Selling the amps?

It's amazing how awful those old muscle cars really are in many ways. I have a Chevelle SS 454. It's a hoot but my six cylinder SUV blows its doors off and is much more comfortable and practical.

I've always been a Chevelle fan. I've owned a 70 and a 71 "Heavy Chevy". Both were junkyard DIY jobs. My fav is the 69 SS's but never owned one.

As for amps, I had 3 early 70's Marshall half stacks against the wall in my bedroom that I would see every morning when I woke. One day I realized it was just cash sitting there doing nothing and sold them. If I could afford to keep them, I would have just to crank them up periodically. But as it worked out, they financed a nice custom Suhr that I use every day.
 
What he's saying is that you can also get that cab in the room sound without the tube amp.

When you have the urge, connect an open back cab instead of FRFR cab and fire up the Deluxe Tweed model (without cab block) and go to town.

I'm sure a cab costs way less than the amp...

I fully understand what he’s saying. And it’s not a matter of cost. I can afford to keep a couple amps around.

Been down that road with the AxeFX/power amp/cab setup. The power amp is a key ingredient too, especially when you are specifically using amp models that rely on power amp saturation.

What can I say. I have use for amps and for modeling. Neither replaces the other in my world.
 
I fully understand what he’s saying. And it’s not a matter of cost. I can afford to keep a couple amps around.

Been down that road with the AxeFX/power amp/cab setup. The power amp is a key ingredient too, especially when you are specifically using amp models that rely on power amp saturation.

What can I say. I have use for amps and for modeling. Neither replaces the other in my world.
Not to keep beating a dead horse, but the Axe Fx models the power amp very well. Use a flat solid state amp like a Matrix...

Anyway, I get your point, but you can get the same gratification.

Enjoy!

For me, I have not played through my Budda SuperDrive II for 3-4 years now. It's sitting lonely in its case:(
 
Not to keep beating a dead horse, but the Axe Fx models the power amp very well. Use a flat solid state amp like a Matrix...

Anyway, I get your point, but you can get the same gratification.

Enjoy!

For me, I have not played through my Budda SuperDrive II for 3-4 years now. It's sitting lonely in its case:(

Yep, I was using a Matrix power amp at one time into a couple different cabs (Budda 2x12, Mesa Thiele, Matrix NL12). Tied it with and without the Cab block, with and without power amp modeling. I just never came up with a poweramp/cab solution that I liked as much as playing an amp. I also found the guitar cab limiting from the standpoint that it did not sound great with IR's so I was limiting the capabilities of the AxeFX to match up different amps with appropriate speaker IR's. When I'm using the AxeFX, my preference is the full-blown AxeFX experience with a cab block and an FRFR monitor, which is fantastic, but definitely a different experience than plying a small combo amp. Anyway, the "amp in the room" topic has been beat to death on this and other forums...

I sold my Superdrive 30 early this year. Great amp, but it was a head/2x12 and I wasn't using it any more. Bought a RedPlate Blues Machine 66 head/1x12 to replace it. I also picked up a Tungsten Crema Wheat a few weeks ago. Wow, that amp just loves Telecasters! Both of those are getting a lot of playing time right now.

My AX8 gets used weekly at Church. I bought an AxeIII but I'm still trying to figure out whether the AxeIII has a place in my gear or not. I don't want to take a rack case and separate controller setup to Church (the AX8 is just too convenient for this), and I don't like to use modeling a my weekly jam. But the AxeIII definitely sounds fantastic so for now it stays!

Lastly, and it's a topic for a new thread, I'm curious about the Line6 PowerCab. Could be a great option for someone like me, or not...
 
Yep, I was using a Matrix power amp at one time into a couple different cabs (Budda 2x12, Mesa Thiele, Matrix NL12). Tied it with and without the Cab block, with and without power amp modeling. I just never came up with a poweramp/cab solution that I liked as much as playing an amp.
Don't want to drag out this topic too much, but all I would note is that those are closed back cabs. Two of them are ported too for extra thump and low end. You're not going to get the sound of a Tweed Deluxe or any open-back combo amp from those cabs, no matter what you have plugged into them. Plug in the Axe-Fx to an open-back cab with a similar speaker, it'll get ya there.
Lastly, and it's a topic for a new thread, I'm curious about the Line6 PowerCab. Could be a great option for someone like me, or not...
If you're looking for open-back cab sounds, it won't do it either.
 
ha, thanks for all the feedback :) I love this forum.

Well instead of just having a garage sale of pricey amps, I'm going to attempt to build 4-8 presets which emulate that old rig, and see how close I can get to it. I've always been kind of a set-and-forget guy. never been much of a knob-twister, so this might be a challenge.

my 2 amps that I use constantly for recording, which aren't in the frac3, are the mesa stiletto and a suhr hedgehog. anyone have insights into which models would come the closest to a starting point for those?
I cloned my rig consisting of a small boutique 1x10 combo and 7 pedals in about an hour. Band couldn’t tell it from the real rig. I don’t know about your amps but this forum has so many resources you will surely be able to come as close so no one really can tell.
 
Ethomas1013, I bought the Matrix Brit 800 amp with 12ax7s and flat response speakers. Best of both worlds. Insane!
 
Ethomas1013, I bought the Matrix Brit 800 amp with 12ax7s and flat response speakers. Best of both worlds. Insane!

I’m not familiar with that one. Will check it out.

I also had the Xitone MBrit open backed powered cab. The one I had was an early one with the Eminence speaker. I thought the tweeter sounded harsh, and the mode without the tweeter was too dark and dull. I know Xitone has improved the design since then so maybe it’s better now.
 
