My AxeFx is having me consider selling my amps

[steve_k]

think i will sell all mine too......





not.........





still having trouble with the VCR.....






Axe FX......

 

[TheMagicEight]

still having trouble with the VCR.....

What the hell is a VCR?

 

[killertone]

Tried an Ultra out for a few hours and dialed in an ok tone through a power amp/412 cab and also directly into my DAW. Then plugged into an amp sitting in my studio and had a killer tone in less than 30 seconds. The Axe is a tweaker's nightmare. Not for me but works for others.

 

[Gainfreak]

it seems as though what i've said all along, from the pre-ownership listening to the clips phase to now, is exactly what i am experiencing with the axe.

the stereo rack effects are huge and the best i've ever personally owned.
the synth sounds are head turning.
the delays in this box are ridiculously awesome, from echoplex to memory man to 2290, probably the most accurately reproduced features in the box.
the reverb is lexicon comparable.
some of the pedal effects are great and things like compressors and dirt boxes have evolved greatly in it and the simplicity of routing these things digitally without rack interfaces, cable, space requirements are a dream come true


the amps
here's where it gets tricky. i'm getting great SOUNDS in the territories of the amp models i'm using, granted every tone i dial in has drive pedals, paraeq, cab sims, and one or more post amp effects.
their just not BEHAVING in a manner i'm familiar with. if you just bang on a rock preset it's fine, but for subtle hybrid pick players like myself, sometimes it's too flat, sometimes its too harsh, sometimes too waxy in the mids, particularly when you get to rolling of gtr volume....

like gainy said, the levels must be monitored all along the way to keep things optimized and consistent to the output. i'm doing my best to optimize each link in the chain for levels coming in and going out. maybe rather than roll of gtr volume i need to apply a volume pedal in the loop or expression pedal a precise volume parameter somewhere to obtain the rsult.

this weekend i auditioned the carol ann model next to my real carol ann and in some areas of the neck it sounded extremely accurate, but in certain areas of the neck it was a dead modeling giveaway. and pound for pound the real amp is way more inspiring to play with real compression pedals and drive pedals, and real speakers. i was going to add real delays to that list but the axe delays are so good i'd be perfectly happy using one in the axe. delay freaks really need to hear the box for that aspect.

again, every time you add a new link in the axe it is 85-95 percent of the real thing, mostly feel and response, which makes the cumulative result of a complex chain substantially off the mark, and keeps you seeking ways to restore missing elements by adding or cutting somewhere down the line.

the cae lead tone is extremely similar to what i've played and heard live on single notes but chords sound funny.

the strummed rhythms of my plexi/trainwreck tone is full and twangy but kinda dead on single notes.

the modded plexi tone is great but i want to dial the sharp presence back down into the warmth a bit, but presence control doesn't control "that" presence.

so it dawned on me for the axe that i'm going try to take a different approach i've used in the past in rack world. for each main tone i use, i'm going to set one for rhythm, one for lead, of the same basic preset, from cleans to dirty.

fender sparkly effected clean, stripped down clean lead
plexiwreck rhythm, plexiwreck lead
carol ann rhythm, carol ann lead
modded plexi rhythm, modded plexi lead
etc.

and for the cost of one speaker i can purchase a whole bunch of redwirez speakers so i figure that's worth a try to, although the computer side of the axe for me is pretty unromatic to say the least! appreciate the functionality but hate using it.
but then again when's the last time you played your guitar and switched between ej clean and a real violin?

"Axe hater!"

I kid... but thanks for sharing your thoughts. When I read this post I was like "Yeah exactly what I felt about the unit." You just put it better than I ever have.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, for some tones and certain situations the Axe can't be beat and a large part of the FX are stellar. IMHO it just lacks what a tube amp gives me and I think you put it into words very well.

If that makes me a hater then so be it but I'm not. I just don't think it is what some make it out to be and I'll always voice that opinion for those who are looking for info on the unit. If I was researching info on something I would want to hear the good with the bad.

I mean the way some people get their panties in wad over any less than glowing post about the Axe makes me wonder if they married to the thing.

That just happens from time to time with people getting there panties in a bunch LOL

I try to be neutral but I do see both sides (the nay sayers and the people who praise the thing)

Like Ive said in another post, I think somethings need to be argued especially when a person spreads a falsehood. (not saying that you have done that!)

I've seen what you have said about the axe-fx in posts and Ive never gotten the feeling that you were saying anything bad. It just didn't work for you and that's ok! If people came after you because you didn't like it then that's just silly. If you said something that just wasn't true, that would be another thing entirely.

