Guitar amp modelers

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Talldog

Talldog

Pain in the ass
I've got some nice amps here but they take up alot of space so I'm thinkig about modelers. I need a stand alone unit as I am analog. I had a line 6 spider a couple of years ago and didn't like any of the non clean sounds. I've got a triple rectum frier that sounds great but is Too loud for my studio most of the time. Got a 5150 that is great for one sound. I'm not looking for alot of fx just a wide range of realistic distortion and clean sounds. Thanks in advance!
 
Modelers are of the Devil! :D

I have tried just about all of them. None seem to get me anything close to an amp with a couple mics when it comes to distortion tones.
 
The old and discontinued J-Station's the fav of many old-school guitarists, especially those (like me) who grew up with a Fender Twin. The good news is that it's often available for under $100 at ebay. Nothing beats a good amp, but with some careful tweaking, the J's a fine alternative when the family and neighbors are restless.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug00/articles/jstation.htm
 
Axe-fx is pretty much the only thing worth it right now, otherwise just mic your amps.
 
Modelers are of the Devil! :D

I have tried just about all of them. None seem to get me anything close to an amp with a couple mics when it comes to distortion tones.

YEP! If you play that down tuned metal crap that sounds like a distorted Tuba rather than a guitar, then modelers may work fine. For the rest of us that actually use midrange frequencies to create guitar tones, modelers are the Devil.
 
The old and discontinued J-Station's the fav of many old-school guitarists, especially those (like me) who grew up with a Fender Twin. The good news is that it's often available for under $100 at ebay. Nothing beats a good amp, but with some careful tweaking, the J's a fine alternative when the family and neighbors are restless.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug00/articles/jstation.htm

The best modeler hands down. The J-Station could never overcome the Pod's hype machine but to my ears and most guitarist I know who've A-B'd them, the Pod just isn't as accurate or "vibey" as the J-Station. I got mine after the 2.0 software update, so if you are lucky enough to find one make sure it's a 2.0 or you go to the Johnson site and get the download. The 2.0 has more amp models, etc...

They are worth every penny if you can find one that is. I've heard that those in the know are buying them up and stockpiling them for their own use. They're that good...
 
Good to know about the update, John. Thanks. Yeah, I know that some folks a buying a back-up unit, just in case. I may do the same although mine's given me no trouble during the past 8 years.
 
I think Tech21 has some really good stuff...and they are analog
 
I have a J-station,but I'm not all that impressed with it.I've used Roland,Korg and Digitech emulations too.I'm not as totally against modelers as most people on this board,I consider the performance and the song more important than the tone.Still a miced amp sounds good,but a modeler is more convenient from a HOMErecording aspect.

I also have a Tech21 Sansamp and it's a decent alternative,a little more organic sounding.
 
The AXE-FX is a good choice for this board "The Rack". You might also look into a MUSE box to run modelling plugins (Guitar Rig, Amplitube, etc). That Fender Amplitube makes is VERY good.

I've had them all, J-station, V-amp, Pod. They all do something well or they wouldn't have sold millions of them. Nothing beats your favorite tubes driving your speakers into the back of your legs, unless of course you've never experienced that.
 
I think modelers work best in conjunction with miked amplifiers.
 
I have a J-station,but I'm not all that impressed with it.I've used Roland,Korg and Digitech emulations too.I'm not as totally against modelers as most people on this board,I consider the performance and the song more important than the tone.Still a miced amp sounds good,but a modeler is more convenient from a HOMErecording aspect.

I also have a Tech21 Sansamp and it's a decent alternative,a little more organic sounding.

Id think that most of us would agree that a decent modeler is better than having the array of real amps...just based on the amount of space they all would take up.

But going straight in with the miced cabnet model isnt the way Id go...I run the modeled signal through a low watt tube amp and mic a real cabinet.
 
Id think that most of us would agree that a decent modeler is better than having the array of real amps...just based on the amount of space they all would take up.

.


Ahh, hhhuh, hmmm . . . no, I don't think 'most' would . . . compromises abound, are inevitable . . . And I have Tech21, (used the bass driver regularly) the old red box, J station, Vox tone works (think that's the label . . . anyway on the small solid state series) and access if someone requests it a Line Six (though at the moment I can't remember where that amp is and I don't use it) I will use J Station and a couple of settings (primarily the vox ones) on the Vox

Also have Fender, Vox, Traynor, Peavey, and two custom boutique valve amps, one of the ones that gets the most extensive work out is 3 watt with 8 in. speaker (those spec's being about only thing it shares with typical 'mini')

everything is about finding correct tool among the compromises.

