Axe FX regrets?

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SFW

SFW

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A friend of mine just picked up a used Axe FX II XL. He asked if I could help him dial some sounds in. We pulled up the Splawn Quick Rod model, and I was blown away that I was able to dial in my exact tone within a few minutes. Including my preferred delay and some pitch shift. This has me thinking it might be time to bite the bullet, as I can recreate my current rig and have access to hundreds more. With the current price of the II and the II XL being so affordable.

So I guess my question is this: for those who have gone the Axe FX route, do you have any regrets about leaving the tube amp world? I would have to see my amp to purchase an Axe FX. So it’s kind of an all in situation I would be looking at. I would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks in advance.
 
I was just thinking this exact thing yesterday but also thinking of the Kemper as well. I'd probably keep a couple of my favorite tube amps but my logic is this could potentially stop my insatiable amp whoring by having access to hundreds of profiles. My wife would be very, very supportive of purchasing one of these gadgets :yes:
 
I have no regrets going the Axe FX route. But, I also don't gig, so I really have no need for tube amps.

My only complaint about the XL+ I have is the size. I just want something that takes up less space.
 
Long time AxeFx user, owned the ultra, the II and now the III, however I still have and love tube amps. I’d say go for it, you can always go back to tube.
 
The line has basically been blurred between the modeling and tube world if you know how to set the units up. If you spend the time to learn what all of the deep edit functions in the advanced parameter sections do, experiment with some of the available third party IR's, you'll be within 95%+ of what the same rig in a tube setup would be, with better effects and tons less gear to haul. I fought it for a long time, carried two heads, 10 space rack, three cabinets, expensive mic's...I still have all that and love it, but even my sound guy says my AX8 tones are just as good or better and it fits in a backpack.
 
I bought a new Axe-FX II in 2013, and still love it to this day. It did have me stop buying more gear for a few years, but then I started buying pedals and amps again. Not because the Axe can't do those things, but just because it is fun, lol. There is something fun about just experimenting with different gear, plugging in different combinations, etc.... There is a very different experience between using a few 3 knob pedals, and having everything programmed in advance.

The Axe sounds and feels great, and do just about anything. I would say the #1 thing that bugs me is the low end. I use it into a guitar cab with a Matrix GT1000FX, and it is almost there, but the low end just doesn't thump the same way a Recto, or 5150 does for high gain tones. That is related to the big tube poweramp though, and the interaction between the output transformer and the speakers.

I have been getting more into use effects lately, so I have currently re-purposed it as an effects unit in the loop of a Peavey XXX. It sounds great just for some Chorus, Delay, and Reverb. I have been buying some older rack effects units, and it is funny, because it seems like the Axe killed all of them. No one wants any other older effects units when they can grab an older Axe-FX.
 
I may have my III an FC-6 for sale soon as I got a new amp recently.

As far as regrets, not really. The Axe III is an amazing unit and sounds great.
 
I don't think it is a substitute for anyone (or very many) permanently. It seems that most go back at some point. Or just use both.

Sometimes though I think that you just think you sound better on someone else's gear, even if you dial it in just because it is different. That happens to me on occasion playing someone else's stuff. Also if you spent 6 hours on that patch, I don't think it would sound as close as you think it is.
 
Shask":2ygudyg3 said:
I would say the #1 thing that bugs me is the low end. I use it into a guitar cab with a Matrix GT1000FX, and it is almost there, but the low end just doesn't thump the same way a Recto, or 5150 does for high gain tones. That is related to the big tube poweramp though, and the interaction between the output transformer and the speakers.
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This and the endless tweak-ability are what stop me every time despite my curiosity.
 
I absolutely loved the tone of the Axe Fx’s I owned.

I always preferred them through a tube power amp and cab though....so I certainly wasn’t using them to their potential.

My biggest issue with them was 100% on me.....I could never stop tweaking.

Spent way more time fiddling with it than playing. Which is weird, because I tend to find my settings on an amp and pretty much don’t touch the knobs again. I think there is just something in my brain that makes me need to tweak when I know there is so much available :dunno:

With that said, I’ve never looked at the Axe as a replacement....just a different approach.

T
 
PBGas":mvllovrb said:
I may have my III an FC-6 for sale soon as I got a new amp recently.

As far as regrets, not really. The Axe III is an amazing unit and sounds great.
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Is it a mini Bogner by chance
 
Question, how bad is the delay between preset changes? I will be starting out with a standard midi controller. So I will be switching presets instead of scenes. I’ve heard 30ms- which is ok with me. Iva also heard 1 second, which would not be ok with me. I would like to be able to switch between a clean fender style clean to blazing Splawn tone without an extreme drop out. My main goal for this is playing live. Any input would be great. Thanks!
 
I've had my Axe-Fx II since 2011 and have really enjoyed it. I don't gig but have done a ton of recordings with it, jamming, etc.

