As I reach the end of my gigging career (Ive been gigging for over 20 years. We essentially only do parties anymore, I'm so tired of bars), I've decided to go back to using my old Rivera tube amps through a great 2x12 with well broken in G12M's in it. The Axe II is currently used only for recording and practice time. For the gigs and jams I do, it simply is much easier and simply sounds great (two channels with a few pedals are enough for me). Ive found having many fewer options forces me to focus on playing much more. More work on chops and songs, less fussing with stuff at the amp level. I actually thought about getting a III when it first came out, but realized that spending money on anything that is not essential in terms of making money is simply foolish. The Axe II paid for itself while a III will not. Thankfully I kept my tube amps (which paid for themselves as well as the original AxeFx) as I'm rediscovering them. What sounds I need (or want) to cover are handled quite effectively with the amps. Back to simplicity for me. My Rivera's do the Marshall and Fender things quite well, that and a few pedals are all I need for gigs. I can do my own power tube bias and maintenance so that saves a bit of worry. Easy to fix stuff.
I think the AXE (I've had the first two generations) is a wonderful tool. I'm sure the III is great, but something about the immediacy of a tube amp makes me smile. Not needing a monitor in my face other than for vocals (which I can now hear better) makes me happy. Only needing to adjust a few simple knobs on an amp and Im good to go and very easily adjusting eq at a gig for the room is cool. I can bring two amp heads and always have backup. I can control beaming (the audience killer) with plexiglass and no one gets hurt. It's easy to drop an SM57 in front of a cab and run it into the pa if needed. I have Mullards and now I get to use them. lol
I may change my mind and go back to using the AXE II, but at this point I've re-fallen in love with my amps.
Anyone else have that experience? (as this is a AXE FX forum, probably not many)
I think the AXE (I've had the first two generations) is a wonderful tool. I'm sure the III is great, but something about the immediacy of a tube amp makes me smile. Not needing a monitor in my face other than for vocals (which I can now hear better) makes me happy. Only needing to adjust a few simple knobs on an amp and Im good to go and very easily adjusting eq at a gig for the room is cool. I can bring two amp heads and always have backup. I can control beaming (the audience killer) with plexiglass and no one gets hurt. It's easy to drop an SM57 in front of a cab and run it into the pa if needed. I have Mullards and now I get to use them. lol
I may change my mind and go back to using the AXE II, but at this point I've re-fallen in love with my amps.
Anyone else have that experience? (as this is a AXE FX forum, probably not many)