OK I see so many guys these days throwing out their killer tube heads for one of these it defiantly intrigues me. Whats the cheapest way into a solid but affordable AXE FX rig. power amp suggestions, do you use a cab or a stage moniter, I guess the expensive footswitch is a must too? Also is it really worth leaving my precious tube amps I mean does it really bring all the mojo and feel of a real tube amp or is it going to leave me wanting in that department? Any info would be much appriciated thanks
Tell Me about AXE FX II Post your rig
- Thread starter psche378
- Start date
I tried the stage monitor, it was crap, I tried the matrix power amp and all it did was basically turn the axefx in to a line 6 unit, the matrix was very light and convenient but it sucked the life and color out of the tones from the axefx. Then I bought a VHT 2/50/2 and it was like the tone exploded out of the speakers. The tubes warmed everything up and made it right. After while I became frustrated with the amount of tweaking involved and just sold the whole rig and bought another EVH 5153 and hooked my pedals back up. The only thing I miss about the axefx is the effects but nothing else. To me it was a giant pain in the ass and while the tones in the axefx units are really awesome, even with a tube power amp they don't replace an amp for live use. I would use the axefx for recording and nothing more if I still had it.
wizardy
Member
My main unit for the last 3 years
Best gear purchase I've ever made.
I've bought it 3 months after its release.
Been gigging with it, playing at home with headphones, playing live at show with it.
All you need is a Fryette 2/90/2 to pair with and you'll be in heaven.
No tweaks at all.
Engage Voicing switch on the fryette
Pick an amp on the axe , turn off cab simulator , and feed a full stack with the fryette
I've never been satisfied with the FRFR way but I do use the FX-loop out to feed my personnal FRFR monitors at shows which is pretty cool.
I strongly suggest buying the MFC-101 with it too.
Here's me playing the Axe live last weekend.
Me and my other guitarist are both plugged in my Axe-fx II and the fryette is feeding 2x412 . I'm using the HBE amp and he's playing through the 5150 II model.
(Sorry for bad camcorder audio, will post better recording this week)
Best gear purchase I've ever made.
I've bought it 3 months after its release.
Been gigging with it, playing at home with headphones, playing live at show with it.
All you need is a Fryette 2/90/2 to pair with and you'll be in heaven.
No tweaks at all.
Engage Voicing switch on the fryette
Pick an amp on the axe , turn off cab simulator , and feed a full stack with the fryette
I've never been satisfied with the FRFR way but I do use the FX-loop out to feed my personnal FRFR monitors at shows which is pretty cool.
I strongly suggest buying the MFC-101 with it too.
Here's me playing the Axe live last weekend.
Me and my other guitarist are both plugged in my Axe-fx II and the fryette is feeding 2x412 . I'm using the HBE amp and he's playing through the 5150 II model.
(Sorry for bad camcorder audio, will post better recording this week)
Metlupass2
Well-known member
I use do run mine through an ART SLA2 power amp into 2 Atomic Reactor 112s.
I then just went straight into a pair of a Yahama HS50s with the matching subwoofer which is how I run my Kemper now.
I've got an extra Atomic Reactor for sale if you decide to go that route.
I then just went straight into a pair of a Yahama HS50s with the matching subwoofer which is how I run my Kemper now.
I've got an extra Atomic Reactor for sale if you decide to go that route.
Shask
Well-known member
It really depends on what you want to do with it. The footswitch isn't mandatory, IMO. I don't even have one for mine, but I don't play out though.
Do you want it for live or for recording? Do you want to go poweramp/cab or FRFR?
It is an awesome unit. I love mine also. I use an ART SLA-2, or the power section from my Triple Rectifier into a cab. I also use studio monitors sometimes. Just all depends on what mood I am in. It is an amazing unit that does a lot of things that keeps getting better every month. It is certainly the future of guitar amplification.....
Do you want it for live or for recording? Do you want to go poweramp/cab or FRFR?
It is an awesome unit. I love mine also. I use an ART SLA-2, or the power section from my Triple Rectifier into a cab. I also use studio monitors sometimes. Just all depends on what mood I am in. It is an amazing unit that does a lot of things that keeps getting better every month. It is certainly the future of guitar amplification.....
moltenmetalburn
Active member
Guitar into vht valvulator
into axe 2 rear input
into vht 2150
into a pair of 2x12 forte cabinets.
Absolutely Kills.
I let my friends bring their amps over to go head to head. They all sell their heads and start saving.
I'll admit it took this setup for me to be completely satisfied . The buffer up front gives me true tube amp feel, the axe is used as a preamp only which allows proper fx placement between preamp and power amp, and the tube powers p does it's thing.
I have careful turned off any process in the axe related to the poweramp to get the purest preamp tones from it.
After much experimentation I have a Rig that does more than when I had 8 tube amps.
Couldn't be any happier.
into axe 2 rear input
into vht 2150
into a pair of 2x12 forte cabinets.
Absolutely Kills.
I let my friends bring their amps over to go head to head. They all sell their heads and start saving.
I'll admit it took this setup for me to be completely satisfied . The buffer up front gives me true tube amp feel, the axe is used as a preamp only which allows proper fx placement between preamp and power amp, and the tube powers p does it's thing.
I have careful turned off any process in the axe related to the poweramp to get the purest preamp tones from it.
After much experimentation I have a Rig that does more than when I had 8 tube amps.
