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Post by matt on Dec 2, 2019 16:59:17 GMT -6
I spent last Saturday night jamming '70s covers (ZZ, Robin Trower, Cream, etc) with the boys, and for the first time, the AF3/FC-12. It's a keeper. My previous rig included a Helix, two Synergy SYN-2s loaded with four modules (Dirty Shirley, Plexi, Egnater SL2, BMan), two 100W Marshall heads for power, and a pair of 412s. Needless to say, a pretty complex but reliable rig. All this has been replaced by the AF3 into a pair of JBL PRX812 wedges. Here are my observations:
The Good:
- For once, I've assembled a simple rig! It was time to stop the madness. Guitar > AF3 > monitors. Done.
- The AF3 is insanely configurable, and has plenty of features aimed at the live user. Per-preset FC configuration is killer, the foot switch can morph into any setup you can imagine- in my case, one preset per song with scenes for verse, chorus, solo, 2nd solo, 3rd solo, outro solo, etc. I'm using three expression pedals: dedicated volume and wah, and a per-preset rover. They all got use during the night. The wah models are particularly outstanding.
- Given the music, there was no question on which base model to select. Marshallesque tones are all over the amp model list, with some of them totally over the top. I settled on the "Plexi 100W Jump" model and it sounded excellent and appropriate. I'm going to explore the models a lot more though, the possibilities are endless.
The temporarily Somewhat Less Than Good:
- The AF3 is insanely configurable! I found myself on the spot a few times wanting to modify a preset and wasn't sure how to do it. That sometimes frustrates me but in this case, I am more than willing to investigate and plumb the depths. Climbing the steep learning curve will be worth every second.
The Bad/Ugly:
-Nothing!
Other thoughts:
- Compared to the two 412s, the JBLs had less "push" or "body"- pick your vague wording to describe what a pair of roaring 412s sound like in close quarters. It figures, and will be easily remedied with more JBLs. Stack 'em up!
- It's too early to say if the AF3 has a characteristic "sound". Time will tell, but I'm not sure it matters to me at this point.
This thing will be fantastic for use in the studio too. It's all good!
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Post by Johnkenn on Dec 4, 2019 7:43:55 GMT -6
Yeah I hope my first three hour pentatonic fantasy examples don’t give a bad example of what this thing is. There’s really not a tone you can’t get out of this with all the tweakability. My question was if the raw amp tones were convincing and my goodness they are. I downloaded a blackface fender Leon Todd preset last night. A Princeton, Super, Tweed and Vibrolux. Holy shit. There they are right there. He’s got the quintessential sounds dialed in. Seriously could just stick with that.
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Post by svart on Dec 4, 2019 8:16:00 GMT -6
Y'all are hurting my feelings.
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Post by mikec on Dec 4, 2019 11:46:17 GMT -6
I had a buddy in town a few weeks ago and we were working on some song ideas in the studio. We put this together with all guitar, bass, and resonator parts going direct into the AXE FX III to see how it would come out. There is no post processing in Studio One other than to add a limiter on the master buss, these are all just straight AXE FX into Studio One. There are three acoustic guitar parts all done direct into the AXE FX with a Tom Anderson Crowdster, a resonator part, bass part, and an electric guitar part. Drums are SD3. I just did a basic leveling on the tracks through headphones using the AXE FX as the interface.
https%3A//soundcloud.com/user-955487101/axe-iii-demo
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Post by indiehouse on Dec 6, 2019 11:59:02 GMT -6
I really wish there were less metal demos of this on YouTube.
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Post by svart on Dec 6, 2019 13:53:44 GMT -6
I really wish there were less metal demos of this on YouTube. It's the only thing I go try to find demos of, lol. |
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Post by Johnkenn on Dec 7, 2019 11:12:48 GMT -6
I'm not going to help...this might be the most impressive buy I've made for my studio - like ever...
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Post by indiehouse on Dec 7, 2019 13:01:27 GMT -6
I'm not going to help...this might be the most impressive buy I've made for my studio - like ever... Yeah, that doesn’t help. |
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Post by svart on Dec 7, 2019 13:55:23 GMT -6
Well, it would help clean up the studio and minimize the area I need for all the amps..
