GE200 Guitar Amp Modelling Multi Effects Pedal

I'm coming off a nearly 10-year hiatus from guitar playing ("real life" of work and kids got in the way). My old guitar-self was a "tone snob", unwilling to play through anything but vintage tube circuits and boutique pedals. While I certainly still appreciate handmade vintage gear that emulates my classic rock guitar heroes, today's guitar-self faces more practical constraints. Specifically, besides the time constraints of "real life", other factors kept me away from guitar all these past years: the inconvenience of moving, plugging in, and powering up my tube amp; and the subsequent forced trade-off between great tone---way too loud---and not annoying the wife or waking the kids---anemic, uninspiring tone. As I pick up the guitar today with a fresh and more practical perspective, I realized I needed a jack-of-all-trades device that would primarily offer all the features I need, and that I was willing to compromise on tone perfection if necessary. Having said that, the Mooer GE-200 gives me everything I want (and more!) and I actually don't feel like I'm compromising on tone. Either DSP/digital effects have become that good in the last decade, and/or my sense of what is great has diminished (or was never as good as I thought to begin with!). Either way, I'll just get this out of the way now: after a solid month of using this almost daily, I have zero complaints about tone. My primary use of this is as a headphone amp, for practicing without subjecting the rest of my family to "skills in development". I make extensive use of the 1/8" auxiliary input, from either my smart phone or computer. This allows me to play along to the songs I'm working on. Or, I can fire up YouTube and take a lesson! It has a built-in tuner, which to me seems pretty fast and accurate. (I already have a couple handheld tuners, but the convenience of having the tuner built-in cannot be overstated.) It has a metronome and built-in drum machine, which I use for practice drills. It has a built-in looper, meaning: you can record up to 52 seconds of your playing, and put the recorded bit into repeated playback. That with the integrated drum machine means you can whip up little compositions (or at least pieces of a composition) on the spot, with minimal effort. And if you come up with something you think is worth committing to permanent storage? Just connect the GE-200 to your computer with a USB cable and start recording! It's output isn't just limited to headphones, of course. You could send it to the input or effects loop of your amp; likewise, you could send it to the input of your stereo amp or A/V receiver. I personally can't conceive of a use-case where I wouldn't have enough connectivity. I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of what this can do in terms of effects and modeling. Right now, I'm enjoying the 100+ presets. I am currently in the process of learning a number of songs, representing a fairly eclectic mix of guitar tones. I can't exactly nail each and every one with the presets, but I can come close enough. However, given the number of parameters that can be manipulated, I'm confident I'll be able to convincingly duplicate any tone I need to if I'm willing to spend the tweaking time. My only (minor) complaint is that they didn't include a power button (have I missed it?). The manual recommends unplugging it when not in use. I feel like my use case will result in a lot of plug-in/unplug cycles. Hopefully the power jack can take it. As a side note, I'm surprised how little power it uses: the 9V power supply is rated for 0.6A, which is under 6 watts---find me *any* tube circuit that works effectively on so little power! In short, this is an incredibly practical device for quiet-but-great-sounding practice sessions. It has enough bells and whistles to play with when I just want to noodle around on the guitar. And it has a number of features that support direct-recording, which is something I've always wanted to do. Now my only problem is not having more time to play!

