Just to clear up another rumor mill....

sure it's not my business what sums of money are involved or what deals - but it's still impressive that big name guitarists plaudit the unit for no fee. a testament to the quality of this thing.
makes me wonder what someone like vai with his $15million+ fortune would get out of such an arrangement, but cool nonetheless. would never see tiger woods or federer put their name on something for free.
 
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Ive had deals with companies over the past few years. Some they gave me free stuff (smaller lesser known companies) and others it was just artist pricing (at cost or a little bit more).

However I know a guy from our area that was in a up and coming band in the mid 2000's got a deal with PRS and now hes got about 6 of them, all custom jobs. Not sure if he had to pay for any of them or he was given them...
 
I'm a little taken aback by the idea that someone would think this. Seriously? The great artists want to support us as much as we want to support them. Like me, and hopefully you, they love their Axe-Fx and want Fractal to endure. I've offered a discount to someone I was "courting" and had them insist on full price. The one thing I find about highly successful people is that they are generally very decent. They aren't selfish. They recognize that sharing success makes it grow. It's the nobody who asks for "artist pricing" and then puts the thing on eBay.

This subject comes up now and again. What I personally do try to "give" those high level artists is exceptional support. I remember Alex Lifeson & Scotty being "blown away" that I'd help dial in some chorus sounds on Memorial day. It meant the world to me to be asked to help. This summer I had a string of emails with John Petrucci while I was at my daughter's birthday party. She didn't mind. I once had a call with Steve Vai from the end of a jetty in Maine. Ocean on 3 sides. I've answered calls from Dweezil at 4:30 AM (from Tokyo). I pulled over on the freeway last week to answer an urgent text from Nolly. And I do my best to help all of you to the extent humanly possible. The honest truth is that I do this out of respect. Cliff doesn't make me dedicate like this. But then, NONE of us would be here if not for guitar heroes, and I wouldn't be here if not for PAYING CUSTOMERS.

Fractal is not a gimmick or a scheme. It should just be so obvious that this is the real deal.

I'm not sure what else to say.
 
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Admin M@ said:
I'm a little taken aback by the idea that someone would think this. Seriously? The great artists want to support us as much as we want to support them. Like me, and hopefully you, they love their Axe-Fx and want Fractal to endure. I've offered a discount to someone I was "courting" and had them insist on full price. The one thing I find about highly successful people is that they are generally very decent. They aren't selfish. They recognize that sharing success makes it grow. It's the nobody who asks for "artist pricing" and then puts the thing on eBay.

This subject comes up now and again. What I personally do try to "give" those high level artists is exceptional support. I remember Alex Lifeson & Scotty being "blown away" that I'd help dial in some chorus sounds on Memorial day. It meant the world to me to be asked to help. This summer I had a string of emails with John Petrucci while I was at my daughter's birthday party. She didn't mind. I once had a call with Steve Vai from the end of a jetty in Maine. Ocean on 3 sides. I've answered calls from Dweezil at 4:30 AM (from Tokyo). I pulled over on the freeway last week to answer an urgent text from Nolly. And I do my best to help all of you to the extent humanly possible. The honest truth is that I do this out of respect. Cliff doesn't make me dedicate like this. But then, NONE of us would be here if not for guitar heroes, and I wouldn't be here if not for PAYING CUSTOMERS.

Fractal is not a gimmick or a scheme. It should just be so obvious that this is the real deal.

I'm not sure what else to say.
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What's your phone number, dude.....? ;) :D

Seriously though, the customer service IS appreciated. I believe about 1% of on the net, and about half of that is pure imagination, so it's not a surprise that the only FAS detractors are on internet fora. Those of us with more intelligence than a gnat and an ego smaller than Texas can filter out the diatribe of a dumbass.
 
