Axe Fx just for home: who else does it?

Slashbaugh

Member
Hi all,

Longtime tube amp guy who got his feet wet with the FX8 and was MORE blown away at how awesome FX8 Edit is to use (building and tweaking to perfection), than just the killer effects quality of this unit by itself. I was initially put off by how deep this stuff goes and was pretty intimidated, but now, I'm wondering if the Axe Fx II is the way to go. My only concern (and was hoping you guys could shed some light) is that this unit is overkill for what I do.

My current setup is a Mark V 25 with 1x12 mini rectifier and the FX8 going into a Focusrite then to Logic Pro X. The tones I chase are Classic Rock, Progressive Rock, and certain metal tones (not djent). Opeth is a good example of my tonal pallet aims.

I'm not a rockstar, or even a gigging musician. I just write and record music at home and once in a while with friends, hit an open mic night with some of our tunes. Active wedges or power amps are not a concern for me now, I'm not going to be going above bedroom volumes often, is ever.

Is the awesomeness of the full blown Axe Fx II overkill for what I'm doing and will be doing for the immediate future? Does anyone else find the investment worth it for just home or studio use? If anyone can share their 2 cents it would be much appreciated by me.
 
I play at home and do a bit of recording, and I say smoke'em if you got'em. My motivation for purchasing the XL+ was wanting a modeler with the most accurate amp tones on the market to play and record with. I, for one, don't feel it's overkill just because I'm not a professional or live player, nor do I have any regrets.
 
Hi all,

Longtime tube amp guy who got his feet wet with the FX8 and was MORE blown away at how awesome FX8 Edit is to use (building and tweaking to perfection), than just the killer effects quality of this unit by itself. I was initially put off by how deep this stuff goes and was pretty intimidated, but now, I'm wondering if the Axe Fx II is the way to go. My only concern (and was hoping you guys could shed some light) is that this unit is overkill for what I do.

My current setup is a Mark V 25 with 1x12 mini rectifier and the FX8 going into a Focusrite then to Logic Pro X. The tones I chase are Classic Rock, Progressive Rock, and certain metal tones (not djent). Opeth is a good example of my tonal pallet aims.

I'm not a rockstar, or even a gigging musician. I just write and record music at home and once in a while with friends, hit an open mic night with some of our tunes. Active wedges or power amps are not a concern for me now, I'm not going to be going above bedroom volumes often, is ever.

Is the awesomeness of the full blown Axe Fx II overkill for what I'm doing and will be doing for the immediate future? Does anyone else find the investment worth it for just home or studio use? If anyone can share their 2 cents it would be much appreciated by me.
to me its like Pauly said, if you got the moolah, absolutely! i use my Axe FX II exclusively at home and i want the best tone no matter where i play. you wanna be inspired even if sitting on the can!
 
For me: Yes! Getting sounds trough monitor and headphone and even poweramp with cab without having 1000db of noise in your room. Lately i use it only for home usage. Not only recording, but playing and having fun! You can use it in so many different ways.

I tried several tube amps (at home) and thought about attanuators and stuff, but now I can use amps that normally should have MV on 10 and if you open the drive would kill your ears ;) Best choice ever made!
AND now i have loads of amps, effect and cabs... (including the ones i owned and mostly sold them all).

If you have the money i definitely would say: go for it.
 
Guilty as charged. :) My previous gear had been bought without much foresight, just as I was learning more about all that. I was starting to feel its limitations. Buying parts that would remove those limitations (like a MIDI controller that could handle front pedals *and* fx loop pedals) wouldn't be cheap, and it was taking more and more space in my living room.

My only experience with modelers had been rather disappointing, mostly with those Mustang combo and HD500 Pod. Since I wasn't too limited financially speaking, I slowly got to the conclusion that I could go all the way to the Axe-FX. So yeah, it's certainly overkill but I don't regret it:

- Before I bought the Axe, I was still rather new to tube amps so I didn't have any strong feeling about "tube sound" yet. I found it wiser to start my quest for a great tone directly on a good modeler with FRFR gear.
- With the Axe I could get rid of *all* my previous gear. I like simplicity, and selling all that paid for more than half of the Axe. :)
- My guitar teacher always insisted on my recording myself, which I never got to do when I was using a tube amp. With the Axe, it's a no-brainer.
- On a more personal note, replacing my old ailing hifi system was also on the horizon, and the FRFR power amp and speakers I bought for the Axe neatly replaced it, just for the price of a line mixer.

In the end, I'm more than happy with that choice because it's the first time that I don't feel that I'm hitting some limitation along the way. It's an open field and all I have to do is explore.
 
