Re: Scouting for a new amp - opinions on some models?
How didn't the CAE work in a studio/band setting? I've heard them used to great effect by the few players I know use them. I like the features on the OD100 SE+ but I don't need that much wattage. The local dealer told me if I was really leaning towards that amp he could talk to John Suhr about making me a "50W SE+" as he's a friendly guy and has been known to accomodate requests like that before for serious buyers.
I've only had one direct hands-on experience with a CAE head... FWIW the guitarist also had a small "rack of doom" with a TC box or two and some stompboxes that had all been wired by Suhr with the pedalboard switcher system. I forget what his day gig was... the guy had $$$
This was a few years back so it's a bit fuzzy...
Anyway in pre-production, rehearsals & catching a few live shows the rig was always really "focused" sounding. Really tight... refined? I could go with that...
When we got into the studio his rig failed to cut the mustard for the main rhythm tracks. Regardless of microphones picked & even trying a few different cabinets it always sounded "tame" and the low-mids in paticualr didn't have the kind of size & opulence that we were after. He used his rig while cutting basics & the midrange definition was almost non-existent so the guitar was getting eaten alive by the bass & drums... too much low end/top end. Neither of us thought it was "sitting" in the mix correctly. Compressed & bland.
I recall it getting closer when it was plugged into some ratty old straight front 4x12 that the studio owned... 70's Hiwatt or something? It was stripped to the wood with no grille cloth and I remember the assistant engineer telling me it had VERY low wattage speakers... they were concerned about us blowing it up lol
After some auditioning I think we ended up using a combination of an old Orange and a modded JMP maybe with a dirt box in front? I think there was a 3rd amp too, maybe a Boogie Mk? Maybe it was the Orange & the Boogie??! They were running in parallel, so guitar was split to the amps which were printed as a single take... then doubled.
We did end up using the CAE for some other bits... a few solos & a lot of clean stuff. Had an amazing clean channel.
BTW ~ Bonamassa's live rig is (was? circa 2005) was the Buddas with a Jubliee and a Two Rock in an A/B/C setup.
