I have decided to settle. I am done buying pedals and jumping around to different amps. I never can really afford what I really want and the kind of stuff I play means I need to be able to have a bunch of different equipment. Therefor I am selling all of my pedals and pedal board and buying a Line 6 HD500. Sure it may not be as good as the amps and effects it is modeling, but I never have the money for the ones I want anyway. It also will make it easier to practice with a baby around my house now, plus as an added bonus no more lugging around my amp. I guess in the end I would rather have 100+ amp models that sound 90% correct than a single Fender Hotrod Deluxe. I worry I might regret the decision, but at this point I really don't think so. Maybe, if I find oil in my backyard I will go back to regular gear. Has anyone else hit this point before?
I have decided to settle...non Warmoth related
- Thread starter Danuda
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Jusatele
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yea
I use a vox valvetronics half stack I bought 6 or 7 years back, modles around12 amps only run 2 pedals, a wah and a tube driver, all else is on board, I also have a Blues Jr which is my go to amp anymore.
Face it I do not need to sound just like this or that,just close enough, and as I get older I find I get that from having a selection of guitars.
Barn Door, my Strat, my Es335 clone, my PRS Custom 22, all have different sound. and to tell you the truth, I get onstage and after a few changes I just go with one sound for the rest of the night.
I do have this 30 watt epi bass amp that is about totally clapped out I have owned for25 or more years that I love the sound of also, crystal clear, clean, dynamic and the speaker rattles around.
nah, I guess you are on your own because I also have this friggin desire to get a Allen Chijuajua. and then have you heard one of.................................
I use a vox valvetronics half stack I bought 6 or 7 years back, modles around12 amps only run 2 pedals, a wah and a tube driver, all else is on board, I also have a Blues Jr which is my go to amp anymore.
Face it I do not need to sound just like this or that,just close enough, and as I get older I find I get that from having a selection of guitars.
Barn Door, my Strat, my Es335 clone, my PRS Custom 22, all have different sound. and to tell you the truth, I get onstage and after a few changes I just go with one sound for the rest of the night.
I do have this 30 watt epi bass amp that is about totally clapped out I have owned for25 or more years that I love the sound of also, crystal clear, clean, dynamic and the speaker rattles around.
nah, I guess you are on your own because I also have this friggin desire to get a Allen Chijuajua. and then have you heard one of.................................
Disco Scottie
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I have a Line 6 Vetta and a Peavey Vypyr. They sound just fine. Good for you!
TonyFlyingSquirrel
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Proud Pod XT Live user for 5 years now, all who hear it can't hear the difference.
Ace Flibble
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I use the HD's first incarnation, the HD147. Most of the tones in the new HD line were first developed via the HD147 and the first line of Vettas. The list of bands that have used it for recording and touring is endless. In fact my particular one itself has had two "celebrity owners", has gone around the world three times and was used on a pretty famous album that's sold something like 14 million copies (I've never been sure if I'm actually allowed to say exactly who owned it before me or how I came to acquire it; you can probably work it out for yourselves with a tiny bit of wikipedia browsing if you were that interested).
It's a damn fine amp and sounds fantastic. You're right, the amp models do "only" sound about 90% how they "should". If you want an exact duplication of a famous amp then you're not going to be entirely happy. But not sounding exactly like a 1967 Bassman does not mean it sounds bad. For my money the sheer range of tones you can get plus the advantages that solid state has over valves (e.g. being able to run straight to the mixer and PA instead of needing a cab, no need for warm up/stand by, much longer shelf life before the tone shows any signs of degrading, lower background noise, etc) more than outweighs that 10%. Fact is I can run my solid state digital modelling head straight to the PA with cab modelling on with a dummy cab on stage and nobody in the room other than myself and the sound guys will know that I'm not using a valve head into a mic'd cab.
I used to be in the same position. I had three valve amps, a gigantic family of pedals and I still wasn't getting the exact tones I wanted. There were always a few "blind spots" for each amp and having that many pedals was getting stupid. So I got the HD147, sold my previous gear and now I'm a lot better off. Tone still isn't utterly 100% perfect but it's no worse than before, there's more variety on offer and it's now a lot easier to operate. You won't be disappointed. I honestly do not understand why anyone uses standard 1-4 channel valve amps for anything other than big-budget studio recording when you can afford to have the world's largest selection of heads and pedals. For home use and gigs of any size it's Line 6 all the way.