Admin M@ said:
I'm a little taken aback by the idea that someone would think this. Seriously? The great artists want to support us as much as we want to support them. Like me, and hopefully you, they love their Axe-Fx and want Fractal to endure. I've offered a discount to someone I was "courting" and had them insist on full price. The one thing I find about highly successful people is that they are generally very decent. They aren't selfish. They recognize that sharing success makes it grow. It's the nobody who asks for "artist pricing" and then puts the thing on eBay.

This subject comes up now and again. What I personally do try to "give" those high level artists is exceptional support. I remember Alex Lifeson & Scotty being "blown away" that I'd help dial in some chorus sounds on Memorial day. It meant the world to me to be asked to help. This summer I had a string of emails with John Petrucci while I was at my daughter's birthday party. She didn't mind. I once had a call with Steve Vai from the end of a jetty in Maine. Ocean on 3 sides. I've answered calls from Dweezil at 4:30 AM (from Tokyo). I pulled over on the freeway last week to answer an urgent text from Nolly. And I do my best to help all of you to the extent humanly possible. The honest truth is that I do this out of respect. Cliff doesn't make me dedicate like this. But then, NONE of us would be here if not for guitar heroes, and I wouldn't be here if not for PAYING CUSTOMERS.

Fractal is not a gimmick or a scheme. It should just be so obvious that this is the real deal.

I'm not sure what else to say.
Click to expand...

1. You've talked to Alex Lifeson?
2. Only one person is now permitted to use the Chorus effect, on planet earth (and get away with it)....and you've talked to him.
3. The only job better than the one you have would be something along the lines of spa towel boy at the Playboy mansion.
 
Admin M@ said:
I'm a little taken aback by the idea that someone would think this. Seriously? The great artists want to support us as much as we want to support them. Like me, and hopefully you, they love their Axe-Fx and want Fractal to endure. I've offered a discount to someone I was "courting" and had them insist on full price. The one thing I find about highly successful people is that they are generally very decent. They aren't selfish. They recognize that sharing success makes it grow. It's the nobody who asks for "artist pricing" and then puts the thing on eBay.

This subject comes up now and again. What I personally do try to "give" those high level artists is exceptional support. I remember Alex Lifeson & Scotty being "blown away" that I'd help dial in some chorus sounds on Memorial day. It meant the world to me to be asked to help. This summer I had a string of emails with John Petrucci while I was at my daughter's birthday party. She didn't mind. I once had a call with Steve Vai from the end of a jetty in Maine. Ocean on 3 sides. I've answered calls from Dweezil at 4:30 AM (from Tokyo). I pulled over on the freeway last week to answer an urgent text from Nolly. And I do my best to help all of you to the extent humanly possible. The honest truth is that I do this out of respect. Cliff doesn't make me dedicate like this. But then, NONE of us would be here if not for guitar heroes, and I wouldn't be here if not for PAYING CUSTOMERS.

Fractal is not a gimmick or a scheme. It should just be so obvious that this is the real deal.

I'm not sure what else to say.
Click to expand...

+1

Matt - your passion is absolutely infectious and so is your work ethic.

I remember you at Dweezilla demoing units until the wee hours of the morning.

Yet you were up and at it bright and early every morning like the Eveready Energizer Bunny. :lol

You are well respected in this community Matt. FAS & Cliff are very lucky to have an asset like you. :encouragement:
 
I find it sad that this even is given a second of consideration or weight; Fractal is an incredible entrepreneurial story. A micro start-up company that comes literally out of nowhere, creates something and sells it direct. Rocks the industry. Now a common sight in many of the highest profile musicians rigs and across many varied genres to boot.

Some people - mostly on the Internet - just have issues and are not afraid to act the fool. People will say anything to sound important or seem knowledgeable. Problem is, most of them are not either of those two things.

Don't believe anything you read unless you trust the source. Note those that are humble and don't need bluster and crazy accusations, theories or topics to make their point. Note the ones that have actual first hand experience. Look at the people actually helping others, reaching out, building communities. Compare and contrast to the loud, brash, and plain mean people you encounter online.

