***The Official Guitar Thread***

a1ex2001 said:
Modelling amps have just got better and better in recent times in a live environment most people simply won’t notice the difference anymore and they are so convenient!
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The only issue is that people can very quickly replicate unique styles, good for sales but not perhaps for those seeking something different. The artist's cranky mix of old amps etc to get the sound then quickly becomes irrelevant.

It's easy enough to model an amp in realtime. The question is more about how do you get the best from it. Maybe I'm being more sensitive.

In the end I suppose you don't have to pay for maintainance and have the fun of new tubes and the effect on sound.

I had the scope on the Strat's output, so after the amp is done, I'll add a guitar stage :) rock on :)
 
NickK said:
The only issue is that people can very quickly replicate unique styles, good for sales but not perhaps for those seeking something different. The artist's cranky mix of old amps etc to get the sound then quickly becomes irrelevant.

It's easy enough to model an amp in realtime. The question is more about how do you get the best from it. Maybe I'm being more sensitive.

In the end I suppose you don't have to pay for maintainance and have the fun of new tubes and the effect on sound.

I had the scope on the Strat's output, so after the amp is done, I'll add a guitar stage :) rock on :)
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If you are at home of in the studio and really into getting ‘that sound’ I still get the analogue line up but for live work or the average home player it really doesn’t make a great deal of sense. Few if any audience members are going to hear the difference between modern modelling amps and a valve and pedals line up and the average bedroom guitarist would be better off practicing than tweaking tone options on either an analogue or digital setup!

Just to be clear I’m not saying nobody should bother with classic valve and pedal setups, if it makes you happy do it much like buying a vintage les Paul of 10k if it’s what you want and it makes you happy when you do it.
 
a1ex2001 said:
Just to be clear I’m not saying nobody should bother with classic valve and pedal setups, if it makes you happy do it much like buying a vintage les Paul of 10k if it’s what you want and it makes you happy when you do it.
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Absolutely but when on stage we need to dial that tone in straight away.
If you play in a Hendrix/Clapton tribute then you can go out and buy your one guitar, one valve amp and a couple of pedals but when you're in a covers band playing 25 songs that need a different sound for each one then my Roland GR55 does the job and people with their eyes shut wouldn't know the difference.
It was the same argument with synthesizers, people would genuinely say you should be taking out a barrage of keyboards like Rick Wakeman where for many years a modern synth can do a 99% reproduction of all your major keyboard sounds. I love my Roland VR09b for that reason.
 
SexyGreyFox said:
Absolutely but when on stage we need to dial that tone in straight away.
If you play in a Hendrix/Clapton tribute then you can go out and buy your one guitar, one valve amp and a couple of pedals but when you're in a covers band playing 25 songs that need a different sound for each one then my Roland GR55 does the job and people with their eyes shut wouldn't know the difference.
It was the same argument with synthesizers, people would genuinely say you should be taking out a barrage of keyboards like Rick Wakeman where for many years a modern synth can do a 99% reproduction of all your major keyboard sounds. I love my Roland VR09b for that reason.
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Covers band is a great example, the average wedding band guitarist would need a small truck load of kit to play all the songs authentically as you say much better off with one guitar, a modelling amp and some presets!
 
You can of course do a mixture of the two - I got rid of my main amp in favour of plugins but I still go through my pedalboard on the way in so if I want to I can setup the plugin as a clean pedal platform and get my sounds from the pedals
 
I got a bit jaded with Tommy Emmanuel's playing style after overdosing when I "discovered" him three years ago. But this (long) interview has perked up my enthusiasm again. And when I say perked up my enthusiasm, I obviously mean depressed the heck out of me! In my next incarnation I plan to start playing when I'm 5.
 
Andrew_McP said:
I got a bit jaded with Tommy Emmanuel's playing style after overdosing when I "discovered" him three years ago. But this (long) interview has perked up my enthusiasm again. And when I say perked up my enthusiasm, I obviously mean depressed the heck out of me! In my next incarnation I plan to start playing when I'm 5.
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A few years ago I went to see him at the Robin 2 and stood about 10 foot from him.
When the gig finished I hung around talking to friends and then went to the outside bog.
When I walked out Tommy had sat down on an outside table and began playing an impromptu gig for about 8 of us consisting of 4 songs that he was hoping to put in his set.
 
