One of the big advantages to a system like the Quad Cortex, or similar setups (HX stuff, Valeton GP range etc) is that they are all-in-one solutions for multi-instrumentalists. With a decent digital system, you have a single unit that works for electric, acoustic, bass, upright bass, keys/synths or basically any instrument, and you can set up and save ideal patches for each just by downloading appropriate presets or IRs.
It's even better in the world of bass mate. I now own a bass rig with an 800 watt class D amp and a neodynium loaded 1x15 cab, and the whole rig weighs barely a ball hair more than my old rack power amp alone... It's mindblowing to think about. Those years of loading my gear in and out being a 2 man job (and still causing back pain) are looooong gone. and good bloody riddance :D
I wanted to hate the digital setup.... but I just can't. They both sound great. I think the fundamental element is that whatever rig you use, it has to be something you actually like well enough to spend the time learning properly. If you're familiar with the kit and enjoy playing with it, you'll put more time in getting the tone dialled in properly.
Lee, do more vids with this young fella. Your raport is good, and and he is really on it when it comes to describing the gear and how to use it, great player too.. Top marks.
60 years old here. Played them all from old amps, modellers and solid state. Gigged and at home. Settled back on tube/valve amps at gigs and digital at home via Two Notes. I still like the experience of gigging a valve rig and life is too short not to and it keeps me fit. Nothing wrong with the modellers especially for fly dates etc. sometimes hybrid rigs work really well. All depends on the gig and the job. All have their place. Still like to feel my trousers 👖 flap occasionally to make sure I’m alive. 🎉
Caotains criticism of the modeler is actually 100% right because that's what a modeler is doing. It is replicating a tone run through and "amp, cab and effects" then miced in a room. What is coming through the speaker is not the amp tone but the miced tone if you were listening in a studio. Once I realized that, I fell more in love with my Fractal Ace FX III, because I wasn't trying to make an "amp in the room tone" I'm making a great tone that translates well in a mix! And with the newest updates it's only better!! Analog is great! But a really good digital is so nice! And I have kids so I only play at night and I can use headphones to make tones that translate to a live environment!!
Or every few years selling everything and yo-yoing madly between old analogue stuff and cutting edge modelling stuff. That shock depreciation of modelling gear never gets old😅
I'm late Gen-X (1980). I love both, but I haven't owned a guitar amp since 2003, and these days I'm 100% modeling for both guitar and bass. The convenience factor just can't be denied, and after years of pedal obsession and pedalboard rebuilds, going digital has allowed me some much needed peace of mind because I'm no longer obsessing about what pedal I want to replace next.
I agree born June of 1980 and I consider myself Gen-X. I’m in the states but over here we’re considered Gen-X until 1981 I think. But I’m buying a new amp… either some digital setup or a Mesa Boogie California Tweed. Haven’t played since 1996… when I paid $140 for a BOSS FX69 GRUNGE pedal to go with my 20w Marshall Tube amp and Fender squire setup I paid $300 all in from my brothers friend when I was 16. I’ve been playing the last 6/months and after buying a $170 LP-special ii and then a Fender Player Plus (SSS) I started a three piece band with the guys from work and I’m getting drowned out by our drummer with a Yamaha THR10II 😂… never played with a proper band and learned the hard way, what you’d think is obvious. So I need a new amp and was considering going digital but I’m lost on everything that’s out now… (btw… I’m not really a great player) should I stick with what I know?
Gen X here with both types of gear, enjoy it all, digital for practice and analog for playing live, played my cloudburst out live this week for the first time. Andertons really brought joy this year while battling a health issue. Appreciate you guys!!
It Truly is amazing how far digital processing has come along. But as a millennial i still love having actual tube amps and pedals. But just listening to video it was almost impossible to tell the two apart. Love the video
@@Cosmo__KramerI'm willing to bet my house if you were blindfolded and given a guitar going through both set ups were the modeler was really well set up you wouldn't be able to tell the difference at all. That is purely a placebo effect.
@@fighterx4133 naw..you would lose your house..I started playing modeling amps forever..I know how to set up an amp..I have Peavey..marshall..blackstar..line 6..kustom..and vox modeler's...the vox is great sounds so good....but it's not on the tube level..pretty close..like I said sounds great..modelers aren't there yet..pretty close but just not the same..I have also set them up and switched back and forth just to see how close...sorry you would lose
@@pauliusmscichauskas558 Yep, people always seem to miss that. You turn a modeller up with a decent Cab or FRFR up to the same level a tube amp is usually at, i.e moving air levels...the differentiation of the more modern modeller units is a much finer line.
@@marksvideochannel3592 The FRFR will never be the same as a real cab... It amplifies a simulated Mic'ed cab signal.. Listening to a cab directly, in the room, is a very different experience.
I can't say that I have any strong preference, just different tools for different situations and individuals. I have played multieffects and modelling amps, but as I get more specific in the sound I am looking for, I find myself moving to more analog gear. It is some of the best sounds I've ever had, but as soon as I get a fly gig, I'm buying a QC, profiling my amp, and programing my pedalboard into it!
Videos like this definitely prove that the sound in a recording between old and new gear is hard to discern. Amp modelers do the job for most people and are cheaper than say, tube amps. Plugging directly in to the PA (or recording interface) is inherently easier than mic'ing a cab. As someone who doesn't record guitar and doesn't play in venues that need a large PA system to push sound - I like analog gear. My tube amp, through a 12 inch speaker just works. Plug in the guitar and turn it on. Same amp for 10 years, works at the flick of a switch. I don't need to be searching for presets, combining cab and head presets, log back in because it logged me out, etc. Whenever I use my digital gear, I spend more time tone chasing than playing, because it never sounds as good as advertised (keeping in mind I don't own an axefx, kemper, etc)
Being older I used to always be an amp and pedal guy. But honestly, once you’re done setting up a good quality multi-effects unit, they are easy, they sound great, don’t have to worry about someone accidentally bumping a dial on one of your pedals, and are consistent every day. My amps seem to sound different from day to day. So I’m starting to drink the kool aid a bit. :)
Yup, I decided to place a premium on portability, reliability, and versatility. I sold all my tube amps (except my D20 which I adore) and build a board around an FM3 that can go from rock to country to ambient craziness at the click of a button. It sounds 90% as good as a tube amp (if you’re listening through a PA or headphones, which is the only sound that matters since that’s what audiences here), and the number of people who can tell the difference would fit in my car; only one of them would even care.
I’m right in the middle. Switched over to the helix which has been great for the simplicity of setup and packing. Especially playing mostly church settings, there’s so many patches out there that are built for specific songs that just like he said, at the press of a button you’re changed your tone. Yet on the guitar side, I still run classics like my 58 Murphy lab 😅
^ This answer is the only correct answer. It all a personal preference thing. In a live situation or on a album, no one would be able to tell the difference between analog and digital
Can't go wrong either way. I love pedals, like Lee I love the immediacy and visibility of just adjusting knobs on the fly, but I love digital solutions for all the problems they solve, too. How many times did I fight a sound guy about my stage volume until my tube amp had the life choked out of it, when I could've just run a digital modeler into a FRFR cab or wedge and got saturated, driven tones at coffeeshop volume...
One of the other advantages of digital (at least some of them, QC is an example) is that you also get the ability to have two different rigs at the same time for the cost of the one unit. For example, I am using my QC at the moment to run both guitar and bass for worship at church which reduces the amount of gear we need to move around while our building is being renovated as we can't just leave the stage set up.
GenXer here that loves the GenZ setups. One of the best decisions that I made was buying a Fender GTX 50 Amp. It saved me so much money and sounds so great.
OMG! Got to be the funniest show at the start. Love the joking and playing. I'm Gen X and I prefer mostly analogue with some digital. Digital sometimes to me seems limiting and complicated, but am always open and willing to learn.
As a millenial who falls between the lines I've gone with a 100w Marshall, 4x12 and attenuator - because guitar music will always partially be a visual experience for the crowd (and I'm definitely not attractive enough to get on without a good looking backline)
My personal problem with the new digital stuff, tonex for example, is I spend too much time tinkering and on the computer tweaking patches. More time than actually playing. Last few years I've been using a "Simplifier" amp sim. It's all on board, and easy to use. Sounds like an amp, with no extra updating or logging on to the pc. Best of both worlds imo. I'd like to see more of the standalone amp sims, where the pedal amp only emulates one or two amps. Cuts down the paralysis.
The McRocklin suite is an amazing all in 1. They actually keep up with updates regularly so far and it's very light on CPU resource use compared to something like Neural. It's a more straight forward interface with more usable presets than any archetype suite I've tried. In the end though it's up to you to limit your time tinkering and find the four or five tones that work for the music you play and then just play. I don't spend much time at all messing with the tones.
