Anybody else getting sick of modellers?

[paisleywookiee]

Screw Cooper Carter.

Create a course of how to do that (not do that?) and you'll make millions!

That's amazing.

But seriously, whenever I help someone with their digital stuff, I try to insist on keeping things as simple as possible, so it's A. consistent and B. easier to troubleshoot.
The dude from last Wednesday wanted every song to match the album, even if it meant having four different crunch sounds.

 

[jay mitchell]

3 years later.....
Just loaded update x.x.x and it's a total game changer. The models really do sound incredibly real now.

5 years later......

Regardless the platform, this is a major part of why I keep bailing on digital. It's impossible not to get caught up in it

Perhaps for you. It's never been an issue for me. The first two modelers I owned fell far short of what I was looking for, and I sold them both within a short time, never having told myself that they sounded "real" (or even good). This was ca. 2006-07. The third modeler cleared the bar. Although I've since owned three more, I still use this one.

since it's a huge part of the whole digital thing. It's really a lot like a drug after a while.

Perhaps it is for some folks. I've never had that problem. Not everyone gets addicted to obsessions....

 

[Eagle]

NMD:
Just got my shiny new [insert brand here] and after a few hours with it I can honestly say it's 100% indistinguishable from any tube amp.

A year later.....
Just loaded update x.x.x and it's a game changer! The models sound so much realer now!

3 years later.....
Just loaded update x.x.x and it's a total game changer. The models really do sound incredibly real now.

5 years later......



Regardless the platform, this is a major part of why I keep bailing on digital. It's impossible not to get caught up in it
since it's a huge part of the whole digital thing. It's really a lot like a drug after a while.

Yes in practice the updates are more about functionality than sound. Once the interface is good enough they don’t really matter much. The one that makes me laugh is Axe users trading a 3 for a mark 2 turbo. Unless you’re banging on the cpu 90% of the time it is utterly pointless.

 

[Eagle]

Go listen to Rick Graham and say his Axe 2 sounds any different from a 3 to the listener.

 

[Achilles]

Not everyone gets addicted to obsessions....

Hence the reason why the word addict exists.

Also, you should say 'addicted to updates' or 'obsessed with updates' - saying 'addicted to an obsession' is redundant.

 

[gdhi11]

Orange makes a very reliable solid state amp. In fact, it's one of the best solid state amps made IMO. Their higher end valve amps are decent but not bulletproof. All their hybrid stuff was/is a ticking time bomb just like Blackstar's hybrid stuff.

Mesa hasn't made a reliable amp since the 80's. My dad worked for Mesa Boogie in Petaluma CA for 17 years. He was one of the original cabinet makers there. He left Mesa Boogie in the mid 80's for a job at Boeing in Seattle because he said they no longer cared about anything but profit and he was sick of all the corners they were cutting. In fact, he said a large group of long time employees left over a few years for the same reason.


Mesa and Blackstar are similar in that they sound great, but a lot of their amps are just not reliable. I've seen more dual rectifiers and Mark series mesas take a dive on stage than any other amp.

If you you're now using software/digital stuff, you can't really trash any valve amp including a Harley Benton because they all sound better than what you're using. You know this to be true. I get it though. Hauling amps and effects around is a pain in the @$$

I regularly play with my rig (Fractal FM9 + 2 Laney LFR 112 cabs) right up next to other players with far more complicated and expensive tube-amp rigs. They are louder than they should be for the given club sizes. This is corroborated by the sound guys, audience members, clubs and sometimes the promoters. My rig sounds great quiet, and turnt up, and I get nothing from compliments from the soundguy--like: "I didn't need to use any EQ," and "oh thank God, you weren't so loud that getting a good audience mix was impossible." Sound quality-wise, it's a toss-up, and I win about 60% of the time.

At a recent show, I got the board tapes. My guitar was loud and proud coming out of the pa. Other guitarist's tube-amp rig was barely even in the mains--this is bad for your audience.

The only recent situation where I was outgunned was when I took out my Mesa Fillmore 50 (it was collecting dust and needed some love) to a jam and the guy running a katana next to me arguably sounded better on stage. (I'm told in the audience I was crushing him)

Saying something like (paraphrasing) "a Harley Benton will sound better than my rig," because I have a digital front end is completely ridiculous in 2024.

 

[paisleywookiee]

Perhaps for you. It's never been an issue for me. The first two modelers I owned fell far short of what I was looking for, and I sold them both within a short time, never having told myself that they sounded "real" (or even good). This was ca. 2006-07. The third modeler cleared the bar. Although I've since owned three more, I still use this one.

Perhaps it is for some folks. I've never had that problem. Not everyone gets addicted to obsessions....

Can I ask which one you're using these days, Jay?

 

[Eagle]

Trade up for the different coloured LEDs and a free pen. It will only cost $1k more than the massive hit you just took to say you have the new one.

 

[Achilles]

Trade up for the different coloured LEDs and a free pen. It will only cost $1k more than the massive hit you just took to say you have the new one.

turbo, ultra, new & improved, whiter and brighter, 100% stronger, 50% longer, 30% faster, et. al.;

And we'll throw in a free XXX if you act now!

Marketing 101 baby!

 

[Whizzinby]

Online banter is the life force of update obsession, but it’s not like any of these units sound bad, so it shouldn’t really impact your enjoyment when you turn it on and play.

 

[Eagle]

Online banter is the life force of update obsession, but it’s not like any of these units sound bad, so it shouldn’t really impact your enjoyment when you turn it on and play.

Apart from the “Headflush” that one IS lavatorial.

 

[paisleywookiee]

Apart from the “Headflush” that one IS lavatorial.

Yeah, I agree. The last local guy I know who had one just bought an FM9T.

 

[HomespunEffects]

I'm actually getting sick of amplifiers. Oh, I want a different sound, better break out the credit card. BAH!!!

 

[Rock Chalk]

"Anybody else getting sick of modelers?"​

No.

 

[Rock Chalk]

It's really a lot like a drug after a while.

It seems that's a user problem though, not a supplier .........

 

[jay mitchell]

Can I ask which one you're using these days, Jay?

Yes.

















It's an OG Axe-Fx (retroactively dubbed "Standard").

 

[Sascha Franck]

Hybrid solves everything…
O…my pedals are in a drawer…but I captured them

Fwiw, are you still happy with those mini EXP pedals?

 

[Sascha Franck]

It's impossible not to get caught up in it

Can't second that. At least it's not like that for me. I don't ever need any "this is even more realer than real" update again and soundwise, I'd be absolutely fine with what I'm using since almost 3 years by now (ok, there's always some pedals changing here and there, but even that is kept at an alltime low for quite a while already). All I want is better usability. Which is why I will likely purchase a GT-1000 pretty soon (still need to check some other options I already have before) - defenitely not the most up to date device there is.

 

[Eagle]

Kemper still sounds good and they fixed the computer interface.

 

[paisleywookiee]

Yes.

















It's an OG Axe-Fx (retroactively dubbed "Standard").

This is a fantastic example of someone who’s discerning still using older tech. Pretty cool, if you ask me. If you don’t ask me, I’m still saying it’s pretty cool.