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Post by svart on Dec 7, 2019 13:57:02 GMT -6
I wonder what the local used gear store will say if I wheel 6 amps in to sell? Probably think I burgled Someone's house.
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Post by mikec on Dec 7, 2019 15:16:51 GMT -6
I still love my Two Rock 100 watt Bloomfield Drive tube amp and a couple of others I have, but 9 times out of 10, I turn on the AXE FX and make music. I keep output one L&R connected to my patch bay for recording the analog outs into my Symphony MKII. The L&R of output 2 go to a pair of QSC K10.2s on stands for cranking the AXE for fun time. I also keep the USB connected to the studio Mac Mini for capturing quick ideas when I don't have my Apogee interface on since the AXE works well as a recording interface also.
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Post by Johnkenn on Dec 7, 2019 16:24:05 GMT -6
There is absolutely no way someone could tell it wasn't real amps. Zero. With the Kemper, I used to say, yeah it's 95% there and 99% of people couldn't tell. But if you were in a control room and were playing it and a real amp, the guitar player absolutely wouldn't know either. The feel of the thing is different...the sag and the dynamic way it reacts and sounds. Add on to that, there is the ability to change the tone with the different cabs and there are like 2000 of those. I realize software has that capability, but it doesn't sound like this thing. Maybe it's how Bricasti owners feel about the M7 vs. software...that's the way I feel about this. I still haven't recorded a tune with it and I can't freaking wait to do it. But I've gotten lost for hours in the damn thing.
I downloaded Leon Todd's Blackface Fenders and Brett Kingman's "Vox Block" presets. Princeton, Vibrolux, Deluxe, Tremolux, Bassman, and AC30, AC30TB, AC15, AC20 and couple of others I think. I mean, holy shit. If this box ONLY had these, it would be worth the price of admission for me. Then the Marshalls and Mesas. Holy shit.
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Post by mikec on Dec 8, 2019 10:30:46 GMT -6
There is absolutely no way someone could tell it wasn't real amps. Zero. With the Kemper, I used to say, yeah it's 95% there and 99% of people couldn't tell. But if you were in a control room and were playing it and a real amp, the guitar player absolutely wouldn't know either. The feel of the thing is different...the sag and the dynamic way it reacts and sounds. Add on to that, there is the ability to change the tone with the different cabs and there are like 2000 of those. I realize software has that capability, but it doesn't sound like this thing. Maybe it's how Bricasti owners feel about the M7 vs. software...that's the way I feel about this. I still haven't recorded a tune with it and I can't freaking wait to do it. But I've gotten lost for hours in the damn thing. I downloaded Leon Todd's Blackface Fenders and Brett Kingman's "Vox Block" presets. Princeton, Vibrolux, Deluxe, Tremolux, Bassman, and AC30, AC30TB, AC15, AC20 and couple of others I think. I mean, holy shit. If this box ONLY had these, it would be worth the price of admission for me. Then the Marshalls and Mesas. Holy shit. I would fully agree with this assessment. I had been using Leon Todd's Fender presets and I just downloaded the Vox Block presets and have been playing with them for the last 1/2 hour. These are really good, thanks for the heads up. |
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Post by Johnkenn on Dec 8, 2019 11:11:42 GMT -6
Just for those that don’t know...the presets were on the free Axchange or whatever it’s called. It’s the same amps, but set up with EQ, cabs and other sundry things like these two guys like it. There were a few things I notice that they do that wouldn’t have been intuitive to me, so it’s like having an amp tech. They’re so, so good.
