Amp modeling as a main amp?

[Stratmaster]

Do any of you guys run a modeler as a main amp in your band?

 

I'm not talking like a modeling amp like vetta or valvetronix but more like an a modeling device like a Pod, J Station, or tonelab or anything other then an actual amp with a speaker?

 

I know the sound is ok-good on most modeling systems today depending on your setup and how depends on how much time you invested in it and tweeked your tones but is it good enough for your band? Does it work in a real world live setting like a bar/club?

 

If you do use it as your main amp what kindda problems have you had with doing it?

[_pete_]

Digitech GSP1101>Art SLA1 power amp>H&K 4x12 w/ Celestion G12-65's.

 

It sounds great, is mega versatile, and I've never had a bit of trouble.

[ten56gibby]

Another GSP1101 user here and just like Pete says: sounds great, mega versatile, never had any trouble. It's a RELIEF to know that if anything in the chain failed, I could just run XLR stereo out straight to the board.

 

GSP1101 => Imager/Exciter => noise reducer => Peavey 50/50 stereo tube power amp => Avatar 8 ohm stereo 212 w Celestions (one V30 and one G12T-75)

[bisticles]

Boss GT-8 user here. I'm very happy with the sounds that I'm able to get. For gigging, the main benefit is that I can get pretty much same tone at any volume level.

 

I really like the way that Boss does the preamp setup. Each patch has an A and a B amp model. You can switch between them, run them at the same time (doing this in stereo is awesome), or use the dynamics of your playing push it from one into the other. Lots of really cool stuff you can do there. It does the speaker/microphone emulation as well.

 

In my setup, I've got two patches that I use; one with two voicings of a Fender Twin, and one with two voicings of a Marshall. Obviously, they're not perfect, and you could tell that something isn't quite right if you were playing alone in a bedroom with no other sound. However, it gets nothing but compliments when playing out, and having instant access to everything is key.

 

A lot of the bad rap that modelers get is from the learning curve. While most modelers have an output setting for "guitar amp", you really need to spend time tweaking the settings even further on both your amp and modeler to get things sounding good. On the Boss units, I've had good results using the Resonator3 effect in FX-1 to fill the sound out and act kind of like an EQ.

 

My current rig is [any number of guitars] -> Boss GT-8 -> BBE MaxCom -> QSC GX3 -> 2x12 and/or 4x12 w/ V30/G12t75s.

 

 

It's a RELIEF to know that if anything in the chain failed, I could just run XLR stereo out straight to the board.

 

 

Same here. Never had to do it, but it's a nice fallback. I also carry a backup power supply in case the one I'm using craps out, and then a cheap solid-state head in the car in case the unit itself dies.

[shredtilurded]

GSP2101>Carvin SS poweramp>Randall 2x12 WGS 65's

[ashasha]

Lot's of people are using Axe-FX systems going into poweramps, PA's, FRFR and all kinds of other acronyms.

[GomezAddams1]

I love the sound of my V-AMP into headphones, and I always swore that if I started playing live again, I'd use it run into a small power amp into a couple of keyboard speakers.

 

However, I have tried it into a stereo amp and small full range speakers, and I never could come up with a sound that I liked. Hi gain distortion with a bit of stereo chorus gave an amazing wall of sound, but other than that, meh. I admit I didn't spend much time tweaking it.

 

I've heard many people malign the V-AMP, and perhaps the solution is something newer. But, like I said earlier, the V-AMP sounds great (to me anyway) with headphones.

[billybilly]

I do, at home and when jamming with mates. I use a Zoom G7.UT into my Traynor YCS50. My brother in law, who claims he hates digital devices and has gigged for 20 years, is now copying my setup.

[HCRobe]

Presonus Firestudio>laptop>Guitar Rig 3>PA

 

controlled with a Line6 FBV shortboard.

 

The whole band is In Ear.

[Hurtzher]

I've used a POD 2.0 into full-range speakers before. Not a bad little gig rig. I mounted the Pod onto a mic stand. The key was using the POD through full-range speakers, IMO.

[bonaventura]

I do, at home and when jamming with mates. I use a Zoom G7.UT into my Traynor YCS50. My brother in law, who claims he hates digital devices and has gigged for 20 years, is now copying my setup.

