How Do You Get New Pedal and Amp Models (II XL+)?

K

KAM

Member
I got my AxeFX II XL+ the other day and have been running through the presets and playing with some new ones, but found that some of the pedals and amps (like the Mark IV) aren't that good. It was surprising that there's no Klon Centaur or some of the other iconic pedals.

Anyway, I'm just wondering if there's a way to profile (for lack of a better term) new pedals and amps to add to the list. If so, how exactly is it done?
 
Hi kam,
Welcome to the fold! I'm sure you'll find the amps can be very good, it just sometimes takes finding the right cab or a little tweaking. I've had the axe fx units for years but I learned something really good just recently - like you, I'd sometimes dial up (say) a Marshall, only to be disappointed a little because it didn't sound how I expected...a few weeks ago, I bought the Austin buddy naked presets here:
https://austinbuddy.com/products/preset-tones/
....and was absolutely blown away by some of them... They are very simple, mostly just amp/cab/drive etc, but they sound like you would expect the real amps to sound.
I'd recommend you grab them as they will be a perfect starting point for those of us that just want to grab a specific amp sound and go with it.
Thanks
Pauly
 
Thanks Pauly. This is very cool. I don't want to drop another $60 right now, but I'll pick it up later when I'm more comfortable with the unit.
 
[QUOTE="KAM, post: 1614461, member: 55900"... but found that some of the pedals and amps (like the Mark IV) aren't that good.[/QUOTE]

Could you explain what you mean by this?
 
StickMan said:
Could you explain what you mean by this?
Click to expand...

I used to have a Mark IV and I don't think the Mark IV amp model in the AxeFX is very much like it. While stuff like the Friedman and Marshall models are very accurate, some of the others seem to miss their mark (no pun intended).
 
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KAM said:
I used to have a Mark IV and I don't think the Mark IV amp model in the AxeFX is very much like it. While stuff like the Friedman and Marshall models are very accurate, some of the others seem to miss their mark (no pun intended).
Click to expand...

Which Mark IV model are you using? There's at least 4 of the lead modes, plus the clean and rhythm mode; you can then add presence shift or fat switch which effectively increases the number of modes. Are you using the GEQ too?

This video may help.

 
2112 said:
Which Mark IV model are you using? There's at least 4 of the lead modes, plus the clean and rhythm mode; you can then add presence shift or fat switch which effectively increases the number of modes. Are you using the GEQ too?

This video may help.

Click to expand...


Wow man! That's almost exactly the way I ended up setting mine. The only thing different is he had the negative feedback set to 10 which is something I'm not familiar with yet so I set it at 5. I also found that it needed a drive pedal in front to get a good sound, except I lower the overdrive a little less than he does. Thanks for that. It's good to know that I was pretty close in my thinking.

I found this video the other day and kind of went on that for the time being, though I've found a couple of better videos since.
 
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KAM said:
Wow man! That's almost exactly the way I ended up setting mine. The only thing different is he had the negative feedback set to 10 which is something I'm not familiar with yet so I set it at 5. I also found that it needed a drive pedal in front to get a good sound, except I lower the overdrive a little less than he does. Thanks for that. It's good to know that I was pretty close in my thinking.

I found this video the other day and kind of went on that for the time being, though I've found a couple of better videos since.
Click to expand...

10 is the default value for that model, lowering it to 5 will change the tone quite a lot YMMV
 
Do you have clips of your Mark IV you’re trying to match against? Hearing your ideal next to what you’ve managed to achieve in the AFII already can help us give you more specific advice on how to get closer to your ideal sound.
 
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Alright folks, let's try this again. I've removed all the bickering posts. Let's keep it to helping @KAM as best we can. Nothing positive to contribute? Feel free to stay out of the thread.
 
iaresee said:
Alright folks, let's try this again. I've removed all the bickering posts. Let's keep it to helping @KAM as best we can. Nothing positive to contribute? Feel free to stay out of the thread.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I don't know what it was I supposedly said so wrong, but anyway... I've found some good workarounds for the Mark IV. To me, it's much better with a pedal in front and some tweaking to the low end. There are a few cabs that seem to do well with it, so I'll stick with these for now.

I asked about the stomps and amps because there were also some amps I was looking for that weren't on the list. Particularly, I'd like to see a Krank Revolution or Randall RG100, Warhead, etc.. for Dimebag tones. As for stomps, there would be a few that would be nice to have. That's why I asked.
 
KAM said:
Thanks. I don't know what it was I supposedly said so wrong, but anyway... I've found some good workarounds for the Mark IV. To me, it's much better with a pedal in front and some tweaking to the low end. There are a few cabs that seem to do well with it, so I'll stick with these for now.

