What's your effects chain like?

[guitar_phreak]

Correct if I'm wrong,

1) amp heads are like the powerful gizmos of an amp less the speakers....normally packing more watts than their combo amp counter parts?

2) amp heads muz be connected to cabinet speakers...which are generally more powerful than combi types.

3) amateurish players like me shouldn't even consider those cabinet setups....unless I want the police to knock on my door...

I'm looking into a more modern sound... those digital amps look quite attractive (like Line6..) .. the Vetta II looks very impressive and very flexible, but I'm sure they cost a bomb!!!

Any comments on the difference between amp based effects and pedal / multi-efx based effects?

 

[brundisium]

my 0.02 cent....

1)Amphead aint no BIG different than a combo amp . Only different one is with built in speaker and the other without(can mix and match speaker in closed or open back cab for tonal preference) Amphead comes in different wattage, as low as 0.5-1.5watt(zvex nano amp) to few hundred watt. Combo amp(depending on brand) can also go from 1watt to 50watt or more depending on circuit design also

2)Amphead need to be connected to a speaker cab thru speaker cable, not the usual instrument cable. Speaker cab and combo different in the sense that combo amp is with the amp circuit built into the same wooden structure wheras amphead can be connected to any speaker cab as long as the impedance of the speaker matched with the amphead. Its not in the sense of one is more powerful than the other

3)As long as you know what you want in your tone preference and have the budget, no one shud stop you from getting one. Certain amphead/amp have a switch that can lower down the wattage. Even if no such design in the amp, there is a device called attenuator(from THD, marshall, dr z etc) which can allow you to crank the amp, and thru this device, you can get tube distortion at low volume. But often, it DOES colour the tone(only apply if you can hear the difference between a cranked tube amp with the attenuator and another without)

Line 6 amp is good for the various sound that you can get from it and compared to some of the tube amp, its still much much more cheaper, depending on your definition of costing a bomb.

Multi efx=digital in most cases,
Pedals=fully analog or combination of digital & analog

A well designed digital efx is as good as a analog designed pedal(Not very often though) imho.

Advantage of multi efx-many tricks in one bag, but might not give the best sound

Pedals- able to mix and match accordingly

 

[guitar_phreak]

Very insightful and helpful.

Thanks Brundisium!

 

[marshall_law]

If you can sustain tube amp, by all means get a tube amps. I've try AVT 50 but its clean is really bad but the overdrive is nice. Get a amp with 12 inch speaker too. No point getting a tube amp with 10 inch speaker. 12 inch speaker gots more bottom end.

yo marshall law, how good does the AVT 50 overdrive sound? can you obtain good heavy and crunchy tones? And is the gain fuller and warmer? i am really looking into it.

The overdrive is good. But you can forget about the clean. The clean sound is really sh*tty. You can get heavy sound. And i mean really heavy but i don't think it can achieve a bluesy overdrive. But it is really a good buy if you play metal and such. You'll never be disappointed with this amp. Somemore it is louder than dsl 401 and more compact. But most importantly is give it a try. Cause all these opinion are just me.

 

[marshall_law]

Correct if I'm wrong,

1) amp heads are like the powerful gizmos of an amp less the speakers....normally packing more watts than their combo amp counter parts?

2) amp heads muz be connected to cabinet speakers...which are generally more powerful than combi types.

3) amateurish players like me shouldn't even consider those cabinet setups....unless I want the police to knock on my door...

I'm looking into a more modern sound... those digital amps look quite attractive (like Line6..) .. the Vetta II looks very impressive and very flexible, but I'm sure they cost a bomb!!!

Any comments on the difference between amp based effects and pedal / multi-efx based effects?

1) There is combo that is 100 watts and even 150 watts.

2)Not sure never try a stack before. Anyone willing to let me try their stacks?

3)It takes up a lot of space too.

i never like line 6. I refuse to flow with technology. I hate the variax the most. Nothing beats the real sound of a strat, a les paul and even Santana PRS. If you want the sound of a les paul get a les paul, if you want to have a sound of strat get a strat. Nothing beats the real thing.

For amp based effect, only the overdrive sound nice other sound like crap, imho. If you want delay, chorus or even reverb, get a pedal. Thats what they are for.

