Check All The Amps

Steinmetzify

Inspired
People have told me since I first started posting here about buying an Axe II to check out other stuff than I normally would once I got one. Guilty as I didn't. I'm primarily a high gain guy and my #1 atm is an Ibanez RGIB6 baritone in open B. Did the usual stuff: Mesas, Uber, Thorendahl high gain and what not.

DLed Fremen's stuff last week and been picking out favorites (which is HARD because these are all seriously fantastic). Happened upon a Euro Blue, which as I'm given to understand models the Blue channel of an Ecstasy maybe? I really wouldn't have ever given this a shot in real life, as every clip I've heard is just too low gain for me; always thought of this channel as more of a hard rock thing than a metal thing.

WRONG. This tone is punchy and thick and full of badassery. Just to reiterate, especially for the metal guys that are noobs like me: try em all, seriously. You never know what you'll find. This is my new rhythm tone for sure, and with a chorus and/or delay its fantastic as is for a lead too.
 
Not enough gain? You a comedian, bro?

There are a few controls on the other Amp Block pages to add more gain; not just the drive knobs on the Amp Block's Basic Page. Additionally, you may slap a Drive Block in front of the amp...or a second one. The Drive Block has close to three dozen presets that sound great without any tweaking.
 
Did you read the post or just home in on the one line where I said in real life I wouldn't try it because I thought they were too low gain?

The point of the post was that I tried something that's present in the Axe that I wouldn't have just because it's here, and that I really liked it, especially given the fact that I wouldn't have even plugged into it in real life.

Maybe it's the looks too, as far as seeing one in a store or whatever; it looks like an old guy amp to me, and I'm 41 lol.
 
I get what you are saying. Even though my experience is that I've become very fond of the good old strat through a Fender or Plexi which is something that I'd never go for if I was buying a real amp. Opened up my eyes and hopefully my playing style a bit more.
 
You said it right Steinmetzify! I've tried combinations that I would never even consider and cam up with awesome tones! Eyes opened indeed!
 
Same here man. I get very little time to mess around and just tweak; it's nice to have stuff that sounds great like his do.

I saw the smiley but if you're serious let me know and I'll link you. If you don't have them get them, they're badass.
 
Nice! I've been doing an interesting experiment. I've been slowly one by one going through each amp and making a patch for it and trying to tweak it to as close as I can to videos I hear of it, while researching what actual users do with it and read the manuals/ history of them. I built the patches to contain up to 4 channels the amps. If theres more then I create a second patch or chose my favorite 4.

It's been quite a rewarding experience so far. I've learned a lot and have come to appreciate the insane depth this processor has. Also picked up a few unexpected new favorite amps along the way. I encourage anyone to do that (Especially if you have an XL).

Its nice because its less of. I've played Bogners and Boogies and thats what I like for my amp sound and more of lets actually see what all these listen / play like and learn about this. The results were surprising. I'm only 1/4 of the way there and I've been at it in my free time for 2 weeks. Obviously I dont need to take that long but I wanted to get indepth.
 
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I think its often best to just advance to the next preset/amp model and not even read what it says, just simply listen.

Far too often, what I think I like, in terms of amps and speaker models, and what sounds best to me, aren't related at all

For example, I've always hated V30's in most cabs I've owned, but darn if I don't actually really like a bunch of V30 loaded IR's. If I selected them with my eyes, and based upon my preconceived notions, I'd never have even bothered to listen to have the stuff I like.
 
I think its often best to just advance to the next preset/amp model and not even read what it says, just simply listen.

Far too often, what I think I like, in terms of amps and speaker models, and what sounds best to me, aren't related at all

For example, I've always hated V30's in most cabs I've owned, but darn if I don't actually really like a bunch of V30 loaded IR's. If I selected them with my eyes, and based upon my preconceived notions, I'd never have even bothered to listen to have the stuff I like.

Took this advice; found something crunchy and recorded some really cool stuff with it. I was completely blown away doing high gain type riffing with a Les Paul in drop D when I found out it was a DUMBLE preset. LOVE this tone and this box. Amazed here...
 
Always been a strictly Marshall guy. When I first got the Axe, I always went back to Marshalls. As I spend so much time trying different amps, my palette has widened substantially.
I'm now in love with the Cameron.
 
When auditioning amps something I like to do is put a looper block first in the preset, record a riff and get it playing in a loop. Then I'll just go amp to amp or randomly select amps spend a minute or so dialing if it doesn't hit me I move on. There are so many great sounding models in the A2, sometimes I am surprised too on the models that grab me.
 
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Just to reiterate, especially for the metal guys that are noobs like me: try em all, seriously. You never know what you'll find. This is my new rhythm tone for sure, and with a chorus and/or delay its fantastic as is for a lead too.

Nice post mate and I agree that sonic comfort zones occur and some tone seekers can become contented too quickly. Regardless of genre (I love metal, rock, blues, folk-rock), don't ever stop experimenting with new amps/cabs/tones.

I have never thought of purchasing a Matchless Chieftan until I heard what the Fractal's Boutique 1 and 2x12 Boutique Mix sounded like together. Now I would buy one in a heartbeat, but, I don't need to. That's the beauty of the black box with endless possibilities.

I am truly thankful for all the hard work that Cliff & team have invested to keep improving tone and sonic purification!
 
I almost wish there was some sort of option that would change the presets/amp list from the actual model names (or similar names in some cases) to just a list of numbers. Basically giving me the ability to do a totally blind audition and removing any and all preconceived notions.

Now don't get me wrong, sometimes its darn useful to be able to look to a certain amp for a certain tone, and knowing what a model is based upon is handy. I'm not saying we should always take away any identification, but simply have a means to hide that info when we want to.

That way, if I go through the models and find that I just love the tone of say, amp #7, its because it sounded best to me, and for no other reason. Maybe it turns out to just be a lowly Princeton or something, but that is fine, because again, it sounded best for me. Takes away that bias that I usually have to prefer, or should I say think I prefer, the more high end models.

If it was a real world situation and someone say "hey, I'll give you this Princeton Reverb, or you can have this Wrecker, or ODS, or Triptik, or Vibrolux etc" we'd probably all take the more expensive amps (not to knock a Princeton, but you get the idea).

Or if you want into a music shop and there is an Epi LP and a Gibson R8 hanging there, and they say "grab whatever you want" you probably would reach for the R8 right ?

I usually can't help but have that same mentality when checking out amps. I make a beeline to the AFD100 model over some other Marshall models, because the AFD100 is a super cool amp (never owned a real one) and while it might be well and good, who is to say that maybe the basic 50 watt Plexi isn't actually what I would enjoy the most.
 
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