Should I Buy an Amp?

OP here... as a follow-up, I managed to pick-up a used Marshall DSL5C in fantastic condition the other day for a great price. This feels like a great compromise for playing around with tube amps without getting too carried away with volume. Since I don’t have a speaker to take with me if I want to go jam with someone, it might work well for that purpose as well, playing my FM3 into the effects loop. We shall see :)
 

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Congrats on your purchase. I think you will be happy with it. Still have all all my tube amps and two more builds on the bench. But, then, I just love amps in all shapes and sizes and have the room and space to crank them when I like.
 
I’ve owned 30 tube amps over the last 10 years. Most of them “boutique/high end”. I’ve owned several fractal products. I’ve owned a few hybrid (think Revv with embedded two notes). I’ve done FRFR, big guitar cabs, small guitar cabs, stereo rigs, wet/dry, wet/dry/wet. Net, it’s a never ending chase. I’ve “kinda” solved by having 3 setups:

1. Mesa Mark V 90 used with a Torpedo Captor X
2. Fractal FM3 used with a Xitone active wedge and a Seymour Duncan PS700 into a pair of 1x12 Mesa Widebody closed back cabs
3. A Revv D20 with a few distortion pedals.

never ends…
 
Unfortunately - Very true!
A never ending story of a musician’s life!
Instrument! Another instrument!
Even more instruments!
And that's how it goes for a lifetime!
 
vguerriero said:
I’ve owned 30 tube amps over the last 10 years. Most of them “boutique/high end”. I’ve owned several fractal products. I’ve owned a few hybrid (think Revv with embedded two notes). I’ve done FRFR, big guitar cabs, small guitar cabs, stereo rigs, wet/dry, wet/dry/wet. Net, it’s a never ending chase. I’ve “kinda” solved by having 3 setups:

1. Mesa Mark V 90 used with a Torpedo Captor X
2. Fractal FM3 used with a Xitone active wedge and a Seymour Duncan PS700 into a pair of 1x12 Mesa Widebody closed back cabs
3. A Revv D20 with a few distortion pedals.

never ends…
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What's your opinion of
the Mesa 112 widebody? I have 2 (w C90s) also with Axefx3/MatrixGT and find them difficult to dial in for lower volume playing - sound kind of flat - I have to really crank low/high end with mesa models (pa modelling on / cab modelling off).
 
Ok so I’ve been tone chasing 45 years ,I don’t play out any more , I’ve found an amp JVM 410H ,I‘ve found most my tones ,though i love all the fractal gear I have owned in 10 yrs ,I don’t think I’ll ever in my life time not own a tube amp . Hell I still have 2 4x12’s. To me there’s a feel and tone to a tube amp you connect with and only with a bit of reverb is inspiring, though thru my FM3 I can get the same vibe with monitors and head phones ,not the same as a hundred watt amp and 4x12 behind you . Time are changing ,not the ultimate set up in most places
 
Buy an amp. The Fractal is very good modeling of tube amps. But when I play through my old rig it just has what I’m missing. It’s something you need to experience for yourself. That said, I don’t often turn it on because the Fractal beats it with the sheer amount of variety. Best guitar toy ever. Took me awhile to get used to it but most likely I’ll never go back to tube amps except for rare occasions.
 
I think the problem is always how to amplify it. The Fractal in the studio is indistinguishable from amps. I really wish Fractal would either endorse particular setups or make their own with default software added. Kemper have done this pretty well and integrated software that has setting to get the best out of this option.
I understand that the global setting in axe can perfectly do this but it is difficult not to go down a rabbit hole of tweaking looking for the perfect set of defaults for you amplification arrangement.
 
toesalad said:
I am a new guitar player - I have been playing for about 2 years now. I have never owned an amp, and my current setup is an FM3 into a pair of HS7 studio monitors.

Part of me wants to buy a real amp and cab just to have one (some of these more modern amps look pretty interesting with built-in load boxes and even IR loaders). The other part of me worries that it would just be a waste of money because the Fractal is just as good (or better).

Reading this forum, I see some people sell all their amps and pedals and go exclusively digital, while others keep some amps around. Since I never started with an amp, I have no prior experience to compare my FM3 against.

Any words of wisdom to share? Being a new guitar player should I stay 100% digital? Or is there value in me getting at least one real tube amp at some point?
Click to expand...
Do you prefer porn or actual sex.

But... porn gives you so many OPTIONS

Actual sex will probably be with one person (your wife, girlfriend, etc).

You tell me

“Should you try a tube amp.”
 
