Guitar Megathread II: Unleash the picking fury!!!

[rollerball]

Incredible technology but probably overkill for most guitarists. How many sounds will you ever use? I reckon an amp with a reactive load into impulse responses then into the Fractal for effects and through monitors so you can play at low volume will sound and feel better every day of the week.

A friend of mine is using Amplitube 5 and wanted my thoughts. Maybe it could use further tweaking but it felt like it had 2% of the touch sensitivity of my own rig. On mine I play soft and it's clean with every nuance of the pick touching the strings. Dig in and I get more drive until it's singing when I solo and that's all without touching the volume control. I'm not really hearing that in modeler demos. They sound amazing with high gain but who wants to play with that all the time?

FM9: "One big difference (vs. FM3) is the FM9 can run two amp blocks and two cab blocks in any preset." Been doing this for over 2 years. Glad it's catching on. Sounds great.

I've never liked any iteration of Amplitube I must say, in fact very few plugins have raised my ears at all save Scuffham. If you're going to make comparisons I feel the only worthy hardware to consider are the Axe FX and the Kemper. Line 6, Amplifire, Headrush, QC, Amplitube, Guitarig, Positive Grid, etc -- all that chit is trash imo.

[Dominik]

I've never liked any iteration of Amplitube I must say, in fact very few plugins have raised my ears at all save Scuffham. If you're going to make comparisons I feel the only worthy hardware to consider are the Axe FX and the Kemper. Line 6, Amplifire, Headrush, QC, Amplitube, Guitarig, Positive Grid, etc -- all that chit is trash imo.

Certainly not suggesting it can hold a candle to the Fractal stuff however when I watch demos what usually stands out are the sterile super chorused cleans and Mesa recto style high gain tones. It's the low gain stuff where it's less compelling although I'm aware that someone with great ears who knows what the real thing sounds like could tweak it until it sounds right.

Just to add to that I posted this a while back and it's a Kemper as a preamp going into the power section of a real amp and cabs. Sounds as good as the album to me.

[rollerball]

Certainly not suggesting it can hold a candle to the Fractal stuff however when I watch demos what usually stands out are the sterile super chorused cleans and Mesa recto style high gain tones. It's the low gain stuff where it's less compelling although I'm aware that someone with great ears who knows what the real thing sounds like could tweak it until it sounds right.

Just to add to that I posted this a while back and it's a Kemper as a preamp going into the power section of a real amp and cabs. Sounds as good as the album to me.

[youtube]OoF8GaZiVIY[youtube]

There are definitely an over abundance of videos on YT that showcase those cheesy high gain tones that don't really showcase other aspects of the Kemper/AxeFX. Those tones on that video are really good. That tribute band is excellent all around.

This is a video from 2014 that I always thought did a good job of showing the cleanish to light dirty tones of at least the Kemper. In the video the Axe FX II iteration doesn't really hold up tone wise imo at least comparatively, but the Kemper tones throughout the video are, imo, fantastic and that video is around 7 years old. I suppose for profiling that makes sense that tones would still be so good but regardless I imagine that you'd be pleasantly surprised at how good those profiles can actually get.
0-1:19 and 3:20 onwards and some great clean tones. 6:19 onwards has great light dirty singing tones.

[Dominik]

There are definitely an over abundance of videos on YT that showcase those cheesy high gain tones that don't really showcase other aspects of the Kemper/AxeFX. Those tones on that video are really good. That tribute band is excellent all around.

This is a video from 2014 that I always thought did a good job of showing the cleanish to light dirty tones of at least the Kemper. In the video the Axe FX II iteration doesn't really hold up tone wise imo at least comparatively, but the Kemper tones throughout the video are, imo, fantastic and that video is around 7 years old. I suppose for profiling that makes sense that tones would still be so good but regardless I imagine that you'd be pleasantly surprised at how good those profiles can actually get.
0-1:19 and 3:20 onwards and some great clean tones. 6:19 onwards has great light dirty singing tones.

"6:19 onwards has great light dirty singing tones"

That's exactly what I'm talking about. The toaster sounds really impressive there. So the best gear can do it.

[bignpisst]

Any love for Guthrie Trap or Jack Ruch ?

[Dominik]

Bought my first Ibanez pedal... and it wasn't a Tube Screamer.

Was after a simple tremolo pedal and while the Boss TR-2 is tried and true the Ibanez ticks all the boxes.

