sooo my loverly wife wants to buy me a treat for upcoming b'day. ive been looking at lots of amp modeller pedals. the guitar tone i'm always looking for is the brilliant sounds like cheap trik/acdc/38 special etc etc ie those classic tones. (hate f^rting ttfft fuzzy settings on a lot of gear but i dont need clean either got lots of that.) i am always searching for the classic tones. but i dont want wife to spend much. also this stuff gets obso so fast....afore a new unit comes out.
That looks pretty cool and capable. I used to be against solid state and modelers. However, the technology and sound quality has become so good that they are hard to ignore. I have finally become a convert to modelers.
I'd check some user reviews first before spending the bucks to be sure it's everything you want and nothing you don't.
I recently bought a Spark40 modeler amp. 40Watts and bluetooth capable. Saves a bunch of presets and users can make presets and upload them to the cloud where others can download them for free. It's a bit more than your budget sand might be more than you want. I got it because it has over 40 amp models not counting the dozens of pedals. Personally, I love this thing. It has become my main studio amp. Everything from crystal shattering clean to nasty super distorted metal and everything in between. I run it direct into my interface as audio.
Happy Birthday!! Enjoy the pedal.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
I scanned the page and saw 9 Boss (Roland) pedal emulators .. that got my interest. Then when I saw the mic sims included an SM57 on the cabinet (in varying positions) I got geeked Unfortunately my birthday is a long way off Enjoy if you get it and let us know/hear the results
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome Make your sound your own!
I feel the gear manufacturers should actually ask for more input from us musos a lot more. Lots more interaction needs to take place.
For example it drives me bonkers taking my hands off the guitar constantly to fiddle around with menus and such n’ pedals..when i'm in the 'fast create' zone.
I think its time for alexa type command features as in… ‘Sparky gimme a hank marvin tone’ or ‘sparky gimme the lead tone on the lead break in 38 special hold on loosely’...etc etc ‘Sparky buy my wife a present for supporting my creative madness over the years and buying me gear for b’days n' xmas'..lol. The above is true AI imho.
It drive me nuts currently also with a guitar modeller vsti i currently use, always mucking around with it and taking my hands off n’ on the guitar all the time to Futz with menus.
does sparky give one all those great classic rok tones we all adore ? ie not the fizzies but not too clean either... with the bb metal rt's i find myself cleaning em' up often. cos i hate too much 'fizzes' in my metal or punk or classic rock. but i do like the comic strip 'get fuzzy'..lol cos reminds me a lot of a cat n' dog we once had.
GH happiness/best to you. om
rharv. will do. maybe i'm too demanding of gear. happiness om
Last edited by justanoldmuso; 07/08/2212:14 PM.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs (90 songs created useing bb/rb.)
still tho' with this unit you can get 'fuzzies' if thats what you want. but not for moi. my conclusion is some pretty nice rock tones just sitting in the pocket good as well as clean tones. might even be able to get marvin tones on it.
i'm still on the fence. gonna do more research.
om
Last edited by justanoldmuso; 07/09/2206:21 AM.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs (90 songs created useing bb/rb.)
I like the modellers that have an amp. The Spark 40 looks interesting. I gig a lot with a quilter superblock. Its got a 25 watt amp. A tube equiv 25 watts. Plenty loud in a club. I use 12” speaker i made from a bee brood box (pine). Compact and sounds great I mostly play pretty clean and the quilter has the clean tones (fender) perfect. The verb is nice also.
It also has a direct (xlr and 1/4) if I’m going into a PA.
I agree that the $2k modelling folks are going to feel some price pressure the next few years.
biab2024(Mac) Latest Build Mac OS Sequoia 15.0.1 Apple M2 pro 32GB Ram Logic Pro 11
Well sweetwater has an interesting 12 recommended rock pedals. So i went thru each youtube demo. The only one that cranked me up a bit was the evh 5150 pedal…but if i’m asking my wife to spend lots i expect more tone features.
As i cant find anything that totally cranks me up big time or has too many menus which i find frustrating…and as my b’day is imminent…and as wife derives great joy from not letting me play with a new toy till my b’day…lol… And for short term use….
I’m gonna see what i can do with the little fender mustang micro which demos well, has thousands of likes and some nice sounds…, and with money saved i can order for my wife a present for putting up with my making songs craziness.
She is a total sweetheart ..and as i put on an anniversary card this year for her..…lmao ‘the women of the world would like to thank you for saving them from this crazy cockney music guy you put up with every day ’...
I’m gonna see what i can do with the micro plus some pedals n guitar vsti plug ins as well as amp models built into reaper etc. Yep i reckon the 2k crowd will be undercut by new products in the coming few years. ..
GH..yep the spark is real nice, with oodles of tones/features, but i know i would get antsy dealing with the settings on a celphone. whereas the mustang micro might work for this keep it simple bloke.
best om
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs (90 songs created useing bb/rb.)
GH..yep the spark is real nice, with oodles of tones/features, but i know i would get antsy dealing with the settings on a celphone. whereas the mustang micro might work for this keep it simple bloke.