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Post by Ward on Dec 8, 2019 21:35:44 GMT -6
Y'all are hurting my feelings. Help! I feel triggered. (Triggered to buy!!) |
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Post by dmo on Dec 9, 2019 12:22:25 GMT -6
FYI - just got email from fractal - the axe III remains on sale at $1999 (reg $2249) through 31 DEC or while supplies last. Wanted to pass along to those considering after reading John's thoughts
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Post by svart on Dec 10, 2019 8:40:10 GMT -6
FYI - just got email from fractal - the axe III remains on sale at $1999 (reg $2249) through 31 DEC or while supplies last. Wanted to pass along to those considering after reading John's thoughts Thanks. I'm waiting to find out if I get a yearly bonus at work before I decide if I'll make the plunge.. |
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Post by mikec on Dec 10, 2019 12:02:48 GMT -6
Another really cool thing about the AXE FX is the ease in re-amping. This not only works great for guitar, but because the effects in the AXE FX are so good, you can set up a preset with an FX chain that includes just effects like EQ, Compression, Delay, Reverb, etc. and re-amp a vocal using the effects in the AXE rather than plugins. It really is a versatile box with a lot of studio capabilities.
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Axe FX III
Dec 10, 2019 22:01:46 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by Johnkenn on Dec 10, 2019 22:01:46 GMT -6
Really making me want more guitars  |
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Post by BenjaminAshlin on Dec 13, 2019 2:57:55 GMT -6
Really making me want more guitars Never ending cycle. Just sold my Kemper. Will wait until the FM3 comes out i think. |
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Post by svart on Dec 16, 2019 7:47:48 GMT -6
Really making me want more guitars Never ending cycle. Just sold my Kemper. Will wait until the FM3 comes out i think. Makes me wonder if that's why they're blowing out the Axe III, either to build extra capital or to clear space for the FM3. |
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Post by svart on Dec 16, 2019 7:48:49 GMT -6
Really making me want more guitars You guys really need to talk me down from this. I was only casually interested, now I'm plotting the optimal way to sell my amps to recoup cost.. |
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Post by svart on Dec 16, 2019 9:34:34 GMT -6
I spent a good deal of saturday screwing around with amps, mics and settings trying to get a tone similar to something a band wants. They sent me a link to a band with the tone they want. I followed links and found that the band is simply going through the AXE III and they have the IR's available to buy for cheap.
I'm like, what am I doing?
I know I don't *need* it, but damn.. To be able to just tube up some impulses and get to work and not have to turn on the AC in the middle of winter to cool the studio with the amps running..
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Post by Johnkenn on Dec 16, 2019 9:52:28 GMT -6
I spent a good deal of saturday screwing around with amps, mics and settings trying to get a tone similar to something a band wants. They sent me a link to a band with the tone they want. I followed links and found that the band is simply going through the AXE III and they have the IR's available to buy for cheap. I'm like, what am I doing? I know I don't *need* it, but damn.. To be able to just tube up some impulses and get to work and not have to turn on the AC in the middle of winter to cool the studio with the amps running.. Man, I went out on a limb and bought when I should have saved the money...and it was totally worth it. I’ve been super busy mixing, so I hadn’t had a chance to really use it building some tracks...but yesterday I mocked up an idea I was starting...and the way it sits in the mix is amazing. Like real amps. Seems like I was always futzing around with the Kemper trying to get guitars to sound right/non-plasticky. This doesn’t have that issue. |
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Post by svart on Dec 16, 2019 10:31:20 GMT -6
I spent a good deal of saturday screwing around with amps, mics and settings trying to get a tone similar to something a band wants. They sent me a link to a band with the tone they want. I followed links and found that the band is simply going through the AXE III and they have the IR's available to buy for cheap. I'm like, what am I doing? I know I don't *need* it, but damn.. To be able to just tube up some impulses and get to work and not have to turn on the AC in the middle of winter to cool the studio with the amps running.. Man, I went out on a limb and bought when I should have saved the money...and it was totally worth it. I’ve been super busy mixing, so I hadn’t had a chance to really use it building some tracks...but yesterday I mocked up an idea I was starting...and the way it sits in the mix is amazing. Like real amps. Seems like I was always futzing around with the Kemper trying to get guitars to sound right/non-plasticky. This doesn’t have that issue. I know I could go look this up, but can you pipe the signal out of the unit "pre-cabinet" and go into a power amp and simulate a real amp if I wanted to play i loud? |
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