Roland ef-303

EF-303 is one sick device. One of our local Roland stores still has a display unit no one buys, and I am itching to get it. And yes, Roland effects has always been amazing - they have really great musical sound, they're easy to understand and can always be twisted to extreme limits. There are very, very few companies that can match this level.

Here it is, just incase anybody is interested, if anybody has one in the UK, I'm interested.

I have one. Won't give it up. Wouldn't be worth it anyways, they usually go for cheap, don't pay more than $200. They show up on ebay and the like, you just have to be patient.

It's quite unique. 16 step sequencing of certain effects leads to great things. The effects are mostly good, but become great with the parameter sequencing. I love sequencing the compressor. Sequenced reverb is pretty bonkers too, Phil Collins on crack. Sure, I guess one could do this in software or in a sequencer editing values, but this is a helluva lot easier and fun. 303 + delay patch isn't so good, but 303 only patch is pretty nice. Plus I finally figured out how to sequence external gear with it...glides and accents for everyone! I also really love the drum machine...sounds modelled, not samples, there's a variance. It has this tishy Roland CR feel to it, like the drums on Assault on Precint 13 or something.

lhm1138, thanks for your post! I think I'll be picking up this baby sooner or later, it's a classic. Can you also tell me what the voice and voice mod effects do?

No problem Artemy, in fact, there's on one Ebay right now with BIN of $250. Not too bad if you don't want to wait for a cheaper one to show.

Voice is sort of like Boss's VT pedal, doing a sort of pitch and formant effect. Voice Mod is more along the lines of a classic vocoder, can use mic as modulator and internal or external synth as carrier. Or I might have it backwards, don't have it handy ATM.

I wish i still had this ! Basically a mini TB-303 in there too and you use the sliders for note values.

Also check out the Roland MC-09 Phrase Lab if your looking for a cool TB-303 emulator.

i've tried one, didn't really like it. probably because i've been spoiled by korg's kp3

this is a "musical" effect unit, i think it's more of a unit that you will use to spice up your composition rather than for the "shock-the-crowd" function (as I did with the KP3)