My personal experience with similar devices starts in the early 2000's with a Digitech RP12 multi-fx/preamp running into the power section of a rackmount Randall RG120 that I had bolted to the top of a ratty marshall 4x12. So getting this unit was pretty nostalgic in a weird way. In terms of features, it is very robust; plenty of IO, headphone out for silent practice, USB connection that turns the device into an interface that can be picked up by your DAW of choice (I've tested it in Reaper and ProTools, though I typically just run a cable from the L-Mono out into my actual interface), as well as allowing you to create/save/import/export signal chains through Mooer's desktop software. The sounds offered out of the box need usually need tweaking, but are passable, my only complaint is how the various patches aren't built at a unity volume level, so even with the master volume knob turned to about 9 o'clock, some come in extremely loud, but the next might be whisper quiet. Creating signal chains in the desktop app is fairly simple, you get access to common pedal types, such as OD's, distortions, reverb, delay etc. as well as a pretty diverse range of amp profiles and cabinet sims. Just keep in mind the order of effects in your chain! Additionally, this unit doesn't just slap an IR on the output, it also simulates the poweramp section, with a choice between various tubes, such as EL34's, EL84's, 6L6's and so on, AS WELL as even handling mic type and placement on the virtual speaker. I go for the classic metal recording approach of an SM57, right up the grill, just off-center; so right about 5 and 5 on the two available settings. This virtual mic functionality is unfortunately lost if you load 3rd party IR's, so keep that in mind. While the unit handles 3rd party IR's quite well, you cannot load your own amp profiles in the same way as say a Kemper or AxeFX. You're stuck with what Mooer offers (really not a bad selection, mind you), though it does seem as if they do occasionally release updates that add new profiles. I was also pleasantly surprised when I discovered certain OD/Distortion pedals work perfectly well even without an amp profile in the signal chain. I was trying to re-create the classic Swedish death metal "Chainsaw" sound using the modeled Digitech Metal Master pedal, and on a whim tried to disable the amp entirely. It worked! Updating the unit was surprisingly easy. The instructions on how to do so on Mooer's site and in the included manual are straightforward with no frustrating vagueries. The unit ships at v1.2.3, and as of writing this review, the current version is v2.0.0. If you're considering this unit and are concerned about the lack of an FX loop, keep in mind that it technically operates as one already, the outputs of the device (it has stereo L/R) act as the send, and whatever you plug it into on the other side, be it an interface for front of house audio, or a poweramp (Turn off the cabsim!) will act as the receive, so if you have a specialized pedal that you can't part ways with, this unit won't exclude that. You also have access to a second programmable expression pedal jack, though I haven't tested that functionality as I rarely use one to begin with. My biggest gripe comes with the form factor, just having a single footswitch and exp pedal can limit what you're able to do with a single patch and forces you to get creative with the up/down switches to move between chains themselves. But this is to be expected with the budget friendly nature of it, and the big brother version- the GE300, offers significantly more footswitches that can be tied to individual effects. With this one, you have a single switch to turn on/off effects. In summary, this unit will act as the perfect foundation for a budget live rig, as it can either run straight to front of house, or to a poweramp (again, turn OFF cabsim!) and cabinet. For recording, I've gotten some more than decent tones so far, certainly on the level of some ampsim/IR plugins that I've tested and certainly better than the vast majority of free ones.

This is my 2nd try with a multi-fx box. I was disappointed by one a few years ago, but the technology has progressed! This is well built, quite sturdy. It combines the functions of multi-fx and amp/cab emulator in one unit. Its well thought out, with only a few cons for me. It is easy to program from the panel, and the optional free software also works well. I like it more than I did my foray into Line6 and Fender modeling a while back. Biggest cons: 1. No on/off switch 2. Documentation not up to date ( it wanted a firmware update but the only instructions I could find were vague and only worked for an earlier edition). 3. It could use a dedicated tuner/mute switch, I'm not a fan of the 'stomp 2 buttons simultaneously' thing. Also, I'm new to amp/cab modeling. They recommend an FRFR amp/speaker system for this, if you want to do the amp/cab thing live. Thats because it takes a good flat response full range system to accurately imitate the amps and cabs. I did a sweep of my amps and was surprised to find my Fender Rumble 100 flat to about 10k. It works surprisingly well at this. My Bandit 112 was all over the place. That said, the golden rule is "if it sounds good, do it" so don't let a lack of FRFR system discourage you from trying things. I'm quite happy with this item. FYI, how to update firmware from V2.0.0: 1. Install new Mooer Amp Lab software on pc, it has the firmware in it. 2. Unplug power from unit. Hold the left button down while powering it up. It will start flashing, indicating update mode. 3. Start the software on the connected pc. The update process is automatic.

