smallstonefan
Danny,
 
I may totally regret engaging on this topic, but that FXII is VERY interesting. I love complicated sounds but I've been looking to simplify my setup and my workflow. I have a bunch of vintage pedals and I run an old Boss SE70 set to do U2 shimmer. Listening to some of the samples of the FXII, it seems to be able to do everything I can do with my setup but is recallable. That's the part that kills me - I an almost NEVER get the exact same sound a day alter with all of the analog gear. I've been spending a lot of time with Amplitube because of this, but it's not quite there (though very impressive).
 
I used to run a large rack with a Axxess switching system (three GCXs!) and I'm back to a regular pedal board. Still, the idea of a single rack unit - that is appealing.
 
Do you run this through a PA speaker? I have a Marshall Bluesbreaker style cab from mojo tone with a Greenback and a Vintage 30 in it - would this work with a nice power amp? I'm guess you could split the single coming out of it, so you could record direct while also hearing yourself through the cab, which would be great.
 
I'm really going to chew on this. I have a few amps that I'm not really playing that I could roll into the Axe FXII.
 
Ug, I knew I shouldn't have opened this thread... :)

James, (you and Tom are going to hate me after reading this lol)
 
Yeah, I regretted when I found out about the AxeFx too. Then I regretted posting about it here because then I got pm's from about 5 forum member's wives yelling at me about it. LOL!!!!!
 
I still have a few racks that I use for different situations, but that AxeFx is my main rig now. I'm ready to buy another for the studio due to how versatile it is. I almost want to post up my "shimmer" sound. LOL!!!! Honest, this thing does it all. And yes, you can do all the stuff you want to do. It has incredible pedal capability and will get all the sounds you could ever dream of. It even has a synth in it in case you want to go there.
 
The best part about the Axe in my opinion James.....it can be as complicated or simplistic as you want it to be. You saw my grid boxes of effects in this thread, right? Those sounds were cut and dry really...nothing special with the routings. All that is...is my effects into the amp of my choice...my cab emulation, and other effects in a loop. It looks more complicated than it really is. But in reality, the real set-up would look more complicated because we'd have a signal direct into the amp and then other effects into the effects loop. With this, we see it all in one shot.
 
As for your routing questions....you have several outputs you can use. I currently run from a Line 6 Relay G-90 wireless (the best wireless ever...I can't tell the difference between it and my cable!) and then into a Rocktron single space, 300 watt power amp. From the amp I go into 25 watt Marshall Greenback Celestion cabs. Sometimes 1, sometimes 2, sometimes 4. I have XLR outs available that can be run into our pa. As  matter of fact, we forgot to bring my cab (my singer brings my cab for me since I got rid of my truck) and I went XLR out of the Axe into our pa, and my soundman gave me a little feed into my monitor. I really didn't miss my cab as long as I was in front of the monitors. So it's great no matter how you use it. OR, you can use it with your cab AND into the pa at the same time if you want to. We've done that too, but it wasn't an incredible difference that made me say "oh we so have to do this all the time!"
 
So you should have no problems with this thing doing everything that you want it to do. I will say this...don't procrastinate on getting the foot switch. I know it's expensive and you can get fairly close to what it does using another midi switcher. However, no midi switcher you buy will be as seamless as the one that goes with it. I have one of the best midi switchers ever made. A Bob Bradshaw switching system. I purposely ignored buying the Fractal pedal board because the Bradshaw is so incredible.
 
When I found out all the things I'd have to program and manipulate to get it close to what the Fract board does just by plugging in, it made me curious. The more information I gathered, the more I saw what COULDN'T be done using the Bradshaw. So I spent the additional $749 and got the board and the Mission Control pedals as well. So if you have the cash or can save the cash, definitely consider it. I know, now your wife will be sending me mail bombs too! LOL! :)
 
Tom: Yeah, you can sample anything. All your amps, any pre-amps you may have collected over the years, any VST amp sims you may currently like, any insects in your studio that are flying around (I'm serious on that one) horns, piano, bagpipes...this thing is so sick, after you spend a few months with it, you totally understand why it carries the price tag it carries.
 
The latest firmware update to 15.3 is remarkable. It literally behaves even MORE like a real tube rig. I'm still impressed they have the 12AX7 sound down so well. I'm not much into that whole "so loud the output tubes saturate" thing....I'm more of a "gimme a hotter 12AX7 pre-amp and let me be a little lower in volume" kinda guy. But you'd have no problems dialing up any tone with what comes stock. Numerous amps (I think we're up to 190 now with the newest update) more cabs than you can load into the thing (unless you get the XL model) and every effect known to man including a talk box.
 
