Buyers Remorse Anyone?

[Highcastle_of_Tone]

No buyer's remorse at all. I should explain that I was never a real tube head in the sense that I've been attracted to effects from the beginning of my playing days (Alex Lifeson was and is still a primary influence) so it was as much about getting a good stereo chorus and drive pedal back in the day as it was about getting a good amp sound (I know now how misguided I was, mea culpa).

I had put down the guitar for a long time and got back into it about 9 years ago. I messed around with various multi effects units (Digitech GNX4, NI Guitar Rig, GTR Waves, Amplitube, TC G System, Pod) before I found out about the Axe Fx. When I got back into guitar I started with a underpowered Marshall ss combo, then got a Fender Twin 65 reissue (great amp, but too much for the bedroom), downgraded that, so to speak to a Fender Princeton Recording amp and used that with the G System and some drive pedals for a few years.

At the time I heard about and decided to order the AxeFx, I was initially looking at it as a replacement for the drive pedals and G System, but I also bought a Mesa Mark V and cabinet at the same time. Within a week of owning the Ultra, I realized the Mark V (although an awesome amp) was redundant and more than I needed in the bedroom. I was lucky enough to have a great sales rep at Sweetwater who agreed to let me return the Mark V, even though it had been over a month.

Going on 3 years with first the Ultra, and now the Axe II, I have had no regrets at all. The FW updates alone have been like getting a whole new unit every few months. I can say for sure that none of those other multi effects units gave free upgrades like that, if they had upgrades at all. And of course, there were no amp upgrades to those tube amps. I really can't see a downside to owning the Axe over a tube amp/cab at this point.

 

[s0c9]

Again, the difference is my familiarity with it. I don't know how to fly, but I imagine I could take the controls over from a Cessna fixed wing and fly straight and level, and maybe even turn a little to the left and right, better, than I could do that in an F22 fighter jet. The reason is that the fighter is more complex than the Cessna, and therefore easier to screw up if you are inexperienced.

Without waxing too philosophical here, I think this is the biggest challenge any guitar players face with their equipment. IMHO playing is really only 50% of the equation. Tho' there ARE players who can make anything sound great, they are definitely a minority. Garbage in, is STILL garbage out, but good stuff in can sure sound like garbage out if you can't dial in a tone and your gear is marginal.

To be sure, I could dial in tones on my old Line 6 Flextone-III in a matter of minutes... I was VERY familiar with it after 3 yrs of gigging with it. Today, those same patches sound not-so-good (IOW - YUK!) to me!

Since it's release, the Axe-II appears to have gone globally viral.. guitar players are hearing about and seeing Cliffs' "magic black box" and they all want one.

I often compare owning an Axe-II to driving an F1 (Formula 1) racer versus driving a VW Beetle. Many, many folks can hop into a Beetle and drive it to it's built-in potential. *Far FEWER folks* can hop into an F1 and drive it to it's FULL potential -right out of the box. Not without a LOT of learning time and effort to understand it. It's not difficult, but it does require a certain skill set to get the best out of the Axe-II. Just as it does an F1 racer. Not everyone is going to make the cut.