I spent a fair bit of money trying to get better tones at home and the Axe-Fx was the final ticket. Haven't look back ever since.

Make sure you have good studio monitors though as those can make a big difference. I used to hate how the Axe-Fx sounded thru some hifi speakers but thru my Genelecs it sounds glorious.
 
I play exclusively at home for my own enjoyment. The way I look at it is that my time is valuable and I can walk downstairs, put on my headphones and flip a switch and have immediate access to unlimited virtual rigs made up of gear that I will never own either because of price or space (or wife).

People talk about how much time you can waste messing with the parameters and tweaking, but nobody ever talks about the fact that once you have it dialed in you have immediate access to that tone any time you want it. Even more important is that you can get that tone in the first place. I literally wasted years with other sims and real gear trying to get something in the neighborhood and while I did manage a few good setups they were usually one trick ponies. They were not convenient, they were not reliable, and most importantly when I did the math they were not that cheap.

I sold off a very pedestrian pedal board and a small amp and still had beer money left over. It wasn't junk, but even at it's best it wasn't anywhere close to what this thing sounds like consistently. If I want to record I just open up a DAW and everything is already hooked up and ready to go. I don't have to worry about the time of day and pulling out a mic.
 
I look at it this way: it's my intense hobby. Some guys fish. They spend lots of money on a boat and equipment. Are they looking to make a living off of it? No. Some guys golf. Again, that can cost big bucks between all the clubs, tee times, maybe membership. They're not heading to the PGA. I've always felt people look at music differently, that if we buy guitars, amps etc. these are impractical toys. Maybe, but no more so than the fishing and golfing crowd.

And like anyone with a hobby, you want to do it right and do it well. The Axe Fx is the first piece of equipment outside of my guitar that I feel lets me really do what I want to do. Even if it what I am doing is what I did yesterday, which was spend an hour just noodling with my favorite presets. I've only had mine for 5 months, so I am almost in the denial stage; I can't believe something sounds this good. I just want to play and play when I hook into this thing. Not because I'm going to make a hit record or take the stage with thousands of screaming fans, but just because beautiful sounding music provides an intense joy.

So I'll echo what others have said. I f you can afford it (and I spent several years saving up) do it.
 
All I do is home recording, and I have numerous tube amps in my collection. I spent so much time trying to record my 100 watt tube heads through multiple different attenuators in an attempt to capture great guitar recordings, while not blowing the doors off my apartment and getting evicted. While I did capture great mic'ed guitar tones, volume was still an issue.

I have used pretty much every line 6 product going back to the pod 2.0, but the pod was always my, "it's too late to record my amp" scenario, and I was never truly happen with how blah and flat it always sounded. So I finally dove in head first and bought the AxeFX MKII, after a couple of months with it I was so satisfied with my tones, I sold it and bought an XL+.

To me the Axe FX is the ultimate recording tool for guitarists, and the studio environment is where it truly shines. As has been stated, if you can afford it, it IS the best tool for the job.
 
I bought the Axe to use direct at church because of stage volume issues. They were building a new sanctuary so I ended up using the Axe at home a lot and have gotten used to the set down and flip one button to dial up any tone I have in my head. I just finally moved the AxeFx into the new building and I'm already missing it at home. I'm actually thinking of taking an amp up there and bringing it back home.
 
I would say that the tonal variety you get with Axe FX is great for home use. As a matter of fact for real gigs I actually have to decrease the variability in tone to make sure I have no problem fitting into the mix, and I have no limits at home whatsoever. And I can certainly dial in more pleasant tones when I don't worry about the mix.

So yeah why not if you can afford it. I personally think I could do away with an AX8 for gigs, but I'd still use a full Axe at home.
 
I quit my band about a month ago, so yeah... It's all home use now.

The Axe-FX is a Swiss Army Knife for guitar tones. However you want to use it (headphones, FRFR, guitar cab, PA, recording), it's got you covered. So even if you just use it at home for now, you still have the ability to use it in a number of different ways as needed.

I also use my Axe-FX with headphones to listen to my music collection and watch movies late at night without bothering my neighbors. It just kicks ass all around!
 
If I'm lucky I'll get 3 or 4 hours a week to play in my little basement studio. It is my quality time and to be able to play through the best
processor available makes working 55 to 60 hours a week worth it. My equipment never leaves the house. Some people might think
that it is a waste to have a basement player have such an amazing piece of gear but I don't care. I love every second I get to spend
with the AXE.
 
I bought my axefx ii std for home use, but it quickly replaced all my live equipment as well.
Of all the gear I have purchased the last 30 years....this has by far been my best investment. Can't imagine life without it...and should I choose between my wife and my axe....well....that would be a hard choice ;)
 
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