Guitar into VF80

[billisa]

I have been plugging my son's guitars (electric and acoustic/electric) directly into my VF80, without using a DI box. Is this not OK? I've read some things that assume the use of a DI box... Also, is there such a thing as a balanced guitar cord or are they all unbalanced -- or indeed can one get either? Assuming all of the above, and that it's OK to go directly into the VF80, what kind of guitar cord should I use?

[Axe4Yahweh]

It won't hurt a thing if you go direct into the VF80 with an Axe. However, an Acoustic/Electric will sound much better through a Mic Pre or Mixer and an Electric much better through a Modeler, Guitar Processor, Guitar Preamp, etc. before the VF80.

A DI Box allows you to take a line level/low level unbalanced signal and make it balanced.

CR ><>

[bdbdbuck]

Unless I'm mistaken, I think an Adamas comes with an XLR balanced output. Much cheaper to go the route Axe mentioned though.

bd

[Garry Sharp]

Hi Bill. The 1/4" input on the VF is unbalanced anyway. It's designed to take a guitar straight in as you are doing, and has amp modelling facilities within it which are supposed to do the same as an external box. They're probably crap though

[billisa]

I feel better. Actually, modelling doesn't really appeal to me right now. We're going for as clean a sound as possible. Actually, in comparing the VF80 direct input against miking the 12-string, the direct line into the VF80 sounded excellent.

[bdbdbuck]

In any event, the V-Amp2 has wet and dry outputs so you can have either one or a mixture of both.


bd

[Axe4Yahweh]

Someone besides me loves their V-AMP2...

CR ><>

[bdbdbuck]

Best thing since sliced bread man!!


bd

[a12stringer]

At the risk of making a stupid sounding suggestion, why not mike the guitar and record direct at the same time? That way you can listen to and pick which sound you prefer, or, with some judicious editing, mix and switch parts throughout the song. This is one of the great things about digital recording. You can have your cake, eat it too, and even switch flavors between [if you'll pardon the atrocious pun] bytes.

[bdbdbuck]

The nice thing about the V-Amp2 like I said before, is it has wet and dry outputs which gives me the option of how much fx I'm gonna record with. The other thing is purely personal preference, once I find a sound for the guitar that I like for the song I'm working on, I pretty much stick with it all the way through. If I feel I want something else to augment the sound, I'll track that seperately, so I can bring it up or down to taste. It's mostly just doing it the way I feel most comfortable doing it. It's kinda the same thing only different. I have used the mic in the past with the V-Amp, giving me a total of three inputs and got the fullest acoustic sound I've ever gotten, for the most part though I'm usually looking for something else.


bd

[billisa]

Originally posted by a12stringer
At the risk of making a stupid sounding suggestion, why not mike the guitar and record direct at the same time? That way you can listen to and pick which sound you prefer, or, with some judicious editing, mix and switch parts throughout the song. This is one of the great things about digital recording. You can have your cake, eat it too, and even switch flavors between [if you'll pardon the atrocious pun] bytes.

actually, I've done this, and it's kind of cool. very hard to pick which is "better"...