Is Neal Schon still using the Axe Fx III?

R

rrhoads17

Inspired
Everytime I see Neal, I notice he has a different amp behind him. Right now, it looks like he is using the EVH 5150 III EL34, but I also saw him play at a football stadium recently with a couple of Marshall amps. Then a while back he actually endorsed Blackstar Amps. Is he really just using the Fractal for all of his tones and basically banking other amp endorsements or does he just use those amps as a cool looking backline with dummy cabs?
 
rrhoads17 said:
or does he just use those amps as a cool looking backline with dummy cabs?
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Probably. I still find it hard to believe that artists like John Petrucci don’t do this when they went through the trouble to model their personal amplifier.
 
on his facebook and instagram he said he always change amps depend in his mood,live with Journey he is using EVH amps and EVH guitars,i guess he use Fractal for FX and for jaming in his house.
 
Neals rig seems to change/rotate by the hour. I'd imagine he uses the Fractal in some capacity along with everything else in his possession.
 
ruso said:
Probably. I still find it hard to believe that artists like John Petrucci don’t do this when they went through the trouble to model their personal amplifier.
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I think its a matter of time before artists who use the Fractal for fx only will eventually use it for everything. It will only get more expensive to tour with racks full of amps and effects. I think some guitarists don't want that stigma of using a modeler in lieu of tube amps. I read where Metallica wanted Diezel's help with programming their amp blocks and Diezel basically told them to go pound sand, so I bet there is pressure on them from amp manufacturers to not go 100% Fractal.
 
ruso said:
Probably. I still find it hard to believe that artists like John Petrucci don’t do this when they went through the trouble to model their personal amplifier.
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Petrucci has a very long history with Mesa/Boogie, to the level that the first signature amp they ever produced was his. I don't see him bailing on them any time soon.
 
Frodebro said:
Petrucci has a very long history with Mesa/Boogie, to the level that the first signature amp they ever produced was his. I don't see him bailing on them any time soon.
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Never said he was bailing on them.
 
Petrucci has said in many interviews that his favorite part of the day is soundcheck when he can go up and play around with his rig. He loves tweaking and trying things out.
 
rrhoads17 said:
I think its a matter of time before artists who use the Fractal for fx only will eventually use it for everything. It will only get more expensive to tour with racks full of amps and effects. I think some guitarists don't want that stigma of using a modeler in lieu of tube amps. I read where Metallica wanted Diezel's help with programming their amp blocks and Diezel basically told them to go pound sand, so I bet there is pressure on them from amp manufacturers to not go 100% Fractal.
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Didn't Fractal wind up helping them tweak everything?
 
Who the hell knows with Neil. I don’t know anyone (especially a big name) that changes gear more than him. Always different amps, lots of different guitars and various endorsements of all kinds. None of them ever stick. Funny enough, Neil sounds EXACTLY the same with Journey no matter the rig.

if I had his kind of $ and access to gear I’d probably do the same. :)
 
A drummer friend who used to work at PRS said NS was one of the hardest guitarists to work with, in terms of him having so many different tastes. They actually made him TWO signature guitars, of which my buddy said was the lowest ROI for any artist's guitar. I believe he told me they were both essentially the same guitar, but one had a 1" smaller body width. I took all that to mean he either just loves all sorts of gear and enjoys playing it all, or he's kinda fickle. Yeah, must be nice! But for a guy who can write guitar solos that you sing along with in your car, he's got it going on!
 
He seems to switch up gear all the time but Fractal is definitely still part of his rig. He said the Marshall's used for the New Years gig were rentals in a FB post and recently mentioned that other modeler in another in response to someone complementing his tone! I think he loves gear and changes things up all the time. Including his arsenal of axes.
 
rrhoads17 said:
I think its a matter of time before artists who use the Fractal for fx only will eventually use it for everything. It will only get more expensive to tour with racks full of amps and effects. I think some guitarists don't want that stigma of using a modeler in lieu of tube amps. I read where Metallica wanted Diezel's help with programming their amp blocks and Diezel basically told them to go pound sand, so I bet there is pressure on them from amp manufacturers to not go 100% Fractal.
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Stigma? Huh?
 
TSJMajesty said:
A drummer friend who used to work at PRS said NS was one of the hardest guitarists to work with, in terms of him having so many different tastes. They actually made him TWO signature guitars, of which my buddy said was the lowest ROI for any artist's guitar. I believe he told me they were both essentially the same guitar, but one had a 1" smaller body width. I took all that to mean he either just loves all sorts of gear and enjoys playing it all, or he's kinda fickle. Yeah, must be nice! But for a guy who can write guitar solos that you sing along with in your car, he's got it going on!
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Yes I have heard that as well. Dave Friedman said Neil was going to work on an amp with him, but I think he flaked.
 
TSJMajesty said:
A drummer friend who used to work at PRS said NS was one of the hardest guitarists to work with, in terms of him having so many different tastes. They actually made him TWO signature guitars, of which my buddy said was the lowest ROI for any artist's guitar. I believe he told me they were both essentially the same guitar, but one had a 1" smaller body width. I took all that to mean he either just loves all sorts of gear and enjoys playing it all, or he's kinda fickle. Yeah, must be nice! But for a guy who can write guitar solos that you sing along with in your car, he's got it going on!
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Neil is a combination of uber gear whore, kinda fickle, money to burn and a large dose of diva.
 
AxeManDan said:
...and a large dose of diva.
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Yeah, my buddy gave me that distinct impression of him as well. But hey, he's certainly earned it.
So many guitarists have this attitude about speed being flashy and what not, doesn't serve the song, they'd rather come up with licks/solos that are melodic and musical, etc. Neil Schon proves that the 2 aren't mutually exclusive, that's for sure. I love his quick little bursts of speed injected into his solos.
 
I probably saw ~15 bands at 20,000 seat arenas, and Journey had the best sound (Pink Floyd was a close 2nd.)
At the show I saw them, Bryan Adams got a cold or something, so "local favorites DC Star will be tonight's opening act for Journey!"
Oh well, I guess I can slow down now and not worry about being late for the show.
That band was THE LOUDEST club band I'd ever seen, yet at the Journey show, they were much quieter and had a pretty bad house sound.
Journey's was LOUD, yet crystal clear! Harmonies were all perfectly balanced, the solos cut through..., I mean it sounded better than the recordings.
And Neil was just amazing. Totally on-fire playing!
 
TSJMajesty said:
I probably saw ~15 bands at 20,000 seat arenas, and Journey had the best sound (Pink Floyd was a close 2nd.)
At the show I saw them, Bryan Adams got a cold or something, so "local favorites DC Star will be tonight's opening act for Journey!"
Oh well, I guess I can slow down now and not worry about being late for the show.
That band was THE LOUDEST club band I'd ever seen, yet at the Journey show, they were much quieter and had a pretty bad house sound.
Journey's was LOUD, yet crystal clear! Harmonies were all perfectly balanced, the solos cut through..., I mean it sounded better than the recordings.
And Neil was just amazing. Totally on-fire playing!
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Best live tones I have seen live was Def Leppard and Brit Floyd, and funny enough, they all use Fractal! And EVH played about 20 feet in front of me live, but I wasn't big on his tone during the 5150 III amp era, it sounded like a cocked wah after Balance. Worst live tone was Zakk Wylde when I saw him with Ozzy. Main reason being he was so loud it basically shook my teeth loose. That was a disappointment too cause he had a great tone during the late 80s and early 90s. Peter Frampton had a surprisingly amazing tone when I saw him live.
 
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