Hard questions from someone that does not have access to hardware.

@JOEFX If you are anywhere near Phoenix, you can try mine out in person. I run straight in through KRK Rokit 8 studio monitors and get great cleans, edge-of-breakup, and dirt in more of a classic rock vein, but play some blues here and there, too.
 
Never had a problem getting any tone. I mean that. Also, in my experience, the 'blues' is not one tone. So many flavors. You are only limited in your ability to dial it in.

You do have options. There are SO many folks who share presets and/or sell presets. Many of them are excellent. No reason why you can't find your tone in one of those.

Good luck. My suggestion is try one, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
 
@JOEFX Don't discount the influence that your hands and pick attack have on tone. The truth is any good player can get a great sound out of just about anything. I watched several great players use crap gear and proceed to blow away a room. I'm not claiming to be one of those players but I can say after using Fractal products for over 10 years, there ain't no tone you can't get with this gear. In many recording sessions and hundreds of live shows, I have had many producers and sound engineers tell me my rig sounds fantastic. I know that's not just me. This gear is touring pro quality and used extensively by some of the best and most well-known players on earth. If that ain’t enough for you, then you probably need to keep searching for the solution that works for you. It may not be Fractal gear and that's OK but don't have the perception that this gear can't achieve certain tones. That's simply not the case.
 
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I own both and can honestly say either do the job of getting great tones. AXEFX wins with remote integration and flexibility, IMHO
 
unix-guy said:
I'm pretty certain Larry has an Axe Fx III... But he gigs with the AX8.
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There are a few videos of him with the III but a lot of his performance videos at this time are using the AX8.

Point being that if the OP likes what he hears with Larry using the AX8, he will be just fine with the III.
 
OP, sounds like you want a Fender tube amp with traditional cab sound in the room. I’ve got a Vox AC-15, Plexi, and JCM800 clean amp with Suhr reactive load for each. They hardly get used. Only piece of gear I need is the Axe3 and fresh batteries in my wireless unit. What sold me on the Axe3 was Cooper Carter’s youtube video where he plays all the amps in the Austin Buddy pack.
 
JoKeR III said:
There are a few videos of him with the III but a lot of his performance videos at this time are using the AX8.

Point being that if the OP likes what he hears with Larry using the AX8, he will be just fine with the III.
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Yes... I think all of his performance videos are the AX8 since (as I mentioned) he gigs with it.
 
unix-guy said:
I'm pretty certain Larry has an Axe Fx III... But he gigs with the AX8.
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Yeah he has a III, but uses the AX8, but the point was: if he pulled up some of his albums to listen to, he’d be hearing the AX8. He’s on FB every single Thursday night and plays & chats and is still using the AX8. Although a lot of times he does those on the road so even more reason for the AX8.
And to make a bigger point, if you are good at dialing in the tone you’re after, then Fractal is as good as it gets, modeling or amp & cab. If you are not, then maybe K is better for you cause it’s already been done for you.
The premise that there is such a thing as, “only good for high gain stuff” I find perplexing, somewhat insulting & fairly ignorant. Apparently these people don’t believe there’s any nuances or fidelity within the high gain realm, or they discount it like it doesn’t count cause it’s not what they care about and it all just sounds the same. Fractal is known for being scary accurate in its modeling of the amps. Better by leaps & bounds than anyone else. So if you can dial an amp in, you are all set. If you can’t, you can learn, it will teach you. It has every tool you could ever need & then some.
 
Perdikament said:
if he pulled up some of his albums to listen to, he’d be hearing the AX8.
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I'm not sure that's a true statement. I think Larry may record with real amps... Never saw anything posted about that, although I have wondered about it.

It wouldn't surprise me, though.

However, whether he does or not, his live sound is excellent and absolutely nails the sound on his recordings.

I've jammed with Larry a few times (check the Vai Academy 2019 thread) - the stuff he does with his AX8 is awesome and well beyond what he has recorded, IMO.

He has some brilliant effects and funk/synth sounds, etc.

Perdikament said:
“only good for high gain stuff” I find perplexing, somewhat insulting & fairly ignorant.
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Historically, most of the Axe Fx content that I found was oriented around high gain stuff. So if someone hasn't dug in they might not have been exposed beyond that.

Being that I don't play much high gain, it took me finding the right video before I was sold. That video was a Tom Quayle demo of the Axe Fx II back in 2013. Had no idea who he was, but once I hear it I knew what I wanted was possible.

Anyway, I got your original point when you posted the first time. I was simply making a clarifying statement. ;)
 
unix-guy said:
I'm not sure that's a true statement. I think Larry may record with real amps... Never saw anything posted about that, although I have wondered about it.

It wouldn't surprise me, though.

However, whether he does or not, his live sound is excellent and absolutely nails the sound on his recordings.

I've jammed with Larry a few times (check the Vai Academy 2019 thread) - the stuff he does with his AX8 is awesome and well beyond what he has recorded, IMO.

He has some brilliant effects and funk/synth sounds, etc.


Historically, most of the Axe Fx content that I found was oriented around high gain stuff. So if someone hasn't dug in they might not have been exposed beyond that.

Being that I don't play much high gain, it took me finding the right video before I was sold. That video was a Tom Quayle demo of the Axe Fx II back in 2013. Had no idea who he was, but once I hear it I knew what I wanted was possible.

Anyway, I got your original point when you posted the first time. I was simply making a clarifying statement. ;)
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Well obviously his older stuff is amp, but his more recent albums I’m almost positive are AX8. Well AX8 along with the Eventide H9 and maybe some other various pedals. I’m just about positive that’s what he said he used, but my memory isn’t always perfect.. I’m still working out a few quirks. 🤤🧐
 
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