Can we keep him? Huh?

tokaiguy · Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2003 4:49 pm Post subject: Can we keep him? Huh?

Brought home a Line 6 Variax last friday to try it out, I was to bring it back to the store on Monday but a snow storm hit here in Texas so I am to return it today

But I want to keep it! I gotta figure this out! It is an amazing guitar, I A/B it with real strats, tele, and Lp's If you could only have one ,this might be it! Try it for yourself! It's a Korean made guitar! I wasn't surprised!!

loverockerUK · Guest

Lee · Guest

This built in effects thing has all been done before.

Barry, Remember the old Kimbara Les paul copy with the built in phase and fuzz? Looked like a coffee table and weighed about the same too!

Our cousins across the pond, y'all had the Electra MPC guitars to play with.

Indeed, only a couple of examples but what's new? Different era and technology that's all.

If you bought one, I bet you would get fed up with it and go back to your L.P. Strat or whatever.

Thoughts......

xadamx · Sus4add11 Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 41

I didnt think it had effects built in?

Its not been done before, it models various guitars sounds. So pretty much I disagree with what you said completely and think you're incorrect.

Lee · Guest

Hi X,

Fair enough but what I'm trying to say is...is there a need for it?

xadamx · Sus4add11 Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 41

Yeah I think so, its the same as a modelling amp, great versatility.

Lee · Guest

Modelling amps,

You mean like the Line 6 stuff and all the "pave the way" in the name of technology amps that preceded that too?

xadamx · Sus4add11 Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 41

like line 6, vox, fender, behringer etc.

even my marshall 6100 has different modes on channel 2 to model other other amps, jcm900, slp and jtm 45.

theres no doubt that if you were a guitarist who played covers from different bands or did session work you'd probably love a variax through a vetta, i know i wouldn't want to take 10 guitars and 10 amps and 10 cabs to go record.

Lee · Guest

Well I am a guitarist who plays covers in a well established function band every saturday night and my old Fender Deluxe and Jap Strat does the job quite nicely. I mean I do use other guitars like Les Pauls, 335's etc, but I rarely take more than one plank. I have a bunch of pedals to play with but the amp is just an amp.

It's all a matter of subjective opinion. Personally I wouldn't give a rats arse for one of those fandangled up to date today - out of date tomorrow silicon chip boxes.

But then I guess if that's what someone wants then fine, but I just think they're a fad.

Lee · Guest

In saying that I do have a Palmer Speaker Simulator but it stops there believe me...

xadamx · Sus4add11 Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 41

I don't want one either, both my amps are all valve heads and I have about 10 guitars, but I see their use, like I said if I was in a covers band that played a wide range of things I'd want one, I wouldn't play metallica on a sss strat nor would i play hendrix on a les paul with emg's, just like i wouldnt play hendrix through a 5150 and wouldn't play limp bizkit on an slp, if I was in a covers band I'd want to sound like the originals and I'd want the stuff to do it, theres no way that its a fad and one day it will sound as good as a valve amp no question.

Lee · Guest

I see your point but it isn't that important to be 100% like the record. The amps you have would more than likely cover 80% of the tone you were looking for to "sound like" the original artist. And that probably goes for the rest of the guys in the band. It's about how you put it over as a unit not as an individual.

I mean the drummer hasn't got any knobs to play with has he (apart from his own).

9/10 times it's the singer who f*^!s the feel of the song up anyway because they can't reach the high notes.

Maybe they will catch on but my dad had a Souwester that cost him 3sh and 6d when I was a kid. He still has it and it still keeps the rain of his back.

james · Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2003 6:49 am Post subject:

My tuppence worth:

I've not tried the Variax, but in terms of modelling amps I just don't rate them. I tried recently to get a good sound out of a Line6 amp at a studio and just had to give up in the end. Every sound I got from it just sounded flat compared to the 'real' amps in the studio. Yes, its Twin Reverb simulation sounded more like the Fender original (in terms of general tonality) than the real Marshall JCM800 in the studio was ever going to, but it still didn't sound good. Hence I'd rather plug into the Marshall and get a good sound, even if its not the exact accurate sound for the cover you're doing. I'm not against the idea of modelling amps, I just don't they're good enough yet to compete with the real thing. However I think theres been far too much investment in them for them to be a fad, so they will get better.

xadamx · Sus4add11 Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 41

What line 6 amp though?

It could be like saying I hate marshall as I played a mini battery powered stack and it didn't sound as good as a mesa boogie dual rectifier.

james · Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2003 5:06 pm Post subject:

Ah, but surely thats the point - a battery powered mini Marshall doesn't claim to sound like a Boogie Dual Rectifier so I wouldn't have that expectation of it. However, modelling amp manufacturers make some very bold claims for their products and I just don't think they live up to them. As I say I not knocking them on principle, I just don't think they compare to the amps they're emulating. If you want something that can get you in the ballpark of a variety of 'classic' sounds then maybe you'll like them, but I'd sacrifice that versatility for quality of tone any day.
BTW the Line6 isn't the only modelling amp I've tried - I've tried a lot of the modelling gear thats come out in the last few years, because I wanted to believe that they could live up to the hype but generally I've been disappointed.