Show Us Your FX8 Rig!

The other day I retrieved my Atomic CLR and last night I got a chance to compare swapping the Tech 21 gear for Atomic gear. It was a remarkable difference. The Tech 21 British/Power Engine combo sounded good but more compressed and thinner than the Atomic Amplifire/CLR. So the rig will be Crybaby > FX8 In > FX8 pre effects > Amplifire in the FX8 loop > EHX C9 in the Amplifire loop > back to FX8 for post effects and out to the CLR. I just need to figure out a pedalboard layout and power setup that works.
 
The other day I retrieved my Atomic CLR and last night I got a chance to compare swapping the Tech 21 gear for Atomic gear. It was a remarkable difference. The Tech 21 British/Power Engine combo sounded good but more compressed and thinner than the Atomic Amplifire/CLR. So the rig will be Crybaby > FX8 In > FX8 pre effects > Amplifire in the FX8 loop > EHX C9 in the Amplifire loop > back to FX8 for post effects and out to the CLR. I just need to figure out a pedalboard layout and power setup that works.

Would love to see a pic of that when you've got it all figured out.
 
Note that this would all be simpler if I had an AX8 LOL

I cannot wait for the AX8! Eliminating a rack from my rig is a huge time saver. I'm down to one trip load in/out. Now if I could just eliminate about 30lbs from my Mark III combo it would be perfect ;)

Seriously, an AX8, CLR and guitar is an ideal rig. Portable with nothing over 40lbs. Lighter if you have the CLR neo.
 
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I found an old NYC pedalboard that has a flip up angled surface. I think I'm going to take out the shelves in place everything in the bed of it. Easily fits the main unit two expression pedals with room to spare.


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I tried out the Amplifire with the CLR yesterday at rehearsal. Did not like. To be fair, I spent zero time dialing in the Amplifire. It's interesting to me that almost none of the Amplifire factory patches that I tried actually sound good with the CLR - I would have expected a better default experience.

I got asked to sit in with a blues band tonight. This rig is going to be with my Two Rock using 4CM. I ran through it real quick and dialed in some presets. Today is actually the first time I hooked the FX8 up to a tube amp. It totally kills with the Two Rock. The band I'm playing with tonight does Blue on Black so I added an Octave distortion - I have to say that is a bit underwhelming to me. I guess it sounds like an Octavia and I'm more of a fan of the Foxx Tone Machine which has a smoother feel to it.
 
I got asked to sit in with a blues band tonight. This rig is going to be with my Two Rock using 4CM. I ran through it real quick and dialed in some presets. Today is actually the first time I hooked the FX8 up to a tube amp. It totally kills with the Two Rock. The band I'm playing with tonight does Blue on Black so I added an Octave distortion - I have to say that is a bit underwhelming to me. I guess it sounds like an Octavia and I'm more of a fan of the Foxx Tone Machine which has a smoother feel to it.

...good news...bad news. Sounds like the FX8 is doing exactly what it was designed to do. My band plays Blue on Black and so your evaluation of the octave distortion is a bit disappointing.
 
I tried out the Amplifire with the CLR yesterday at rehearsal. Did not like. To be fair, I spent zero time dialing in the Amplifire. It's interesting to me that almost none of the Amplifire factory patches that I tried actually sound good with the CLR - I would have expected a better default experience.

When I demoed the Amplifire at NAMM back in January, Tom had it going through two CLRs and it sounded pretty freakin awesome on the stock Hot Plexi patch. I actually haven't tried my Amplifire through my CLR yet - I currently have the FX8 running directly into the Amplifire and then through an Amplifi in my bedroom - my wife is getting a little upset over the stomp box cancer that is spreading at the foot of my nightstand. Maybe this weekend I'll give try the Amplifire and CLR combo.
 
When I demoed the Amplifire at NAMM back in January, Tom had it going through two CLRs and it sounded pretty freakin awesome on the stock Hot Plexi patch. I actually haven't tried my Amplifire through my CLR yet - I currently have the FX8 running directly into the Amplifire and then through an Amplifi in my bedroom - my wife is getting a little upset over the stomp box cancer that is spreading at the foot of my nightstand. Maybe this weekend I'll give try the Amplifire and CLR combo.

I don't know what to say other than the Amplifire factory amp/cab combinations for a bunch of stuff I tried was not too great with the CLR. When I first got it my CLR was off in storage (I'm moving) so I ran it through a Tech 21 Power Engine which sounded much better - it has to be the IRs then because the PE is basically taming out the sterile highs and the overly boomy cabs for things like the Fender cleans.

In any case, the Amplifire and FX8 combination is a pain in the ass. I either have to bring multiple pedalboards or I have to get one that is much larger. Neither of those options is too appealing. I was thinking I could just put the Amplifire on the CLR so it's out of the way - it really is just the amp head in this configuration. I could even put it on my Pedaltrain mini with the C9 in the loop so I can enable it via a scene change on the FX8.

Who knows - it's all fun stuff!
 

BTW, this rig KILLED last night. I had ordered FAS Humbuster cables with the FX8 and hooked it all up to test a few hours before the gig and it was dead quiet and there was no tone suckage at all. I always ran an EP Booster and some sort of other overdrive (usually a Klone) with that amp before. So I setup two drives on the FX8 as well. The first one was Tape Boost and the second was the 808 Mod. It was pretty damn close to what I was used to. The nice thing of course is that you get X/Y so I also had an Octave fuzz and the Zen overdrive. I know I've said it before but the C9 with the FX8 Rotary is stupid good.
 
...good news...bad news. Sounds like the FX8 is doing exactly what it was designed to do. My band plays Blue on Black and so your evaluation of the octave distortion is a bit disappointing.

The octave distortion sounded really good in the mix. I did make the mistake of not making it loud enough though - I could have used a few more dBs. I'm pretty sure the FX8 is modeling an Octavia which is a bit harsh IMO compared to something like the Fulltone Ultimate Octave or a Foxx Tone Machine.

IOW, you should have no trouble copping a good tone for Blue on Black with the FX8
 
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