New to Fractal coming from Tube amps

[Tonedeaf]

For me my FM3 can't replace my only remaining tube amp, my prototype Louise Electric Buster and vice versa.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

4 Synergy hardware hand wired preamps 1 for Friedman licensed tone into Fryette power amps the AxeFx is for routing and Fx patching controlled via a fc12, no modeling

That's not quite accurate.

Easy to be educated regarding players gear when they are on vid breaking it down,
Just keeping it real

Taking your advice, while watching one of Vai's rundowns this popped up…

Vai uses the Synergy units for his main guitar sound, the FX3 to control everything and provide his effects along with Amp+Cab modeling in the FX3 for the bass and 12-string in the Hydra, as seen in this screenshot…



and this shot…


He also has multiple FX3s, one in his live rack, and two in this studio…

and, being that he is a pro, he likely has another rack that acts as a backup. And, because he tours, it's reasonable to think he probably has one for his alternate touring rig(s), though, like many other acts, he might have scaled those back or might put something together from his studio gear when he needs to. And, because he has multiple studios….

It looks like it's safe to say that, while he's not using it primarily for modeling, his rig and show wouldn't function without the FX3.

It's also interesting that Dante Frisiello and Phillip Bynoe who are touring in his band use Fractals for their modeling and effects. Vai, being quite on top of the sound in his band must have approved of their sounds.

 

[RevDrucifer]

Unfortunately, I’m not that lucky. My four favorite guitars have drastically different pickups. One has single coils, plus a 25db mid boost, one has lace sensors, another with noiseless single coils wired in parallel and one with 490 humbuckers. I have another guitar that has the S1 switch wiring. It has 10 pickup settings instead of 5. Usually it has at least one setting that works with about any preset. I just haven’t bonded with that guitar yet.

I certainly prefer having different presets for different guitars. I stopped trying to get versatility out guitars and started buying them for their specific known sounds and I’d rather they each have a preset that caters to that. It’s not that they sound ‘bad’ using the same ones, but there’s no shortage of preset space and it’s just more fun to get the most out of the Fractal stuff.

Putting presets together gets much faster once you’re familiar with the layout and more importantly, have some IR’s you know you dig. I organize my IR’s in two ways to speed the preset building up- you can color code them with the Cab Manager and then I save them as blocks that I know work with certain amps. I have a few that work great with Friedmans/Marshalls, some for clean Fender tones, some for Bassman/JTM45 breakup tones and a bunch for high gain amps. Usually I’m only scrolling through 2-3 blocks instead of 30-50 IR’s.

And this will probably come in handy if you’re building presets for each guitar but use a similar effects setup; you can store templates in AxeEdit and just load those up. It’ll load up with the amp/cab/effects blocks you chose for the preset you saved the template from, so you just need to either tweak or change the amp block and you now have a new preset instead of building one from scratch.

Have fun, man!

 

[Furryz]

Not taking offense at all. You asked for a list, there's the list. Fractal doesn't pay for endorsements, artists comments are not solicited. True, not every artist on the list uses the amp modeling but to say 'realistic modeling isn't the draw for name artists' is simply untrue. A lot of the artists have made the change to FAS gear because of the modeling.

Metallica, Def Leppard, John Mayer, Brad Whitford (Aerosmith), Matt Bellamy (Muse), Neal Schon, Guthrie Govan, Devin Townsend, Joe Satriani and Steve Stevens, to name a few from the list, use the amp modeling live or in the studio. There are videos of John Mayer, Neal Schon and Guthrie Govan in particular either playing through an Axe Fx Live or showing their 'rig'. Do a bit of research and educate yourself unless you just want to argue.

BTW, the 'Fractal Fanatic' moniker has nothing to do with anyone's thoughts or opinions on, nor any 'devotion' to FAS products. It's based upon the number of posts by a forum member.

