Rant: Tube amp vs multieffects

[Mincer]

Re: Rant: Tube amp vs multieffects

Hey Mincer,

what do you think of Godin guitars which have the guitar synth access, or whatever it's called. I'm really interested in a midi equipped guitar, since my last clip

Am I able to use vst-instruments with my guitar then?

The Godins are nice guitars. You still need to buy a midi interface. The hex pickups are just 6 individual outputs - 1 per string. You need a device to convert that to midi information, like the Roland GI-20 or the Axon AX-50. Then you can trigger any VSTi's you want.

 

[alex1fly]

Re: Rant: Tube amp vs multieffects

I've had my same guitar amp for the past 15 or so years. Every once in a great while I'll find a new pedal. That amp is "my sound" and anything else is an occassional tweak on it- 95+% of the time it's just guitar & amp.

Not everyone's as easy to please.

That's part of the reason why I want an MFX; I don't yet know what my sound is and I've already gone through two tube amps trying to find it. The MFX won't sound exactly like the amps, but I'll get to play with and explore lots of different sounds without having to try specific amps with specific pedals at specific volumes.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Rant: Tube amp vs multieffects

I'm with millsart and The Golden Boy on this. Versatility is over rated.

What I don't like about the digital tone source through a clean SS amp thing; is the feel or the lack there of. Good old fashoined tube amps not only sound good, but they also feel good.

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Rant: Tube amp vs multieffects

It's not that simple a distinction anymore.

I'm with Mincer:

1. Do what works for you.
2. Flexibility can be a plus for many of us.

Basically I'm getting the benefit of a Bradshaw system through a $500 tool. When I need a specific sound, I play that patch. If I need a lead tone for that song, I can get it by stepping on ONE pedal and ALL effects that I need are already switched on. Switching back is just as simple.

I play in a band that is primarily classic hard rock; however we do play ballads and a couple of "jazzy" tunes. I need radically different tones for those songs, and it is difficult to get them with one amp + pedals.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Rant: Tube amp vs multieffects

1. Do what works for you.
2. Flexibility can be a plus for many of us.

Exactly. I love going over to my dad's house and cranking his Super Reverb, but all in all, I'm far better served by my various modeling devices. Of course, if I could afford to buy a Soldano SLO100, about 3 different Marshalls, a Deluxe Reverb, a Dual Rectifier, a Dumble, and probably a few others I'm forgetting, plus about 100 different pedals, and have them all playable at the-family-is-in-the-next-room volume, I'd forget all about the modeling stuff.

 

[d1dsj]

Re: Rant: Tube amp vs multieffects

If I were you I'd try a Line 6/ Bognor 1 x 12 combo! Best of both worlds? Maybe... compact and versatile. All the best.

 

[guitarded]

Re: Rant: Tube amp vs multieffects

First get a tube amp. The only modeler I have heard that comes even close to the sound and feel of real tubes is the axefx, which is more expensive than a lot of decent tube amps, and even then you still need a tube poweramp.

Although it does not seem to be on your table, with a tube amp I would highly recommend the Rocktron Xpression. It has an internal parallel loop which separates the dry signal from the wet signal and you have the option to have the dry bypass all DSP and remain 100 percent analog. It has really good reverb, delay, chorus. It has OK Flange and Phase. There is also a parametric EQ and it can be controlled with a cheap midi pedal very easily. I use in the serial effects loop of my Mark IV and there no tone suck whatsoever. It goes for around $300.00. Add another $150 for a power conditioner and 2U portable rack and you got a pretty good setup that is definitely superior to a POD. Don't know about the Boss stuff...... The individual pedals worked OK in my serial loop, but the Rocktron is much better and easier to perform with, cause I can recall patches with the midi pedal.

 

[Petrovsk Mizinski]

Re: Rant: Tube amp vs multieffects

Once upon a time, multi effect/amp modelling units were not something many people liked the sound of, but I think the gap between the real amps and the amps being models are closing. If I had the money, I would buy the Line 6 Pod X3Live right away, for the money it's so incredibly versatile and great value.

 

[Fusion1]

Re: Rant: Tube amp vs multieffects

kind of in the same boat as alexfly. I miss the functionality of processors but like the wrmth of tubes and the is always a compromise.... ahhhhhhhhh