Yet another "Should I Take The Plunge" Post

Lucien2 said:
Greetings,

For the better part of 25 years I have hewn to the "Just plug into the amp and go" sort of player, playing single coils through Fender amps and using the amp's reverb and "vibrato" (Which is really tremolo but anyways) and maybe a TS9 and a RAT on the floor.

COVID killed most of my gigs and I have turned to recording more, bought a 15w Orange Terror lunchbox, and have begun to expand my pedal collection- Empress Reverb, a harmonic trem, a fuzz, and a chorus. But as a home studio recordist who does not have a dedicated room to transform into an ideal sonically neutral space, I'm wondering if I need to hold up and consider the FM3. For live practice and if I ever play out again, I could disable the amp/cab blocks and run it as a multieffects processor in the loop of my Orange or HRD. And then use the modeling power to get fool-proof tones in the studio.

I'm like a cat, constantly thinking about the jump, wiggling and positioning myself on the ledge....but not quite able to leap due to fear of the unknown. Selling my digital effects plus some other surplus would get me more than halfway there; the pedals I was eyeing next would get me almost all the way there.

SO in a nutshell, I welcome any insight or sage advice from any FM3 folks!
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I know I sound like a commercial, but each Fractal unit comes with a 15 day money back guarantee. Try one out, and if you aren’t satisfied after 15 days, you’re only out the shipping.
 
JoKeR III said:
No need to think, it's on the website - 15 days.
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Also I don't have a decent bass amp right now. Running into a powered DI and into the DAW is pretty good, but I bet I'd be way happier running through one of the Fractal bass amp modelers. I haven't been happy with the few models baked into Logic Pro so far.

I will need to take full advantage of the trial period and make sure it all IS better in time to send back if it isn't.
 
Lucien2 said:
Also I don't have a decent bass amp right now. Running into a powered DI and into the DAW is pretty good, but I bet I'd be way happier running through one of the Fractal bass amp modelers. I haven't been happy with the few models baked into Logic Pro so far.

I will need to take full advantage of the trial period and make sure it all IS better in time to send back if it isn't.
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While this crew is certainly biased, we will all tell you that it is, without question, better. That said, it does take time to learn, so make sure you give yourself the time to dig into it before you rush to return within the window. The bass tones are really excellent, btw. Some have complained that the bass amp selection is minimal, but I haven't found that to be an issue. YMMV depending on the style you play. Good luck!
 
For the price the FM3 has to be the best deal there is for a guitar preamp/processor. It inspires me to play more than I ever have. Takes awhile to figure out though, but you’re already doing the right stuff. Might as well make the jump.
 
Considering how much stuff is packed into the FM3, the trial period is too short to really have a chance to go through a fourth of what it can do. As far as biased, yes, I'm biased now but I almost sent mine back during the trial period. That's because at first, I tried the few presets that didn't play well with my rig - hell I didn't know, just dumb luck. I was lucky and have a friend who has owned Fractal products for years and I think very highly of his opinions and knowledge. He helped me get started. Once I got headed in the right direction I was blown away.

I've never read anywhere about anyone being disappointed with Fractal. That, to me, says a lot.
 
Jump in and you will not regret it! A friend of mine lent me his last July. In two weeks I wrote 3 and a half songs and orderd one for myself. In a years time I have recorded well over 20 songs. Some I redid from 20 years ago. Best creative tool I have ever owned!!!

I promise you will not be disappointed. Not to mention the incredible support from Fractal Audio and people here on the forum. When the owner comments on threads, that means a heck of alot to me and I am sure everyone else here.

Top notch company making a top notch product that is continually updated and sounds better and better.
 
mesabassman said:
Top notch company making a top notch product that is continually updated for free and sounds better and better.
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Corrected. ;)
If there's a better company out there, I haven't found it.

Reminds me of when I bought a 3 year old truck, and it was the first time I had a navigation system. But it was out of date, and they wanted over $100 for a new SD card. Screw that!
 
FM3 sounds great run as you run rig…Fenderish amp, couple of drive options, verb, trem. Fantastic options and you don’t have to dive very deep to have a variety of great tones in that realm. Then when you want to sprinkle other seasoning in, the fx options are stellar. Far better than you could buy in pedals for way more than the price of the FM3.
 