I asked about the stomps and amps because there were also some amps I was looking for that weren't on the list. Particularly, I'd like to see a Krank Revolution or Randall RG100, Warhead, etc.. for Dimebag tones. As for stomps, there would be a few that would be nice to have. That's why I asked.
Click to expand...
Fractal Audio can only add amps and pedals. Users can't do that. There's a very complex process they go through where they model the different electronic components of the amp/pedal. Once they've captured a new amp/pedal, they release a new firmware update. The creator @FractalAudio always makes a forum post when a new firmware is posted, but you can also get the latest firmware update from the Fractal home page.

If there's an amp or pedal you want to see in the next firmware update, you can post a suggestion on the Wish List section of the forum. It's uncommon that it'll get picked up, however. At a minimum, you would need to provide official schematics of the device.
 
KAM said:
To me, it's much better with a pedal in front and some tweaking to the low end.
Click to expand...
You'll find what works well in real life, can work well in the AFII as well. It's pretty common to juice the front end of a Mark-class amp, cut the bass knob on the amp, and then make it up in the GEQ at the end of that chain. That same trick works in the Axe-Fx II and gives you tighter bass there. I like a TS808 model with gain near 0, tone up a bit, and the level in the 8-10 range to kick a Recto or JCM model up. And then I'll keep the bass control on the amp low and make up the low end with the GEQ in the AMP block. Might work for the Mark model as well?

There are a few cabs that seem to do well with it, so I'll stick with these for now.
Click to expand...
Cabs are super important to the overall sound. If you ask for recommendations here you'll likely get 11 opinions from 10 answers. :) Cabs can be incredibly personal and very setup-dependent.

I asked about the stomps and amps because there were also some amps I was looking for that weren't on the list. Particularly, I'd like to see a Krank Revolution or Randall RG100, Warhead, etc.. for Dimebag tones. As for stomps, there would be a few that would be nice to have. That's why I asked.
Click to expand...
There's a wish-list section you can post in. Some of those have been asked for before. How and why amps get added is largely a mystery. The Fractals move in mysterious ways.
 
KAM said:
As for stomps, there would be a few that would be nice to have. That's why I asked.
Click to expand...

So specifics and samples are essential in your quest for tonal-blissdom. Can you provide examples (YouTube, SoundCloud, etc.) for us to build off of?

One thing to note about the FAS gear is not to get to tied up on the amp/drive/cab/fx blocks verbatim for what you are trying to replicate. Sometimes, other models that you would not traditionally procure in the 'real amp' world will get you precisely the tone you are looking for. What I am getting at is that you are used to a Mesa Mark IV model 2x12/4x12/other setup in person with a tubescreamer or other drive in front of it (guessing). The FAS gear is a versatile piece of gear that's range of accuracy is pretty close on most things as you noted. Ultimately, try new things, amps, drives that you would not traditionally try in person to re-evaluate your tone. If you're looking for a heavy Mesa tone, try the ENGL Severe with a TS808 pedal out front to push it in a small signal chain DRIVE (TS808) > AMP (Severe) > CAB (4x12 Greenback) from I > O.

Most important is to start simple and take note of what you are referencing with (monitors, FRFR, etc.). You are simulating a recorded version of an amp and cab combo, there will be limitations yet endless opportunity. Frame of reference is important in getting you to where you want to be.

Ian, I am assuming people jumped on the 'Klon' comment which initially peaked my curiosity in this thread. I just wanted to ensure sincerity in the request for a Mark IV rig setup in the FAS lineup.

Hope that helps, looking forward to assisting anyway possible, thanks.
 
ibanezfreak4 said:
Ian, I am assuming people jumped on the 'Klon' comment which initially peaked my curiosity in this thread. I just wanted to ensure sincerity in the request for a Mark IV rig setup in the FAS lineup.
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Requests, even repeated, for things are never the problem. People were at each other in this thread for language and semantics; that’s what drove the cleanup.
 
Paperjace said:
If there's an amp or pedal you want to see in the next firmware update, you can post a suggestion on the Wish List section of the forum. It's uncommon that it'll get picked up, however. At a minimum, you would need to provide official schematics of the device.
Click to expand...

I guess I'll add my request to that list. For now I found that the PVH 6101 (If I remember correctly the name) is the one that I'm getting closest to the Dimebag sound. I'm not ready to do tone matching yet, and I want to be able to dial things in by ear before I start getting into that anyway. Hmm, that sounds like it's more hassle than it's worth. Some of those fractal packs are incredible so I might just go that route. Thanks.
 
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