The Kemper does look good. There is a lot of rivalry between the AxeFX and Kemper users but from a neutral party the Kemper does look to be at least on par with the Fractal stuff, and a LOT cheaper, about £700 cheaper than an Axe-FX II. I appreciate the Axe is more flexible with the ability to add and remove effects, but the Kemper still sounds top notch to me.
if I stick with the AxeFX (and the Jury is still out on this) i'll probably sell my current pedal board and put together a Pedaltrian Mini with a few essentials on to take to gigs with my Dark Terror, then should it all go tit's up I've at least got the essentials for a gig. The cash from selling the G-System would be enough to upgrade to an Axe II as wellOriginally Posted by drwiddly
I'd recommend you look at the various tube amps that are available too mate.if I stick with the AxeFX (and the Jury is still out on this) i'll probably sell my current pedal board and put together a Pedaltrian Mini with a few essentials on to take to gigs with my Dark Terror, then should it all go tit's up I've at least got the essentials for a gig. The cash from selling the G-System would be enough to upgrade to an Axe II as well
Try it with a Mesa 5050 or VHT2:50:2.
They ARE heavy but it might get you closer to your Jubilee tone.
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Im going to throw my (not inexperienced) views forward here.
The AFX - even the 2 - isnt going to sound exactly like your favourite tube amp, and probably wont quite have the dynamics of things in the Bognor price area. The reason though isnt the AFX, its how you amplify it. Valve power amps work but will impart some of their own character meaning some tones my be spot on, others a way off. SS power amps work, but you have to have a decent quality one and you have to tune your patches. in both cases your playing through a guitar cab, so you arnt utilising the speaker sims - and you wont get a 4x12 sound from a 1x12 cab or vica verca, so getting a range of perfect tones isnt always easy. Having said that, your in the same boat with a head/combo, and the AFX would offer enough variety that does work for a versatile rig.
Recommendations - Tube Power Amps, VHT (Fryette) 2:50:2 or Atomics 2x50 tube power amp. SS amps, the Matrix amps - GT1000, GT 1600 (if you run 16 Ohm 4x12s), GT1500 (3 channels for wet/dry/wet if you have 3 cabs) or the new RP1000 which have a valve pre in it (more for use with traditional pre-amps rather than a full blown modeller).
If you go FRFR, then you get a mic'd up sound. Its not the same as having a real amp flapping your trouser legs and that takes getting used to. it does however offer more versatility to get perfect tones - and you hear the same as the audience does (which isnt the case if your micing up a real amp or and AXF/PA/Cab setup). Recommendations here - the Atomic CLR (wedge or 1x12 format), matrix cabs (passive or powered in wedge or 1x12 format) or the RCF NX12sma.
As for 100s models - you dont need to use them all. I have my favourites, and use others to experiment sometimes. You will be drawn to those flavours you like in real life - but have the ability to switch between similar sims for a slightly different flavour - or tweek one you like to get JUST the sound in your head (which you cant do with a real amp really).
My take on the Kemper - tried it, didnt like it. It was good but I didnt feel the need to swop me AFX2 - or indeed get one to go with it. The routing and FX sections were poor (by comparison), the "non FRFR" aspects wernt great (ie removing the cab part to use with a PA and real cab), and even the FRFR stuff was not consistent (some good, some OK, some poor - none i found were WOW). That said, I only played with factory profiles and there are a ton of user ones out there - and I was also restricted to monitoring with what was in the shop - non of which was great, so quite possibly with the right powering solution and right bunch of profiles then it could work.
I kind of feel for Si. Hes on his third attempt but has yet to try the AFX2 which is better than the first generations (which are still great though) and his Matrix is the GT800 which again is great, but not as open as the 1000/1600/1500. What hes working with has worked for a great many people - but for those with great ears and a pick nature (not knocking Si - its a good thing, but some people just dont hear the nuances) the combo isnt showing off the best available from such a rig, and may still be a little lacking. Ill hopefully hook up in a couple of weeks with my AFX2/Matix 1000. He may see a noticeable difference or may still feel a bit meh - but at least he will have heard what can be achieved.
As for the (what if it breaks), i keep a backup like you always should - in my case a Fender Mustang floor. I dont feel the need to keep a spare power amp, as I can go direct with either the AXF or Fender if I had too. The Fender isnt in the same league as the AFX but would get me though a gig.
I guess its all about expectations. As always things suit different people in different situations. I feel an AFX (or kemper should you wish) suits home recording, home volume levels and those who usually mic up (particularly function bands where onstage volume needs to be lowish and a variety of tones are needed), with the only variation being how you amplify the rig (which does make a difference, but only to the player - not to the audience). If however you can play your tube rig in its sweet spot, get enough of a range of tones for you needs, and find an amp that suits you then that is still (probably) the best solution.
Personally, I never found such an amp. it was always a compromise for me between clean,gain and high gain, between low and high volume levels (and couldnt play high enough often), and constantly finding amps that were "almost" there (ie couldnt dial out a nasty frequency, or couldnt quite get the gain, or couldnt quite get the clarity etc). I dont have that with the AFX - I can dial it to my tastes. i may have become de-sensitised to a true great amp (as ive been Axeing it for over 4 years now) but once you stop comparing and start dialling tones its a great rig.
Last edited by paulmapp8306; 3rd February 2013 at 06:58 PM.
I would take a great song with Bad tone over Great tones in a shitty song anyday.
Cash is the problem.. there expensive. Plus the point of the AxeFX setup was to reduce the weight so the matrix is ideal (been suffering from a bad back since an accident at work a few years ago and sometimes I struggle with heavy things although I do have friendly band mates to help carry cabs up stairs
I'm not a great player by any means, and I'm sure that someone a lot better than me could dial in the sounds easily. I think the problem I have is that I'm just not skilled enough to dial the AxeFX in to get the sounds I hear in my head. Lots of people are millions of times better then me, they can mess with the EQ here and tweak it there, a PEQ here, a sag change there and TADA, it sounds fantastic, I'm just not skilled enough to do that. That's probably why I like my Marshalls, there simple to use and always sound killer.
I'm persistent though, like Paulmap8306 said, this is my 3rd time with an Axe-FX and every time I'm determined to make it work.. my usual problem is that I can get it to sound good at home but never got it to live up to expectations live, unlike the long list of valve amps i've had in the past.
What I really need is for all you Fractal experts to get in a room with me and show me what I'm doing wrong, and even dial it in for me.. then I'd be happy
Last edited by Si.; 3rd February 2013 at 07:51 PM.
Soon young padwan.
I would take a great song with Bad tone over Great tones in a shitty song anyday.
If only there was an event geared up for Axe fans, or those just curious...What I really need is for all you Fractal experts to get in a room with me and show me what I'm doing wrong, and even dial it in for me.. then I'd be happy
"You do things your way and you put your life in God's hands. You do things someone else's way and you take your life in your own hands." Confucius
Rather than a sales event.. we need a training course
here's another thing with the Axe-II..
you can run two amps simultaneously..
this is killer if you want the 'big tone'
live, my riffing tone is a 5150mk3 and a VH4
my soloing tone is the 5150mk3
my clean tone is a 70's Hiwatt
in the studio I'll add a JCM800 and a Herbert
imagine lugging all that to a gig...
when it comes to touring, I'm going to hire a backup AxeII [until I have the dosh to get a 2nd one]
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Rather than a sales event.. we need a training course
It wasn't a sales event, although G66 did help with funding such things as refreshments.
I'm looking at a bigger venue for the next one.
"You do things your way and you put your life in God's hands. You do things someone else's way and you take your life in your own hands." Confucius
Where are all the women guitarists?
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