Am I the only one that doesn't have any experience with "real amps?"

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dvdwerki

Member
The other day, I started to build a JC120 preset, lowered the input trim to .5, and was getting some distortion when picking harder, and it made me realize... (somewhat embarrassingly) I haven't played through 99% of these modeled amps, so how am I ever going to know what they're supposed to sound and feel like? I can kind of get a reference from watching videos and listening to records, but those are fully mixed so they're not really comparable to isolated playing. Maybe it doesn't matter in the end, I just felt like I can't accurately compare the modeled presets to a real cranked 100W Plexi, cause I've never played through one. Anyone else ever feel this way?

As a side note, is it normal for the JC120 to distort with volume at ~5?
 
Before the axe I was a marshall agnostic. "Sounds bad, don't care" (probably because I only ever played bad dialed in JVMs)

Now I am loving the plexis to bits. I learned how they sound, how they feel, what they can do just by playing through the axe. I confirmed my finding through youtube videos later. Never had a real one on hand, but I still feel like I know them very well now
 
As long as it feels good to you and sounds the way you want it to sound, nothing else matters. I've only played through maybe 7 or 8 different tube amps. Marshalls, Carvins, Peaveys, Fenders, Laney, Mesa, PRS, even a small Gibson combo from many years ago. The great thing about the Fractal is you don't have to buy hundreds of different amps and cabs but have the tone and feel at the push of a button.
 
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I've been playing through tube amps since I got my first one in about 1968, but over the years I've only owned 4 or 5 different ones and played through a few others as well. That means the VAST majority of the amp models in the Axe-Fx are also new to me. But I really don't care how the models compare to their real-life counterparts. I just care if I can find a sound that works for the song I'm playing, and so far the Axe-Fx hasn't let me down at all.

I've learned more about different brands and types of amps thanks to Fractal than I ever would chasing real amps. 👍
 
I've never played through most of the amps I use but they deliver the tones that were expected based upon the research. I'm not into 'accuracy', just the core tone of the amps and have yet to be disappointed.
 
I had bought a 5153 el34 50w and a JP2c and built up a pedalboard last year because I wanted to, played through them a few times and they were cool but honestly nothing I couldn't get out of the III. Now if I had unlimited funds would I have a room full of amps and effects because why not.
 
That's actually something I'm very much looking forward to; what the younger generation starts coming up with for tones building off this stuff, without really intentionally going for specific sounds. I have a general idea of what all the amps sound like, at least a ballpark idea and if I'm really curious about a specific one, after watching 4-5 vids you can get an idea of their character. I think it's fair to say the majority is still going for specific tones, a Mesa tone, a Marshall tone, etc. and I think it'll be cool to hear what happens when some dude goes "Hmm, a Brit Mod 800, let me make up somethin' with that".
 
Part of the reason I bought a SV20, which is a mini Plexi for all intensive purposes. Never owned a real one, probably one of my most used models and the chance came up to get one for about half price so I jumped on it

Models are darn good, way more practical, and all that stuff, but having the real deal sitting there is pretty fun too (and loud).
 
For me the Fractal was a gateway drug. I'd owned a number of tube amps before I got my Fractal, but I used the Fractal as a means to preview various amps I might be interested in....and ended up buying some of them.

I've bought more real tube amps since I got the Fractal than I had ever had before. I've had even more amps pass through my hands over the years than my current inventory, by far.

At this moment I own four Mesa/Boogies, two Fenders, and five vintage JMP era Marshalls...plus the Fractal and a few pieces of solid state gear that I don't count in the same category. Over the years I've had about a dozen Mesas in total and more than 40 amps of all kinds (tube amps) as well.

The phrase, FYI, is "for all intents and purposes". While I'm on my grammar nazi high horse, I will also remind all those present that the word "jibe" is what you mean to use when you use "jive", more often than not. "The sound of that Bassman does not JIBE with my needs as a high gain modern metal player." Correct application of the word.
 
I'm guessing lots of players have never owned an actual tube amp (and even fewer future players will). Before coming to FAS I only ever used a solid state combo because: 1. I didn't start as an electric player and initially had no idea of what I was doing, 2. I moved a lot, and 3. I just didn't want to lug an amp and cab around. I like my convenience. Oh and guess what? Tube amps are also LOUD, so SS made more sense in a home environment.

With FAS and FRFR I get the best of both worlds though. Anyway, just trust your ears. I could care less what it's "supposed" to sound like. The question is, "Do I like it?", "Does it inspire me and fit the mood/song/whatever?"

Start with the factory presets. Bank A is specifically built to showcase different amps so that's a great baseline if you're concerned about it.
 
Fractal is great because you don't want to lug all this around... but you want the sound all this gives you. You can see the FM3 sitting on top of the Marshall on the right. That's all I usually bring now and maybe a small 1x12 combo amp.
 

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TG3K said:
I've been playing through tube amps since I got my first one in about 1968, but over the years I've only owned 4 or 5 different ones and played through a few others as well. That means the VAST majority of the amp models in the Axe-Fx are also new to me. But I really don't care how the models compare to their real-life counterparts. I just care if I can find a sound that works for the song I'm playing, and so far the Axe-Fx hasn't let me down at all.

I've learned more about different brands and types of amps thanks to Fractal than I ever would chasing real amps. 👍
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What he said, pretty much exactly.

Only Marshall I ever owned I bought off a guy about to trade it in for no money at some little music store in East Nowhere where I was gigging. Hated it. Way way way too loud, and nasty to boot.

In the axe though I'm a JTM45 fan big time.
 
The old non-master-volume Marshalls are fantastic but you have to understand from the very start that they deliver the goods only when they're cranked up. They were built to fill up the venue with sound in a time before PA systems were good and powerful.
 
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