Is there anything better than AxeFX?

[luitanent_dan]

I've got a couple of weeks to play with the AxeFX ultra unit, which should arrive sometime this week.. I can't wait to try it out!

A couple of questions:

• Is there anything better that AxeFX to replace amps and pedals?
• Has anyone actually sold their amps and vintage pedals and just used a modeling unit like the AxeFX?
• If you use the AxeFX, do you run it through a tube amp still?
• Do you still use other pedals with it (ie. tuner, volume, etc)?
• How would you rate the following in order of awesomeness?
  AxeFX
  11 Rack
  Line 6 X3 (or the new Line 6 HD500)
  Guitar Rig
  Amplitube
  (Other)
• What's your favourite video demo of the AxeFX?

This is the video that got me excited..

 

[luitanent_dan]

Here are some more great vids:

 

[Spider-Man]

I've got a couple of weeks to play with the AxeFX ultra unit, which should arrive sometime this week.. I can't wait to try it out!

A couple of questions:

• Is there anything better that AxeFX to replace amps and pedals?

IMO, no. If you are looking at modeling and the price is not a problem, the Axe is the way to go.

• Has anyone actually sold their amps and vintage pedals and just used a modeling unit like the AxeFX?

Yes. Use the search function.

• If you use the AxeFX, do you run it through a tube amp still?

Some people do, I don't. I use a FRFR (Full Range Flat Response) monitor. Use the search function

• Do you still use other pedals with it (ie. tuner, volume, etc)?

You can. Many people report great success using a drive pedal in front of the Axe. It also has an effects loop.

The on-board tuner is excellent. There are a couple different Midi controllers that will display the Axe Tuner on the face of the controller. Use the search function.

• How would you rate the following in order of awesomeness?
  AxeFX
  11 Rack
  Line 6 X3 (or the new Line 6 HD500)
  Guitar Rig
  Amplitube
  (Other)

I only have experience with the Axe and the Line 6 stuff. The Line 6 stuff is a toy in comparison IMO. 11 Rack gets good reviews. Use the search function.

• What's your favourite video demo of the AxeFX?

The (R)evolution of Rock Guitar videos are the ones that convinced me to buy an Axe-FX. Also, Mark Day does a great job with his videos, but I'm not after the types of tones he uses.

 

[luitanent_dan]

Thanks for the reply.. so in summary.. 'use the search function'

I have been going through a lot of the posts on the AxeFX in this forum.. I haven't really found anyone who dosen't like the AxeFX, so I guess that's a good sign!

 

[Scott Peterson]

I've got a couple of weeks to play with the AxeFX ultra unit, which should arrive sometime this week.. I can't wait to try it out!

A couple of questions:

• Is there anything better that AxeFX to replace amps and pedals?
• Has anyone actually sold their amps and vintage pedals and just used a modeling unit like the AxeFX?
• If you use the AxeFX, do you run it through a tube amp still?
• Do you still use other pedals with it (ie. tuner, volume, etc)?
• How would you rate the following in order of awesomeness?
  AxeFX
  11 Rack
  Line 6 X3 (or the new Line 6 HD500)
  Guitar Rig
  Amplitube
  (Other)
• What's your favourite video demo of the AxeFX?

This is the video that got me excited..

My opinion:

1. The Axe-FX is the best unit I've used for this purpose, it's a fun noisemaker.
2. Yes. I have.
3. No, I don't. I run FRFR. I have run with a tube power amp, it sounded great. Tried FRFR, liked it, never looked back.
4. No, I do not use other pedals, though you can and many do. I don't find a need to do so.
5. I don't 'rank' gear; the Axe-FX works for me.
6. Video demos don't do much for me, the 15 (it was 30 day when I bought mine) trial convinced me.

Thanks for the reply.. so in summary.. 'use the search function'

I have been going through a lot of the posts on the AxeFX in this forum.. I haven't really found anyone who dosen't like the AxeFX, so I guess that's a good sign!

