewer found that this output will also drive a set of stereo headphones, so the pedal can be used for silent practice without an amplifier.
How many presets does the Vox StompLab IG have?
The StompLab IG has 120 onboard memory slots. 100 of these are factory presets, leaving 20 slots to edit and archive your own sounds. The factory presets are grouped into banks categorised by musical style, such as Ballad, Blues, Rock, Hard Rock and Metal.
Does the Vox StompLab IG have a tuner?
Yes. The IG, like all of the pedals in the StompLab range, features an onboard tuner, so it can handle tuning between songs without a separate tuner pedal on the board.
What is the difference between the StompLab IG and IB?
The IG is the guitar version of the series and the IB is the bass version. Vintage Guitar described the StompLab series as multi-effects pedals for guitar and bass, with the IG and IIG covering guitar and the IB and IIB covering bass.
Sources (5)
- Vox unveils StompLab multi-fx models, MusicRadar, 2012-09-04
- StompLab 2G, Vox Amps, 2023-05-23
- Vox StompLab IG review, MusicRadar, 2013-02-08
- Vox Launches Apache Travel Basses, StompLab Multi-Effects, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2012-09-11
- Vox Announces StompLab Multi-Effect Pedal Series, Guitar World, 2012-09-05
