Digital Modelling Amps

Tom Olson · From: Spokane, WA

This topic may have been covered already, but -- I was curious if anyone has any experience with playing a steel guitar through one of these so-called modelling amps. Several manufacturers offer them, including Fender, Line-6, etc. I've played a Tele through a few of them and the sound seems to be somewhat "muddy" or "filtered" or something (hard to describe it exactly) no matter what settings are used. Does anyone else have any opinions of these types of amps?

Michael Haselman · From: St. Paul

I don't know if this will help or not, but I use a Line 6 Flextone XL for guitar and a Webb for steel. The Line 6 products are made for guitar exclusively, thus the muddy tone on all settings. The only time I used the Line 6 with steel was at a band practice, and I got a fairly decent tone from the Jazz Clean setting, but nothing I would want to use on stage. I love it for guitar and fiddle because I can set up separate patches for each without too much foot pedal dancing. A tube amp still kicks its a** for guitar sounds, though.

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Marrs D-10, Webb 6-14E

Allan Thompson · From: Scotland.

Hi Tom,
I have the new Line 6 Pod XT out on trial just now. I think the sound I am looking for is there, just a matter of finding it. I posted the settings I found to be most useful for recording in the Electronics section. There is also a post on Bobbe Seymour`s forum regarding the Pod XT. Hope this is of some help.

James Quackenbush · From: Pomona, New York, USA

Tom,
I have a few different modeling units..Unless you play a lot of distorted tones on your steel, there really aren't that many clean settings that sound all that good on these units...They sound great for guitar work, but leaves a lot to be desired for pedal steel..
I would be more inclined to buy a decent effects unit then go with a modeling amp for steel work...You could use it for guitar also
If modeling amps is your desire though, the new Vetta is the best out there...It should be for over $1500 !!.....Jim

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Like Jim, I think they might have some value if what you're looking for is different kinds of distortion. But pedal steel players are usually just interested in clean sounds. So, what can you do with a "clean sound"? You can change the tone (bass-midrange-shift-treble),and that's about it. I really have to laugh when someone (like an amp maker) thinks you can just push a button and make one amp sound like another. You see, it's not only the circuitry that gives an amp it's unique sound, but the cabinet and speakers as well. You can't make an open-back cabinet sound like a closed-back, or vice-versa, and you just can't make ten-inch speakers sound like fifteens, or vice-versa.

Oh sure you can get different sounds (tones) at the push of a button...that's a little convenient. But, do any of them "authentically" duplicate the sound of other amps? Not hardly. If they did...even remotely...they'd probably "corner the market" in a few months.

Hasn't happened, has it?

Tom Olson · From: Spokane, WA

Guys -- thanks for the replies and info. I guess you all pretty much confirmed my suspicions: that it's difficult to get a "clean" sound from such an amp. I don't own one, but I've messed around with a few of them at the music stores, usually with a single-coil tele plugged in. The few times I've messed around with them, I've never been able to get a clean, crisp sound from them, and I was wondering if I just wasn't setting them correctly or whether the amp was simply not capable of producing the sound. I was wondering what the general impression of them was. Thanks again.

Mark van Allen · From: Watkinsville, Ga. USA

I've owned both the Fender Cyber-Deluxe and a Line 6 Ranchero (Flextone II with fancy leather cover). I got them mostly for use in the recording studio I run, and they've made a lot of guitar players happy. Takes a lot of time to cycle through all the options and find the sounds you want, but with work they have some surprisingly good tones. For live I still prefer my tube guitar amp and stomp boxes for guitar- too much knob twiddlin' onstage wears me down. I would agree at this stage the modeling amps offer far more to 6 stringers than steelers- It's transtube fex and Nashville 1000 for me right now. BTW, the Ranchero's for sale if anyone's looking...

Ken Fox · From: Nashville GA USA

I do not know about the other modeling amps, but you can get a darn good sound out of the Peavey Transformer 212. I have one and can get some great clean tones. Live, I use an old Deluxe (non-reverb) and stompboxes. Sonmetimes I use the Transtubefex and do enjoy it, I just use one setting and a PFC-10 pedal to turn effects on and off. I find that I do not need to be to technically challenged onstage, I have enough trouble figuring out the chords to the tunes and staying oput of trouble!

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

I've used "amp farm" on pro tools sessions you can pick out what amp settings you want on all sorts of amps and then match it with whatever cab you want. It doesn't feel the same to play through it but when the track is done the sound is just about perfect.

I usually dial up a blackface fender bassman head and set the tone and volume controls where I normally like them then I try it out through a couple cab simulators. There are even virtual mike placement settings available (with different types of mikes) Its freaky but it really works.

And yes, Donny, Amp Farm has pretty much cornered the market. Its the same technology as the Line 6 stuff as far as I know.

I have had no problem getting a great clean sound out of the digital gear. I still like playing through new class A tube amps and my old fender deluxe better.

Bob

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