An Awesome Modeler Would Be...

[László]

Variety is the spice bud... it lets you be you, and me be me.

I suspect you were you before you had a Kemper with a variety of amp models.

 

[dmatthews]

I suspect you were you before you had a Kemper with a variety of amp models.

I most certainly was!
Dave ver 1.8 did not have the Kemper feature that Dave ver 2.0 does.

 

[László]

I most certainly was!
Dave ver 1.8 did not have the Kemper feature that Dave ver 2.0 does.

If only I was an earlier version of me! It’d be much easier to explain away the bugs.

 

[dmatthews]

Interesting Strymon stuff...

 

[László]

Interesting Strymon stuff...

It was extremely thoughtful of Strymon to make this; it’s brilliantly bad-sounding! The distortion emulates both a speaker sitting in a gravel pit, AND a box of bees! I’ll bet that wasn’t easy to accomplish.

I previously thought Strymon had reached the pinnacle of bad sounding distortion with their dirt pedals, but this breaks new ground. One has to respect a company that deliberately designs something this horrid, and inflicts it on the market with a straight face.

And in terms of rant material, it’s literally a gift from heaven.

 

[dmatthews]

It was extremely thoughtful of Strymon to make this; it’s brilliantly bad-sounding! The distortion emulates both a speaker sitting in a gravel pit, AND a box of bees! I’ll bet that wasn’t easy to accomplish.

I previously thought Strymon had reached the pinnacle of bad sounding distortion with their dirt pedals, but this breaks new ground. One has to respect a company that deliberately designs something this horrid, and inflicts it on the market with a straight face.

And in terms of rant material, it’s literally a gift from heaven.

My guess is that this is not on your Xmas list.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

My guess is that this is not on your Xmas list.

And mine is that if it was, Santa wouldn't get it for you anyway after the rants above.

 

[WA Paul]

And mine is that if it was, Santa wouldn't get it for you anyway after the rants above.

Well, it is the color of coal

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Variety is not the spice of life.

Quality is.

It’s the thing that brings real satisfaction and joy. Not just in things we buy; It applies to all things we care about, like quality relationships, quality experiences, quality music, everything.

Quality - which includes depth and richness - is worth more than variety, It will satisfy long-term. That’s why you play PRS instead of lesser guitars. Quality includes performance, not just finish and looks. Quality is deep, not superficial.

So I’m not settling for 3 or 4 amps, I’m enjoying them immensely and getting my best tones ever. They’re satisfying my playing needs. If I want another amp, I put together the dough and get another real one.

It takes me time to save for that, but the rewards are longer-term, and, for me, infinitely more satisfying.

Since I would not be satisfied with the amp sims in a Kemper, the number of models available is a non-starter, because I don’t want any of them! What benefit would 10,000 things I don’t want bring me?

So yeah, I’d much rather have three or four things I want.

Ever have a great, well-worn, leather jacket you loved to wear? Would you have traded it for a load of pleather jackets in every color?

If you get real satisfaction flipping through a load of amp models, great! That’s a quality experience for you, because it’s what you want. Doesn’t work that way for me.

Ok, I tried. I really did. My tongue is bleeding to prove it. But I just can't hold it any longer.

I have a question. Do you really think that even a guitar player could tell the difference between your amps and a modeler on a commercial?

 

[Mozzi]

Do you really think that even a guitar player could tell the difference between your amps and a modeler on a commercial?

There is a fairly simple experiment to test whether Modelling can be detected in a track. Record 10 different songs with some using modelling and some not. The get people to try and identify which used modelling. It doesn't need to be an even split bit they do need to be different songs you are not A/Bing sound samples to see how a modeller compares with the real version of that amp but actually trying to identify which tracks were recorded using modelling. Its important to that they are complete songs and not just a guitar either as the point is to see if you can detect the use of a modeller in the sound of a Song - if its really that obvious or whether its impossible to tell from purely listening.

I get that listening to and playing through a modeller is different in feel at the very least so I can totally get why a musician would prefer to play through a real amp. I can understand why, if they are the ones recording, they would want the gear that brings out their best performance, that they are most comfortable with so I can totally understand why some may not want a modeller - after all, its not all just about the tone. Even the smell of a tube amp can be a positive aspect for some.

I don't believe I could tell by just listening to a track whether a modeller was used. It can be difficult enough with two identical guitar parts where I can swap back and forth between them and compare/contrast without the distraction of the rest of the band. By just listening to a track, without the ability to hear the same part through a valve amp, I don't think I could tell at all. Its only when you get to hear both side by side and often just the guitar (no bass, drums etc) so you can directly compare that it becomes clearer as to which maybe which.

