AT A CROSSROADS WITH THE AXE FX: WHAT TO DO (Long post, with paragraphs)

bobmeredith

bobmeredith

Member
I posted this on TGP and got some really useful, thoughful advice (unusual, I know) so I thought I'd now post here as well.


For the sake of context. I play Blues, Jazz, Fusion, and pop/rock styles of all kinds. No metal/punk/or grunge. I play in small to medium venues often unmiked. I sometimes work in midi duo situations and plug direct into the P.A.
I rarely just plug into an amp, dime it and ride the volume controls, the above situations require a wide variety of sounds and total control of volume.

I like a wide variety of guitar tones and have done a lot of paid freelance work in the past. I would like to do this again and just jam or sit in with other experienced pro level players

I currently own a AXE-FX Ultra, a Matrix GT 800 and run it into 2 open backed 1x12 EV12L boxes. I use an old ADA MC-1 for midi switching and 2 mission pedals.


I’m well pleased with this setup and find it difficult to go back to my Mesa Mk III combo or Quad preamp/Korg A3 setup because:

1) I’m over the Mesa Lead tone even though I love the amp.

2) The AXE is more versatile; and I’m not just talking about 70 amps etc, etc,
It’s also about the ability to program a bank of say ten sounds for a specific guitar.
I can optimize a bank of ten for my LP, another 10 for my Strat, and another 10 for my ES-175.

Ten patches (1 bank) will usually cover any gig and I can also change banks if I need extra sounds for one or two tunes.

The convenience of being able to walk out of the house with one 4 unit rack, and any guitar that I need or feel like playing on the day…..without compromising sounds for any instrument ……AND only having 3 cables on the floor is truly liberating. 10 minutes setup/packup.

AND…..I also use it as my bass amp. I just use 2 EV 1x15 boxes instead of the open backed 12s and I’m good to go.

3) The Axe has solved the Lead tone/Head room/Weight equation for me
My little Mesa combo sounds great cranked but to get that sound (even on the low power setting) takes too much volume. I can achieve the same versatility (as the AXE) with the Mesa combo only by using an A3 in the FX loop of the Boogie, a lot of cables, an extra rack case, a midi switcher to put the MkIII under midi control….plus a midi controller and 2 expression pedals. 30mins setup if nothing goes wrong.

Conversely, when I need pristine effected cleans (particularly on complex clean chords) at a moderate volume it’s hard to get enough clean headroom.

Even when I was running my Mesa Quad preamp/A3/Stratergy 400 rig I relied on preamp and A3 distortions; as power amp distortion with a 400w power amp would not get me any return gigs!!!

4) I’m not a valve purist. I’ve used tube amps for 30+ years and appreciate them for what they do, but I don’t have a musical or personal identity attached to the use of a tube amp. As a matter of fact I used just as many A3 distortion patches in my Mesa rigs, as the dialed in mesa preamp tones.



THE BIG QUESTION IS: If I decide to sell off all of my Tube gear, (I don’t need to but don’t feel there’s any point holding on to gear I never turn on.) and throw my lot in with the digital revolution should I :……………

OPTION 1

Do I upgrade to the AXEII, buy a new midi controller, sell my Ultra and get a 2nd AXEII as a backup. I’m a long way from a official service centre and a 2nd unit (particularly if I sell all my Mesa gear) is a necessity given the intricacies of modern computer based hardware.

I’m not buying the II for the improved feel or tones; it’s more of a future proofing thing.
(I would like to achieve at least 5 years out of this setup)

Option 1B would be to keep the Ultra as a BU and buy a II; but this involves programing and tweaking 2 units all the time.

OPTION 2

Buy another Ultra for BU and be able to use my current midi controller (more than adequate for me). I bought the Ultra in its final firmware revision and I’m truly grateful I did. The constant AXEII firmware updates are a double edged sword. I have to admit that now that I have a versatile set of patches it’s time to put some time back into my playing.

I like the smooth polished sounds of the Ultra, don’t need a headphone jack or USB,
And can live without the refinements of the II. The ultra solved a lot of problems for me. I don't care if the modeled sounds don't truly represent the real amp tone; ballpark and high quality is near enough for me. I'm also not concerned about an "amp like feel" either.

I’ve put plenty of time into programming sounds into the Ultra that are useful and pleasing to my ear, and apparently other people as well (judging by the feedback from other players).I don’t see the Ultra becoming less useful as time goes by, it ticks all the boxes as convenient, versatile, and aurally pleasing unit.


OPTION 3

Do nothing; Wait for the pace of firmware updates to slow down. Wait for the few minor hardware reliability issues to settle down (Mainly PSU problems) Sell all my gear at this point and go for OPTION 1

My gig backup concerns are not an issue; I’ve currently got a Korg A2 in my Ultra rack ready to go. 3 cables, 2 pedals, 5 minute change over. Easy.

My paranoia about backups is more related to turnaround times for repairs, not about a failure at a gig. I just don't want to be waiting weeks on a backup rig when I have paying gigs booked in.

I might add that my questions could equally apply to the Kemper unit as well. Now that it is in rack format, from the point of a pro gigging player I don’t see much difference at all. Both the AXE and Kemper will get the job done. AS would some of the Line 6 gear, I’m sure.

I’m just familiar with the AXE, that’s all.

OPTION 4

Wait and see what else comes on the market. Something equally as useful may come on the market that’s cheap enough to throw out if it becomes obsolescent or is unrepairable.