Oh, you'll find plenty of folks that will go out of their way to tell you how much they dislike the Axe-FX. And a good number of them never have owned or tried the Axe-FX; not all, but there you are. Not everyone needs the level of power and control you have with the Axe-FX.

And like any piece of gear, it's simply not the bee-knees for everyone. Some folks have used/owned one and not liked it. There's nothing wrong with that either.

 

[dspellman]

At the moment, a lot of folks think that the Axe-FX is the fanciest boutique modeler (it's really the only boutique modeler) available. No telling where that end of the industry is going to go however; we may find ourselves inundated with boutique modelers (or we may have gone completely into our laptops or iPads) over the next year or two. Look what's happened to tube amps; every Dog, Hick and Fairy is putting out some kind of handwired thingamabob with custom tolex and a weird naming convention, and they want big bucks to afford you the privilege of saying you have one.

At some point, accuracy will be old hat. Most of these modelers are reproducing existing amps. At some point they'll all do that much for cheap. So the real question is "what comes next?" This is actually a pretty good question throughout the guitar industry; Once we've made all the OLD instruments available in a single package (which is the point of modeling amps/effects and even of the Variax guitars which model other guitars), where does the innovation and the next great product come from? Have we reached the end of the development cycle for the electric guitar?

 

[Count_Chocolat]

Is there anything better than the Axe-FX?

• Yessir, it's called the Axe-FX Ultra.

Is there anything better than the Axe-Fx Ultra?

• Yessir, that would be 2 Axe-Fx Ultra's.

 

[Jay Mitchell]

Sex. Sex is better than the Axe-Fx.

 

[Count_Chocolat]

Sex. Sex is better than the Axe-Fx.

There it is...!

 

[RayRay]

Sex. Sex is better than the Axe-Fx.

Hmmm... depends on the partner. Looking back, I'd prefer the Axe to some.

Plus with the Axe there's less drama, less nagging, less expectation, less expense, less anger if you try to bring another Axe to the mix....

 

[Scott Peterson]

I'll agree that sex is far better than the Axe-FX.

No question.

Game over.

 

[iaresee]

Is there anything better that AxeFX to replace amps and pedals?

Better is subjective. I like the AxeFx best of all the things I tried to do modelling. In terms of all things in the universe I'll also agree that sex is better than the AxeFx. And beer. I still like beer more than I like that AxeFx. But not as much as I like sex. Hmm...if I could combine beer and sex...

Has anyone actually sold their amps and vintage pedals and just used a modeling unit like the AxeFX?

I sold my amps and most pedals. I held on to a few DIY fuzz pedals and some pedals with some sentimental value. They sit in a drawer most of the time.

If you use the AxeFX, do you run it through a tube amp still?

Nope. Direct to FoH, monitored via IEMs. Occassionally I'll use a Yorkville E10P.

Do you still use other pedals with it (ie. tuner, volume, etc)?

Sometimes I'll use one of my fuzz boxes or my superdelay. Pretty rare though. The fuzz boxes I like because they're very unique and I just know how to use them. They work really well in front of the AxeFx.

How would you rate the following in order of awesomeness?

They are all equally awesome. Because they do things that 10 years ago we could only dream about. And at price points everyone can afford.

What's your favourite video demo of the AxeFX?

Dunno.

 

[rickboot]

I'll agree that sex is far better than the Axe-FX.

No question.

Game over.

Yes. Well... at least until 11.0 comes out.

 

[Jay Mitchell]

Hmm...if I could combine beer and sex...

You can. It's called "fraternity party." Or "after-gig party." Not that I've ever done anything like that....

 

[Baba]

I'll agree that sex is far better than the Axe-FX.

No question.

Game over.

Although, I have had some that require some serious tweaking and setup, probably more than the Axe FX requires.

 

[Tubes and Strings]

This thread has no hope at this point....

 

[Scott Peterson]

This thread has no hope at this point....

No argument here.

 

[hippietim]

Is there anything better that AxeFX to replace amps and pedals?

Nope.

