This is why I use pedals with AxeFX, why do you?

The only pedal I have placed in the loop of my AFX3 is a MIMIQ MINI on one side only. It works. What I have been exploring is not a pedal. It's a VG-99 into Input 4. This thread just gave me the idea of using the MIMIQ between the VG-99 and the AXF3. I'll try that tomorrow. The main reason I bought a 15 year old peice of tech is for the guitar modeling and alternate tunings. It still sounds pretty darn good and I can throw a MIDI block in each scene to tell the VG-99 what to do. I used to own a Variax 89. Sold it. There are some other possibilities the VG-99 can provide as well, but I have already usurped this thread by bring up stuff that does not belong here, so I'll stop now. Peace!
 
Pedal companies pay me to demo their stuff in front of one my classic amps. Six or seven years ago I decided, stuff it, I'm just going to put them in front of the Axe. It sounds better to me and is a ton easier to set up, not to mention choices, options, outboard stuff, etc. 2000 or so videos later and I'll never look back. Only when they specifically ask me to use a 'real' amp will I do so now. The Axe IS my real amp. Pedals are cool too. Good fun. But inevitably they get sold on because. Axe.
 
The one thing no modeler will ever get perfect are fuzz pedals because of the interaction between the pickups and the pedal. The input to a modeler is necessarily buffered so that interaction is impossible to recreate.
Is this something that can be solved modeling a circuit like the AMZ pickup simulator as part of the fuzz model? Or am I completely off base here?
pickup2.gif

In the physical world, the circuit goes in between a buffer/buffered effect and the front end of a fuzz/treble booster/other effect that doesn't play nicely with buffers. I've found that it does a good job of restoring the character of a fuzz pedal when placed after something buffered like a Klone. A few commercial builders like Earthquaker Devices and Spaceman Effects have pedals that incorporate the circuit and sound really good (EQD Erupter, Spaceman Gemini).
 
They are extra parameters in everything : history, memories… some people don’t care about that.
Same for records, food…guitars … some want a « perfect tool », some buy a part of history …

As you point fuzzes I just can Agree as they are the only dist stomp that I still have (I have 8/10 external unit) . You also mentionned the fuzz factory that I build last week, I am like a child when I plug it in a amp because of his craziness and special sound that is nowhere else .

but the fuzzes in the axe aren’t bad at all, you can do very good things with them . That’s not the same mojo don’t know. It’s like hearing a track in your computer or listening a vinyl with the cover art and lyrics in your hands . Feelings yes
 
The one thing no modeler will ever get perfect are fuzz pedals because of the interaction between the pickups and the pedal. The input to a modeler is necessarily buffered so that interaction is impossible to recreate.
Could this be something that could be implemented as an analog but digitally controllable circuit? I mean the Axe-Fx 3 box certainly would have the room for a daughterboard with fuzz components on it that would be hooked up to the input if the user enables them. It would probably have to be something like a "Fuzz input block" rather than a regular movable block.

Probably cheaper just to plug your favorite fuzz pedal into the Axe-Fx 3 input.
 
Not sure I fully understand the fuzz/guitar interaction thing. I thought that the auto impedance feature of the Axefx input replicated that fuzz/guitar interaction with Drive-Fuzz as first active block. What else is present in an analogue guitar > unbuffered fuzz connection that Axfx cannot replicate?
 
I'm one of those weirdos that likes my analog drives in a loop in my Axe so I can use other effects (octave, phaser, whatever else) before.

This probably wipes out some of the interaction between guitar and gear, but I still think it sounds better than the options in the Axe. If I'd just started with an Axe and never had offboard pedals, I'm sure I'd never have minded, but agree with other sentiments in this thread that there's just something missing in the digital boxes.

I'll also give a second shout-out to the Shallow Water, which just has some real mojo going on.

I've been working on moving just about everything else from my gear pile since moving to Axe FX aside from dirt. It is definitely hard to break a hoarder mentality, thoufh.
 
Not sure I fully understand the fuzz/guitar interaction thing. I thought that the auto impedance feature of the Axefx input replicated that fuzz/guitar interaction with Drive-Fuzz as first active block. What else is present in an analogue guitar > unbuffered fuzz connection that Axfx cannot replicate?

This makes me feel better to read. I always felt crazy keeping my drives in the loop but didn't feel like I lost anything as long as my grid was right.

I'll admit, it is VERY hard to do an A/B with something that requires me to play, completely rewire, then play again like comparing a pedal out front vs in the loop. This leaves things pretty open to subjectivity for me. There's way smarter people in this forum that probably have a better way to compare it objectively.
 
Not sure I fully understand the fuzz/guitar interaction thing. I thought that the auto impedance feature of the Axefx input replicated that fuzz/guitar interaction with Drive-Fuzz as first active block. What else is present in an analogue guitar > unbuffered fuzz connection that Axfx cannot replicate?
To a (simplistic first-order) degree. But turn the guitar volume and the impedance changes in the actual circuit. Or plug in a different guitar (or use a different pickup) and it's also different. And it's "nonlinear" as Cliff says below.

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Two things ... I'm a hoarder ;) I've never sold a guitar or a pedal.
The other thing ... yeah, I dont need anything more than the axe, its a truly amazing box and the FC system just puts it over the top. And even though I can dial up a great sounding block and git 'er done ... I get this magical feeling when I plug in some of my beloved boxes that inspires me, for me its truly about ... feelings.

