ax8 backup emergency amp

bigbadorange

bigbadorange

Member
Unless Im feeling really lazy, I pretty much always bring a back up amp to gigs just incase my main rig goes down. Used to be my JVM410h backed up by a small 20watt head. Fortunately never needed the backup, but in many cases if the guitar amp goes down, show is over. I still bring the small head with me when gigging with the ax8, but it occured to me that an emergency switch over in case of ax8 failure would be really difficult. (Direct out of ax8 vs hooking up a head to a cab and micing the cab. Im thinking of picking up an atomic amplifier to be the back up to my ax8 since it seems that an emergency switch over would be more compatable. I realize it would be reduced functionality, but it would keep the gig going.

Anyone else bringing a backup to the ax8 for gigs? What are you using for backup?

My Ax8 has never failed, and I have no reason to believe it will....however murphy's law is a real thing and if one did have a failure it is game over if you don't have a backup.
 
Maybe a second AX8 with all the same settings as a spare just in case. Seems like that would be the easiest to quickly swap out.
 
Jammer77 said:
Maybe a second AX8 with all the same settings as a spare just in case. Seems like that would be the easiest to quickly swap out.
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Agreed and definately thinking about it. Just curious as to what others do. BTW, I only gig with the ax8 when I know the venue's monitor system is good enough that I dont' need my own frfr monitor. IMHO, if I have to bring a frfr with me and the ax8, I might as well bring a head and cab. But thats just me.
 
bigbadorange said:
Agreed and definately thinking about it. Just curious as to what others do. BTW, I only gig with the ax8 when I know the venue's monitor system is good enough that I dont' need my own frfr monitor. IMHO, if I have to bring a frfr with me and the ax8, I might as well bring a head and cab. But thats just me.
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For me, even when I know there's a good monitor system I still bring an FRFR (or 2 for stereo) because I still like to have full control over what I'm hearing. As far as bringing a head and cab I guess I have just gotten to the point that I prefer my tone and the versatility with the AX8 and FRFR over my tube amps (and I have some nice amps). At this point I'm not ready to get rid of my amps but maybe someday as they do not get used much anymore.
 
I was using my Mesa Mark V:25 head with a traditional pedalboard as my live setup until the AX8. It's almost crazy, but the Mesa is now brought along as a backup since its small and light. I have not needed it yet but if I do, I'll go direct out with the cab clone and muddle through without effects. I bring the footswitch so I can at least switch between the channels. With the six modes on the amp, I can cover what I need for the classic rock covers we do. When I was using the Mesa, I toted along an H&K Tubemeister 5 as a backup. Built in Red Box was the key there. I did have to use that once (not because of the Mesa) and it performed pretty damn well in a pinch. I didn't have any cab on stage so volume was controlled by the FOH.
 
I've thought about this a lot too. I carry a small Vox modeling amp as a backup that I could mic up if needed. Wouldn't be a full backup solution to AX8 but just enough to get me through a show. Interested in one of the Tech 21 Sansamps or similar so I can downsize my backup solution further.
 
My AX8 is the backup for my Axe FX II rig, but I haven't had to use it that way, yet, but I bring it along just in case. I have played a fill in date for another band, and the AX8 was my main rig for the night and worked great, and I use the AX8 in the P&W band at church once each month.
 
I just bought an Atomic Amplifire 3 as a backup rig to my AX8.
Nice and small and can put it in a small Stagg case half the size and weight of my AX8. While I have seen a lot of comparison videos between the AA3 and AX8, my first 2 hours getting tones out of the AA3 leaves me with the impression that the unit is a great little unit. The AX8 has a lot more to offer and I just like it better but that wasn't the point. The AX8 is my performing rig and the AA3 is my backup unit and the rig I can quickly pack and go to auditions, jams, etc. If FAS had a half sized floor unit (AX3?) the same size as the AA3 but with the software feature set of the AX8, I would have bought that instead.
Time will tell if it is a compromise but initially, I was able to dial in some tones both clean and dirty that sounded great. My impression is the compromise lies mostly with the effects. Then again, this is just a backup unit and perhaps will be used primarily for jams and rehearsals where I can pack that, a guitar and my Roland Street EX wedge and be ready to play quickly.
 
I currently carry s fly rig 5 with me. I thought of AA3 but can't live with 3 buttons. So I think of an AA12 but that price I can maybe score a used AX8. I have also thought of an Ampli Firebox and a strymon dig
 
The Ampli Firebox is interesting but far more limited. My intent was small and portable backup but with a decent feature set that can sit in a small pedalboard case and deploy very quickly.

