Originally Posted by
Eric
I think in the short-term, I'm going to see if my little Mustang I amp can be run into the house using the headphone out -- mostly a matter of getting the right cables and adapters for it. While thinking about this, I realized that the HD400 I used on Tuesday was the first modern-day full modeler I've used at a church. When you use those digital models, it's a bit different from using 'quasi-modelers' like the GT2 or Tech21 TM60, in that each of the digital models seems to behave very differently from each other.
The Mustang's phones output will work very well...in fact I don't think I'd even consider getting another modeler if you can use the Mustang like that. Much better to use the same familiar amp in various uses.
That last bit you said - each of the digital models seems to behave very differently from each other - that's a very good notion. That is, IMO, the biggest plus but also the biggest nuisance to any digital modelers.
These days the modelers, hell, even VST plugins handle the revered 'picking dynamics' very well, that isn't the problem...the problem is that the models themselves are rather rigid. You _can_ change the sound by playing and such, and whatnot, but nevertheles...you always need a different patch for each song almost.
With a real amp...even a single-channel one...the entire sound can be totally different so easily, by playing differently, just a slight turn of a knob. Just this weekend I played a session of a few hours thru an old Marshall and also a Behringer amp, and both worked really easily - just a basic sound, but such a sound that it fit any song I played quite easily.
With modelers, I think I can get even a better sound than 'real' at least on recordings, but still, it's always just for that song I'm working on. Almost always when I bring up the saved patch for another song, it just won't work no more. I always end up browsing thru the amp models for that particular need.
So in a way that is a blessing; in studio environment you can always get a perfect sound on that song, dial up an AC30 when need be etc..but in real life, very soon I always notice that I want to change the sound for each song. If I don't, it always seems it doesn't after all work so well, and soon I have saved a patch for each song instead of using just one.
Once you start tweaking each tone for each song, there may be no end to it...soon you have a full rack of gear.
Right now, I have a multiFX box in my JV loop, but it's there only for some noisegating basically...I'm a bit tempted to just plug in MIDI control, and then when I change the channel on the amp, I could also assign each channel with any FX I'd like, such as delay for lead etc...
BUT I don't want to, simply because I know that's the path to neverending tweakorama ad nauseam...I rather make do with no effects whatsoever, and use 'em only when recording.
Dee
"When life's a biatch, be a horny dog"
Amps: Marshall JVM 410H w/ Plexi Cap mod, Choke Mod & Negative Feedback Removal mod, 4x12", Behringer GMX110, Amplitube 3/StealthPedal
Half a dozen custom built/bastardized guitars all with EMG's, mostly 85's, Ibanez Artwood acoustic & Yamaha SGR bass, Epiphone Prophecy SG, Vox Wah, Pitchblack tuner plus assorted pedals, rack gear etc. for home studio use.