In closing, Burgs ... dood ... big fan ;)
Pedal companies pay me to demo their stuff in front of one my classic amps. Six or seven years ago I decided, stuff it, I'm just going to put them in front of the Axe. It sounds better to me and is a ton easier to set up, not to mention choices, options, outboard stuff, etc. 2000 or so videos later and I'll never look back. Only when they specifically ask me to use a 'real' amp will I do so now. The Axe IS my real amp. Pedals are cool too. Good fun. But inevitably they get sold on because. Axe.
 
I use pedals and rack gear with my Axe FX because well, the Axe doesn't do everything. And that's ok.

It works fantastically as an interface and live performance tool and allows me to integrate advanced loopers, granular delays, noise effects, etc in a way that a tube rig never could.
 
I went on a dirt pedal binge in the last few months, mostly starting with fuzzes and then it turned into me wanting to have an entirely separate pedal/amp rig that doesn’t utilize modeling at all. More is more and all that, but yeah, I can’t recreate the Germanium Dover Drive in Fractal Land, or the EJ Fuzz Face and even the Vibe Machine is a bit different than the Fractal offerings, not better/worse, just different.

8B60C48E-D110-43D3-8B2C-AC131CDCDB22.jpeg

Got a Lovepedal Vintage/Modern coming in tonight, actually. I’ve cut myself off from buying more dirt pedals until I get the time-based effects sorted out.
 
Is this something that can be solved modeling a circuit like the AMZ pickup simulator as part of the fuzz model? Or am I completely off base here?
pickup2.gif

In the physical world, the circuit goes in between a buffer/buffered effect and the front end of a fuzz/treble booster/other effect that doesn't play nicely with buffers. I've found that it does a good job of restoring the character of a fuzz pedal when placed after something buffered like a Klone. A few commercial builders like Earthquaker Devices and Spaceman Effects have pedals that incorporate the circuit and sound really good (EQD Erupter, Spaceman Gemini).
No, that wouldn't work because the actual fuzz stuff is done digitally. This would be like loading your guitar down with a another guitar.
 
I went on a dirt pedal binge in the last few months, mostly starting with fuzzes and then it turned into me wanting to have an entirely separate pedal/amp rig that doesn’t utilize modeling at all. More is more and all that, but yeah, I can’t recreate the Germanium Dover Drive in Fractal Land, or the EJ Fuzz Face and even the Vibe Machine is a bit different than the Fractal offerings, not better/worse, just different.

View attachment 113953

Got a Lovepedal Vintage/Modern coming in tonight, actually. I’ve cut myself off from buying more dirt pedals until I get the time-based effects sorted out.
When you come from analog world it’s nothing wrong to have both system and seems « normal » to me. Personally I like having both world because I feel better like this . I have no problem listening to the iPod in the car and vinyl at home… it’s not just the « quality », it’s like a ritual , the mojo… but once again, even if fractal audio said that « it’s not possible », the fuzz and dist pedal in the unit doesn’t suck at all .
Some people said « live with your time », « dump that », » I don’t care anymore of the real stuff »… ok ok if you want … but to me it goes hand in hand with what I called « passion ». you cannot ignore and mock the real deal and saying your « passionate ». Like having more than one guitar and this or that .. everyone does what they want if they feel fine like that .

When I bough a color vinyl from an album that I already have in 10 versions, yeah it’s maybe a disease but .. 🤣

Some weeks ago I was talking with someone telling me « ha you bought a Gibson Lp , tokai or maybach are better bla-bla-bla . « the thing is that I don’t give a fuck about tokai, tokai doesn’t make me dream, it’s not a part of history . Well . Whatever
 
When you come from analog world it’s nothing wrong to have both system and seems « normal » to me. Personally I like having both world because I feel better like this . I have no problem listening to the iPod in the car and vinyl at home… it’s not just the « quality », it’s like a ritual , the mojo… but once again, even if fractal audio said that « it’s not possible », the fuzz and dist pedal in the unit doesn’t suck at all .
Some people said « live with your time », « dump that », » I don’t care anymore of the real stuff »… ok ok if you want … but to me it goes hand in hand with what I called « passion ». you cannot ignore and mock the real deal and saying your « passionate ». Like having more than one guitar and this or that .. everyone does what they want if they feel fine like that .

When I bough a color vinyl from an album that I already have in 10 versions, yeah it’s maybe a disease but .. 🤣

Some weeks ago I was talking with someone telling me « ha you bought a Gibson Lp , tokai or maybach are better bla-bla-bla . « the thing is that I don’t give a fuck about tokai, tokai doesn’t make me dream, it’s not a part of history . Well . Whatever

Yep, it’s more important to me to actually get the tone I want rather than settling for something else. I love the Fractal gear more than pretty much any other gear product, but I love gear as a whole so I’m not going to stop buying other stuff just because I love Fractal gear.

That said-

ha ha simpsons GIF


AAEB8EE9-4A7B-4E36-A8AF-339E913F9A6D.jpeg

(Very much joking here, I’d snatch up an actual Gibson LP Custom any chance I got if I could get it for a reasonable price!)
 
JHS PG FTW ... love that pedal....
It really is an unpopular opinion but I agree. Very unique blown-amp tones. I use it as a “crazy” button for taking a broken-up tone to a whole different level of over compression that even a fuzz can’t do.

Also, now that I think about it, I do like the convenience of chucking a pedal in front of any preset without having to go to the front panel or axe edit. But again that’s just a luxury that I don’t need in any real scenario.
 
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