@@Lalairu Oh for sure can do that, and it handles pedals well. I run my entire pedal board thru it. It's just not the best for extreme high gain, unless you have a chug pedal or some type of high gain distortion pedal.
Gen X here I guess - '65. Since around '90 I got totally used to hearing guitar over stereo/hifi type speakers. Being a non-gigging hobbyist (who still buys loads pf stuff) that's been my preferred wy of going about it for years. I like the recall as well, and hearing something a few days later in a recording and examining which patch I like to listen to. It's usually one with much less gain that what I feel like I like playing through. But I can always recall a patch/preset and do a different take and have the recording be seamless. There's something I'd love to know more about. I have tons of friends who play and regularly buy gear, but almost none of us are in a band or even play regularly. But we talk abut gear and buy stuff almost as if we are gigging musicians. I'd love to know more about the market, and how many people who watch this channel and buy stuff are gigging musicians, and how many are hobbyists that just like to muck around.
Lee's playing is a testament to his love for the instrument. he has so much to oversee and manage on a daily basis, yet his musical skills show he's being true to his love of tones and playing guitar. It's like watching Bob Ross paint. Pure Joy. 🙂 All Anderton's videos are fun and informative without being pushy sales gimmicks! Thanks everyone, music unites us all.
Watching pedal owners do the on your knees position chase the loose connection on their floorboard. Convinced me a long time ago that having a shop full of pedals at your feet is the way to go. Once had a bassist on the verge of calling off the gig because of his gigantic pedalboard. I pointed out to him he could just plug his bass straight into the amp. Seen Guitarists praying for that one pedal cable or battery to be bypassed too. Ardent Helix user.
I'm an amp> fuzz> boost>delay boomer. The new gear is really really great. My resistance isn't the gear. It's me. i'm getting tired of working out how new stuff works- not just music gear but devices in general. When faced with a new washing machine, fridge, car, oven, mobile, a DAW I haven't used before, the new Windows, the company's new billing platform, etc. I get a sinking feeling of "here we go again". Guitar-cable-amp is just so direct, all I have to do is play. Lee, if you ever run a market research focus group, I'm up for it😀
This X'er loves his modeling rig. I cheat a bit, perhaps, because I still use traditional pedals and a modeling pedal that has traditional knobs. I love the versatility of modeling, though and will probably go down the route of something like the Neural some day. I've never had an issue with the in-the-room sound with my modeling rig. I play though a PA speaker. I think most of the complains are from those assuming a direct-to-DAW connection or headphones and a bit of confirmation bias.
I like and use both but the way electric prices and the cost of living are going digital is going to win for home users a laptop + audio interface with plugins will get you a good enough sound to play along with all your favourite records and give you a tonal palette to create your own sounds. If I was doing it all over again starting now I would have saved myself a fortune lol
Very early Gen Xer and moved to Helix a few years ago, sold my Princeton, sold my pedals. Never going back. Just so good! I did keep my Marshall and when I really want to blow it up, have the Helix into the Marshall 4CM. But most days, its the Helix into the Powercab and I have 15 or so presets at a button that covers classic rock to blues at a touch.
Millennial here, my rig is a pedal board going into a gaming pc with all the lights & crap running a few amp sims in parallel. Monitors or headphones for the sound and endless folders of IR's to waste time with lol. My board is half drives & fuzz / pog & other trippy things. Then I take care of most reverb on the PC. Best of both worlds!
Millennial here, I’ve had digital effects and amps but these days I prefer solid state amps without digital effects as well as an army of analogue pedals. Had multi effect pedals before but find them over complicated and I like being able to tweak the pedals quickly and easily. Also I find that there’s just too much choice when it comes to multi effects and I never used most of them. With individual pedals I’m limited in the sounds I can make and therefore more likely to explore the pedal in more depth.
Other millennial here, I kind of went the opposite direction. I felt limited in a bad way by just having one amp and a basic pedalboard, legit can't tell the difference in sound, and I'm more used to computer interfaces and seeing exact values for parameters - so I went digital and never looked back.
I love collecting pedals, and have a more "traditional" pedal board. In early 2000's when I wanted more FX and didn't have an endless budget to buy 20 different pedals, I got a BOSS GT-10. I couldn't wrap my head around how to use it. Not as simple as I'd like. But, I see the new stuff coming out like the Quad Cortex, Tone X, and Head Rush Prime, and I'm interested. Not going to give up my pedals, but if I ever play live, I'd love the portability of the new gear. Since you can model pedals, and amps now, I think I'd write songs?develop sounds on pedals, and copy them to a "Modler", then play that live. Allows you to not have the large cargo haul if you go on the road, but be creative at home.
I prefer an amp and pedals to digital stuff. I started out playing on digital modelers and they have their place. I think in my mind why I prefer the traditional stuff is because it's cooler. You will always look cooler with a Marshall(or whatever) stack behind you than a modeler at your feet that nobody can see. Music is about the visual as well.
Was at this pub and got chatting to this older couple, by coincidence we got started talking about guitars and turns out he's a bit of a collector with 29 guitars. He was an avid axe fx user, loves Marshall amps but doesn't want to carry them to gigs. The convenience of digital technology just cant be beat for gigging musician. Makes set up and tear down so much easier and you can guarantee your tone is gonna translate well to an audience which is more difficult when you gig with tube amps. Most stages I've played will want you to always be quieter and there are lots of variables with micing a cab.
The main issues that create problems with valve amps in venues is exactly the same with the PA as well. An amplifier is an amplifier and acoustic issues are not mitigated by one being intended for a guitar and another for full frequency range reproduction, 100dBSPL is 100dBSPL, regardless of what how it's produced. Watch footage of professional bands touring and you'll see a lot of valve amps on flight cases and tape to mark where the microphone should go. Go to smaller venues and you'll less of this because the professionals will be working with the bands and venues that can actually pay them, so you get more myths in small venues that imply certain types of equipment, instruments and workflows are capable of defying physics. A valve amp not 'translating' is user error quite simply and there is more potential for phase issues with mic'ing an amp through a PA and through a monitor than simply turning the amp up and not allowing it through the monitors because it's not needed, because you've then got 3+ sources (If you have a PA system with a set of speakers on the left & right of the stage, they each count as a source, have a look into pan laws to see the issues with two or more speakers) at different positions in the room all producing the same sound. With a digital modeller you'll have at least two sources. So its like running through a multi-tap delay with extremely short delay times and the closer the volume of each is to each other, the bigger the problem. However guitarists should use whatever works for them, that's ultimately more important. But the pseudoscience that often goes with any of these choices needs to stop.
Being in a small local band I've never met a sound guy that would let me just turn up my amp and not mic it up through the PA, sounds like it would be fun though lol. It's been my experience that we get consistently better mixes and a better monitoring experience using no amps on stage and in ears for monitoring but each to their own.
@@rand0mturk3y I’ve worked with plenty that do and allow it myself. There’s a difference between cranking up to 11 and allowing bands to sound their best and that often gets conflated. I have never experienced a guitarist turning up with a vintage Plexi and wanting to set everything to 11. What often happens is guitarists don’t set up their amps to properly hear them, they just dump them on the floor and stand over them, so what is heard FOH is often far too loud and hugely bright/muddy. Experienced and knowledgeable engineers will notice this and rectify it - one did it to me when I was 17. The difference is huge, no need for amps in monitors or any other nonsense and FOH can concern themselves with FOH. Amateur engineers get guitarists to turn down because they think all problems are solved through the desk, whereas literally changing the position of something can solve all sorts of problems. I once had to step in at a show a friend was performing because they couldn’t get an SM58 to stop feedbacking, the engineer had no clue about polar pattern and trying to crank a monitor when it’d be picked up by one. If a band wants to use IEMs, I’m all for it. If a band sounds great with amps turned up a bit, but it’s not a problem FOH, I’ll go with it, if a band turns up with QC’s or Kempers, I’ll go with it. What matters is the band. I can’t stop a bad sounding band from sounding bad, but to make a great band turn bad because of pseudoscience is bad engineering. I want to amplify a great sounding band, not make them follow what I want them to sound like.
@@rand0mturk3y Honestly it would give me less work, which'd be great! Modern FOH is the worst for stage volumes and FOH mixes it's ever been. No one is calling this out because shit engineers are allow to spew myths.
I still have my tube amps including a 100W Marshall full stack and Engl 100W half stack, I use them mostly at home though I do have a few 1x12 tube amp combos for grab and go. I had digital modeler hardware for years, now I'm building a software plugin computer rig, mostly PolyChrome DSP...just waiting for the MIDI control to be added and will use my KMI SoftStep2 + expression pedal. My current portable rig is a Mooer P1 Prime with F4 footswitch; using it for several months. Guitar wireless, and I have a silent stage and sound stage options. The entire rig fits in a small bag the size of a kids lunch box, except the powered cab.. Sounds huge stereo out to a PA which is how I use it at home. Sounds great, versatile and tiny. It's even smaller and easier to use than my planned computer based rig.