The 3 buttons on the AA3 can have dual assignments (to be tested). I did order a Disaster Area Designs DMC-3XL Gen3 MIDI pedal as it is about the size of 2 iPhone SE's stacked on top of each other and can be easily placed on a small pedal board with the AA3. Also can be used with the AX8 which may be an idea to pursue.
The only thing I would need is that really neat FAS EV-2 mini expression pedal and it would be a great compact solution. I know DOD is releasing a mini expression pedal that looks great but I would prefer to wait for the unit demonstrated by Larry Mitchell. I would rather give my money to a company like FAS so.....
 
I don't know about durability, but a friend has a mustang floor pedal that sounds pretty good. I've also used a few zoom pedals, mostly a B3, a lot. It's held up really well, and does a good job. Both inexpensive backups . The new zoom stuff has no xlr outs though. But, they'll get the job done in a pinch. The amplifire a3 looks awesome, but maybe too much for a backup rig?
 
Pete1959 said:
The Ampli Firebox is interesting but far more limited. My intent was small and portable backup but with a decent feature set that can sit in a small pedalboard case and deploy very quickly.

The 3 buttons on the AA3 can have dual assignments (to be tested). I did order a Disaster Area Designs DMC-3XL Gen3 MIDI pedal as it is about the size of 2 iPhone SE's stacked on top of each other and can be easily placed on a small pedal board with the AA3. Also can be used with the AX8 which may be an idea to pursue.
The only thing I would need is that really neat FAS EV-2 mini expression pedal and it would be a great compact solution. I know DOD is releasing a mini expression pedal that looks great but I would prefer to wait for the unit demonstrated by Larry Mitchell. I would rather give my money to a company like FAS so.....
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If it is a backup to be used if main unit failed can't your main exp be used?
 
Atomic Amplifire (the Red one). Absolutely amazing pedal. I can get my main tones so close to AX8 versions with it, that i feel that i don't have to compromise with the amp tones at all.

Of course AX8 has so much more under it's hood.
 
I have my Darkglass B7K on my pedalboard with my AX8. It lives there because there is no model of anything close to it in there, and it is a major part of my tone.
The second benefit of this is that it has a balanced XLR out. So, I have a short XLR cable setup that if my AX8 "dies" unexpectedly, I just reach down, unplug the XLR from the AX8, plug it in the short one from the B7K and be back in business. I've actually "practiced" that scenario, and it takes me just a few seconds to do it. I don't want to spend minutes grabbing new gear and setting it up - in fact, that would very rarely be an option, unless the AX8 died at soundcheck.
 
brokenvail said:
If it is a backup to be used if main unit failed can't your main exp be used?
Click to expand...

If you mean my expression pedal(s), well I would guess yes. The AA3 has a bizarre way of allowing 2 expression pedals and ends up sacrificing the Send/Return. Not that I use an effect loop anyway which will likely be unacceptable as a compromise to many but then again, my MIDI pedal has a single expression jack should the need arise.

Quite pleased with the AA3 but of course at my rehearsal today, I used exclusively the AX8 and still am amazed at that unit. The AA3 was only taken out while others were taking a break. Great to have such a choice.
 
bigbadorange said:
Unless Im feeling really lazy, I pretty much always bring a back up amp to gigs just incase my main rig goes down. Used to be my JVM410h backed up by a small 20watt head. Fortunately never needed the backup, but in many cases if the guitar amp goes down, show is over. I still bring the small head with me when gigging with the ax8, but it occured to me that an emergency switch over in case of ax8 failure would be really difficult. (Direct out of ax8 vs hooking up a head to a cab and micing the cab. Im thinking of picking up an atomic amplifier to be the back up to my ax8 since it seems that an emergency switch over would be more compatable. I realize it would be reduced functionality, but it would keep the gig going.

Anyone else bringing a backup to the ax8 for gigs? What are you using for backup?

My Ax8 has never failed, and I have no reason to believe it will....however murphy's law is a real thing and if one did have a failure it is game over if you don't have a backup.
Click to expand...
I have a Kotzen Fly Rig in my guitar case
 
FR5 Cali on a Metro 20 pedalboard with a TC Electronic Corona, an AMT Japanese Girl mini-wah, a mini Turbo Tuner, and a Dunlop DVP4 mini-volume pedal, which runs into a Fender mini DI box for split to monitor and PA. Runs from a old Pedal Juice battery, with a 9V to 12V converter I built to provide power for the FR5 Cali.Small, light, and sounds great. I also use it (usually with a Quilter MicroPro Mach 2 12" combo) for open mics or grab 'n go jams where the AX8 is overkill.
 
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