1. Half the size
2. Volume control
3. True bypass
4. Made in Japan

[ctgblue]

Bought my first Ibanez pedal... and it wasn't a Tube Screamer.
Was after a simple tremolo pedal and while the Boss TR-2 is tried and true the Ibanez ticks all the boxes.
1. Half the size
2. Volume control
3. True bypass
4. Made in Japan

Just curious, what do you use it for?

I have always really disliked this effect, but know some people love it.
I had tremolo on my first amp and have gone out of my way to not have it on anything since.

So, do you play a lot of old blues with it, or what else do you like it for?

It's like reverb, I hate it, but tons of people love it, I prefer light delay.

[Dominik]

Just curious, what do you use it for?

I have always really disliked this effect, but know some people love it.
I had tremolo on my first amp and have gone out of my way to not have it on anything since.

So, do you play a lot of old blues with it, or what else do you like it for?

It's like reverb, I hate it, but tons of people love it, I prefer light delay.

I know what you mean but it can be used tastefully. The reason I was looking for a mini pedal that was true bypass is because it's something I wanted to squeeze in for the occasional use, very subtle, going for more of a vintage amp sound for blues. The big deal with this effect seems to be "harmonic tremolo" but I went down that rabbit hole looking at a lot of expensive pedals weighing up analog vs. digital, stereo, tap tempo... and decided I'd keep it simple. When I'm not using it it's true bypass and doesn't take up much space.

[EoR]

Haven't posted in a while but I loved this new solo by Matteo Mancuso:



I still love the guitar pick and the attack it gives but his right hand is phenomenal.

[J.L.C.]

Bought my first Ibanez pedal... and it wasn't a Tube Screamer.

Was after a simple tremolo pedal and while the Boss TR-2 is tried and true the Ibanez ticks all the boxes.

1. Half the size
2. Volume control
3. True bypass
4. Made in Japan

I picked up a bypass box so I can keep anything that isn't TB out of the chain. Really handy for using some vintage pedals I don't want to modify.
https://www.loop-master.com/

https://www.loop-master.com/images/D...r%20Bypass.JPG

[Dominik]

I picked up a bypass box so I can keep anything that isn't TB out of the chain. Really handy for using some vintage pedals I don't want to modify.
https://www.loop-master.com/

https://www.loop-master.com/images/D...r%20Bypass.JPG

Good to see you JLC. That's a great suggestion. I've got one of those A/B loop switchers from JHS with a remote.

[bignpisst]

This video floored me today. No I don't embed I actually hate that on here

https://youtu.be/AGPx-ekqZEo

[ctgblue]

This one still gets me, this song timing is so hard to play correctly as is, but he just take sit up a notch


https://youtu.be/6caUN3HLJSI

[rollerball]

Gary Cherone is the fukking worst. He was the reason why Extreme was 75% unlistenable and he singlehandedly turned Van Halen into a vaudeville act.

The biggest preening tool in rock bar none.

[Dominik]

Gary Cherone is the fukking worst. He was the reason why Extreme was 75% unlistenable and he singlehandedly turned Van Halen into a vaudeville act.

The biggest preening tool in rock bar none.

VH III was like The Godfather Part III for me — didn't finish it and never returned to it.

However to be fair the whole vaudeville thing started with DLR and left unchecked he would have ruined Van Halen too. Ed had to build his own studio to get more control and after that album (1984) they got rid of him altogether. They became even more commercial with Hagar which turned a lot of VH fans off and that era is often referred to as Van Hagar since he kind of made it his band. It also coincided with Eddie playing keyboards more which overall wasn't for me. Hagar had some serious pipes so Ed could finally write music for a real vocalist. Some of it was solid. I liked 5150.

My favorite VH album is still Fair Warning. His guitar tone and phrasing peaked there.

[rollerball]

VH III was like The Godfather Part III for me — didn't finish it and never returned to it.

However to be fair the whole vaudeville thing started with DLR and left unchecked he would have ruined Van Halen too. Ed had to build his own studio to get more control and after that album (1984) they got rid of him altogether. They became even more commercial with Hagar which turned a lot of VH fans off and that era is often referred to as Van Hagar since he kind of made it his band. It also coincided with Ed playing keyboards more which overall wasn't for me. Hagar had some serious pipes so Ed could finally write music for a real vocalist. Some of it was solid. I liked 5150.

My favorite VH album is still Fair Warning. His guitar tone and phrasing peaked there.

