Question for Axe-FX Users

[clarky]

I've got time tomorrow with paulmapp to go through things, try out his GT1000 and AxeFX II and see if I can get some sounds I like out of my setup. If not I've got a buyer looking to come over on Monday night and take it off my hands, so tomorrow is make or break time.

Spent most of today reading up on the Kemper and watching videos and I'm seriously tempted to give that a try. I'd love to go for an AxeFX II but there just way too expensive at £2k (and I've not seen any 2nd hand ones about), the Kemper is £800 cheaper..

if you're going to the guitar show in Brum on Sunday, I'll be there with my Axe on the Matrix stand [or in the Matrix 'loud room']

you can try my Axe too if you wish...

EDIT: you need to hear the Axe in stereo..
if can do a great many things that the KPA can't get close to

[Si.]

Stereo setup's aren't on my radar, for what I do I can't see the need for one and defiantly won't be carrying 2 cabs to every gig.

I agree the Axe II is a lot more configurable than the Kemper.. and that's great for some people, but it's also £800 dearer which is a large chunk or cash. I've done a lot of reading over the last few days and I'm starting the think that the "plug-and-play" nature of the Kemper is more up my street. I'm not a big FX user most of the time so the extra routing and configuration options of the AFXII are not realy what I need. I've still got my G-System so can use that with the Kemper for any FX that I might need above what the unit it's self provides (although I can't really see my needing anything more than it already has on offer).

I'll see what happens after today..

[digitalscream]

if you're going to the guitar show in Brum on Sunday, I'll be there with my Axe on the Matrix stand [or in the Matrix 'loud room']

Dude, check out the mental solid-state guitar amp they've got in there if you haven't already. It's completely bonkers, and frighteningly good.

[jmp220478]

so how did the time with Paul work out - Ultra for sale ? getting a 2 ? back to Valves ? or off to the dark side - Kemper ?

be interested to hear if you made any progress with the Tannoy / Eminence cab >>

[paulmapp8306]

Good afternoon actually.

The frfr cab was ok actually. It was a little harsh, and boomy which I expected given the cost, but it could be made to work.

The benefits of the gt1000 over the 800 was frankly minimal at gig levels, and what there was would be negated with drummer, bass, vocals etc. It confirmed what I've said before. The 1000 is better and worth getting over the 800, but its not really worth replacing an 800 with a 1000

Ultra v axf2. Varied. Some amp models, particularly those added towards the end of the ultras development such as the friedmans were surprisingly close. Others, particularly more vintagy low gain amps such as the ac30 tb were miles appart, the 2 being very nice.

As for tweeking si's rig. That went well. I gain staged the afx/matrix. And put an anti fm eq curve on one op for low volume. I moved the tonestack a little (on a JCM 800 patch), added a little thump and warmth. That fattened the tone and rounded off the high-end. The big thing? The global tonestack was set to active. Changing it back to passive and bam. Done deal.

I put si in a spot I think. We got the patch to where he was happy. But he really needs to try in with a band to be sure which he won't get to do before he has to decide on selling the ultra or not.

[octatonic]

Active tonestack does explain a lot of the issues he has been having.

[Si.]

As above, that's just about covers it.. I wan't aware of the active/passive setting and it defiantly explains why I was having problems dialling it in. The FRFR cab was actually a LOT better than I expected, we just used a standard 4x12 V30 cab (I didn't try any of the Red Wirez IRs) but after some tweaking it sounded good. It was a little harsh on it's own but I think in a band situation it would be great. It was a LOT louder and filled the room a lot better than i ever expected it to after my besroom testing. Gong back to the standrd 2x12 actually sounded a lot worse until you got used to it again

The AFXII was nice from what I heard, and the AC30 block on the AFXII is certainly lot better than the ultra one, but like Paulmapp said, the later models were very very similar, and nothing I think would be noticeable at a gig (I really don't record do recording subtleties don't matter to me.).

I couldn't really tell much difference between the GT800 and 1000, there was maybe a subtle difference but that might have been subconscious, I'm not sure many people would tell in a bling gig volume test, and it's defiantly nothing I would fret about or worry about the GT800.

In all an excellent 2 hours and MANY MANY thanks for all of the help and assistance from paulmapp, top bloke who gave up his time to help out a fellow forumite.

So.. do i keep it, sell it, upgrade it.. I've no idea.. i was secretly hoping that i would hate it even after Paulmapp's tweaking and then the decision would be easy, but it was sounding good when we finished (I must have liked it as my ears are still ringing). An AFXII is out of range, there just way too expensive, a kemper is tempting but has it's limitations, I can hold onto the Ultra but prices at some point are going to crash on the, and I've got an offer on the table now from someone to buy it..

(if I do keep it i want a better Midi controller, I don't like the FCB1010 at all)

Decisions Decisions.

[octatonic]

The MFC is a brilliant piece of kit.
I can't recommend it enough.

[Si.]

Yea, I was looking at it.. seems ideal (obviously as it's designed to be used with the Axe), bit expensive though so I might have to do some saving first.

Assuming I keep the AFX, I would likely sell my G-System which would just about buy me an MFC.

[paulmapp8306]

Prices on the Ultra/Standards havent moved much in the last year - and arnt likely to until there is an AFX3, or many more AFX2s on the used market. What you have been offered for your Ultra is around the going rate despite it being more than you paid for it.

I honestly think given the buyer wants it for a studio, but wasnt actively seeking one out, that if you worked with the Ultra a while longer - at least to get it in a band situation post tweeking - then your buyer would still be interested. That said you have to be happy with your choice ultimately so ???

If you do keep the Ultra - notch your global gains up by 3db. Totally forgot that I matched it like my cab - which has a 3db cut for non solo work. We matched yours at full tilt - so your going to end up with a 2-3db cut in volume once you assign you vol pedal to its minimum. You have easily got another 3db headroom available into your cab.