Just posted for for the first time after lurking for a while, and thought I should come here to introduce myself to the forum members.
Hello!
I've been somewhat active on other music gear and guitar forums for years, but the recent release of the AX8 has made it just about attainable for me to get into a Fractal modeling world. I've been extremely impressed by the wealth of knowledge on this forum, as well as the generous and selfless contributions from users when it comes to patches and settings. It truly feels like a collaborative effort here with the goal to optimize Fractal products to their fullest potential, and that makes so much sense to me because by doing that everybody benefits.
My main musical influences and tendencies are late 60s to early 70s rock. I've played guitar for over 20 years now, and as a teenager learned by playing through the Beatles catalog. Then on to Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, Cream, and the like. I'm sure I'll be chasing Page's MSG live tone for the rest of my life--and happily, I might add! I've actually gotten very into the Stones lately.
My current set up is Edwards Page 112 LP/MJT Blackguard Tele - Rippah Q Wah - Lemon Drop - Liquid Lead - Belle Epoch - Roto Choir - Watts Supro 6424 (modified to late 50s Supro 1624T specs). After years of gear rotation, the Catalinbread Belle Epoch into the Lumpy's Liquid Lead into the Supro gets me as close as I can imagine to that Page live tone short of me getting a '68 SuperLead. I love that Tommy at Lumpy's designed the Liquid Lead specifically for the treble input of a '68 SuperLead. And Lumpy's Lemon Drop is designed on the Vox 4 and 7 series amp tones that were used by the Beatles (Revolver), Stones, and Zeppelin (II). That pedal is simply amazing. It can do overdrive, honky stuff, but also cranked it's a fuzz. Very versatile. After going through phasers and univibe type modulation I came to realize that, again, I really wanted what the Beatles, Stones, Floyd, and Zeppelin actually used which were Leslies. So I ended up with the RotoChoir.
In the end where modeling is concerned here are my must haves:
- 100w Marshall SuperLead treble input
- EP3 Echoplex delay
- Leslie rotating speaker
Although I do love the Lemon Drop it's so unique that I don't expect it to be modeled. But those Vox amps are a very cool common thread in the sounds I love from those killer bands, and I'm not sure people really understand the significance of them since they're so rare these days. I would just about die if a Vox 4 / 7 series amp were to be included in Fractal products.
Aside from that, I go through the temptation of wondering what if this amp what if that amp, hey that's such a cool sound what amp was that--oh it was a High Powered Tweed Twin? Oh, it was a Hiwatt? Etc, etc. And the same with pedals. This reverb, that reverb, this tremolo and so on. For the things that aren't must haves, there sure are a ton of "wants" and those wants change all the time. I haven't got the time, energy, or money to constantly be buying and selling.
And that's where I'm really excited about the possibilities within the AX8. It feels to me like an investment in possibility and flexibility. You want something that exists? That amp is probably there. You want something that isn't in there? You can make so many adjustments. This pre and that power amp? Done. Those sorts of things really appeal to me. And being able to replicate other instruments, such as bagpipes with a drone, just puts it over the top. I'm often dealing with preferring very obscure things that I think ought to exist but either don't or are way too much $$. Being able to create my own sounds based on my research is something that it seems like Fractal is all about. With the release of the AX8, it's just about within reach for me, financially.
See you all around the forum!