It's a damn fine amp and sounds fantastic. You're right, the amp models do "only" sound about 90% how they "should". If you want an exact duplication of a famous amp then you're not going to be entirely happy. But not sounding exactly like a 1967 Bassman does not mean it sounds bad. For my money the sheer range of tones you can get plus the advantages that solid state has over valves (e.g. being able to run straight to the mixer and PA instead of needing a cab, no need for warm up/stand by, much longer shelf life before the tone shows any signs of degrading, lower background noise, etc) more than outweighs that 10%. Fact is I can run my solid state digital modelling head straight to the PA with cab modelling on with a dummy cab on stage and nobody in the room other than myself and the sound guys will know that I'm not using a valve head into a mic'd cab.
I used to be in the same position. I had three valve amps, a gigantic family of pedals and I still wasn't getting the exact tones I wanted. There were always a few "blind spots" for each amp and having that many pedals was getting stupid. So I got the HD147, sold my previous gear and now I'm a lot better off. Tone still isn't utterly 100% perfect but it's no worse than before, there's more variety on offer and it's now a lot easier to operate. You won't be disappointed. I honestly do not understand why anyone uses standard 1-4 channel valve amps for anything other than big-budget studio recording when you can afford to have the world's largest selection of heads and pedals. For home use and gigs of any size it's Line 6 all the way.
AutoBat
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I've always wanted several tube amps & a truckload of pedals, but I've never been able to afford them.
One day I came across Amplitube for my laptop, tried it, and have been very happy to the point where it's possible I won't own a tube amp unless I build one from a kit or it's an amazing bargain.
One day I came across Amplitube for my laptop, tried it, and have been very happy to the point where it's possible I won't own a tube amp unless I build one from a kit or it's an amazing bargain.
Jusatele
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I do believe the problem with modeling amps is that the public wants them to be perfect, and that is not going to happen.
As mentioned, the range of tones is fantastic, and they only get better, However they are not going to be perfect by the nature of the reason a certain amp sounds as it does is because it is as it does. And nothing else is.
Now lets see what is it we truly are being offered, and we can see that technology is truly going to go get better, but will never be perfect.
I first heard the valvetronics line by Vox before they expanded it out to the way they have today, and I jumped on board. I really have not been upset with the decision.
My previous post was a lot in Jest, but over all I found that with the range of sound you can achieve you end up not trying to sound like so many others, but carving out 5 or more sounds you like, and it seems each sound relates to the guitar you have in hand. Which has a ton of bearing to the sound you are getting, and I think that is the point I was trying to make.
You can have a huge range of sound in the amp, but you need a guitar to match to get close to closing in on the 10 percent that you think the amp is missing, it is not the amp.
As mentioned, the range of tones is fantastic, and they only get better, However they are not going to be perfect by the nature of the reason a certain amp sounds as it does is because it is as it does. And nothing else is.
Now lets see what is it we truly are being offered, and we can see that technology is truly going to go get better, but will never be perfect.
I first heard the valvetronics line by Vox before they expanded it out to the way they have today, and I jumped on board. I really have not been upset with the decision.
My previous post was a lot in Jest, but over all I found that with the range of sound you can achieve you end up not trying to sound like so many others, but carving out 5 or more sounds you like, and it seems each sound relates to the guitar you have in hand. Which has a ton of bearing to the sound you are getting, and I think that is the point I was trying to make.
You can have a huge range of sound in the amp, but you need a guitar to match to get close to closing in on the 10 percent that you think the amp is missing, it is not the amp.
whitebison66
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I use a Line 6 Spider Valve 112 that I modded with the Strymon SVPre, so its tube preamp, digital FX, tube power section. I use the FBV foot controller too. I have a 4x12 for bigger sound if I want it, but the 112 through a PA is enough (and lighter/easier). I use 4 settings from clean to lead, and FX very sparingly. I never even change banks.
It's portable, reliable, dependable, and is more than good enough for the vast majority of the audience, 105% of whom are not paying any attention to me whatsoever.
For evidence, here's me, the 112, and a fan video that amply illustrates how little attention I am paid:
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIFtgaZuqsE[/youtube]
In Hong Kong, 99% of gigs are rented backline, and the local idiots don't do any maintenance and honestly don't know or care what the difference is between a JCM900 and a Jazz Chorus. I am not joking at all. That's why I refuse to play by that set of rules and always bring my own amp.
My gear works, I know how it sounds, and I don't have to rely on anyone or anything else. It's not boutique, and I live with that by taking the extra $ and going on vacation and crying softly on the beach in Bali. Somehow, I manage.
I teched for Warner Hodges for a long time, and he always stressed that he'd rather have live gear that worked after you threw it down the stairs than anything precious.
That kind of pragmatism made my job a lot easier (though it was NEVER easy!), and I picked up the habit. 'Good enough' is often far better than we give it credit for.
