Anyone still using a tube amp?

G

greg

Inspired
I sold all my tube amps since getting the FM9. But lately I've been thinking about getting another tube amp. Does anyone still use tube amps now and then, or do most just use their Fractal?
 
I bounce back and forth, determined by the stage space and set up time. I rarely use pedals and instead go straight into the amp, so a little combo and my guitar are up and running in a minute, whereas there's more time and effort setting up and tearing down my modeler and FRFRs. But I love using both types of rigs.
 
Still have a few, but all of them are ones I built myself. Tough to sell home brew amps at a price where you can break even, so I keep them. But, with that said, rarely do they get played since getting my FM9.
 
I recently built another tube rig just for a fractal/tube/fractal w/d/w thing. My stuff sounds amazing. Maybe the best tone I have had ever. ..But just for here around the house.

if I'm playing out, especially with ears.. it just fractal and maybe a FRFR to move some air behind me for the guitar to hear and to hang with some drummer level kind of stage volume.
 
I have it up for sale, but I've held on to my ADA Rocket AD10 for long time. Not so sure I want to part with it... I would also say that about the JCA Circuits GR 1.6 I sold when we moved away from Nebraska years ago. Both are special and unique amps.

I'm currently using zero watt analog amp pedals into FRFR. Enjoying that. Also realizing how much of a headache pedalboards can be (planning to sell off a boatload of great pedals). Giving the FX8 a go, and then comparing it to the HX Effects. Pretty sure that's leading me squarely back into all Fractal territory, but it won't be the FM3 again.

We live in a crazy time as guitarists.
 
All the talk about an 'amp in the room' sound in the past..... I've got an amp in the way, is that similar?
Honestly, I haven't plugged in my tube power amp & 4x12 cabinet since buying my AxeFX3.

I don't plan on selling my power amp & cab since it would probably cost me around $4,000 to replace them. I'll keep them to be on the safe side.
 
WKSmith said:
... it just fractal and maybe a FRFR to move some air behind me for the guitar to hear and to hang with some drummer level kind of stage volume.
Click to expand...

This ^^^ is where I'm at.

I won't even take an FRFR with me when I know the live house has decent stage monitors or side-fills.

Just the FM3 or FM9 and a guitar or two.
 
I've had many amps, best ones: Fender Twin, Marshall 2061x, Deluxe reverb '65.

I sold everything to buy an AX8 five years ago and it was a huge bid to me.

Truth is:
because I could never play them at the proper output level (yes, I had best available attenuators and they didn't work as expected), I never had them playing the way they were supposed to do.
I never had a "real" Marshall or "Deluxe" sound till I switched to... Fractal.

Recently I thought about an hybrid rig, with a Marshall head and a Torpedo, no cab..... Fortunately I knew it was a bad idea, ev eventually I've bought an used FM3.....
My personal opinion: in 2024, using pedals and amps (especially with cabs) makes sense only if you play stadium-level or if you're looking for very specific, peculiar, inspiring sounds (and still..... ).

The learning process never ends, but I couldn't be happier I made that choice.
The feedback from listeners and the smile on my face when I fire rock out of my live rig...

By the way, part of this game is my "wedge" :
after using an 8" FRFR by Headrush - which I still use for rehearsal - I now use an RCF art 910, which tells me exactly what people here from my band's PA, sings so sweet, love it.
 
After getting the Friedman IRX and noticed and different in the feel, I decided to invest in Synergy and a Fryette Powerstation (for self attenuation) and love it so far - using FM3 for post effects. I'm playing more and realistically I'm only using a few amp models.
 
I still have a Diezel VH4. I don't use it much but I will keep it until I find a Low output head that can do what it does.
 
Fired up one of my homebrew amps just a few weeks ago. Had a work buddy over and he wanted to check out my FM3. The amp hadn’t been used in awhile and it sounded good. My buddy thought it sounded good too. So now it’s sitting unused again.
 
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