Pete Thorn on the Kemper

equalsql

Just saw this on TGP and it's a real nice demo of the Kemper. 

Some good info too.

MatthewShreddery

Pete Thorn can make anything sound good! What a player

joeyowen

He is a great player, but he does into the category of making everything sound great haha, so it can dilute the point

What he says on the quality of the profiles is spot on though, it must be nice to have friends who own old marshalls, dumbles etc...

If I could afford one, I'd have one for sure

Drew_TNBD

Didn't Pete register here once? I guess he realized that we're all knob-cheeses!

photek

Drew_fx said:

Didn't Pete register here once? I guess he realized that we're all knob-cheeses!

..and without further ado, he left

ChrisMusic

Just great playing, as always with Pete.  Nice track too.

What a selection of amps, so good to have well connected friends.

Interesting perspective, his videos feel so comfortable, like popping into a mates studio for a chat.

Thanks for posting  

ElectroDan

What are Kempers like in the flesh though? I've only ever heard this and the AFXII online, and the Fractal sounds much more impressive to me (albeit through headphones).

It also looks awful. I know that shouldn't come into it, but it does.

Drew_TNBD

ElectroDan said:

What are Kempers like in the flesh though? I've only ever heard this and the AFXII online, and the Fractal sounds much more impressive to me (albeit through headphones).

It also looks awful. I know that shouldn't come into it, but it does.

I've owned both. At the same time. Kemper sounded miles better than the Axe to me, much more instant gratification, and felt like an instrument in its own right, rather than something that apes a bunch of external gear.

The Axe is too needy. So it had to go.

crunchman

ElectroDan said:

What are Kempers like in the flesh though? I've only ever heard this and the AFXII online, and the Fractal sounds much more impressive to me (albeit through headphones).

It also looks awful. I know that shouldn't come into it, but it does.

I've just bought one.  I'm really impressed so far.

The first time I saw/heard one was at a gig where the guitarist was using one.  I'd seen the same band the previous year (in teh same venue) when he had a Marshall half stack.  The sound out front in the audience was much better with the Kemper.

Si_

Hmm... a Kemper..... interesting... (Off to check classifieds and ebay)

ElectroDan

Interesting. I wasn't expecting that. I thought it was generally accepted that the AFX2 was better. You may have silenced (or at least quietened) the voice telling me I'd like one.

breadfan

photek said:

Drew_fx said:

Didn't Pete register here once? I guess he realized that we're all knob-cheeses!

..and without further ado, he left

Yeah, made a few posts & whatnot, then left.

equalsql

ElectroDan said:

Interesting. I wasn't expecting that. I thought it was generally accepted that the AFX2 was better. You may have silenced (or at least quietened) the voice telling me I'd like one.

They're two different beasts completely, but that's not stopped a war of words between the respective followers as to which is the best.. However at half the price of the AFX2 and with arguably, more immediacy to great sounds for the short-on-time, non-professional user, it makes a compelling argument for those weighing up which product to buy.

paulmapp8306

Drew_fx said:

ElectroDan said:

What are Kempers like in the flesh though? I've only ever heard this and the AFXII online, and the Fractal sounds much more impressive to me (albeit through headphones).

It also looks awful. I know that shouldn't come into it, but it does.

I've owned both. At the same time. Kemper sounded miles better than the Axe to me, much more instant gratification, and felt like an instrument in its own right, rather than something that apes a bunch of external gear.

The Axe is too needy. So it had to go 

Drew_fx said:

ElectroDan said:

What are Kempers like in the flesh though? I've only ever heard this and the AFXII online, and the Fractal sounds much more impressive to me (albeit through headphones).

It also looks awful. I know that shouldn't come into it, but it does.

I've owned both. At the same time. Kemper sounded miles better than the Axe to me, much more instant gratification, and felt like an instrument in its own right, rather than something that apes a bunch of external gear.

The Axe is too needy. So it had to go.

Horses for Courses.   I had a Kemper for a short while, while also having an AFX.  I found the AFX much better, and easier to get the tones in my head.  The Kemper sounded so much more brittle and ugh to me.  I also found the FX (rather than amp stuff) much better and more flexible.  The AFX was better suited for instant control via floorboard and also seemed to play much nicer with a power amp and cab (rather than complete amp simulation/profile) live.

I will add some caveats though.

1.  I ad been using an AFX for approx 3 years when I go the Kemper - so was very familiar with its controles/layout and had spent some time crafting patches.  

2.  I had no amps to profile, and as the Kemper was fairly new there wasnt so much avilalbe ready made.  As a consequence I was pretty much using the presets only.  This is a downside for me with the kemper.  Most such units come with presets that dont do much but show off some features of the units.  The best was to get the most out of the units is to start crafting your own tones.  You cant actually do that with a Kemper.  You have to either use presets, download other peoples presets, or create your own profiles.

3.  The Firmware on the Kemper was an early version - and a lot of functionality wasnt available.

upshot - I still love my AFX, but more than 2 years on, I should really try a Kemper again.  

crunchman

There are some good factory presets with the Kemper - and they include a few Amp Factory ones now, but I think there are better ones out there.  I've downloaded the free ones that you can get from the Amp Factory (226 of them).  I haven't had time to try them all yet, but overall they seem to be an improvement on the original factory ones.

I'm not sure whether to try profiling my Lazy J or whether to buy the Amp Factory Lazy J profiles.

Everyone really seems to rave about the Michael Britt profiles that Pete Thorn used in the original post.

dunstanmus

The Michael Britt profiles are awesome.

ElectroDan

Aside from Pete's awesome playing. The tones he's using don't sound anything unusually good to my ears. Again, I'm only using headphones to listen to them, and some of the previous comments have suggested that a Kemper is better live.

I think the tones that caught my ear with the Axe FX2, were Mark Day's kind of singing 80's solo sounds.

Drew_TNBD

paulmapp8306;449550" said:

Horses for Courses

It is indeed horses for courses. Whatever works for you really.

Petethorn

photek;448733" said:

Drew_fx said:

Didn't Pete register here once? I guess he realized that we're all knob-cheeses!..and without further ado, he left

Hey guys! I'm still around. It's just tough to keep up with all the forums!:)

ThePrettyDamned

Petethorn;450054" said:

[quote="photek;448733"]Drew_fx said:

Didn't Pete register here once? I guess he realized that we're all knob-cheeses!..and without further ado, he left

Hey guys! I'm still around. It's just tough to keep up with all the forums!:) [/quote]

Oh to be popular

I don't think I could cope with the axe FX. I read our epic axe thread and get confused just reading about the thing, so I'm maybe a kemper guy.

bandmaster188

^ He doesn't think we're knob cheeses, he's come back, yay! Welcome back Pete. Nice tune fella!