What were your first amp modelers?

Pod 2.0 and later
Digitech 2120
Mesa Rec Pre
Axe Standard - Switched to the Axe in 2008 I think?
 
In order of appearance:

Boss GT-3 . Sounded too digital
Boss GT-10 . Still digital but hard to dial in, wasn't fun. Still have them both practically new/unsused.
Bias AMP 2 . Liked it more or less
Axe FX III . Really like it. But has so many options. I still go back to Bias when I want simplicity then try to recreate it in AF3.
Helix Native (I actually have ALL the VST effects/sims) and keep going back to AF3/Bias
Torpedo Studio for cab mic'ing and/or taking the load from the below:
Triaxis/JMP-1
 
A.R.T. SGX-2000 with XR-15 pedal
A bunch of Line 6 stuff up until '09 when I saw a reference to FAS on a Line 6 forum...
Axe-FX Ultra
Axe-FX II
Axe-FX II XL
Axe-FX II XL+
AX8
 
I started with a Zoom 3030

but- I do have to say- While everyone was using PODS- I discovered the Digitech Genesis 1, when I was 18-19 maybe (2003/2004) and really got great tone out of it. I still have one and for what it was, really had great sounds and effects. Direct or with an amp.

I used it as a distortion pedal live through several bands- I used a solid state CRATE stack and use a Morley ABY switcher to route between clean and distortion.
 
Tried many different devices and approaches from the late 80's on up (that I could afford). The ones that mattered were the Peavey Tubefex which had a real tube pre-amp and sounded great but had a horrible digitally controlled mechanical switching system between the tube channels. I used it till I discovered the Axe-Fx Ultra in 2010, just a few months after I got it, the II hit and I purchased and I've had the XL+, AX-8 and now the III. I still have all these devices except the Ultra.
 
My legacy of modelers...

Rockman (original)
Digitech 2101 (before its time)
Axe FX II
Axe FX III

I'm not counting all of the actual preamps etc., but I have had a number, including the Triaxis.
 
For me it all started with the Boss ME-5. Ohhh - I learned to love an expression pedal. No other control besides that... Fed into a KMD power amp and Crate 4x12.

Not really a modeler... But close. Worked for 80's metal.

Next was the ART SGX-2000 and X-15 midi controller. Still not quite a modeler, but "it has a tube inside!". I really enjoyed using the expression pedals to "morph" between tones by using assigned Modifiers because changing presets had an audio gap (imagine that!) and I hated that. I was pretty happy with that for several years and couldn't afford something new in any case. But then...

I stumbled upon a Johnson JM-150 digital modeling amplifier (first time I ever heard the term "modeler") and it was so much better sounding than the ART, which I realized was significantly coloring my sound. Continued with the X-15 but ultimately decided to use a Ground Control because I didn't care for the buttons. I only really liked the Johnson models - the amps modeled on actual amplifiers didn't sound how I wanted. I don't know if Johnson beat Line6 to market or not... But the first Line6 amp was soooo fugly!

I also bought a Johnson J-Station... Which I still have and play around with every once in a while. I think it's better than the POD, which was the competition.

Several years later I got a really great deal on a Carvin Quad-X preamp... And so began my first into actual tubes (of course, complemented with midi controlled effects).

Other amps and effects followed culminating with a rack mounted Budda SuperDrive 18w, TC Electronic G-Major2 and a GCX loop switcher used to control a full rack shelf of pedals. It was tone heaven! But it was also a rack the size of a small fridge and I couldn't put it into or out of my car by myself.

So... 2013, Axe Fx II mkII. Later Axe Fx II XL+ and an Axe Fx III for about the last year.

Could not be happier. I can do way more with way less and sound way better!
 
Rockman. Roland GP-8. Roland GP16. Roland GP-100. Pod. Guitar Rig. Zentera. Axe-Fx Ultra.
 
Yamaha FX500
Zoom
Art SGX 2000 (only as FX in Triaxis loop)
Fractal Ultra
Roland Cube 30
Roland Cube 60
Fractal Axe FX II
Vox Valvetronix
AX8
Axe FX III
 
unix-guy said:
Next was the ART SGX-2000 and X-15 midi controller. Still not quite a modeler, but "it has a tube inside!". I really enjoyed using the expression pedals to "morph" between tones by using assigned Modifiers because changing presets had an audio gap (imagine that!) and I hated that. I was pretty happy with that for several years and couldn't afford something new in any case. But then...
Click to expand...

I totally forgot about the ART! The other guitarist in my band had one and I remember us going through the presets and being blown away by them. I remember thinking how the “tube thing” must be making it magical. He couldn’t afford to get a rack case after getting it, so he somehow attached it to an old side table.
 
Scholz Rockman X100
Line 6 Pod
Rocktron Voodu Valve
Line 6 Vetta
Axe-Fx Standard
Zoom G3
Axe-Fx II *
AX-8 *
Atomic Amplifirebox
Axe-Fx III *
Line 6 HX Stomp *

* still have
 
grandinq said:
I totally forgot about the ART! The other guitarist in my band had one and I remember us going through the presets and being blown away by them. I remember thinking how the “tube thing” must be making it magical. He couldn’t afford to get a rack case after getting it, so he somehow attached it to an old side table.
Click to expand...
I ordered that thing from Musician's Friend and waited for a year for it to actually be released (it was "expected soon" when I placed the order).

I ended up being one of the first people to get one and it was quite a piece of gear for the time.

Even though I didn't really know about midi it was a great learning platform. I think I maxed out the modifiers on all my presets - I think you could have a max of 11 per preset :)
 
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