Old strings?

R

RichardC

Inspired
I'm a recent returnee to the world of Fractal having (like many) flip-flopped between digital & tube amps over the years.

Is it me, or are modellers more sensitive to older, duller strings, especially the lower wound strings? I find that (maybe) my tube amps are more forgiving, tonally and in feel, in that area...

Further to that, if that is indeed the case, does the Axe-FX III have an adjustment to soften that sensitivity?

Cheers.
 
The modeler is probably capturing and maintaining the fidelity of the pickups better than your amps can; The speaker is a low-fi device compared to the modeler.

The modeler gives us unprecedented control over the frequency response, so fiddle with the EQ. There are many different places you can do that.

At the same time, newer strings sustain better and their harmonics and intonation are better.
 
Could part of this come down to Mic'd vs Amp in the Room sound? Modellers include the whole recording chain from amp to cab to microphone then come out the monitors/FRFR/PA speakers you're listening with. Standing off-axis from a guitar cab usually smooths your high end in a way where maybe the loss of clarify from dull strings isn't as obvious?
 
As stated before, there are many ways to achieve more granular results. The best way would be an EQ block right after the input block. The filter block has a tilt EQ akin to the following suggestion:

My knee jerk reaction would be to go into the Input EQ section of the amp block, and use the “definition” control. Keep in mind, this will EQ all of the blocks that precede the amp block.
 
If you're playing your amps through a live guitar cab in the room with you, play the amp models through a power amp and the same live guitar cab in the room with you.
 
MSS said:
This is a joke right? You can’t change your $5 dollar strings for the best tone? I wonder how many “ignores” I can add.
Click to expand...
Yeah, this was along the lines of my first thought too. Of all the questions one could have about how to best use a Fractal, this one seems easiest to deal with by just putting on some fresh strings.
 
Not noticed this to be honest. Clean sounds are especially sensitive to dull strings, JC-120 it's really obvious instantly if the strings are new.
 
MSS said:
This is a joke right? You can’t change your $5 dollar strings for the best tone? I wonder how many “ignores” I can add.
Click to expand...
I’m not sure the strings are the issue here. I think it’s just a situation where OP noticed that the model can sound different to an amp, specifically vis a vis sensitivity.
 
I wouldn't say that is a general rule for modelers. The cheaper ones always had their problems with dull highs and missing details, they still have, though it's getting better over the years. However that's were Fractal came in to go beyond these barriers right from the very start.
Any change on the guitars signal has to get reflected in the incoming signal. Noticing old strings is a good thing per se, cheap modelers are unable to detect that or process that.

However you want highs that don't get less or worse with older string. That is part of the amp settings and maybe comp, cab and eqs. I'd start with the amp block and play with the mv, presence, high-treble, hardness, negFB, sag and so on.
With eqs you could try to lower nasty highs and boost highs around them in return.
 
Appreciate the replies, everyone.

To be clear - and perhaps the thread title is slightly misleading - I don’t keep ‘old’ strings on my guitars.

I rotate about 10 guitars, and use long-lasting coated strings on them to reduce frequency of string changes. But I standby my observation that I feel that - when using the Fractal and FRFR - that I’m more aware of the age of the strings sooner than if I were using my tube amps. I’ll certainly A/B the power amp vs FRFR idea presented above and appreciate the other suggestions.
 
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