What was your first Digital Modeler?

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Did the trick for practise at home when the rig was at the rehearsal space... :D
I had the one for bass. I don’t know why at a certain point I wanted to try bass too.
 
Another Digitech GSP-21Pro starter owner
Used the Fox Studio's Rockman Rack, Marshall JMP-1, Mesa V-Twin.
Used various VST plugins like Revalver.
I upgraded to a Johnson JM-150 with J-12 foot controller.
Sold that to fund an Axe-fx II mark 2.

Akin to Cliff, I was disappointed with the sounds of the bass cab IR files in the unit and with the encouragement of our own Matt Piccone, in 2016 I started Dr Bonkers Soundlab to give bass players some better options.

A year later, I had my own website and saw things that I wanted to do differently with guitar can IR files.

If it wasn't for Matt & Cliff, then there would be no Dr Bonkers Soundlab.
 
Eleven Rack, the got the AXE II, then also the AX8, and then also the AXE III. Sold the Eleven Rack, still have all of my Fractals, sold all of my tube amps as well.
 
Though not my first modeler by a long shot I have to make special mention of the vg-99. It was by far the most comprehensive and detailed unit up till the time of the axe fx standard

Though not in the same league as the axe sound wise, it has the most complete package, everything from guitar to midi, guitar synth, detailed amp and fx chain modeling, polytracking, poly fx (eg hex drive!) accompanying foot controller, to D beam and ribbon controller and freeze well before it was a thing. Very well thought out and Integrated package, well ahead of its time.

Even till now it does lots of things other units don't, including the axe fx! An oldie but still a goodie
 

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Interesting that you continue to use multiple other floor modelers. I can see hanging onto one for portability, but just curious why not only the GT-1000? Can't it cover the ground the others do?
I keep them connected in my jam room for other musicians who drop by to jam. The oldest one is mainly for ambience effects for acoustics. The others have basic Clean.Chorus.Crunch.Drive and lead presets. A lot of folks I jam with are not as lucky as I am to have funds for toys. I also have a few synths including a Korg Kronos. I am not a keyboard player but am pretty good at programming the sounds. The keyboard players I jam with really appreciate that they don't have to lug their boards here to jam. My jam room is set up to power on and play.
 
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Into a no-name chinese 15 watt amplifier that would feedback by just turning the lights on circa 2006

On an "electric razor sounding" scale definitely a 10/10
 
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I was going to say a Digitech GNX4, but I think that's just a multi-effects unit. I guess it was the AxeFx Ultra, if you're talking hardware modelers.
 
I spoke too soon here - right after I said this, the thing just quit working entirely. Check out the pic - these capacitors have seen better days.

Luckily, they're pretty easy to replace, and it's back to working order again, and back in my rack providing effects for bass when I don't have a preset setup for simultaneous guitar and bass inputs.


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That one cap looks like I feel after a big meal.
 
Mine goes like this
Digitech 2101 in ‘94 (still have it)
Boss GT-3 ‘97(ish) stolen
L6 Flextone 2 HD ‘01 traded
L6 Vetta ‘03 (still have)
Pod XT ‘04 - sold because well it sucked
Pod X3 floor and rack ‘05 (still have)
Boss GT-pro ‘06 (got for fx ran w/5150 still have)
Randall MTS ‘07 sold to get Af2
Axe FX II dec’11 (still have)
Helix LT ‘17 to use with 5150iii (still have)
FM9 ‘21 - never looking back…

Until this list I had no idea now much gear I’ve kept, I need to sell all but the FM9 and maybe Helix (for a back up).
 
I remember the Tonelab pulling off surprisingly good Van Halen tones

I played a couple gigs using the Tonelab for exactly that haha. The Soldano model was the only one I could use. I didn't even know what a Soldano was at the time!

Now it's my go to high gain amp in the FM3
 
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