Zoom MS-60B MultiStomp Bass

The Zoom MS-60B+ MultiStomp for Bass is a multi-effects pedal from Zoom that puts a whole bass rig in a single stompbox-sized unit. It carries 75 effects spanning octaves, filters, modulations, synths and drives, alongside 11 amp and cabinet models and 11 preamps, and you can run up to 6 of them at once¹. It is the bass-focused member of Zoom's MultiStomp family, which also includes the guitar-oriented MS-50G+ MultiStomp, the MS-200D+ Multistomp and the MS-70CDR+ MultiStomp¹.

The "+" version followed the original MS-60B, which Zoom billed as "1 pedal, 58 great bass effects" with dual output jacks and a built-in chromatic tuner². Premier Guitar described the original as Zoom adapting "their popular MultiStomp series" into "a MultiStomp pedal for bassists"³.

What the MS-60B+ does: amps, preamps and effects for bass

Zoom positions the MS-60B+ as a complete bass rig in one box: realistic amp models, recreations of renowned preamps and a wide range of effects, all mixable into chains of up to six blocks¹. The 85 factory presets are built around famous songs from the 60s to today, so a player can explore bass tones by era before editing anything¹.

Zoom says the pedal is designed with new high-fidelity analog circuits, and that the flat phase response of those circuits provides sharp attacks and clean low end¹. For a bass player, that claim matters most at the attack of a note, where phase shifts in cheaper circuitry can soften the pluck of a finger or pick.

Controls are built around a color-coded LCD screen and four encoder knobs:

The original MS-60B took the same approach with a smaller library: Zoom listed 58 bass effects there, including 14 modulation and special effects "all specially crafted for bass"⁶².

Amp models, Multi-Layer IRs and preamps

The MS-60B+ reproduces 11 classic amps and cabinets using Zoom's Multi-layer IR technology¹. IR stands for impulse response, a captured measurement of a real amp and speaker that the pedal uses to model its character. Among the amp models, Zoom points to the AG750, the powerful clean tone of the Acoustic 370, and the warm, punchy tone of an Ampeg SVT¹⁷.

The 11 preamps break down as 8 of the world's most popular preamps plus 3 Zoom originals¹. Three of those originals stand out:

• Super Low Preamp (SpLoPre): a Zoom original built on "missing fundamental" acoustic science, with a bass enhancer that emphasizes the low end, a Lo EQ control and a negative one octave sound⁷
• Clear Drive (Clear DRV): uses a linear phase filter in the distortion path, which Zoom says eliminates phase interference during dry mixing⁷
• Djent Preamp: combines an undistorted low end with a strongly distorted high end, for a crisp, intense distortion that Zoom says holds up even with a down-tuned 5-string bass⁷

The split output feature is a practical one for gigging bassists. Zoom says the MS-60B+ can split its output signals, sending a version with amps and IRs to the PA while simultaneously sending a version without amps and IRs to a bass amplifier on stage¹. The original MS-60B also had dual output jacks².

For players with larger rigs, the MS-60B+ supports USB MIDI, so it can connect to other MIDI gear and remotely trigger patch changes¹.

What reviewers said

Published coverage of the MS-60B+ has been moderate. Gearnews rated it 3.8 out of 5.0 in April 2024, noting its 11 sound-shaping preamps, speaker simulations and 11 amp models, at a list price of $142.00⁵.

The wider MultiStomp line has drawn stronger press. Guitar World's review of the MS-50G+ found "a fantastic range of effects and drives here for the price," rating its sounds five stars, and MusicRadar rated the MS-200D+'s sounds four stars. Those reviews cover the guitar versions of the platform rather than the MS-60B+ itself, but they reflect how the press has received the MultiStomp family as a whole⁸⁹.

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