Great video. Bottom line: ---------------------------------------- - versatility by adding components versus - versatility by using all versatile components
For someone just jamming in a bedroom or whatever, amp and pedals works fine. But for recording or playing live, there really is nothing like Axe-FX, QC, etc. Being able to record via USB, MIDI control everything, etc is an absolute game changer!!
I'm a solid Gen X-er. But I've always embraced new tech for guitar gear. By '89, I was using a rack mounted SS amp with a BOSS GL-100 preamp and an Alesis Quadraverb. My last live rig for over a decade was a BOSS GT-8 for all preamp tones and effects--first through a Classic 30, then through a Palmer PDI-09 direct to FOH. Nowadays, I'm totally modelling plugins for recording and a BOSS GX-100 direct to FOH (with an frfr for stage monitoring) for live. Couldn't be happier.
I'm early Gen X (I'm 56) and I love modern lightweight digital gear. I also love tube amps and 4x12 cabs. I see many of my contemporaries completely lost, as if they have never heard of things like the personal computer or the internet, let alone digital amps & effects. It pisses me off because my generation grew up in the age of the first personal computers, video games, MTV, cable TV, etc. Yet they all act like they were born in 1920. The one thing I'm so HAPPY to be rid of is a crowded analog pedal board with all of the hum, noise, connection issues, weight, and other PITA factors. I'm SO happy to do a gig with just my Helix, or a Katana with no additional outboard effects, or at the most, a tube amp with my GT1000 for effects.
As a full blown GEN Xer I somewhat live right in the middle of all this stuff. I really like "analog" pedals, especially for the "limits" they offer (and the touch and feel and look and stuff). Being physically limited to a certain amount of gear can be really relieving in a creative process. On the other Hand I really like the digital world for the endlessness of it's possibilities, the ease of traveling and the amount of money it can save you (being able to just try if a certain kind of effect really fits my needs without having to spend 300 bucks on a fancy delay pedal). So, as always the truth lies in the middle, I think (and in the personal preferences of each individual, of course).
I’m 25. Born in 97. I’m on the oldschool side of things. Only for a very simple reason. If I drop my dod overdrive plus off a building, it’ll be fine. If I drop a multi effects unit like this one out of its case then it’s done and over with. Yeah sure setting up a full board is a bit of a pain but I know on the road they are more robust and sturdy and if there’s a problem, I just replace that one pedal not the entire thing My rig is a les Paul Peavey vk100 2x crate 4x12 cabs Pedal board consists of: Dod overdrive plus Dod extreme distortion Og crybaby wah Dunlop volume pedal (used for floor monitor) And a couple cheap o chorus, and delay pedals (don’t use them much. Short simple to the point
The best thing you can do is mix both. Don’t be so stuck in your ways to only like one when you could find a whole new world of sounds by reaching into the past or catching up with the present. Do what pushes you to be more creative and inspires you to play more
I love the convenience of digital if you are going for standard tones and I tried about 3 different digital solutions and still go with an analog/digital solution of using an amp modeler pedal in the acs1. However the pure creativity of pedal makers is what I love and need. I go after psych rock so crazy effects. Swirling wet reverbs and sweeping flangers arent usually built into the digital effects and if they are they usually arent crazy diverse where as the pedals are just monsters of creativity.
I’ve gone both ways - pedals and midi-controlled rack gear. Once one has the rack gear dialed-in the midi controller is so much simpler to use with less tweaking every time one sets up to play. The rack gear sounds great too. However, I’ve been in situations where the software would have a glitch and I was reduced to playing without effects and overdrive. That sucked. These days, since I don’t play out much anymore, I use a simple pedal board setup. Even though It sounds fine, I am forever twiddling with the knobs on the pedals because the board sounds different in each venue. I think the Gen-Zs have got it right. Once you get the rig programmed you have little to fuss with to get your rig sounding the way you want it.
I have a board that consists of a dual channel MIAB pedal, a Univibe type, a tremolo, a fuzz, and multi delay, controlled by a MIDI loop switcher; I have an analog sound and digital presets. All I need outside is a clean amp, or I use Two Notes CAB M+ as a' clean pedal friendly amp' sim. While I can't get every kind of exact sound in the world, I can definitely cover the general idea of pretty much everything.
I play a Gibson 70's Explorer with a Neural DSP Quad Cortex, and I love it. The QC sounds just as good as any pedalboard, if not better. This video is a fantastic comparison, though!
Fantastic. Gen X here. 1969. Just sold my 70’s Marshall and other old heavy tube amps. Switched to the boss gx-100. I did keep my little (and light) 50’s gibson ga-20 just in case I want to go old school ever. And I use a fuzz pedal in the loop. Have not heard a proper modeled fuzz yet. But yeah. I’m done with the heavy loud vintage gear.
I have to cover a wide range of songs and tones in my covers band and I’m 100% digital now. I’ve not switched on my valve amp in 10 months, my analogue board with Jam, Thorpy, keeley etc is in a wardrobe. I’m free to practice , perform without endless twiddling and tap dancing. A fraction of the price too. It’s option paralysis to begin with so I bought some pro patches to get me going best £20 ever spent to get past the endless menus
Jim Lill had a great point about the whole "it sounds better in the room"-argument in one of his videos. Basically every single guitar tone you hear in your life is being picked up by a microphone (or an IR of a cab/mic combo) and sent to a different speaker. The only exception is when you plug into an amp in the rehearsal space. That's it. Every record and almost every live show, you're not really hearing or projecting the sound of the amp directly at the audience. Which is why it doesn't matter what it sounds like "in the room" because almost nobody will ever hear it that way!
Analogue sound is so much better. The tones, sustain, and if in the room the feel of the burst through the tubes' sweet spot while playing. There are nuances the digital modelers can't do (yet). For home recording digital is easier.
I just don't want to carry too much stuff I don't use any effects either, maybe a compressor and reverb, but I just need a solid amp and cab sound, EQ and Boost to clean up or brighten stuff I don't really get the full use out of Analog or Digital considering how simple my rigs are, but I agree that Analog still sounds better AND digital is easier for home recording due to it's consistency and not needing a mic if you have the right IRs and no cab
If I wanted to do a Shoegaze rig, Analog will sound a lot better in terms of having your chorus and fuzz effects be as detailed as they are, but I MIGHT still prefer Digital because I can switch patches without having to set two amp channels for clean/distortion, and I don't need to step on 6 pedals to make it happen I hate the compromise, I want the quality of analog with the convenience of digital LOL
Millennial here, and I've fallen into a sort of hybrid analog/digital setup. I tend to switch between a tube amp and amp sim depending on the gig, and while i still use a few analog pedals, the brain of my board is a Boss MS-3 (a switcher with multieffects built in), giving me the best both of the worlds.
I find in my old age that I just like a clean amp and the me-80 in manual mode. Very similar to having stomp boxes with twiddly dials but also an all-in-one.
I think I'll probably always be an LP through a pedal board to an amp type of guy and update and swap pedals along the way. There's something nostalgic and classic about it that I can't get away from.
Okay, I can obviously speak for one boomer, but the boomer speaks! Check it out: I rarely use an amp anymore! I don't play out, but even the last time I did, I eschewed a traditional rig in favor of a DigiTech RP250 guitar processor. 3 cables and I had my guitar connected through the RP into the venue's PA system -- in stereo. Same sound as I got through my computer speakers, only louder! I'm starting the process of saving for a Donner Arena 2000 multi effector, mostly because I hope to get some different models. My real take, though, is the same as your own. Find out what works for you, then ROCK it!
I'm gen x and i love my Boss GT1000. I usually have it plugged into one of my tube amps via 4 cable method. Occasionally, i take it and plug it directly to the PA at the venue with no amp. It's equally capable used both ways.
Many years ago I had a rare Yamaha SB-100 pedalboard which although were individual pedals, all belonged to a professional pedalboard case. I've always hated wires all over the place and having to rely on batteries. From there I bought the Boss GT6, 10,100 and 1000. The last two I still have! Very reliable and so flexible with so many more effects, cab and amp simulations that can be programmed with sounds downloaded from tone studio. The idea of individual effects in stompboxes would cost a fortune and the board would be as big as a double bed!! With the cabling and power unit!!! Too much!!!
As a Boomer, I do have the digital gadgetry for home studio but play live with pedals. I use a medium sized pedalboard (8 pedals and wireless receiver) or a smaller board (7 pedals, no wireless) I need to make instant changes while playing so pedals are the go!