Do any of you share the same concerns? Two AXE or Kemper units for total professional piece of mind is a lot of money. If your gear goes down a freelance gig it affects your professional reputation and future work.

Should I keep my tube gear in mothballs no matter what I do? I don’t have the same friends/music store contacts I used to, borrowing or hiring gear is not that easy any more. Particularly when I’ve been spoilt by the AXE.
 
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There's no point wondering whether to "throw my lot in with the digital revolution." You've already done that. :)


bobmeredith said:
My paranoia about backups is more related to turnaround times for repairs, not about a failure at a gig. I just don't want to be waiting weeks on a backup rig when I have paying gigs booked in.
Click to expand...
I don't get this at all. How is it different from your situation now? The Axe you're using and loving fails, so you're using a backup for a week or so while the Axe gets fixed. You'd have to do the same thing if a tube amp failed. Unless you're a high-profile player, you're not going to get an amp fixed in a week.


You've presented a bunch of options. Which option you choose depends entirely on your needs, your desires and your budget. You know a lot more about those factors than we do. You can listen to people all day while they tell you what they would do, but in the end, it's not relevant to your situation. You've done a good job of laying out your reasons and options. Stir them in the pot until an answer bubbles to the surface. There's no need to act before that happens.


If you just need someone to make the choice for you, here you go:

Save enough and sell enough to swing an Axe II. There's a 15-day return policy if you don't like it. Once you plug it in and start playing it, It'll take somewhere between one and three seconds to realize you ain't goin' back. Then all you have to decide is what your backup rig will be.

By the way, your existing more-than-adequate MIDI controller will continue to be more than adequate with an Axe II.
 
Thanks for the reply Rex.

Although I know my own situation best, peoples input has been really valuable. The point you make about repair is valid but there is only 1 repair place in OZ and I know nothing about them.

I'm not confident about even 2-3 weeks turnaround with this kind of digital gear, whereas getting valve gear serviced is still quite quick and easy over here. No specialised parts in most valve gear either. If parts prove hard to get with Zoom, Line 6, Behringer gear it's just as easy and less hassle to buy another one. At AUS$2800 for the Axe II that's not an option.

I'm being paraniod, I know.

I will be stirring that pot Rex, and there's no hurry.

If I want to use both a Volume and Expression pedal than I unfortunately have to buy a new midi controller as the II only has one expression pedal input.
 
Yeah, other people's ideas can be helpful.

You're lucky if you can get valve gear serviced quickly. Where I live (about 3 million people in the metro area), there are few shops that repair tube gear, and it's hard to get in and out in under two weeks. Independent Music is the Fractal distributor in Oz. You could ask them what their turnaround time is for Axe repairs.
 
My humble opinion: If it were me in your position I would take advantage of the current opportunity to upgrade by selling off gear that you're not using. I'd go with the Axe II and MFC and be done with it. I think you'll be good for the next 5 or so years. I understand your concern about a back up and if it's that important I would try to have a second Axe II. I agree that trying to keep the Ultra and Axe II on the same page would be a pain. Nothing like being able to send a file to your backup AXE II hardware and keep on going like nothing happened. But that's me.

From everything you said above, you're perfectly happy with the Ultra setup. If that's the case then why not buy a second one for a backup and upgrade your controller? It's a tool. If it does what you need and you're happy with it, why try to fix it?
 
Thank you all for the input; your experiences and opinions have helped me evaluate my options

I have decided to buy a 2nd Ultra. I started the whole question looking for a “tweakless” way of gaining a backup system for the one I have. It also allows me to use existing midi controllers, exp pedals, speakers and power amp.

This will allow me to sell some, or all of my valve gear, pedals, and MultiFX units at my leisure. It will also allow me to try out an AXE II, Kemper, and maybe the next generation HD 500 thingy further down the track.

I’m in a rationalization/purging mood at the moment: I have a lot of nice bits but they are no longer fulfilling my requirements. They require a lot of ancillary gear to make them really versatile. I have to admit I’m tired of lugging heavy gear, patching it together, and breaking it down.

Time that gear was sold and the money put to better use.

So part B of my plan will involve selling one of the Ultras in about 12-18 months and buying an AXE II or Kemper or Something New. My preference would be an AXE
II once the rate of firmware updates slows a little and AXE Edit is in a more completed version.

The AXE II would start its life as a Backup/recording/experimental platform (as will the 2nd Ultra) and only move to be a main gigging unit when I’m happy with the live sounds.


My decision was partly influenced by the fact that an Ultra became available on the weekend, just down the road. It was going for a reasonable price (for the OZ market) so I bought it today. I should be able to get my money back on it when I decide to buy a more current unit.

As far as the valve gear goes I can always buy some more contemporary stuff (the Mesa Mk V comes to mind) if I miss it. The problem with my valve gear is I never get to crank it; the gig world has changed; and I’m not a one sound, ride the tone controls type player (as I stated in my OP). The AXE makes the whole corporate cover band or midi Duo thing really easy……….and I think I have enough low/med gain blues tones to satisfy the tonal requirements of most blues bands as well.

Once again, thanks for the input

Bob
 
I would have recommended the 2nd ULTRA, and congrats on making the decision! If you're happy with the ULTRA, I wouldn't even worry about getting a II. Just play!
 
I was happy with my Ultra until I spent a month with the II. I sold a Standard and upgraded to the II. My Ultra stayed at the house and the II was for gig/rehearsals. I had an extended period of no rehearsals so I hooked up the II and used it at the house for 3-4 weeks straight. Its hard using the Ultra now.
 
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