I completely agree Ralph that all sides need to be heard as long as they aren't spreading falsehood. Also Pat brings up a great point on even though the Axe isn't cheap you do get a lot in the box. Trust me I wasn't talking about you when I said those getting all defensive. There are a few here that do and a few more on TGP. You've always been very fair as I'm glad you've seen me being. In your situation with gigs and the ground you need to cover I can see the AxeFX being a great tool to use.

This is the type of conversation I like when people can have opinions without resorting to personal attacks or telling someone that they just don't know how to dial in a piece of gear LOL
Lord knows I had to learn how to do this because I have been guilty in the past of saying a bunch of crap lol. It's easy to get sucked into that mindset

all the best!
Ralph

 

[Gainfreak]

Like Ive said in another post, I think somethings need to be argued especially when a person spreads a falsehood. (not saying that you have done that!)

I'm not sure what qualifies as a "falsehood" regarding the AxeFX that isn't merely opinion. For instance, I believe the feel of the AxeFX simply doesn't feel the same as an amp....especially the med gain amps like an old Marshall. Barely in the ballpark, if at all. Yet, there are others that claim it feels the same as it's real amp counterpart. I feel it gets closer in tone that feel by a fair margin. So from my perspective, that it "feels" as good as a tube amp is a falsehood.

Then there are the classics of "it sounds better than [the amp it is modeling]", which I find curious.

There's also the "you can dial in exactly the tone in your head". Apparently, as long as that tone in your head isn't another real amp, that could be a true statement.

There are challenges out there in which the the Axe falls short of reaching the target tone...but for some reason the people that tell others "they don't know how to dial it in right" end up attacking the challenge poster instead of matching the tone.

Perhaps this attitude is in response to the tube snobs. Perhaps it's the other way around. The chicken or the egg? I think it ultimately takes two to tango.

I think the Axe is an pretty cool unit. It didn't work for me, but it's probably the best direct recording solution out there.

I agree that there is a fine line between opinion and fact but what I said does exist. When I hear people say that the axe-fx won't move air that's not fact... That's opinion. Go ahead and pipe the AXE-FX through a Boogie Strategy 400 and set the levels on the axe correctly and then tell me that your pant leg isn't flapping in the breeze
Another one that made me laugh is that it wont cut in a live situation. Well no shit if you scoop the mids but the funny thing about the axe is that you have graphic eq's and parametric eq's..If you ain't cutting in a live situation it's pilot error
That's the type of stuff that I was talking about.

 

[mentoneman]

another thing that came to light is i get why rock players love this thing. normally they play louder on stage and the louder the better with the axe, for monitoring.

it's making me rethink how to amplify the axe for lower volume playing. honestly, i wish my super champ xd had a line in. i love the sound and feel of that amp with 6v6s at lower volumes, amplifying a bunch of it's built in modeled preamp tones. i know there's a mod online to do the fx return on it.
2 of those bad boys for power might be sweet.

 

[tweed]

All I know is I have been trying to land one for over a year and everytime I get any type of funds established they get wiped out for other stuff. I think an Ultra would kill for me in a coverband environment. Maybe I can sell off one of my kids and get one.

 

[DEWD]

I'd like to try one but I can't gamble with $2000 unless it haz the toobs.

 

[ejecta]

Like Ive said in another post, I think somethings need to be argued especially when a person spreads a falsehood. (not saying that you have done that!)

I'm not sure what qualifies as a "falsehood" regarding the AxeFX that isn't merely opinion. For instance, I believe the feel of the AxeFX simply doesn't feel the same as an amp....especially the med gain amps like an old Marshall. Barely in the ballpark, if at all. Yet, there are others that claim it feels the same as it's real amp counterpart. I feel it gets closer in tone that feel by a fair margin. So from my perspective, that it "feels" as good as a tube amp is a falsehood.

Then there are the classics of "it sounds better than [the amp it is modeling]", which I find curious.

There's also the "you can dial in exactly the tone in your head". Apparently, as long as that tone in your head isn't another real amp, that could be a true statement.

There are challenges out there in which the the Axe falls short of reaching the target tone...but for some reason the people that tell others "they don't know how to dial it in right" end up attacking the challenge poster instead of matching the tone.

Perhaps this attitude is in response to the tube snobs. Perhaps it's the other way around. The chicken or the egg? I think it ultimately takes two to tango.

I think the Axe is an pretty cool unit. It didn't work for me, but it's probably the best direct recording solution out there.

Exactly!

 

[Gainfreak]

All I know is I have been trying to land one for over a year and everytime I get any type of funds established they get wiped out for other stuff. I think an Ultra would kill for me in a coverband environment. Maybe I can sell off one of my kids and get one.

