My Axe Fx 2 sounds dull

We're both using default settings for the amps (amp loaded in, no settings adjusted), and I'm trying to get to the bottom of the big difference in sound. The guitar itself has been suggested as a cause but I'm still waiting to hear what guitar in particular would sound more like his in the video than the muffled sound I'm getting.

The guitar used in the video is a Music Man Majesty, so yes, that's going to make a huge difference.
 
A quick tweak for darker sounding amps and cabs is to use the 5 band Boogie style EQ in the amp block. Pull down the 240 Hz fader a bit to remove some mud and push up the 2200 Hz fader a bit to add more bite if needed. It can really bring a tone forward in the mix.
I do this on almost every patch I have, except with the fender tweed. I use a JP 15 and it really does help the guitar pop. I also set the low cut in the speaker block at 90-120 and the hi at 6-8k.
 
I have to add treble, presence and bright on every patch I build...and, I do quite a bit of amp tweaking in the advanced settings to get a brighter, crisper sound.

My tones are not muddy or dark after I tweak them.

The stock patches sound quite dull and muddy to me...and I'm using EMG 81/85's and T598's on all my axes...

My setup:

Axe FX Xl II Plus
Matrix GT1000
Xitone 2 x 12 passive wedges


When I crank it up, things change dramatically, and the tones get much brighter. It just takes quite a bit to drive these FRFR's...

So generally, I'll build my patches with some volume, because if not, they will be too bright when I crank them up.

My typical amps are Marshall, Friedman and Mesa, using the stock Mesa and Marshall 4 x 12 cabs most of the time. I play mostly metal and rock.

I have noticed that the clean patches are fairly bright on their own.

If I think about it though, on every tube amp I have ever had, I've had to increase the brightness, treble and presence...so this is no different.

I often asked myself if it was normal that all the stock patches sounded so dark and muddy, but real tube amps were never much different; I just forgot how they sounded. :)
 
I guess my post fell on deaf ears.

I repeat. You will never sound like that video just because you're both using exact settings in the Axe-Fx. Lots of other variables at play.

You can keep spinning your wheels searching and "trying to get to the bottom"....or you could start tweaking, get your own sound going that you fall in love with and start playing your guitar more.

^^^^What he said^^^^

Expecting Q1 with guitar X to sound identical to Q8 with guitar Y is very unrealistic. Even if you were using the same guitar, alone the difference from Q1 to Q8 will more than likely be a stumbling block.

After comparing the 2 clips I would say the guitars are the major difference, the basic overall character appears to be pretty much the same, with a little EQ and gain staging this should be no problem, it’s not like this is a rocket-science preset. I would start with my input trim, low cut and eventually boost 2-5k, adjust gain and presence to season (use your ears not your eyes).
 
Simply selecting '57 Dyn from the Mic dropdown box in the cab block will drastically reduce mud.
 
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Also, if anyone would be kind enough to make a new patch, load in stock cab 59 and the Angle Severe 2 amp and make a single adjustment to the amp which is to bump the overdrive up from 5 to 7.5 and post the result that would be hugely appreciated!
In this case (where you suspect it's the fault of your AxeFX) I think you'd be better to actually record a re-amp dry guitar segment and post it up for download and let people load it in their DAWs and play it through their AxeFX.

This in effect would then be you and your guitar playing on other AxeFXs and the playback results could be recorded for you to hear.
 
I drop all my global bass side eq's and increase the treble side; some of it is my room. some of it is my playing at lower volumes. high volumes I would start by evening out my global eq's. I also play a lot with the speaker tab IN the amp modeling tab.
 
The guitar used in the video is a Music Man Majesty, so yes, that's going to make a huge difference.
+100
If you want a plug & play patch, look for patches made by players using a guitar that's similar or same as yours or at least very similar pickups. Otherwise you'll be re-dialing significantly just to get close.

Another way of saying it -- that dark brunette won't become a shimmering blonde unless she "re-dials" ALL of her hair :D
 
+100
If you want a plug & play patch, look for patches made by players using a guitar that's similar or same as yours or at least very similar pickups. Otherwise you'll be re-dialing significantly just to get close.

Another way of saying it -- that dark brunette won't become a shimmering blonde unless she "re-dials" ALL of her hair :D

I am very tempted to try out a Bare Knuckle Juggernaut or Painkiller. They seem to be suited to the sound that I'm looking for. I recently watched Misha's demo of cab pack 13 and he's getting super amounts of gain and high end from a simple patch (Which I tried to build, and again got dull results with nowhere near as much gain), so maybe the pickup is a huge factor here.
 