Simple is always good. It's how I played for the vast majority of my professional days on stage. On stage, it has to be reliable and not so complicated that you can't work it live. My main system was a guitar plugged into a tube amp with a cord. No pedals or FX other than the reverb in the amp.
The Spark is nice and I used it for a time with my phone app. It worked well but the screen and the controls were a bit small so I picked up an inexpensive BT capable tablet. Its much larger screen lets me see and work the controls a bit better now.
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 07/12/2202:18 AM.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
You know what would be neat , and ive never seen ? Either a YT vid or a pamphlet showing the settings to get all the old classic rock tones we all love on various platforms ie modellers like sparky or nux or line6 etc , and/or using vsti modeller plug ins.
To clarify…ive seen various vids dotted around the net and articles but no central collection per above. Others can add to this, but i’m thinking guitar rhythm and lead tones from artists like…
..marvin shads ..halen panama lead break ..hendrix obviously ..knack my sharona nice lead break tone. ..benatars talented lead player / lead break on best shot. ..38 special loosely lead break tone ..doobies china grove lead break nice tone. ..acdc leads of course And of course some of the bto and guess who tones. And cheap trik budokan.
I ‘know ‘ ive missed many classics…but i think you get the idea GH.
What i’m saying is i like to play along with the classics for an hour or two, But find i’m always spending loads of time futzing with settings instead of just having fun playing along with each song …and as i bring up a new song to play along with would just be nice to just tap on a tablet one time via simple menu ive entered of my favorite classic songs... and bingo tone patch change.
Maybe i’m asking too much.
Best om
Last edited by justanoldmuso; 07/12/2207:50 AM.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs (90 songs created useing bb/rb.)
Getting the Jimi Hendrix sound is easy. Take a Fender Stratocaster, restring it upside down, plug it into a Marshall Plexi....
....and give it to Jimi Hendrix.
Seriously, though, I honestly recommend finding your own tone instead of trying to sound like someone else because you never will.
Byron Dickens
BIAB. CbB. Mixbus 32C 8 HP Envy. Intel core i7. 16GB RAM W10. Focusrite Scarlett 18i 20. Various instruments played with varying degrees of proficiency.
i cant disagree with you. Your spot on.. , In fact let me add even the original ‘guitar heroes’ who played on the big hit record cant emulate ‘their tone' live sometimes.
Over the years ive seen a few of my personal ‘guitar heroes’ live…and been very deflated when some breezed through their lead breaks. Often just a basic approximation to the one on the record. I got the impression of ‘lets just keep the punters happy’..lol.
To be fair Its different of course ‘in studio’ where one can take ones time over a lead break.
Otoh i HAVE been impressed by a few groups live….like… Cheap trick being one and Steppenwolf another. To name a couple. Steppenwollf had an amazeing young lead player prolly a session musician who totally blew me away live playing marshalls if i remember and i suspect some added pedals. Even my wife was full of praise which is rare for her.
Sometimes PBS in the states have some impressive live tv shows also.
sometimes even my wife would turn to me and say at a live show with one of my heros playing…‘thats not close to the record …right ?’...she was right.
Frankly i’m no great guitarist (isnt comping a great tool ..and editing and many takes..?..thank you computer…lol..)
Best Om
Rayc.
I’m not sure its a question of buying certain ‘gear’. (also lots of folks dont have the funds for the gear).
Ive seen in the past articles that suggest that even if one buys ‘the gear’ to emulate ones ‘hero’....the person might be using a different guitar/pickups/strings etc etc from said 'hero'.. lets not forget the fingers used..people in big studios have told me the same.
Lets not forget also the big studio recording chain gear the ‘hero’ originally used OR he/she might have used a heavily modded/custom guitar or amp etc etc.
In conclusion there are a load of different factors from what ive read and been told imho. Even myself , ive recorded a track one day …and recorded a guitar tone and went ‘yummy’. So i noted every darn single setting…et voila…next day same settings/nowt changed..i cant replicate it. Go fathom. I call it ‘the demons of rock’ effect. Hmm…maybe i’ll record a song with that title.
om
Last edited by justanoldmuso; 07/13/2212:50 AM.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs (90 songs created useing bb/rb.)
i cant disagree with you. Your spot on.. , In fact let me add even the original ‘guitar heroes’ who played on the big hit record cant emulate ‘their tone' live sometimes.
Well, the sound you hear on the record is not the same as what was in the room.
Its been compressed, EQed, etc. Mic choice and placement makes a dramatic difference. Try playing around with that in Amplitube sometime.
Originally Posted By: justanoldmuso
Over the years ive seen a few of my personal ‘guitar heroes’ live…and been very deflated when some breezed through their lead breaks. Often just a basic approximation to the one on the record. I got the impression of ‘lets just keep the punters happy’..lol.
To be fair Its different of course ‘in studio’ where one can take ones time over a lead break...
sometimes even my wife would turn to me and say at a live show with one of my heros playing…‘thats not close to the record …right ?’...she was right.
