Need Help

[AxeManBrill]

Hey guys,

I'm new to this forum and could use some help. For years I have been playing Road Kings, with outboard stomp-box effects and love it! But...I'm getting pretty tired of all that extra setup for my effects, footswitch, loops, cables, power.....all that extra crap I need to set up every night. For quite some time I have been looking at doing something to consolidate/cleanup my rig, and doing some rack stuff. I have had in mind a Triaxis/2:90 combo...but unsure what to do for effects and switching. I recently ordered (haven't gotten it yet), a TC Electronic G-System so I have some effects, with option for my stomp box effects, a foot controller, and something that can do channel switching all in one. The more I look up the G-System and setups the more anxious I get to actually get and play with the unit.

But now I'm having problems with amps. Do I keep my Road King head (series 1), buy an RJM Music Amp Gizmo to do MIDI channel switching, throw the G-System in a rack with my wireless and some other stuff, and still have to run cables back and forth between my "amp" and my effects, input, output, loops, channel switching so forth? Or do I bite the bullet and buy a Triaxis/2:90 (probably going to have to find something used $$$), have everything already mounted and connected into a rack, and just simply plug in the G-System foot controller, my guitar input, and speaker cab cable? I definatley like the "clean" setup of the Triaxis option, but is the money worth it?

From everything I find the Triaxis/2:90 and the Road King are both excellent amps. I can't go "wrong" either way. I have 2 Road Kings (head, 2x12 combo), but no where around me to check out a Triaxis/2:90. Maybe you guys with some real world experience can help shed some light on the subject.

As far as styles of music that I play; I'm in a cover band and do a wide variety of things: modern country, a few old country tunes, lot of 80's/90's pop stuff, some modern rock, classic rock, even some hip-hoppish stuff.

Thanks in advance!

-Jordan

 

[JMMP]

I can't comment exactly on what you're asking, but I have found some pretty nifty things by owning the TriAxis, Roadster, and a Quad Pre.
#1: do you like the tone of mark series amps? Switching to a rig based on its functionality seems logical, but if you don't like the tone, it becomes wasted time.
#2: you've said that you're getting a g system and that your biggest complaint is the setup time with your current rig. The Mini Amp Gizmo along with a rack with the g system may do exactly what you want. Especially if the G can replace all of your pedals, or you only want to use a drive pedal or two. You could easily put that into a 4u rack.
#3: I have recorded my TriAxis through a 2:90 and mesa traditional 412 IR on my computer, and after running my quad through that same IR, I can tell you the quad sounds a lot better to my ears. BUT I have also run both of the preamps into the loop of my roadster, and to me the TriAxis sounds better than the quad there. All that being said, if it is the tone you want, maybe get a 4u rack with your g system and get a TriAxis to run with it through the roadking, and still have the preamp sounds from the roadking available. That would be an ultimate setup to me.

You could also get a combination head case and rack to keep everything but the foot controller and cab plugged in all the time. Even just using your current setup and a gsystem in a case like that may accomplish all you want to do (keeping everything clean and always hooked up).

 

[Jackie]

I've never played a RoadKing (only recto I've played is Reborn Recto) before but if you dig the Recto tone I wouldn't opt for the TriAxis because to me it sounds like a Mark amp. If that doesn't bother you, then go for it! To me nothing beats the functionality of the TriAxis/2:90+multiFX rig.

 

[THTH]

The Road King and Triaxis sound dissimilar. The RK has a more modern distortion sound and the Triaxis is the older, Mark series sound. Best to try out the Triaxis first if you're coming from a RK to see if you like it. I disliked the RK distortion when I tried it, not surprisingly I'm a Mark series player(Triaxis and MKIV).