 

[brundisium]

imho, the existence of line 6 is a good idea, although might not be like the real thing in term of tone. For a gigging musician, to have various amp/cab/guitars for gigs might be too much of a hassle. The variax or their various amps although might not sound like the real thing(hey its just modelled after the real thing afterall ), it does provide a lot if you need a strat tone, tele, banjo, acoustic guitar in a single gig.

Someone over at line6 forum did a transplant of the variax circuit into warmoth strats, tele body, looks great and much better than the original one.

 

[squidospyder]

Err i play bass and depending on the situation or show/gig:

bass -> amp
bass -> yamaha NE-1 -> amp
bass -> DI box -> mixer -> mixer monitor send
bass -> in your face

...though i don't use the last one very often :lol:

 

[silverfish]

Effect Chain

Here's how my effect chain looks like currently :roll: no space to put the snarling dog on the pedalboard : P

 

[guitar_phreak]

Sorry if I sound ignorant (which I am....)

What does that "Tech21" box do? and the 3 button footswitch, what do they activate?

 

[brundisium]

hmmm, ernie ball volume pedal. Where did you get it? I always wanted one. I used to have the tri ac and the GT-2, but sold the tri ac off and kept the GT-2. The popping sound from the fender mode to the mesa mode turn me off, if not i do like the sound of the tri ac and the memory function of it. Some nice pedals you have there. The Boss dual OD is another great one if used through the right amp

 

[brundisium]

Sorry if I sound ignorant (which I am....)

What does that "Tech21" box do? and the 3 button footswitch, what do they activate?

Tech21 sansamp tri ac is a great product. Its a pedal with 3 mode, modelled after fender amp, marshall and mesa. The tri ac is with memory function where you can keep the setting and call upon when necessasry. There is some serious distortion you can get from this. Usually its for direct recording or through the effect loop as a preamp. But it can also be used directly into the amp input depending on player.

There is another one which is the "pre" to the tri ac, the sansamp GT-2. Check out the tech21 site if you want to know more

http://www.tech21nyc.com/

 

[marshall_law]

You got the volume pedal! 8O I've been looking high and low for it.

 

[silverfish]

hmmm, ernie ball volume pedal. Where did you get it? I always wanted one. I used to have the tri ac and the GT-2, but sold the tri ac off and kept the GT-2. The popping sound from the fender mode to the mesa mode turn me off, if not i do like the sound of the tri ac and the memory function of it. Some nice pedals you have there. The Boss dual OD is another great one if used through the right amp

Yo Brun..

I got most of my effects from musiciansfriend.com.. I think sinamex sell ernie ball VP..the one I got is a VP junior.. Its much cheaper!

Agreed the TRI AC is noisy.. but sounds good : )

 

[brundisium]

haha, how could i have forgotten that sinamex bring in ernie ball stuff

Musicianfriend shipped over to our region? I thought they dont shipped here, or you used something like Vpost to get it.

 

[marshall_law]

haha, how could i have forgotten that sinamex bring in ernie ball stuff

Musicianfriend shipped over to our region? I thought they dont shipped here, or you used something like Vpost to get it.

I think you need to ship to somewhere near singapore then they ship to your place.

 

[guitar_phreak]

Hey guys,

what's your take on "rack effects"?

Other than the fact that they take up alot of space, hard to setup, cost a bomb, very delicate and can't throw around like boss pedals...

 

[marshall_law]

Hey guys,

what's your take on "rack effects"?

Other than the fact that they take up alot of space, hard to setup, cost a bomb, very delicate and can't throw around like boss pedals...

Well, unless you got no mortage, no education fee, you earn a sh*tload of cash and you're single, go ahead and get it. For me, there isnt a need to get $50,000 worth of equipment to play in pub and some mini conert. Unless you're a recording artist, go ahead get the best for you.

 

[guitar_phreak]

No lah.. i was just wondering what's the big ho-ha about them. I think the value of all my gear combined can't even buy 1 rack... ouch!

 

[marshall_law]

No lah.. i was just wondering what's the big ho-ha about them. I think the value of all my gear combined can't even buy 1 rack... ouch!

It doesn't need to be expensive to be good. As long as you are happy with your pedals and processers, it'll be good. Sound is a very individual thing. What may be best for you but not the others. Remember slash did not use a real gibson les paul for appetite for destruction. So the most expensive may not be always the best.

 

[Ragus]

Not all racks are expensive, Behringer has racks effects going for $100+. But sound quality is about the same as pedals of the same price. Remember it's what's inside that matters, not what enclosure the circuit is built in.