Has anyone actually sold their amps and vintage pedals and just used a modeling unit like the AxeFX?

I sold off all of my tube amps except one combo. I still have some pedals but I did sell off a bunch. I sold most of my rack gear too except for my Eventides.

If you use the AxeFX, do you run it through a tube amp still?

I did initially but now I run FRFR all the time.

Do you still use other pedals with it (ie. tuner, volume, etc)?

I use a Korg Pitchblack or TC Polytune because my original MIDI controller didn't have the ability to talk to the Axe-FX for tuning. My current one supposedly does but I haven't tried it.

I use a Fulltone Mini Deja-Vibe 2 because I didn't like the Vibe with the 7.0 firmware. I'm running the 9.0 firmware which has an updated Vibe but I haven't tried it yet.

I use a switchless Crybaby 95Q because I like the spring loaded auto-engage/disengage. I did grab a spring loaded expression pedal from Mission so I will eventually switch to that and use the internal wah.

I use a Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster to compensate for a couple low output guitars I have.

I'm planning on overhauling my rig when I can get the new Fractal MIDI controller. I will probably get rid of everything but the Duncan pickup booster unless the MFC controller will afford me an option of having a global boost switch to control a block on the Axe-FX that stays on across patch changes.

 

[shasha]

I'll try to be honest and serious. It's going to be a tough job though.

I haven't found anything better than the Axe-FX for me. I think that there may be something out there, but after years of searching and spending money this is the best I've discovered.

I have sold all one of my amps. I only had the one and barely used it because it was too loud to use at home and it was a PITA to record with. All my pedals went with it, just didn't need them anymore (and the money went towards the Axe-FX). So basically I traded a small tube amp and some pedals in for 50 amps and a ton of pedals in one box.

As far as the ranking thing, this is just my PERSONAL opinions and experiences.

AxeFX
Line 6 X3 (or the new Line 6 HD500)
11 Rack
Amplitube 3
ReValver MKIII
Guitar Rig 4

11 rack would actually be lower on my list if I was buying just because I have a history with Avid and it's a personal issue. Taking that out of the equation and based soley on what I've seen it's worthy of the 3rd spot.

I actually like Guitar Rig because of what it does and the interface, but sound wise it's probably the weakest to be perfectly honest. It was better than the older Amplitube versions, but Amplitube 3 really impressed me.

ReValver MKIII is a fantastic program, but it's kind of limited.

Those videos were what convinced me that this thing was legitimate. I had sworn off hardware modellers until I heard them. 99% of what you read is sales pitch or buzz words so I was anti-Axe-FX when it first came out. I thought that it was just another box. My only regret is waiting to buy one.

But I won't sit here and say that it's the greatest thing ever for everyone. I just know that I love mine and basically that's all that I care about.

 

[smilefan]

I still like beer more than I like that AxeFx. But not as much as I like sex. Hmm...if I could combine beer and sex...

At our private party gigs AxeFX, beer, and sex are frequently happening simultaneously (my primary motivation for sticking it out in a cover band). Like Frat parties for 40 year olds.

Is there anything better that AxeFX to replace amps and pedals?
Nope. AxeFX Ultra is King of the Hill.
Has anyone actually sold their amps and vintage pedals and just used a modeling unit like the AxeFX? Yes, I did. All tube amps sold. Just the Axe Ultra now.
If you use the AxeFX, do you run it through a tube amp still? Yes, I'm one of the few that run thru a tube power amp (VHT 2/90/2). I replaced all the stock tubes with US & British NOS, now its sounds as clear to me as FRFR (were I started but went back to tube) with added bounce and realism. However, if I didn't have the money for this I would use FRFR.
Do you still use other pedals with it (ie. tuner, volume, etc)? Nope, just the Axe and a MIDI board.
How would you rate the following in order of awesomeness?
AxeFX slays all. The 11 is good if all you want is 6-7 basic guitar tones. Haven't tried the rest.

The old U2 knock-off demos are what convinced me to try.