Axe-Fx III with Analog Drives

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Axe-Master
I'm sure I'm not the only one who loves using everything in the box, but who also can't bring themselves to part with their pedal collection, so here's a video with the Axe as a pedal platform. I stuck with a few pedals not featured as standalone models (KoT style, Klon style) as well as a custom fuzz.

I'd never use this live but for recording I can definitely see it being useful for different character tones .




Anyone else using their Analog dirt boxes with the Axe?
 
Yes , I have a Wampler Tumnus, Chase Red Velvet Fuzz, and when i feel especially crazed, a Triskelion in front of the III.....only the Tumnus (Klon) gets used with any regularity, and the new Input Boost on the Amp block can cover this territory very well, when I remember to use it.
 
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Yep. Klons and KoT (when my name comes up on the list) will likely be the only two out-board pedals I'll be using. I guess I don't understand why these two highly sought-after pedals aren't on the machine to start with, but it's whatevs. Maybe he'll eventually have a change of heart and include them :) But until then, yeah, the Axe III is great for pedals. I don't think I'd be trying to slam the front end with anything, but in the loop, sure.
 
Yep. Klons and KoT (when my name comes up on the list) will likely be the only two out-board pedals I'll be using. I guess I don't understand why these two highly sought-after pedals aren't on the machine to start with, but it's whatevs. Maybe he'll eventually have a change of heart and include them :) But until then, yeah, the Axe III is great for pedals. I don't think I'd be trying to slam the front end with anything, but in the loop, sure.

I'm going to spend some time this weekend trying to match those two ; I'll post the results!
 
Yep. Klons and KoT (when my name comes up on the list) will likely be the only two out-board pedals I'll be using. I guess I don't understand why these two highly sought-after pedals aren't on the machine to start with, but it's whatevs. Maybe he'll eventually have a change of heart and include them :) But until then, yeah, the Axe III is great for pedals. I don't think I'd be trying to slam the front end with anything, but in the loop, sure.

Problem with the loop is it’s line level, though can work okay with most instrument level devices. However, it’s by nature also a low impedance buffer signal, vs the high impendance signal coming from passive guitar pickups. That can change the tone of some guitar pedals for better or worse, just like position in a traditional pedal board signal chain can. Take many fuzz pedals for example. Straight into the guitar you can roll the volume pot back a little and you get that great chimey cleanup. Put same pedal into a loop or after a buffer (same thing really) and roll back the volume pot. What happens? Sound gets darker and quieter, losses that cool volume knob interaction.

Other pedals sound “better” with a buffer in front. My Zippy fuzz for example just lacks a certain “zip” with my passive Strat pups. Buffered, it’s a lot brighter and cutting, a change yes, but one I find more musically pleasing.

Point really being, need to try it both ways and see what sounds best. Putting a $300 Sunface NKT fuzz in a loop makes it sound like a $30 fuzz.
 
Problem with the loop is it’s line level, though can work okay with most instrument level devices. However, it’s by nature also a low impedance buffer signal, vs the high impendance signal coming from passive guitar pickups.

I/O loops 3 and 4 on the Axe-Fx III support high-impedance sources. Also, they are unity gain.
So impedance and level are no obstacles. I tested this with some of my pedals.
 
I/O loops 3 and 4 on the Axe-Fx III support high-impedance sources. Also, they are unity gain.
So impedance and level are no obstacles. I tested this with some of my pedals.

Anything with active circuitry will still work with a high or low impedance source, but, your still losing the variable resistance and capacitance the passive pickups and tone/volume circuit introduces. When your change the input Z on the front input of the Axe, it makes a tonal difference, but its still not producing the same cleanup with a fuzz model. There are plenty of products that have come out over the years that are designed to chance the impedance after buffers or wireless, usually with inductors, though I've seen some plans that actually put a spare single coil pickup into the circuit, and have tone and volume pots even. That gets pretty good results actually, but, the form factor isn't exactly ideal as instead of rolling the volume pot back slightly while your playing you'd have to bend down and turn a knob.