Millennial Rig: my iPad with bias fx 2 set on jimmy page live 73, ran into the effects loop of my Marshall mg100hdfx with two 4x12 in my room….or on stage plugged into my Monoprice stage right combo effects loop and my Gibson les Paul standard hp or my Baja telecaster… a nice mix of analog and digital… it’s just easier to have everything already preset I just press a button and have a new soundscape and tones without lugging a bunch of pedals and buying heavy amp heads and cabs… stage playing is so much easier and it all fits in my car and a backpack
I got completely fed up with my digital tech always being superseded by a new thing, then product support stops, or the lack of cpu in older units. Then there's the classic one power plug dies and its all over etc. I've spent so much money on digital stuff that is just not that great anymore but a fraction of that on pedals I'm still using decades later. I'm now using preamp/drive pedals and a solid state power amp to keep it portable.
Funny, I ordered a DGT SE two days ago with the specific intention of routing it out and installing a single coil in it. I build and service amps almost exclusively, repairing guitars once in a while, but I started out twenty years ago as a luthier in a repair shop. I sold a customer a CE22, and he wanted me to add the middle pickup. I won't lie, I was really nervous routing the body out, but it came out perfectly. I remember saying that it was a shame the guitar had a master volume. Actually, it still is. I don't know why they still do it that way, especially seeing that they have the DGT with two, as well as Gibson layouts on single cuts and 594. I'm dropping in a Mojotone quiet coil 67 in it, I think the slightly scooped nature of it will work well with that humbuckers. The DGT pickups are coming out right away too, I just haven't decided what to put in. I have two sets of Wagners: a crossroads PAF in the neck with a 7.4k; and a Cherrybucker in the bridge at 9.4k. the other set are the Fillmore's that are a different beast so together. I'll replace the resistor they use to ground the coil for the coil split with a variable resistor, so it'll be like an internal blender control, and wire the single coil to the neck volume.
I think there's room for both setups in this day and age. There's something to be said about running pedals through a tube amp. There's also something to be said about having a gazillion tones at your disposal. Both are exciting in their own ways
I've been playing for 45+ years and I went from tube amps and pedalboards to a Helix. My back thanks me. it's also more versatile, dependable and family friendly at home. I've dialed things in to the point which I think my Helix rig now sounds better than the analog stuff did. It gets better with every firmware update and it's exactly the same at every gig. Also, since most of us still seem to be making 1980s money at gigs, I feel much better about making one easy trip to and from the car for setting up and tearing down. I can also enjoy the drive to gigs in a sports sedan instead of a van or SUV now!
This is a very interesting dynamic, and I mean no harm in my observant statements. You have the captain, who is a man that, yo until a handful of years ago, played the same thing over, and over, and over, and over again. He is sitting here watching John set his gear up, in speculation (because obviously, this is a generation of tubes, power, pedals, and analog). The cap has never been “of the best,” and we know this because we’re all proud of his progress. However, John came on the scene, purely as himself. He’s a great guitarist, he’s great at working his equipment, he’s almost the antithesis of cap. A young guy who is naturally gifted at not only playing soulful guitar, but technical guitar as well, and being humble enough to know that just because a piece of gear was made “during your time,” it may not necessarily be “the best.” He’s which to change, he’s quick to innovate, and I actually think that as cap keeps growing, John is a great person to have in his corner.
I see and love both styles. Digital's BIGGEST advantage is space. Get a good digital amp and effects pedal and the every day player has all they need vs needing a big pedal board and a bunch of pedals and then learning where each should go in the loop and then dealing with the power to the pedals and the cables and so on... At the same time, the Pedal board has the advantage of "Something doesn't sound right" adjust on the fly vs digital needing the flip through the menu to get to find the effect you need to adjust then adjust and test. It's not too bad a difference but I think In a live setting If something needed adjustment, the Pedal board would lend better to individual pedals with nobs to adjust on the fly with no menu to riffle through in the heat of the moment. Basically, at home/studio, I would go with Digital. Live, I would go with Pedal board for speed adjustments since the nobs for ALL effects are right there ready for change. The biggest disadvantage to Pedal boards is likely the cost. How much for the pedal board, each pedal in the loop, the cables, the power, power draw? Now, how much for the digital effects, the cable to the pedal and to the cab...is there anything else? The power draw I don't see being as high as the pedal board.
Gen X age 20: an old used Peavey amp, a handful of beat up Boss and budget (Danelectro, DOD) pedals. Gen X aged 45: vintage amp collection, massive board loaded with digital and analogue boutique pedals, plus a nice vintage MIJ Boss pedal on there for old time’s sake
Millennial who uses a real pedalboard with amps at home for practice and a digital clone of that setup via Headrush Gigboard for live performance direct into a desk. Scenes are really awesome for really specific sounds in certain one off songs but I mostly end up just using two main base patches and toggle more or less delay or gain within those for 90% of songs. I like the flexibility to fiddle with knobs at home and then set and forget for performance.
The first Boomer rig I remember my father using was a Gretsch Chet Atkins and an AC30. Then he got a Les Paul . . . For me (Gen X), electric guitar is through an Orange amp (pedals optional); the favourite bass is multi-scale and gets played through a modelling amp (but I still use a Rat and a wah pedal with the bass).
Absolutely hilarious banter tho 😂 I’ve switched over to using a POD GO for the majority of my playing but I still supplement it with pedals in the front and in the FX loop. I usually go straight into the desk and out the PA and monitors so I miss some of that air being moved 🤷🏻♂️
![Blox Fruits Dragon Rework Update [Full Stream]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EqDAp8udhm0/mqdefault.jpg)
"Any style?" "...obviously not" Lee's comedic timing really is damn good 😂
Took me a second.
Comedic timing? Or simply the truth? 😂
You don't know what comedy timing means do you...
I use the Millenial rig. A mix of Digital and Analogue as that's what worked best at the time.
Just like capt Lee. From what I know Strymon does only digital things.
digital modelling unit through a valve power amp is absolutely the best of both worlds.
Same 😂
+1. Amp sim ( hx stomp ) + analog pedals into the FX loop.
except we suck at music , all we did was memes
"I don't need wifi, I just need $800 worth of patch cables and three days to build my $5,000 pedal board" 😄
And then i need to carry thousand pounds to the gig
Extra points if you can show soldering iron burns in lieu of calluses on your fingertips...
No you replace an $800 worth of patch cables with an $800 laptop that you’ll have to replace every 5 years
*im only picking no wrong answers imo
@@MothmanCold Very true, but who isn't replacing their laptop every 5 years anyway? ;)
@@scottwalsh52 Me simple. Me own no lapstops. Me have Marshall stack. Me happy.
One of the big advantages to a system like the Quad Cortex, or similar setups (HX stuff, Valeton GP range etc) is that they are all-in-one solutions for multi-instrumentalists. With a decent digital system, you have a single unit that works for electric, acoustic, bass, upright bass, keys/synths or basically any instrument, and you can set up and save ideal patches for each just by downloading appropriate presets or IRs.
I’m a GenX guitarist with a GenZ setup. It’s the future and my knackered GenX back appreciates it!
It's even better in the world of bass mate.
I now own a bass rig with an 800 watt class D amp and a neodynium loaded 1x15 cab, and the whole rig weighs barely a ball hair more than my old rack power amp alone... It's mindblowing to think about.
Those years of loading my gear in and out being a 2 man job (and still causing back pain) are looooong gone. and good bloody riddance :D
😂😂
@@Safetysealed i know what you mean. My bass, Helix, and two Headrush FRFR cabinets combined weigh less than just my old 4x10
Same. While I have owned valve amps, I've never seen them as the pinnacle, just another tool. I've been using digital for years.
I wanted to hate the digital setup.... but I just can't. They both sound great. I think the fundamental element is that whatever rig you use, it has to be something you actually like well enough to spend the time learning properly. If you're familiar with the kit and enjoy playing with it, you'll put more time in getting the tone dialled in properly.
Digital John was updating his firmware at the beginning. That's why he was taking a while to start.
Are you talking about his rig or his own personal firmware?
@@mikeomatic9905 Personal firmware. Rig was fine.
Lee, do more vids with this young fella. Your raport is good, and and he is really on it when it comes to describing the gear and how to use it, great player too.. Top marks.
Neural DSP really changed the game for me. I can get whatever tone I want all through my computer in just a few minutes.
Same here.
What plugin is your go to with Neural DSP?
60 years old here. Played them all from old amps, modellers and solid state. Gigged and at home.
Settled back on tube/valve amps at gigs and digital at home via Two Notes.
I still like the experience of gigging a valve rig and life is too short not to and it keeps me fit. Nothing wrong with the modellers especially for fly dates etc. sometimes hybrid rigs work really well.
All depends on the gig and the job. All have their place.
