Did a modeller change your whoreish ways?

[Chris6870]

Just cleaned house and am considering a POD HD or similar as opposed to a room full of amps. I still have two real amps for gigs. Is a modeller just another stop on the merry go round or can it be the final stop? Discuss.

 

[Ventura]

Just cleaned house and am considering a POD HD or similar as opposed to a room full of amps. I still have two real amps for gigs. Is a modeller just another stop on the merry go round or can it be the final stop? Discuss.

I think it is...(just another stop on the merry-go-round). Look man, the way I see it, is you're either afflicted with GAS or your not. I've come to realize a LONG time ago that the more I play my gear, the less I want more gear. The less I play, the more I want. You may be different, but this is where it's at for me. New purchases have been used in the past as a form of inspiration, but it never lasts. I'm finding the more I stick to what I've got an make it happen - just play the shit out of it - get 'one' with it - the less I need anything. Sure, I've got the goods - lots of stuff - but I find myself whoring out on new gear online, only to find that most of everything I need or could possibly want is right here and available to me.

I think modelers have a ways to go before they're mainstream. The Axe has broken the ice and made a lot of headway, it's only natural for other companies now to start in on the bandwagon. But I see this as being cyclical - it'll all come back down to amps and strings in another 10 years. Remember the 80s with the synths and that hideous roland guitar and all that shit? Well it was "the way of the future" in 84 man...but it's over with. Grunge kicked that shit in the teeth in the early 90's and that was that. Now we're back to modelers and digital stuff and I see it going bye bye in the fashionable sense, once the next wave of crude and simple (read: good) music strikes

Just my 2 cents,
Mo

 

[Ventura]

And PS - SHORT ANSWER:
No. Modeling didn't stop my whorish ways although the Axe-II definitely assisted me in getting a shit load of tones very easily, very quickly.

But as soon as I plug into my Hagen? My 20thA XTC?? No contest man, those amps just slay...and will never be replaced by a modeler.

 

[Audioholic]

Kept it at bay for a little while. But still great to play and record a real amp and moving speaker! I am coming back to that and really digging it again..

 

[jlbaxe]

After getting an Axe-Fx I sold all my effects and amps except for 2 amps. I did aquire 2 cube cabs a VHT2902 and another RT2/50. As for wanting amps, nah, I have been happy and have more money in the bank. I did upgrade to the Axe II and Im on the prowl for a Pro HD. I had a M13 that wasn't flexible enough for me and sold it but really liked the effects in it. The Pro Hd has those effects and a few amp lines that the Axe doesn't including a Mic pre.

The only thing I gassed for was a Solando Space Box. I need a real reverb unit with my Bogner.

I feel better not having all the gear piled up and the massive amounts of cable. Removing all my cables when I tore down my racks filled a yellow recycling bin to the top. Line 6 seem to have been there in the beginning and more affordable, Fractal took it farther but I like both for what they are. Both make it easier to record direct or practice without disturbing anyone day or night.

 

[glassjaw7]

My PodHD actually increased my gas. After getting acquainted with a couple of models that I like (Diveded by 13, Dr. Z, Plexi model, Engl Fireball preamp) I actually want to buy the real amps. That's one thing I think will start to happen with modeling, especially now that it's getting more realistic with the Kemper and profiling, is that people will be able to buy a modeler and use it to see what tube amp they want to buy.

On another note, last summer my band played a lot of gigs and that made my gas go bye-bye! Didn't matter what I was playing through. Just being up there playing to an excited audience made me forget about the gear completely, so I could focus on why I started playing guitar in the first place. Now that we haven't played a show since Thanksgiving, I'm back to my gassy ways.

 

[311boogieman]

glassjaw kind of nailed it for what I was going to say.

I picked up a Vypyr tube 60 for $315 and it really killed a lot of GAS that I had but it didn't last long. Now I want one of each of the amp models it models

 

[The Hoff]

And PS - SHORT ANSWER:
No. Modeling didn't stop my whorish ways although the Axe-II definitely assisted me in getting a shit load of tones very easily, very quickly.

But as soon as I plug into my Hagen? My 20thA XTC?? No contest man, those amps just slay...and will never be replaced by a modeler.

Yep. Just how I feel. The Axe II has done an amazing job getting me "a shit load of tones very easily, very quickly." However-I am still blown away by my tube amps. If you aren't afflicted with GAS yet, buy an AxeII and be done with it. Once you start the merry-go-round, it's nearly never ending.

 

[blackba]

My PodHD actually increased my gas. After getting acquainted with a couple of models that I like (Diveded by 13, Dr. Z, Plexi model, Engl Fireball preamp) I actually want to buy the real amps. That's one thing I think will start to happen with modeling, especially now that it's getting more realistic with the Kemper and profiling, is that people will be able to buy a modeler and use it to see what tube amp they want to buy.

On another note, last summer my band played a lot of gigs and that made my gas go bye-bye! Didn't matter what I was playing through. Just being up there playing to an excited audience made me forget about the gear completely, so I could focus on why I started playing guitar in the first place. Now that we haven't played a show since Thanksgiving, I'm back to my gassy ways.

Same thing happened to me with the Vox Valvetronix AD120 (blue panel) I owned, it made me want to own the amps that I liked the models off. When I did compare the Valvetronix head to head, I felt like the Valvetronix got 80% of the way there. I know modeling has come along way since those old Valvetronix amps, but I am pretty darn happy with my tube amps.

