Modeling Fidelity likely isn’t as critical as we think.

[timbuck3]

Arent tube amps pretty old skool teck yet sound great

 

[maguchi]

Is this a trick question?

 

[Frodebro]

Arent tube amps pretty old skool teck yet sound great

They sound great because they were the tech used to make the music we all grew up listening to. If that music was made with Gorilla 15 watt combos, that would be the sound we would have been conditioned to love.

 

[maguchi]

They sound great because they were the tech used to make the music we all grew up listening to. If that music was made with Gorilla 15 watt combos, that would be the sound we would have been conditioned to love.

I had a Gorilla 35! I was badass...not .

 

[FuzzyAce]

I had a Gorilla 35! I was badass...not .

I think we all had a Gorilla at some point.
Think mine was a GG-20.

 

[Frodebro]

I think we all had a Gorilla at some point.
Think mine was a GG-20.

I somehow managed to avoid the Gorilla amp phase, my first amp was a Peavey Basic 50 (I started on bass before shifting my attention fully to guitar). But, once I got into guitar my first "amp" was a Rockman Soloist, which allowed me to play for hours on end, every night, without pissing off my parents. It didn't sound horrible running into the Basic 50, either.

 

[la szum]

I somehow managed to avoid the Gorilla amp phase, my first amp was a Peavey Basic 50 (I started on bass before shifting my attention fully to guitar). But, once I got into guitar my first "amp" was a Rockman Soloist, which allowed me to play for hours on end, every night, without pissing off my parents. It didn't sound horrible running into the Basic 50, either.

Peavey Studio Pro 40 and a Rockman here, too. I preferred the Rockman. The Peavey was an hot mess.

 

[la szum]

Is this a "Tone doesn't really matter," thread?

 

[la szum]

Or, an "I am old and my ears ain't what they used to be," thread?

No offense, OP. I am old-ish, too.

 

[Funk Soul Brother]

Is this a "Tone doesn't really matter," thread?

The toanz are *all* in the fingers, after eating fried chicken

 

[la szum]

The toanz are *all* in the fingers, after eating fried chicken

 

[Mikael Dez]

My first amp was a Peavey Bandit Transtube 112

 

[Frodebro]

Peavey Studio Pro 40 and a Rockman here, too. I preferred the Rockman. The Peavey was an hot mess.

B-b-but it had the SATURATION knob!

 

[Funk Soul Brother]

My first amp in 78' was a Heathkit Model TA-16 "Starmaker", that my neighbor tricked me into (I should have bought that 64 Fender Jaguar!)

It blew up during my first gig (SoCal keg party), which I threw in a dumpster on the way home...

Then I bought a Peavey Pacer ~I hated them both!

Ah, the good ol' days

 

[DLC86]

I think we all had a Gorilla at some point.
Think mine was a GG-20.

I grew up with a gorilla

 

[Frodebro]

My first amp in 78' was a Heathkit Model TA-16 "Starmaker", that my neighbor tricked me into (I should have bought that 64 Fender Jaguar!)

View attachment 43167

It blew up during my first gig (SoCal keg party), which I threw in a dumpster on the way home...

Then I bought a Peavey Pacer ~I hated them both!

Ah, the good ol' days

The other guitarist in my band has a Heathkit not unlike that one in his basement where the band gets together. He uses a Vox these days, but that boat anchor is still sitting there. Watching. Listening. Waiting.

 

[Blix]

I recorded this with POD Farm 12 years ago, and tbh I think it sounds pretty great? I'm kinda biased though.

 

[ucnick]

In 1971, my first amp was a somewhat decrepit Kent 3 tube 5 watt wonder with the "death cap", was a ok starter amp (enough to make the neighbors complain!) but not enough to jam with so sold it to a friend. Later that year a "friend" sold me a Mike Matthew's Freedom Amplifier for $30 and that was one kickass amp, even being solid state. Used it for a few years when playing in starter jam bands, 35 watts was plenty loud enough. Then around 1975 bought a Kustom 200 watter with the tuck 'n roll covering, to use in a performing band, but that's another story.

I went back to college in 1976 after dropping out in 1974 and the Freedom amp went with me, played bar gigs and the school Gong Show with it. Finally sold it to a buddy of mine sometime late 70s or early 80s, it was still going strong. I'd love to find another one like that. It was a great sounding amp and built like a tank, took a lot of abuse over the years but never quit.

BTW I never ran it on batteries. 30 D cells were WAY out of my budget at the time....

 

[timbuck3]

I recorded this with POD Farm 12 years ago, and tbh I think it sounds pretty great? I'm kinda biased though.

Still excellent tone

 

[BenIfin]

If history is any guide the latest isn’t necessarily the greatest. You can look at digital delay for example. Some folks might argue that the earlier versions with lower fidelity and sample rates sound better. Look at the EVH delay as a good example. Tape delay is another. It’s the infidelity and quicks that are a lot of it. This isn’t to say that’s always the case with modeling. But it does make me think. Something being musical is not always about fidelity or accuracy. I suspect that isn’t considered as much in the modeling realm.

I had this thought while playing and switching between different “generations” of modelers from different brands. It certainly seemed to hold true for me.

Before I get slammed, it’s just an observation or notion that I had or experienced. I’m not trying to push any absolutist theory… just offering a thought.

When I think or hear any really good [ ie: supposedly "classic and therefore brilliant" ] Tube guitar Amp or "classic drive or delay effect etc..... many words come to mind ...... "fidelity" quality is never even a nano thought.

Thinking the supposedly great [ ie: old ] Tube Amps and effects have "some good to moderate to high levels of audio fidelity" ... is kind of like a perfect oxy-moron statement.