Still like to feel my trousers 👖 flap occasionally to make sure I’m alive. 🎉
Caotains criticism of the modeler is actually 100% right because that's what a modeler is doing. It is replicating a tone run through and "amp, cab and effects" then miced in a room. What is coming through the speaker is not the amp tone but the miced tone if you were listening in a studio.
Once I realized that, I fell more in love with my Fractal Ace FX III, because I wasn't trying to make an "amp in the room tone" I'm making a great tone that translates well in a mix! And with the newest updates it's only better!! Analog is great! But a really good digital is so nice! And I have kids so I only play at night and I can use headphones to make tones that translate to a live environment!!
Unfortunately, if you fall along the generational seams, you end up buying both. I don’t make the rules.
Ye, I play with a strat using flats and I have a pedalboard with pedals and a ampero mini for the modulation/amp stuff, best of both worlds
Very true😂
Or every few years selling everything and yo-yoing madly between old analogue stuff and cutting edge modelling stuff. That shock depreciation of modelling gear never gets old😅
It’s hard to find truth on the internet, but I found it with this comment.
Preach 😅
I'm late Gen-X (1980). I love both, but I haven't owned a guitar amp since 2003, and these days I'm 100% modeling for both guitar and bass. The convenience factor just can't be denied, and after years of pedal obsession and pedalboard rebuilds, going digital has allowed me some much needed peace of mind because I'm no longer obsessing about what pedal I want to replace next.
In the end, if you are spending more time actually playing now, its a win in my books.
I agree born June of 1980 and I consider myself Gen-X. I’m in the states but over here we’re considered Gen-X until 1981 I think. But I’m buying a new amp… either some digital setup or a Mesa Boogie California Tweed. Haven’t played since 1996… when I paid $140 for a BOSS FX69 GRUNGE pedal to go with my 20w Marshall Tube amp and Fender squire setup I paid $300 all in from my brothers friend when I was 16. I’ve been playing the last 6/months and after buying a $170 LP-special ii and then a Fender Player Plus (SSS) I started a three piece band with the guys from work and I’m getting drowned out by our drummer with a Yamaha THR10II 😂… never played with a proper band and learned the hard way, what you’d think is obvious. So I need a new amp and was considering going digital but I’m lost on everything that’s out now… (btw… I’m not really a great player) should I stick with what I know?
Gen X here with both types of gear, enjoy it all, digital for practice and analog for playing live, played my cloudburst out live this week for the first time. Andertons really brought joy this year while battling a health issue. Appreciate you guys!!
Wishing you good health man. From 1 guitarist to another.
It Truly is amazing how far digital processing has come along. But as a millennial i still love having actual tube amps and pedals. But just listening to video it was almost impossible to tell the two apart. Love the video
I have both. The difference is mainly in the feel of the guitar while playing. Pedals and tubes feel alive!
@@Cosmo__Kramerhow tf is a pedal gonna change how the guitar feels lmao
@@chikinonfrydai how does it? It just does..try playing an 808 it gives the guitar a smooth buttery feel..so yea..it does same way an amp fking does
@@Cosmo__KramerI'm willing to bet my house if you were blindfolded and given a guitar going through both set ups were the modeler was really well set up you wouldn't be able to tell the difference at all. That is purely a placebo effect.
@@fighterx4133 naw..you would lose your house..I started playing modeling amps forever..I know how to set up an amp..I have Peavey..marshall..blackstar..line 6..kustom..and vox modeler's...the vox is great sounds so good....but it's not on the tube level..pretty close..like I said sounds great..modelers aren't there yet..pretty close but just not the same..I have also set them up and switched back and forth just to see how close...sorry you would lose
Gen X here that has both. Generally use digital for quiet practice, but when I want to have actual fun, nothing beats a tube amp. Nothing.
Have you tried playing your digital rig loud, through the cab?
@@pauliusmscichauskas558 Yep, people always seem to miss that. You turn a modeller up with a decent Cab or FRFR up to the same level a tube amp is usually at, i.e moving air levels...the differentiation of the more modern modeller units is a much finer line.
My all analog solid state Orange amp is just as much fun as any valve amp I've owned.
@@marksvideochannel3592 The FRFR will never be the same as a real cab... It amplifies a simulated Mic'ed cab signal.. Listening to a cab directly, in the room, is a very different experience.
I can't say that I have any strong preference, just different tools for different situations and individuals. I have played multieffects and modelling amps, but as I get more specific in the sound I am looking for, I find myself moving to more analog gear. It is some of the best sounds I've ever had, but as soon as I get a fly gig, I'm buying a QC, profiling my amp, and programing my pedalboard into it!
Videos like this definitely prove that the sound in a recording between old and new gear is hard to discern. Amp modelers do the job for most people and are cheaper than say, tube amps. Plugging directly in to the PA (or recording interface) is inherently easier than mic'ing a cab.
As someone who doesn't record guitar and doesn't play in venues that need a large PA system to push sound - I like analog gear. My tube amp, through a 12 inch speaker just works. Plug in the guitar and turn it on. Same amp for 10 years, works at the flick of a switch. I don't need to be searching for presets, combining cab and head presets, log back in because it logged me out, etc.
Whenever I use my digital gear, I spend more time tone chasing than playing, because it never sounds as good as advertised (keeping in mind I don't own an axefx, kemper, etc)
Being older I used to always be an amp and pedal guy. But honestly, once you’re done setting up a good quality multi-effects unit, they are easy, they sound great, don’t have to worry about someone accidentally bumping a dial on one of your pedals, and are consistent every day. My amps seem to sound different from day to day. So I’m starting to drink the kool aid a bit. :)
It's that amp sounding different day to day bit that always bugged me with analog amps.
Although you do have to worry about someone spilling a drink on the digital unit 😂
@@markdonatelli5742 that is also a worry with amps and pedals, bro.
Yup, I decided to place a premium on portability, reliability, and versatility. I sold all my tube amps (except my D20 which I adore) and build a board around an FM3 that can go from rock to country to ambient craziness at the click of a button. It sounds 90% as good as a tube amp (if you’re listening through a PA or headphones, which is the only sound that matters since that’s what audiences here), and the number of people who can tell the difference would fit in my car; only one of them would even care.
Lee is in rare form today. This was a blast to watch.
@Andertons I'd love a gen X walkthrough on what gear is needed for a fully digital setup please. 😊
John's comment about "you'd just go to THAT pedal and turn an knob - and the QC you just touch the icon and get all the parameters"
I’m right in the middle. Switched over to the helix which has been great for the simplicity of setup and packing. Especially playing mostly church settings, there’s so many patches out there that are built for specific songs that just like he said, at the press of a button you’re changed your tone. Yet on the guitar side, I still run classics like my 58 Murphy lab 😅
Use the gear that inspires you to make music, whatever it may be, don’t get bogged down on who’s right or wrong, just play and have a good time.
^ This answer is the only correct answer. It all a personal preference thing. In a live situation or on a album, no one would be able to tell the difference between analog and digital
@@stoner255 : )
Thank you kindly, friend
Can't go wrong either way. I love pedals, like Lee I love the immediacy and visibility of just adjusting knobs on the fly, but I love digital solutions for all the problems they solve, too. How many times did I fight a sound guy about my stage volume until my tube amp had the life choked out of it, when I could've just run a digital modeler into a FRFR cab or wedge and got saturated, driven tones at coffeeshop volume...
One of the other advantages of digital (at least some of them, QC is an example) is that you also get the ability to have two different rigs at the same time for the cost of the one unit. For example, I am using my QC at the moment to run both guitar and bass for worship at church which reduces the amount of gear we need to move around while our building is being renovated as we can't just leave the stage set up.
That’s a good point. On the flip side, if the QC goes down, multiple instruments go down. So there are pros and cons.
GenXer here that loves the GenZ setups. One of the best decisions that I made was buying a Fender GTX 50 Amp. It saved me so much money and sounds so great.
OMG! Got to be the funniest show at the start. Love the joking and playing. I'm Gen X and I prefer mostly analogue with some digital. Digital sometimes to me seems limiting and complicated, but am always open and willing to learn.
As a millenial who falls between the lines I've gone with a 100w Marshall, 4x12 and attenuator - because guitar music will always partially be a visual experience for the crowd (and I'm definitely not attractive enough to get on without a good looking backline)
Wow! Such a pair of cool players. The final section just so dreamy and so talented. More please.
My personal problem with the new digital stuff, tonex for example, is I spend too much time tinkering and on the computer tweaking patches. More time than actually playing. Last few years I've been using a "Simplifier" amp sim. It's all on board, and easy to use. Sounds like an amp, with no extra updating or logging on to the pc. Best of both worlds imo. I'd like to see more of the standalone amp sims, where the pedal amp only emulates one or two amps. Cuts down the paralysis.
I've been comnsidering a simplifier for a long time. You can use it just with headphones or even plug it into a cabinet right?
