Current ‘go to’ Guitar Rig

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Dadrocks
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Hello all,

I’m feeling the holiday guitar spirit as of lately; especially since I’ll finally have some time to mess about and do some playing.

Given a bit of inspiration and time for a quick session, what are you guys picking up and playing through as of lately?

I tend to pivot between a few favs, but, lately it’s been a Rocket Pink Peavy Vandenberg with the Kahler Killer trem, and Mark IV Rev B.

Picked up the Vandy 2nd hand in 97 from a local music store. ….fastest neck that I’ve ever played. Pickups are stock and still sound wild. Played it once and instantly bonded. …Shared this sentiment with mom and dad, whom very unexpectedly secured the guitar for me. I’m still as thankful today as I was then.

Oldies, but Goldie’s!
 
PBGas said:
Axe III or FM9 into EV PXM12-MP.
Soldano Astro 20 in same monitor.
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Noice! I also find that I reach for my FM3 often; probably more often than my tubes. …how do you find the Astro? Do you run it into cab or direct? …looks so versatile. We really do live in an era of tone. 😎👍
 
These pedals into a Blues Jr., is my noodling set up.
6399-DD54-97-D8-40-AE-8-DAC-8-ADEC1557-B26.jpg
 
I have many 'go to rigs" :D for example,...

for classic rock, hard rock, classic metal, my go to rig is one of my Ibanez PS guitars into my Engl E651 Artist Edition or Marshall 1959HW.

For '80s hair metal, my go to rig is one of my Jackson Rhoads into my ISP Theta Pro MS, into a Marshall or Mesa cab with the ISP Stealth Pro amp, or direct out to my PA. (edit, this is my newest rig; the ISP Theta Pro MS sounds amazing to me, it's the '80s in a box, like my old ADA rack rig! I regret passing on this for years due to the price compared to digital modelers; this isn't a modeler, it's a preamp with effects, and pre and post semi-parametric EQs)

For prog, it's my computer rig or my Mesa JP-2C + Line 6 HX-FX, with one of my EBMM Kaizen 6 or Majesty 6.

very happy with my current gear.
 
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TheGreatGreen said:
Still riding the Uber Ultra wave. What an amp.

Uber Ultra -> Axe-Fx 3 for post-effects -> signal splits, one goes to Axe-Fx IR's and then into my interface, and another goes from Axe-Fx post-effects to SS poweramps and cabs.
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What do you use for cab speakers? I loaded a 4x12 with Celestion FRFR speakers and power it with a SE Powerstage. I tried with greenbacks and it sounded like there was a blanket over the cab.
 
rsm said:
I have many 'go to rigs" :D for example,...

for classic rock, hard rock, classic metal, my go to rig is one of my Ibanez PS guitars into my Engl E651 Artist Edition or Marshall 1959HW.

For '80s hair metal, my go to rig is one of my Jackson Rhoads into my ISP Theta Pro MS, into a Marshall or Mesa cab with the ISP Stealth Pro amp, or direct out to my PA. (edit, this is my newest rig; the ISP Theta Pro MS sounds amazing to me, it's the '80s in a box, like my old ADA rack rig! I regret passing on this for years due to the price compared to digital modelers; this isn't a modeler, it's a preamp with effects, and pre and post semi-parametric EQs)

For prog, it's my computer rig or my Mesa JP-2C + Line 6 HX-FX, with one of my EBMM Kaizen 6 or Majesty 6.

very happy with my current gear.
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Never heard of ISP Theta Pro. 80s in a box is my bag. I have a MP1 but it’s noisy. Will definitely check out the ISP. 🙏
 
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Dadrocks said:
Never heard of ISP Theta Pro. 80s in a box is my bag. I have a MP1 but it’s noisy. Will definitely check out the ISP. 🙏
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Worth a look, they've been out for a few years. I have the MS - Michael Sweet (Stryper) version with his presets which sound great if you like '80s midrange honk (I do).

Edit: ISP Technologies was founded by the guy that founded Rocktron, and he took many employees with him; he's known as Buck. Great guy, I've exchanged emails with him. Not only is the ISP Theta Pro designed in the USA, it's also Made in USA which accounts for some its price.

