Never buying an amp again?

[BrentSSL]

There are just too many ways to get good guitar tone these days without a amp pedals, modelers, fx processors and so on. On top of that it's cheap to get a decent tone through a PA if you are a little tech savvy. I will get an amp if I find the right 4x12 and head combo until then I'm going to enjoy the range of possibilities of fx and modeling.

 

[glpg80]

Processors don't get the creative juices flowing enough for me to warrant using them, and them only. I like an amp that gives and takes with your playing - something you can control (IE forcing a tube amp into feedback). I've given the thought of going modeler, but I just can't justify it over the glass bottles. Each person is looking for a different thing these days though - which is great about gear that exists these days.

 

[errrrrl]

Define Never

 

[Exo-metal]

I feel nauseous

 

[BrentSSL]

Define Never

LOL until I find another rev G rackmount or rev f for a decent price

 

[BrentSSL]

Processors don't get the creative juices flowing enough for me to warrant using them, and them only. I like an amp that gives and takes with your playing - something you can control (IE forcing a tube amp into feedback). I've given the thought of going modeler, but I just can't justify it over the glass bottles. Each person is looking for a different thing these days though - which is great about gear that exists these days.

Honestly dude I can see your point of view but for me what gets my creative juices flowing is good tone. Also not picking that tone apart and I find it a lot harder to do that with modeling technology and processors.

 

[sleewell2]

It def feels like modelers and multi fx before were like 85-90% there compared to a real amp and now it's closer to 95-97%. I'd love to try a helix into a clean tube amp because I think in a band mix it would be just fine but I've gone down that road several times before and always gone back to amps and pedals.

 

[BrentSSL]

It def feels like modelers and multi fx before were like 85-90% there compared to a real amp and now it's closer to 95-97%. I'd love to try a helix into a clean tube amp because I think in a band mix it would be just fine but I've gone down that road several times before and always gone back to amps and pedals.

What I will say is all I'm doing right now is playing at home so that's all I need. If I was to get into a band I would need something like a Marshall DSL or a dual rectifier to be able to hang with the drummer. I'm more talking about coming through the PA and less about jamming in a band setting.

 

[EXPcustom]

I agree... to an extent.

If all you have access to is off the rack amps you can buy at Guitar Center or the local Mom and Pop shop chances are that an AxeFX and Kemper will get you 99% of the way there.

Now if you have actually found that "special" amp and sometimes it happens with off the rack stuff there is no way in a million years that a Kemper, AxeFX or whatever the latest modeler is will even get you close to a truly magical amp. Ask anyone that's played an original Jose or Bogner or Dumble or an amp by some of your favorite amp modders etc. I had been playing guitar since I was a kid back in the early 90's. First truly "magical" amp I played was around 2008-2009.


Same is true with some of that original rack gear from the 70's and 80's and certain effects pedals. Way better than the Axe-FX and Kemper effects.

 

[JimmyBlind]

I've gone down that road several times before and always gone back to amps and pedals.

My experience also. As a player who doesn't spend any time recording in the studio anymore & just wants to pickup the guitar & jam, a simple tube amp & modest pedal board is everything I need. I find that whole setup more inspiring.

 

[cardinal]

If you just want something that sounds cool, a few hundred dollars gets you a DSL or 5150 etc and you’re done.

A modeler can make a lot of sense though if 1) you do a lot of direct recording, 2) have serious size constraints, or 3) have a very specific rig in mind but can justify buying the real deal but the modeler can get you in the ballpark for a fraction of the cost.

 

[geetarmikey]

A good alternative I've personally found is my setup of a rack preamp with a decent effect processor (JMP-1 w/Digitech 1101).

Really versatile without having to shell out £££'s on a Kemper or Fractal.

 

[paulyc]

I bought an Axe II and I love it for it's features, size, etc...it sounds great too and allows me to have tons of stuff waiting to be utilized at a moment's notice, I was on the fence until I got Act Of Defiance's "The Birth and the Burial", all of Chris Broderick's guitars on that are Axe FX II, and I think it sounds awesome. I've heard some people say the Axe Ultra sounds better (as far as the amp models only), and I can't imagine how the Axe III sounds... whatever your opinion, it certainly is a great time to be a player with all the great gear we have to choose from.

 

[orangekick]

I haven't owned an amp in quite some time. I never thought that I'd get to this point, but the modeling and software really has gotten to the point that I don't need an amp any more. The only thing that I'm missing is feedback. I used to incorporate a lot of controlled feedback into my playing and that's not the easiest thing to approximate or achieve.

 

[sleewell2]

I haven't owned an amp in quite some time. I never thought that I'd get to this point, but the modeling and software really has gotten to the point that I don't need an amp any more. The only thing that I'm missing is feedback. I used to incorporate a lot of controlled feedback into my playing and that's not the easiest thing to approximate or achieve.

have you tried one of these?

 

[live4metal]

I once bought an eleven rack having in mind to get a good home rig for low volume playing. What a peace of crap it was. Sounded worst than my vox valvetronix i sold a while before. Threw it back in the box and it was the end of the moddeler dream for me.

I,d rather stick with my uberschall and boutiques amps
Personnally in live situation 8/10 times band who use moddeler sucks major time with their tone. Once in a while I hear good stuff from them

 

[BrentSSL]

This is my at home rig.

 

[thrashinbatman]

As a big supporter of modelers, and the proud owner of a Kemper, there's nothing like the feeling of an amp pushing air through a 4x12. I own an Engl Savage just because I love the tone of it enough to want the real deal that I can fiddle with on my own, but I use my Kemper into a tube power amp live, simply because it's more compact and convenient than running a pedalboard or a rack into my Savage.

I love my Kemper, and it gets most of the way there, but there's a nice release in using a tube amp. You don't need to worry about fiddling with settings or knobs to get it more authentic (this is both the upside and downside to the Kemper: the tweakability), because it just IS authentic.

 

[orangekick]

I haven't owned an amp in quite some time. I never thought that I'd get to this point, but the modeling and software really has gotten to the point that I don't need an amp any more. The only thing that I'm missing is feedback. I used to incorporate a lot of controlled feedback into my playing and that's not the easiest thing to approximate or achieve.

have you tried one of these?

Not yet. It's on my short list of things to buy in the coming months. We just moved, so cash flow is low at the moment. I've heard good things about this pedal though.

 

[guitarbilly74]

Using modelers through the PA means I would have to trust sound guys, which I never will.

For studio and home, they're great, but I need a good amp to play live.