Psychobillybob
S-Gear will remain your go to, trust me...it's not because of crackling though...for some reason guitar cab sims bundled in baked products always sound sub-par to me including the new set...totally "meh"...of course as usual your mileage may vary...I suppose it comes down to what kind of sounds you use and like...but none of the new ones appeal to me. YMMV

 
Bear in mind that as the article accompanying the sims says, "Unlike sims that try to re-create the sounds of existing amps, the CA-X virtual amps created 'idealized' amp sounds that were based on the classics, but without the limitations placed by the physical world. They included extensive processing (in some cases, dozens of stages of EQ) to create new cabinet, speaker, and distortion types…sort of the amp equivalent of CGI graphics."
 
I made these FX Chains specifically because although I have S-Gear, AmpliTube, GTR, and Guitar Rig, there were sounds I wanted to obtain that none of them produce. TH3 doesn't either, which is why the FX Chains add a lot of sound shaping. 
 

Way cool!!! Thanks Craig for all your great contributions!!!  Always inspiring!

Anderton

Psychobillybob
S-Gear will remain your go to, trust me...it's not because of crackling though...for some reason guitar cab sims bundled in baked products always sound sub-par to me including the new set...totally "meh"...of course as usual your mileage may vary...I suppose it comes down to what kind of sounds you use and like...but none of the new ones appeal to me. YMMV

 
Bear in mind that as the article accompanying the sims says, "Unlike sims that try to re-create the sounds of existing amps, the CA-X virtual amps created “idealized” amp sounds that were based on the classics, but without the limitations placed by the physical world. They included extensive processing (in some cases, dozens of stages of EQ) to create new cabinet, speaker, and distortion types…sort of the amp equivalent of CGI graphics."
 
I made these FX Chains specifically because although I have S-Gear, AmpliTube, GTR, and Guitar Rig, there were sounds I wanted to obtain that none of them produce. TH3 doesn't either, which is why the FX Chains add a lot of sound shaping. 
 

Which depending on how you use sims could be or not be optimal...I've listened to Dave Pensados mixes...so I kinda know what his sounds sound like in a mix...all these presets...not so much.

hmmm. after reading more about how these were made...I'm interested.
I don't have anything but the bundled TH3, and prefer S-Gear or Amplitube 4, but I will download these and give them a spin. Thanks Craig!

Hats off Craig, as always great work. One day I'll install Sonar on a PC again, I already don't recognise how it was last time I used it :).

Psychobillybob
 
Which depending on how you use sims could be or not be optimal...I've listened to Dave Pensados mixes...so I kinda know what his sounds sound like in a mix...all these presets...not so much.

 
If you want to hear them in context, all the guitar tracks on my Neo- and Simplicity albums use only the CA-X amps (except for the opening guitar riff in "On Mars," which is AmpliTube 3). There's a greater variety of them on the Neo- album. I also used the "Classic" amp for the blues harmonica tracks in Simplicity...it gives them that vintage, Chicago blues feel.
 
With the CA-X amps, the "elective" processing like reverb, tremolo, vibrato, animation etc. are under user control. Most of the "under-the-hood" processing is to remove amp fizz with notch filters, add de-essing to reduce highs going in, and other "transparent" processes. The object is more to optimize the sound that already exists, not do something like add EQ to fit in with a specific vocalist or whatever. That's up to whoever is doing the engineering.  
 
 
 

Craig, great stuff. Do you use any preamps with your guitar and bass? I am never sure I am putting the best signal into Sonar.

I was at another studio and plugged my Strat into a Warm Audio Tone Beast and the guitar was warm, strong, without any clipping. Maybe my mind just thinks something I don't own sounds better than anything I own.

I just plug electric and acoustic guitars into a TASCAM US-20x20 DI input. My goal is to get as plain vanilla as possible into the computer, and then do all the processing in the box. I've used "designer" preamps and they're fine, but I don't find them essential.
 
For bass, I've sampled my basses (the Gibson Bass expansion pack for Rapture) so I play most bass parts via keyboard.

Craig Anderton - It's a great collection, and I thank you for your time and effort in putting these together.  I know I'll find myself using them now much more frequently than just TH3 (or Amplitube or Guitar Rig) alone.
Any recommendations (among your presets) for that "Santana, long sustained sound"? 
I've heard during live performances of Europa, he can hold a sustained note for a full minute.  Probably one of the longest held sustained notes you'll ever hear.  (But I'm not necessarily looking for something that can sustain a note for THAT long)

Note: I'm a keyboard player, not a guitarist, and most the lead, electric, and acoustic guitars I use are virtual (Real Guitars: RealLPC, RealStrat, RealRick, etc) along with several other virtual guitar plugins, like AmpleSound, Indiginus, Orange Tree.....

Get into your Cakewalk account, into your products and download CA - X Amps 30th Anniversary Celebration. That pack will go into FX chain presets under CA - X Amps 30th Anniversary Celebration.