Sampling amps etc: My way of handling this wasn't to sample my amps because I haven't had time to really dive into that. So what I did instead was sample my sounds in my amps. I used a Digitech 2101 for most of my guitar playing life as well as a few amps here and there. So for me, I played through the amp/pre-amp of choice and recorded the sound either with a mic or direct. You save the wave files because you will need to feed them into your Axe.
 
You must (or at least should) create a sound that sounds close to the sound you are trying to cop. Then, feed your recorded wave sound of your amp or pre into the AxeFx. It has it's own soundcard etc. From there, you play and the Axe profiles what you are playing. You then press a button and it applies the sound you wanted to cop to your current sound. I have been completely successful with this 10 times out of 10 on all counts. I've copped my best 2101 sounds, my old Marshall sounds, an old Ampeg, and some of my favorite VST guitar sim plugs.
 
Now if you don't try to come close with a sound before you apply the curve, sometimes you can get lucky there too. For example, if you wanted to cop the lead sound Harrison got in "Something" by The Beatles and you have the sound in one of your amps, it would be best if you tried to come close on your own inside the Axe. THEN feed the sound sample of you playing that lead into the Axe via mic or line, press the button and it should be 99% there. It's easier when you have a sound dialed in that is close though.
 
This is super easy when you have a sound sample from the person you may be wanting to cop. For example, my Van Halen sound is based off of EVH playing the song "Unchained". I created a sound in the Axe that I felt was darned close. I then grabbed that part of Eddie playing the beginning and took the sample into the Axe. It profiled it, then I played and it profiled me....I pressed the button and it applied his sound to mine and the hair on my arms stood up. It's scary close man...even when I play through an amp. That's the other cool thing about the Axe...if you have it hooked up in soundcard mode and have your power amp turned on, it comes through your cab. So you can REALLY see how the sound you are sculpting is coming out. Again I say, I hate the price of this thing...but the power and versatility, not to mention the realism....just blows my doors off the more I play with this thing.
 
-Danny

Danny,
 
Thanks for the long thoughtful reply. This seems to be what I was trying to accomplish with that big rack switching setup. I'm sold. Well, actually I need to sell some gear. :) I don't think I'd go for it without the floorboard having had my rack setup. I'm stunned by what I'm hearing on-line and what I'm reading about. I wish there was one local to check out. :)

Hi James,
 
You're welcome. I really do apologize for coming off like I'm trying to sell the thing. But the fact of the matter is, it really is incredible and I never thought I'd be one to use anything like this. If I wasn't using an amp that was tube, I was using a pre that was tube. So for me to go total transistor is unheard of.
 
Speaking of big racks, I can so relate. The reason for me to have the big rack was I was never sold on one company's multi-effects units. It was rare for me (until the Digitech 2101) to have an all in one that blew my doors off. So my big rack had cool effects in it that excelled at what they did for me. Like the old Alesis Quadraverb that had an analog sound that also had super fast switching live....or the ADA Mp1 that had a killer clean sound or the ADA Pitchtraq that was the best un-intelligent sounding/tracking pitch unit out there. A Digitech IPS 33b or a DHP 55 which was like a poor man's Eventide that did just about everything the Eventide did other than burn a hole in your bank account. A Rocktron Chameleon to bail you out as a back-up pre which also had killer effects built in as well as some trippy sounds...a Digitech Time machine delay that gave me up to 8 seconds of sampling. (which was sort of unheard of in the 80's and 90's for a guitar processor unless you used a tape driven delay)
 
Stuff like that is what made my rack huge as well as a few amps in there. So I can relate. Thankfully I didn't use any pedals other than my Bradshaw controller pedal. All the other pre-amps in my rack would have enough gain to carry me over. I'd then have two amps with me too so I could switch between the sounds of them as well as my pre-amps that were on board. So in reality, I'd be digging from 2 amps and 3 pre-amps.
 
Move ahead to today....both amps and the pre-amps I used could be sampled right into the AxeFx and bang....all the sounds they had to offer in a 2-space rack that really does sound as convincing as the amps and pre's it sampled. (which is what I sort of did) 
 
So in my situation, I have banks of sounds. A few banks have all the best amp sounds that I could get from my favorite amps. Another bank has all my 2101 sounds...another my Tri-axis and some other amp sims. Incidentally, the AxeFx has a Tri-axis amp built-in...the sounds of that vs. what I sampled are scary close....so the modeling in it has been done really well. Better than any VST I have ever tried, that's for sure.
 