Working on “educating myself” good suggestion you should follow it yourself no I’m not trying to argue I’m just trying to gauge what is accurate and what is not
So it took some time to gather the following
Reply to your list of axefx amp modeler name players

Devin Townsend
For used axefx live for 6 years
Hasn’t used axefx since 2018
And even then he was recording with the real boogie
Mesa dual rectifier 2004 to Present

Metallica
Dave and kiko
Neural DSP Quad Cortex

The main components of Whitford’s stage rig include the following: on one side, an Ahsen-built 3 Monkeys Orangutan Pro head running a pair of 5881 power tubes in place of the usual quartet of 6V6s, as well as larger output transformers. On the other is a new, entirely stock Magnatone M-80 Super Fifty-Nine head that Whitford refers to as a “perfected 50-watter”.

Mayer
Dumbleland Overdrive Special, Dumble Cab and Fender Deluxe Reverb

Satriani
Marshall JVM410HJS Joe Satriani
Peavey JSX Head signature Joe Satriani
Some Vox

Guthrie govan
Is going fractal fm-9 from his Victory 30
“Something I wanted to try” we will see during or after the tour if it sticks

Neal schon

"And so I chose just to use a Kemper. I had gotten in the studio and I had sampled my own amps into the Kemper... I took my High Watts, took my Marshalls, Fenders, took my Bogner - I sampled everything I had, so they were real amps. I just thought it was an easy way around without having to worry about where was the mic, and where exactly in the room was everything placed."

Live Neal is using FM9

So far there are some inconsistency in your list
My point is as I stated in my original post
Very,very few guitarists of note use the axeFx3 or any axefx for that matter for the primary emulation of amp model

And we can continue to name the hundreds of subjective note worthy players and then their current 2022-2023 rig rundowns and I believe we will find an accurate accounting
of a vast majority of tube amp users over the AxeFx 3

 

[Furryz]

Working on “educating myself” good suggestion you should follow it yourself no I’m not trying to argue I’m just trying to gauge what is accurate and what is not
So it took some time to gather the following
Reply to your list of axefx amp modeler name players

Devin Townsend
For used axefx live for 6 years
Hasn’t used axefx since 2018
And even then he was recording with the real boogie
Mesa dual rectifier 2004 to Present

Metallica
Dave and kiko
Neural DSP Quad Cortex

The main components of Whitford’s stage rig include the following: on one side, an Ahsen-built 3 Monkeys Orangutan Pro head running a pair of 5881 power tubes in place of the usual quartet of 6V6s, as well as larger output transformers. On the other is a new, entirely stock Magnatone M-80 Super Fifty-Nine head that Whitford refers to as a “perfected 50-watter”.

Mayer
Dumbleland Overdrive Special, Dumble Cab and Fender Deluxe Reverb

Satriani
Marshall JVM410HJS Joe Satriani
Peavey JSX Head signature Joe Satriani
Some Vox

Guthrie govan
Is going fractal fm-9 from his Victory 30
“Something I wanted to try” we will see during or after the tour if it sticks

Neal schon

"And so I chose just to use a Kemper. I had gotten in the studio and I had sampled my own amps into the Kemper... I took my High Watts, took my Marshalls, Fenders, took my Bogner - I sampled everything I had, so they were real amps. I just thought it was an easy way around without having to worry about where was the mic, and where exactly in the room was everything placed."

Live Neal is using FM9

So far there are some inconsistency in your list
My point is as I stated in my original post
Very,very few guitarists of note use the axeFx3 or any axefx for that matter for the primary emulation of amp model

And we can continue to name the hundreds of subjective note worthy players and then their current 2022-2023 rig rundowns and I believe we will find an accurate accounting
of a vast majority of tube amp users over the AxeFx 3

Obviously Megadeath not Metallica referring to Kiko and Dave, as I age these two bands blend into one mass of memory distortion

 

[JoKeR III]

Yes, the majority of the 'hundreds of subjective note-worthy players' use tube amps. No one is claiming otherwise. You asked for a list of artists who use Fractal amp modeling and it's been provided. No one is claiming that they use FAS amp modeling exclusively but they do use it, live and/or in the studio.

A couple of the 'inconsistencies' in your reply stand out based upon recent threads and 'news':

Devin Townsend
For used axefx live for 6 years
Hasn’t used axefx since 2018
And even then he was recording with the real boogie
Mesa dual rectifier 2004 to Present

The main components of Whitford’s stage rig include the following: on one side, an Ahsen-built 3 Monkeys Orangutan Pro head running a pair of 5881 power tubes in place of the usual quartet of 6V6s, as well as larger output transformers. On the other is a new, entirely stock Magnatone M-80 Super Fifty-Nine head that Whitford refers to as a “perfected 50-watter”.

