Modeler Presets

[timmat]

Looking at all my guitars, pedals, amps, cables, etc...I'm thinking seriously about taking the modeler plunge. However, as a father of a young kid, I don't have the time I used to for tweaking, etc. Any time I get, I need to spend playing. So....

Of the AxFx, 11r, HD500, or GSP1101, which is the best for plugging in, and getting good tone? Also, I know many of these have active user forums where presets have already been posted by the likes of all of the TGP power users, so I could always just grab some of those if the factory presets are a bust.

I know the consensus on many modelers is "the presets suck...you gotta tweak to get good tone". Anyone feel differently with regards to any of these? Thanks.

[prkaye]

not from personal experience but from a LOT of forum reading...

1) Axe is not as easy as 11R if what you want to do is just plug in and get instant gratification. Learning curve to tweak Axe is apparently higher.

2) Concensus seems to be that Line 6 always had bad presets and that this has continued with the HD series (i.e. the presets supplied with the device don't really do the models justice). I can verify that for the pre-HD Line 6 stuff, I haven't been crazy about the sounds (many sound either too fizzy to me, or too boxed-in), but lots of tweaking attempts haven't really allowed me to solve this with Line 6 either. Haven't tried the HD stuff but reports are it's better, but still requires some tweaking to get the best sound out of it.

[guitarnet70]

Any rig (digital or analog) requires tweaking. Modelers (due to the availability of multiples rigs, options and parameters) requires MORE tweaking. User presets are good to grab ideas, but still requires further tweaking: we all play different guitars and by sure we have different hands (that's why often a preset doesn't sound like in the clip..).
Factory presets sucks? BIG TIME! They are made to be a showcase of what the unit can do, rarely they are of any practical use, and if they are they are also quite generic.
If you don't have the time to tweak, probably a Fender Mustang is going to be the quickest one to set up and start playing...IMHO

[timmat]

If you don't have the time to tweak, probably a Fender Mustang is going to be the quickest one to set up and start playing...IMHO
I do have the Mustang II already...nice for Fender clean, dissapointing so far for gain...and I have used FUSE extensively to try an coax a better gain sound. For now, I'm using pedals into the Fender Twin setting for distortion, but thinking about one of the other modelers mentioned above for better drive/distortion tones, and ditching many of my pedals.

Any my point about leveraging all the great settings others have already uploaded in various forums may be the way to avoid the need for endless tweaking on my part...except for some fine tuning for my own gear.

[mrphotosales]

I am just getting into modeling, my HD500 is on the way. There are some really great patches you can download an install in 5 minutes.

[bman110]

I've used all but the 11R and for me the GSP1101 was as easy to get good tones as you could ask for. I do think that each unit is like a guitar, one model fits you but may be useless to someone else. Since I've started using the 1101 I have had more compliments on my tone than ever before and I think it's because I'm playing more and tweaking patches less. The interface and software just made perfect sense to me the first time I used it. The Control2 floorboard does exactly what I needed it to without loads of programming.

The king of all units is the Axe FX but for me I was never satisfied that I had acheived the best tones from it which led to never-ending tweaking instead of playing. For others it's the perfect tool and they sound amazing with it.

My advise would be to try as many as you can and don't discount any because of someone else not liking it and giving it a bad review. I never thought Digitech would work for me and now I'm loving it more every time I use it.

Good Luck!!