Tech 21 is making me want to go ampless.

[ZepFuzz05]

I'm strongly thinking about leaving amps behind and using a direct device to make touring and live shows easier and more consistent, and the Tech 21 Blonde looks like a great solution.

However. . .

From those that have used them, how good are the Tech 21 "Character" units at doing the classic amp-on-the-verge-of-breakup sound? I've watched the demos and searched through a lot of threads, but I'm wondering if it can pull off that sort of rich, dynamic tone that comes when an amp is loud enough to start compressing and distorting, but still retaining chime and some clean characteristics. Do these pedals pull off that complex middle ground, or am I asking too much from a $150 dirt box?

 

[mahler]

I've heard there good but If I was going to play direct I would not be using the Tech 21 Blonde as its still primarily meant as a dirt box first and foremost!

 

[ZepFuzz05]

It seems like what I've heard has been the opposite, namely that it CAN function as a dirt box, but the built in speaker simulator makes it much more effective as a straight-to-PA amp simulator.

 

[powermatt99]

The Liverpool does great edge of breakup. I've been running it into the loop of my M13 and into my wife's keyboard amp for home practice.

 

[goodhonk]

i'm sure you've already watched this, but here it is anyway.

 

[JosephSky]

My buddy uses one at a weekly church gig. He has the California one. It sounded pretty good, but more "character" a real amp has by far.

 

[drmathprog]

I've been using a Blonde and a Liverpool for nearly a year now. Neither is a real amp, but nobody notices but me, and they do sound good.

 

[jeffg]

Well first off the sansamp character series pedals are full preamps designed to do just what you want - to go ampless - and not just dirt boxes. I use the blonde for my church gig just like that - i have a minimal setup of the blonde, a tech21 boost rvb reverb, and a VS RT66 overdrive. I plug direct into the sound system and use a JBL EON for a stage monitor. It sounds great to me. I also have a trademark 60 - i can get the blonde to sound virtually identical to the TM60 set in a clean fender mode.

jwg.

 

[theGhost]

I agree with you. I haven't yet in person played around with these, by I'm already in the process of trying to put together a "direct" board consisting of probably the Blonde pedal to be the basis of my clean tone to which I'll add other od/fx in order to get what I want. According to forum members the blonde has a great "fender clean" and takes pedals well, so there's really not too much to add since I already have pedals that I like the dirt sound of going through a clean amp. I'm also planning on buying a SS power amp to play this direct setup through so that no matter if I'm playing through my own setup or going through the PA my pedal settings should be roughly the same.

however, I will add that I'll probably never fully get rid of having at least one tube amp around. right now I have a peavey c30 and a jet city 20 watt head. we'll see how it all a/b's...

 

[goodhonk]

Well first off the sansamp character series pedals are full preamps designed to do just what you want - to go ampless - and not just dirt boxes. I use the blonde for my church gig just like that - i have a minimal setup of the blonde, a tech21 boost rvb reverb, and a VS RT66 overdrive. I plug direct into the sound system and use a JBL EON for a stage monitor. It sounds great to me. I also have a trademark 60 - i can get the blonde to sound virtually identical to the TM60 set in a clean fender mode.

jwg.

i need to find a cheap tm60; they are wonderful amps.

 

[Telecaster62]

I often use the British for practice and small gigs. It works pretty well and is a breeze to get a good basic tone. It also takes stomp boxes like an amp and cleans up with the guitar volume knob like an amp. It doesn't make me completely want to abandon my amps but it is useful for quick or limited setups. A good PA system with adequate monitor mixes is essential for using the Character pedals in a live situation.

 

[DaveG]

Well first off the sansamp character series pedals are full preamps designed to do just what you want - to go ampless - and not just dirt boxes. I use the blonde for my church gig just like that - i have a minimal setup of the blonde, a tech21 boost rvb reverb, and a VS RT66 overdrive. I plug direct into the sound system and use a JBL EON for a stage monitor. It sounds great to me. I also have a trademark 60 - i can get the blonde to sound virtually identical to the TM60 set in a clean fender mode.

jwg.

But you still need some kind of a DI to go from the Blonde to the sound system... right? I don't understand why Tech 21 didn't include an XLR out on those pedals... seems


Btw, there's a guy over on the TalkBass forum that mods those pedals for an XLR out, along with some other stuff... looks pretty cool:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=605642

 

[The Kid]

I just bought a Blonde here on TGP. I figured it would be good to keep in my gig bag in case my amp goes down, and do some recording with. If there is a decent sound man & monitor mix, going direct might be cool too. I doubt that I'll ditch my amps, but on days that I have doubles, it might make things a whole lot easier.

 

[Steve Z]

Thanks for posting... that is a great demo!

i'm sure you've already watched this, but here it is anyway.

 

[jeffg]

But you still need some kind of a DI to go from the Blonde to the sound system... right? I don't understand why Tech 21 didn't include an XLR out on those pedals... seems

Actually i run a regular guitar cord from the sansamp to the 1/4 input on the JBL EON, then an XLR cable from the EON output to the board. They should add dual 1/4 and XLR outs to all the sansamps though!

jwg

 

[theGhost]

forgive me for being a noob, but is there THAT much difference between running a 1/4" or an XLR from the same pedal into the board? could you use a basic 1/4"-XLR adapter to achieve this end?

 

[CaseyI]

I got the Liverpool for Christmas and have used it direct a couple times over the past couple weeks. Alll I can say is I LOVE IT. I have a very nice amp and I will not be carting it around any more (not because it's too nice to take out, but just because the liverpool sounds great and weighs nothing). I plan on buying the british as well, I really love the Bluesbreaker sound in burger666's demos.

 

[The Kid]

forgive me for being a noob, but is there THAT much difference between running a 1/4" or an XLR from the same pedal into the board? could you use a basic 1/4"-XLR adapter to achieve this end?

If you're on a stage and running into a snake, you'll want to run a balanced mic level signal to the board. If you're right near the board, just plug it in.

 

[PerFusionist]

My buddy uses one at a weekly church gig. He has the California one. It sounded pretty good, but more "character" a real amp has by far.

This.

I had the British Character one and did a recording shootout between it and a Marshall clone I have. Absolutely no contest.

I'm sure it would be passable and perfectly fine for what you want to use it for...but don't expect anything truly "amp-like".

 

[Scott Auld]

...I'm wondering if it can pull off that sort of rich, dynamic tone that comes when an amp is loud enough to start compressing and distorting, but still retaining chime and some clean characteristics. Do these pedals pull off that complex middle ground, or am I asking too much from a $150 dirt box?

People haven't agreed yet that a $3000 Fractal setup can achieve this level of nuance you are asking for.