As for the Axe-Fx, I have long wanted one. What has always kept me way is the price, this coming from someone who has never spent more than $1500 on an amp. The price drops of the Axe-Fx standard have started to temp me though, but I am concerned I would long for the Axe-FxII, which is way out of my budget by the time you add the footcontroler and I know I would want a power amp too.

 

[D-Rock]

The only thing better than a room full of amps is a room full of naked hot chicks....

 

[fluff191]

My POD HD Pro really tamed the GAS I had for buying stuff specifically for recording. I use it to hash out ideas, quickly lay down a riff and to record my bass tracks with. Not that easy when you have to 'quickly' run a mic cord, place the mic, get a good tone, etc.

The tube amps are for when it is time to record the final track and to jam with the guys on the weekends.

So really they are 2 separate things.

 

[DrugDM]

I recently purchased a line 6 DT 25 head and 1x12 cab and paired with the pod hd500 I don't see the need for another amp...It is really the best of all worlds IMHO.

Joseph

 

[jlbaxe]

I recently purchased a line 6 DT 25 head and 1x12 cab and paired with the pod hd500 I don't see the need for another amp...It is really the best of all worlds IMHO.

Joseph

Im headed that route slowwwwwlyyyy but I'm not giving up my Bogner but seems like a cool set up

 

[university81]

I think it is...(just another stop on the merry-go-round). Look man, the way I see it, is you're either afflicted with GAS or your not. I've come to realize a LONG time ago that the more I play my gear, the less I want more gear. The less I play, the more I want. You may be different, but this is where it's at for me. New purchases have been used in the past as a form of inspiration, but it never lasts. I'm finding the more I stick to what I've got an make it happen - just play the shit out of it - get 'one' with it - the less I need anything. Sure, I've got the goods - lots of stuff - but I find myself whoring out on new gear online, only to find that most of everything I need or could possibly want is right here and available to me.

this +1, nail on the head

 

[jcj]

I think it is...(just another stop on the merry-go-round). Look man, the way I see it, is you're either afflicted with GAS or your not. I've come to realize a LONG time ago that the more I play my gear, the less I want more gear. The less I play, the more I want. You may be different, but this is where it's at for me. New purchases have been used in the past as a form of inspiration, but it never lasts. I'm finding the more I stick to what I've got an make it happen - just play the shit out of it - get 'one' with it - the less I need anything. Sure, I've got the goods - lots of stuff - but I find myself whoring out on new gear online, only to find that most of everything I need or could possibly want is right here and available to me.

this +1, nail on the head

True for me, as well....however I actually like trying new stuff, so I'm still a bit of a whore

 

[GtarLover]

I think I am with V on this one. I have too much gear, that's it. I have an AXE II, a few awesome heads, great cabs and do I need anything else...ABSOLUTELY not. Do I still look, ABSOLUTELY.

I seem to go around and play different amps on a kind of rotation. Sometimes I am all about Diezel, then I am all about Quickrod, then it's Bogner, then it's Mark V...see what I am getting at. When you have a variety of sweet tones, there is NO reason to purchase anything. But, that doesn't stop me from admiring a great tone that someone has posted or looking at the newest cool thing.

I love the Axe. I have used my amps as baseline tones for getting similar sounds from the Axe and I considered it replacing things, yet I feel more like the Axe gets integrated into the rig and allows me to replace pedals (the effects are awesome as well as the amp and cab models). The fact for me is, I love midi and think midi capabilities are the best. So as long as I have midi control, my amps can rotate in and out and all is well.

Have fun and love what you love...it's about the music, right?

GtarLover

 

[shred-o-holic]

The Axe-FX killed my amp whoring the last 2.5 years.......killed it........now I need a guitar equivalent.....or maybe not. I'm having fun and it's not as expensive.....at least I'm not selling everything to get something else....I have a HD-500 also but while it's a cool piece of gear it's not as good as my Axe-FX.....

 

[FUZZboat]

I still use my old "blue panel" Valvetronix AD60 for clean tones maybe I'm in the minority but I'm 100% happy with the clean tones
I get

don't take this as AD60 the sucks otherwise - just the opposite its one of the best bang for your buck modellers IMHO
- the secret is to put a preamp in front of it (my trusty old rocktron
chamelon sounds going into it !)

I use my MTS preamp for everything else -

sold everything else (too much to mention )

so in part, yeah moddellers did change my gear-whore ways

 

[RSRD]

And PS - SHORT ANSWER:
No. Modeling didn't stop my whorish ways although the Axe-II definitely assisted me in getting a shit load of tones very easily, very quickly.

But as soon as I plug into my Hagen? My 20thA XTC?? No contest man, those amps just slay...and will never be replaced by a modeler.

Totally agree with this. At first you are like: wow look at all these different tones... and you forget that none of the channels hold a candle to the real amps... Then you plug in a bogner or what have you - and you are like WTF did I buy the modeller for

 

[Badronald]

I have 0 interest in playing a modeler. Doesn't make sense for me. I plug a guitar into a couple pedals into a steamin' hot tube amp and make music.

I'm soo glad I'm not interested in that stuff. I never have to worry about upgrading to the latest firmware so my amp can sound sooooo much better than it did before. Ooooh wait, there are more updates coming in a few months. Dammit! A new version just came out. I MUST upgrade..........blah