Let's talk Axe-FX one more time!

ibanez4life SZ!

ibanez4life SZ!

Well-known member
Hey guys!

I need some advice on the Axe one more time.

I currently own 3 amps....a Mesa Roadster, Mesa Mark IV, and Bogner Uberschall. To get my tones, it takes atleast two of these amps, in a perfect world 3...A LOT to work with obviously.

I'm definitely not a pro musician...just LOVE playing...mostly jamming with my friends/band, and VERY VERY infrequent gigging at the moment. The rig, as you can imagine, is a PAIN to move.

So, Axe-FX owners...how are you liking it? Did it replace your amps? I realize there is probably a bit of a compromise, but I feel like having all these options, stereo amps, effects, etc, all in two rack spaces would be MUCH more reasonable for me.

Most importantly:

-How is the feel? Does it hold up with tube amps? I'm mostly working with high gain tones.

-How does the Axe sound at band levels? I don't really plan to play it at low volumes...does it hold up when turned up?

-What kind of power amp do you prefer with it? SS? Tube? I don't mind working with a tube power amp if it gets me better results.

Any insights on my situation would be great!

Eric
 
ibanez4life SZ!":10rk6iq2 said:
Hey guys!

I need some advice on the Axe one more time.

I currently own 3 amps....a Mesa Roadster, Mesa Mark IV, and Bogner Uberschall. To get my tones, it takes atleast two of these amps, in a perfect world 3...A LOT to work with obviously.

I'm definitely not a pro musician...just LOVE playing...mostly jamming with my friends/band, and VERY VERY infrequent gigging at the moment. The rig, as you can imagine, is a PAIN to move.

So, Axe-FX owners...how are you liking it? Did it replace your amps? I realize there is probably a bit of a compromise, but I feel like having all these options, stereo amps, effects, etc, all in two rack spaces would be MUCH more reasonable for me.

Most importantly:

-How is the feel? Does it hold up with tube amps? I'm mostly working with high gain tones.

-How does the Axe sound at band levels? I don't really plan to play it at low volumes...does it hold up when turned up?

-What kind of power amp do you prefer with it? SS? Tube? I don't mind working with a tube power amp if it gets me better results.

Any insights on my situation would be great!

Eric
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Eric,

I use the AXe-FX with my cover band and it holds up to any of the amps I own and better yet it feels great or should I say that I made it feel great! What that means is that if you aren't liking something about a particular sound you can change it and that also goes for the feel. (you can add more or less sag and just about everything in between!)
I started out using a tube poweramp with the axe but It added about 30lbs or more to the weight of my rack, so I experimented with a 16lb carvin SS poweramp and after a/b'ng both the SS and tube poweramp I was able to get the SS to do what I wanted so Now my rig is 30-40lbs lighter lol :D
The axe will most definitely hang in a band situation at loud volumes provided that you dial in the levels correctly.

I never wanted the axe-fx to replace any of my amps so I can't comment on that ;)

Hope that helps!
 
Hey Eric

I've owned all three of your amps and currently own the Uber - IMO the Axe definitely hangs with them. That was the most important thing to me in deciding whether to keep it or send it back in the 15 day trial period....whether or not it felt/sound the same as playing a real tube head. I spent an entire day a/bing with my Herbert to develop a patch that sounds identical to me to the way I set that amp. I've hardly played my Herbert since. Moving on to the Uber since they updated it for 10.01. The effects were secondary to me. In fact, so far I've really only just added a little reverb on a few patches and that's it.


I've found that the SS amp (ART SLA-2) I have can sound really good at low volume, but I don't like it as much when I turn it up loud. It sounds good, but not as good to me as the Fryette power-amps – regardless of volume. Weight isn’t an issue for me. If it was, I’d think the ART would be fine. I just feel the tube power-amps give it that little something that is missing with the SS power-amps. I don’t play in a band, but my house is structured so that I am able to play real loud without bothering the rest of the family – any time. So I do like to turn it up and let the Mills cabs breath.

I don’t think I’ll ever stop buying /be without a real tube head, but the Axe would really be all that I’d need if I needed to scale back on the gear.

