Modeling amp recommendations

gtrjunior

gtrjunior

Wannabe
I know a few of you guys recently got some new amps and I'm looking for recommendations on a small (1x12) combo that. An do a little of everything. Rock to blues to country. Originally I was looking at the Marshall Code series. Then I was liking the new Boss Katana etc.
this will just be for smaller type gigs and rehearsals, home recording etc. it doesn't need to be super powerful but needs to be loud enough to get up over a powerful drummer. Ideally, something that can do all these things without external pedals (except of course the pedal that the amp uses to switch patches)
Recommendations? Pros/cons.
Black Friday, here I come!!!
 
Here's a recommendation....



... Don't do it.




You're welcome. :helper:



For full disclosure, I do think that they've made great strides with the higher end stuff from Fractal, Bias, and Kemper. That said, IMO the sub $1200 stuff still doesn't measure up to a quality set of stomp boxes through a decent 1X12 tube combo. I'm sure others will chime in with different recommendations but when I've cranked up different modelling solutions with the band, they never have the dynamics or touch sensitivity of a tube amp.
 
I hear you man...I usually am all about the tube amp too. But I was trying to not spend $600 on a blues jr.
lol I'd love to have one though
 
Check out the Tech 21 RK5.

It can be set to run direct or turn a clean amp into a fire breather... plus it has reverb and tap tempo delay for $250? Everyone should own one. Now that they have a plexi, cali and Brit version, there's a Flyrig for everyone.
 
Yes sir...
My original thought with the modeler is that I could cover a lot of sonic territory with one small amp. But the Marshall has a glitch when editing patches....it somehow mutes itself and you have to shut it off and turn back on.
I liked the Fender and a few other brands too but for the $300 for the Blackstar , I'm getting an actual tube amp. And with a couple of pedals I can cover all the same territory just as easily.
 
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gtrjunior said:
Yes sir...
My original thought with the modeler is that I could cover a lot of sonic territory with one small amp. But the Marshall has a glitch when editing patches....it somehow mutes itself and you have to shut it off and turn back on.
I liked the Fender and a few other brands too but for the $300 for the Blackstar , I'm getting an actual tube amp. And with a couple of pedals I can cover all the same territory just as easily.
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When I tired the Blackstar 40 at GC a few weeks ago, I think you can get 2 very useable sounds from it, the clean was great and the over drive was pretty good. I could have easily done any of my old gigs with just that amp and no pedals, but where is the fun in that :grin:
 
Right! I figure a good clean and a good gainy drive channel to start.
A low gain pedal or 2 will be icing on the tonal cake.
 
Virtual Pariah said:
I'm thinking of the Amplitube stuff.
Seems portable enough on a good laptop.

Anybody here use?
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I’ve tried Amplitube a few times and never been impressed enough to buy it. Many of the amp models are far from the real thing—check out some YouTube comparisons. And the interface can be messy. On the upside, it’s easy to set up cool stereo paths in Amplitube, which isn’t the case in all modeling amps. I think Amplitube is a lot like Line 6. There was a time when they were king, then they got displaced, and they don’t seem to know why.
 
themanfromalabam said:
I have two friends who gig with the BOSS Katana 100's...they swear by them but they sound digital to me.
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I feel the same way when I hear them. They might be great for cleans but the distortion is the same old bees in a can Boss sound. And as much as people tout them for working with pedals they sound like a wet fart when you run a fuzz in front of them.
 
Modelling amps normally leave me pretty cold, but I saw a band Saturday night where both guitarists used Line 6 Helix units direct into the PA. They sounded incredible. Everything from clean to blues-rock to metal sounded great.
 
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