They have a standard edition (it's red), and new MS smaller version.

Here's what I have.


ISP-Theta-Pro-DSP-MS.png

Edt:
 
rsm said:
Worth a look, they've been out for a few years. I have the MS - Michael Sweet (Stryper) version with his presets which sound great if you like '80s midrange honk (I do).

Edit: ISP Technologies was founded by the guy that founded Rocktron, and he took many employees with him; he's known as Buck. Great guy, I've exchanged emails with him. Not only is the ISP Theta Pro designed in the USA, it's also Made in USA which accounts for some its price.

They have a standard edition (it's red), and new MS smaller version.

Here's what I have.


View attachment 274005
Edt:
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Wow. Call me enlightened.

I plugged into a rocktorn rack in 1993 and lost my s**t. It was ‘THE tone’ I was after. Unfortunately I was a zit popping teen at the time and no fortitude to get a job and earn some bucks. I wish I had as this rack slayed.

I’ll dive deeper on the ISP for sure. Sounds rad. I always love when the Brian’s behind the gear are pleased to engage with the consumers. Such a good sign. I like the sound of Buck already. Many thanks again.
 
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Dadrocks said:
Oh. My. God.

…your arsenal would literally stave off an alien invasion.

Pumped for you man.

What do you like plugging into most? What is you go to what you have 15-20mins to strum?

What do you wish you had? What do you regret?

Again, such a rad arsenal. Kudos and cheers!!

👌😎👍
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The Bogner xtc - 101A - is still my "go to" Mike Fortin modded it way back in the day.. it's pretty amazing.
 
Dadrocks said:
What do you use for cab speakers? I loaded a 4x12 with Celestion FRFR speakers and power it with a SE Powerstage. I tried with greenbacks and it sounded like there was a blanket over the cab.
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I use Mesa Recto 4x12 cabs and EVH 4x12 cabs, so a mix of V30's and Heritage Greenbacks.

I like my setup but these days I'm getting more open to trying out other speakers in the Mesa cab. The V30's are obviously staples but they also (or at least the specific ones in my cabs) have a kind of "piggish" hork in the mids (that's the best way I can describe it at least) to them in the room that I can't dial out or un-hear. And yes I know, I'm the guy that won't shut up about how in-the-room tone doesn't matter. But if you only use a cab as an in-the-room monitor and never mic it, then always having to hear that V30 honk starts to get annoying.
 
TheGreatGreen said:
I use Mesa Recto 4x12 cabs and EVH 4x12 cabs, so a mix of V30's and Heritage Greenbacks.

I like my setup but these days I'm getting more open to trying out other speakers in the Mesa cab. The V30's are obviously staples but they also (or at least the specific ones in my cabs) have a kind of "piggish" hork in the mids (that's the best way I can describe it at least) to them in the room that I can't dial out or un-hear. And yes I'm the guy that won't shut up about how in-the-room tone doesn't matter, but if you only use cabs as effectively in-the-room monitors, then always having to hear that V30 honk starts to get annoying.
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I just got a Mesa recto 2x12 compact cab with V30s, not hearing midrange honk with my JP-2C? Same for my V30 loaded Engl E21VHB PRO 2x12 horizontal cabs.

I get more midrange from my non-V30 Marshall cabs
 
rsm said:
I just got a Mesa recto 2x12 compact cab with V30s, not hearing midrange honk with my JP-2C? Same for my V30 loaded Engl E21VHB PRO 2x12 horizontal cabs.

I get more midrange from my non-V30 Marshall cabs
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It's really strange, it's not so much "more midrange" in general, but a really specific characteristic of V30's that happens "somewhere" vaguely in the mids / upper mids that it's easy to not pick up on, right up until you hear the speakers next to other ones after which point it's really clear.

When I'm just listening to the cab by itself and I've played for a few minutes I can kind of get used to it, but once I tune into what's happening, it's all I can hear. It's hard to explain I guess but that's how it is for my cab at least.
 
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