I've had an Axe2 since launch and picked up an FM3 a while ago now. 99% of my use across both devices has been high gain or punk tones in the studio as well as when I gigged. I've literally just picked up coopers fm3 course and have started to explore everything the fm3 can do and it's mind bogglingly flexible. I almost feel dumb how little I knew it inside out as well as taking the time to go through delays/reverbs etc etc. The axe and the FM3 really has been the gift that keeps on giving, worth it for sure!
 
IMHO using a modeler involves a slightly different mindset than amps and pedals. The experience of tweaking pedals and amps is more immediate and your options are limited (each pedal has one function, usually one amp in the rig). However a modeler usually has far more versatility, but the window into the tweaking is vastly different and usually limited in the knobs and other controls available.

I come from decades of gigging and building/modding amps and pedals, but once I bought into the modeler mindset I found it hard to go back to amps and pedals due to the tonal limitations. I look at the modeler as more of a black box tone machine, and not so much an instrument in itself like a more limited amp would be. The only gigs where I would use a big loud tube amp is a gig that only needs that one tone (it would be glorious but I do not have such gigs these days). I cannot imagine using anything but a good modeler in recording these days as IMHO it is difficult to get a good tube amp and mic it properly enough to surpass the direct out of a FM3 or Kemper or many plugins out there.
 
MKB99 said:
IMHO using a modeler involves a slightly different mindset than amps and pedals. The experience of tweaking pedals and amps is more immediate and your options are limited (each pedal has one function, usually one amp in the rig). However a modeler usually has far more versatility, but the window into the tweaking is vastly different and usually limited in the knobs and other controls available.

I come from decades of gigging and building/modding amps and pedals, but once I bought into the modeler mindset I found it hard to go back to amps and pedals due to the tonal limitations. I look at the modeler as more of a black box tone machine, and not so much an instrument in itself like a more limited amp would be. The only gigs where I would use a big loud tube amp is a gig that only needs that one tone (it would be glorious but I do not have such gigs these days). I cannot imagine using anything but a good modeler in recording these days as IMHO it is difficult to get a good tube amp and mic it properly enough to surpass the direct out of a FM3 or Kemper or many plugins out there.
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I just had this scenario pop into my head. Picture a big studio, guitarist Bob is preparing to record his epic solo. Studio engineer Ray is trying to help Bob get the perfect tone for this world changing guitaristic event.

Bob: "Ray, can I pretty please use the studio's Plexi for this epic solo?"
Ray: "Well, OK, let me mic it up."
Bob: Plays a few epic riffs. "Great tone! Just needs one tweak; could you please open the amp and clip the bright cap? Too many highs."
Ray: Blank stare. Crickets. A red flush goes over his face, than maniacal laughter. "Uh, no."
Bob: "Let me try my FM3, just a quick tweak of the deep parameters. Let's try that."

Minutes later: tone achieved, solo crafted, session saved as well as Bob and Ray's hearing and tube life and transformers in the Plexi and the Greenbacks in the vintage cab. Bob saves the preset and uses the same epic tone live. Bob doesn't care it's a modeler. Ray doesn't care it is a modeler. The audience doesn't care if it's a modeler. The only people that care are the guitarists in the back with their arms folded scowling in disgust.
 
MKB99 said:
IMHO using a modeler involves a slightly different mindset than amps and pedals. The experience of tweaking pedals and amps is more immediate and your options are limited (each pedal has one function, usually one amp in the rig). However a modeler usually has far more versatility, but the window into the tweaking is vastly different and usually limited in the knobs and other controls available.

I come from decades of gigging and building/modding amps and pedals, but once I bought into the modeler mindset I found it hard to go back to amps and pedals due to the tonal limitations. I look at the modeler as more of a black box tone machine, and not so much an instrument in itself like a more limited amp would be. The only gigs where I would use a big loud tube amp is a gig that only needs that one tone (it would be glorious but I do not have such gigs these days). I cannot imagine using anything but a good modeler in recording these days as IMHO it is difficult to get a good tube amp and mic it properly enough to surpass the direct out of a FM3 or Kemper or many plugins out there.
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precisely how I envision my usage!
 
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