With that said, a few months ago I got a Friedman JJ Jr. with the XLR cab emulation and haven't touched my Axe-Fx II. I have been using the Friedman on my recordings with my Keeley pedals. When I was using my Axe-Fx all the time, I was using the "Friedman" presets anyway so has felt the same to me.
 
I've had my Axe II since 2011 and really loved it until I started playing with the current band I'm in . The Other guitarist bought a Landry LS30 and since then I
have bought one too. Now I use the landry through a 2X12 cab with the FX8 in 4cm and we are getting a great 2 guitar sound.
I think I'm going to be putting my my entire Axe II rig (MFC and Duncan 170 powerstage) for sale shortly, I was always tweaking the thing non stop and now with the Landry and the FX8, I just dial in patches for songs that are Effect based.
so much easier, now I can actually concentrate on playing. I may get a III down the road, we'll see.
I was also another guy that really only ever used 3 0r 4 amp models. so it was really overkill for the band. I went through a recording "stage a few years ago
and for that I think it's unbeatable, but I'm over that now. Almost every song we cover was recorded using Marshalls so ..............
 
Shask":2xnufngf said:
The Axe sounds and feels great, and do just about anything. I would say the #1 thing that bugs me is the low end. I use it into a guitar cab with a Matrix GT1000FX, and it is almost there, but the low end just doesn't thump the same way a Recto, or 5150 does for high gain tones. That is related to the big tube poweramp though, and the interaction between the output transformer and the speakers.
Click to expand...
Yeah I feel kinda the same with Kemper though I can get really close with my 2x12. I think if I spent time tweaking it might not be an issue. For me once I set the Kemper on my desk, hooked it up to my interface via spdif its an amazing tool for fucking round which is what I mainly like to do. I'm thinking the AxeFX would be just as good or better.
 
I sold all my amps and pedals about 7 or 8 years ago for the axefx II. Sounded great. Easy to carry. I was gigging regularly and loved the portability and flexibility.

However with all those amp models and effects, I just used two amp models and just delay and sometimes chorus or vibe.

So all that horsepower to run 1-2 amps and a few small effects. Decided this year to come back full circle. Back to tubes and rebuilding a pedalboard.

The axe sounded very good. Totally usable. But I feel it really didn’t capture the experience of playing through an amp/cab very well. The sound is pretty much there but the feel and dynamics aren’t that accurate. Not enough to give you those goosebumps.

I’ll hang on to the axe for home playing through headphones late at night. Maybe gigs for cover bands that require a huge amount of flexibility. But to me the modelers just flat out aren’t as fun to play!
 
OP, if you have to sell your amp to get the AXE don't do it. If it doesn't get you where you want, you're stuck with it until you sell and try another QR. They just don't quite get there for me...and that last 5-10% is important enough for me to pass. I had an AX8. Great modeler...but that's all it is. A modeler. Add one to your current gear but don't sell your tube amp to replace it. Great for recording, and through the PA it sounds great. But to get a good amp feel you need to run it through a good tube power amp and cab. I tried FRFR and it just sounded too fake for me. Through the FX return of my Coliseum it was better.
I'd never sell a tube amp and replace with any modeler. I'd just add It to my collection.
 
My AX8 might be the best piece of gear I ever purchased. Zero regrets.
 
Had my axe FX II since 2014, and over that time there were a lot of firmware updates and changes to the sound. There were points where I thought it was nearly on-par with my tube amps, and times where I felt it really fell short. Though after the most recent (and final) firmware update (which got some of the improvements from the Axe III), I think it has finally surpassed tube amps for me.

I used to be a tweaker, constantly tweaking patches, but now that it feels and sounds right, I rarely do, unless I get bored and decide to try out some new amp models.

Yesterday in fact I fired up my recto which I haven’t used in probably two months, to see what I was missing. Sounds great, but I think I like my axe FX recto patches a bit more at this point.

I’ve thought about upgrading to the axe FX iii, but I’m not really that interested in the regular firmware updates and constantly changing my patches anymore, especially since I think the II sounds perfect for me now.
 
SFW":ecee0xyy said:
Question, how bad is the delay between preset changes? I will be starting out with a standard midi controller. So I will be switching presets instead of scenes. I’ve heard 30ms- which is ok with me. Iva also heard 1 second, which would not be ok with me. I would like to be able to switch between a clean fender style clean to blazing Splawn tone without an extreme drop out. My main goal for this is playing live. Any input would be great. Thanks!
Click to expand...
The latency is terrible while switching between presets. I don't know the exact time it takes, but to me it would be unusable. Switching between scenes is seamless. That said, I've never tried the Axe III - maybe they worked out the kinks.

Also - You can have two amps in the same preset which can be scene specific. I switch between a fender and modded marshall between scenes on the same preset and there is no latency that I can tell. I think you get four amps per preset on the Axe III.
 
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