Like Danny I'm enamored with current tech...only in my case it's the Kemper. And...heresy, I know...I'd strongly suggest anyone looking for a great, inexpensive alternative to a pricey boutique amp...especially if they are "fender" aficionados...to check out the Fender Mustang V2 III or IV...even V. They are truly killer diller and loud as f*%k. Honest.




#Craig...I remember when everyone got a Sovtek...they were great...one of my buds still has his. Thanks for reminding me.

Well, I just did a few recording tests and I'm absolutely delighted with the results - getting the sound I want and getting that sound to actually work in context has never been easier.
 
I went for something relatively smooth, with the gain at around 4, volume at 7. I was using both pick ups on my SG, with both volumes turned down a bit and the tones slightly rolled off too. That's usually a good place for me to start, getting just the right blend of those two pick ups.
 
I placed a 57 maybe an inch away from the grill, w/o paying much attention actually - I simply pushed it close to the center and left it there, as it worked ok.
 
The amp is Class A - I hadn't really paid any attention to that fact until I sat back and listened to the playback of the track I had just recorded and realized that there was a hint of something I associate w/ Vox and Matchless in there. More than a hint actually.
 
Overall, it's a very tight-sounding amp, lots of punch. And I can crank it all the way w/o having to worry about being too loud. It isn't the typical Marshall-type of sound I'm used to, but it's a sound I feel very comfortable with - it has elements of lots of classic type of sounds that I like. I can't wait to start messing with mic placement, and maybe had an EQ pedal via the FX loop. 
 
Anyone in the market for little amp should definitely check them out - at $199 this weekend, imho, nothing comes close. Even if like me you'd be tempted to associate the name Randall with über metal riffage, this one has a lot more to offer than that. 
 
 
 
 

Mystic38

 
 
Fell in love with Orange recently.. and picked up a TH30 and PPC212 .. 2 channel 30/15/7W head with gorgeous cleans (smooth creamy vs fender chime) strong low mids.. a ballsier alternative to most amps, but the shape control on the dirty (gain) channel can scoop mids if that's your thing. blues to classic rock, heavy rock to some metal..
 
Now. if I could just stop thumping power chords on the les paul I may get some writing done :D

Nice! Though that's in an entirely different league. Your amp alone must be worth twice as much as my entire rig. :P

yorolpal
#Craig...I remember when everyone got a Sovtek...they were great...one of my buds still has his. Thanks for reminding me.

My Mig50 had the best clean of any amp I've ever played, couldn't turn it up to hear any grit though, it simply got too loud!  I also had a Mig50h which had both a volume and a master volume so that one I could get some nice practice distortion tones from though it never sounded as pristine as the Mig50.
 
@Rain - Good to hear that it's sounding like you want.  Hope it still does after the usual honeymoon period is over! 

I would be tempted to believe so. Quite often, I'd plug into my little solid state Marshall MG and every time, it reminded me how easier it seemed to be to play through an amp. The sound itself wasn't too good obviously, but there was something about it which just worked in the context of a song.
 
The new amp provides the missing link - a sound that's actually worth recording and usable. 
 
Obviously, it is somewhat of a compromise, but one that works for me. Like my SGJ. It was not be THE big fancy Gibson I used to dream of but it's my guitar. I think this amp could work the same. 

craigb
Now if it could only model your playing... 

LOL that would be more of a curse than a blessing! It can model sounds really well though. My bud modeled a bee that was flying around in his studio....it sounded just like the bee when he played his guitar. It's really sick on piezo stuff or acoustic guitar because once you have the tone match of it, a regular electric will sound like an acoustic or a piezo. It's really nifty like that.
 

drewfx
Actually though I've heard nothing but overwhelming praise for the AxeFX (or the Kemper for that matter) - and from people like you whose opinions I feel I can trust - I feel like it's not worth the rather substantial cost for me as it would be more of a toy than a tool (for me personally) and modeling in general will only continue to improve so that such quality will become more and more affordable over time. It's inevitable.
 
Plus, there's a part of me that just wants a nice amp that says "Fender" on it, you know, just because. (I've already got the head and cab that say "Marshall" on them.)
 
