I want to try to record without an amp, can I have some sugestions?

Kleudde

New member
Hi all,
I have been trying to record my guitar tracks to a jam room I rent that is providing the amp. To be honest I don't like to go there because there is always other bands playing in other rooms close by so I can't record properly and also I don't like the amp there, can't get the sound I'm looking for. It is also expensive to rent a jam room alone. A friend sugested that I record directly in my audio interface without an amp, that would mean I could record at home! I live in a 4 1/2 so I can't play with amps at home (neighbors and no space) so of course I started looking for amp emulators.
There are so many to choose from I don't know which i should try hahaha.
I don't want to spend too much on plugins and don't need to have so many amps I don't know which to choose from. I need something simple that sounds good for metal and that is under 100$.

I sold my cabinets but I still have my amp heads (hughes & kettner for guitar and David Eden for bass) and I really like how they sound like.
I came accross today the RED BOX 5 trying to find a amp simulator that sounded like my amp. Did anyone tried it? Can this allow me to connect my heads to my audio interface without a cabinet? Will this sound better than amp simulators? Is there any amp simulators that sounds like Hughes & Kettner or David Eden?
 
Careful! The Red box is reviewed here..Hughes & Kettner Red Box 5 |, but you MUST use a resistive dummy load or you will break the amps!

Load boxes are fairly rare but "power soaks" or "attenuators" are common and do the same job but tend to be expensive. If you can drill metal and solder wires you can make a load box quite cheaply. I can do the "BOM" for you if you like but even a 100W box should run out under £50.

Be good to know what the interface is? There is a shedload of guitar "emulation" software about, much of it free and I am sure some one here will put you right there. I am NOT a guitarist! I just fixed the amps.

Dave.
 
Wow thank you Dave! I had no idea about a dummy load! I tried to look for one on Sweetwater but I don’t really know what I’m looking for :/
If there is no I would happily get one from you! :) for the interface I have two but usually I take my rme babyface when I’m alone (i have a focusrite Scarlett 18i20 with more inputs for when I jam with my band)

For the amp simulators I added in Reaper the LePou and Ignite, both free but I haven’t tested them yet. They don’t seem to replicate Hughes and kettner but LePou have some great reviews and seem to copy Marshall and Mesa boogie and other popular ones in metal so I might find the sound I’m looking for with them. If not there is a new one from Waves that seems not too bad and not too expensive (PRS SuperModels), any thoughts about it?
 
diy dummy load tube amp - Google Search

The above should give you an idea of the load. In fact all of those are more complex than you need. You can just build one to suit your amp at one speaker impedance setting and in principle you only need the box, the load resistor and one jack but it is wise to make things a little more versatile.

I have done a bit of a search and cannot find anything ready made under about $100 and I am not happy about some of those. I started looking at a guy's YT about a load but stopped quickly because he was building a FIRE HAZARD!

Honestly, if you have enough smarts to fix a bicycle you can build this! You will need a solder iron and although not ABSOLUTELY essential, a digital test meter. $20 or less and really speaking NO musician should be without a meter to test batteries and cables.

Dave.
 
I recommend a floor pedal type amp sim like the Digitech Element. I've been using my Digitech RP150 for years. Dial in the sound I want and not worry about recording a clean guitar and adding plugs later.

Don't need an amp. You can record while the family and neighbors sleep.

I moved on to UAD guitar sim plugs, but still use the Digitech for stomp box sims.
 
Not an inexpensive alternative but not too bad, especially since you've already got two amp heads you like the sound of..

How about an isolation cabinet?

Here's one by Jet City Amps - there are other, more expensive manufacturers.
Jet City Amplification JetStream ISO ii 100W 1x12 Guitar Speaker Cabinet | Musician's Friend

jetcityamplification (manufacturer's site with demos)



I had to google an image of the cab to get this pic, as the store's and Jet's sites only show the outside, closed box.

gn01JQk.jpg
 
Fork! For 200 bucks I am almost tempted to build and ship the OP a load box!

Almost.

BTW. One thing is always missing on iso cabs IMO and that is an LED power indicator. I would think it is all too easy to blow a speaker if you have no idea how loud it is going?
Dave.
 
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Not an inexpensive alternative but not too bad, especially since you've already got two amp heads you like the sound of..

How about an isolation cabinet?

Here's one by Jet City Amps - there are other, more expensive manufacturers.
Jet City Amplification JetStream ISO ii 100W 1x12 Guitar Speaker Cabinet | Musician's Friend

jetcityamplification (manufacturer's site with demos)



I had to google an image of the cab to get this pic, as the store's and Jet's sites only show the outside, closed box.

View attachment 102687

That's really cool! Thank you!
 
I recommend a floor pedal type amp sim like the Digitech Element. I've been using my Digitech RP150 for years. Dial in the sound I want and not worry about recording a clean guitar and adding plugs later.

Don't need an amp. You can record while the family and neighbors sleep.

I moved on to UAD guitar sim plugs, but still use the Digitech for stomp box sims.

Thank you for the idea but I owned a multi effect from Digitech before and was really disapointed by how it sounded, I ended up returning it and buy a boss noise gate instead since it was the only thing i liked (noise gate) in the multi effect.
 
Fork! For 200 bucks I am almost tempted to build and ship the OP a load box!

Almost.

BTW. One thing is always missing on iso cabs IMO and that is an LED power indicator. I would think it is all too easy to blow a speaker if you have no idea how loud it is going?
Dave.

You said it would be under under £50 and now it would be 200$?
 
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You said it would be under under £50 and not it would be 200$?

Yes, it would be for YOU to build it. What I jokingly meant was, I could 'almost' build you one and ship it for $200 and make a drinkypoo.

In the meantime I have looked at some Arcol Al2 clad resistors and some Ally boxes and I am sure $50 would cover it.

BLLX! I might just draw it up for the craic and stick it in "Contributions"!

Dave.
 
Yes, it would be for YOU to build it. What I jokingly meant was, I could 'almost' build you one and ship it for $200 and make a drinkypoo.

In the meantime I have looked at some Arcol Al2 clad resistors and some Ally boxes and I am sure $50 would cover it.

BLLX! I might just draw it up for the craic and stick it in "Contributions"!

Dave.

I would be a bit scared to do it myself, I only did welding 2-3 times in one course like 20 years ago and don't have the equipment to do it.
 
I would be a bit scared to do it myself, I only did welding 2-3 times in one course like 20 years ago and don't have the equipment to do it.

Ok but be advised, WELDING needs expensive kit and is hot, dirty dangerous work that must be done in a workshop or outdoors. SOLDERING is done by delightful ladies in their kitchens making jewellery! We had girls at work who could solder faster and better than I and I had been at it for 30 years before them! Basic kit, $20?

Dave.
 
Also take a look at the Two Notes Captor. I've got the bigger brother Reload, but it's konda cost prohibitive.

The Captor actually has a cab sim built in.

Anyways, it's something to keep in mind as an option if you like your amp but can't play it loudly. I 've got great amps but can no longer crank them up. The Reload has been perfect for me.
 
Ok but be advised, WELDING needs expensive kit and is hot, dirty dangerous work that must be done in a workshop or outdoors. SOLDERING is done by delightful ladies in their kitchens making jewellery! We had girls at work who could solder faster and better than I and I had been at it for 30 years before them! Basic kit, $20?

Dave.

hahaha sorry i'm french! Wrong word :)
 
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