Real guitar amps vs: amp sims???

[arrteestic]

This is my first post and whoaaa.. got a lot of feedback and most all of it helpful... all of it interesting! I neglected to be specific in my post about my using a software ampsim as opposed to something like a Line 6 modeling amp, a Zoom type or "pod" box, or Rolland's guitar and amp modeling. But, I'm glad that many of the replys to my post bring up those other types of ampsims.

My choice of ampsim is Native Instruments Guitar Pro 1. I've also tried the Cakewalk Guitar Rig 3 demo which I downloaded from their web sight... it is light years ahead of the generic ampsim they included in their Home Studio 2004. That Home Studio ampsim plug-in dates back to 2000 and sounded like a cheap overdrive pedal with lame speaker sims and FX. It's proof to me that if that much improvement can be made in the past six years, immagine what the next ten might bring.

I expected to get seriously dissed for my suggestion about software "amps" vs. the real deal. Don't think I wouldn't LOVE to have a nice tube amp. $100 will buy me an Epiphone 5 watt tube head which I've read rave reviews on. That's about the price of a Tube Screamer reissue pedal and $600 less than a friend's Victoria tweed Champ amp repro. Clapton recorded a bunch of stuff in the early 70's using just a Fender Champ; 5 watts and an 8" speaker... still sounds good to these ears!

As some have suggested here, I could run a real amp thru my ampsim. I could direct box it into my computer and use the ampsim FX, cabs, and mikes... as some have suggested here... best of both worlds.

Anyway, I THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME TO POST! It is quite educational. Special thanx to Hink & CapnLockheed for their detailed posts and Ifm for the link!

[james0tucson]

Here's one for you. I like to use a Digitech pedal with some mild crunch and a small amount of "combo" amp sim, into my Fender DeLuxe. Both an amp sim *and* a tube amp, and I'm very happy with the results of that.

[Niksounds]

Recording..

This is the "ambience"

The ampsims aren't a AMP SIMULATION but a RECORDED/ING AMP simulation.

For the minds of all

[CapnLockheed]

This is my first post and whoaaa.. got a lot of feedback and most all of it helpful... all of it interesting! I neglected to be specific in my post about my using a software ampsim as opposed to something like a Line 6 modeling amp, a Zoom type or "pod" box, or Rolland's guitar and amp modeling. But, I'm glad that many of the replys to my post bring up those other types of ampsims.

My choice of ampsim is Native Instruments Guitar Pro 1. I've also tried the Cakewalk Guitar Rig 3 demo which I downloaded from their web sight... it is light years ahead of the generic ampsim they included in their Home Studio 2004. That Home Studio ampsim plug-in dates back to 2000 and sounded like a cheap overdrive pedal with lame speaker sims and FX. It's proof to me that if that much improvement can be made in the past six years, immagine what the next ten might bring.

I expected to get seriously dissed for my suggestion about software "amps" vs. the real deal. Don't think I wouldn't LOVE to have a nice tube amp. $100 will buy me an Epiphone 5 watt tube head which I've read rave reviews on. That's about the price of a Tube Screamer reissue pedal and $600 less than a friend's Victoria tweed Champ amp repro. Clapton recorded a bunch of stuff in the early 70's using just a Fender Champ; 5 watts and an 8" speaker... still sounds good to these ears!

As some have suggested here, I could run a real amp thru my ampsim. I could direct box it into my computer and use the ampsim FX, cabs, and mikes... as some have suggested here... best of both worlds.

Anyway, I THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME TO POST! It is quite educational. Special thanx to Hink & CapnLockheed for their detailed posts and Ifm for the link!

You're quite welcome bro! Yup, it's a great time to be alive
and play the guitar!! I've got it all and I use it all.
Software and hardware sims, tube amps...hell, even a squeaky
clean solid state amp has it's place. And everything you've
heard about the little Epiphone that could is absolutely
true...tone for days and great bang-for-the-buck. That and
a Shure SM57 and you've got a world class studio guitar
rig. And there's no rule that you can't then flavor those
tracks with a little re-amping through sims or stompboxes or........ITS ALL GOOD!!

