Initial learning curve

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SSteve6

New Member
I've only just begun playing with the ax8 and one of my first impressions is that If just trying to create a preset from scratch, I have to make a conscious effort not to make them the same.
I like a certain sound of drive, this much reverb, that much phaser, etc.. no matter which amp and cab I try, I'm dialling them in the same based on my likes.
Endless options and I keep making very similar presets.
Is that just me and my limited ear or do others do that too? Is it part of this newbie learning curve?

Thanks all the guys posting helpful videos on YouTube!
 
Just because there are thousands of ways to tweak things doesn’t mean you need to have a 1000 tones

Lots of guys go a whole career playing one amp and one guitar. Their tone is their tone. They don’t need different sounds for each song or even each album.

If you can create a sound that works for you, then enjoy what works.

Guys adding in effects etc just becasue they can aren’t any happier
 
SSteve, I do the same thing with similar gain levels, signal chains, etc. for me it's just the that these are the tones I like, am familiar with, and can use to gett the tones I need. I don't typically try to nail a specific tone for a song but rather try to get the feel using "my" tones.

I have a couple of presets that I created from scratch that are well out of my norm but I don't use them very much.
 
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I guess I'll be the odd man out here. I use a few different amps and basically have been using the same ones for years. I don't want them to sound the same. I use a VOX AC30tb, a Lonestar, 2 marshalls (50w and 100w), the Tucana and Dweezil's Bman. Each is voiced to sound like the original, or as close as I can get them. I use them accordingly, depending on the music I am playing. I need everything from soft ballads to ripping rock. My AX8 covers all of it. I am in my happy place.
 
Try using the Pi Fuzz and aim for the Smashing Pumpkins tone from Siamese Dream. Once I was able to get this tone, it opened up my mind to what is possible. there is no mistaking the Pi Fuzz for any other distortion. Another trick that has become a staple is to use the pitch controller to adjust the gain on the fuzz pedal. The higher up the neck you play, the more distortion kicks in.
 
Completely normal. My suggestion is to find different players in different styles and attempt to create presets to emulate their tone. Most players love to talk about their gear so a quick internet search should provide you a base set of amp and effects to start with. I've had to learn to create presets that sound good, not just what I prefer.
 
fastgraham said:
Try using the Pi Fuzz and aim for the Smashing Pumpkins tone from Siamese Dream. Once I was able to get this tone, it opened up my mind to what is possible. there is no mistaking the Pi Fuzz for any other distortion. Another trick that has become a staple is to use the pitch controller to adjust the gain on the fuzz pedal. The higher up the neck you play, the more distortion kicks in.
Click to expand...

^ This. I'm using it for synth like bass sounds. Add some chorus and flanger and have fun.
 
The thing is, you know what you like... And if you keep tweaking, you'll eventually get there! On. Every. Preset. :)

Been there, done that.

Part of the trick can be to force yourself to stop tweaking and start playing. Your brain and ears will adjust.
 
I guess I'm still trying to find "my" tone.. but it is pretty great having all these options at my fingertips while doing so.

Great advice about just playing. I've noticed my practice is being seriously interrupted by all the tweaking.
 
I do the same thing. Sometimes to try and break the cycle, I will listen to something totally different from what I am used to listening to, a totally different artist, and try to replicate that tone. Or try to go for a totally different style; say try for a Texas Blues tone rather than a full on shred tone. Most of all, don't be afraid to experiment and tweak a knob a different direction than you normally might.
 
I don't adjust them exactly the same, but my presets fall into a few recognizable categories based on what I like to play and how I expect the guitar/amp interaction to be. Mostly the difference has to do with whether the context I'm in needs the basic clean to be super clean (jazzish or funky/jammy rhythm guitar needed) or if it wants some hair on it from the start (more blues/rock context). I just got a III (had an Ultra, II and Ax8) and when tweaking presets as starting point I find myself gaining everything I use WAY down. I'm used to using Fender/Vox style low-medium gain amps with pedals. I've ended up dropping Input trim to .5ish and often input gain under 1 in order to get the amps as clean as I would typically start. That's me. Other people need all that gain.

If you don't know what you're looking for, Axeland can be a very confusing place. I'm often amazed when people who have never owned a single tube amp come on the forum and wonder why they can't get good tone. I've never used a preset on the Axe (most of mine start just amp/cab/verb) that I didn't have to tweak a bunch to make workable. To me, it's all about getting the gain structure right and basic verb space right. Everything else is icing on the cake.

Good luck in your search. I'll second, third or whatever the advice about playing vs tweaking. It can be very seductive to tweak and tweak, but not always very productive.
 
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