AMPLESS.......

[Laskyman]

True story...I just sold my beloved ED. BUT, I sold it to a very good friend and a MONSTER player...this transition will help me fund a season with an AXE FX Ultra.....been wanting to check one out for literally years, tried in vain to work "2" rigs in the stable, but I have a family and a mortgage- I am sure you all understand. My thought is this...WORST CASE SCENARIO: I get the axe, it isnt for me, I sell at full price, buy another ED....or maybe a Royal Atlantic.....or????
Best Case Scenario: works great.
Really NO LOSE in this anywhere...but I wont be able to stop AXE gas unless I *STOP AXE GAS*...so, Im not leaving the Boogie Board- its the coolest board on the planet and you all have great insights- Ill just stop by as a boogie-less-for-the moment chap...
News to follow....

 

[JAZZGEAR]

True story...I just sold my beloved ED. BUT, I sold it to a very good friend and a MONSTER player...this transition will help me fund a season with an AXE FX Ultra.....been wanting to check one out for literally years, tried in vain to work "2" rigs in the stable, but I have a family and a mortgage- I am sure you all understand. My thought is this...WORST CASE SCENARIO: I get the axe, it isnt for me, I sell at full price, buy another ED....or maybe a Royal Atlantic.....or????
Best Case Scenario: works great.
Really NO LOSE in this anywhere...but I wont be able to stop AXE gas unless I *STOP AXE GAS*...so, Im not leaving the Boogie Board- its the coolest board on the planet and you all have great insights- Ill just stop by as a boogie-less-for-the moment chap...
News to follow....

Those year long waiting lists for the Axe are a thing of the past, anyone can get one now within a month (at worst) - and they have pretty good stock right now, I think the mystery that generated a lot of the hoopla has subsided. So I would not expect that anyone would pay full price for a used one when they could just get one brand new. So I would not bank on that.

 

[screamingdaisy]

Those year long waiting lists for the Axe are a thing of the past, anyone can get one now within a month (at worst) - and they have pretty good stick right now, I think the mystery that generated a lot of the hoopla has subsided. So I would not expect that anyone would pay full price for a used one when they could just get one brand new. So I would not bank on that.

Used Axe's have been selling for about a $100 less than new recently. Not sure if it'll stay that way, but even at only $100 off they get snapped up pretty fast.

 

[Laskyman]

Used AXEs have far greater resale value than used amps....sad, but true.

 

[screamingdaisy]

Used AXEs have far greater resale value than used amps....sad, but true.

True so long as Fractal doesn't release the next version. Once that one emerges the current one will likely nosedive.

 

[Laskyman]

Yeah- anything new will trump what is old, with few exceptions. Look at the current values of a RK v1 vs RKv2, or MK IV vs MKV....even resale on ED....

 

[primal]

Regardless, if you find the Axe isn't for you, I have no doubt you will be able to trade it for the amp you want. Or atleast get very close and only have to kick in minimal dollars ( or maybe get the amp and cash back).

I just did a quick search of ebays completed listings for Axe FX Ultra and the last 10 sales. The more expensive ones where in the box unopened.
1800
2399
2215
2399
2230
2050
1650
2350
2290
2179

Definately understand the mortgage and family.

The thing is for home recording and such, the Axe FX is just more practical. If I only had more pictures of the monstrosity that was my dedicated "recording studio" room before I got the Axe FX. Massive sound proofing panels build from 1x4's, duck cloth and Corning 703. Heavy blankets everywhere. And it was still loud. If you look up that picture I posted with the fan behind my ED, you can see some of the panels. Now my studio has some foam soundproofing hung on the walls just to tame the echo from the monitors. It is my wife's favorite peice of gear.

And if you are playing at places where you are going through the PA, it is also more practical.

I have not mastered the "amp in the room" sound with it yet. But I think that in part may be due to the fact that I really haven't tried either.

When I want the amp in the room sound, I just go with my Electra Dyne.

For late night jamming or recording, I use the Axe FX.

And in the end I am certain if you find you don't like it, you could definitely swap it for a killer amp. Maybe not brand new, but between this place and harmony central, someone will trade you there amp for it. And I bet you could find the amp you want.

 

[primal]

I almost forgot.

So have you ordered it yet?

 

[Assumer]

Keep us posted. I would love to try one but keep putting it off.

 

[Laskyman]

And if you are playing at places where you are going through the PA, it is also more practical

This is me...pretty much all the time at church

And in the end I am certain if you find you don't like it, you could definitely swap it for a killer amp. Maybe not brand new, but between this place and harmony central, someone will trade you there amp for it. And I bet you could find the amp you want

NO doubt- resale is real strong- and to be honest, there is a value associated with "knowing" a piece of kit by trial and error...

Keep us posted. I would love to try one but keep putting it off

Me too- for years. Literally....

So have you ordered it yet?

Not yet- just a couple hundred away....could ahve a Standard en route tomorrow, but I dont want buyers remorse from "missing" out on Ultra only effects...
Ill keep you all posted....

 

[YellowJacket]

YUCK, I can't believe you sold it! I've been seriously considering unloading my 2ch Dual head and getting a Dyne. The 2 Channel Dual is a great looking and sounding amp but it really only does high gain. The Dyne has tonnes of usable tones and it looks like it has an FX loop as well which would mean a 10band graphic EQ could be added to make the amp much more flexible if need be.

