Message 28/30
Date: 24-May-05 @ 02:08 AM -
RE: HAHAHAHA
http://www.simulanalog.org/guitarsuite.htm
There is a FREE downloadable vst amp simulator here that is as good as any(or better than many according to some folk at harmony central).
Personally I would buy something like an old Selmer valve combo and mic it up,because they can be had for peanuts and they have a great tone or an old 70s Traynor valve head ike the YBA 1A bassmaster which is superb beyond belief I got mine for 175 quid.It's all valve class A ,for the price you would pay for that amp with a cabinet you'd have an infinitely better sound than any amp sim plus it would be easy to sell for what you paid for it as there's a growing demand for gutsy old amps that have REAL TONE.
I've tried many of these amp sims and I've noticed that I tend to spend a lot of time tweaking but never really feeling satisfied whereas when I plug into the Traynor it's like every tweak is inspirational and I find I've been noodling for hours with realising it.
BUT! These old amps are sometimes difficult to find spares for and expensive to maintain if you can't figure it out yourself(and it's VERY VERY DEADLY DANGEROUS to fiddle about inside a valve amp if you don't know what you are doing a musicman 100 watt amp for example can zap you with 700 volts! and SHAZAM you're FRIED HAM)
They're fuggin' heavy as the watts go up they get heavier, the bassmaster weighs 27 kg and that's just a 50 watt head.
They're eviction level loud if you turn them up(and once you've turned it up you will never be happy with keeping it turned down) even the small ones are loud 15 watts valve blows the arse off 15 watts solid state.
On ebay there are loads of obscure old valve amps for sale that offer many more interesting sounds in my opinion than the formulaic sameyness of modern amp sims with their mesa marshall fender presets (again my opinion).
If it's portability price and connectability you're after for 25 quid you can have via the DT shop
BEHRINGER V-TONE
GDI21
Direct-recording made simple and affordable—not to mention super-compact!
Create the most in-demand tube amp sounds or come up with your own! This BEHRINGER product has been designed to compete head to head with leading products on the market. * authentic V-TONE modeling technology recreates 3 classic guitar amps, 3 gain modes and 3 mic placements for a total of 27 configurations. It provides a truckload of great amps in a single stomp box—simply choose your favorite sounds with a flick of a switch. includes precise level and drive control plus a musical 2-band EQ for ultimate sound shaping. Use the GDI21 either for direct recording output with a speaker simulation or as a standard active direct injection box in bypass mode. The output is laid out on ¼'' TS or balanced, gold-plated XLR connectors. A ground lift switch eliminates typical ground loop problems, and it runs on a 9 V battery or a DC power supply (not included). Go from clean or crunch to super-fat distortion in a matter of seconds.