What do you use for backup if AX8 dies at gig?

I'm using a Vox Tonelab EX.

Great tones and for backup at a now very frugal cost.

I'm setting up for the AXEIII and having the my Ax8 as backup.
Use it while traveling. It's pretty cool. I also have Tonebridge. It's a very cool ipHone app that has a bunch of presets done for a certain famous tone. Some of them sound amazing.
 
I am not at all in the position to need backup, because I only play at home :D, but if I was in this situation, i will pick up a second hand pod HD500 or something like that.

I have used one before my Axe FX II, and I have been very happy with it.
It has not the same power and features, but it sounds nice enough for the crowd not to see the differences in a live loud context.
(we are talking of backup )
It is easy to hook and fire up in less that one minute on a FOV / FRFR system, it has a built-in expression pedal, it has an nice editor to prepare and load the preset in advance.
And it may reproduce a lot of the "standard" FX chain.
 
I spoke to my buddy who has a Fly Rig and he was bemoaning the lack of an XLR out, so I decided to order the Amplifire box. I'll post my impressions once it shows up and I get to spend some time with it.
 
I think the biggest problem with the digital backup solutions (extra AX8, POD, Amplifire etc.) is that you need to keep them updated and/or use them regularly. If you just have it in the car for two years, and then suddenly need it, you might have a problem remembering how your presets are set up.
 
I think the biggest problem with the digital backup solutions (extra AX8, POD, Amplifire etc.) is that you need to keep them updated and/or use them regularly. If you just have it in the car for two years, and then suddenly need it, you might have a problem remembering how your presets are set up.

Absolutely agree. I tend to use my AX8 at my band's rehearsals and of course, gigs. My AFB is for backup & jam sessions with buddies and in reality has got to be the easiest to use modeler out there. The rotation of both units makes them easy to update and ready in a pinch.

Nice to see diversity of opinion on backup rigs.
 
I am heading for the Amplifire Box.
At the end of the day, I can bring it down to two sounds (clean/high gain). Anything else would defeat my purpose for a small traveling rig.
 
I keep an old Crate Powerblock in the car. Gives me no effects but a guitar sound is better than none - and it will work into a cab or into a PA. I am intrigued by the Amplifier stuff though so might look for one.
 
Bought the Ampli-Firebox and then sold the AX8. Not because the Firebox is better, but I simply don't need more than 2 amps live and was able to dial in everything so it sounded almost the same.
 
Bought the Ampli-Firebox and then sold the AX8. Not because the Firebox is better, but I simply don't need more than 2 amps live and was able to dial in everything so it sounded almost the same.

Wow! I gotta admire the minimalist approach. The AX8 is such a great multi effects box and opens up so many possibilities I think I'd have a real hard time letting go of it. But congrats for not being distracted by all the cool toys and just focusing on playing the damn guitar! Rock on!!!
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All of the digital products you mentioned have screens which display a preset name. So whether I created a preset 2 years ago, or yesterday, I’m going to know that “Deluxe clean” is a clean amp, or “Marshall crunch” is a crunch tone. No problem here.
Good for you, if the presets you made two years or more ago are still set up the way you like them, and you can still remember how to get from the Deluxe Clean to the Marshall. For me, my backup rig stays in the car. I never ever use it - I might check that it still works once a year.
 
Wow! I gotta admire the minimalist approach. The AX8 is such a great multi effects box and opens up so many possibilities I think I'd have a real hard time letting go of it. But congrats for not being distracted by all the cool toys and just focusing on playing the damn guitar! Rock on!!!
rock.gif
guitarjam.gif

I have to mention that there's still an AXE-FX II in my studio :D
 
Just wanted to update this thread with a report on my backup solution. I did order and receive an Amplifire Box and it works as advertised. I have not tried connecting it to a computer to play with the models, just used the factory defaults and it is totally workable. This past weekend we played a gig where the stage was tinny and the other guitarist in my band used his pedal board into the Amplifire Box (I used my AX8), and both went into a single Atomic CLR NEO II. Sounded great and everyone was pleased.

I'm not going to get into the nuances of the Amplifire Box and how good the modeling is or isn't. The simple bottom line is it works and is more than good enough for a gig. Throw an effects box or two in front of it and you have a compact and cost effective backup solution in case your AX8 dies or you don't want to bring it (fly gig, etc).
 
I think the biggest problem with the digital backup solutions (extra AX8, POD, Amplifire etc.) is that you need to keep them updated and/or use them regularly. If you just have it in the car for two years, and then suddenly need it, you might have a problem remembering how your presets are set up.

Totally agree ... I have a TC Electronic Nova System that's been in my "spares" bag under the back seat of my pickup truck for like the last 4 years. Have never needed it, but after all this time it would be stressful if ever did, as I have not even looked at it in all that time, and I'd have a hard time remembering how to use it lol.
 
My vote goes to Amplifire-box. Simple, super compact and sounds great. I use it every now and then in rehearsals and just for jamming. Fits in my guitarbag easily.
 
Several choices. I'm an engineer, I like redundancy.o_O

1. Backup #1: Helix. I'm actually using this as primary now since my AX8 developed intermittent issues.

1. Backup #2: Pedaltrain Nano pedalboard with FR5 Cali, TWE-1, some other choice pedals, and a Fender DI box for 1/4"/XLR outputs with minimalist cab sim if necessary. Runs on Volto batteries. Through a Katana or Quilter, usually.

2. Backup #3: Katana 100 1x12 combo.

I don't bring all backups to a gig, just one. Usually. :eek:
 
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