Thoughts on Vox Tonelab???

[SPONGEBOB]

I need to help a guy in a new band I joined get his Tonelab set up... He knows nothing about set up or programming of digital effects.. I suck hard at it myself, but have done several with varying degrees of success, from none to a lot.

Are these units user friendly??.. He will only need 3 or 4 patches, as he isn't much of a guitarist and will just be playing simple chord rythyms..

I will need a decent clean "tubey" "vintagy" sound, a twangy 60's clean, and one or two crunch tones... He does have the manual... any help to get me started??/ The only amp he has is a Fender Acoustisonic, so any tone he gets will be from the Tonelab... He will be using a nice Epi Dot guitar.... bob

[Buttcrust]

It's OK. Some issues with it can be found on the Vox web site. Check there to see what others have asked and commented on

http://www.voxamps.com/forum/forum.php?id=33

I'm happy with mine, I changed to a better tube, sounds good. Read through the comments on the Vox site. There are a couple programs (software) that has been developed to use in conjunction with this. See the comments.

 

This thing can make a ton of different "tones". I guess thats why it is called a "ToneLab":lol:

[d_dave_c]

Are we talking the old school blue one or one of the newer two-letter ones?

 

If it's the old blue one, and you're having that much trouble, for simplicity, use bank 9:

 

1 - Oldguy - patch based on Fender Bassman w/ a little chorus and reverb.

2 - Crunch1 - Based on a Vox AC30 w/ a little reverb. Add Treble boost for some Brian May tones.

3 - Crunch2 - Based on a Vox AC15 w/ a little chorus and reverb. Not sure how different it really is from #2.

4 - Solo - Based on a Marshall Plexi.

[kayd_mon]

I borrowed one from a student for a night. It sounded pretty good to me, and it wasn't difficult to use without the manual.

[wagdog]

Which model?

 

I have an LE. The manual is on the Vox website for download. Once you get it figured out, it's pretty user friendly and straightforward. Itt has two main modes of operation; mode 1 is switching banks of effects in and out, and mode 2 is stompbox mode, for turning individual effects and/or amp models on/off.

[craigny]

I have the ST its a great little piece of equipment, i use it mostly for practice with headphones, and you can get a good live sound outta it if you tweak it. I use mine mostly for home use, and its a great backup rig to run through thr PA for a show in a pinch. I suck at using gear for the most part too, but the vox stuff it pretty easy to use.

[wagdog]

Just to add what craigny said above:

 

If you plan on using your modeller as a back-up through the PA at a gig, TRY it first and set up some patches for it. Do this in your downtime before a gig or whatever - not in a pressure situation. That way, if you need it in a pinch, you'll be ready to go.

 

I know this, because that was my backup plan, which I neglected to actually try with our gigging PA, and the one time I needed it (blew a tube)... it sounded bad. Luckily I had a spare set of tubes in my gig bag. And, I did setup my tonelab so it would work well through the PA just in case there was a next time (there wasn't).

[craigny]

 

Just to add what craigny said above: If you plan on using your modeller as a back-up through the PA at a gig, TRY it first and set up some patches for it. Do this in your downtime before a gig or whatever - not in a pressure situation. That way, if you need it in a pinch, you'll be ready to go. I know this, because that was my backup plan, which I neglected to actually try with our gigging PA, and the one time I needed it (blew a tube)... it sounded bad. Luckily I had a spare set of tubes in my gig bag. And, I did setup my tonelab so it would work well through the PA just in case there was a next time (there wasn't).

 

 

Yes just to add to what wagdog said, you really need to try your patches through a PA or poweramp beforehand. It will sound MUCH different through your headphones, and you will need to make a lot of tweaks to get your headphone/direct patches to work through a PA or poweramp.

[cratz2]

I still have my original desktop Tonelab that I've had for years. For the tones I want and need out of a modeler, I'd have to say I still think it's the best sounding modeler I've ever used. I cheat and run it into the FX Return of a Peavey Prowler with an EVM 12L speaker in it. It does great Vox tones which is what is most important to me. The Boogie model on the desktop Tonelab is the best modeled high gain tone I've ever used. I had a Line 6 HD500 for a while and it had some great and realistic tones in there, but I'd vote for the Tonelab. This particular one has two Gain knobs a 'Gain' and a 'VR Gain'. On the Boogie model, the 'Gain' adds more of a tight, thick type gain while the 'VR Gain' is more of an open, Marshal type gain'.

 

I had an AD30VT and while I thought it had some great Fender, Vox and Marshall tones, I never was able to dial in a high gain tone I truly bonded with... this Tonelab is pretty awesome in that regard.

[aclarke]

 

Just to add what craigny said above: If you plan on using your modeller as a back-up through the PA at a gig, TRY it first and set up some patches for it. Do this in your downtime before a gig or whatever - not in a pressure situation. That way, if you need it in a pinch, you'll be ready to go.

 

 

This.

 

The LE I use has an amp/line toggle that allows you to scroll through a few output settings. Makes a huge difference, but even with that it takes a bit of effect/amp/cab tweaking to get the levels where you want them.

[DonK]

I had an SE, now have an LE (didn't need the second pedal, so I went for the smaller footprint). I think it's the best unit out there, and I've owned a fair number, including several variants of the POD.