Couldn't be any happier.
gkinsingapore
New member
I've been using the Axe FX 2 for about 9 months and generally been very happy with it. I'm running it with the Atomic CLR on stage and plugged into the PA. You can tweak or not, up to you, you'll be happy either way. I'm not a programmer and I do prefer to twist a knob BUT with the Axe I got off my ass and learned to programme the MFC and Scenes within a preset. Takes a few minutes and you are done.
There are tons of really helpful videos on youtube to help you get your head around things and I can't recommend the online community highly enough. This was one of the reasons I went Axe instead of Kemper, despite the Kemper being available locally.
Sometimes, as with tube amps, I can't get the sound happening in the same room at the same volume with nothing changed. More to do with my ears than anything. I drove home over the weekend wondering if I would like to go back to a tube amp but the next day someone showed me a video of the gig and the guitar sounded huge.
For me, I really couldn't come up with a compelling reason to go back to tubes. I have a Suhr PT 100 and cab sat at home doing nothing that I should sell, maybe when the next generation of Axe comes out which, with tech, is the only trap for me in that you are stuck in a hardware upgrade cycle.
Also, I know the hardcore dudes go crazy over all the firmware upgrades but its a bit a of a pain to stay up to date on the software side....
There are tons of really helpful videos on youtube to help you get your head around things and I can't recommend the online community highly enough. This was one of the reasons I went Axe instead of Kemper, despite the Kemper being available locally.
Sometimes, as with tube amps, I can't get the sound happening in the same room at the same volume with nothing changed. More to do with my ears than anything. I drove home over the weekend wondering if I would like to go back to a tube amp but the next day someone showed me a video of the gig and the guitar sounded huge.
For me, I really couldn't come up with a compelling reason to go back to tubes. I have a Suhr PT 100 and cab sat at home doing nothing that I should sell, maybe when the next generation of Axe comes out which, with tech, is the only trap for me in that you are stuck in a hardware upgrade cycle.
Also, I know the hardcore dudes go crazy over all the firmware upgrades but its a bit a of a pain to stay up to date on the software side....
JimmyBlind
Active member
timeroo":1x19lnan said:
Did you have the power amp simulation on or off?
With the SS power amps like the Matrix, the power-amp simulation needs to be on or it sounds utter plop plops.
I personally think the Matrix power amps are well-suited to the AxeFX. I think the power amp simulation is pretty good on the AxeFX. Plus, recorded guitar tracks will be better emulated live on stage this way I think.
To the OP, If you aren't concerned with your sound being produced by a computer, they're a bit of a no-brainer. You get hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of the best guitar equipment ever made at your disposal.
I didn't really have the time & patience with mine of course. It's overwhelming even for serious players with a lot of experience in amplifiers, FX & signal chains.
Until I have the money or can justify owning both a tube rig & an AxeFX, I really won't be going down the digital route again any time soon.
I'd recommend the unit to anyone though, as it really is an incredible unit. Whether they will like it or not depends on the player. It's not for everyone.
moltenmetalburn
Active member
The Hoff":xygnlg9q said:
Great combination but those who leave the powers ps on don't realized they have hyped sounds compared to everything else guitar ever..
I went from a 2/90/2 to a 2150 as the 2150 has full size transformers and sounded as such
supersonic
New member
Meh, I just switched back to my valve head after running an Axe II for a year. I tried and I tried but there is something missing with the feel of it. I was using a Matrix GT800FX, Matrix CFR wedge and Matrix NL 1x12. My trade for great tone is carrying a massive head and quad and new output valves every 10 months. It's worth it though! 
Bishop5150
Well-known member
I have an Axe II with the MFC 101 Mark III, Matrix GT 1000 and 2 XiTone passive wedges. I dig the Axe but it's not replacing my amps and G-System rig for live use. At least not yet anyway.
I'm also really tempted by an Axe-fx setup, but I really don't know if it would satisfy my need for something really dynamic and fat-sounding when played live.
I play a Herbert at the moment, and I really love the massive warm low mids and bottom end - it really shakes the room. I don't play metal, it tends to be more mid-gain rock sounds and cleans, but also with a smooth higher gain lead sound.
I love the idea of an Axe-fx/Matrix setup because it'd be more versatile, and much lighter and smaller - but would it give me the massive punch in the back that my Herbert gives me??
I play a Herbert at the moment, and I really love the massive warm low mids and bottom end - it really shakes the room. I don't play metal, it tends to be more mid-gain rock sounds and cleans, but also with a smooth higher gain lead sound.
I love the idea of an Axe-fx/Matrix setup because it'd be more versatile, and much lighter and smaller - but would it give me the massive punch in the back that my Herbert gives me??
Serratus":12rnltnn said:
This is EXACTLY my dilemma. I LOVE Herbert and the tones that I can get.
I have been running the Axe II for a while with a Matrix GT1000.
I run the cabs onstage form the Matrix and send a direct line to FOH with cab modeling from the Axe.
It is THE best way to get a consistent tone from venue to venue.
Sounds great on stage AND in the crowd.
Small compact rig with all the effects and amps...and growing with updates.
I like the quick set-up/tear down and not having to bring spare everything to gigs.
Ideally, having a complete spare rig is preferable
Also, as others have mentioned, it does have a price tag.
-Axe II
-Matrix GT1000FX
-MFC 101
-Volume/Expression pedals
It may be less than the $4K that Spaceboy mentioned, however if you grab powered wedges you can pay more pretty quickly.
Reality check: If you are using expensive heads, like Diezel and Bogner anyway, then there's not a huge price difference at all.
Hope this helps. In the end, it's a great way to get a versatile rig that has effects and amps all taken care of in one box.