The Axe can be intimidating at first, but it really is super easy to deal with – even without the Axe Edit program. With Axe Edit, it’s insanely simple. I generally prefer the simplicity of just a few dials to turn, and the way the Axe amp models are set up, you can just do that, or dig a little (or a lot) deeper if you want to.

All I can say is give it a shot. Buy a new one so you get the opportunity to return it if it isn't for you (and because used prices are just not that much cheaper to make it worth it to buy used). If you don't like it, send it back - then at least you'll know for sure.
 
ibanez4life SZ!":16stsnpt said:
-How is the feel? Does it hold up with tube amps? I'm mostly working with high gain tones.
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With the amps you've mentioned, I don't think you'll have a problem with the feel.
 
I am in the same boat but definitely on the road for an Ultra and here's why. I have multiple rigs depending who I'm playing with and what style of music, I have around 4 to 5 rigs ready to roll out the door with a pedal board to throw down in front of each one for extra sauce etc. It's a complete pain in the ASS! On top of this I always have a backup head just in case something blows during a show. I need something to cover all these bases and the AxeFx is the ticket. Blues rig? no problem. Rock rig? Definitely no problem. Metal rig? no problem.

I have had the pleasure of being up close and personal at a seminar with Lincoln Brewster and his AxeFx and got to grill him pretty good about it. He was playing through a pretty killer PA at the session and it sounded great, but that isn't going to work for me live. Rarely do we get anything other than vocals going through the PA, we rely on stage volume mostly. So...I put him on the spot and say that sounds great Lincoln but what about when you are playing a small venue or outside and there is no PA for your guitar to run through how does it sound and more importantly how does it feel? He just grinned, had the sound tech kill the PA and played through a 4x12 he had behind him. He had a Plexi model boosted with a hint of delay and it sounded AMAZING. The dynamics were there, the feel was there, and the tone was excellent!

So now, many months later and with some help and coaching from the East Coast H.O.M., I am now on my way to selling off some gear to get an Ultra setup. For bedroom playing, jamming with friends, doing live shows, or just writing and recording at home it can't be beat. Will I ever give up all my tube amps? Not a chance. But I do think this will be a great tool to cover all the areas I listed above with ease.

Just waiting for the appraisal on my Jaguar to get rolling then it's off to the races!
 
If either of you guys is in the San Antonio, TX area you would be more than welcome to come to our practice pad (we're jamming tonight) and check mine out... I've got an Ultra powered through a QSC GX 5 into a Marshall 1960 and Flextone cabs (both 4x12's).
 
I agree with everyone above. And I'll add that I'm shocked this thread hasn't yet been infected by a hater yet.
 
No hater here. I'm a tube guy and I'll probably never own an Ax. Not because it wouldn't work for me, I'd just never pay that kind of jack for a modeler.

Has anyone here bought one and run it through a loop of a tube amp? That might be cool for me. I'd have my Marshall power section with the power and versatility of the Ax. :thumbsup:
 
If you need 2 of your amps to get your tones, than the Axe-Fx would be ideal for you. I would start by running it through the power amp section of your mark IV and then look into getting a dedicated power amp later.
 
Badronald":12gtv1p4 said:
No hater here. I'm a tube guy and I'll probably never own an Ax. Not because it wouldn't work for me, I'd just never pay that kind of jack for a modeler.

Has anyone here bought one and run it through a loop of a tube amp? That might be cool for me. I'd have my Marshall power section with the power and versatility of the Ax. :thumbsup:
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I Lke it through my OD100's and Egnater seminar's loops.


Mark
 
I am convinced. Axe-Fx, I shall save up for. Get one and pair it with a nice 1x12 and an SS power amp, for a small portable rig. Now I just need a whole heap o' cash
:cry:

Here's a question. What speaker should I have in the cab? Mostly for metal and clean work, but I'll be playing all sorts of stuff.
 
I am not really afraid of the Axe-Fx not sounding good as much as I am afraid of it being a tweaking nightmare. If every amp were a preset and then you adjusted to taste, I'd probably be sold. I just don't know if I have the knowledge of amps enough (mic 2.3 inch from speaker, with sag, presence at 8.3, etc.) to not go insane. :)
 
AXE + Power amp + cabs sound great. however, you cannot escape the cabs' flavor. Its always there. It sounds like a Uber, Rectifier...through a Marshall cab.