As I said, listening to songs and playing guitar is different and as such, I can totally get why some may not want to play through a modeller but that also doesn't mean that I think you can tell by just hearing a song as to whether the guitarist used modelling or not.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

It was actually part of a multi-question, much longer post... but I decided against it.

 

[László]

I have a question. Do you really think that even a guitar player could tell the difference between your amps and a modeler on a commercial?

I don’t care. It’s irrelevant.

I create what I want to create, the way I want to create it, to sound the way I want it to sound.

By the way, I did sessions for a car ad over the last few days. Had a lot of fun. Here was my setup:

The DG30 is miked with a Rode ribbon mic, and a Sennheiser e935 dynamic. I played the 594, the only pedal was a delay. Turned out nice.

 

[dmatthews]

I don’t care. It’s irrelevant.

I create what I want to create, the way I want to create it, to sound the way I want it to sound.

By the way, I did sessions for a car ad over the last few days. Had a lot of fun. Here was my setup:

The DG30 is miked with a Rode ribbon mic, and a Sennheiser e935 dynamic. I played the 594, the only pedal was a delay. Turned out nice.

That's what I was trying to get at in a post ^^^ up there^^^. Great environment to get great tones from some trusted gear. Consistent results from a much more controlled environment than I get.

 

[László]

That's what I was trying to get at in a post ^^^ up there^^^. Great environment to get great tones from some trusted gear. Consistent results from a much more controlled environment than I get.

For sure.

I think all producers work with the tools experience tells them are going to sound best, and I sure don’t know anyone in the production community who settles for second-best.

What’s best, however, is always a matter of opinion. So”s what’s worst. Great minds do not think alike, and in fact, probably should not think alike!

Maybe it’s wrong to say, ‘No, sorry, that sounds awful’, even if that’s what one’s perception of the truth is. I’m sure not going to win any popularity contests being outspoken about the latest media darling from Strymon.

 

[dmatthews]

Ok, I tried. I really did. My tongue is bleeding to prove it. But I just can't hold it any longer.

I have a question. Do you really think that even a guitar player could tell the difference between your amps and a modeler on a commercial?

I expect that when you add layers to the track of other instruments, vocals, etc that it becomes more difficult, if not close to impossible.

 

[pac90]

I don’t care. It’s irrelevant.

I create what I want to create, the way I want to create it, to sound the way I want it to sound.

By the way, I did sessions for a car ad over the last few days. Had a lot of fun. Here was my setup:

The DG30 is miked with a Rode ribbon mic, and a Sennheiser e935 dynamic. I played the 594, the only pedal was a delay. Turned out nice.

Doesn't count if it was for the new Electric Mustang

 

[pac90]

les, I was watching youtube lastnight, and there's a new T shirt design coming soon from thatpedalshow guys.......as a badge of honour

' tube amp wierdo '

love it

 

[Boogie]

It was extremely thoughtful of Strymon to make this; it’s brilliantly bad-sounding! The distortion emulates both a speaker sitting in a gravel pit, AND a box of bees! I’ll bet that wasn’t easy to accomplish.

I previously thought Strymon had reached the pinnacle of bad sounding distortion with their dirt pedals, but this breaks new ground. One has to respect a company that deliberately designs something this horrid, and inflicts it on the market with a straight face.

And in terms of rant material, it’s literally a gift from heaven.

/me jabbing with sharp bear-poking stick

At the last two winter NAMM shows, one of my first stops is always the Strymon booth. It’s one of my fav brands, period, and they usually have some nice Knaggs guitars at their demo booths to play. Anyway, 2 years ago, I walked away puzzled why I couldn’t make any of their dirt boxes sound good. Even had the booth dude come and twist knobs. Meh. Last year, same thing. The Flint and El Cap and Big Sky are pure genius. But the dirt boxes just miss something, to me. But their people are as fantastic as their design, quality, and customer service.

 

[Warmart]

The one thing I can tell is that @LSchefman has most likely been to Pottery Barn. We've had several of those rugs

 

[László]

/me jabbing with sharp bear-poking stick

At the last two winter NAMM shows, one of my first stops is always the Strymon booth. It’s one of my fav brands, period, and they usually have some nice Knaggs guitars at their demo booths to play. Anyway, 2 years ago, I walked away puzzled why I couldn’t make any of their dirt boxes sound good. Even had the booth dude come and twist knobs. Meh. Last year, same thing. The Flint and El Cap and Big Sky are pure genius. But the dirt boxes just miss something, to me. But their people are as fantastic as their design, quality, and customer service.

I agree, the Strymon time based effects and modulations are among the very best ever made. I don’t get it with their dirt stuff. Maybe that’s simply their taste?