Axe_FX II Rigs, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Digital Modelling.

octatonic

Drew_fx said:

octatonic said:

I wouldn't buy a Fryette right now. Storm shadow have stopped bringing them in, citing reliability & customer service issues from Fryette.

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!

That is actually FUCKING hilarious!!

Hilarious because it isn't try or because it is, or some other reason?

Never mind- I worked it out- you used to have a Fryette and it had issues.

I remember now.

paulmapp8306

Si - if the valve PA is working for you, stick with it for a while and see how it goes.

Im getting a little meh with my AFX rig as well.  Its just sounding thin next to the other guitarists.  I need to re-do the patches though - im used to a PRS or strat neck PU, and the patches were all done initially with the PRS.  Im using a Tele for this band and normally on the bridge PU.   Its not a sound Im used to - and its going to be bright and clangy, but Im just not that happy.

I did play this weekend for half an hour while the wife was out though. Changed the cab to open back and it sounded better all round.  Wider sound, more open yet more apparent bottom end.  I know its has less BUT its also looser which gives the impression of a bigger sound.   Taking down the treble and presence (or upping the high cut dependant on amp choice) and upping the bass a little really helped put some body back in.  Well see at rehearsals Tuesday if its had the desired effect.

If its not right I have a choice.  The Engle E840 with a 2nd rack (cos of the weight), extra cabling and cash outlay (that I dont really have) - or pick up a real amp again.  Im still getting pangs for a Suhr Badger 18 with a drive pedal and a delay pedal.  Only time will tell - and in truth Im perfectly happy when playing at home.  I may not be with the Suhr.

 

Si_

I'm no thaving issues with it sounding thin at all, it's sounding fine for what I'm doing. A big thing for me was creating my patches again from scratch. I think the ones I had I thought sounded great, but in reality they didn't. I spent a little time back with my valve amps and it's only after that you realise how bad your patches are.

There was concerns earlier in this thread about using the 20w valve power amp, and wether it would be enough. Well on Friday we gigged a large room (probably one of the largest we play on the Newcastle circuit). We had the PA cranked really loud, probably louder than we've ever had it before and the Marshall 20/20 didn't even bat an eyelid at it. I was running the output from the AxeFX at Noon, and the volume on the 20/20 at noon also and it was easily loud enough (and remember we don't mic the guitars so just use the backline as the sound). I have 1 clean-ish patch and it worked well, no real power amp breakup. What I did have to do during soundcheck though was to turn the PA sims back ON on my main patch, just seemed to work better that way.

I'm still 50/50 on wether to take the trade I've been offered. I really like the idea of going back to a valve solution, but not too keen on having to tap dance again to get my sounds so I'm investigating switching options. He's offered a GCP and GCX in with the deal but that would mean having to still take a rack, plus a head, plus a pedalboard, and I'm not sure I can be bothered with all of that... Decisions Decisions.

octatonic

Si_ said:

He's offered a GCP and GCX in with the deal but that would mean having to still take a rack, plus a head, plus a pedalboard, and I'm not sure I can be bothered with all of that... Decisions Decisions.

That is the problem with using amp heads and racked pedals, switcher & floor controller- you need a roadie.

And you need a roadie that can troubleshoot the oh-so-inevitable ground loop problems that always seem to present themselves.

One thing I like about the Axe FX with bus-powered midi controller is the reduction in noise and ground loops.

I'm at the stage where I either use an amp with pedals OR the Axe FX.

If I'm going to the trouble of racking pedals up and using a switcher I might as well use the AFX.

Si_

Exactly.. 

Drew_TNBD

octatonic said:

Drew_fx said:

octatonic said:

I wouldn't buy a Fryette right now. Storm shadow have stopped bringing them in, citing reliability & customer service issues from Fryette.

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!

That is actually FUCKING hilarious!!

Hilarious because it isn't try or because it is, or some other reason?

Never mind- I worked it out- you used to have a Fryette and it had issues.

I remember now.

I just recall having to really dance around the issue because I didn't want to piss the distro off (who was genuinely a nice guy) but at the same time he was bending over backwards to defend Fryette. *sigh*

Much MUCH MUCH happier with Marshall. Those Stormshadow amps look really overpriced to me as well.

Drew_TNBD

On topic, in my opinion there isn't a floorboard unit out there that will take the place of the Axe FX or a selection of pedals. Not yet.

Boss GT-100:

- Issues with tap tempo.
- Warbly delay nastiness.
- Not enough effects.

Line 6 HD500:

- Issues with 4 cable method.
- Gap of silence between patch changes.
- Cloudy/muddy sounding effects algorithms.