So I looked at some of the reviews above, before writing mine. Some make sense, some are really missing the point. And full disclosure, this is my second unit in a bit more than a year. But, I've been gigging with it from clubs to big stages. Without being particularly careful with it, while gigging or transportation. Things I like about it: -It is very [very] portable. As a Manhattan, Brooklyn musician that commutes via public transportation, this is a must. Forget about carrying [size] big 5-10 pounds backpacks to host what ultimately deliver three or four live tones. - when you play in a festival and you gotta plug and leave the stage in 3 mins, it is GREAT. - sounds good. Not extraordinary, but if you need more than this live, then you are pbbly either playing for some sonically insane band or you are in a famous band [ not the case here, but happy for you, if that is you] - i can have an integrated decent expression pedal [mine is usually set to whah] - i can adjust the effect volume from the pedal itself, without scrolling through menus. This is priceless, live. Things that i do not like: - the charger cable. Cheap, brittle, not 'stage proof'. - not a very durable unit. This is my second one in 15 months. But, hey, it's cheaper than one single 'boutique' pedal. So, in conclusion, it works for me. If you are a gear 'talking head', pbbly not your cuppa. Buy your Fractal [or similar] and keep dreaming of you perfect tones. But if your situaton is somewhat similar to what i describe above, worth considering this unit. Worth noting that i was gigging with a Ritchy Korzen Fly rig + whah pedal before, and this Mooer is, in my opinion, more flexible, applied to live situations. Happy playing

Let me just say that I'm a Kemper owner/lover. It's the greatest thing I've ever purchased -- BUT -- I wanted a small/lightweight/easy-to-transport unit that could be a good backup unit for if my Kemper were to have an issue at a show. I do between 40-60 shows a year so I need reliability and a backup...not to mention the occasional one-off show that we are asked to do that may only be a half dozen songs or so. I've had many of the other units on the market - several Line 6 units, Zoom, Fractal, etc. I had little faith in Mooer being a product to be reckoned with but I have to say - the tone is exceptional. I don't really put much effort into finding stock patches that are usable - I feel they are often just a show off of crazy effects that aren't really practical in a live band situation. I like to start from scratch and build my tone based around dialing in a great core tone and then adding in whatever minimal effects I really need. This unit is so impressive it's not funny. I hesitated because I need essentially 3 or 4 tones really -- A great high gain tone, a high gain tone with a volume boost and a bit of delay for solos, a low gain tone and a clean tone. Only having the ability to go up or down in presets made me change my thought process to make this functional for live use. I set up a clean tone in slot 1, a high gain tone in slot 2 and a low gain tone in slot 3. I play mostly on the high gain channel (which I have the CTRL button configured to turn on the boost/delay that I need for solos). Then if I need a clean tone, I just bank down...or if I need a low gain tone, I bank up. I'm usually always jumping from high gain to one or the other. For situations where I need to jump from low gain to clean, I just set up the low gain channel in the middle (like slot 5, then use slot 4 as the clean and slot 6 as the high gain. I hear the Mooer GE300 is coming sometime and it'll have multiple buttons and instant access switches -- so I'll surely pick that up as well...but the small size and simplicity of the GE200 is glorious. I'd buy this thing again in a second.

