Cliff's tribute. Because the man deserves it!!!

dupere11497

dupere11497

Experienced
I heard about this promising new modeling devise back in 2008. I saw an add in Guitar World about this breaktrough modeling technology call Axe fx. I was curious, as I'm always about guitar gear. So I checked on this website. I listened to the demos and was impress. I was using a POD xt back then. So I went to the checkout section....woooaaaaa...1500$ for a Standard and 2000$ for an Ultra. All that money for a modeler...I was sceptical but yet very intrigued...and possess by a neverending GAS for tone...so I jump in the train, for a Standard. Oh boy was I convinced the day this black box was at my door. I was really impress by the overall quality of that machine. But I was as much overwhelmed by the aftersale service this guy was giving to his customers. Cliff Chase was his name. He was the guy. The sorcerer, the genius behind this technology. Firmwares were regulary updated, with improvements, new amps and effects, all for free!!! While other companies were charging you 50$ for so called metal packs or whatever once every 3 years...

Then came the II. That was on may 2011. When Fractal was not shipping to Canada anymore due to problems involving USPS. It was not gonna stop me from having my hands on one of those. On june of the same year, I drove for 5 hours from my Montréal heading to Fractal's headquarters in New Hampshire. I first thought Cliff's office would be like Donad Trump tower or something. So I was shocked when my GPS tells me I've reach my destination. A small office out of nowere sharing a space in an ordinary building. I get in and I saw a man in a small room on the phone. I thought at first sight it was Tom King (Atomic amps owner who use to collaborate with Fractal Audio). He hang up the phone and invited me to enter his office. He was wearing a Fractal t-shirt, a jeans and white running shoes. Quite a simple guy, very genuine and down to earth. We shook hands. ''You're this guy from Canada?'' he ask me. We had exchange PM prior to my journey, I was not gonna make this road trip to comeback Axe fx II less!!! ''Yes'' I replied. He invited me to sit. His office was just like him, sober, with cats pictures hanging on the wall. It was the man himself, Cliff Chase, standing in front of me. Taking some of his precious time for me as he took me with him in the next room, the lab, with all those Axe fx standing all over the place. He put my own Axefx II himself in a box and gave it to me. Well, I've paid for it but you get the point...

Eversince, I've been loyal to this incedible product and his creator. I just want to take the time to say THANK YOU CLIFF! You've made my life as a guitarist easier, enjoyable and creative. This is my tribute to a simple man who as achieve extraordinary things to guitar technology. This is your time, this is you're baby and you deserves all the credits, you and your team. Give the man a big round of applause! Bravo!! ;)
 
Mo bettah. There was nothing I noticed lacking before but now, my eyes have opened.... this is better. Thanks Cliff and team.
 
I feel like I received my Axe Fx II for the second time today Cliff and she is a beaut!!! Thank you and your team for a marvelous product and first-class customer service!!! Keep Rockin 8)
 
Well, the list of the greatest makers of musical equipement could one day be written like so :

- Australopithecus who invented the first drum (nicknamed "let's beat it")

- Antonio Giacomo Stradivari, called "Stradivarius"
....
- Leo Fender
....
- Patrice Vigier
.....
- Bob Waller (Rocktron)
...
- Cliff Chase
....

(in chronological order)


Couldn't it ? :shock
 
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PALYGAP said:
Well, the list of the greatest makers of musical equipement could one day be written like so :

- Australopithecus who invented the first drum (nicknamed "let's beat it")

- Antonio Giacomo Stradivari, called "Stradivarius"
....
- Leo Fender
....
- Patrice Vigier
.....
- Bob Waller (Rocktron)
...
- Cliff Chase
....

(in chronological order)

Couldn't it ? :shock
Click to expand...

I get the idea, but would seriously revise that list ;) I mean, Vigier and Waller but no Jim Marshall and Randall Smith?
 
Cliff, I downloaded everything last night. It was late, I always like to read the release notes first, then I found the MIMIC white paper and I ended up reading that instead of actually trying out the v10!!! Axe-Edit 1.9 is a bit 'quirky', but it seems to be working o.k. for me.
I thought MIMIC was some sort of 'slight improvement', but reading the white paper, it's far, far more involved than that. Absolutely fascinating for a layman like myself to read. I would consider this technology very important. Not being as knowledgable as loads of you guys on the forum I was reading this week that many consider the 'hand-wound/built' amps [usually very $$$] to be superior to the PCB ones. Well, it seems there would be more parasitics involved in a hand-built amp, perhaps it contributes to the organic tone [?], but anyway you'd need MIMIC to emulate something like that.
Guys, I urge you to READ this stuff. This is an excellent tribute to Cliff. He's totally laid the schlaapdown on the modelling world, the white paper tells you why the various usual suspects in the amp sim world are deficient and lacking in certain areas. And how it was corrected, [e.g. in the case of the tonestacks, sheer hard work and number crunching].
I'm going to try the v10 today and I would like to thank Cliff and Team Fractal, not only for the hard work, but the continuing vision and forward movement in development and improving the Axe-Fx II and taking it to the max, instead of just resting on one's laurels, considerable though they may be!
 
Cliff is progression personified. Thank you, Matt, and the entire Fractal squad. Also, congratulations on your lil tyke on the way.
 
1234 said:
Not being as knowledgable as loads of you guys on the forum I was reading this week that many consider the 'hand-wound/built' amps [usually very $$$] to be superior to the PCB ones. Well, it seems there would be more parasitics involved in a hand-built amp, perhaps it contributes to the organic tone [?], but anyway you'd need MIMIC to emulate something like that.
Click to expand...

Here's an interesting article on point-to-point vs. PC-board by Randall Smith himself:
Articles by Randall Smith - Point to Point Wiring
 
dupere11497 said:
On june of the same year, I drove for 5 hours from my Montréal heading to Fractal's headquarters in New Hampshire. I first thought Cliff's office would be like Donad Trump tower or something. So I was shocked when my GPS tells me I've reach my destination. A small office out of nowere sharing a space in an ordinary building.
Click to expand...
Ha Ha I had a similar experience. And the complex was a bit isolated also and off the main road. I think in the back of my mind was expecting small (shared) office complex with a Fractal sign on the front lawn. Well as you know there was no lawn. Nice complex just not what I imagined.

But more important!
Pretty much though I would go there pay for the unit, and leave. They had just pretty much introduced the AF II, and were busy! But instead found myself in Cliff’s office talking about amp’s the AF what I thought of the standard (owner since 2009) the MFC. What I would like to see in the AF II in the future and how I currently ran the standard (cabs or FRFR). Oh and how was the trip from Long Island.
I really did not expect this treatment, let’s face it this is not there usually way of doing business, they don’t have a store front, and pretty sure it is disruptive to some degree.
So I have ALWAYS been appreciative of it.

John
 
Great Story. I first Heard of Axe Effects when I saw Steve Vai in August. In D.C. It was in his Rack...Also in His Rhythm Guitarists Rig too. I figured if it was good enough for them. It sure as hell was good enough for me. After looking into even further. All my favorite guitar players started buying them. Greg Howe, Tom Quayle, Petrucci.

What really blew me away was Tom Quayle's Review. That was the deal changer for me. He was running it through Monitors and I couldn't believe the tone .
 
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