I hate to say it but that's why I use the cards.... Every time I try to save cash for something life gets in the way so I use credit. ......Well there is that and the fact that I don't have any kids to sell

 

[stratotone]

I'd like to try one but I can't gamble with $2000 unless it haz the toobs.

Buy used, no gamble there - you can flip it for what you paid easily.

Pete

 

[tweed]

All I know is I have been trying to land one for over a year and everytime I get any type of funds established they get wiped out for other stuff. I think an Ultra would kill for me in a coverband environment. Maybe I can sell off one of my kids and get one.

I hate to say it but that's why I use the cards.... Every time I try to save cash for something life gets in the way so I use credit. ......Well there is that and the fact that I don't have any kids to sell

I hear ya bro but no can do. I am on the road to having everything paid off and so far holding off using the cards. That being said, i'm not sure how much longer I can contain this GAS and all bets may be off ROFL!

 

[Rogue]

I agree that there is a fine line between opinion and fact but what I said does exist. When I hear people say that the axe-fx won't move air that's not fact... That's opinion. Go ahead and pipe the AXE-FX through a Boogie Strategy 400 and set the levels on the axe correctly and then tell me that your pant legs isn't flapping in the breeze
That's the type of stuff that I was talking about.

As far as I'm concerned, that the AxeFX "feels" like a real amp is a falsehood. There are those that will disagree and that's fine...but it doesn't exist.

That said, you can crank any amp that is loud and it will move air. I agree. I don't know what he's talking about but I can say that the AxeFX lacked the "thump" that some amps have. That thing where you feel the sound. The AxeFX isn't alone in this because there are many tube amps that doesn't do it either. Perhaps that's what he's talking about. I don't know.

 

[Rogue]

I hear ya bro but no can do. I am on the road to having everything paid off and so far holding off using the cards. That being said, i'm not sure how much longer I can contain this GAS and all bets may be off ROFL!

I wouldn't sell off any amps you like to pick one up (unless you have the sickness and trade all the time anyways ). You may or may not gell with it. Save your money and pick one up when you can. If you find it doesn't do it for you after some time and you don't feel the need for your amp amp, sell it. If you don't gell with the Axe you can sell it for what you put into it if you bought used.

If I had the extra cash, I'd have another because it's a great direct recording unit and has some really good effects...but I like a good tube amp's warmth.

 

[Digital Jams]

I'd like to try one but I can't gamble with $2000 unless it haz the toobs.

You can also say good bye to 25-35% of your money with most boutique amps when you sell them since it seems you are thinking buy new.

Has anyone lost more than $100 selling an axefx?

 

[ejecta]

another thing that came to light is i get why rock players love this thing. normally they play louder on stage and the louder the better with the axe, for monitoring.

it's making me rethink how to amplify the axe for lower volume playing. honestly, i wish my super champ xd had a line in. i love the sound and feel of that amp with 6v6s at lower volumes, amplifying a bunch of it's built in modeled preamp tones. i know there's a mod online to do the fx return on it.
2 of those bad boys for power might be sweet.

Hey Pat... an Egnater Tweaker has a loop and is 6V6 based and new I think around 3 or 4 bills. Might be worth checking out to power your AxeFX the way you just described.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Does anyone really even sell their Axe FX period? I periodically check ebay to see the prices and there is hardly anything on there for sale ever

 

[vchizzle]

I'd like to try one but I can't gamble with $2000 unless it haz the toobs.

You can also say good bye to 25-35% of your money with most boutique amps when you sell them since it seems you are thinking buy new.

Has anyone lost more than $100 selling an axefx?

Come now, you usually lose about a buck-fiddy when you sell the Axe...that's if you bought new and sold.

 

[ejecta]

I'd like to try one but I can't gamble with $2000 unless it haz the toobs.

You can also say good bye to 25-35% of your money with most boutique amps when you sell them since it seems you are thinking buy new.

Has anyone lost more than $100 selling an axefx?

If you buy new yes. About $2050 with shipping for a new Ultra and sell it for about $1800 possibly minus shipping and some fees. Granted that's not as huge a hit on some amps which I give credit to the Axe for. That said... resale value doesn't for me help dictate whether an amp or anything for that matter will be a good unit let alone be something that works for me. I'm not saying you are saying that is the case.... I'm just saying.

 

[Rogue]

Granted that's not as huge a hit on some amps which I give credit to the Axe for.

Like the Storm.

I'll never get that one. Great sounding amp and couldn't sell it for shit.