Fractal Talk

[Orvillain]

RE: Ease of editing.

I took the Axe3 and my FC12 controller to practice on Wednesday night. Using the Axe3 purely for effects with my Dual Rectifier in tow (actually I took 4 amps to the practice, but that is another story!)

The edit button is key. Click it once to cycle through effects. Double click it to reverse the direction. This makes it really easy to edit blocks on the fly.

 

[laxu]

The edit button is key. Click it once to cycle through effects. Double click it to reverse the direction. This makes it really easy to edit blocks on the fly.

Yeah that has been a real lifesaver feature. It used to be so damn annoying to have to back out to Layout, select another block, then hit Edit to go back a block.

 

[paisleywookiee]

RE: Ease of editing.

I took the Axe3 and my FC12 controller to practice on Wednesday night. Using the Axe3 purely for effects with my Dual Rectifier in tow (actually I took 4 amps to the practice, but that is another story!)

The edit button is key. Click it once to cycle through effects. Double click it to reverse the direction. This makes it really easy to edit blocks on the fly.

Huh? Didn’t know this. Must play immediately.

 

[la szum]

That’s actually generally the opposite reason of why I end up getting stuck on one amp for hours; chugging I just want one badass tone on one pickup, but a Strat and an edge of breakup tone I wanna hear allllll 5 pickup positions and how the amp sounds best with each…..and then forget about them all as I load up a Superlead because it’s really hard to beat that amp!

So you are saying you have graduated to two amps.



Cool!


Fractal is a gluttony of riches. And because the variety of amps/tones/cabs/effects sound so amazing
it is not hard to get lost in one amp/sound for a long, long time. Sometimes years!

 

[Piing]

it is not hard to get lost in one amp/sound for a long, long time. Sometimes years!

I have spent years with the JS410 Lead Red. Only sporadically some of the FAS models, Plexi, Friedman HBE, 59 Bassguy or Dumble. But for heavy duty, back to the JS410.

Are you saying that there is life beyond that?

 

[State of Epicicity]

I've gone through phases with different amp models being my go to; the one I spent longest with was the Plexi 6CA7, followed by the 1959 SLP. But I'm truly all over the place now. I have a decent idea of many of the models, so I can pull up something and dial in pretty quickly depending on my mood. And with DynaCabs thrown in, it's even easier.

One pretty constant thing I stick to is, for a low gain tone I generally use a 57, and for high gain I usually use the Soyuz 1973 (Condenser).

I've recently really gotten into a PEQ in front of the amp (or OD). To me, you can simulate just about any other kind of pickup going by ear, and I'm loving that.

 

[Stone]

I doubt very much l will use every amp or even half in the Fractal, I'm sure that with only 7-8 models it will be more than enough for what id like to do
although its nice to know there are tons of options if so required

 

[DrewJD82]

So you are saying you have graduated to two amps.



Cool!


Fractal is a gluttony of riches. And because the variety of amps/tones/cabs/effects sound so amazing
it is not hard to get lost in one amp/sound for a long, long time. Sometimes years!

If I could only ever use the Superlead and IIC++, I prolly wouldn’t be mad.

 

[TSJMajesty]

If I could only ever use the Superlead and IIC++, I prolly wouldn’t be mad.

Covers an awful lot of ground.

 

[paisleywookiee]

It’s a weird feeling I get with any modeler. Surely I should be able to get great sounds out of a dozen or so amps, right? I shouldn’t focus on four or five, or maybe less?
But I generally do. Right now it’s literally just the Smallbox, SLO, and Deluxe Reverb. Slight cheats since it is all three SLO models, and both Deluxe channels. But still three amps.

 

[Stone]

It’s a weird feeling I get with any modeler. Surely I should be able to get great sounds out of a dozen or so amps, right? I shouldn’t focus on four or five, or maybe less?
But I generally do. Right now it’s literally just the Smallbox, SLO, and Deluxe Reverb. Slight cheats since it is all three SLO models, and both Deluxe channels. But still three amps.

Well we all Just use what we like and what works for us be it 2-3 amps or 20
I dont think the intention of Fractal having soooo many amps was designed for any Individual to use all or most, rather, its based on a wide selection for any individual needs

 

[hemmelight]

Spending time going through the amps just confirms how specific my tastes are.
It’s weirdly gratifying to find something that really works that I expected to like. It confirms that I’m not crazy.
But finding something unexpected that I dig can be a nice surprise.

 

[metropolis_4]

For me it’s

/13
50w Plexi
JCM800
Mk IV

Sometimes Vibrolux

I would be 100% happy forever if I had nothing but the 50w Plexi

 

[laxu]

It’s a weird feeling I get with any modeler. Surely I should be able to get great sounds out of a dozen or so amps, right? I shouldn’t focus on four or five, or maybe less?
But I generally do. Right now it’s literally just the Smallbox, SLO, and Deluxe Reverb. Slight cheats since it is all three SLO models, and both Deluxe channels. But still three amps.

Everyone does.

For me there's basically 4 sounds I absolutely love.

• Fender Super Reverb 4x10 on that edge of breakup where it cleans up with a bit of volume roll off or picking softer. See Pete Thorn's "Amps in the Zone" video for this amp to know what I'm talking about. As an alternative, I love the Mesa Lonestar Classic for the same thing.
• Vox AC30 2x12 w/ Alnico Blues or Golds on the Top boost channel. This is honestly a super versatile sound whether it's clean, edge of breakup or piling on more gain. The even better version of this on the Fractal is the Morgan AC-20 Deluxe 12AX7 Treble model. It sounds pretty spot on to the Victory VC35 I had. Less "warts" to the sound like ghost notes and whatnot.
• Marshall Superlead 50 or 100W into a 4x12 with Greenbacks for classic blues and rock sounds. Again, Pete Thorn's "Amps in the Zone" is what to check out for reference.
• Modded Marshall into a 4x12 w/ Greenbacks or V30s for higher gain hard rock tones. I have a lot more leeway here as there's so many ways to get this sound from Soldano SLO to Cornford MK50 to my BluGuitar Amp 1 ME, even Plexi + drive pedals.

This can easily make you feel like you aren't using your modeler to the fullest of course. I haven't been too bothered going from 300+ amp models to just 3-4.

 

[paisleywookiee]

Right, there are 300 models to fit any one person’s 4-5 usually. Unless they’re session dudes maybe. Or someone who really does love going all over the place.

Additionally, Fractal doesn’t have 300 amp models. They’ve got 300 channels. Isn’t the new Revv stuff six models for three channels of one amp?

 

[laxu]

Right, there are 300 models to fit any one person’s 4-5 usually. Unless they’re session dudes maybe. Or someone who really does love going all over the place.

Additionally, Fractal doesn’t have 300 amp models. They’ve got 300 channels. Isn’t the new Revv stuff six models for three channels of one amp?

It's still something like ~100 unique amps even if you don't count e.g Plexi variants as different amps.

 

[paisleywookiee]

It's still something like ~100 unique amps even if you don't count e.g Plexi variants as different amps.

Yeah I know, I can math too.

 

[laxu]

Yeah I know, I can math too.

 

[Stone]

 

[TSJMajesty]

And if I am using however many different amps, I still tend to dial them in the same way. Which I sure I'm alone in doing so!