True, Diamond Dave did have that vaudevillian thing going on but horrid zero-charisma awfully-voiced Gary Cherone took that chit and jumped the shark.

It's funny how I looked down on ol Sammy when I was younger but time has begun to vindicate him.
I'd trade 100,000 Gary Cherones for 1 Sammy Hagar.

[Dominik]

True, Diamond Dave did have that vaudevillian thing going on but horrid zero-charisma awfully-voiced Gary Cherone took that chit and jumped the shark.

It's funny how I looked down on ol Sammy when I was younger but time has begun to vindicate him.
I'd trade 100,000 Gary Cherones for 1 Sammy Hagar.

He definitely had some pipes. 4:15



VH III was a trainwreck plus Eddie looked like he was on meth. I lost interest after For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge.

[rollerball]

He definitely had some pipes. 4:15

VH III was a trainwreck plus Eddie looked like he was on meth. I lost interest after For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge.

What's your opinion of Nuno? The more I listen to his chit the closer I put him to actual EVH level in terms of skill. His solos are similarly hard to learn imo. I'm still kinda wrestling with his solo from Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure.

[PattBattmann]

I've personally always been a big Hagar fan and really like the Van Hagar era.
Listening to that previous The Who cover, reminds me of how great of a vocalist Roger Daltrey is.
IMO, The Who are the best of the big 3 (Beatles, Stones, Who). Actually I would rank them as The Who, Rolling Stone, Beatles. Yes, Beatles are the worst of the 3.

[bignpisst]

I liked the Hagar era. I didn't like the idea when it first happened but I think 5150 is maybe my favorite VH album. It has some of Ed's best work if you ask me.

DLR would have brought the band down sooner or later. Let's not even talk about Gary

[rollerball]

I liked the Hagar era. I didn't like the idea when it first happened but I think 5150 is maybe my favorite VH album. It has some of Ed's best work if you ask me.

DLR would have brought the band down sooner or later. Let's not even talk about Gary

Gary brought a nuclear winter to Van Halen. Gary is the worst thing to ever happen to rock.

[bignpisst]

Gary brought a nuclear winter to Van Halen. Gary is the worst thing to ever happen to rock.

More than words

[rollerball]

More than words

lol the ultimate low-test song

[rollerball]

Ordered the Fractal Audio FM3. Put the Axe FX II up for sale.

I'm curious how much better the algorithms in the FM3, supposedly the exact same as the Axe FX III, will compare to my II.

[Dominik]

Ordered the Fractal Audio FM3. Put the Axe FX II up for sale.

I'm curious how much better the algorithms in the FM3, supposedly the exact same as the Axe FX III, will compare to my II.

Look forward to hearing your review of it. I could easily see myself going all in with it.

[Wayne Evans]

Haven't posted in a while but I loved this new solo by Matteo Mancuso: I still love the guitar pick and the attack it gives but his right hand is phenomenal.

Yep....very unique right hand style along with accurate and impressive.

Have a great day everyone....

[rollerball]

Look forward to hearing your review of it. I could easily see myself going all in with it.

It should be here on Wednesday, I'm excited to see the differences.

[rollerball]

Still in the beginning phases of using the FM3 but dang this is an awesome piece of kit. The amp tones and feel are a step up from the Axe FX II, not a crazy leap as the II is still a great unit, but I would say a tangible, objective improvement. The amp tones seems a bit more raw and unrefined than the II in a good way, more dynamic and more responsive.
With the II I tended to use two main amps - the 100Watt Plexi and the Triptik Modern. But with the FM3 Cygnus algorithms I'm finding quite a few of factory presets fun and useable even without adjustments.
The color screen is definitely an upgrade from the military green lcd screen of the II and it's substantially easier to edit on the unit - although still kind of daunting tbh.

I think one could build a really awesome sound around this unit for live playing. It's super sturdy and has a solid I/O selection.

Edit: The more I play with the FM3 the more I like it. The amp models sound and feel killer and the effects are superb. The CPU apparently can't handle dual amps but in a single signal chain it has a fair amount of room for adding effects and other processes. The editing software is also nice.

[Auburn RSX-S]

OOF this one hurts but I got too many guitars. If you guys know of anyone who wants this, hit me up.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/275031594785

[bignpisst]

Everybody has heard the song Stand by me

What a great job of a pretty long solo by Guthrie Trapp at 5:14


https://youtu.be/gpcSVByIW8w

Did you see the booty drop?