Synth options

[mongoose_eyeball]

So I just bought a Carvin SH575:

It has a built-in peizo/hex pickup with a 13-pin out for MIDI control. I'm about to get a synth interface, and wondering how many of you have incorporated synth into your Axe rigs.

Because of the size of the MFC, I don't want a GR-55; there's enough going on at my feet already. Besides, I've got a great MIDI controller in the MFC.

So I'm probably going to get one of the Axons (seems like the only other serious game in town).

I have one empty space left in my rack. So here's the question: I can get an AX-100, which has internal sounds, or an AX-50, which has no internal sounds (but does have USB), and is only a half-space wide, which I could combine with a half-space synth module like the Kurzweil ME-1 or the Korg NS5R.

How are the internal sounds in the Axon AX-100? Any suggestions?

 

[MikeyB59]

Internal sounds are pretty mediocre on the AX-100 in my opinion. Roland XV-2020 is an option. Also Roland GI20. Axon is better, but GI2020 isn't bad. I think it's about the same level of tracking for external sounds as the GR33 is for internal.

 

[Poparad]

Keep in mind, the Axon was discontinued a couple years ago, so there's no support or future development for the product. I have a GR-55 that I occasionally use. I run it into Input 2 on the Axe and insert it at the end of the signal chain with he FXL block. I usually run it into my reverb block at the end of the chain, but that's it.

 

[Stringtheorist]

I use a GR-33 but I don't have it at my feet. I situate it on top of my axe and cabinets. I use the MFC to control patch selection and have 4 MFC IA switches programmed to select the patches I need.

 

[Poparad]

Also, one of the features of the GR-55 I use a lot (almost more than the synth stuff), is the guitar modeling/retuning. You can switch to Drop D, DADGAD, open G, down a half step, etc, etc, with the unit, and it has a pretty decently realistic sound. There are a couple of tunes in my band that use a very weird tuning, and with the GR-55 I don't need to bring extra guitars to the gig for those tunings, or spend several minutes between tunes retuning my guitars.