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

Drew_TNBD

I think you're probably right!

The problem is, I'm spoilt with the likes of Ableton Live, where you can pile on as many reverbs and delays as you like, play one note and walk away and have it create the music for you!!! Guitar gear fucking sucks... coz everyone is a blues playing twat.

octatonic

Drew_fx said:

I think you're probably right!

The problem is, I'm spoilt with the likes of Ableton Live, where you can pile on as many reverbs and delays as you like, play one note and walk away and have it create the music for you!!! Guitar gear fucking sucks... coz everyone is a blues playing twat.

This is precisely why I think YOU in particular need to go Axe Fx.

I know you don't want to but I really do think you're made for it, or it for you- or something.

For the sort of stuff you are doing there is no real downside, other than cost.

Drew_TNBD

It's not really just cost. It's the tweak factor I want to avoid too, I don't really want to go rack if I can help it. Let me ask you this... what is the reason you're not using the Axe FX for your effects when you pull the CAE out and do a gig?

Si_

Buy mine

I only run a few limited effects, reverb and delay mainly. I have a solo button which changes the delay and adds volume and maybe gain, none of that really is difficult to do via pedals, I've got a simple 2 loop switcher which would probably do what I need. Other than that I have an EVH patch, which is really just switching on a Phaser (I change amp models for that but don't really have to.), and a change in delay settings and reverb. The only real other thing I do is a little reverse delay for London's calling...

I've just set up a little spare board for messing about with using a cheap NUX delay and a few other pedals I had lying about and it works surprisingly well I actually think that board and my Dark Terror sounds better than £2500 of AxeFX kit!.. 

I think this does about everything I need, I don't even use the chorus but I had a space :

octatonic

Drew_fx said:

It's not really just cost. It's the tweak factor I want to avoid too, I don't really want to go rack if I can help it. Let me ask you this... what is the reason you're not using the Axe FX for your effects when you pull the CAE out and do a gig?

I do gig sometimes with the Axe FX, but usually when I need more than the traditional array of guitar tones- the more synthetic/loopy stuff.

I grab the CAE because when I'm playing at being a proper guitarist rather than a sound designer I tend to need Wah/Octave/Delay and not much else, other than a 2-3 channel head.

I decided that I didn't need all of the various options the Axe FX gives me when I'm doing 'normal' guitaristic stuff.

When I'm doing the non-normal guitaristic stuff then the AFX comes out.

As far as explicitly answering your question- I'm not using the AFX with an amp head is because if I'm using the AFX then it has really good modelling by itself and there is no real benefit to me to use it for the sorts of things I do.

If I try to integrate the AFX into a 2-3 channel head scenario then I also need a device to switch channels on the head. The MFC has a dedicated AFX mode that works better for switching effects than it does when trying to integrate it with an amp head.

Also grounding schemes become more important, which makes cabling complex.

The AFX by itself is better and more flexible than trying to use it with an amp head.

If I had a fulltime tech then I'd probably consider it, but I don't.

Drew_TNBD

Yeah, I think it's sort of similar to me. I don't need the complexity. I do really like the tones and if I was gonna do it all over again, I'd get the Axe FX II, a midi controller, and a SS poweramp. But I really like my Marshall, I like my wah... so my actual effects requirements are pretty low: digital delay, reverse delay, fast and slow phaser, hall reverb. It's entirely the switching/foot workflow side of things that I am unhappy about.

Drew_TNBD

That NUX delay looks awesome!

octatonic

Drew_fx said:

Yeah, I think it's sort of similar to me. I don't need the complexity. I do really like the tones and if I was gonna do it all over again, I'd get the Axe FX II, a midi controller, and a SS poweramp. But I really like my Marshall, I like my wah... so my actual effects requirements are pretty low: digital delay, reverse delay, fast and slow phaser, hall reverb. It's entirely the switching/foot workflow side of things that I am unhappy about.

The switching side of things is seamless on the AFX- scenes work great and there is zero latency.

Not trying to talk you into anything- just ruminating.

Si_

Drew_fx said:

That NUX delay looks awesome!

I've not had it long, but for the £47 I paid for it it's fantastic.. 9 presets,  11 different modes, true bypass OR buffered to allow trails, Stereo input and output and a little LCD screen to configure it all on.

Drew_TNBD

I am considering maybe doing what someone suggested and going back to a midi looper unit of some kind. I used to have the Voodoo Lab Pedal Switcher (x2) and a Commander which was very good. But limiting because the Commander only supported 10 presets.

So I'm thinking of trying this out when it lands:
http://www.decibel11.com/Switch-Dr.html

mike257

@Drew_fx - did you see the G-Lab GSc-3 that was for sale on here not long ago? I'm like you, I'd like more flexibility and control but am happy with my stomps and don't want the hassle of tweaking something like an Axe but this unit looked like a brilliant solution. Every footswitch was completely programmable to do anything - engaging loops, changing amp channels, momentary switching for tap control, midi pc or cc or all of the above at once, and the whole thing could be programmed over USB so you didn't have to dick about on the u it itself if you didn't want to. If I'd had the funds I'd have bitten his arm off but if it's still around it might do the trick for you. Worth looking into anyway!

Si_

The guy I might be doing a deal with is trying to sell his Ground Control Pro and GCX switcher to buy my MFC-101.. thay look like they might do what you need.

Si_

Another gig last night, another few good comments from a guitarist mate who's not seen the band live yet.. Going to see a Mesa Mark V tomorrow with a possible trade on offer so decisions to make :S

I'm not sure if it's the Valve Power Amp, the re-done patches, or the new PRS but something is sounding good these days. 

Handsome_Chris

And that is why the search for tone is so mystical.

Or should that be mythical?

Van_Hayden

Handsome_Chris;49692" said:

And that is why the search for tone is so mystical.





Or should that be mythical?

No it's just expensive.

Handsome_Chris

@Van_Hayden, I think that's worth a LOL and a Wisdom.

Van_Hayden

:-)

Si_

Spent the afternoon with a mate and his Mark V rig... WOW those Mark Vs are fantastic.. instant GAS!! 

We hooked my AxeFX rig up-to his Mesa 4x12 and its wasn't far off the Mark V at all. He's a great player (loads better than I am) and he was very impressed with it.. took him about 3 mins to dial in the USA Lead to sound 98% as good as his £4k Mesa rig. We were using the Matrix amp for the session and it performed really well, so good I've put it back in my rig for Fridays gig. We've been trying to thrash out a trade deal but we just can't agree, I think I'm still a little protective of my AxeFX after spending so long to get it where it is so i'm maybe holding out for a deal thats not coming..

So, I learnt 3  important Lessons today:

1. I want a Mark 5, there fantastic, and probably what I would replace my AxeFX with over anything else I've heard.

2. I want a new, better CAB. My current one sounds good, and I had more great comments after the last gig, but his Mesa 4x12 was in another world!

3. I want a Mark V ( did I say that already?)

 

Handsome_Chris

@Si_, you do know that the Mk 5 will be included in the next fw release?

Si_

How do you know that?