Disappointed :(

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bluesman said:
I also bought my unit used. Had similar problems. All dark and muddy.
No system reset helped. After an FPGA update (you can't do that by yourself)
All was fine . Maybe that was helpfully.
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What is a FPGA update? And how did you do that?
 
The ATC SCM20ASL is an excellent monitor.

I use a UAD Apollo interface too.

The various steps to reset the Fractal are good advise. Load the latest firmware. Load the latest presets. Then reset the global parameters. All in that order.

Using a cable, plug your guitar into the front input of the Fractal and set your I/O -> INPUT -> INSTR IN level using the front panel. With the guitar volume maxed, strum hard. Turn up the INSTR IN level until you get red lights on the input meter, then back down a little. With my low output Strat I have this at 90%.

If you can patch the Fractal to be your audio interface in your DAW, then playback some mixes through your monitors. This is just to verify the audio quality of the Fractal is normal. This is not testing a preset.

Fractal -> USB -> DAW
Fractal -> Out 1 XLR L/R -> Monitors

If this sounds normal, then audition the factory presets using this setup with your guitar and a cable (not wireless) plugged into the front panel Fractal input.

I normally use a 70's Strat with low wound pickups, there are several factory presets that sound very balanced, frequency wise, to my ears on studio monitors. The gain on some presets might not be what was intended if you are using a low output pickup like mine, but the overall idea is there.
 
MrGuitarabuse said:
indeed... too many one time trolls just wanking around... so... OP prove me wrong...
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Idk, this wouldn't be the first time someone "normal" got frustrated and vented with a post here.

IMO, No need to call him out as a troll so far.

If you get frustrated and post, only to get some heated reply posts from forum members, it can't help the frustration.

Hopefully, a good reset of the Fractal will get him up and going and he can become a welcome forum addition.
 
I'm waiting for a sound clip to be posted. I have a hard time believing it has disappointed you this much. The Axe doesn't require endless tweaking, although you can go as far as your ears/mind feel necessary. I would absolutely do a factory reset. The majority of amps/presets at their core sound VERY passable on the Axe (to me and many others). Don't give up and please give us some evidence to support your dissatisfaction.
 
barhrecords said:
Idk, this wouldn't be the first time someone "normal" got frustrated and vented with a post here.

IMO, No need to call him out as a troll so far.

If you get frustrated and post, only to get some heated reply posts from forum members, it can't help the frustration.

Hopefully, a good reset of the Fractal will get him up and going and he can become a welcome forum addition.
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Indeed... I am not a man of great patience.,,,, ask my gf... ;)
I hope you are correct and I am wrong...

All the best everybody...
 
One last thing and then I'll wait to hear from the OP....but I believe the Axe has become, and has been for a good while, very much a plug and play device. I can have a great tone in minutes, period. Usually with the controls at default and the right IR. It's not nearly as complicated as some make it out to be.
 
I had a time where I was unhappy with the axe because I didn't seem to "get it" I would say. I would hear all sorts of tones people were creating with the axe that were spectacular and nothing translated well with my own gear, trying presets from different folk some clipping some not working at all. Spend hours tweaking not really getting anywhere. I was annoyed trying a kemper because it sounded good and I literally did nothing. However the axe is capable of so much the kemper is not. So I was determined.

Eventually I came across a patch that had a mark iv dialed in that sounded just right for my guitar. I took that as a base and ran with it. IRs are overwhelming with variety but I learned how essential they are. I ended up finding one that just sounds right to me. Throw on some various FX and EQ that I used to further find my tone. Read some tips from these forums. Soon enough I had something that could just absolutely sing (fw 18 era I think). Now this patch has evolved and variations have been made. It has carried on through up to Q6. I have a fair arsenal now along with a few modified stock presets and they sound fantastic.

I think if you have only had it a few months. Give it some time. I would check out axechange (maybe find a patch thats close and build off what you like) and dig around on these forums. They can shower you with knowledge and awesome things shared. Finding some IRs you like I think is another crucial step in getting the tone you want. I would hear these guys out they have been posting gold for a long time.
 
Don't rule out that its not always the gear either.....

I've literally lost count of how many pedals I would buy based off an internet demo. Andy from PGS would be playing a given pedal though a Deluxe Reverb and I'd think "Hey, I have a DR, and this is the best sounding tone I've ever heard, I'm buying it", only to have the pedal show up a few days later and sound like crap when I plugged it in. I'd get none of the tones I was hearing in the demo clip. Why ? We'll either PGS sent me defective pedals about 25 times, or, I'm not as good of guitarist as Andy, or the dude who did the Prymaxe video's etc.

If there are guys who seem to get a great tone from any given rig, and guys (more like myself lol) who used to try tons of different rigs, only to never find that sound, then you've got to sometimes not blame the gear.
 
I might be in the minority, but I find the stock presets pretty well done.

I think I recall seeing Guthrie Govain doing demos with stock presets straight away.

I guess everybody has their ideal sound.
I found using Yeks guide and then looking at videos that were in those very helpful. Could usually get very close to the real amps without much effort and I am not a big tweaker.
 
The first thing that comes to mind is that the OP's unit itself may have issues, and if factory reset doesn't help, it may have other problems needing service. The fastest way to check this IMO is to appeal to the forum to seek another user nearby your location to see if you can get together over a couple adult beverages and do an exact apples-to-apples comparison of both units with identical listening context.

If nobody who can help is within a reasonable distance of the OP, then send it in for service to evaluate the unit. It may or may not be borked, so this is a crap shoot, but will result in final piece of mind.

In the end, there may be nothing wrong with the unit, but it may be a matter of the OP hearing something unique that might be difficult to replicate in the AxeFx. I can't imagine a scenario where the AxeFx is being PROPERLY utilized where it sounds flat out BAD under all circumstances and typical/normal/appropriate parameter settings. I would suspect operator error first in order to rule that out, in which case I'd suspect the AxeFx itself as having a technical issue needing service.

If the OP is using it properly, and the unit is up to tech spec, it might just be time to move on.

JMHO
 
USMC_Trev said:
Disagree. I deliberately didn't mention that. This guy needs his own sound thru the axe for his project. Wasting time and effort trying to sound like someone else is pretty pointless.
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Trying to sound like someone else by figuring out what someone else use and how can be really educating.
Maybe you later find your own sound.
 
jeppekristoffer said:
Trying to sound like someone else by figuring out what someone else use and how can be really educating.
Maybe you later find your own sound.
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I have to agree. Many famous artists started by trying to emulate someone that came before them.

As stated in this this thread, you can't "be" that person so you won't ever be able to completely replicate their bag... but along the way... you will find your own thing.
 
I think everyone who plays guitar, or at least 99% of us, were motivated to pick up a guitar because of a favorite artist or two.....

There were lots of artist I enjoyed, and who were regarded as "guitar hero's" but growing up listening to Hendrix, Gilmour, SRV etc never made me want to go the music store, buy a guitar, and do what they do (now of course I would like their tone/chops lol, but that is another story).

For me, it was Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols who made me actually want to pick up a guitar and learn to play. Would love to have his tone to this day, and did buy a cream Burny LP custom knock-off because he played them.

I doubt anyone goes out and buys a guitar, amp etc, without any desire to sound at least in part like someone else.
 
lqdsnddist said:
I doubt anyone goes out and buys a guitar, amp etc, without any desire to sound at least in part like someone else.
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Yup. Nothing wrong with inspiration.

Now, if you're going out of your way to copy every single piece of gear, so you can sound exactly like someone...o_O
 
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