Behringer FCB1010...how many use them?

The_Kid

Experienced
I have a gen 1 Ultra, how many people are using the FCB1010? I used one years ago with a Gmajor. It was a nightmare to program, but only cause it was my first midi experience.

I know you can program a tap tempo....how well does the Axe FX read the expression pedals? If I remember correctly the pedals have a shorter travel distance than the Mission pedals I'm using now. While I dont like that I can't plug my Mission pedals into the controller, I could run cables to the back of my Ultra if I wanted to use 4 pedals.

I'm debating 'downsizing' from my GCP, as it needs to be replaced.. buttons are no longer working and its not the switch, seems to be an issue with the board reading the button some reason.

So, worth it? or does the GCP really offer me something the FCB wouldnt?
 
I use the FCB1010 with UNO, so I don't know how my take applies to the standard version.

I will agree that learning how to program it is a nightmare. I had two midi pedals before it including a Ground Control (not the pro version). It still took me a good week to actually figure the thing out. I understand it moderately well now, however I always have a printed manual handy when I go to change something.

The other thing I don't like about it is the plastic buttons. It's difficult to feel when you've actually pressed a switch. It'd be fine as long as I could actually look before I pressed a pedal, but being a singer as well, I can't always do that. I've thought about adding a decorative cover plate over the holes and installing standard switches.

Also worth noting is that it can't be run with phantom power without modification. The mod isn't too difficult, but another thing to think about if that's a feature that matters to you.

All that said, I do actually like the pedal. The mods I've done to it have obviously contributed to eliminating a few negative points, and I did purchase the pedal with the awareness that I would be needing to mod the pedal to get it to function as I wanted it to.

I guess it all comes down to exactly which features matter to you. I honestly bought mine because it was cheap and I didn't have the money to buy anything better. I've ended up liking the pedal much more that I expected I would, and I don't have any plans of buying anything else anytime soon.
 
Depends on your needs and patience. A few presets and Ultra w/UNO and wanting to do stomp box is easily programmable with ripwerx and a great solution. MFC and any axe FX is just awesome. I use II/MFC, other guitar player is ultra/fcb... As soon as can get another MFC it will be game over on fcb. It's not that it's bad or doesn't work but MFC is plug and play, need I say more?
 
I've got two of them, main and spare, both with the UNO chip. Originally they were used with an Ultra, and now with a II. They're set up with patch select on the top row, and stomp box on/off on the bottom. The expression pedals work well, although there are slight calibration differences between them.

They are cheap and cheerful, and so far pretty reliable.
 
I have one with an ultra. im only a bedroom user but it works great for me....had the uno, using the eureka now [10 stomp boxes and no programming needed]
 
I have a gen 1 Ultra, how many people are using the FCB1010? I used one years ago with a Gmajor. It was a nightmare to program, but only cause it was my first midi experience.

I know you can program a tap tempo....how well does the Axe FX read the expression pedals? If I remember correctly the pedals have a shorter travel distance than the Mission pedals I'm using now. While I dont like that I can't plug my Mission pedals into the controller, I could run cables to the back of my Ultra if I wanted to use 4 pedals.

I'm debating 'downsizing' from my GCP, as it needs to be replaced.. buttons are no longer working and its not the switch, seems to be an issue with the board reading the button some reason.

So, worth it? or does the GCP really offer me something the FCB wouldnt?

I use it with my ultra and it works fine. But you need the uno chip or something similar IMO.
I need to calibrate my expression pedals from time to time, but that's easy for the rest they
work fine, but are probably not the same quality as the mission ones?
Programming with the editor is very simple. Almost no matter what you compare it to everything
else is better but then at least twice as expensive.

Jens
 
Programming is a nightmare with the stock unit but much simpler with the UNO chip and the UNO editor software.
For the price it's by far the most cost-effective solution and there are loads of used ones available for not much money.
 
Programming is a nightmare with the stock unit but much simpler with the UNO chip and the UNO editor software.
For the price it's by far the most cost-effective solution and there are loads of used ones available for not much money.

I have two stock FCB1010 and use them both regularly with my Ultra and AxeFxII over 7+ years and hundreds of gigs. I would qualify the statement that the FCB1010 is a nightmare to program...I found it a "challenge" to initially understand the logic of how it is designed to work and to program, but once you get past the learning curve, I find it very simple and pretty quick to program anything I want. Of course YMMV. IMHO, it is the best bang-for-buck MIDI pedal available, but I think people need to generally temper their expectations for such an inexpensive piece that really does a lot of MIDI control at that price point. If there is another product out there that can honestly compete with the FCB1010, feature for feature, and at that price point (used even cheaper), then I am unaware of it. If one does exist, I'd like to purchase it.
 
You all might want to check out the LG-FCB mod, from the creator of the Gordius midi controllers:

LG-FCB

I have a GCP as well as a couple of original Ground Control pedals, which i have always liked... BUT, they are not well suited for my needs with the Axe Fx.

I bought an FCB1010 with the plan to install the mod-kit. I'm still deciding on whether or not the actual switch buttons and CC pedals are going to work for me, so I am using it in a very basic mode right now. Much like someone else posted, I'm not thrilled with the "feel" of the buttons when stepping on them.

The LG-FCB mod gives you much of the ability of the Gordius Little Giant from the programming perspective, plus 7-pin midi in/out/phantom-power and you can replace the relay switches with 2 additional expression pedal jacks. For the money (FCB101 + mod kit), I don't think you can find a comparable midi controller.
 
I use one with the UNO mod. Works great especially for such an inexpensive controller. I need more options though so I am on the MFC list now.
 
I just installed the Eureka 2 EPROM toady but haven't tried it yet. The 10 IA is what I was looking for. I also use the Pod X3 as a MIDI controller. It is nice because you can set up all of the knobs as controllers and assign the CC to control whatever you want. I use it to tweak the delay feedback and such in real time just like it was a pedal. I may end up using both pedals simultaneously and have my 10 IA and the tweaker knobs at the same time.
 
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