For truly radical tones, try Full Range active monitors. And then those Redwirez IR's are simply amazing! For a very long time, I held out buying the Redwirez. But even the redwirez's improve the "feel". I cant even begin to imagine how a 2U rack mount unit can change the feel of playing! I have no inspiration to turn on my Uberschall (actually sold to me by the OP) or the Mark IV. :rock:
 
emperor_black":2gpibaqj said:
AXE + Power amp + cabs sound great. however, you cannot escape the cabs' flavor. Its always there. It sounds like a Uber, Rectifier...through a Marshall cab.

For truly radical tones, try Full Range active monitors. And then those Redwirez IR's are simply amazing! For a very long time, I held out buying the Redwirez. But even the redwirez's improve the "feel". I cant even begin to imagine how a 2U rack mount unit can change the feel of playing! I have no inspiration to turn on my Uberschall (actually sold to me by the OP) or the Mark IV. :rock:
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Oh I know. I love the sounds achievable using that rig. I'd love to have those some day, but it's not feasible for me right now. A cheap 1x12 is more my speed, as far as I know. Prove me wrong. please! :thumbsup:
 
dfrattaroli":1z8dmbpb said:
Badronald":1z8dmbpb said:
I'd just never pay that kind of jack for a modeler.
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Modelling is 10% of what it does.
Click to expand...

If amp modeling is only 10% of what it does, why buy one? You can get a smoking effects unit for way less and just run it in a loop of a quality amp. An amp the Axe is trying to model. :confused:
 
emperor_black":15e7ozma said:
AXE + Power amp + cabs sound great. however, you cannot escape the cabs' flavor. Its always there. It sounds like a Uber, Rectifier...through a Marshall cab.

For truly radical tones, try Full Range active monitors. And then those Redwirez IR's are simply amazing! For a very long time, I held out buying the Redwirez. But even the redwirez's improve the "feel". I cant even begin to imagine how a 2U rack mount unit can change the feel of playing! I have no inspiration to turn on my Uberschall (actually sold to me by the OP) or the Mark IV. :rock:
Click to expand...

For me, I'd much rather get my cabs flavor. I want the Axe but i have no desire at all to go Full Range. I tried the setup at the NY Ampshow and the whole time i wish i was playing the Axe with a tube poweramp and a good 4x12. The only thing i could really knock the Axe on was the greenback cab sim didn't sound that good at all. But in my ideal setup, i wouldn't use the cab sims.
 
danyeo":1raczir4 said:
emperor_black":1raczir4 said:
AXE + Power amp + cabs sound great. however, you cannot escape the cabs' flavor. Its always there. It sounds like a Uber, Rectifier...through a Marshall cab.

For truly radical tones, try Full Range active monitors. And then those Redwirez IR's are simply amazing! For a very long time, I held out buying the Redwirez. But even the redwirez's improve the "feel". I cant even begin to imagine how a 2U rack mount unit can change the feel of playing! I have no inspiration to turn on my Uberschall (actually sold to me by the OP) or the Mark IV. :rock:
Click to expand...

For me, I'd much rather get my cabs flavor. I want the Axe but i have no desire at all to go Full Range. I tried the setup at the NY Ampshow and the whole time i wish i was playing the Axe with a tube poweramp and a good 4x12. The only thing i could really knock the Axe on was the greenback cab sim didn't sound that good at all. But in my ideal setup, i wouldn't use the cab sims.
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Were you using Cab Sims with the Full Range enclosures? Redwirez, or the Axe-FX native stuff?

I think I'd prefer to have a 2x12 or a 4x12 behind me as well. I just like the power it gives out, and the color it adds to the tone.
 
We recently tried power monitors next to a power-amp/cab set up. Bought the redwirez cabs too. I'm sure it takes more tweaking than we gave it, but we just couldn't get it to sound anywhere near as good with the FRFR as we could with the pa/cab set-up.

The redwirez cabs are cool, but there are way,way,way to many mic/mic placement options to get your arms around. At least for me. :doh:
 
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