It's portable, reliable, dependable, and is more than good enough for the vast majority of the audience, 105% of whom are not paying any attention to me whatsoever.
For evidence, here's me, the 112, and a fan video that amply illustrates how little attention I am paid:
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIFtgaZuqsE[/youtube]
In Hong Kong, 99% of gigs are rented backline, and the local idiots don't do any maintenance and honestly don't know or care what the difference is between a JCM900 and a Jazz Chorus. I am not joking at all. That's why I refuse to play by that set of rules and always bring my own amp.
My gear works, I know how it sounds, and I don't have to rely on anyone or anything else. It's not boutique, and I live with that by taking the extra $ and going on vacation and crying softly on the beach in Bali. Somehow, I manage.
I teched for Warner Hodges for a long time, and he always stressed that he'd rather have live gear that worked after you threw it down the stairs than anything precious.
That kind of pragmatism made my job a lot easier (though it was NEVER easy!), and I picked up the habit. 'Good enough' is often far better than we give it credit for.
mayfly
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That is an excellent point. The choice over gear should always be "can I make the music I want with it?"
And if your music involves touring , then it's gotta be tough and sound good enough.
One thing about modeling: they often sound better than amps on stage because they get full audience coverage via the pa. No guitar amp can do that.
And if your music involves touring , then it's gotta be tough and sound good enough.
One thing about modeling: they often sound better than amps on stage because they get full audience coverage via the pa. No guitar amp can do that.
Ok, big box guitar store who will remain nameless rant.
I went to the store and bought a brand new Line6 HD500. Or at least I thought it was brand new. I brought it home and went to open the box. Well that is funny, the tape seal has been broken...Oh look, the powercord is just shoved next to the pedal board with the wires just jumbled together and the twist tie lying next to it. All the plastic bags are open, the screen protector is off and there are fingerprints all over it and a big scratch on the back near the xlr output. The box even had some dirt, as in soil, in the bottom of the box. I was pissed. If they had said open item 10% off I would have been fine, but selling the thing to me full price, that just bothers me. I felt bad for the sales guy I called up after I got home. They are going to get me a brand new one, never opened and then give me something for the trouble of having to go back to the store to return it. It still sucks though. I really wanted to use it this weekend and now my fun new toy is sitting in a box taunting me.
I went to the store and bought a brand new Line6 HD500. Or at least I thought it was brand new. I brought it home and went to open the box. Well that is funny, the tape seal has been broken...Oh look, the powercord is just shoved next to the pedal board with the wires just jumbled together and the twist tie lying next to it. All the plastic bags are open, the screen protector is off and there are fingerprints all over it and a big scratch on the back near the xlr output. The box even had some dirt, as in soil, in the bottom of the box. I was pissed. If they had said open item 10% off I would have been fine, but selling the thing to me full price, that just bothers me. I felt bad for the sales guy I called up after I got home. They are going to get me a brand new one, never opened and then give me something for the trouble of having to go back to the store to return it. It still sucks though. I really wanted to use it this weekend and now my fun new toy is sitting in a box taunting me.
O
OzziePete
Guest
Danuda said:
Sheesh, that isn't good. That amp you got, could have been anywhere before you got it. A return for refund, a warranty claim - who knows!. :dontknow: ....Make sure you impress upon them you wanted BRAND NEW & darn well paid for that, cause they really dropped the ball here and should be grovelling for forgiveness. I reckon a guitar of your choice, off their stock floor, is plenty 'forgiveness' and not to name and shame them on every internet forum far and wide :icon_thumright: :icon_biggrin:
Re Amps and pedals......I have a stack of 'schtuff' and I am still not happy with what I have. I never will be. And I have an 1980s rack preamp, a retro t00b replica combo amp that rocks serious tone when cranked (just to keep Superlizard happy :icon_thumright: ), and a software program that has at least a 100 amp sims on it. At some stage you have to say 'enough is enough' and go for more practical solutions, and concentrate on extracting 100% out of what you already have. Next time I think of buying anything remotely looking like an amp, would someone shoot me!
O
OzziePete
Guest
Gee pablo, you take the fun outta posting comments up ..... :laughing7:pabloman said:
pabloman said:
Maybe Danuda doesn't want to play something that is obviously used...there might be the risk if something goes wrong the store won't accept it back? :icon_scratch:
I just dont want to put any more wear and tear on it. I am leaving for a business trip so I will be gone for a week anyway. I am happy with how the problem is being handled by the store which is why I left out the name of the place. I just wanted to rant at it even having happened.
O
OzziePete
Guest
Danuda said:
All good then, and in time, everyone will be happy. :headbang:
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