This is me...pretty much all the time at church

Ugg, don't remind me. Why do the worst volume nazi sound guys always volunteer there? Probably the only way you could get decent guitar tone is with an AXE FX rig!! With my Dual, buzzy bedroom tones are a step up from what I have ever gotten in a church building. No such thing as a roaring tube amp there.

 

[MBJunkie]

Its ok Laskyman......you are not the first to ditch great tube amps to the Axe FX. I hope it works out for you in the very best way!

I am no longer an ED owner either because the ED didn't work well for my personal needs.....a different MB amp worked best for me, but that is just my opinion and to each their own. All that being said, I do understand the enthusiasm by many ED owners and that is great.

I have considered purchasing the Axe FX myself, but do not feel that I want to invest the time that is likely required for me to customize the unit to obtain the great tones that I am sure it is capable of achieving. I used to use rack gear exclusively 15 years ago....and was able to achieve fantastic tones (no doubt) with that gear after a lot of time investment.

Now, I am sure the Axe FX offers some great sounds out of the box, but still feel it would probably require a substantial amount of tweak time to customize sounds for my needs from the unit. Most probably because of all of the options that are available with the Axe FX!

I am curious to hear your thoughts regarding the Axe FX after you have familiarized yourself with it.

Primal has been working with his for a while....and his overall assessment seems to be mostly positive based on his threads.

 

[Scary]

I'm suprised. I thought you were a lifer with that thing. :shock:

 

[Laskyman]

I'm suprised. I thought you were a lifer with that thing

It is by far my favorite amp. Bar none.
If the AXE isnt what I think it could be, I will get a Dyne head and a 112 cab.
Just that simple..
The Dyne raised the bar pretty high for the AXE. And my pedalboard aint no slouch...we'll see. Im not getting younger, and I want to see for myself what the hype is.
And I have no problems buying another ED.....

 

[talltxguy]

Laskyman, are you looking for the AXE to sound as good or better than your Dyne OR are you looking for not just the sound but also the feel of a tube amp while playing?

I have no doubt the AXE will sound as good as your Dyne because a Digitech 1101 I used to own did that if you tweaked it. And the AXE has far better components on its worst day than the Digitech on its very best! But where the Digitech fell apart was the dynamics and feel. Curious to hear if the AXE can simulate not just the sound but the feel.

If I were a betting man, which I am, I'd be willing to bet that you'll be playing a Dyne by the end of summer. :lol: Seriously though, good luck on the tone quest & please let us know what's up.

 

[primal]

The Axe takes some time to get used to. Fresh out of the box it's good, but many of the patches just have far more effects then I would ever use. You find that with pretty much every modeler you own.

I only ever use 1 patch straight the way it came with the Axe FX, and that is the Crazy Train one. He really nailed it with that one.

The patch I practically live on (I am a classic rock nut) is a Plexi patch I created where I really feel I have nailed that old AC/DC tone.

Something happened with this when I converted it from wav to MP3. The wav sounds much better. This entire mp3 sounds harsh for some reason, it did not sound this was as a wav, but you will get the picture. But here is an AC/DC clip I did with the Axe FX and an AC/DC back track of Highway to Hell.

http://www.netmusicians.org/index.php?section=id&value=9569

The backing track had some rythym guitar so during the chorus the backing track is playing along with my guitar and the backing track is the rythym guitar in the background during the solo.

The guitar sound is all axe fx. It is a single stereo track with reverb from the axe fx.

What I typically do is just break it down to the amp I want and a cab and work from there building the tone I want.

For ED tone, the brown sound amp will get you closest.

I personally think it has the feel of a tube amp when setup properly. But that is just so subjective.

But there is a definite learning curve. And I am still not all the way there.

 

[Laskyman]

Laskyman, are you looking for the AXE to sound as good or better than your Dyne OR are you looking for not just the sound but also the feel of a tube amp while playing?

No, what i am looking for is a great ALL-IN-ONE unit. Simple, consistent, and powerful. I just know what I want in a AMP sound. The AXE is attractive because it allows unrivaled flexibility with routing of effects, as well as "instances" of effects. My pedal boad is great- but, I am handcuffed to a few conventions that the AXE can solve with its ability to route (i.e. I want to be able to add certain effects before the preamp some certain situations- like a VH style phaser, or EQs both before and after the preamp...). The amp models are just the icing on the cake- and from what I have read about and heard in videos, MP3's, the amp models are excellent.
I may well be in a boogie by the end of the summer. But I am thinking that the AXE will remain as the effect generator.....time will tell, I am only a short amount of cash away.....

 

[J.J]

Primal, nice work. Your AC/DC tone is very good and better than I though it would be. Can hear that Strat tone, but I don't think I would have picked it if I didn't know.

 

[Laskyman]

Sounds KILLER....now I have $2K cash in hand- NOW I find out I need a credit card.....really Fractal? And they are not in stock as well......f'ing kidding me......

 

[Assumer]

Sounds KILLER....now I have $2K cash in hand- NOW I find out I need a credit card.....really Fractal? And they are not in stock as well......f'ing kidding me......

Maybe it's not meant to be.....