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Totally Amped (use of amp sims etc)


steve mac

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Again just picking brains, now is have a guitar that is capable of sending two independent signals out ie one magnetic one peizzo (acoustic) I want to make fuller use than I currently am. In that at the moment I am just using one lead through my Voicelive play GTX which is set to an acoustic type setting and when necessary I can blend in the magnetic pickups and switch the GTX to an appropriate setting. My idea is to use two leads one, going as now to the GTX with the acoustic setting (the harmoniser within also needs this to function properly) and the other through an amp modeler and or effects unit straight into the board. Perhaps it's worth stating that I currently only play a couple of intros using the mags but would hope to add quite a few more bits and bobs maybe some total instrumentals a - la The Shadows. So two questions ; can anyone see any issues with this and can anyone recommend an appropriate amp modeler or would I be better with a combined all in one unit. Obviously tone is paramount but easy of set up as well which I guess would favour the multi effects amp sim combined. I have researched like crazy on utube but now they are all starting to look/sound the same to me. Cheers Steve

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It's all starting to sound really compicated to me. I'm wondering how much better your act would really be if you went down the road you're talking about. Would anyone really notice? Might there be other areas of your act that could use gear improvements?

 

Anyway, I don't personally like amp modelers so I might be biased. They mostly sound fake to me, and I mostly feel like I'm playing through a feel crusher. BTW I've tried quite a few of the amp modeler stand alone amps as well as pedals, including some of the Vox and Marshall. The last Boss multi amp modeler pedal I tried seemed to have something like a 10ms delay. I don't know if that was my imagination, but I swear it did - it was really irritating.

 

However, having said all that, I still really like my tiny little Vox DA5. They seemed to have got something right there, that didn't translate to even their high end amp modelers.

 

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Thanks Shaster, I am not in a position to try these things out before I buy so real world experience is great. Whilst I am a big fan of keeping things simple, I love the challenge of trying something different, I guess I am trying to cover for my basic lack of talent. Cheers Steve

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I've been happy for over 10 years with my SansAmp psa-1, but they aren't cheap! They also don't have any effects built in. It's an amp similater only, with 50 user presets. It takes a up one rack space, so I don't know if that's simple enough. They have pedal units for less money, but the only one I've tried is the original sansamp. I've heard the more expensive Pods by line6 are really good, but I haven't tried any. There should be software plugins for a laptop or even an ipad that will get a realistic amp sound. But since I've been happy with the psa-1 I haven't looked into it.

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Thanks Bob I was hoping you would chime in, I did look online at the Sansamp pedal and it does seem just the job but like you say I would then need to buy an effects pedal pushing up both the price and the setting up time and space. Cheers Steve

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Do you want several levels of distortion? I set the sansamp to 3 settings: Clean, crunch and full distortion. Just make sure you're getting an amp and speaker simulator and not a unit that's designed to be played thru a guitar amp. 10 years ago I couldn't find a amp sim unit with effects that I was satisfied with. YMMV. There are so many choice now days, it'll take some time to demo them. There are also small gutar amps with a line out that could be connected to the PA system.

 

I tried bringing a small fender amp and micing it for a while, but I didn't like the set up time required. The software plugins are cutting edge, but it looks like there are a lot of requirements like having a digital mixer and fast enough PC to avoid delay. Check youtube for some demos!

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That of course is the big problem I have Bob the inability to try anything before I buy. And like I say you don't really get a proper feel for the devices via the net and so therefore rely on recomendations. I simply don't want the hassle of taking and miking an amp. I have an old Zoom multi effects but it sounds like well ass, I am confident that the new stuff is a great improvement. With regard to the software option, it still sounds like a lot of trouble plus more to bring plus another "point of failure". Again thanks for your advice. Cheers Steve

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I use a Vox tone lab LE, and a fishman acoustic DI. i have a radial bigshot IO with 2 guitar ins going to a radial ABY, i uses a martin D28, and Gretsch 6120 I can send either guitar to either devise or both - makes for some interesting combinations of sounds.