It is what it is. And it isn't what it isn't. Negativity breeds negativity. Don't buy into that wholesale.
 
How about some facts: When a major artist I know well was interested in getting an AxeFX, I contacted FAS (M@) and he referred said artist to the dealer for such inquiries, Toursupply.com. They're out of Buffalo I think with an office in LA. Great guys who deal exclusively with touring pros. They won't sell the "average Joe" a unit but will sell it to touring pros and give discount to those on the FAS artist roster. $274.90 discount exactly.
That should shut up any BS talk.
 
Matt's thoughts summed it up. The millionaires that we idolize do not ask for, or need the discounts. Sure, they probably have string or instrument and gear endorsements that give free stuff or greatly price reduced items. But if they encounter something as awesome as the Fractal, what's $2,300 to them? it is the average joe's that need and request special pricing or extenuating circumstances.

I was recently having wireless issues, so I decided to google Alex Lifeson's gear rundown and then his wireless unit. It costs more than the Fractal, at either $2,700 or $2,900 in that ballpark. And here's the kicker - he has 4 of those in his rig. My point is, someone that has a $50,000 touring rig isn't flinching from the price of the AxeII, and, in light of what it does, it is a bargain, even for a guy like me.
 
rodzimguitar68 said:
...I decided to google Alex Lifeson's gear rundown and then his wireless unit. It costs more than the Fractal, at either $2,700 or $2,900 in that ballpark. And here's the kicker - he has 4 of those in his rig....
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That's a GREAT fact!.

Also, when people complain about the price of the Axe, most of them are already playing through an amp that costs 75% of what the axe costs. It's hugely illogical to me why these discussions continue to spring up.
 
I always thought the value of an endorsement deal was the free press you get from said company in their ads, social media posts, etc... Not the price of the gear you get. When I was just starting out in high school, I was talking about artist gear and somebody told me they get free stuff. I questioned why somebody who earns millions of dollars a year would use an inferior product just because it was free. I don't use Star Picks, yet I have literally bags of them from all the freebies I've been given.

Do you suppose john petrucci uses Ernie ball guitars because they are free or because they made a guitar that fits him exactly?
 
Waltdude said:
And there is nothing wrong with any of that Cliff. I guess what everyone that has something negative to say about this fail to realize is that we all received a form of endorsement, when we received $400 off on the AXEII. And ya can't bitch about that.
Click to expand...

Matt isn't Cliff; Cliff isn't Matt. ;)
 
Admin M@ said:
I'm a little taken aback by the idea that someone would think this. Seriously? The great artists want to support us as much as we want to support them. Like me, and hopefully you, they love their Axe-Fx and want Fractal to endure. I've offered a discount to someone I was "courting" and had them insist on full price. The one thing I find about highly successful people is that they are generally very decent. They aren't selfish. They recognize that sharing success makes it grow. It's the nobody who asks for "artist pricing" and then puts the thing on eBay.

This subject comes up now and again. What I personally do try to "give" those high level artists is exceptional support. I remember Alex Lifeson & Scotty being "blown away" that I'd help dial in some chorus sounds on Memorial day. It meant the world to me to be asked to help. This summer I had a string of emails with John Petrucci while I was at my daughter's birthday party. She didn't mind. I once had a call with Steve Vai from the end of a jetty in Maine. Ocean on 3 sides. I've answered calls from Dweezil at 4:30 AM (from Tokyo). I pulled over on the freeway last week to answer an urgent text from Nolly. And I do my best to help all of you to the extent humanly possible. The honest truth is that I do this out of respect. Cliff doesn't make me dedicate like this. But then, NONE of us would be here if not for guitar heroes, and I wouldn't be here if not for PAYING CUSTOMERS.

Fractal is not a gimmick or a scheme. It should just be so obvious that this is the real deal.

I'm not sure what else to say.
Click to expand...


