I'm in a 90's pop and rock tribute band so I need a lot of different sounds at each show. My main dilema is needing that solid state crunch with sweet squeal and feedback type distortion AND warm tube distortion. To do this, I have the following gear:
Mesa Boogie Express 5:50 - gives me a nice clean sound and warm distortion useable for most songs... but when I need that harder rock distortion I use an Ampeg SS150-H into a Peavey 212 cab.
I use an RJM switcher to switch between amp setups and patch in all my pedals - i.e. small clone for Nirvana chorus, mxr flanger, boss chorus, boss pitch shifter, boss delay, and mxr signal booster for solos.
I don't want to carry around two amps and cabinet anymore and having to mic two rigs on stage taking up two channels on the board, so I've given up the Ampeg and just been using the Mesa, but that leaves me without that solid state metal crunch that the Mesa just won't do. Also, the Boss DD-3 is just muddying up my sound for leads.
SO...
I bought a G Major 2 for $500 in hopes to have a better delay sound and some addtional effects versatility since with the RJM switcher, you set your pedals to one sound and leave them- and promptly returned it as it was very unimpressive in the way of delay and effects for the money.
When returning it to Guitar Center, the guy asked me why I wasn't satisfied and when I told him he suggested the Fractal Axe - which I had never heard of so I started investigating and it seems very cool. I've had a modeling amp before and liked the idea of having all amp sounds and effects in one box - a Johnson Millenium. The problem with that amp though was that you couldn't get really good distortion sounds and clean sounds at the same time. To get a good distortion sound you had to crank up the main volume to drive the amp - but when doing that, the clean sound suffered - and if you brought the main gain down to make the clean sound sweet - the distortion sound suffered due to not driving the amp enough. I considered this an inherent flaw in the design of the amp and eventually sold it. Also, it still had tubes which had to be replaced.
The other guitarist in my band has a Mesa Roadking combo amp with 2 12's and it sounds great! But you need a forklift to move it around it's so heavy and I have a degenerative disc in my back, so moving heavy gear is not in my best interest. He also has the TC Electronic G System which gives him great effects.
I'm thinking about getting the Fractal Axe Ultra and Atomic MB-50 amp to run into my Peavey 212 cab, but with the money I'm spending I could just buy a Roadking Head.
Convince me... is the Fractal Axe going to sound better than the Mesa Roadking? Will the effects be better than the G System? Will this solve my dual distortion needs? Can I get that sweet squeal and feedback crunchy distortion I can get from the Ampeg solid state amp? Will I be able to get cool distortion sounds AND great clean sounds for my gigs?
Mesa Boogie Express 5:50 - gives me a nice clean sound and warm distortion useable for most songs... but when I need that harder rock distortion I use an Ampeg SS150-H into a Peavey 212 cab.
I use an RJM switcher to switch between amp setups and patch in all my pedals - i.e. small clone for Nirvana chorus, mxr flanger, boss chorus, boss pitch shifter, boss delay, and mxr signal booster for solos.
I don't want to carry around two amps and cabinet anymore and having to mic two rigs on stage taking up two channels on the board, so I've given up the Ampeg and just been using the Mesa, but that leaves me without that solid state metal crunch that the Mesa just won't do. Also, the Boss DD-3 is just muddying up my sound for leads.
SO...
I bought a G Major 2 for $500 in hopes to have a better delay sound and some addtional effects versatility since with the RJM switcher, you set your pedals to one sound and leave them- and promptly returned it as it was very unimpressive in the way of delay and effects for the money.
When returning it to Guitar Center, the guy asked me why I wasn't satisfied and when I told him he suggested the Fractal Axe - which I had never heard of so I started investigating and it seems very cool. I've had a modeling amp before and liked the idea of having all amp sounds and effects in one box - a Johnson Millenium. The problem with that amp though was that you couldn't get really good distortion sounds and clean sounds at the same time. To get a good distortion sound you had to crank up the main volume to drive the amp - but when doing that, the clean sound suffered - and if you brought the main gain down to make the clean sound sweet - the distortion sound suffered due to not driving the amp enough. I considered this an inherent flaw in the design of the amp and eventually sold it. Also, it still had tubes which had to be replaced.
The other guitarist in my band has a Mesa Roadking combo amp with 2 12's and it sounds great! But you need a forklift to move it around it's so heavy and I have a degenerative disc in my back, so moving heavy gear is not in my best interest. He also has the TC Electronic G System which gives him great effects.
I'm thinking about getting the Fractal Axe Ultra and Atomic MB-50 amp to run into my Peavey 212 cab, but with the money I'm spending I could just buy a Roadking Head.
Convince me... is the Fractal Axe going to sound better than the Mesa Roadking? Will the effects be better than the G System? Will this solve my dual distortion needs? Can I get that sweet squeal and feedback crunchy distortion I can get from the Ampeg solid state amp? Will I be able to get cool distortion sounds AND great clean sounds for my gigs?
