Lesteban Hates Amp Modelers. A Rant.

[crgtr]

The Kemper is absolutely the best of the bunch, no doubt about it. I think it sounds much better than the algorithm-based models, and is especially good at creating clean tones.

However it certainly has its limitations. Whether they matter or not in relation to your context is, of course, always a personal thing. Edit: I'll buy you a beer if you still have it in 18 months!

Now that you've offered beer I CAN'T sell it!
I agree that there are limitations, but for me it has more advantages. Lightweight, consistent tone, and everyone always asks "what the hell is that R2D2 toaster thang?"

 

[crgtr]

... the Kemper still intrigues me, and if Chris is being swayed...

I AM swayed!

 

[crgtr]

Dude! I would love to hear some of your profiles I bought the latest M. Britt pack and it's great!

Well if you have the latest Britt pack you already have some of my amps.

Sold A PRS . That's the Soldano Hot Rod 50 + that PRSh modded. It's an amazing amp. Will never sell.

67 Lowman. That's my 67 Bassman. It's still stock except for replaced caps. Also has vintage tubes.

Brit JTM45. That's my British Audio JTM 45 Tribute made for me by by buddies at British Audio in Nashville. Classic Marshall Blues Breaker tones.

Jack Lightning. Blades Firebolt 50. Hot rodded Marshall type amp. Brown sound kinda thing. Plus it has a drink holder built in!

 

[László]

I would just forfeit and buy all the drinks in June with them.
Alan and Chris are super fun to drink with and really polite about letting you dominate a conversation.

Oh, in person I'm so quiet and thoughtful that I'd never want to dominate a conversation.

 

[László]

67 Lowman. That's my 67 Bassman. It's still stock except for replaced caps. Also has vintage tubes.

You're giving me warm and fuzzy nostalgia. I had a '67 Bassman head in college and after. Bought it NOS around Christmas '68 to use with guitar and combo organ in my college band.

I dunno about yours, but mine had very little headroom, so when cranked, the gods of distortion and crunch bestowed much love upon the beast.

Back in those days, you'd line up a bunch of amps of the same model, play through them, and pick the best sounding one, just as you might picking a guitar. They all sounded a little different! And you'd pay the guy and walk out of the store with the amp in hand, sling it into the trunk or backseat of the car, and go. Maybe it would still have the factory dust cover if it was a Fender, but probably that had already been lost before you got to the store.

Oh to be young and not care about padded cases, or fuss over dings to the tolex, or think about $200 NOS preamp tubes. I'm betting you have to be over 40 to even give a rat's ass about NOS tubes at all, and certainly over 30 to care about a ding to your tolex.

Then again, the "oh to be young" part sounds pretty good, too.

 

[crgtr]

You're giving me warm and fuzzy nostalgia. I had a '67 Bassman head in college and after. Bought it NOS around Christmas '68 to use with guitar and combo organ in my college band.

I dunno about yours, but mine had very little headroom, so when cranked, the gods of distortion and crunch bestowed much love upon the beast.

Back in those days, you'd line up a bunch of amps of the same model, play through them, and pick the best sounding one, just as you might picking a guitar. They all sounded a little different! And you'd pay the guy and walk out of the store with the amp in hand, sling it into the trunk or backseat of the car, and go. Maybe it would still have the factory dust cover if it was a Fender, but probably that had already been lost before you got to the store.

Oh to be young and not care about padded cases, or fuss over dings to the tolex, or NOS tubes.

Then again, the "oh to be young" part sounds pretty good, too.

Those WERE some great days!
My Bassman doesn't have a ton of headroom, but it does have the best Fender overdrive I've ever heard. Just think Aerosmith, Train Kept a Rollin'....That's the tone.

 

[László]

Those WERE some great days!
My Bassman doesn't have a ton of headroom, but it does have the best Fender overdrive I've ever heard. Just think Aerosmith, Train Kept a Rollin'....That's the tone.

Oh yeahhhh. That's what mine was like too, at least what I remember!

 

[justmund]

Well if you have the latest Britt pack you already have some of my amps.

Sold A PRS . That's the Soldano Hot Rod 50 + that PRSh modded. It's an amazing amp. Will never sell.