Not trying to suck up but that was a beautiful statement M@. Seriously. You have helped many Fractal customers resolve issues... and many of us not being high profile artists. And do you know what? I sincerely feel like you give me (us) the same attention you would give ____________ (enter name of your favorite hi profile Fractal using geetar player here).

I appreciate the level of service and respect Fractal has shown me and that I have observed around here. Besides having a ground breaking and game changing product, I think it's a major component to what makes Fractal a great company to be a customer of. I could go on and on but enough said.
 
BigD1977 said:
That's a GREAT fact!.

Also, when people complain about the price of the Axe, most of them are already playing through an amp that costs 75% of what the axe costs. It's hugely illogical to me why these discussions continue to spring up.
Click to expand...

it doesn't weigh 30kg, so how can it be as good if its.. less. It doesnt look as cool as a real amp. You can't pick up girls as easily as you possibly could with a real amp.

The mind of the casual guitar player goes deep. More of this on h@rmony central
 
M@ I just hope that as Fractal grows, and your role expands to the point where you can't do as much of what you're doing now, that you are grooming trusted minions/quality henchmen to pick up the baton, carry the torch...

... Right now, to us, Fractal is a small rebel band, fighting to bring electronic tonal truth to the masses against a massive industry bent on selling overpriced, under-featured and under supported disposable consumer crap, one unit at a time. I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that I hope you guys get huge numbers and yet still maintain the personal touch. This is why Avid failed with the 11R (I have one - I consider it abandonware), in my opinion Line 6 fails, and you can move a $2,200.00 box when the other shyte costs half as much. Fractal is there nearly every week with a firmware upgrade, Cliff continues to relentless chase (no pun intended) mathemusical perfection (even when browbeaten into modelling the HM-2), and we get things like Cab Lab, a new this, a new that.

That's right, Mathemusical. I just made a word. I own that. Dibs.

And oh by the way girls don't care what it looks like. To them all blinking black boxes look alike. They don't know about amps. It's like a dog watching TV. They don't carem because it's ladies night and they don't pay for their drinks.
 
Admin M@ said:
I'm a little taken aback by the idea that someone would think this. Seriously? The great artists want to support us as much as we want to support them. Like me, and hopefully you, they love their Axe-Fx and want Fractal to endure. I've offered a discount to someone I was "courting" and had them insist on full price. The one thing I find about highly successful people is that they are generally very decent. They aren't selfish. They recognize that sharing success makes it grow. It's the nobody who asks for "artist pricing" and then puts the thing on eBay.

This subject comes up now and again. What I personally do try to "give" those high level artists is exceptional support. I remember Alex Lifeson & Scotty being "blown away" that I'd help dial in some chorus sounds on Memorial day. It meant the world to me to be asked to help. This summer I had a string of emails with John Petrucci while I was at my daughter's birthday party. She didn't mind. I once had a call with Steve Vai from the end of a jetty in Maine. Ocean on 3 sides. I've answered calls from Dweezil at 4:30 AM (from Tokyo). I pulled over on the freeway last week to answer an urgent text from Nolly. And I do my best to help all of you to the extent humanly possible. The honest truth is that I do this out of respect. Cliff doesn't make me dedicate like this. But then, NONE of us would be here if not for guitar heroes, and I wouldn't be here if not for PAYING CUSTOMERS.

Fractal is not a gimmick or a scheme. It should just be so obvious that this is the real deal.

I'm not sure what else to say.
Click to expand...

Amen - You are the real deal my friend - I can attest to this first hand. through my dealing with you for AxeFest 1 & 2 - Guys these guys genuinely care about every last artist here, beginner to Via.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WHO YOU ARE M@ - WHO CLIFF IS - THE WHOLE FAS TEAM - AND MOST OF ALL - YOUR TRUE LEVEL OF INTEGRITY AS A COMPANY IN THIS AGE OF SO MUCH LESS
 
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