Cheers......CL

[VladimirDimitrievich]

Somewhat off topic, but theres nothing in the world I can recommend more to a guitarist than a TS-9, no matter if its original, reissue, or software (theres good free software TS-9 sims). I have a first reissue TS-9 (the kind that still has the exact same parts as the original), and I use it even on clean guitar parts.

[Hink]

This is my first post and whoaaa.. got a lot of feedback and most all of it helpful... all of it interesting! I neglected to be specific in my post about my using a software ampsim as opposed to something like a Line 6 modeling amp, a Zoom type or "pod" box, or Rolland's guitar and amp modeling. But, I'm glad that many of the replys to my post bring up those other types of ampsims.

My choice of ampsim is Native Instruments Guitar Pro 1. I've also tried the Cakewalk Guitar Rig 3 demo which I downloaded from their web sight... it is light years ahead of the generic ampsim they included in their Home Studio 2004. That Home Studio ampsim plug-in dates back to 2000 and sounded like a cheap overdrive pedal with lame speaker sims and FX. It's proof to me that if that much improvement can be made in the past six years, immagine what the next ten might bring.

I expected to get seriously dissed for my suggestion about software "amps" vs. the real deal. Don't think I wouldn't LOVE to have a nice tube amp. $100 will buy me an Epiphone 5 watt tube head which I've read rave reviews on. That's about the price of a Tube Screamer reissue pedal and $600 less than a friend's Victoria tweed Champ amp repro. Clapton recorded a bunch of stuff in the early 70's using just a Fender Champ; 5 watts and an 8" speaker... still sounds good to these ears!

As some have suggested here, I could run a real amp thru my ampsim. I could direct box it into my computer and use the ampsim FX, cabs, and mikes... as some have suggested here... best of both worlds.

Anyway, I THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME TO POST! It is quite educational. Special thanx to Hink & CapnLockheed for their detailed posts and Ifm for the link!

I should be thanking you, one day perhaps I can explain...I'm just glad something positive came of this day

[Meffy]

Hink, just imagine how many lurkers you've helped in your time at KVR. No telling how many people have benefitted from some of the wisdom you've shared here who didn't say anything. My bet would be on "a hell of a lot of them."

[kilroy]

Clapton recorded a bunch of stuff in the early 70's using just a Fender Champ; 5 watts and an 8" speaker... still sounds good to these ears!

One of my all time favorites in the studio. Miced in close with a Shure 57 it has a nearly perfect bandwidth for sitting pretty in a mix.

By the by...Adrian Belew used to saunter into studio sessions with one of those dinky wee Roland amps...the one with the exceedingly dorky looking silver cone. Apparently the bands used to think he was having them on to start with...a notion that promptly ended once the engineers went down to place the microphones.

[arrteestic]

Hey Hink;

I've been poking around this sight now for only my second day... been blessed to so quickly have some good people like yourself willing to take the time to help a "newbie" like myself figger out how to make music with all the techno toy options available today.

You're quite a busy guy with 7000+ posts in just under 3 years time! Some of your posts I've read in just two days time on other topics than mine have also been highly entertaining, thought provoking and educational.

Meffy, another mega-poster like you makes a valid point to which I will echo here:

...That there are many that don't participate in these kinds of forums.. that just watch, but probably get a wealth of useful info thanks in no small part to people like you... helping to keep the music flowing!

Are you really going away??? Awwww come on! I just started here and you're going???

I think I know why you gotta put this down (at least for the time being) from reading a few of the posts on this websight today. I won't go into details here but hope I can do so later...

..about my going thru a similar experience... one week before I lost my job... and three weeks before 911.

Sure looks like you have a lot of friends and fans here who don't want you to go away.

Hope you're still able to read this soon along with all the other posters!

I will try and find your latest topic and post this message there.

Please do as others have suggested and take a break.. recharge... but please come back when you can!!!

[Johnny B]

Yes, these threads are amusing, aren't they?

Seriously, though, as with all gear, take what people tell you with a grain of salt (yes, kids, salt is good, no matter what they say). Do the best you can with what you can afford. In fact, the best way to learn is on crap gear. You learn a lot more squeezing the most out of some piece of junk than by learning on nice equipment that has a lot of bells and whistles and makes things easy for you.

