Direct into input

[andyp13]

Anyone use the FM3 direct in to the input of a combo?
im doing a couple of ‘jam’ night and usually combos are supplied…and not all have send/return.
I went straight into to input of a combo with bypassed the Amp & Speaker… it wasn’t a bad sound..however I was unable to get and reasonable solo sound using the overdrives - i usually use the ‘Xotic AC‘ but even with the gain on full it didn’t really add much drive, I tried a few more OD Block but all with the same result .
should I have the Amp engaged?

 

[Greg Ferguson]

Chapter 4 in the manual is your friend, pages 34 and 35.

I wouldn't use an amp or cab block, that's what the real amp is for.

As far as jams go, I have played at many for years, and take a tube-combo that doesn't need anything besides electricity to get a good sound, and it's usually used as part of the backline. The speed of set-up and tear-down between sets is extremely important and fussing with additional gear can lead to critical muttering and a reputation as "that guy", so go prepared with the necessary cabling and an extension cord for power if that'll be needed. And, from experience, floorspace is often at a premium at a popular jam and not everyone on stage will be sober and capable of controlling where their feet land. Connections on the backplane of the modeler are easily stepped on; a drunk singer stepped on the right XLR out of my FM3 the first time I took it out, and, luckily for me, it only bent the pins inside the XLR connector attached to the FM3, breaking it, meaning I only had one one channel for the rest of the set. That led to me building a full pedalboard and using the smallest connectors I could find to reduce the profile of the backplane and reduce the torque if someone did step on it again.

---

PS - I'd also recommend talking to the jam leaders to get their opinions on using pedalboards/modelers/other amps beforehand. Some only want their backline and maybe a single pedal or board that can be perched on the amp, because of the time constraints or concerns about excess volume, space, etc.

 

[JoKeR III]

I use the FM3 into the input of an amp and leave the amp modeling on with great results. The amp is set to just before breakup so a bold clean, not pristine. You'll need to experiment with the cab modelingto see if it better on or off.

The one thing I've discovered using the input of an amp is the amp's treble may need to be turned down more than you would think would sound good. Turn the tone control(s) to see what yields the best results. On my Brunetti, the best results were Bass at 5, Mids @ 4 and Treble at 1.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

I went straight into to input of a combo with bypassed the Amp & Speaker… it wasn’t a bad sound..however I was unable to get and reasonable solo sound using the overdrives - i usually use the ‘Xotic AC‘ but even with the gain on full it didn’t really add much drive, I tried a few more OD Block but all with the same result

More thoughts…

If I was after a reasonable solo sound, and didn't know whether the amp had it in it to do it on its own, I'd pop off one of my overdrives from my real pedalboard, make sure it had a fresh battery, grab a short cable to connect it to the amp, and run with that.

Last night I got called up to play in four or five sets at a blues jam (because I'm treated as a stand-in for the house band's guitarist), and only used my guitar's volume control and pickup selector. Yeah, the amp is… special…, and has the flexibility and sound to let me get away with it, but if I was on a strange amp I'd want my drive that I know works and sounds how I want and I'd treat the pedal like my amp, and their amp just needs to be loud enough.

It still comes back to being ready quickly and getting the sound that'll "do" for that short period of time. I don't need my FM3 or FM9 for that. We love our FAS units, they're extremely flexible, but are overkill in a 15-20 minute set, especially if you're at a blues jam where a decent overdriven amp sound is all that's really needed.

 

[andyp13]

More thoughts…

If I was after a reasonable solo sound, and didn't know whether the amp had it in it to do it on its own, I'd pop off one of my overdrives from my real pedalboard, make sure it had a fresh battery, grab a short cable to connect it to the amp, and run with that.

Last night I got called up to play in four or five sets at a blues jam (because I'm treated as a stand-in for the house band's guitarist), and only used my guitar's volume control and pickup selector. Yeah, the amp is… special…, and has the flexibility and sound to let me get away with it, but if I was on a strange amp I'd want my drive that I know works and sounds how I want and I'd treat the pedal like my amp, and their amp just needs to be loud enough.

It still comes back to being ready quickly and getting the sound that'll "do" for that short period of time. I don't need my FM3 or FM9 for that. We love our FAS units, they're extremely flexible, but are overkill in a 15-20 minute set, especially if you're at a blues jam where a decent overdriven amp sound is all that's really needed.

Thanks Greg, but with respect my question is not about using external drives or how to cope at a jam session, My question was about using the FM3 with a combo Via the input.

 

[laxu]

In that situation I'd probably try to use the FM3 and real amp more like a pedal platform system, getting your drive from the Drive block and putting time based effects after that. You could even use the amp block with poweramp sim disabled as an overly complex overdrive pedal.

 

[sprint]

Anyone use the FM3 direct in to the input of a combo?
im doing a couple of ‘jam’ night and usually combos are supplied…and not all have send/return.
I went straight into to input of a combo with bypassed the Amp & Speaker… it wasn’t a bad sound..however I was unable to get and reasonable solo sound using the overdrives - i usually use the ‘Xotic AC‘ but even with the gain on full it didn’t really add much drive, I tried a few more OD Block but all with the same result .
should I have the Amp engaged?

To get my ax3 to 4cm nicely with my combo, I had to measure the signal to the front of my combo and compare/match that level to the level of a more traditional input signal (ie from guitar>real pedal>). To match I might need a level adjustment at Axfx output. Different amp will react (compress/color) differently to the same signal going in so, not being a gigging musician, I can see how challenging it
would be to face an unknown combo with no fx loop and no time to dial anything in.

 

[andyp13]

To get my ax3 to 4cm nicely with my combo, I had to measure the signal to the front of my combo and compare/match that level to the level of a more traditional input signal (ie from guitar>real pedal>). To match I might need a level adjustment at Axfx output. Different amp will react (compress/color) differently to the same signal going in so, not being a gigging musician, I can see how challenging it
would be to face an unknown combo with no fx loop and no time to dial anything in.

It is tricky. This is why I’m trying to get a patch that will sound ok with an amp input..I have found it’s more flexible and I get a better sound with the cab bypassed but the Amp ON rather than bypassed.