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/thre...on-of-aerosmith-fractal-audio-artists.188537/

 

[cole lewis]

We are really arguing this still? Lol.

Amp modeler = A way to get many guitar sounds without spending a bazillion dollars.

We are literally arguing about millionaire artists using what gear they have / want to use or not. Steve Vai can use whatever the heck he wants. His funds for his guitar rig are virtually endless.

Why use a MODELER when you can have 1000 amps in a storage facility being kept up by people paid to do so. You don’t need to model something you already have.

 

[AtomicJeff]

I learned long ago that the gear the popular/pro artists 𝒔𝒂𝒚 they use and what you might see on their stage is many times an entirely different thing.

 

[Joshua_L]

Obviously Megadeath not Metallica referring to Kiko and Dave, as I age these two bands blend into one mass of memory distortion

the FOH Guitar tones of Metallica is exclusively Fractal

 

[Joel.Brown333]

There's one in every crowd, no matter where you go. Tubes are better. No they're not, yes they are, no they're not. This is a Fractal forum. We're here to provide help for each other with Fractal products. This means you don't tell people to use tube amps instead, you help them with questions about their Fractal product. And, duh, a lot of big acts still use tube amps, but that's changing, especially for your smaller acts that can't afford a team of full-time roadies and Boeing 757 jets.

I have three very nice tube amps. I prefer the Fractal, but it took me a while to get the sound and feel I wanted. When I start making half million and up per show, I'll hire roadies to lug all those very expensive and specialty modded tube amps around.

 

[NeoSound]

Joker that’s just the endorsement page from the fractal site
One only has to look at the rig rundowns to know where Steve Vai (for one) gets his tone live as we know his namesake carvin legacies are studio staples
but live it’s
4 Synergy hardware hand wired preamps 1 for Friedman licensed tone into Fryette power amps the AxeFx is for routing and Fx patching controlled via a fc12, no modeling
As I said is my original post
Fractal has much to offer but realistic modeling isn’t the draw for name players
It’s not a put down I own the fractal products
It’s just the reality and the folks with handles like “Fractal Fanatic” take offense when they are exposed to real use scenarios
I don’t get it

Most of those guys were playing decades before the axe came along. Almost all of them were using digital and analog rack equipment for decades and developed certain habits. Most well-known players have endorsements and industry friends they honor.

I love tube amps also but would choose the Axe-Fx over them for personal use. I've had tube amps that I was disappointed with and a lot are one trick ponies. If you have unlimited money, roadies to carry them and lots of time, one of everything would be great. It's been proven over and over when recorded, no one can accurately pick a tube amp vs the Axe-Fx.

 

[Joel.Brown333]

I'm trying to hold back.... Don't know if I can.... I hate it when I see people post this.... But I can't help myself....

Tone is in your fingers.

Aaaahhhhh, I feel better now.

 

[DJD100]

Really, this argument is so old...


Tube amps and the Axe still have some sonic differences that are apparent to many, though with regards to these differences one is not better than than the other...

I like some others typically use tube preamps in the FX Loop with my Axe's (II and FM3) providing the tube power section sims as well as as cab sims and FX (the Axe's FX routing abilities and MIDI implementation are unmatched, and have been since Gen 1!). With just the preamp changed for testing purposes while everything else remains the same, there are minor sonic differences, and I personally tend to prefer the tube preamps though many will not agree. On the other hand, the Cygnus modeling in so many ways can sound better than the real deal without the real deal's worts and wrinkles! Ultimately it's merely personal preference, and not something worth arguing about! I of course also use the straight amp modeling without the tube preamps, as they sound and feel great, and again, better in many ways (quieter and more tweakable to name a couple of things...).

Either way the Axe's FX are top of class, have been since Gen 1, but for me personally losing the weight and SPL limitations of the real tube power section and using Cygnus for that aspect with real HV tube preamps is the best of both worlds.