The McRocklin suite is an amazing all in 1. They actually keep up with updates regularly so far and it's very light on CPU resource use compared to something like Neural. It's a more straight forward interface with more usable presets than any archetype suite I've tried.
In the end though it's up to you to limit your time tinkering and find the four or five tones that work for the music you play and then just play. I don't spend much time at all messing with the tones.
@Lalairu yes yes, I can't recommend it enough. It's not for high gain tho, it's more classic fender and vox tone.
@@dabanjo mmm I see. Thanks for the fast response :) you couldn't play classic metal or grunge for instance?
@@Lalairu Oh for sure can do that, and it handles pedals well. I run my entire pedal board thru it. It's just not the best for extreme high gain, unless you have a chug pedal or some type of high gain distortion pedal.
Gen X here I guess - '65. Since around '90 I got totally used to hearing guitar over stereo/hifi type speakers. Being a non-gigging hobbyist (who still buys loads pf stuff) that's been my preferred wy of going about it for years. I like the recall as well, and hearing something a few days later in a recording and examining which patch I like to listen to. It's usually one with much less gain that what I feel like I like playing through. But I can always recall a patch/preset and do a different take and have the recording be seamless.
There's something I'd love to know more about. I have tons of friends who play and regularly buy gear, but almost none of us are in a band or even play regularly. But we talk abut gear and buy stuff almost as if we are gigging musicians. I'd love to know more about the market, and how many people who watch this channel and buy stuff are gigging musicians, and how many are hobbyists that just like to muck around.
Lee's playing is a testament to his love for the instrument. he has so much to oversee and manage on a daily basis, yet his musical skills show he's being true to his love of tones and playing guitar. It's like watching Bob Ross paint. Pure Joy. 🙂 All Anderton's videos are fun and informative without being pushy sales gimmicks! Thanks everyone, music unites us all.
His lead playing has been getting better and better too
M
@@rvaguitarsagreed
Amazing idea!!! Please make this into a series? “Metal rigs” of yore and now?
Watching pedal owners do the on your knees position chase the loose connection on their floorboard. Convinced me a long time ago that having a shop full of pedals at your feet is the way to go.
Once had a bassist on the verge of calling off the gig because of his gigantic pedalboard. I pointed out to him he could just plug his bass straight into the amp. Seen Guitarists praying for that one pedal cable or battery to be bypassed too.
Ardent Helix user.
I'm an amp> fuzz> boost>delay boomer. The new gear is really really great. My resistance isn't the gear. It's me. i'm getting tired of working out how new stuff works- not just music gear but devices in general. When faced with a new washing machine, fridge, car, oven, mobile, a DAW I haven't used before, the new Windows, the company's new billing platform, etc. I get a sinking feeling of "here we go again". Guitar-cable-amp is just so direct, all I have to do is play. Lee, if you ever run a market research focus group, I'm up for it😀
John is well spoken and a great player and hes not joking about the Quad Cortex's stereo effect. I am listening on headphones and it sounds huge.
Lee - you Rock! Don't change, other than those disclosures but we love you brother 😎
Now on the next episode, he should try and recreate your pedal board with as much accuracy as possible for reference.
This X'er loves his modeling rig. I cheat a bit, perhaps, because I still use traditional pedals and a modeling pedal that has traditional knobs. I love the versatility of modeling, though and will probably go down the route of something like the Neural some day.
I've never had an issue with the in-the-room sound with my modeling rig. I play though a PA speaker. I think most of the complains are from those assuming a direct-to-DAW connection or headphones and a bit of confirmation bias.
Both rigs sound great!
I like and use both but the way electric prices and the cost of living are going digital is going to win for home users a laptop + audio interface with plugins will get you a good enough sound to play along with all your favourite records and give you a tonal palette to create your own sounds. If I was doing it all over again starting now I would have saved myself a fortune lol
Very early Gen Xer and moved to Helix a few years ago, sold my Princeton, sold my pedals. Never going back. Just so good! I did keep my Marshall and when I really want to blow it up, have the Helix into the Marshall 4CM. But most days, its the Helix into the Powercab and I have 15 or so presets at a button that covers classic rock to blues at a touch.
"Did u just profile that Zoom G4?" 😂 That goes deep man!
KEMPER KABINET does "Amp/Cab in the room" simulation (i.e., no microphone)... This addresses Lee's criticism.
John’s a man of taste - Jazz Chorus as the blank slate to run effects into. However I’m Gen X so use pedals into a JC22
Millennial here, my rig is a pedal board going into a gaming pc with all the lights & crap running a few amp sims in parallel. Monitors or headphones for the sound and endless folders of IR's to waste time with lol. My board is half drives & fuzz / pog & other trippy things. Then I take care of most reverb on the PC. Best of both worlds!
Millennial here, I’ve had digital effects and amps but these days I prefer solid state amps without digital effects as well as an army of analogue pedals. Had multi effect pedals before but find them over complicated and I like being able to tweak the pedals quickly and easily.
Also I find that there’s just too much choice when it comes to multi effects and I never used most of them. With individual pedals I’m limited in the sounds I can make and therefore more likely to explore the pedal in more depth.
Other millennial here, I kind of went the opposite direction. I felt limited in a bad way by just having one amp and a basic pedalboard, legit can't tell the difference in sound, and I'm more used to computer interfaces and seeing exact values for parameters - so I went digital and never looked back.
I love collecting pedals, and have a more "traditional" pedal board. In early 2000's when I wanted more FX and didn't have an endless budget to buy 20 different pedals, I got a BOSS GT-10. I couldn't wrap my head around how to use it. Not as simple as I'd like. But, I see the new stuff coming out like the Quad Cortex, Tone X, and Head Rush Prime, and I'm interested. Not going to give up my pedals, but if I ever play live, I'd love the portability of the new gear. Since you can model pedals, and amps now, I think I'd write songs?develop sounds on pedals, and copy them to a "Modler", then play that live. Allows you to not have the large cargo haul if you go on the road, but be creative at home.
I’m 51 years old and I’m a digital guy. I use a quad cortex with a h90 and 2 expression pedals and a Powercab plus 2x12. Sounds fine in band setting.
Really enjoying all of your videos, especially when the captain is on it!
I prefer an amp and pedals to digital stuff. I started out playing on digital modelers and they have their place. I think in my mind why I prefer the traditional stuff is because it's cooler. You will always look cooler with a Marshall(or whatever) stack behind you than a modeler at your feet that nobody can see. Music is about the visual as well.
Just do what other bands adapted to doing and building walls of empty cabinets
This is fun! You should make a video where captain plays a digital rig and John plays a very traditional one.
Was at this pub and got chatting to this older couple, by coincidence we got started talking about guitars and turns out he's a bit of a collector with 29 guitars. He was an avid axe fx user, loves Marshall amps but doesn't want to carry them to gigs. The convenience of digital technology just cant be beat for gigging musician. Makes set up and tear down so much easier and you can guarantee your tone is gonna translate well to an audience which is more difficult when you gig with tube amps. Most stages I've played will want you to always be quieter and there are lots of variables with micing a cab.
The main issues that create problems with valve amps in venues is exactly the same with the PA as well. An amplifier is an amplifier and acoustic issues are not mitigated by one being intended for a guitar and another for full frequency range reproduction, 100dBSPL is 100dBSPL, regardless of what how it's produced.
Watch footage of professional bands touring and you'll see a lot of valve amps on flight cases and tape to mark where the microphone should go. Go to smaller venues and you'll less of this because the professionals will be working with the bands and venues that can actually pay them, so you get more myths in small venues that imply certain types of equipment, instruments and workflows are capable of defying physics.
A valve amp not 'translating' is user error quite simply and there is more potential for phase issues with mic'ing an amp through a PA and through a monitor than simply turning the amp up and not allowing it through the monitors because it's not needed, because you've then got 3+ sources (If you have a PA system with a set of speakers on the left & right of the stage, they each count as a source, have a look into pan laws to see the issues with two or more speakers) at different positions in the room all producing the same sound. With a digital modeller you'll have at least two sources. So its like running through a multi-tap delay with extremely short delay times and the closer the volume of each is to each other, the bigger the problem.
However guitarists should use whatever works for them, that's ultimately more important. But the pseudoscience that often goes with any of these choices needs to stop.
Being in a small local band I've never met a sound guy that would let me just turn up my amp and not mic it up through the PA, sounds like it would be fun though lol. It's been my experience that we get consistently better mixes and a better monitoring experience using no amps on stage and in ears for monitoring but each to their own.