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I stopped using amps with a show band named Mirror Image in 2003. The next year, I did one gig with a Korg Pandora PX-4 direct into the PA at the McAllen Civic Center in south Texas.The sound man, who had mixed Alan Jackson the previous week, liked the tone of my Yamaha SA-1100 direct and was surprised how small my "amp" was. I've used POD's direct, which is what Russ Freeman does with the Rippingtons "live." I've used the POd XT live, Floor POD plus and now use a Digitech RP-355 for all my electric guitar sounds live. If you carefully listen and program your sounds the way you like, you can get excellent results with minimal hassles.

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Thanks Riley interesting stuff, I did look at the digitech. Are you using that direct into the board in place of the Pod re amp sims? Sven, good to hear your input, I have checked out the 50G on utube and it does sound amazing but I am not liking the fact that everyone demoing it had it at hand level. Whilst I don't need a ton of presets, I would like to footswitch between them back and forward with ease and I am not sure with this I can. I was set on the Zoom G5 but physically it may be too big to carry along and be a bit of over kill, so now I am looking at the lowly Zoom G3 which has great reviews and is a good size for me. Presumably with the same standard of sounds as the G50 but with what looks like easier switching. Again thanks for more food for thought.

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A couple of months later and finally got a (requested) Zoom G3x amp sim combined effects pedal. Only had it a few days but so far so good. First it's a great size ie small enough to fit in my gig bag but not so small that it's fiddly to use and it's very robustly built so should take the knocks. It has ten or so amp simulations which include all the classics blues breaker, vox 30 etc. and I am loving a couple of them, especially as you can mix and match the speaker cabs. There are countless effects and although most are geared for metal heads it does do a nice analogue delay and simply glorious reverbs. Some of the modulation a are just plain daft but I have found a nice mandolin effect which I will fit in somewhere, maybe have to start playing Maggie May again. A huge plus are the various connections especially the balenced line out and for a change the software to edit the effects is simple to use, I have just spent a couple of hours in front of the computer with guitar on lap, headphones on ... Click a mouse, twang guitar, click again etc moving from Santansesque tone to The stone in milliseconds. All this and an excellent built in looper. The biggest problem is it's so addictive tweaking and tweaking the settings. So thanks for all the advice, I will have a couple of weeks of practice before I venture out with it but can't wait.

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Moogerfooger Fooger' date=' do you plug them direct not a board or am amp, if the former just how good is the amp modelling, I think I have narrowed it down to this or the Zoom G5 Cheers Steve[/quote']

 

 

been a while --- i go direct. haven't used an amp in years. I think you can get a good sound out of most amp sims. I just use a clean sound and add a little boost on occasion and some verb. i don't use backing tracks any more so the cleaner and less complicated my guitar sound is the better IMO

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I love a DI setup for ease of use...but I spent another entire night going thru everything I own (amps,pedals,DI etc etc) and in the end...a small quality amp won out. I hate that,.,,its so inconvenient, But thats what my ears tell me.

I can survive with a DI rig..but real tubes sound better.

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SteveMac, yeah..sometime I lament that I can't bring a good tube amp out to the gigs...but then I am loading in and I realize another 2 trips is just stupid. ..and there isn't much room in the car..and it might rain...and oh yeah....noone notices but ME.

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As a user of variax guitars (one year) ,wireless transmitters etc..I am not afraid of technology at gigs. If one committs to it, going ampless can be done. In a funny way, it's like the old musicians would always tell me "In the end, its all about your talent,anyway".

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I just started up an "acoustic" duo where I will be playing an SG Futura through a Boss GT-100 direct to the PA. I set up a patch that, with a push of foot switch, lets me go from an acoustic simulation to an amp sim with/without overdrive. I also assigned an effect called "overtone" that creates a pretty convincing hammond organ type sound. Combine that with a bunch of other effects, the built-in looper and the different the pickup configurations I have with the Futura, and I have a LOT of tonal options. In contrast, my duo partner is just running his acoustic straight in, no-frills. :p

 

I love my GT-100. The amp sims are not on par with Line 6 or the higher end makers, but with some tweaking you can definitely get some usable sounds. That's kinda the thing with Boss GT's, they are definitely for people who like to tweak and configure things exactly how they want. If you prefer a simpler approach, there are better options out there.

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