I bought the VB (vintage British)800 with the Neolite 2x12 cabs. Seems to be pushing all my buttons right now. They must be doing well as they are all out of stock.
 
Don't want to drag out this topic too much, but all I would note is that those are closed back cabs.

Good observation. My Budda cab was open backed, but a 2x12.

I’ll try an expirement tomorrow with the AxeIII using the Tweed Deluxe model, a power amp, through the Tungsten combo cab/speaker and also my RedPlate 1x12. Will report back with my thoughts.

But my amps are still not going anywhere :p
 
Good observation. My Budda cab was open backed, but a 2x12.
Oh, ok. I still assume it's probably not filled with Tweed Deluxe type speakers?
I’ll try an expirement tomorrow with the AxeIII using the Tweed Deluxe model, a power amp, through the Tungsten combo cab/speaker and also my RedPlate 1x12. Will report back with my thoughts.
Sounds like a fun experiment, I'd like to hear what you think. Btw, nice gears ya got! ;)
But my amps are still not going anywhere :p
Yeah, and I get it. Nice things are nice! :p
 
Good observation. My Budda cab was open backed, but a 2x12.

I’ll try an expirement tomorrow with the AxeIII using the Tweed Deluxe model, a power amp, through the Tungsten combo cab/speaker and also my RedPlate 1x12. Will report back with my thoughts.

But my amps are still not going anywhere :p
Why not try the axe/power amp, into your fender deluxe speakers? See how close that is. I have several Fender combo amps, (twin, super, blues deville, etc). I've wired my axe III/power amp to the speakers of those combos, with great results, using the Fender amp blocks. However, I've since created presets that sound so close, I no longer use the open back speakers.
 
It's amazing how awful those old muscle cars really are in many ways. I have a Chevelle SS 454. It's a hoot but my six cylinder SUV blows its doors off and is much more comfortable and practical.
I would bet the SS could eat that SUV in a straight line drag race though....those 454's are beasts...with a crazy amount of instant TQ too. And...there is absolutely nothing like the thundering rumble and roar of an old big block Chevy V8!
 
My path is a little strange in that I played a bit in my teens (Bandit 65 and an Ibanez strat clone) but had put the guitar down for a long time when I joined the Army. I got back into playing about fourteen years ago and I was drawn to modeling even back then. I had a couple of cheap combo amps, but once I bought the Ultra I never felt I was missing anything not having regular amps. I got a Port City OS 212 a few years ago, using the AxeFx sans cab modeling. I loved the sound of it along with the AxeFx through my monitors. Fast forward to last year and after watching too too many gear demos with Tim Pierce, Pete Thorn, The Pedal Show, etc. I finally broke down and got an H&K Grandmeister 40. I love the feel and simplicity. I'm planning to eventually have a selection of a few heads and cabs as well as a whole bunch of different pedals I've been gassing for. With all that, my AxeFx is still overwhelmingly my signal chain of choice. It's just too convenient and powerful not to use, whether for practice, jamming, and especially for recording. I know I'll always have and use one no matter what analog gear I acquire.
 
I have 4 combo amps, an old bassman head and 3 or 4 custom made 2x cabinets that all have sentimental value. I occasionally turn on one of the combos and jam a few minutes but I would never drag one of them out to gig with. Life with FAS is fun! :)
 
I would bet the SS could eat that SUV in a straight line drag race though....those 454's are beasts...with a crazy amount of instant TQ too. And...there is absolutely nothing like the thundering rumble and roar of an old big block Chevy V8!

I don’t know.... with the right tires and suspension yes, but my Nova which had a bored over 350, certainly put out good power, BUT, it was really had to put the power down and keep it straight. Car had awful weight transfer as well. I think with modern launch control, ATC, etc, most modern cars will be faster off the line, not to mention weighting a lot less.

Mine basically made a ton of noise and sounded awesome but you really didn’t go anywhere that fast lol. It was like a 375hp 9 second 0-60 car.... compare that to the likes of a Telsa doing it in sub 4 seconds and totally silently with an electric motor. It’s kind of like big iron tube amps vs a modeler lol.
 
Hi,

I sold my mesa boogie mark iii amp when I bought an axe-fx standard more than a decade ago. It was after quiting my band and I thought I wouldn’t be playing outdoors any time soon. Eventually I couldn’t get used to all the tweaking to get a decent sound out of it and it was clear I missed the amp in the room sound. Also I thought the axe-fx wasn’t up to par tonewise, kinda flat sounding, and I missed the explosive and immediate feel of the mark iii.

So I ditched the axe-fx after a couple of years and went back to tube amps. I now play in a band again and have a mesa boogie mark v 90w head and several mb cabs. I’m having a blast. The mark V is allright but it isn’t a mark iii... I regret ever selling it.

Now I am on the waiting list for the axe-fx III.... lol! It is very tempting to get so many great amp sims and I heard something in the YouTube vids of the axe-fx iii that wasn’t there previously (also not in the II). it sounds more real to me and the reviews of the friedman asm-12 and alike seems promissing...

But I will not sell my tube amp and cabs until I am 100% convinced over a long period of time that I can get it to sound and feel just like a real amp (in the room) and I am not going to miss it. :)
 
Last edited:
heard something in the YouTube vids of the axe-fx iii that wasn’t there previously (also not in the II). it sounds more real to me and the reviews of the friedman asm-12 and alike seems promissing...
I don't think you can judge the Axe Fx III (or II) based on YouTube videos... The sounds are great, but the real test is the response/feel... And you can not hear that ;)
 
Back
Top Bottom