sarge
Power User
I know it doesn't make much sense, but check it out. (sorry for rambling)
When I first started playing, tube amps didn't do a lot for me. I originally owned a Laney AOR but then went and replaced it with a solid state gray carpeted Randall. For a thick chugga chugga metal tone, it beat out the Laney. I also owned a Peavey Butcher and really liked that one, but just prefered the Randall.
Eventually over time my tastes had changed, but for the most part, I never found there to be that big of a difference between a good quality solid state and a tube amp that used preamp distortion or pedals (this statement will get me crucified on a lot of message boards).
Then I discovered power amp saturation. Ahh yes. I was hooked. To me there is a huge difference between the type of distortion you get from preamp distortion, or a cranked plexi. To me this is where tube amps shine, and turned me into a tube junky.
Don't get me wrong, I still love preamp distortion. But I could get that tone at bedroom levels.
This love of power amp saturation has cost me a pretty decent amount of time and money trying everything I could to somehow get this tone, and keep the peace with my family. I built sound proofing panels to build a huge box around my amp when recording filled with corning 703. The panels took up half the room. Cost me hundreds to make and in the end while it did tame the sound a good amount, it still was way to loud when I turned the volume up high enough to hit the sweet spot. Plus, it made the room practically unusable for the rest of the family. It was like I was buried alive in the room.
I purchased a hotplate and through this in the mix. This also did some good things as well, but at the same time it wasn't the same. I went and found a Mesa subway blues. This thing cranked is pure tonal bliss. But again, too loud to be practical.
Finally I realized, it just wasn't going to happen.
Enter the Axe Fx. I had read so many great reviews about this thing but I never really took it that seriously. Then I saw this vid on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6npPEF_QuY
There it was. That power amp type of distortion I was looking for. That vid got me giddy. It was that youtube clip and that youtube clip alone that got me to purchase the Axe FX.
I truly love playing with the Plexi and and adjusting the master up high, pulling up the sag. I just love that I can do this through freaking headphones with the Axe gong into the mixer. I just can't believe it took modern technology for me to achieve the old school tones I was after. And recording is much easier.
In the end, it was the Axe FX ability to get cranked tube amp tones that made me purchase it.
When I first started playing, tube amps didn't do a lot for me. I originally owned a Laney AOR but then went and replaced it with a solid state gray carpeted Randall. For a thick chugga chugga metal tone, it beat out the Laney. I also owned a Peavey Butcher and really liked that one, but just prefered the Randall.
Eventually over time my tastes had changed, but for the most part, I never found there to be that big of a difference between a good quality solid state and a tube amp that used preamp distortion or pedals (this statement will get me crucified on a lot of message boards).
Then I discovered power amp saturation. Ahh yes. I was hooked. To me there is a huge difference between the type of distortion you get from preamp distortion, or a cranked plexi. To me this is where tube amps shine, and turned me into a tube junky.
Don't get me wrong, I still love preamp distortion. But I could get that tone at bedroom levels.
This love of power amp saturation has cost me a pretty decent amount of time and money trying everything I could to somehow get this tone, and keep the peace with my family. I built sound proofing panels to build a huge box around my amp when recording filled with corning 703. The panels took up half the room. Cost me hundreds to make and in the end while it did tame the sound a good amount, it still was way to loud when I turned the volume up high enough to hit the sweet spot. Plus, it made the room practically unusable for the rest of the family. It was like I was buried alive in the room.
I purchased a hotplate and through this in the mix. This also did some good things as well, but at the same time it wasn't the same. I went and found a Mesa subway blues. This thing cranked is pure tonal bliss. But again, too loud to be practical.
Finally I realized, it just wasn't going to happen.
Enter the Axe Fx. I had read so many great reviews about this thing but I never really took it that seriously. Then I saw this vid on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6npPEF_QuY
There it was. That power amp type of distortion I was looking for. That vid got me giddy. It was that youtube clip and that youtube clip alone that got me to purchase the Axe FX.
I truly love playing with the Plexi and and adjusting the master up high, pulling up the sag. I just love that I can do this through freaking headphones with the Axe gong into the mixer. I just can't believe it took modern technology for me to achieve the old school tones I was after. And recording is much easier.
In the end, it was the Axe FX ability to get cranked tube amp tones that made me purchase it.