But truthfully I'm pretty happy with what I've got, as I can pretty much get all the sounds I want by mixing and matching the guitars and amps and cabs and pedals (and more pedals) I already have.
 
When you've been amassing gear for a few decades, you get to a certain point where feelings of "life is good" start to overcome the GAS.

 
I dunno Drew....I really think it would wind up a tool for you even if you're happy with your current gear. I've been happy with my stuff for years but got tired of hearing about this thing. One of my pre-amps went down and I decided to get this thing while I waited for it to be repaired. I thought it would be a toy too and something I probably wouldn't use...but boy was I mistaken. It doesn't just model....it does everything you could ever dream of...talk box included. So you're not just paying for the modeling....it's loaded to the gills with everything and it can be as easy to use or involved as you want it to be.
 
What's even cooler is, they update the thing a few times per month and the updates are pure sickness! More options, more tube tweaks, more amp models, more cabs, I'm just blown away at the dedication Fractal has for it. When something is wrong, they fix it instantly...literally. Not trying to sell you on it, but when you see all the things it can do.....it's sort of like owning Jay Leno's garage and deciding to drive a different vehicle every day. I just can't believe how incredible it is. It IS pricey as heck though, that's for sure. Well worth it though in my opinion. It's got the tube gear and old plexi's down so well, it scared me. I'd go as far as to say if you bought it and hated it that I'd buy it off you because I need another one. :)
 
-Danny

Great.  Both of my guitars are with my luthier, so I don't have anything to play for the moment, but now I want an AxeFX! 
 
Gee thanks Danny!  
 
LOL! 

Rain
Well, I just did a few recording tests and I'm absolutely delighted with the results - getting the sound I want and getting that sound to actually work in context has never been easier.
 
I went for something relatively smooth, with the gain at around 4, volume at 7. I was using both pick ups on my SG, with both volumes turned down a bit and the tones slightly rolled off too. That's usually a good place for me to start, getting just the right blend of those two pick ups.
 
I placed a 57 maybe an inch away from the grill, w/o paying much attention actually - I simply pushed it close to the center and left it there, as it worked ok.
 
The amp is Class A - I hadn't really paid any attention to that fact until I sat back and listened to the playback of the track I had just recorded and realized that there was a hint of something I associate w/ Vox and Matchless in there. More than a hint actually.
 
Overall, it's a very tight-sounding amp, lots of punch. And I can crank it all the way w/o having to worry about being too loud. It isn't the typical Marshall-type of sound I'm used to, but it's a sound I feel very comfortable with - it has elements of lots of classic type of sounds that I like. I can't wait to start messing with mic placement, and maybe had an EQ pedal via the FX loop. 
 
Anyone in the market for little amp should definitely check them out - at $199 this weekend, imho, nothing comes close. Even if like me you'd be tempted to associate the name Randall with über metal riffage, this one has a lot more to offer than that. 
 
 
 
 

thanks for the update Rain  it's always great when things work out 
 
Kenny

drewfx1
Congrats Rain! Looks nice. I love little amps.
 
(repeats to self - I don't need any more amps, I don't need any more amps, I don't need any more amps, I don't need any more amps, I don't need any more amps...)

 
here's a mantra that I have found  useable 
 
(repeats to self - I don't need any more amps, I don't need any more amps, but hey  , I need new tubes , I need new tubes for the amps I already have ... hhhmmm the tubes I need cost a lot of money , the tubes I need cost a lot of money ,  I think  I can pick up a new little amp for the price of the tubes , I love little amps , I love little amps , 
I need a new amp , I need a new amp ) 
 
Kenny

Rain
 
 Like my SGJ. It was not be THE big fancy Gibson I used to dream of but it's my guitar. I think this amp could work the same. 

Rain , 
I happen to like SG's a lot ..
I have  a 50 th Anniversary Epi limited Edition ..the 61 w 2 P 90's in Alpine White 
I kid you not …that humble Epi can hang w my R 8 sonically and because of the P 90's it brings something to the table that makes it a keeper ….
 
Some of the absolute best sounding Rock and Roll ever played  , was done on an SG….
 
Kenny