 

more power to your brother

 

when first i got this unit, i explored it like crazy. and dialling in wasnt that hard. after a while, i ended up with a roughly same tone no matter what patch setup i use. i'd like to think of it as my sig tone

 

fast forward 2 years after that, my taste to tone is a little bit different but still easy to dial.

[=JL=]

I've run a Pod for a few live situations and got great results.

In my personal experience, my setup depended a lot on the type of gig. When there's a good PA and engineer with decent soundcheck time a power amp and full range speakers was fine.

For smaller bar or club gigs I preferred to have some kind of easy to grab global EQ, such as a rack parametric, or I just ran it into keyboard amps. The changes in sound which occur in different small venues with different audience sizes soaking up frequencies meant I needed to be able to tweak easily as I was playing.

Also, although I can set up my live sound at pretty high volume at home, I still needed to use a fair bit of band rehearsal time to fine tune my patches. This requires patience from other band members in the beginning, though when it's dialled in, I find setup quicker than with a regular amp.

The soundcheck thing for different venues obviously applies to regular amps too, but they usually sound somewhere near straight away. Modellers are so versatile they're capable of some truly vile sounds if you're not careful or don't put the time into your patches. Set your global EQ with your speakers pointing directly at your head. Digital modellers with full range cabs can have very harsh upper frequencies which you may not notice if it's blasting at your knees, but your audience will run a mile.

My only other hint is to use less reverb and effects than you think you'll need. The processed, studio type sound of modellers can make them disappear in the mix a little, making you lose presence and those "in your face" guitar sounds I tend to like.

I'm a bit of a vintage Tele into a JTM45 tone snob, but I think modellers can work well, and tend to get a bad rep because people with bad ears think you can just blast away with factory presets.

[mygolfcart123]

I am old school when it comes to modeling. Don't want it. I like a tube amp mic'd, even though I use a Line 6 Pod X3 live with the 4 cable system which only uses it's effects...which sound great by themselves going through a real tube amp.

 

I used to use a Vetta II exclusively and it was OK, but it just never got the feel or punch of a good tube amp.

 

Modeling is fine for some, just not for me.

[cratz2]

I like my Fender and my Vox amps... but if I were to find myself playing rhythm guitar for a metal-ish band or basically any cover band that covered a range of tones that was at least 50% heavier than 70s classic rock, I'd run my original Tonelab into the FX return of a Peavey Prowler tube amp, essentially using the Peavey as a power amp.

[SteinbergerHack]

I've used various setups over the years, but I always keep coming back to a straight-ahead tube amp. I just can't get the "punch" or "edge" I want from anything else.

 

Of course, I'd bet that 99.99% of the people in the audience wouldn't notice the difference....

[lp_junkie]

No but I have considered doing it, I have a Digitech GSp1101 and the wicked foot controller for it, I've thought of just getting a 100 watt 2 channel power amp and just running my Marshall cabs with it using the Digitech for all the sounds.

[Saturn]

Not as my main rig but I have used my RP1000 into a Crate Power Block to a 112 cab a couple times. I thought it sounded pretty good. I like to use the RP1000 for some of the high gain models.

[lp_junkie]

 

Not as my main rig but I have used my RP1000 into a Crate Power Block to a 112 cab a couple times. I thought it sounded pretty good. I like to use the RP1000 for some of the high gain models.

 

 

Try this with the RP1000, that's what I have been using live into my Marshalls lately.

 

DIST- Redline Gain 65 Bass 50 High 50 level 80

AMP= 59 Bassman, Gain 85, Bass 7 Mid 2.5 Treble 6.5 Vol 75

 

Cab sim and effects to taste, it actually sounds better than any of the high gain models in there- I was using the Triple Rectifier sim, but this blows it away.

[Darkstorm]

Not currently in a band, but ran that way for several yrs. Guitar to procesor of choice (For me its the high end Zooms). Create your ready for recording tone with processor. Send that sound to house PA etc.

[Saturn]

 

Try this with the RP1000, that's what I have been using live into my Marshalls lately. DIST- Redline Gain 65 Bass 50 High 50 level 80 AMP= 59 Bassman, Gain 85, Bass 7 Mid 2.5 Treble 6.5 Vol 75 Cab sim and effects to taste, it actually sounds better than any of the high gain models in there- I was using the Triple Rectifier sim, but this blows it away.

 

 

That's funny because one of my favorite patches is really similar except I use the Deluxe model with pretty close to the same settings.