@@rand0mturk3y I’ve worked with plenty that do and allow it myself. There’s a difference between cranking up to 11 and allowing bands to sound their best and that often gets conflated. I have never experienced a guitarist turning up with a vintage Plexi and wanting to set everything to 11. What often happens is guitarists don’t set up their amps to properly hear them, they just dump them on the floor and stand over them, so what is heard FOH is often far too loud and hugely bright/muddy. Experienced and knowledgeable engineers will notice this and rectify it - one did it to me when I was 17. The difference is huge, no need for amps in monitors or any other nonsense and FOH can concern themselves with FOH.
Amateur engineers get guitarists to turn down because they think all problems are solved through the desk, whereas literally changing the position of something can solve all sorts of problems. I once had to step in at a show a friend was performing because they couldn’t get an SM58 to stop feedbacking, the engineer had no clue about polar pattern and trying to crank a monitor when it’d be picked up by one.
If a band wants to use IEMs, I’m all for it. If a band sounds great with amps turned up a bit, but it’s not a problem FOH, I’ll go with it, if a band turns up with QC’s or Kempers, I’ll go with it. What matters is the band. I can’t stop a bad sounding band from sounding bad, but to make a great band turn bad because of pseudoscience is bad engineering. I want to amplify a great sounding band, not make them follow what I want them to sound like.
I agree 100% about pseudoscience if more musicians or sound guys understood their rigs more technically the world would be a better place ahaha.
@@rand0mturk3y Honestly it would give me less work, which'd be great!
Modern FOH is the worst for stage volumes and FOH mixes it's ever been. No one is calling this out because shit engineers are allow to spew myths.
I'm a gen-x who recently started playing guitar again after 20 years. I'm using digital modelling now rather than huge amps + cabs
I’m about the same age as Lee and I’ve always played superstrats and high gain amps before going digital in the mid 2000s.
I still have my tube amps including a 100W Marshall full stack and Engl 100W half stack, I use them mostly at home though I do have a few 1x12 tube amp combos for grab and go.
I had digital modeler hardware for years, now I'm building a software plugin computer rig, mostly PolyChrome DSP...just waiting for the MIDI control to be added and will use my KMI SoftStep2 + expression pedal.
My current portable rig is a Mooer P1 Prime with F4 footswitch; using it for several months.
Guitar wireless, and I have a silent stage and sound stage options. The entire rig fits in a small bag the size of a kids lunch box, except the powered cab.. Sounds huge stereo out to a PA which is how I use it at home. Sounds great, versatile and tiny.
It's even smaller and easier to use than my planned computer based rig.
Great video. Bottom line:
----------------------------------------
- versatility by adding components
versus
- versatility by using all versatile components
For someone just jamming in a bedroom or whatever, amp and pedals works fine. But for recording or playing live, there really is nothing like Axe-FX, QC, etc. Being able to record via USB, MIDI control everything, etc is an absolute game changer!!
I'm a solid Gen X-er. But I've always embraced new tech for guitar gear. By '89, I was using a rack mounted SS amp with a BOSS GL-100 preamp and an Alesis Quadraverb. My last live rig for over a decade was a BOSS GT-8 for all preamp tones and effects--first through a Classic 30, then through a Palmer PDI-09 direct to FOH. Nowadays, I'm totally modelling plugins for recording and a BOSS GX-100 direct to FOH (with an frfr for stage monitoring) for live. Couldn't be happier.
I'm early Gen X (I'm 56) and I love modern lightweight digital gear. I also love tube amps and 4x12 cabs. I see many of my contemporaries completely lost, as if they have never heard of things like the personal computer or the internet, let alone digital amps & effects.
It pisses me off because my generation grew up in the age of the first personal computers, video games, MTV, cable TV, etc. Yet they all act like they were born in 1920.
The one thing I'm so HAPPY to be rid of is a crowded analog pedal board with all of the hum, noise, connection issues, weight, and other PITA factors. I'm SO happy to do a gig with just my Helix, or a Katana with no additional outboard effects, or at the most, a tube amp with my GT1000 for effects.
As a full blown GEN Xer I somewhat live right in the middle of all this stuff. I really like "analog" pedals, especially for the "limits" they offer (and the touch and feel and look and stuff). Being physically limited to a certain amount of gear can be really relieving in a creative process. On the other Hand I really like the digital world for the endlessness of it's possibilities, the ease of traveling and the amount of money it can save you (being able to just try if a certain kind of effect really fits my needs without having to spend 300 bucks on a fancy delay pedal).
So, as always the truth lies in the middle, I think (and in the personal preferences of each individual, of course).
I’m 25. Born in 97. I’m on the oldschool side of things. Only for a very simple reason. If I drop my dod overdrive plus off a building, it’ll be fine. If I drop a multi effects unit like this one out of its case then it’s done and over with. Yeah sure setting up a full board is a bit of a pain but I know on the road they are more robust and sturdy and if there’s a problem, I just replace that one pedal not the entire thing
My rig is a les Paul
Peavey vk100
2x crate 4x12 cabs
Pedal board consists of:
Dod overdrive plus
Dod extreme distortion
Og crybaby wah
Dunlop volume pedal (used for floor monitor)
And a couple cheap o chorus, and delay pedals (don’t use them much.
Short simple to the point
The best thing you can do is mix both. Don’t be so stuck in your ways to only like one when you could find a whole new world of sounds by reaching into the past or catching up with the present. Do what pushes you to be more creative and inspires you to play more
I love the convenience of digital if you are going for standard tones and I tried about 3 different digital solutions and still go with an analog/digital solution of using an amp modeler pedal in the acs1. However the pure creativity of pedal makers is what I love and need. I go after psych rock so crazy effects. Swirling wet reverbs and sweeping flangers arent usually built into the digital effects and if they are they usually arent crazy diverse where as the pedals are just monsters of creativity.
Lee's vibratos and bends are top class!
I’ve gone both ways - pedals and midi-controlled rack gear. Once one has the rack gear dialed-in the midi controller is so much simpler to use with less tweaking every time one sets up to play. The rack gear sounds great too. However, I’ve been in situations where the software would have a glitch and I was reduced to playing without effects and overdrive. That sucked.
These days, since I don’t play out much anymore, I use a simple pedal board setup. Even though It sounds fine, I am forever twiddling with the knobs on the pedals because the board sounds different in each venue.
I think the Gen-Zs have got it right. Once you get the rig programmed you have little to fuss with to get your rig sounding the way you want it.
Great solo by John at the end there !!
Ozwald you did me well dirty with those cuts in the intro #Digital5eva
Lmfao should have asked him how much time it took him to make that pedal board xD
Edit: Of course 30 seconds of watching later you did derp
Roasted with love! You're the GOAT John
I have a board that consists of a dual channel MIAB pedal, a Univibe type, a tremolo, a fuzz, and multi delay, controlled by a MIDI loop switcher; I have an analog sound and digital presets. All I need outside is a clean amp, or I use Two Notes CAB M+ as a' clean pedal friendly amp' sim. While I can't get every kind of exact sound in the world, I can definitely cover the general idea of pretty much everything.
I play a Gibson 70's Explorer with a Neural DSP Quad Cortex, and I love it. The QC sounds just as good as any pedalboard, if not better. This video is a fantastic comparison, though!
mix of old guitars and new gear is so cool at the end the only thing that you are touching is guitar
Fantastic. Gen X here. 1969. Just sold my 70’s Marshall and other old heavy tube amps. Switched to the boss gx-100. I did keep my little (and light) 50’s gibson ga-20 just in case I want to go old school ever. And I use a fuzz pedal in the loop. Have not heard a proper modeled fuzz yet. But yeah. I’m done with the heavy loud vintage gear.
I have to cover a wide range of songs and tones in my covers band and I’m 100% digital now. I’ve not switched on my valve amp in 10 months, my analogue board with Jam, Thorpy, keeley etc is in a wardrobe. I’m free to practice , perform without endless twiddling and tap dancing. A fraction of the price too. It’s option paralysis to begin with so I bought some pro patches to get me going best £20 ever spent to get past the endless menus
Jim Lill had a great point about the whole "it sounds better in the room"-argument in one of his videos. Basically every single guitar tone you hear in your life is being picked up by a microphone (or an IR of a cab/mic combo) and sent to a different speaker. The only exception is when you plug into an amp in the rehearsal space. That's it. Every record and almost every live show, you're not really hearing or projecting the sound of the amp directly at the audience.
Which is why it doesn't matter what it sounds like "in the room" because almost nobody will ever hear it that way!
Analogue sound is so much better. The tones, sustain, and if in the room the feel of the burst through the tubes' sweet spot while playing. There are nuances the digital modelers can't do (yet). For home recording digital is easier.
