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Comments
Kids learning to play now are more likely to be using a modelling device than a 'proper' valve amp. In the same way that people don't really know what Kodak Tri-X and Fuji Acros even is let alone the differences in a generation or two most players won't care what a legendary amp is let alone how to get the best out of one.
That's got to be a worry for manufacturers like Mesa Boogie, who, as far as I know, only do "proper" valve amps. Their market has to be diminishing rapidly. At least folk like Marshall and Blackstar seem to be attempting to embrace the technology and move with the times.
I still believe there are players who will buy a high grade amp (or many of) just to have one, in the same way that there are players who have a collection of pristine high end guitars but who never take them out of the house. Mesa certainly fall into that category and that they offer custom finishes etc might keep their flame burning for a while longer.
I think in the mainstream though, whether we like it or not, modellers are here and they're not going to go away. Valve amps will live on and their days aren't exactly numbered but as the technology improves and the application of the tech gets better they are becoming more and more unnecessary.
There is no 'H' in Aych, you know that don't you? ~ Wife
Turns out there is an H in Haych! ~ Sporky
Bit of trading feedback here.
I've owned so many amps, all the way from budget to boutique brands but always found myself looking for something more. I hate complex set ups, so simplicity was always a huge deal. I toured extensively for 10 years, along with a lot of studio recording, i wish the Helix had been around 10 years earlier.
After a few years out, i started writing and recording music again and finally got round to putting a band together, i started out with a few amps,but struggled to get a good balance, i was used to being in a two guitar band but the new band was all written for one guitar and i was finding amps just sounded too small. I then took my humble POD X3 to a rehearsal one week when i couldn't be bothered to load my amp into the boot of my car and straight away the feel and sound of the band was much better and much closer to what i was aiming for.
I then took the plunge and went for a Helix rack and floor controller, within two weeks i was truly convinced. Its made me a better player and writer and i love the flexibility, even with the most complex of signal chains i can still keep it simple, its been a real revelation.
Last week my new band did our first gig and the Helix was stunning, i had guys from the other 2 bands asking me what i was using and how i'd got such a big sound from a one guitar band.
I won't go back to amps again, the technology in the modelling units is now so good that amps are a thing of the past.
i had thought about getting a small valve combo like the pro junior just to have the variety but the more I read here I’m thinking of ditching all of the amps !
I love ‘real’ amps too btw, but for what I do a modeller makes it loads easier and imo the end result is just as good
The live band I booked for my wedding 6 years ago just used Line 6 Pods straight into their PA and they sounded fantastic.
Just recently bought a Helix LT myself so I too will be switching from valve amp and 4x12 to full on modelling into the PA. So much easier and convenient.
I’m battling on with valve amps. I’m told they are unreliable, yet in 25 years of gigging I’ve had no reliability issues. But they are heavy, even though I’ve generally had combos that weigh less that 20kg. I looked at powered monitors and they don’t weigh much less.
I have a Helix and can see the positives, I guess my problem is I just can’t see any negatives with valve amps, hence why it is so easy to keep using them. I can’t really see the advantage of using the nearly as good sounding option that equates to a similar amount of gear.
Add to that the frustration of having to learn to some kind of operating system and it becomes a big enough hurdle to put me off. If you have a modeller that includes effects too then the parameter map becomes something even bigger to navigate and set up.
Maybe thats a bigoted statement, though, because I haven’t tried them all and I might just be painting them all with the same brush.
There is no 'H' in Aych, you know that don't you? ~ Wife
Turns out there is an H in Haych! ~ Sporky
Bit of trading feedback here.
I don’t mind digital fx, cab emulation (few have the ability to really mic an amp properly), I just don’t get amp modelling, largely because it still sounds/feels not as good as the real thing, which I’ve got right in front of me.
I wonder if Yamaha will ever update the THR100 concept? That's my preferred modelling amp solution since it's very simple to use with real dials and switches, and a nice portable head/cab.
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Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself
A hardware device with real knobs to control all the various parameters is the way to go. Make it as easy to set up and use as a real amp.
The Yamaha THR appeals because of this but I also like the idea of the Positive Grid concept too. If that could be developed it would be a great idea - standardise the software from all manufacturers so you can take your favourite software modellers and load them onto one device that behaves like a real amp and that has real knobs to dial in.
It wouldn’t have to be big or heavy either, but that’s the way I’d like to see modelling go.
There is no 'H' in Aych, you know that don't you? ~ Wife
Turns out there is an H in Haych! ~ Sporky
Bit of trading feedback here.