I recently watched Misha's demo of cab pack 13 and he's getting super amounts of gain and high end from a simple patch (Which I tried to build, and again got dull results with nowhere near as much gain), so maybe the pickup is a huge factor here.
:confused: More gear chasing?

You have active EMG's and say that you not getting "nowhere near as much gain" as Misha's demo?

Maybe because there are other factors in play. The same thing that I've been repeating throughout this thread. I think guitar pickups get more obsession than they deserve. You can change the factory IR in your preset for free and get just as much (or more) of a tonal change.

Stop getting hung up on buying a piece of gear that you probably don't need.

Use the tools you have (and you have a hell of a lot of them in the Axe), get to work, use your ears, close your eyes and create something that you feel has all the "right stuff".

Experiment!
 
I am very tempted to try out a Bare Knuckle Juggernaut or Painkiller. They seem to be suited to the sound that I'm looking for. I recently watched Misha's demo of cab pack 13 and he's getting super amounts of gain and high end from a simple patch (Which I tried to build, and again got dull results with nowhere near as much gain), so maybe the pickup is a huge factor here.

Adjusting pickup height is worthy of consideration, in my opinion.
 
:confused: More gear chasing?

You have active EMG's and say that you not getting "nowhere near as much gain" as Misha's demo?

Maybe because there are other factors in play. The same thing that I've been repeating throughout this thread. I think guitar pickups get more obsession than they deserve. You can change the factory IR in your preset for free and get just as much (or more) of a tonal change.

Stop getting hung up on buying a piece of gear that you probably don't need.

Use the tools you have (and you have a hell of a lot of them in the Axe), get to work, use your ears, close your eyes and create something that you feel has all the "right stuff".

Experiment!

I did change the factory IR (Not for free, but for the very reasonable price of $29.99) to the one that Misha used in his video, and yes, even with EMG's there was nowhere near as much gain and a lot of high end missing by comparison. It'll be an interesting experiment to see how much of a difference those Bare Knuckle pickups make.
 
:confused: More gear chasing?

You have active EMG's and say that you not getting "nowhere near as much gain" as Misha's demo?

Maybe because there are other factors in play. The same thing that I've been repeating throughout this thread. I think guitar pickups get more obsession than they deserve. You can change the factory IR in your preset for free and get just as much (or more) of a tonal change.

Stop getting hung up on buying a piece of gear that you probably don't need.

Use the tools you have (and you have a hell of a lot of them in the Axe), get to work, use your ears, close your eyes and create something that you feel has all the "right stuff".

Experiment!

+1
 
:confused: More gear chasing?

You have active EMG's and say that you not getting "nowhere near as much gain" as Misha's demo?

Maybe because there are other factors in play. The same thing that I've been repeating throughout this thread. I think guitar pickups get more obsession than they deserve. You can change the factory IR in your preset for free and get just as much (or more) of a tonal change.

Stop getting hung up on buying a piece of gear that you probably don't need.

Use the tools you have (and you have a hell of a lot of them in the Axe), get to work, use your ears, close your eyes and create something that you feel has all the "right stuff".

Experiment!
The answer has been given.
Multiple times.
Use your ears.
 
Check your IR's and make sure your MIC's are on...just try DYN 57 to start. I posted about this a few minutes ago in a thread I created. I fell of my chair after turning on the MIC's.
 
After cycling through the new Bank A stock presets created by Cliff I would make two observations:

1) this FW is easily the brightest sounding across many amp models by a large margin IMO. Maybe it is the way he created the presets.
2) It is also the least hifi in the sense it sounds like real amps more to me.

I am using a variety of humbucker guitars with PAF type output pickups.
 
The answer has been given.
Multiple times.
Use your ears.

I am using my ears. By using my ears I've discovered that there are drastic differences between a simple patch that someone has made using their setup vs mine and I am simply trying to understand this. So this is a technical exercise and of course there are a number of variables which will impact the overall sound, and I am eliminating those things one by one. I am not trying to adjust my patch to sound like their patch by increasing the treble or presence or using other EQ adjustments. I am interested in what's happening at source, or if there is another issue or setting which is being overlooked.
 
I'd avoid chasing after more gear. I'd avoid the "change the mic to sm57" tip as well. Most of the newer IRs have been made with the mic baked in. I believe the culprit resides between your interface and your guitars (what passive pickups do u use?). You shouldn't have problems with those evil Emgs. What monitor system are you using??? Try the Brit 800 #34 at default settings with the ML TV 1 cab. If that doesn't sound great, then your interface is coloring everything in a bad way.
 
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