Andy Eagle said:
I think the problem is always how to amplify it. The Fractal in the studio is indistinguishable from amps. I really wish Fractal would either endorse particular setups or make their own with default software added. Kemper have done this pretty well and integrated software that has setting to get the best out of this option.
I understand that the global setting in axe can perfectly do this but it is difficult not to go down a rabbit hole of tweaking looking for the perfect set of defaults for you amplification arrangement.
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This is very true and I often forget that when I did have a FM3+big bose vs my tube amp- you could not gear a difference
 
Bill Arsenault said:
You already own a piece of gear that in many ways is as good as it gets.
Unless your willing to spend a lot of $ on a really nice amp that is plug and play-
you might not get much benefit or satisfaction- or re-sale value.
There is also probably going to be something about a modern amp that you do not like and cannot change and you will have to live with it.
And if it stops workin- good luck with parts, shipping and finding someone willing to try to fix it.
Just be aware that there is a significant risk of senselessly wasting time and money-
and getting sidetracked from playing and getting more proficient with what you already have.
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Even a hot rod deluxe is a beautiful amp.

Underpriced
 
My Axe 3 sounds better than my 120w Revv Generator 3 with V30's and Creamback speakers, but I like the Tube amp for live rather than FRFR live, but my buddy loves his FM3 better live for convinence and programability Its all preference,
But I have a GAS problem and just buy shit when I don't really need it, so If you have the space and means then buy a tube amp, hell get the Diezel big boy, so fun lol
 
Short answer - don't buy a tube amp.

Yes, it's cool to connect to a stack of Marshalls and crank them up to thundering levels. If you can't crank them up, then don't bother. It's more than just pushing the amp, it's pushing the speaker, the air, the resonance of the room, etc.

Fractal does things your tube amp can't do. Try putting a compressor on the output of the tube power amp and watch the compressor catch fire. Fractal does this with no problem.

The big thing to remember is Fractal has a ton of tube amps modeled because they are all a little different in tone and feel. When you buy a real tube amp, you're stuck with what it gives you.
 
Since originally posting this question, I eventually bought an amp, and I have learned a few things about what works for me along the way…

I bought a Boss Nextone Special instead of a tube amp. It sounds really good and has good power scaling, without the hassles of tubes. A nice side benefit is that playing the FM3 through the effects return also sounds really good and gives me a nice amp in the room feel.

I have also started to buy some pedals to pair with the amp. I have started with some classics like a Rat, a BD-2, a SD-1, etc. I am finding this approach is really helping me better understand how to use the FM3. Not having a history with pedals means that many concepts in the FM3 were new to me. Gradually building up experience with real hardware is helping me dial in better tones on the FM3.

So, for now at least, I have learned that I like both. An amp and pedals has been a great learning platform for practice at home. The FM3 is great for headphones, recording, dialing in tones for gear I don’t have, and also for travel or taking to a jam session.
 
shredmechanic said:
I'm an apartment dweller for the near future and I dust my tube amps more than play them these days. I sometimes use my 5150 to reamp metal rhythm guitars but otherwise I find myself choosing Fractal models for finished mixes over real tube amps more often than not.
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Ha! I'm happy to report that since I wrote this I moved to a house on 60 acres without a neighbor in sight. I'm finally at a place where I can crank my tube amps whenever I want...and I choose my Axe-Fx every time.

I upgraded to an Axe-Fx III after moving and at this point I believe my FAS rig sounds better than my tube rig(dons flame-resistant suit).
 
Yeah, the whole porn vs real sex analogy isn't really applicable here. I gotta agree with @shredmechanic . I can crank up my amps pretty much anytime I want and I've found that I actually prefer the tones I get from my FM3 into a ps100 into a guitar cab. There is nothing "fake" or "not real" about this stuff. If anything, it's like having all the sex you want with anyone you want and having zero guilt or consequences other than tinnitus.

shredmechanic said:
I upgraded to an Axe-Fx III after moving and at this point I believe my FAS rig sounds better than my tube rig(dons flame-resistant suit)
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I'm in total agreement, but this is the only place I'd admit it LOL! My guitar buddies would try to have me locked up for clearly losing my mind.
 
I have been back and forth on this subject over the past year! I came real close to running back to a tube amp prior to the FM9 coming out. If I were to do it I would probably pick up the PT15/IR and a cab of some sort, Port city with a V30 most likely my favorite speaker. I like that amp, very versatile handles pedals well and runs I/R's and light weight! Pricy for sure but you do get a lot for the money.
 
I change amps every few years or so. Presently have the Katana mkII 50watts. Mainly because it's LIGHT and has a power amp in boss says they put there for modelers. The FM3 sounds very good thru it. Haven't tried the FM9 thru it yet although I would expect the same result.
 
Stratman68 said:
I change amps every few years or so. Presently have the Katana mkII 50watts. Mainly because it's LIGHT and has a power amp in boss says they put there for modelers. The FM3 sounds very good thru it. Haven't tried the FM9 thru it yet although I would expect the same result.
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Katana's are awesome. I keep one in our performance venue where I teach for students to use for classes and it's always easy to dial in something that fits. Haven't tried running my FM3 thru it, not sure if that one has an fx loop.
 
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