Most of the time, these guys are improvising. Of course its gonna be different.
Last edited by Byron Dickens; 07/13/2201:48 AM.
Byron Dickens
BIAB. CbB. Mixbus 32C 8 HP Envy. Intel core i7. 16GB RAM W10. Focusrite Scarlett 18i 20. Various instruments played with varying degrees of proficiency.
Spark has come out with a HENDRIX package....However, some of the amps are in the original setup.
Regarding the rest....
If you simply go to the TONE CLOUD for Spark... type in the name of a song or the name of the artist... you will get a bunch of preset tones that you can download and instantly get that sound you are looking for.
For example..... AC/DC... and the tone from Back in Black...or perhaps Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap..... there's a number of them. I like to DL a few, test them out, decide if I like them, because obviously, I'm not doing a cover of BiB, but I might want to use that tone in the new country song I'm working on..... so I find one I like, edit it to my liking....and save it with an overwrite and I'm ready to rock. Jason Aldea, Joe Walsh, Satriani, Beck, You name it... and it's likely there.
You can get the Spark app and explore this before you ever buy it..... however, you need the spark to hear it. But you can look around. See what's there. Listen on Youtube to some of the folks who create the tone preset and hear it on their rigs.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
GH. WOW MATE great info re 'sparky'//tonecloud etc thank you sooo much.
mebe its my own fault i dont have lots of patience lol.
well my mustang micro just arrived from amazon. gonna see how it performs. but my lovely wife wont let me open it till b'day next week. we like to do this cos it gives her a fun few days dangling a present. her and her mates always say 'boys with toys'.lmao.
happiness
om
ps re ACDC yep i love em'. i'll prolly get next iteration of sparky if a nice price.
Last edited by justanoldmuso; 07/16/2206:17 AM.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs (90 songs created useing bb/rb.)
Take a Gibson SG plugged straight into a Plexi Super Lead and a Gretsch Firebird plugged into a Plexi Super Bass and hand them to Angus and Malcolm Young respectively.
Byron Dickens
BIAB. CbB. Mixbus 32C 8 HP Envy. Intel core i7. 16GB RAM W10. Focusrite Scarlett 18i 20. Various instruments played with varying degrees of proficiency.
GH. WOW MATE great info re 'sparky'//tonecloud etc thank you sooo much.
ps re ACDC yep i love em'. i'll prolly get next iteration of sparky if a nice price.
Spark has released a Spark Mini. It's not as big or as powerful as the Spark 40 BUT.... it has all the same tone cloud access. A buddy of mine has both the Spark 40 and just got the mini and he commented that he loves the spark mini and it has quickly become his favorite and says the tone is freaking amazing.
If you like AC/DC... grab your best headphones, your favorite beverage, and watch this.....
Full concert and it rocks.....!!!!
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
too many superlatives for it. Its amazing what acdc does with simple beats often. And how they can deliver live, but lots of big names cant. To be fair performing live can be very wearing, particularly as one ages. (except for the triangle player…lol.) donnington live was great too.
Would love to hear that vid thru’ a pair of 10k corner klipschorns a mate once had n’ play along with it. Speakers today are too wimpy. Small woofer cones…jeesh. Often the ones you want you cant afford. Same with cars.
Darn, you just had to point me to that vid didnt ya ??. …lol.
you just had to make me wanna get my rok mojo/urge all cranked up to do a new rok song. Didn't ya ?..lol.
I told my wife tis time for a new rok song, she thinks i’m crazy anyway since we met at a function after my amp blew up years ago. (i did warn her first week we were together…she wouldnt listen..lmao) She bought me a mustang for b’day not car..lol. Fender micro.
That acdc rock snare sound (with oomph) is what i’m always looking for. Often find it difficult to get. Drives me nuts. But gonna see if i condition a biab rd.
Was thinkin of a title like ‘ i warned her’ or ‘she’s so bad (in a good way)’.....or ‘she only wants to rok n’ tease’. or ‘brunettes with red lipstick’ or … ’rock girls with guitars rule’... lol gonna google n see if any those titles are taken. Tell me if you like any title that appeals. Or if you hate em all..i can take it.. Twas just off the cuff titles on the fly anyway as i was typing this.
If it turns out a junk rok effort on my part at least will be a fun journey.
You just had to get me going didnt ya GH ???? ..lol Now i’m off to biab/rb all excited n’ cranked up. Loads of work to do.
Best om
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs (90 songs created useing bb/rb.)
The AC/DC gig...good sound, good playing but I can't stand Brian's squeal n shout. AC/DC were a pop rock band in Australia when they hit the charts...they played dances, they played the circuit and became too big so didn't fit the pub circuit when it emerged. Their best songs are still the Malcolm/Bonn ones for me and the best sounding albums were produced by Vanda & Young as it was they who FOUND the sound for the band. The Albert's Studios had a "sound" that was cultivated from the top down.
I highly recommend that you search for a decent rendering of the doco. It's about guitar tone. Part one is fun but the rest is best.
Last edited by rayc; 07/18/2207:29 PM.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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