The very marketing pitch on which the modelers sell themselves is the thing I find to be most problematic (nor do any of them manage to actually sound 'like' their sources, but that is actually a different, slightly, issue). They are not particularly flexible. They primarily depend on overkill relatively low rent digital Fx to achieve their range of sound and you'll spend far too much time programing several slightly different patches for any single application to achieve workable results (if they are used as only driver)

put 10 lbs of wood (oh and some vibrating strings) in front of a well executed 1.5, 3, or 5 watt valve amp and you can achieve far more subtle control and variation of tone (which might or might not be the goal, hence correct tool for the job) then any modeler, even repatched to one of those amps can achieve (the modeler is oxycontin submerging impact of the single beer)

time, money, location, material (content) and project specific goals are context for any gear selection. I've recorded great content with $15 guitars
$20 amps, choice of which were perfectly suited to the projects goal and resulting recordings are not things I'd ever feel I'd have to revisit to 'do them right' on multi $K's dollar gear

There is/are place for modelers, perhaps even for line six (though I'd take some convincing on that), but they are never (in foreseeable future) going to be an effective replacement for valve amps . . . for a guitar player who aspires to become a musician (and I'm still aspiring) it does not take long for the lack of variation, lack of subtle control (of the modelers) to fatigue and frustrate . . . you might get one very good 'sound' and when subsumed by the wash of pop tonalities that might well be adequate (appropriate tool for the job) . . . but at this point (and for foreseeable future) modelers can't be other then 'fast food': fat salt and sugar . . . they sell millions because they are designed to appeal to things target demographic will viscerally find appealing . . . there are moments when something labeled burrito acquired for a buck via midnight drive through is thoroughly appropriate . . . a steady diet of poop flavored poop wrapped in flaccid glue & cardboard will, typically, lead to unintended consequences and limit long term development

so? pretty sure consensus on modelers is not going to possible . . . right up to that moment when that midnight burrito still tastes delicious (& not like tangy poop flavored poop) it will still seem like the world's greatest invention which you might be willing to defend to your death . . . a second later: 'God, this is disgusting, but what, if you're in Gaylord KS @ 12:23 AM, might be your only option . . . for musicians valve amps should be tools not religious artifacts
 
That isnt very fair....most midnight gas station burritos desisions are based on alot of alcohol and pot involved...most modeler choices are done sober.
 
I've got some nice amps here but they take up alot of space so I'm thinkig about modelers. !

If you are going to do this, I strongly recommend you put your amps in storage while you play around with the modelers for 3 months. Then pull the amps out for a day and try the real amps again. That way you will not have sold off your amps when you realized that the real thing just clobbers digital amp modelers.
 
What about the analog modelers like the Tech21 and Seymore Duncan amps?
 
mmmm.....I'll go out on a limb here, and say that I will not be entirely going back to 'close' mic'ng, anytime soon.
The same thing tends to happen...I get a great sound out of 'an' amp....but it fails to translate into the recording...(through my own fault or quality of gear)....so it sounds like shit, and not how I intended it to be. (keep in mind that I am merely a 'home-recording' enthusiast/musician, though I've managed to produce a couple of albums in the past 2 years, but anyways..)
I love the idea (and in practise), the direct input method....I get what I want consistently....and that's something I can really appreciate...consistency!

A close mic'd guitar is still utilised on some clean stuff that I do, and some 'Tele' lead stuff...but that's about it....for me.

But hey, that's just me!
 
...one of the ones that gets the most extensive work out is 3 watt with 8 in. speaker...

Just curious, what 8" speaker is in that amp? What does it excel at? Asking because I will be looking for an 8" speaker soon and have no idea where to start--except the Weber website.
 
Sorry everyone. Been off the grid for a while. Thanks so much for the input. I'd rather not use a modeler but my amps are LOUD. Regarding low watt amps (1.5-18watt) where would I get one and what do they sound like? I've got no problem with selling the mesa and 5150.
 
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