pickups and digital amp modelers?

[on the march]

I was just curious if there are any particular models of pickups (any brand) that sound "better" or "more suited" with digital amp modelers?

do these devices need to see a hotter signal? or with A/D conversion, does it really matter?

thanks

 

[jackieTHEjokeman]

Re: pickups and digital amp modelers?

It doesn't matter. The modeling amp will take the sound from your guitar and completely alter it anyway.

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: pickups and digital amp modelers?

I've got a Vox Valvetronix, which is more of a hybrid than a pure digital amp modeler, and I love the sound of my JB and '59 Duncans through it. I don't feel that the amp is "completely alter[ing]" the tone of the guitar.

- Keith

 

[ErikH]

Re: pickups and digital amp modelers?

I've got a Vox Valvetronix, which is more of a hybrid than a pure digital amp modeler, and I love the sound of my JB and '59 Duncans through it. I don't feel that the amp is "completely alter[ing]" the tone of the guitar.

- Keith

Same here. To my ears it's no different than playing through any other amp. That's what I love about those Vox's.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: pickups and digital amp modelers?

It doesn't matter. The modeling amp will take the sound from your guitar and completely alter it anyway.

This info is pure crap actually! I've been using a Vox Valvetronix 120 head for about 2 years now with different guitars and pickups.It doesn't color anything more than any of my tube amps! :smack:

:newbie:

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: pickups and digital amp modelers?

I agree with John. A modeler will NOT color your guitar's tone any more than any other kind of amp.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: pickups and digital amp modelers?

I agree with John. A modeler will NOT color your guitar's tone any more than any other kind of amp.

LOL.....I took that post as just another anti-modeling person..

 

[Zed10R]

Re: pickups and digital amp modelers?

It doesn't matter. The modeling amp will take the sound from your guitar and completely alter it anyway.

That is simply not true at all.

There is no pickup that is "better" for modelers...I've done a LOT of research on that. The only thing that comes close to that idea is the Variax from Line6. That guitar is meant to be used with modelers, but I have no idea what pickup is used..or what kind...or how it works....or how it sounds with a regular amp.

 

[Artie]

Re: pickups and digital amp modelers?

I gotta go along with the crowd here. All of my pickups maintain their unique character through my J-Station. Whats even more interesting is, my 59 sounds like my 59 whether I play it through my modeler or my H & K. Same with all the others.

 

[Aceman]

Re: pickups and digital amp modelers?

My superD and DD are totally different (but equally cool) through my cube. And anything you put the guitar through colors it. some things more than others.

 

[Reverberocket2]

Re: pickups and digital amp modelers?

I gotta go along with the crowd here. All of my pickups maintain their unique character through my J-Station. Whats even more interesting is, my 59 sounds like my 59 whether I play it through my modeler or my H & K. Same with all the others.

I've got a J Station too. You can definitely hear the difference between pickups.

To my ears the J-Station (like many other moddlers) is lacking in those clean on the verge of overdriven or slightly overdriven OD sounds where a tube amps tubes are just begining to sweat a bit.

Also the note decays are a bit abrupt and sometimes nasty unless you smooth it out with some effects.

 

[Artie]

Re: pickups and digital amp modelers?

To my ears the J-Station (like many other moddlers) is lacking in those clean on the verge of overdriven or slightly overdriven OD sounds where a tube amps tubes are just begining to sweat a bit.

I agree completely. Thats the one weak point of a modeler - dynamics. Its either dirt on or dirt off. Each is good, but there isn't much in between.

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: pickups and digital amp modelers?

I agree completely. Thats the one weak point of a modeler - dynamics. Its either dirt on or dirt off. Each is good, but there isn't much in between.

That's why there needs to be a rule: For every modeler you own, you need to own two tweeds.

 

[Aceman]

Re: pickups and digital amp modelers?

A maxed out stack doesn't have much dynamics either....

 

[Artie]

Re: pickups and digital amp modelers?

A maxed out stack doesn't have much dynamics either....

Infinitely more "mojo" however.

 

[Metalblaze]

Re: pickups and digital amp modelers?

I have a Marshall TSL601 at home and I can't crank it to get a nice tube amp tone, so I use the POD XT live to get some cranked sounds at low volumes at home. It surely lets the pups speak.
I think it's easy to confuse the versatility of amp modellers with solidness-not transparent character. The wide variety of sounds and how fast you can alter the sound gives the impression of not being transparent.

Of course nothing compares to a tube amp.

 

[on the march]

Re: pickups and digital amp modelers?

thanks for the replies

I play a Strat with a Bareknuckle Sinner/Trilogy/Trilogy set and would sure hate for the awesome tone and dynamics of these pups to get mangled and squashed in digital conversion.

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: pickups and digital amp modelers?

You may be interested in this thread.

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: pickups and digital amp modelers?

I was just curious if there are any particular models of pickups (any brand) that sound "better" or "more suited" with digital amp modelers?

do these devices need to see a hotter signal? or with A/D conversion, does it really matter?

thanks

I hate digital amp modelling with a passion, as I've never heard even one modeler that had even one amp sim that sounded right to me, or acceptable. However, I would assume that if you do a lot of coloring in the signal chain, that clear-sounding pickups would be the way to go, like maybe a dual '59 combination or dual Jazz combination. This is just a guess though.

 

[TheArchitect]

Re: pickups and digital amp modelers?

I think brighter, vintage style humbuckers work better. The brighter tone allows you to turn down the high end a bit on the device which helps mitigate the fizzy quality from higher gain a bit.