My sound is the same as it was 20 years ago. just more expensive stuff making the same sound....Chung, chung , chung, chang. <-----thats not chinese, that sthe sound of my guitar...
CJ

I've been using ''''gasp'''' modelers for 5 years now, a vg8ex and a H&K zenTera direct. I've been playing guitar for 43 years and have owned many fine tube amps, but none recorded better than my zenTera. ESPECIALLY in my little tiny bedroom studio. Sure, if I had a recording budget I'd be in a nice big room with tons of amps, mics pres etc. but for what I do, this works.

Use whatever works for you!

It is true that you can get really nice sounds from a amp modeler, but he asked for professional guitar sounds. Now I know you're not gonna say that most professional guitar players use amp modelers when they record their tracks for a CD. There are some things you can't do with an amp modeler that you can with a real amp, i.e. how about those nice feedbacks. Just the power you get from a nice tube amp is priceless. No matter how you look at it, digital is digital and analog is analog, and they both have their goods and bads. This is not directed to anyone in particular just in case .

Jose, this is an argument nobody can win. its just gonna go back and forth. I use a guitar processor(my vox or boss) and run that into my amp(fender pro 185) and mic the amp and record 2 tracks at the same time.. one is just the processor and one is the mic from the amp from the processor.....did you follow that.. I do that about 50% of the time..
There are also some things you can do with a processor that you cant do with an amp and visa versa. This thread is going to out live me.

CJ

ORIGINAL: Jose7822

Now I know you're not gonna say that most professional guitar players use amp modelers when they record their tracks for a CD.

You would be surprised. If an engineer has an ear good enough to get good sound through a mic'ed amp, he will also be able to get great tones out of a PODxt. Then I hear often that engineers let guitarists play through whatever they want but record a dry signal and then process it in ProTools using Line6 Amp Farm. I read an interview with Nickleback that clearly stated they did this for the "The Long Road" CD. By the way, that has some of the finest guitar tone I ever heard.

I think many don't want to admit that their CDs were made with a POD instead of a real amp. And more often you will find in live gigs that many guitarists are using a wall of empty marshalls and going direct to PA with a POD.

Now I know you're not gonna say that most professional guitar players use amp modelers when they record their tracks for a CD.

Most, possibly not. But a LOT of them do. That is a fact, and has been for a few years. Discuss it all you want to, but facts are facts.

I was talking to a recording engineer friend in Nashville about the gear a famous (as session players go) guitar player who showed up at the studio with a Tele and a laptop. Sounded just like he was playing through his old Vox AC30s. Of course, he sounds killer playing through anything and has programmed his sounds, but there you go.

It's more common every day. The sounds of modeled gear, whether it's amps, audio gear, or even the guitars themselves, are filling the airwaves all the time.

Guitar amps now have modelers in them. Not all, but alot of them, and im laughing at the person who is playing through it while denownsing Hardware effect processors. There the same thing but with speakers...

CJ

I personally don't use lots of FX if any. What I said here is just based on what I use and my opinion, not to change the way anyone here gets their sound. If you're happy with what you use then cool. The important thing is that you're happy about your sound . I don't listen to Nickleback and is not the music I cater for either. For me real guitar sounds are more raw sounding ones (which might be different for you). Like SRV, Killswitch Engage, Blues Saraceno, Metallica (old), VH, Lee Ritenour, Pat Metheny, Russel Malone, Eric Johnson (I don't really like hes guitar playing that much but I do like his clean sounds), etc. You get the idea. I do like other guitarist that use a lot of FX like Vernon Reid or Scott Henderson (he just has an amazing tone in those fingers). Generally, thats the type of sound I like which, again, is probably different from what you like. Bets to you all .

EDIT: No I don't wanna bet with you all, but you know what I meant.

This has always been a subject that interests me. This is my take on everything, YMMV. I am 42 and have been playing electric guitar since my 6th birthday. I have had more equipment than I can imagine, and have wasted more time of my life than I want to admit tweaking to find that "perfect tone". I later realized perfection does not exist in an imperfect world.

Did you ever notice that only guitarists get into this debate? The rest of the world doesn't give a rat's a$$ how the guitarists tone was made, wouldn't notice the difference, and would rather the guitarist spent more time improving his talent and less searching for that perfect tone that just doesn't exist.

As I finally mature, I am learning that tone is just a very small part of a greater thing called music. Mozart's piano sonatas sound great on grand pianos, upright pianos, my Roland NS364's piano patch and even played by midi through Kontakt using their aweful Steinway Light sampleset. Why? Because tone is just a small part of what makes music magical.

Pat Metheny, Eric Johnson...Jose, i have'nt seen those names in a long time. I used to love Pat, He rips...
CJ