Edited on 4/3/25: A little over seven months after purchasing this GE200, the line out no longer works. I can hear the unit just fine through headphones, but now I'm unable to plug into an amp or PA system, which makes it pretty much useless to me. I've reached out to customer support, but after four days I've heard nothing back from them. It's a great unit as long as it works, but just be aware that customer support is (so far) pretty much non-existent. I did enough research on the GE200 to know that this is a great effects pedal. I also have a friend who has one, and can't say enough good about it. So I was very happy to find this on a lightning deal and save a good chunk of money. I haven't had time yet to really play with it, but I have connected it to my iMac and made sure the features all work. The included quick guide is a bit flimsy, but what are you going to do? You can get a lot of great info from YouTube channels dedicated to operating it. My problem is that the accessories list a number of items including "soft case", so naturally I expected to get a soft case with it, but I did not! I can buy one for $30, but it was supposed to be included! I've reached out to the seller about this but (predictably) have not heard back after two days. Maybe I will in the next few days, maybe I won't; we'll see. So far I'm happy enough with the product itself, but not so much with the seller.

I bought this assuming it to be low quality and that it would likely get returned. Actually, this thing rocks! Many good effects and very easy to use. Only negative is there is no on/off switch. U have to unplug from unit. Other than that it is a phenomenal value for the price.

Device was faulty out of the box. No matter what firmware updates I did couldn't get the thing to read my guitar signal, tried multiple cables and guitars. I'm not sure I was sent a new unit, device was scratched and didn't have protective film on screen. Not likely to order music equipment from amazon ever again.

Excelente relación calidad - precio, ha servido de maravilla para diversos efectos, especialmente para canciones cristianas worship.

I needed a backup for my Fractal AX8 and this little guy fits the bill! Very surprised how good it sounds, especially for the price. There are some excellent patches in this unit from nice cleans to heavy distorted tones. It's also extremely easy to use and program. The interface is very intuitive and the free studio software allows you to import new patches and custom IR's. The unit is very solid and the knobs and buttons have a nice quality feel. The screen is bright and easy to read. Well done Mooer!

La conecte a un amplificador pequeño de principiante y mejora mucho el sonido, hay que recalcar que hay dos modelos de esta pedalera, el de pedal de expresion negro y la que es plateada, la verdad no se si haya alguna diferencia con estas, debo admitir que esperaba la que es plateada pero no decepciona, además de que puedes modular muy bien el volumen de modo que no molestes a nadie y subirle para tocar en vivo, muy versátil y muy personalizable y ajustable, muy divertido, 100% recomendado 👌 Devo aclarar que los de entrega me cobraron la importación al momento de la entrega, ahí ahora ya dice incluido pero no sé si cuando lo compré no estaba incluido

I bought this mostly as a backup for my Fractal system, but having worked with it for awhile I find myself playing through it more than my AX8. It certainly doesn't have the editing depth of the most expensive modelers, or the balanced outputs, but if your needs are fairly basic it's actually a lot easier to dial in good sounds and the controls are quite brilliantly thought out. An example: my main live sound is pretty basic, and I use the Mooer models of a Marshall 800 going through a Marshall cabinet mic'd with an SM57. With the toggle button I can kick in a Tube Screamer for extra gain. The expression pedal is set to control the delay level, and the external expression controls the Wah. So pretty much an entire virtual rig in one patch, leaving 198 others. I was humming and hahing about getting this or the 300, but so far I haven't really felt limited by the 200. Spend an hour or two getting to know it and you will be rewarded. It is also, of course, incredible portable and seems very robustly built . You can stick this, your cable, and a pick in the pocket of your guitar's gig bag, and ride your bike to practice or the gig if you want.

Great unit the distortion is top notch Very very tube like feel Anyone who plays in low tuning This is the unit for you Best I have heard by far Clear notes when you hit all the strings It shines right through noooo absolutely nooo muddy sound and nothing gets lost 10 out of 10 for me Effects are great too Wha I didn’t like it’s ok USB recording is great and the different options dry /recording Very easy to get your sounds and to navigate through the best set up I ever owned And I had almost every effect pedal out there Only thing my unit stopped working Wouldn’t turn on But not disappointed at all Because the sound I got was what I was finally looking for I had other units and had same issues or defects a button didn’t work ect.. it happens But definitely getting another one Iam thinking of getting the mooer 300