At any rate, if you do get one, give it a month or two before you make up your mind. The presets that come with it are decent (supposedly they have re-written them all with the latest revision to sound 100% better, but I haven't tried them as I really don't need them) but nothing special until you create your own sounds and learn how to use the thing. It's pretty easy and should take you about a day to get familiar with it...and a month or two to learn how to totally harness the power. Worst case scenario, if you don't like it, sell it...look on Ebay. They are going for what Fractal charges and more. So it's a good investment no matter what. :)
 
-Danny

For me, I've never been a fan of the digital stuff (but I did love the Quadraverb), and I racked a bunch of vintage gear and boutique pedals. My Echoplex, First Edition Small Stone, Mojo Vibe, Skreddy pedals, and so forth (3 GCXs worth of switching, stereo lines, two amps, all cables were Lava cables with Neutrik connections I made - lots of hours). I do like my Eventide Pitchfactor, but it appears the Axe FXII can do these types of effects as well. Really, what I built out of analog stuff and digital switching, I would love to have in the re-callable digital world, and it sure looks like they've done it. Reading reviews, it seems that Fractal is very good about releasing new firmware updates, and they always seem to be good updates. 
 
Exciting stuff - I have a lot of eBaying to do... Speaking of, I just checked based on your comment and wow they really do hold their value!

I'm so screwed, guess I'll be buying one too.
So do I buy the newer FX II XL or what?
 
T

Looks like the XL is just a bit more future proof, and probably worth the extra scratch. At least that's what I'm telling myself. :)
 
We need a group buy! 
 
first I have to sell my mid-80s JC120 and my Dr Z Maz 18. God, I hate the idea of shipping an amp.

I look at the AxeFX II a little differently.  Back years ago, it was a pile of amps a great guitar or two and a cable.  MAYBE a wah pedal for the Foghat tune.  I kind of viewed all the rack stuff as pretty much a poor sound and very sterile....  at least at the time.  I've since had some Boss stuff and use a GT-100 now.
But the AxeFX II seems to put things in a new category.  You can now easily get better sounds than I could, trying to mic a 4 x 12 cabinet in the studio or even a little amp, when we all learned Jimmy Page used teenie stuff in the studio.  Seems you plug into the Fractal, connect your brain, ears and fingers all on the same page, and you easily surpass all those struggles.

Problem is in that I'll never get the wife to understand why I need to spend $2k+ on MORE guitar processors, since I've got all these POD beans, J-stations, Boss, Line6 stuff laying around.  Btw, most of the amps are now long gone.  Way too loud anymore.  Even the young kids seem to hate the volume live.
 
OT...I just sold my original ProCo Rat for over $300.  Incredible, since my GT-100 has one built in as well and sounds every bit as good.  My early issue fuzzface (without knobs!!) got even more. 

mixmkr - I've bought and sold a ton of pedals, and it is amazing what some vintage gear gets. :) I never had an original Rat, but I tried the "original re-issue" and it just didn't do it for me. That said, I think the original Small Stone is the best phaser ever made (hence my forum name). But now we can get sooooooo cloooooose without the hassles (old gear does break), ground loops, inability to recall exactly a setting, etc. The kicker is does it sounds and feel like a guitar amp. If so, the effects only need to be 90%+. I think. I don't know, I've been a freaking tone snob for many years I guess I don't know what to think. :)

mixmkr
Problem is in that I'll never get the wife to understand why I need to spend $2k+ on MORE guitar processors, since I've got all these POD beans, J-stations, Boss, Line6 stuff laying around.  Btw, most of the amps are now long gone.  Way too loud anymore.  Even the young kids seem to hate the volume live.
 

that's one of the reasons i LOVE my old vintage mesa boogie.
 
with it's 2 channels and master volume, i can 'almost' get my tone at any volume, including bedroom.
 
the only reason for me to go with any other amp, would simply be for different timbres and gain structures..
 
but honestly, i just don't want that many different tones..
i just want 3 really good tones, clean, dirt rhythm, and lead voice

I totally get that. For me, I love playing through multiple amps with lots of effects in stereo. I like to layer a phaser over a chorus and run two delay lines - lots of textural stuff. That's why I can never get the same sounds twice. Fun for experimenting, but not good for recording. I just noticed this thing does looping, which means I could get rid of my RC50 Loopstation. Heck, if it's good enough I might let go my 1978 Marshall JMP MKII. I will never part with my vintage Fender, but I could let the Marshall go if the emulation is good enough.
 
I hope it's that good. :)