Cadder said:
Any recommendations for a cheap-ish way to record electro-acoustic to PC?
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You'll want/need a proper audio interface as most acoustic systems will still be high impedance like electric guitars. Normal microphone inputs on computers typically won't work well.

The good news is that same interface should work with microphones and electric guitars!

There are a lot of older USB audio interfaces around that will still do fine for home stuff, would recommend looking for something from e.g. M-Audio if going old, or Focusrite if you want something pretty current. Check eBay!
 
a1ex2001 said:
Modelling amps have just got better and better in recent times in a live environment most people simply won’t notice the difference anymore and they are so convenient!
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I keep looking at the Quad Cortex, it seems to be amazing at modelling. But the lack of software updates and development prevent me from hitting purchase. Features which were touted for the release still haven't been implemented. I think it only until quite recently got a plate reverb. Absolutely insane. It's still selling like hot cakes though and sells out within a day or two when stock does come in anywhere. I'm not laying any money down with them until they put some serious effort in to their updates. There seems to be a growing number of owners that are becoming increasingly unhappy with the progress of feature development after a year.

My friend has a Helix, he loves it, but always says how he is constantly having to tweak and work on presents. I don't think I'd invest in a Helix at this point in its life cycle.

I think the further I get in to the hobby, the more likely I'll go down the modelling route - very appealing to play out on amps that you can't afford or don't have the room for and to be able to record in stereo from 2 or more amps. Something which is mighty impractical and expensive to do for real. Am in no rush for one though, very happy with my pedal board into a Laney L5 Studio and Laney cab and my Yamaha THR30ii.

The other week I was gifted for my birthday a Fender Mustang Micro headphone amp, since then it's all I've been using. It's brilliant. The amp modelling is very good as are the effects. The bluetooth ability is just great for following online lessons / practicing with jam tracks without disturbing those in the room or having to worry about being plugged in. Totally, totally recommend it!

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Check out the Boss Katana, I've used loads of amps and effects over the years (still own 4 amps, 60+ effects, and 10+ multi effects) i have never seen an amp so versatile , you can get any tone out of it
 
2StepSteve said:
My friend has a Helix, he loves it, but always says how he is constantly having to tweak and work on presents.
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In the last 51 years of gigging I don't know a single guitarist with an array of pedals who doesn't keep tweaking so it's only going to be the same for somebody with a multi-effects the advantage of pedals is you can do it on the fly.
We gig with a new guitarist tonight and I can honestly say I've never heard anybody get accurate sounds like he has and being a covers band he needs around 15 different sounds.
I said to him the other night I don't know how he can easily shift from one song to another on normal pedals, a multi-effect would be easy.
If I remember I'll take a picture of it tonight, he said it has taken him 30 years of experimenting to get where he is.

Morve said:
Check out the Boss Katana, I've used loads of amps and effects over the years (still own 4 amps, 60+ effects, and 10+ multi effects) i have never seen an amp so versatile , you can get any tone out of it
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I thought the Blackstar ID and Boss Katana I have were good but my mates new Fender takes it to another level - https://www.fender.com/en-GB/guitar-amplifiers/contemporary-digital/mustang-gtx100/2310706000.html
 
I never liked the Blackstar ID series could never get what i was after out of it, the fender gtx is a great amp but being fully digital it still has those digital quirks a lot like the peavey Vypyr, that's what great about the Katana being a class A/B
 
So we gigged with our new guitarist last night and this is his pedalboard.
His sounds were outstanding and several musicians commented on them.

pedalboard.jpg
 
SexyGreyFox said:
So we gigged with our new guitarist last night and this is his pedalboard.
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Blimey! I get seduced by such toys, and I understand their value when looking to replicate specific sounds, but... but in the end I'm just endlessly pleased that I'm happy with an acoustic guitar. Just pick the thing up and play! :-) I do not have the right kind of brain for choices and settings.
 
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