That said, I'm not using amp sims unless I have to. I did recently have to use a plug-in distortion on sessions I did for a couple of bands. One was a reggae session I did a while back. The guitarist's tone on the solo left a bit to be desired, so I juiced it up a bit. The other was a hardcore band. The bass player blew up his and half the guitarist's pedals before the session. So, I miced up his SVT without distortion and added some via plug-in when I did the mix.

That said, I don't use them for my own playing as a large part of my playing style involves me playing off the amp. If there are effects on my guitar, I generally want to be hearing them while I'm playing. But not everyone is like that.

Gear is gear. There's nothing wrong with a $150 guitar when you're starting, but a professional's probably not going to touch one. The same goes for plug-ins, etc.

[Hink]

Gear is gear.

yep, that's true

There's nothing wrong with a $150 guitar

yep, I'm still with you

when you're starting, but a professional's probably not going to touch one. The same goes for plug-ins, etc.

okay, here is where you lose me, te way I see it the artist who can create good music on a $150 guitar is apt to be pretty damn talented as opposed to the artist who feels the need the shell out 2k for a name to validate his talent...I'd rather watch the player with $150 guitar doing the best he can than the cocky artist with the 2k guitar...in the end it's about expression, can't place a dollar value on that now can yah?

[robogone]

when you're starting, but a professional's probably not going to touch one. The same goes for plug-ins, etc.

okay, here is where you lose me, te way I see it the artist who can create good music on a $150 guitar is apt to be pretty damn talented as opposed to the artist who feels the need the shell out 2k for a name to validate his talent...I'd rather watch the player with $150 guitar doing the best he can than the cocky artist with the 2k guitar...in the end it's about expression, can't place a dollar value on that now can yah?

I was going to post something similar. I remember an interview with Brian Eno who once said that he uses the same cheap, crappy guitar that he has used for years, but won't part with it as he has never found another guitar that produces the same sound. Similary, Brian May reverted to using the home made amplifier that John Deacon made as a pre-amp after a few years of using the factory modded AC30s that just didn't give the same sound.

There's no reason that a pro wouldn't use a cheap piece of crap if it gave them what they wanted.

[tk421]

Is there a list anywhere of the hardware based sims? The POD looks pretty nice.

[Trusty]

Now I know one should'nt assume but...I'm
going to go out on a limb here. Based on your statement I'm going to assume that:

1) You've never owned a Marshall stack or a
Fender Twin.

2) You've never "rocked an arena" with anything let alone a Receptor.

3) You've never even rocked your bedroom with a Receptor owing largely to the fact
that you don't own one.

4) You're under 30 and you've been playing
guitar for less than ten years.

If I'm wrong about any of the above assumptions please accept my sincere apologies. If not then

GOD I LOVE THESE DUMBASS THREADS!!

"My warm analog penis is much better than your cold digital dildo"



Cheers.....CL

Well, you are mostly right. I don't really even play guitar past strumming a few chords, I HAVE owned a Marshall half-stack actually... a few years ago when I thought I might take guitar seriously...had it about three months and then, like a true electronic music tinkering with a guitar, sold it for a mpc2k and virus B (this was back when I used hardware)...

But were I to ever become a guitar guru rocking arena's, I'd still take Receptor, a midi pedal, and Guitar Rig 2 to the arena. I love that idea. It makes my pathetic playing sound cool...

And I will be getting Receptor for Christmas if my wife doesn't get mad and buy me something else instead out of spite...like a bunch of ties or something...

However, the largest crowd I've performed for was 2600 people. I'm not complaining though...I got paid $1400.00 for that night. Especially when the average size crowds I've performed in front of range between 200-450...and usually only get paid like $250 and a free pizza.

[CapnLockheed]

Then by all means accept my humble apology and enjoy that
Recptor...if your wife does'nt make your life a living hell
over it!! I'd love one too but I can hear it already:
"You spent how much?? On THAT??!! "

BTW....I just knew guitar was'nt your main axe!!
But that's okay, we actually have a lot in common..I'm
a guitarist turned synthgeek!!

Cheers.....CL