Is there any point in buying a traditional amp after owning a II.

I'm still a noob, having taken delivery of my Axe II on May 3, 2013. Since I've owned it, I've used it almost everyday gigging and practicing at home, and nothing else. But in July I picked a Japanese '54 RI Strat, which I am in love with and sounds great through the Axe. This is especially the case with the Fender amp models, but can tear it up through the Marshall amps as well.

However, when I played it through my '65 RI Twin, there was something very cool and simple about old school Strat, cable, amp, maybe my Maxon OD pedal in there too. It was then, despite how the Axe changed my playing life, I will always have at least my Twin.

Also, like someone had mentioned, the Axe has made me want to get a Bassman, 50W and 100W Plexis. If I came across a ridiculously great deal, I might have to jump at it. I still love the cool factor of real amps and for that am not one to sell off my tube amps. Plus it's always good to have backups!!

Good luck!!
 
axel said:
Every gear head needs a minimum of one kick ass tube amp, Axe Fx or not. I love my Axe Fx, but there are days when I see some old school rock footage (Free, Black Sabbath, ACDC...) that I just want to plug my SG into my Marshall and crank it up. I plan on keeping it that way, variety is the spice of life. :)
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+1 nothing beats ringing a les thru a marshall and 4x12, gassing bad for a YJM, happy with yours?
 
Before I bought the Axe-FX II, I had about 15 amps in my stable, including a Mesa Mark V 1x12 Combo. I kept two tube amps, because you just have to have an amp. I have a Fargen Blackbird and a Mesa TA-15 with a Forte 1x12cab.

The Mark V? Definitely no reason to keep that with an Axe, unless it's your only amp. It is a Swiss Army knife amp.
 
scruffydoo said:
+1 nothing beats ringing a les thru a marshall and 4x12, gassing bad for a YJM, happy with yours?
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Yes, I like it a lot. I actually sold my 1st one, regretted it and bought another. Plan to hang on to this one, as they are getting harder to find.
 
The V will be my only amp...and I have to say, in the right hands, the V is an absolute monster. A Fractal and a Mark V? Pinch me....
 
I keep my AXE-FX II - MATRIX GT100 - FRFR system set up in my studio. It is always 15 seconds away from making music and is ready to record in a few minutes. I have several connection which I like set up as I have it. I also play every evening in a spare bedroom which I have set up as a music room. I play 100%original tunes. I have no interest in copying other guys music any longer. I play through a Suhr Badger 18 watt head with a Suhr 12" cabinet with a 12" Eminence Red Fang that I feel is the sweetest sounding speaker around. I use ZERO effects. The Badger has six knobs and a switch. I rarely even think about the knobs and must use the switch twice per use.
When I want to think of, connect with and be a part of my playing, in a way that I feel best promotes the environment for my music creation. I am in that room, with that amp.

To me, these are tools. The tools have uses which each suites needs is a very personal way.

There is no "point" (reason, or necessity) for "buying a traditional amp after owning a II"except because it fits a need to you. Most likely if this is the case, you probably already have one.

I love my 18 watt Badger and have a very unique musical relationship with this amp. It is not going anywhere. Desert island for me -> the II would go. But I am not on a desert Island and I love my II.
 
To the OP...

It's a personal and financial choice/decision.

I own a host of awesome tube heads and cabs and stomps. I doubt I'll ever get rid of them. They're just too precious sounding.

But the A2?? Dude, it's as best as can be if one had to rid themselves of all analogue gear.

Just IMHO, YMMV.
 
It's been 6 months since I bought the Axe FX II and, I finally just got the final piece of my FRFR rig last night, two Atomic CLR wedges.

My Marshall JVM full stack with 1960AV and BV cabs has been used only to demonstrate to my friends how well the Axe FX II models it. My 1978 JMP 2203 full stack with JCM800 Lead series 4x12's (G12-65 speakers) has again only been turned on to compare. I sold off a few of my rack effects as the Axe FX does all they could do 100 times better and with more control. I shot my own IR's of my Marshall cabs, but other than that, they are not being used. Those were my main two rigs and I loved them for years, however after digging in the Axe FX II and an FRFR setup just fits me better.

If I didn't own the Tube Amps already, I would probably never because after experiencing the Axe FX II, I am only wanting more, not less.
 
A real amp is also good to have. I'm thinking of getting one just for the power amp to run my cab.

That being said the current Axe-II amp sims are spot on. The Bogner XTC test f.ex. and my friend borrowed a Mark IV and did a tone match and the results were ridiculously close. The matching was basically flat and didn't change anything. Sounded better without the match.
 
Sometimes it's fun to pull an amp out and see how to get the Axe model to get the same tones. This usually results in killer new presets on the Axe which are inspired by the real amp but go beyond what the real amp can do.
 
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The Mark I mode in the V has no equivalent in the Axe- at least not that I have found- I would love to be proven wrong...so I am really looking forward to trying to match the tone from the ground up. I also look forward to building dedicated effect patches for a 4CM set up.
 
I can't imagine I'll ever buy another "real" amp...that being said, I'm not selling my '66 Super Reverb ;)
 
sure just like purchasing different guitars if I had the money I would purchase some old fender amps like a a deluxe or Princeton. They would be cool to go to a jam session with both are small and easy to carry,
 
as a tube maniac (such that i struggled for four years to get a decent tone at home), after getting the axe fx ii, my mini recto is sold without any doubt :)
i waited for about a month to write positive reviews, now the time has come :)
so i would say, by all means, no!
 
Does it have to be one or the other? I've just ordered a little Jackson Ampworks Newcastle 30 and I'm really looking forward to running my Skreddy and EHX pedals through it. It's all part of the fun ain't it?
 
My Axe II now hangs with my modded AC-30. I do like the smell and heat the AC-30 provides in the winter. The Axe can't do that so far.
 
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