67 Lowman. That's my 67 Bassman. It's still stock except for replaced caps. Also has vintage tubes.

Brit JTM45. That's my British Audio JTM 45 Tribute made for me by by buddies at British Audio in Nashville. Classic Marshall Blues Breaker tones.

Jack Lightning. Blades Firebolt 50. Hot rodded Marshall type amp. Brown sound kinda thing. Plus it has a drink holder built in!

Wait, I don't have the latest pack, doh! I have pack 2 but not 3 (this is what happens when I don't have internetz for a month!)

My KPA is with a buddy at the moment (I lend it to him when I got away for work) but when I get it back I'll grab this pack and check out your amps/profiles! Awesome!

 

[alantig]

Now that you've offered beer I CAN'T sell it!
I agree that there are limitations, but for me it has more advantages. Lightweight, consistent tone, and everyone always asks "what the hell is that R2D2 toaster thang?"

A man of conviction - willing to hang on to anything for a beer!

On the other hand, if you did sell, I'd just buy you a beer. I could give up one beer. I know what some people are saying, "But that would be two beers - one for Chris plus the one you owe Les." True. But at Les's advanced age, I'd just tell him I already gave him the beer I owed him and he'd be convinced he didn't remember how good it was.

 

[László]

But at Les's advanced age, I'd just tell him I already gave him the beer I owed him and he'd be convinced he didn't remember how good it was.

Remind me who Les is. I kinda feel sorry for the dude.

 

[geese_com]

I AM swayed!

I was hesitant on the Kemper initially. Now that I have one, it is awesome!

The guy I bought it from included a USB with about 6,000 profiles on there, so I think I might be set for life. Plus there are some nice free profiles on the Rig Exchange.

 

[Drew]

Well if we're going to follow that analogy, let's take it all the way: Electric pianos are total pieces of sh!t too. A Rhodes, a Wurlitzer A200, and the Yamaha cp-70 have zero musical value when compared to the full rich tone of a Steinway. "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "What'd I Say", "Smooth Operator", "Paperback Writer", "Rock The Casbah", and "Wild Horses" are all total crap that would've gone from sounding "ok" to great songs if only they wheeled in a grand piano

Sorry...but you make zero sense.

Electric piano is...an ELECTRIC instrument. Grand/Upright pianos are acoustic instruments. We don't go judging electric versus acoustic guitars. So, why would you think my comparison extended to electric pianos in any way? Its a totally separate category of instrument.

The easiest way to explain the difference between modeling amps and tube amps is the very thing that separates a grand from upright piano. DEPTH. Grand piano tone is thick and lush...similar to tube overdrive. The sound is very 3 dimensional. I can always tell a Kemper from 6 miles away because its very flat sounding. Those without good ears won't be able to tell the difference. I am one of those people who can....and modeling amps are like scraping a plate to my ears.

 

[QueenCityGuitars]

There are a lot of really, really good guitarists out there using, and liking, the Kemper profiler and Axe FX modeler.

 

[crgtr]

There are a lot of really, really good guitarists out there using, and liking, the Kemper profiler and Axe FX modeler.

What he said!

 

[11top]

If you can't crank the tube amp, the modeler wins in my opinion.

 

[crgtr]

What HE said

 

[László]

There are a lot of really, really good guitarists out there using, and liking, the Kemper profiler and Axe FX modeler.

Yes there are. But that doesn't mean I have to think they sound good.

There are lots of great guitarists whose tone really, really bugs me, too, even with a tube amp. We all have different tastes.

 

[crgtr]

Yes there are. But that doesn't mean I have to think they sound good.

There are lots of great guitarists whose tone really, really bugs me, too, even with a tube amp. We all have different tastes.

what he SAID!

 

[QueenCityGuitars]

Yes there are. But that doesn't mean I have to think they sound good.

There are lots of great guitarists whose tone really, really bugs me, too, even with a tube amp. We all have different tastes.

Great, we've settled it. It has absolutely nothing to do with profilers, modelers, tubes, amps, bugs, or lesbians! The only thing that really matters is who's listening...well, and who's doing the playing. :shakehands:

 

[aristotle]

Great, we've settled it. It has absolutely nothing to do with profilers, modelers, tubes, amps, bugs, or lesbians! The only thing that really matters is who's listening...well, and who's doing the playing. :shakehands:

I agree with almost everything in your statement above. There is one glaring error though!!