I just don't want to carry too much stuff
I don't use any effects either, maybe a compressor and reverb, but I just need a solid amp and cab sound, EQ and Boost to clean up or brighten stuff
I don't really get the full use out of Analog or Digital considering how simple my rigs are, but I agree that Analog still sounds better AND digital is easier for home recording due to it's consistency and not needing a mic if you have the right IRs and no cab
If I wanted to do a Shoegaze rig, Analog will sound a lot better in terms of having your chorus and fuzz effects be as detailed as they are, but I MIGHT still prefer Digital because I can switch patches without having to set two amp channels for clean/distortion, and I don't need to step on 6 pedals to make it happen
I hate the compromise, I want the quality of analog with the convenience of digital LOL
Millennial here, and I've fallen into a sort of hybrid analog/digital setup. I tend to switch between a tube amp and amp sim depending on the gig, and while i still use a few analog pedals, the brain of my board is a Boss MS-3 (a switcher with multieffects built in), giving me the best both of the worlds.
I find in my old age that I just like a clean amp and the me-80 in manual mode. Very similar to having stomp boxes with twiddly dials but also an all-in-one.
I think I'll probably always be an LP through a pedal board to an amp type of guy and update and swap pedals along the way. There's something nostalgic and classic about it that I can't get away from.
Okay, I can obviously speak for one boomer, but the boomer speaks! Check it out: I rarely use an amp anymore! I don't play out, but even the last time I did, I eschewed a traditional rig in favor of a DigiTech RP250 guitar processor. 3 cables and I had my guitar connected through the RP into the venue's PA system -- in stereo. Same sound as I got through my computer speakers, only louder! I'm starting the process of saving for a Donner Arena 2000 multi effector, mostly because I hope to get some different models. My real take, though, is the same as your own. Find out what works for you, then ROCK it!
I use mostly digital and it's really subjective but Lee's rig sounded crazy good to me
I'm gen x and i love my Boss GT1000. I usually have it plugged into one of my tube amps via 4 cable method. Occasionally, i take it and plug it directly to the PA at the venue with no amp. It's equally capable used both ways.
Many years ago I had a rare Yamaha SB-100 pedalboard which although were individual pedals, all belonged to a professional pedalboard case. I've always hated wires all over the place and having to rely on batteries. From there I bought the Boss GT6, 10,100 and 1000. The last two I still have! Very reliable and so flexible with so many more effects, cab and amp simulations that can be programmed with sounds downloaded from tone studio. The idea of individual effects in stompboxes would cost a fortune and the board would be as big as a double bed!! With the cabling and power unit!!! Too much!!!
As a Boomer, I do have the digital gadgetry for home studio but play live with pedals. I use a medium sized pedalboard (8 pedals and wireless receiver) or a smaller board (7 pedals, no wireless) I need to make instant changes while playing so pedals are the go!
Millennial Rig: my iPad with bias fx 2 set on jimmy page live 73, ran into the effects loop of my Marshall mg100hdfx with two 4x12 in my room….or on stage plugged into my Monoprice stage right combo effects loop and my Gibson les Paul standard hp or my Baja telecaster… a nice mix of analog and digital… it’s just easier to have everything already preset I just press a button and have a new soundscape and tones without lugging a bunch of pedals and buying heavy amp heads and cabs… stage playing is so much easier and it all fits in my car and a backpack
My rig: Ibanez RG->Digitech Whammy->Dunlop Crybaby 95Q->bunch of Boss pedals->Egnater Tweaker 15 half stack.
I got completely fed up with my digital tech always being superseded by a new thing, then product support stops, or the lack of cpu in older units. Then there's the classic one power plug dies and its all over etc. I've spent so much money on digital stuff that is just not that great anymore but a fraction of that on pedals I'm still using decades later. I'm now using preamp/drive pedals and a solid state power amp to keep it portable.
i just bought a blues junior pro 3 along with a helix stomp..... absolutley in love.
Funny, I ordered a DGT SE two days ago with the specific intention of routing it out and installing a single coil in it. I build and service amps almost exclusively, repairing guitars once in a while, but I started out twenty years ago as a luthier in a repair shop. I sold a customer a CE22, and he wanted me to add the middle pickup. I won't lie, I was really nervous routing the body out, but it came out perfectly. I remember saying that it was a shame the guitar had a master volume. Actually, it still is. I don't know why they still do it that way, especially seeing that they have the DGT with two, as well as Gibson layouts on single cuts and 594.
I'm dropping in a Mojotone quiet coil 67 in it, I think the slightly scooped nature of it will work well with that humbuckers. The DGT pickups are coming out right away too, I just haven't decided what to put in. I have two sets of Wagners: a crossroads PAF in the neck with a 7.4k; and a Cherrybucker in the bridge at 9.4k. the other set are the Fillmore's that are a different beast so together. I'll replace the resistor they use to ground the coil for the coil split with a variable resistor, so it'll be like an internal blender control, and wire the single coil to the neck volume.
I think there's room for both setups in this day and age. There's something to be said about running pedals through a tube amp. There's also something to be said about having a gazillion tones at your disposal. Both are exciting in their own ways
I've been playing for 45+ years and I went from tube amps and pedalboards to a Helix. My back thanks me. it's also more versatile, dependable and family friendly at home. I've dialed things in to the point which I think my Helix rig now sounds better than the analog stuff did. It gets better with every firmware update and it's exactly the same at every gig. Also, since most of us still seem to be making 1980s money at gigs, I feel much better about making one easy trip to and from the car for setting up and tearing down. I can also enjoy the drive to gigs in a sports sedan instead of a van or SUV now!
Lee the variance you discuss where you need to adjust/tweak each time isn't the pedals, its the tube Amp's performance which varies!
This is a very interesting dynamic, and I mean no harm in my observant statements.
You have the captain, who is a man that, yo until a handful of years ago, played the same thing over, and over, and over, and over again. He is sitting here watching John set his gear up, in speculation (because obviously, this is a generation of tubes, power, pedals, and analog).
The cap has never been “of the best,” and we know this because we’re all proud of his progress.
However, John came on the scene, purely as himself. He’s a great guitarist, he’s great at working his equipment, he’s almost the antithesis of cap. A young guy who is naturally gifted at not only playing soulful guitar, but technical guitar as well, and being humble enough to know that just because a piece of gear was made “during your time,” it may not necessarily be “the best.” He’s which to change, he’s quick to innovate, and I actually think that as cap keeps growing, John is a great person to have in his corner.
I see and love both styles. Digital's BIGGEST advantage is space. Get a good digital amp and effects pedal and the every day player has all they need vs needing a big pedal board and a bunch of pedals and then learning where each should go in the loop and then dealing with the power to the pedals and the cables and so on... At the same time, the Pedal board has the advantage of "Something doesn't sound right" adjust on the fly vs digital needing the flip through the menu to get to find the effect you need to adjust then adjust and test. It's not too bad a difference but I think In a live setting If something needed adjustment, the Pedal board would lend better to individual pedals with nobs to adjust on the fly with no menu to riffle through in the heat of the moment.
Basically, at home/studio, I would go with Digital. Live, I would go with Pedal board for speed adjustments since the nobs for ALL effects are right there ready for change.
The biggest disadvantage to Pedal boards is likely the cost. How much for the pedal board, each pedal in the loop, the cables, the power, power draw?
Now, how much for the digital effects, the cable to the pedal and to the cab...is there anything else? The power draw I don't see being as high as the pedal board.
You should put up a live stream on the days that you shoot videos so we can all watch the sausage being made.
Gen X age 20: an old used Peavey amp, a handful of beat up Boss and budget (Danelectro, DOD) pedals.
Gen X aged 45: vintage amp collection, massive board loaded with digital and analogue boutique pedals, plus a nice vintage MIJ Boss pedal on there for old time’s sake
I use both, have a QC and a couple of nice hand wired tube amps. Love them all. That said, if I had to choose I’d keep the QC every time.
Same! I got Friedman smallbox and a Mesa mark v. Bunch of pedals. Love them all but the QC is brought to every gig.
Over the years, Lee's playing became incredibly delicious
That lil wah riff 😙🤌
Millennial who uses a real pedalboard with amps at home for practice and a digital clone of that setup via Headrush Gigboard for live performance direct into a desk. Scenes are really awesome for really specific sounds in certain one off songs but I mostly end up just using two main base patches and toggle more or less delay or gain within those for 90% of songs. I like the flexibility to fiddle with knobs at home and then set and forget for performance.
The first Boomer rig I remember my father using was a Gretsch Chet Atkins and an AC30. Then he got a Les Paul . . .
For me (Gen X), electric guitar is through an Orange amp (pedals optional); the favourite bass is multi-scale and gets played through a modelling amp (but I still use a Rat and a wah pedal with the bass).
Absolutely hilarious banter tho 😂
I’ve switched over to using a POD GO for the majority of my playing but I still supplement it with pedals in the front and in the FX loop. I usually go straight into the desk and out the PA and monitors so I miss some of that air being moved 🤷🏻♂️