The Axe's super powers are in the amp block's advanced tabs and cab sims, where you may create/mimic any amp that you might desire, by swapping power section and power supply parameters, tone stacks, inter-stage filtering parameters and levels, and much more etc, which allows me to create things that never existed in the real world, like an all tube Marshall JMP-1. I have a Marshall JCM800 tube preamp set to mimic the JMP-1's OD channel's fixed passive tonestack (3 gain stages and a cathode follower), into the Axe's JMP-1 model set to clean with the JMP-1 Active EQ (the critical element), and on into later style Marshall power section, i.e. a all-tube virtual JMP-1! I used a real JMP-1 for years that could not clean up with the volume knob and do pushed mid-gain to cleanish all on the guitar's volume knob due to it's solid state distortion's limitations.

Another example is Keith Scott's custom amps from the 80's that are heard with his work with Bryan Adams, a HiWatt DR-103 preamp into a Vox AC30 power section, and it's all in the Axe FX. Needless to say doing this the real deal would be a PITA LOL!

...so, just remember that the Axe FX opens the door to whatever one can desire with regards to guitar tones, unlike any other device (other modelers or profilers etc), thanks Fractal.

 

[Joel.Brown333]

Tube amps are expensive and heavy to carry around. For me, finding a tube amp I liked turned into a frustrating process of "It's almost what I want but...". Then thousands of dollars later, you can repeat the process.

 

[Furryz]

Absolutely expensive for high end tube amp
Absolutely heavy
Absolutely worth it
My JVM410 does everything I need and sounds very authentic to the source material
My AxeFx3 is great at the home studio for the stereo FX
Did you ever try dealing with a live stereo situation in a two guitar band?
A noisy, fizzy, over processed nightmare

But I do have a mobile Axe3 for live mono FX
It’s the bees knees for that application with a FS12 and 2 mission CC pedals
If I was performing like many players do today using a laptop with backing tracks and Plini the night away then sure give me all the stereo toys
But nothing beats raw live tube growl live

 

[Joel.Brown333]

Glad that's working out for you. I was just giving my opinion based on my experience.

 

[skolacki]

https://www.fractalaudio.com/artists/

Those guys don’t know real tone

 

[Furryz]

Those guys don’t know real tone

Those guys don’t use fractal for amp sims that’s the core tone that matters
Endorsers just have to own and use the gear so you throw it in your rack and capitalize on the effects. It doesn’t mean it’s going to take the place up of their real amps
Just look up their touring rig vids every guitarist of note has a Vid
Metallica and def Leppard use them
Megadeth uses Neural
That’s pretty much it
Go back to your fractal famous user page and look up the amps they are actually using or pretend either way, I don’t care

 

[skolacki]

Not sure why you’re here on this forum. You seem to have low regard for FAS modeling. Which is fine, but here you’re arguing with people that are happy with FAS. Go to the Gear Page and you’ll get a better reception.

 

[Furryz]

Not sure why you’re here on this forum. You seem to have low regard for FAS modeling. Which is fine, but here you’re arguing with people that are happy with FAS. Go to the Gear Page and you’ll get a better reception.

I’m a happy fractal user but I’m also an honest one
The FX, routing and controls are second to none as a package
I still prefer my Eventide h3000 for some things but it’s dated and limited
I’m not gonna pretend that the patches sound like the amps I own because they don’t, it’s really that simple
I own both the Mesa mark VII and the JP2C and I’ve yet to download a believable stage worthy patch from AxeExchange
Same for the JVM, JCM800 or my perfect plexi, even my soldano slo 30 takes a backseat to that plexi
Why would I go to a place where most people agree with me?
That’s just preaching to the choir. I’m just trying to save the next guy the $5000 I spent for an all amps in the box set up and that simply is not what I received.
First, I tried to love it then I tried to like it now it’s just one of the overpriced effects processors in my rack waiting for the next upgraded unit Axe 4?
But my plexi will have no digital updates just tunes and bias when needed
Also who uses stereo live effectively?
Not many, so it’s mono which strips away the wide wall of Effects that make the clone patched sound good, frankly, all of the heavy models sound the same to me, save a few EQ tweaks
But if you really think you’re going into the preamp section of your AxeEdit and changing your tubes to 12ax7 or changing to power sag percentage in the power amp tab and it replicated those as compared to the real head your delusional