It’s 2026… Are you using an amp or a modeler on stage?

mystixboi1

mystixboi1

Kick Henry Jackassowski
I’ve been using my Suhr PT exclusively for the last few months. Out of laziness, I decided to bring my HX stomp to a gig this last weekend.

After messing around a bit during soundcheck, the sound person got my front house sound dialed in, and it sounded absolutely amazing. As we played, it sat perfectly in the mix, and my leads cut through.

They came up to me during the break and confirmed that all of my tone was coming from the line 6. They were blown away when I told him I wasn’t using any other pedals. I actually only used two patches for the entire night. The only difference is one brought my Guitar down to half step.

That was pretty much it.

I’m definitely gonna still bring my amp for larger shows but for smaller music venues and occasional bar gigs I think the line 6 works just fine. What are you using?
 
Well, I stopped gigging a little over a year ago, but I had been using the BOSS GX-100 direct to FOH (with a Headrush frfr onstage) exclusively for a few years by then. I, too, was using only two presets, each with a number of switching options (kind of like snapshots on the Line6 stuff). Sound guys loved the ease and consistency, and my back loved not schlepping an amp. And I got loads of compliments on my tone, even from self-professed amp snobs who could not believe the sound was all coming from that one unit.
 
These days I use an Orange Dual Terror on the 30 watt setting with all 4 el84s engaged and the volume halfway up. Several of the arenas we play have house 4x12s so I use that if it’s an option and for the clubs that don’t have backline I bring a 1x12” cab with a Warehouse Guitar speaker V30.

Old school to the max.
 
Soldano Astro 20 tube amp....

... with the IR XLR out from the back of the head going direct to FOH. This gives me the option of silent stage with in ears or powered cab... I can still throw the Sennheiser e609 on the cab and the FOH has the option of which one sounds better in the mix, or both.

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Tube Amps!!! Now smaller combos - Fender Princeton Reverb or Ampeg J-20. I may take out my Quilter Tone Block occasionally but I do not use modelling live. Use Tone X for recording or practice only due to low non ear shattering levels.
 
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I go back and forth. I'm already lugging around a heavy pedal steel, so the amp (Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb, which is technically modeling, anyway) is a piece of cake by comparison. Sometimes we're all using in-ears, so the amp is just extra work, and I can get the job done with a pedal. But I'm increasing unhappy with in-ears and have been using the amp more and more lately.
 
Yes. This is my amp. The clean channel models a Fender Tweed. The dirty channel emulates a Mesa Dual Rectifier. There is a cabinet sim switch on the back. I use it with a hollowed out ZT Lunchbox with a Eminence Alpha-6A neodymium 6.5" midrange woofer that is really a full range speaker rated at 200 watts. It's technically a PA speaker, but it handles bass and guitar nicely. I usually use this setup with a Boss GX-10, so I have a lot of amp choices.
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S gear with a Macbook Pro and Apogee interface for most gigs.

S-Gear

S-Gear is a collection of guitar amps, speaker cabinets and effects implemented in software for use with your computer, Windows PC or MAC. The software comes as a Standalone Application and as plug-ins for use with the most popular DAW (digital audio workstation) recording software.
www.scuffhamamps.com www.scuffhamamps.com
 
When I play Madison Square Basement, I use a tube amp. When I jam electric with friends, I use a tube amp. I use modeling for direct recording or quiet practice.
 
Last gig was using my Trace Elliot combo. Been rehearsing with the Katana since. Home practice is normally my little Cube Baby modeller pedal into the Aux of a Roland Microcube.
 
Gorgon90 said:
Last gig was using my Trace Elliot combo. Been rehearsing with the Katana since. Home practice is normally my little Cube Baby modeller pedal into the Aux of a Roland Microcube.
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mystixboi1 said:
If memory serves, you really enjoyed the katana at first. Are you still enjoying it?
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I use a Katana Gen 3 Ex 50 for at-home playing and absolutely love it.
 
mystixboi1 said:
If memory serves, you really enjoyed the katana at first. Are you still enjoying it?
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Overall, yes. I like the smaller size and weight compared to my Trace Elliot. I also like the fact I can get all the outboard control stuff and the power lead into the back of the combo making it easy to load in and out. (20ft stereo cable, GAFC-EX foot controller, dual momentary switch and leads, expression pedal, USB cable)

I wish it had a tuner though, so I gave in and bought a Dimarzio clip on one which I also keep in the back of the Katana to make up for it.

Sounds, I still haven't fully sorted, due to lack of time with work and family stuff.
 
I use an amp. I sometimes play gigs so small there's no sound system. If I were playing larger venues, I'd probably get a UA Dream '65 and go direct. I have the plugin and it sounds killer.
 
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