Trying to combine what is still 1960's semi-conductor technology, and passive pickups, with modern active electronics is still an obstacle IMO. Things can indeed "work", but will the work the same ? NO. Are they close enough for some applications ? Sure, and there are a lot of circuits which have input buffers, pickup simulation transformers etc, built into them. Take the EQD Eruptor for example... cool pedal, but that transformer in the pedal sure doesn't like being around any power sources lol. Still though, not going to work the same.

Brian May runs his Treble Booster between his guitar and his wireless unit because it just won't sound the same otherwise. Guys build Fuzz Factory's into the guitar because if its behind a buffer or wireless you no longer can control the oscillations with the guitar tone and volume pots like you can when they are a physically connected part of the circuit. Etc etc.

If someone is happy with how a pedal sounds in a loop, or after a wireless, more power to them. Different isn't always worse, but different is different. If a big part of your tone you know and love is goosing your fuzz face with the volume pot backed off just a touch from 10, to like 9.5, and that sweet edge of breakup tone and feel it produces, your only going to be able to get that interaction with the pedal connected to your guitar.

I wish it wasn't the case, I've tried all kinds of load boxes, JRC reamp boxes, pickup simulators, you name it, because I really would love to be able to run everything in loops, and do things like run the Axe wah before a hardware fuzz pedal, but after a lot of time and money I've never had true success. Only true "solution" is running certain pedals into the front input, if you want them to behave in a specific way

Luckily, since most fuzz boxes with these "issues" sound best with carbon batteries anyways, its not too difficult to put into a rig, since you don't have to run power to them etc. Just plug into the fuzz, then plug into the Axe. Go to the Plexi 100 model, step on the fuzz, roll your volume knob to the "sweet spot" and its a glorious thing! Fuzz face into cranked 100 watt Marshall. Bell bottoms, afro, and godly playing chops not included LOL
 
Yes, in that aspect impedance is still an issue. Fuzzes are an exception.
 
Yes, in that aspect impedance is still an issue. Fuzzes are an exception.

Indeed. While the Axe can essentially do darn near any Overdrive/boost, is exceptional for delays and reverbs, has great modulation, fuzz is still a little tricky. There are a lot of work arounds, and many “typical” fuzz sounds can be achieved, there are still some niche sounds that the modeling can’t do. That real reedy/horn starved voltage tone for example. Just isn’t a way to simulate it fully, or the unique oscillations and lack of stability you can dial into a fuzz factory.

I would guess with more advanced modeling and additional parameters in the modeling engine more of these tones can be achieved with greater success.
 
Just bought myself a Fuzz War by Death by Audio. I've maybe bought 3-5 analog drive pedals in a year. Still haven't managed to sell any of them, but I'm guessing a few of them might go soon.

I also tried to emulate a few. Got really close to the new Big Russian Muff by EHX. Boss DS-1 still seems to be impossible. Not sure if it's because of the buffer it has or not.

Interested to hear how emulating the KoT pedal works out for you!
 
Picked up a Sun Face NKT Red Dot a few months back that’s great to run in front of the III... Fractal’s Fuzz Face, Tone Bender, and Big Muff emulations sound great to me for full on fuzz duty, but there’s still that extra something special of rolling off the volume with the Sun Face between single coil equipped guitar and amp that’s pretty magic and just easier to do with a physical pedal.

Not specifically a drive pedal, but I’ll also occasionally break out my old mains powered Deluxe Memory Man to run in front of the AxeFx as I’ve always liked the little eq tweak and oomph that the always on preamp in that pedal provides (just gives some extra body and chime mojo to the sound for me), and I’ve not found a decent wait to replicate that with any of the drive blocks.

That being said, I think it cuts both ways as one place the Axe has a definite leg up on analog drives is in the Shimmer drive. I think FAS has something special there that I’ve not really heard in the analog pedal world, that presence-y top end thing that it does is magic at pushing a JTM45 into some delicious overdrive that really cuts through.
 
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