Line 6 M13:

- Cloudy/muddy sounding effects algorithms.
- Not really enough slots for 4-cable method (imho).
- No way to switch banks without bending down and changing the scene folder.
- Midi is limited. You can't really control it (like have a scene where it doesn't transmit a program change for instance)

Zoom G3:

- Doesn't do midi.
- A multi-fx that still requires tap dancing.

Digitech RP1000:

- No midi
- Lack of freely assignable effects

Fender Mustang Floor:

- Limited selection of effects.
- Gap of silence between patch changes.

TC Nova System:

- Gap of silence between patch changes.
- The banking system is pretty poor. Presets change instantly as soon as you change bank, what a fail.
- No 4 cable method.
- Limitation of effects.

TC G System:

- Doesn't really offer that much above and beyond other models on the market, for twice the price.
- Gap of silence between patch changes.

VOX Tonelab:

- The original is kinda old tech now and is the only one with midi out.
- Limited selection of effects.
- 4 cable method sure, but the loop is only in one position.

-----

All in all, for anything self contained that could control your entire rig and be your effects... you're fucked!

octatonic

This from Stormshadow's website:

Stormshadow Toneworks will no longer be dealing with Fryette Amplification

As of 1st June 2013 due to long running and as yet un-resolved issues with supply, customer service and other aspects, Stormshadow Toneworks will no longer be dealing with Fryette Amplification. Please feel free to make us a reasonable offer on any Fryette Amplification product we currently have in stock. UK Warranties on Fryette products are not affected by this change.

Drew_TNBD

Aye, saw that last night.

octatonic

Drew_fx said:

On topic, in my opinion there isn't a floorboard unit out there that will take the place of the Axe FX or a selection of pedals. Not yet.

snip
-----

All in all, for anything self contained that could control your entire rig and be your effects... you're fucked!

Drew, edging ever closer to buying an AFX.

Drew_TNBD

I'm not gonna do it dude
<:-P

octatonic

Drew_fx said:

I'm not gonna do it dude
<:-P

Famous last words.

Seriously though- how are you going to get around the fx switching quandary with your head.

Continue the tap-dance?

Drew_TNBD

octatonic said:

Drew_fx said:

I'm not gonna do it dude
<:-P

Famous last words.

Seriously though- how are you going to get around the fx switching quandary with your head.

Continue the tap-dance?

Right now, yeah. Is what I've been doing for the last year or so, and been ... persevering. Just means some of the changes I make in a live setting are not as tight as I'd like them to be. But ah well...

octatonic

Drew_fx said:

octatonic said:

Drew_fx said:

I'm not gonna do it dude
<:-P

Famous last words.

Seriously though- how are you going to get around the fx switching quandary with your head.

Continue the tap-dance?

Right now, yeah. Is what I've been doing for the last year or so, and been ... persevering. Just means some of the changes I make in a live setting are not as tight as I'd like them to be. But ah well...

I think it is really hard to find a balance between versatility & tone whilst trying to keep the rig light enough for one person to carry in 1-2 trips.

Axe FX with MFC does solve almost all of this, but you have the attendant issue of programming and tweakery.

Drew_TNBD

Yeah totally. I'm not much of a tweaker really. I get some good sounds and I pretty much stick with them. I'm more concerned with workflow and ergonomics than I am with versatility. If I had a board that switched my amp via midi, didn't have gaps between patch changes, did a slow phaser, a fast phaser, a flanger, a reverse delay, a regular digital delay (tap tempo not causing pitch changes in either), a hall reverb, had a manual mode and a big bright screen... I'd be like a pig in shit!

But as fucking MADDENING as it is... it doesn't exist!!

midiglitch

@drew_fx

Surely a gigrig style switching system solves your issue?

Drew_TNBD

midiglitch said:

@drew_fx

Surely a gigrig style switching system solves your issue?

Too expensive, and too much space on the floor needed, and it doesn't cure the issue. I see it really as a band-aid.

octatonic

Drew_fx said:

midiglitch said:

@drew_fx

Surely a gigrig style switching system solves your issue?

Too expensive, and too much space on the floor needed, and it doesn't cure the issue. I see it really as a band-aid.

They work great if you have a massive amount of space on the floor, which almost none of us have.

The last gig I did I was tucked in besides a another guitarist and a horn player- I had exactly enough room for a pedal train jr and nothing else.

Drew_TNBD

Yeah exactly!

To be honest, I may just crumble down and get yet another M13.
) >:)

It does instant patch changes (I actually don't give a shit about delay and reverb trails) and it gives me access to 12 sounds at once.

octatonic

Drew_fx said:

Yeah exactly!

To be honest, I may just crumble down and get yet another M13.
) >:)

It does instant patch changes (I actually don't give a shit about delay and reverb trails) and it gives me access to 12 sounds at once.

I'm betting several pints of beer that you'll still be dicking around with effects vs pedal questions in a years time.