Sustain anyone? achieving?

symphx

symphx

Fractal Fanatic
Hello, Im a current fence sitter, I have heard a lot of gain sounds on rhythm, but I often find sustained leads lacking on processors. I always have to add an overdrive or even a metalzone do even high gain amps/processors.

How well does the axe achieve sustain, without adding brittle harshness of some overdrive pedals? and without insane amounts of noise.

Are there any gain freaks out there that are still adding an external overd/dist. box to the axe, I really dont want to have to, for 2g I want it all in the box. Thanks.
 
Check out the recording section; there's lots of heavier players. None of them need to use any outside analog drives, though they could do so if they wanted (it works fine).

If you are after a Metalzone sort of drive tone though, you really don't need an Axe-FX though. You can get that sort of tone with a much more affordable price tag.
 
The sustain is DEFINITELY there...it really depends how you dial it though. I dialed a rhythm patch with a SHARP and tight attack, and when I tried to use it for leads, the sustain would choke off quick. When I dial in a lead sound, though, I have no trouble with sustain.

Eric
 
My favorite patch is the first one I ever created. Its a really warm and smooth lead sound that has a ton of sustain. I wouldn't worry about needing more gain honestly. Most of the music I play requires a lot of gain. I use a boost in front of the amp block, level all the way up, and no drive on my lead and rhythm patches. On my rhythm patches, my gain usually stays around 2 and around 5 for lead patches. The leads sustain for days and my rhythm is pretty heavy sounding. Oh and I play progressive metal mostly :).
 
1. get an axe fx ultra.
2. dial up factory preset (the brown sound)
3. turn up your speakers of choice just above bedroom level
4. sustain
 
Unless you want it to sustain endlessly like a synth, I can't imagine that you would ever need more gain than you can get from the Axe.

Using my low output guitars (I run low pickups) I get great sustain and compression from any model with more gain than say a Plexi with no additional boost or compression. This is to get Vai/Satch levels of gain, which is about as high as I go. On the higher gain models, I have the gain set ~5-6 and that's just about over the top for me.

The nice thing is i can finally get the pure sound I always wanted without the grainy raspy sound from all my lesser modelers. This is all at bedroom levels, I don't need to crank it to acoustic feedback levels to make it sing.

JWW
 
Don't worry buddy I sold my framus dragon for the axe fx and I haven't looked back since. As far as gain is concerned I haven't found very many amps in the axe fx that I had to turn past noon. There is no difference in sustain between a normal amps and the axe fx.
 
Sustain is easy. Having notes melt into a controlled feedback is a little harder. It's harder or impossible with many pedals. Just can't see you needing a dirt box with the AxeFx...
 
BenLevy said:
Sustain is easy. Having notes melt into a controlled feedback is a little harder. It's harder or impossible with many pedals. Just can't see you needing a dirt box with the AxeFx...
Click to expand...

I have no problem getting the controlled feedback. It actually happens on most patches that I have been using. My favorite is the Petrucci Lead and some of Mark Day's patches (White Lion). I play ESP Eclipse II with Blackouts. Best guitar I have ever owned!
 
Its all about moving air. I can get great sustain using my desktop monitors if I am sitting at my desk. Even at low volumes. I find it harder to control at high volumes. Find a tone you like and start bringing up the volume a little at a time to find the sweet spot. Hi-gain patches make it easier to achieve.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom