Hey, Rhett! Steve from Neural Amp Modeler. I hope you give it a go to make a model of your own gear. That AC30 is a beauty, and I'd love to hear how you find a NAM of it.
It's a little bit like cameras. The best camera is the one that you have. What really matters is the content of the story you're telling. I personally suck with both cameras and guitars.
Rockin' the Garage Band amp sim with a Squire ... with $20K-plus worth of tube amps behind him. That is funny and interesting in so many different ways.
If you have a scarlett, you also have access to a Marshall Silver jubilee amp sim! you can just get the license off their software site after you registered your interface :)
@@jacobcrockett9681 I bought a scarlett and a silver jubilee mini stack at the same time, I thought it came free because I got the actual amp that's a fun coincidence. I'm no production whizz, in fact I suck, but I had my frustrations with the Silver Jubilee sim. The actual amp itself is amazing, it's my bucket list amp and it sounds gorgeous, I could just never get the Plug-in to sound anything like it when I was away from home. Keep in mind the tone I chase is always more of a high gain, humbuckers out thrashing sorta sound, MCR and Deftones-y (which it definitely can do I mean it's a Marshall sim at the end of the day), I haven't really tested much else apart from that kinda thing, but it always pales in comparison to me mic'ing the cab with a 57 in the middle and going nuts, it has an sm57 mic option but I never found it sounded very good in comparison. I thought it might be because the actual amp I have is the mini version, the 2525 into a 70 watt cab, instead of what i think is the larger model into a higher watt cab, but I think overall it's sorta a poor imitation of what the actual amp can sound like. It gets the sorta 'idea' of a Marshall amp in tone, and I have some fun noodling with it a bit more than the logic amp-sim (which despite how great it sounds in this video, I've never really had it sound great in a mix), but it's certifiably a step below what I've heard my friends do with Neural DSP's amp sims. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure if I knew what I was doing in my DAWs instead of recording a demo and sending them off to get mixed I could take full advantage of it, so you might have a lot more luck than I do, and it's definitely a lot less effort and makes the mixer happier to have your DI tracks instead of mic tracks, so give it a try if you have a scarlett or are getting a scarlett.
All of my stuff has been recorded in Garageband on whatever Mac I've had for years. For what I do, it's great. I could go deeper and get logic, but I haven't felt the need to.
@@michaelbutler2312 I can't use my 32bits version of Logic 9 anymore but using GB at 100% is better and quicker than using Logic at 20%, I'll buy Logic again eventually
@@jonnyalec5646 I used Logic9 until they killed 32bits, I'd rather use GB at 100% than Logic at 20, way more efficient, quick, funny, I'm not running a studio to be fair...
Its unreal how good amp simulation has gotten the last 20 years. The improvements in tone quality from those Line 6 sims from the early 00s to today is astounding.
I grabbed Amplitube 5 Max on sale and I was blown away by the quality of the sims. It is great for hacking around with when my wife is asleep in the next room.
Someone had to push the idea. I actually think line 6 invented convolution technology. Their speaker models in that first pod were ahead of the first convolution reverb (Sony ) by 3 years.
For a long time I thought my original Pod had a major downside in that it was highly susceptible to EMF noise. Then I figured out that it was a cable that was responsible the whole time. It's obviously got other shortcomings, but it's still got a wide array of cool effects. (Now I mainly use an HX Stomp.)
This is great Rhett! I really appreciate you taking your experience and making it work for lower budgets without disparaging the cheaper stuff. For so many of us, we get caught up in what we think we "need" versus learning to understand, use, and APPRECIATE what we have or have been given. I know the new and expensive stuff is alway going to be interesting, but tempering those dreams with reality and practicality is what gets me excited.
Hey Rhett, it’s not only nice listening to you generally speaking, but the really good thing is, that you actually have something to say and from my very subjective viewpoint it’s helpful and interesting every single time. Just sayin‘ - I really dig your channel and your videos :)
That GarageBand Vox clone is fantastic. My band and I recorded one of our best sounding songs on it through a cheap old apogee jam i found on ebay. It sounds like something that came out of a studio, albeit a budget studio, to the untrained ear.
@@JDStone20 in a recording, they sound indistinguishable from real amps. If anybody says otherwise, I invite them to listen to AC/DC's Black Ice album and pick out the parts that were recorded with guitar rig.
@@JDStone20 Yeah, I hadn't opened GB in a lonnnng time and recently went back to it and was amazed. Pretty much with the exact Vox and Ampeg amps he went to. Blew me away.
Hell Yes!! Garageband has some amazing free guitar tones. I LOVE the "Stadium Lead" setting for lead work. With a little tweaking it's perfect for most solos.
Double Driven Sim with Squier is a great pairing. I use this exact setup with a 1st generation Scarlett for all my demos, overdubs and tracking. My instrument is a Squier CV with DiMarzio pups. If it sounds right, it is right. Some infamous man once said that. And that is good enough for me. Keep up the good work. Everyone enjoy what you do! That's all we can do!
And if you record it, you'll still sound better than tons of bands that made great records! Tons of great punk bands would have killed to sound as good on a record as you can on Garageband.
my girlfriend just gave me her dads old strat from the 90’s and i got it setup and it freakin rips! it’s fenders budget line from back then but you couldn’t tell by hearing it!!
budget is not always heard but many times felt. I'm not saying your guitar is low quality or something I just want to point out it's not all about how it sounds.
Owner of a ‘64 TB AC30 here! Smooth tolex, silver speakers and grey panel just like yours. Definitely try a Brown Box with yours, it will protect the amp, not over stress it, sound better, feel significantly better (I wasn’t expecting that much improvement in feel) and the amp won’t overheat. I run mine at 109w (after trying a few different voltages, that was my amp tech’s suggestions and I think that’s what Zac Childs does with his), it feels a lot smoother and at the end of 3-4 hour rehearsals the amp is not any hotter than any other amp I play, very far from overheating.
Thanks very much for this video! I was on the verge of dropping $2000 on a fender Acoustasonic and then found that my Sub $200 Valeton pedal is packed with excellent acoustic guitar modelers that will work perfectly for my applications. I also have many amplifiers but no vox AC 30, or so I thought. I’ve been tossing around the thought of buying one, but your video also convinced me that that’s just not necessary, I already own a modeler or two that might do the job. Part of the problem is that we who seek to learn as much as we can about gear and tone, but lack the means to go all in, get taken in by marketing. For example, in none of the dozens of reviews for the Acoustasonic is there a single mention anywhere or a comparison of any kind with acoustic guitar modeling pedals because if people explored that option, many wouldn’t buy the guitar that all of these guys are trying real hard to move out of their inventory. I purchased the Valeton so that I can show up to a jam with my guitar and a cable and a little package that I could just plug into the PA. The allure of that kind of simplicity is irresistible for someone, my age, 65 years old. But I learned this from a kid in his early 20s who came to jams with a similar rig. The idea that so much gear is accessible without expending a dime (another dime 😜) is mind-boggling. I’ve known about GarageBand forever, but because it was free I thought it was just a silly add onto my phone. Apparently not! But the Valeton has an AC 30 in there as well. I I am looking forward to discovering all of the potential in the gear that I already own. One thing that’s worth mentioning is that I have found that the instrument that I plug into a modeling pedal affects the sound that comes out the other side. I have guitars that run the range from cheap to ridiculous, and the best sounding guitars create the best tone out of the modeling pedals. So perhaps it makes sense to spend your money upfront on the right guitar and then seek less expensive paths to the tone that you want. I appreciated that you showed us the incredible sophistication of your personal rig and engineering expertise at the studio. You reminded me of where I am in this ecosystem.
I love my valve amps playing live or just in the room. If I am recording the issues for guitar around volume, quality of the mic/s, and the art of mic’ing an amp and room become very determining in capturing a recorded sound. Especially anything beyond flat and dry cleans. Recorded sound is not the same experience as room sound. It is a simulacrum. If I want that chimey, on-the-edge-of-breakup Vox sound I often go for the Garageband amp simulation instead of mic’ing a real amp. All that matters in a recording is what you hear in the mix, not how you felt playing it in the room. I get all that stuff about “feel good=play well”, but for a recording you need to focus on what the listener will hear. If you don’t have high quality mics, a good recording space, and lots of experience in placing mics get a recording simulation set up. Live… a different matter where the audience may be identifying with your level of enjoyment. Ironically when I saw SRV live in ‘85 he enjoyed playing two cranked amps A LOT, but it was actually excruciating in the audience, physically sickening, and NOTHING like the recorded sound. Great guitarist, but not the best guitar sound I’ve experienced live by a long distance. Go figure.
Been playing for over 5 decades. What great content, it's nice to show newbies that you don't need $3k to get a guitar/amp etc to get killer tone. The intro gear is so much better than when I was a kid (so much better), and the less expensive gear on Amazon rivals the Squier for 1/2 the price. I still enjoy playing, not as fast, not as loud, but I can still bend the strings. Thanks for sharing!!
Just FYI with that Vox NAM capture, it had a cab already as part of the capture looking at the fet47 part of the file name. So putting an IR after it was stacking cabs.
What's funny. In my opinion, the free garage band stock VST sounded better than the Cortex. On top of that, the Cortex required a bunch of EQ and set-up. Actually, I liked the stock Garage Band plug-in better than all of it lol. I wonder if sometimes it feels better just because you know it's expensive, I don't know been poor my whole life.
100% agree. The stock GB amp made it for me. Sounded great, not too harsh, just a classic AC tone to me. Don't dial in tones with your eyes : use your ears!!!
@@GenocivGB plugin for me - I blame Rhett's micing choices. For one thing, I can't figure out why people like ribbon mics. The other thing is, I don't love the sound of the combined mics.
Thank you for bringing up how it FEELS to play! In my experience playing a real (tube) amp I get the respons and feel in my playing that I need in order to play reasonably good. The biggest issue I have with plug-ins and modellers etc is that they don't feel right to play. Basically they sound great nowadays but it's so hard to play without a response from the sound. Just feels flat and like you're playing barb wires or something...
For budget guitar-focused setups, I recommend the AXE I/O One! It's usually sub $100 and gives you lots of guitar focused hardware stuff like switching between gain profiles for active/passive pickups, input tone knob adjustments, 48v phantom power, etc. It's not as "versatile" as the Scarlett but it's PERFECT for guitar rig setups.
I use GarageBand personally and I’m very pleased with its Amp Designer and how it sounds. I’m using a very cheapo Telecaster clone and even that sounds good with it. Sure, it doesn’t sound as good as using genuine outboard gear, but if anything Brian Eno has taught me a great deal on how to actually utilize your available gear to its fullest potential. (He even uses cheap guitars back in the day) The man’s so well-versed with the DX7 synthesizer he could do anything on it. I’m having the same vibe with what Amp Designer could do. The combinations of modeling that you could do with it is so vast that I’m pretty sure you will not run out of ways to use your guitar with it.
When it comes to feel on modelers, make sure to add a compressor in the signal chain, usually after the amp. Doing so makes even cheap modelers sound and feel pretty good.
Thanks for the tip. To clarify, would you place it after the amp and before any cabinet and microphone modeling or after the cabinet and microphone modeling? Thank you!
@@PumpkinSeed17 It depends on the modeler. I have my signal chain like this. Boost, comp, amp, cab, eq, chorus, noise gate. On my modeler's clean tone, the compressor is actually first in the chain.
20:01 fr, it's so close in sound, but that feeling of a circuit pulling current from the wall and the way it sometimes doesn't enough stored to immediately reproduce what you're asking it to do, the variables of the temperature on the day you're recording, the age of the speakers and the crackling of pots that you really need to clean (I will tomorrow i promise lol) it's something that is so hard to describe! I have been playing for decades and i started on a line 6 amp that i LOVED at the time. My friend and I started a band and i plugged into a real deal holyfield Vox AC15 for the first time and 🤯😱 I got it! I saw wtf everyone was talking about lol. I still honestly prefer practicing on the digital deallies, but it's honestly SO MUCH EASIER to get a great sound by putting a mic on front of a nice amp and playing! there's a system you're creating with you, the instrument, the amp, the room-you're coercing electricity to make a speaker dance with your hands and idk it's primal
I appreciate that you keep your sound 90%+ what a real guitar sounds like versus piling on so many digital effects it sounds more like a pipe organ in Notre Dame (which so many people do these days).
A "blind test" could easily make those who've spent many thousands of dollars on their expensive gear shed tears. Regarding "Amp feel," silent stages, in ear monitors, having to put the Amp in an isolation booth or separate room because it needs to be cranked to sound good, wearing Cans in Studio, requiring soundproof rooms to play in, etc. makes the "real Amp feel" argument questionable, and for me also impractical. YMMV
what you described has nothing to do with the feeling of the amp, It is about recording. And for those of us (most of us actually) who don't need to record songs, do mixing and mastering and other production, will be a better choice to buy an entry level combo rather than buy audio interface with studio monitors. And I don't say a word about expansive modelers like NDSP or Fractals that cost like lamborghini, you can afford an amp head with really good cabinet for that price.
I get what you mean. I know that its 2024 but some of us want that cranked amp a'la 1960s Hendrix/Santana feedback for stage and recording, something you can't duplicate from an amp sim. Some of us need to feedback and move air in the room as a part of our overall sound, something lost on the digital age.
Some people for sure. Feel and the natural compression of an amp is still pretty different. Another way to tell is how an amp sim sits in the speakers compared to a piece of hardware. Sims tend to sound very up front and in your face whereas hardware sounds further away. Odd I know, Tim pierce has discussed this as well. Cheers 🙌
@@maximusindicusoblivious180 how is it lost on "the digital age" when you basicaly can buy frfr combos for your modeler so it IS basicaly moving air like any normal amp... it also has a 12" speaker so there is no difference only that you can make this speaker like any amp you want
@@lithiumgo7487 I did paint the "digital age" with a broad brush. But I was referring to the comment about music in isolation from the likes of computers, iPads, Phones and DI amp simulators that don't move anything but 010101.
NAM is far far better than the other options in the list. You need to find the good captures. And when you do, mind blown! Just like any sim, there are going to be pre-sets you don't like.
Great video! Little disappointed you didn’t do an A/B/C test at the end just so we can hear them all side by side. But thanks for going to all the trouble of making the comparison! ✌️
I learned bass using an old Squier Affinity P-bass ( I paid $150 used mostly for the Fender tweed hard case it came in), plugged into Garage Band with my trusty Rocksmith Real Tone Cable™ ($30 retail). Not a bad sound; didnt quite compare to playing in front of a real 4x10 bass cab, but so much more convenient
14:34 But can we all take a second to ask what we're all thinking? "HOW COME NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO LOOSEN A MIC STAND TO ADJUST IT????" Everybody just be grabbing mic stands on stage and *forcing* them in all directions, ignoring the fact that *most* mic stands operate on the principle of being held in place by friction! Great video, Rhett! All 3 rigs sounded killer!
A lot has been said about the convenience of amp sims in the grea amp vs sim debate, but the one point that never comes up is that you never have to worry about your amp sim getting so hot that you need run a little floor fan into it.
I picked up the MixWave Benson suite shortly after it was released. Not disappointed at all. A few months ago I picked up the Mixwave Ashdown Bass plug-in. Also not a disappointment. I'm an apartment dweller with limited space for gear and recording. It would be sweet to have a dedicated studio with proper gear. I'll wait.
As a luthier, I see what I do a being a toolmaker. An important aspect of this particular tool is that it inspire the end user. (That aspect is less important in, say, a hammer for instance.) Rhett, I liked your playing significantly more when you were playing on the genuine rig. The others sounded fine, but it was clear which setup inspired you. Another great video!
Speaking of possible placebos, maybe you could do a video of a blind shootout with the best of the best of a few different rigs (modeling, real amps, etc.) and see if you can pick out which is which
This reminds me that one of the biggest things you get out of spending extended time with expensive gear at one point or another is getting rid of the "other" mentality of untouchable high-end gear you have in your head and just giving yourself mileage with the "bar" or standard everyone points to. It really gives you the freedom to then go back have perspective on cheaper gear. Truth be told, cheap stuff nowadays is so good. I'm owned pretty expensive guitars, pedals, and amps at various points in my life, and nowadays, my typical rig is an HX stomp and a $300-400 guitar, and it's probably my favorite rig I've ever used, sound-wise. I may miss having a loud guitar amp in the room-type experience on occasion, but when I play with others, the sound is perfect.
Stellar video as usual! Particularly love this concept, have recently been really enjoying the simplicity of garage band for getting into the recording from home game.
This is a great video. I think plugins are great for skill level and price. If I were a pro guitarist I would have a vintage setup in the studio for recording. On tour I would use modelers because the audience does not care you are playing a rare 1964 AC30 because they are drunk.
Thank you so much for this video Rhett, not only your feel while playing but this great comparison. And the conclusion it gives us a great understanding of how a great tone of the leyendary guitar players was created. TY.
Thanks for this rhett! I’m mostly a bassist and was a little self-conscious that I use the stock logic amps for guitar. Good to know a pro thinks they sound good!
I think it would have been nice with another tier, something like a Mexican strat into a HX stomp. That is basically the same as the first two rigs but sits well between them price wise. Rough pricing new should be about $1500. I think it can compete with the $4k rig, but unlike the Garageband kit it is something that can be gigged.
I was gonna say something like this. He often leaves out the Mexican guitars when he does vids like this. A section with the ruby/stomp/any other stomp-box modeler and a Mexican strat would have been appreciated.
Thanks for this video man! I’m about to receive an iRig as an interface for GarageBand, just for me to noodle on at home and when I get to a point where I’m good enough to bother, record.
I do have a Pod Go which has some great amps and is great for recording. But after your video I am going to look into the Garage Band amps again as they seem to have improved a lot! I agree playing through a live amp is a special kind of deal. But I don’t play many gigs and I suspect many of your viewers don’t either. So I have to think the first “value rig” you showed is much more helpful for the majority of us. I do get a thrill playing through headphones with a tone I have created with my Pod Go and a backing track!
The "feel" of a tube amp for me comes from playing in front of it, where the guitar can respond to the amp (not feedback, but just before), and you can feel the air being pushed around. In front of the computer, with headphones I'd rather push a button. Garageband is underrated by most muzos. Too easy!
Nice video. Rhett is really obsessive about getting great tone, and I think he does have an ear for texture and gets great sounds. I do sometimes think that his ideas of prices of things are out of sync with the vast majority of people. Who wouldn't call an American Vintage II Strat and Quad Cortex mid-tier. To most of us, even professional gigging and recording musicians, that is a relatively expensive pro-tier and probably about as much as we feel the need to spend to get the job done. And mid-tier would be something solid like a made in Mexico Vintera or made in Asia PRS DGT SE and a Tonex or Line 6 Helix, in the $1200-1900 range. Four tiers of budget, mid, pro and expensive would probably more follow how musicians feel about pricing. But, on the other hand, to be fair he does show that lack of funds needn't hold you back.
Another entry in the Budget tier could be the Spark Amp from Positive Grid. It's only $250 and has a USB direct out and they have some really neat models that sound great. And you can also use it as a bluetooth speaker and practice amp with an aux in and headphone jack. They're getting ready to release the second version soon.
I think the most interesting thing is that Rhett plays much better through the expensive rig - I think the real value of nice gear is that the feel/vibe inspires you to play more creatively; even if you could in theory achieve the same sounds with a simulator
Here's mine: Squier guitars into my pedal board into a Boogie Fillmore 25 into a Captor X into my Scarlett Solo into GarageBand (microphone input). I use the Genome plugin for bass. That Genome has a great feel.
@@maximusindicusoblivious180 Miss the point, much? When and where, exactly, did I say anything at all about the quality of music being produced? Please quote me where I said that? Oh, you CAN'T. Because I DIDN'T. This video was about gear and especially how good even FREE gear and tools are these days. And that's what my comment was directed towards. Perhaps your screen name truly is appropriate. The oblivious part.
@@joesatchton212 Oh aren’t we touchy first thing in the morning. I guess you didn’t have your fruit loops and morning meds yet. The disconnect between what you wrote and what you thought is the only oblivious factor in your brain. You stated that this is the best time for guitarist. Ever. Which is not true, not factual or debatable. I just called you out on it. So if you’re butt hurt over it, bring it up at your next therapy session.
@@maximusindicusoblivious180 Nope. I just don't tolerate people putting words in my mouth incorrectly. You have a nice, interesting life there. Stay OBLIVIOUS! Such a good look for you! When you reply, and we both know you will, also know you'll be talking to yourself. As usual, no doubt.
@@joesatchton212 First off, no one is putting words in your mouth when you are writing in a comments section. Secondly, have a nice day Joe, there’s no use in me putting flame to petrified wood.
More than anything this is a testament to the fact that it is, and always was, more about the player, and then having good enough gear. Rhett is an excellent guitarist and that is 95% of what we're hearing. Sure, add in a great guitar, great amp, great mic, along with someone who knows what they are doing taking the time to set it all up and dial it in and you will likely get a better sound. But how much? Take that very first setup used properly in a live mix or on a record as part of a great song and is anyone really going to find something lacking. It just depends on what you want, need and how you plan to use it. But it's still the player.
You still have to come up with a monitoring solution for the quad, same and you would with a laptop. They are both the same thing just different boxes.
Cool, thanks for the free plugins. I just got an IPad last month and am beginning to find out how useful it is. Its not exactly like having my home studio but this can go anywhere. So as my friends Bill and Ted say… EXCELLENT!!!
whatever sounds good to you, sounds good! use anything! cool video! on level 2 tho, you set the quad cortex including adding an eq, then when you started playing you changed the pickup to bridge position completely changing the sound. shouldn't you reset the eq?
I agree that the lack of "feel" can be an issue when recording with an amp sim. Could be interesting to see if there's any way of replicating some of the feel of a real amp with a budget setup, maybe by using a cheap preamp and/or compressor in the chain to get a little sag, etc.
Did I miss the one crucial thing, when playing live with every amp-sim...? Where do you get your sound from? Plain stage monitor back from FOH? Dedicated plain stage monitor? Dedicated amp-sim optimized FRFR? In-ear? Headphone??????? Whats your suggestion...?
My favorite guitars by far are pawn shop finds. I feel sorry for people who had to pawn their guitars for whatever reason, but I've found some amazing GEMS at a favorite local pawn shop. My absolute fave has been a made in Japan 1986 Squire. I don't think the pawn shop realized it was a better find than what they sold it to me for. Something about that guitar, it just feels, sounds, plays like nothing else I own. (I don't own that many guitars). If one is a not so great (okay fine, crap) player like me, the idea of spending a ton of money on this stuff isn't a great idea, but I love that if you look around, great instruments are plentiful and the quality of recording gear for not much money, even free is amazing!
I've been trying to tell my guitarist friends this for years now. I have Logic Pro and the stock amps are incredible. As Dan Worrall says, the differences are unlikely to cost you your Grammy.
I think, the big thing for the NAM "cult following" is, to capture your own amps, and then never have to bring the heavy amp to a gig again. It's not so much to download, what others have captured. I haven't compared myself, but the comparison videos I've seen suggest, that it reproduces the original amps sound better, than all the much more expensive competition, like Tonex, QuadCortex, Kemper, etc. Add a simple interface with a High-Z input, like e.g. a Zoom U24 to your laptop, and you're good to go. You're creating Vox AC30 sounds in that video. Considering my back, I wouldn't want to carry my Korg/Marshall-aera AC30 to gigs any more, but I want its glorious sound, that I can capture myself. I just hope to be able to use a Raspberry Pi 5 instead of a laptop in future. It's even smaller, more light weight and has less parts, that could break. BTW.: some more complex plugins, like e.g. Guitarix, or TwoNotes Genome also can play NAM captures as amps together with all its effects, and dynamic IRs, and there are also pedals from companies, like Dime Head, or Poly.
Rhett, Thanks for the info on "budget" setups. Garage band is really good! Do keep in mind that Macs are very expensive! A Mac Mini starts at $500 and goes up really fast from there. That puts you in HX Stomp territory. And you still need to get the music out of the device. I have my Mac and my Stomp going out through a mini amp and cheap speakers that sound fine. About $100. I don't play live or with anyone else, so this is a great rig for my basement. You also need an Analog to Digital converter like the Focusrite. That's another $100. But it does come with Ableton Pro Lite for free. I find it harder to use and the included plugins aren't nearly as good as Garage Band. But there are are free plugins you can find (there are some good ones). I don't think Garage Band supports plugins, but may be wrong... Then there are modeling amps that aren't too expensive. And some have USB interfaces into your computer. This gives you a stand alone setup you turn on and play. Having the computer interface gives you a lot of control, but sometimes you just want to plug in and play. I understand that having cool equipment helps give you incentive to play, but at the end of the day, it's not about the gear, it's about playing and getting better! Gear doesn't make you a better player, playing makes you a better player! Thanks for the video!
There are a couple of profile and iR compatible multi effects from M-Vave that cost less then US$75 and come with their own profiling software: Tank-G and Blackbox. They are not quite full rig as you only have one Profiler slot in the effects chain for a preamp, amp, or pedal profile, but the Blackbox let's you requested the effect blocks and has a compressor or booster block available.
Hey, Rhett! Steve from Neural Amp Modeler.
I hope you give it a go to make a model of your own gear. That AC30 is a beauty, and I'd love to hear how you find a NAM of it.
Yes, Rhett should totally do that and then let somebody let him do a blindtest ;)
Steve!!! You're the freaking man, man!
Steve, you're awesome! Thanks for your work.
It's a little bit like cameras. The best camera is the one that you have. What really matters is the content of the story you're telling. I personally suck with both cameras and guitars.
Tiger Woods could beat most great golfers on any golf course with a partial set of garage sale clubs.
Well said. I have taken some amazing photos with my cell phone. One lightning shot with my old flip phone.
i suck on guitar too but that didn't stop me from making my own guitar channel on youtube for fun 😆
We might be brothers then haha
My leicas disagree. 😂
Rockin' the Garage Band amp sim with a Squire ... with $20K-plus worth of tube amps behind him. That is funny and interesting in so many different ways.
and from hundreds to 4K tlo 9K....quite the jump! He should have had a dumble in the third scenario lol......
Don't forget the 8 foot tall rack of wtf with a dozen different components on it. I have a dsl20 with a couple pedals. Used to think I was kinda cool.
I think he is doing this for us broke every day Joe's that don't have access to the kind of stuff he has so we can at least fake it, lol.
@@zackjackson5562arguably you're cooler
Lmao. Squire with a helix.
If you have a scarlett, you also have access to a Marshall Silver jubilee amp sim! you can just get the license off their software site after you registered your interface :)
Wait. Is it a good amp sim does it do some justice??🔥
Whaaaaat I didn’t know that, thanks!
Beware, it might cause your DAW to crash. I and a friend both had problems with it.
Didn't know that, thanks.
@@jacobcrockett9681 I bought a scarlett and a silver jubilee mini stack at the same time, I thought it came free because I got the actual amp that's a fun coincidence.
I'm no production whizz, in fact I suck, but I had my frustrations with the Silver Jubilee sim. The actual amp itself is amazing, it's my bucket list amp and it sounds gorgeous, I could just never get the Plug-in to sound anything like it when I was away from home.
Keep in mind the tone I chase is always more of a high gain, humbuckers out thrashing sorta sound, MCR and Deftones-y (which it definitely can do I mean it's a Marshall sim at the end of the day), I haven't really tested much else apart from that kinda thing, but it always pales in comparison to me mic'ing the cab with a 57 in the middle and going nuts, it has an sm57 mic option but I never found it sounded very good in comparison.
I thought it might be because the actual amp I have is the mini version, the 2525 into a 70 watt cab, instead of what i think is the larger model into a higher watt cab, but I think overall it's sorta a poor imitation of what the actual amp can sound like.
It gets the sorta 'idea' of a Marshall amp in tone, and I have some fun noodling with it a bit more than the logic amp-sim (which despite how great it sounds in this video, I've never really had it sound great in a mix), but it's certifiably a step below what I've heard my friends do with Neural DSP's amp sims.
Don't get me wrong, I'm sure if I knew what I was doing in my DAWs instead of recording a demo and sending them off to get mixed I could take full advantage of it, so you might have a lot more luck than I do, and it's definitely a lot less effort and makes the mixer happier to have your DI tracks instead of mic tracks, so give it a try if you have a scarlett or are getting a scarlett.
The GarageBand Vox amp is amazing. My go-to when I need to record in the box.
That old AC30 sounds 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
Sounds like the real deal
All of my stuff has been recorded in Garageband on whatever Mac I've had for years. For what I do, it's great. I could go deeper and get logic, but I haven't felt the need to.
Ditto. 👍
yea, but when you find out what logic can do, as well as a one time payment and free updates, you may want to change.
@@michaelbutler2312 I can't use my 32bits version of Logic 9 anymore but using GB at 100% is better and quicker than using Logic at 20%, I'll buy Logic again eventually
you say that until you have a real DAW
@@jonnyalec5646 I used Logic9 until they killed 32bits, I'd rather use GB at 100% than Logic at 20, way more efficient, quick, funny, I'm not running a studio to be fair...
Its unreal how good amp simulation has gotten the last 20 years. The improvements in tone quality from those Line 6 sims from the early 00s to today is astounding.
I grabbed Amplitube 5 Max on sale and I was blown away by the quality of the sims. It is great for hacking around with when my wife is asleep in the next room.
Someone had to push the idea. I actually think line 6 invented convolution technology. Their speaker models in that first pod were ahead of the first convolution reverb (Sony ) by 3 years.
For a long time I thought my original Pod had a major downside in that it was highly susceptible to EMF noise. Then I figured out that it was a cable that was responsible the whole time. It's obviously got other shortcomings, but it's still got a wide array of cool effects. (Now I mainly use an HX Stomp.)
This is great Rhett! I really appreciate you taking your experience and making it work for lower budgets without disparaging the cheaper stuff. For so many of us, we get caught up in what we think we "need" versus learning to understand, use, and APPRECIATE what we have or have been given. I know the new and expensive stuff is alway going to be interesting, but tempering those dreams with reality and practicality is what gets me excited.
Hey Rhett, it’s not only nice listening to you generally speaking, but the really good thing is, that you actually have something to say and from my very subjective viewpoint it’s helpful and interesting every single time. Just sayin‘ - I really dig your channel and your videos :)
That GarageBand Vox clone is fantastic. My band and I recorded one of our best sounding songs on it through a cheap old apogee jam i found on ebay. It sounds like something that came out of a studio, albeit a budget studio, to the untrained ear.
Eye-opening as Rhett sits in front of racks of holy grail gear.
Yep. Amp sims sound pretty good these days, so do modelers/mutlieffects pedals and IR boxes.
@@JDStone20 in a recording, they sound indistinguishable from real amps.
If anybody says otherwise, I invite them to listen to AC/DC's Black Ice album and pick out the parts that were recorded with guitar rig.
@@JDStone20 Yeah, I hadn't opened GB in a lonnnng time and recently went back to it and was amazed. Pretty much with the exact Vox and Ampeg amps he went to. Blew me away.
@@mrcoatsworth429 Agreed. In the mix it is difficult to impossible to distinguish.
@@mrcoatsworth429wait hold up on the black ice album they used amp sims? The fuuuuuuuu?
Hell Yes!! Garageband has some amazing free guitar tones. I LOVE the "Stadium Lead" setting for lead work. With a little tweaking it's perfect for most solos.
Double Driven Sim with Squier is a great pairing. I use this exact setup with a 1st generation Scarlett for all my demos, overdubs and tracking. My instrument is a Squier CV with DiMarzio pups. If it sounds right, it is right. Some infamous man once said that. And that is good enough for me. Keep up the good work. Everyone enjoy what you do! That's all we can do!
for a casual guitar player like me, the garageband amps are great for learning songs. doesn't make me wish for a better digital amp.
And if you record it, you'll still sound better than tons of bands that made great records! Tons of great punk bands would have killed to sound as good on a record as you can on Garageband.
I have a real ‘63 AC/30 and the GarageBand/Logic AC30 is the most realistic that I have tried and I have tried them all
my girlfriend just gave me her dads old strat from the 90’s and i got it setup and it freakin rips! it’s fenders budget line from back then but you couldn’t tell by hearing it!!
Do you think your girlfriend would give me her car? Or maybe her dads car?
budget is not always heard but many times felt. I'm not saying your guitar is low quality or something I just want to point out it's not all about how it sounds.
Girl is a keeper and likes you. Treat her well.
treat that girl well, man
Great video! Garageband is definitely a sleeper powerhouse. I really dig the way the amp sim plugins sound in garageband
Owner of a ‘64 TB AC30 here! Smooth tolex, silver speakers and grey panel just like yours.
Definitely try a Brown Box with yours, it will protect the amp, not over stress it, sound better, feel significantly better (I wasn’t expecting that much improvement in feel) and the amp won’t overheat. I run mine at 109w (after trying a few different voltages, that was my amp tech’s suggestions and I think that’s what Zac Childs does with his), it feels a lot smoother and at the end of 3-4 hour rehearsals the amp is not any hotter than any other amp I play, very far from overheating.
Thanks very much for this video! I was on the verge of dropping $2000 on a fender Acoustasonic and then found that my Sub $200 Valeton pedal is packed with excellent acoustic guitar modelers that will work perfectly for my applications. I also have many amplifiers but no vox AC 30, or so I thought. I’ve been tossing around the thought of buying one, but your video also convinced me that that’s just not necessary, I already own a modeler or two that might do the job. Part of the problem is that we who seek to learn as much as we can about gear and tone, but lack the means to go all in, get taken in by marketing. For example, in none of the dozens of reviews for the Acoustasonic is there a single mention anywhere or a comparison of any kind with acoustic guitar modeling pedals because if people explored that option, many wouldn’t buy the guitar that all of these guys are trying real hard to move out of their inventory. I purchased the Valeton so that I can show up to a jam with my guitar and a cable and a little package that I could just plug into the PA. The allure of that kind of simplicity is irresistible for someone, my age, 65 years old. But I learned this from a kid in his early 20s who came to jams with a similar rig. The idea that so much gear is accessible without expending a dime (another dime 😜) is mind-boggling. I’ve known about GarageBand forever, but because it was free I thought it was just a silly add onto my phone. Apparently not! But the Valeton has an AC 30 in there as well. I I am looking forward to discovering all of the potential in the gear that I already own. One thing that’s worth mentioning is that I have found that the instrument that I plug into a modeling pedal affects the sound that comes out the other side. I have guitars that run the range from cheap to ridiculous, and the best sounding guitars create the best tone out of the modeling pedals. So perhaps it makes sense to spend your money upfront on the right guitar and then seek less expensive paths to the tone that you want. I appreciated that you showed us the incredible sophistication of your personal rig and engineering expertise at the studio. You reminded me of where I am in this ecosystem.
I love my valve amps playing live or just in the room. If I am recording the issues for guitar around volume, quality of the mic/s, and the art of mic’ing an amp and room become very determining in capturing a recorded sound. Especially anything beyond flat and dry cleans. Recorded sound is not the same experience as room sound. It is a simulacrum. If I want that chimey, on-the-edge-of-breakup Vox sound I often go for the Garageband amp simulation instead of mic’ing a real amp. All that matters in a recording is what you hear in the mix, not how you felt playing it in the room. I get all that stuff about “feel good=play well”, but for a recording you need to focus on what the listener will hear. If you don’t have high quality mics, a good recording space, and lots of experience in placing mics get a recording simulation set up. Live… a different matter where the audience may be identifying with your level of enjoyment. Ironically when I saw SRV live in ‘85 he enjoyed playing two cranked amps A LOT, but it was actually excruciating in the audience, physically sickening, and NOTHING like the recorded sound. Great guitarist, but not the best guitar sound I’ve experienced live by a long distance. Go figure.
You can fry an egg on a AC30. Can't do that with a plugin!
True but does it chug
@@joesmith5617 It can but doesn't need to, it shimmers and chimes.
Run enough instances on an Intel machine, you probably could
The GB stuff is pretty cool. You can also use the Clean DI head in GarageBand and select an IR cab in GB and then use an actual amp’s line out.
I was shocked with some of the free drum and backing tracks that Garage Band also has included. Crazy how much they give you for free.
Been playing for over 5 decades. What great content, it's nice to show newbies that you don't need $3k to get a guitar/amp etc to get killer tone. The intro gear is so much better than when I was a kid (so much better), and the less expensive gear on Amazon rivals the Squier for 1/2 the price. I still enjoy playing, not as fast, not as loud, but I can still bend the strings. Thanks for sharing!!
Sifting through and finding gem captures is definitely worth it. You find those and you hold on to them forever. Because they are that good.
Great job at showing that good tone really is available at any price point. Spending tons of $$$ does not always automatically result in great tone.
What I love about amp sims is that many of them have controls you will never see in real life. VOX AC30 with a Mid knob? YES PLEASE!
This is my go to DAW for sketching ideas. It’s actually convinced me to get a Mac to get logic.
Just FYI with that Vox NAM capture, it had a cab already as part of the capture looking at the fet47 part of the file name. So putting an IR after it was stacking cabs.
Super informative video! I loved that garage band sound - was totally legit
What's funny. In my opinion, the free garage band stock VST sounded better than the Cortex. On top of that, the Cortex required a bunch of EQ and set-up.
Actually, I liked the stock Garage Band plug-in better than all of it lol. I wonder if sometimes it feels better just because you know it's expensive, I don't know been poor my whole life.
You know, I thought the Garage Band sounded better than the Quad Cortex as well. Although, with some EQing, it might have went the other way. 🤷♂️
100% agree. The stock GB amp made it for me. Sounded great, not too harsh, just a classic AC tone to me. Don't dial in tones with your eyes : use your ears!!!
Agree! 👍
@@Genociv very, very true!!
@@GenocivGB plugin for me - I blame Rhett's micing choices. For one thing, I can't figure out why people like ribbon mics. The other thing is, I don't love the sound of the combined mics.
Thank you for bringing up how it FEELS to play! In my experience playing a real (tube) amp I get the respons and feel in my playing that I need in order to play reasonably good. The biggest issue I have with plug-ins and modellers etc is that they don't feel right to play. Basically they sound great nowadays but it's so hard to play without a response from the sound. Just feels flat and like you're playing barb wires or something...
For budget guitar-focused setups, I recommend the AXE I/O One! It's usually sub $100 and gives you lots of guitar focused hardware stuff like switching between gain profiles for active/passive pickups, input tone knob adjustments, 48v phantom power, etc. It's not as "versatile" as the Scarlett but it's PERFECT for guitar rig setups.
I use GarageBand personally and I’m very pleased with its Amp Designer and how it sounds. I’m using a very cheapo Telecaster clone and even that sounds good with it.
Sure, it doesn’t sound as good as using genuine outboard gear, but if anything Brian Eno has taught me a great deal on how to actually utilize your available gear to its fullest potential. (He even uses cheap guitars back in the day)
The man’s so well-versed with the DX7 synthesizer he could do anything on it. I’m having the same vibe with what Amp Designer could do. The combinations of modeling that you could do with it is so vast that I’m pretty sure you will not run out of ways to use your guitar with it.
When it comes to feel on modelers, make sure to add a compressor in the signal chain, usually after the amp.
Doing so makes even cheap modelers sound and feel pretty good.
Thanks for the tip. To clarify, would you place it after the amp and before any cabinet and microphone modeling or after the cabinet and microphone modeling? Thank you!
@@PumpkinSeed17
It depends on the modeler.
I have my signal chain like this.
Boost, comp, amp, cab, eq, chorus, noise gate.
On my modeler's clean tone, the compressor is actually first in the chain.
@@s.e.n3264 cool, bro! Thanks again! 🎸
20:01 fr, it's so close in sound, but that feeling of a circuit pulling current from the wall and the way it sometimes doesn't enough stored to immediately reproduce what you're asking it to do, the variables of the temperature on the day you're recording, the age of the speakers and the crackling of pots that you really need to clean (I will tomorrow i promise lol) it's something that is so hard to describe!
I have been playing for decades and i started on a line 6 amp that i LOVED at the time. My friend and I started a band and i plugged into a real deal holyfield Vox AC15 for the first time and 🤯😱 I got it! I saw wtf everyone was talking about lol. I still honestly prefer practicing on the digital deallies, but it's honestly SO MUCH EASIER to get a great sound by putting a mic on front of a nice amp and playing! there's a system you're creating with you, the instrument, the amp, the room-you're coercing electricity to make a speaker dance with your hands and idk it's primal
I appreciate that you keep your sound 90%+ what a real guitar sounds like versus piling on so many digital effects it sounds more like a pipe organ in Notre Dame (which so many people do these days).
Thanks so much for doing this video, highlighting GarageBand!
A "blind test" could easily make those who've spent many thousands of dollars on their expensive gear shed tears.
Regarding "Amp feel," silent stages, in ear monitors, having to put the Amp in an isolation booth or separate room because it needs to be cranked to sound good, wearing Cans in Studio, requiring soundproof rooms to play in, etc. makes the "real Amp feel" argument questionable, and for me also impractical. YMMV
what you described has nothing to do with the feeling of the amp, It is about recording. And for those of us (most of us actually) who don't need to record songs, do mixing and mastering and other production, will be a better choice to buy an entry level combo rather than buy audio interface with studio monitors. And I don't say a word about expansive modelers like NDSP or Fractals that cost like lamborghini, you can afford an amp head with really good cabinet for that price.
I get what you mean. I know that its 2024 but some of us want that cranked amp a'la 1960s Hendrix/Santana feedback for stage and recording, something you can't duplicate from an amp sim. Some of us need to feedback and move air in the room as a part of our overall sound, something lost on the digital age.
Some people for sure. Feel and the natural compression of an amp is still pretty different. Another way to tell is how an amp sim sits in the speakers compared to a piece of hardware. Sims tend to sound very up front and in your face whereas hardware sounds further away. Odd I know, Tim pierce has discussed this as well. Cheers 🙌
@@maximusindicusoblivious180 how is it lost on "the digital age" when you basicaly can buy frfr combos for your modeler so it IS basicaly moving air like any normal amp... it also has a 12" speaker so there is no difference only that you can make this speaker like any amp you want
@@lithiumgo7487 I did paint the "digital age" with a broad brush. But I was referring to the comment about music in isolation from the likes of computers, iPads, Phones and DI amp simulators that don't move anything but 010101.
@rhett you are killing on the blues improv! Sounds amazing but the playing is 🔥
NAM is far far better than the other options in the list. You need to find the good captures. And when you do, mind blown! Just like any sim, there are going to be pre-sets you don't like.
Squier Classic Vibe Series instruments are fantastic right out of the box.
the garageband stuff is insane
Since I run Cubase, I use its stock amp sims and just like a real amp, you have to play with the controls to get a great sound. I do and I do!
Great video! Little disappointed you didn’t do an A/B/C test at the end just so we can hear them all side by side. But thanks for going to all the trouble of making the comparison! ✌️
I was not expecting the Rhett x NAM crossover, but i am happy to see it 🙏
Fantastic Rhett, I really enjoyed it. 64 & finally wanting to play my Guitar seriously. This type of content is great for me. Thanks
I learned bass using an old Squier Affinity P-bass ( I paid $150 used mostly for the Fender tweed hard case it came in), plugged into Garage Band with my trusty Rocksmith Real Tone Cable™ ($30 retail). Not a bad sound; didnt quite compare to playing in front of a real 4x10 bass cab, but so much more convenient
14:34 But can we all take a second to ask what we're all thinking? "HOW COME NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO LOOSEN A MIC STAND TO ADJUST IT????" Everybody just be grabbing mic stands on stage and *forcing* them in all directions, ignoring the fact that *most* mic stands operate on the principle of being held in place by friction!
Great video, Rhett! All 3 rigs sounded killer!
Are you trolling us with that Roland Space Echo unit? I see it so often in your videos but you never mention it. I want you to do a video about it.
A lot has been said about the convenience of amp sims in the grea amp vs sim debate, but the one point that never comes up is that you never have to worry about your amp sim getting so hot that you need run a little floor fan into it.
I picked up the MixWave Benson suite shortly after it was released. Not disappointed at all.
A few months ago I picked up the Mixwave Ashdown Bass plug-in. Also not a disappointment.
I'm an apartment dweller with limited space for gear and recording.
It would be sweet to have a dedicated studio with proper gear. I'll wait.
Rhett I just wanted to comment on your playing so much feel and style. I love it!!!!!
As a luthier, I see what I do a being a toolmaker. An important aspect of this particular tool is that it inspire the end user. (That aspect is less important in, say, a hammer for instance.)
Rhett, I liked your playing significantly more when you were playing on the genuine rig. The others sounded fine, but it was clear which setup inspired you.
Another great video!
Speaking of possible placebos, maybe you could do a video of a blind shootout with the best of the best of a few different rigs (modeling, real amps, etc.) and see if you can pick out which is which
This reminds me that one of the biggest things you get out of spending extended time with expensive gear at one point or another is getting rid of the "other" mentality of untouchable high-end gear you have in your head and just giving yourself mileage with the "bar" or standard everyone points to. It really gives you the freedom to then go back have perspective on cheaper gear. Truth be told, cheap stuff nowadays is so good. I'm owned pretty expensive guitars, pedals, and amps at various points in my life, and nowadays, my typical rig is an HX stomp and a $300-400 guitar, and it's probably my favorite rig I've ever used, sound-wise. I may miss having a loud guitar amp in the room-type experience on occasion, but when I play with others, the sound is perfect.
great video, and a nice little drum loop! Notice a bit of slapback on the expensive tier in-context mix...
Stellar video as usual! Particularly love this concept, have recently been really enjoying the simplicity of garage band for getting into the recording from home game.
This is a great video. I think plugins are great for skill level and price. If I were a pro guitarist I would have a vintage setup in the studio for recording. On tour I would use modelers because the audience does not care you are playing a rare 1964 AC30 because they are drunk.
Thank you so much for this video Rhett, not only your feel while playing but this great comparison. And the conclusion it gives us a great understanding of how a great tone of the leyendary guitar players was created. TY.
Thanks for this rhett! I’m mostly a bassist and was a little self-conscious that I use the stock logic amps for guitar. Good to know a pro thinks they sound good!
I think it would have been nice with another tier, something like a Mexican strat into a HX stomp. That is basically the same as the first two rigs but sits well between them price wise. Rough pricing new should be about $1500. I think it can compete with the $4k rig, but unlike the Garageband kit it is something that can be gigged.
I was gonna say something like this. He often leaves out the Mexican guitars when he does vids like this. A section with the ruby/stomp/any other stomp-box modeler and a Mexican strat would have been appreciated.
The 2nd and 3rd set ups clearly sounded the best, to my ears.
What I love from Logic is that they are silently upgrading their stuff with things like this, then you try the stock plugins and they sound awesome.
Thanks for this video man! I’m about to receive an iRig as an interface for GarageBand, just for me to noodle on at home and when I get to a point where I’m good enough to bother, record.
I'm sooo glad you didn't finish your lead-in sentence with "it's not butter"...thank you for that!
I do have a Pod Go which has some great amps and is great for recording. But after your video I am going to look into the Garage Band amps again as they seem to have improved a lot! I agree playing through a live amp is a special kind of deal. But I don’t play many gigs and I suspect many of your viewers don’t either. So I have to think the first “value rig” you showed is much more helpful for the majority of us. I do get a thrill playing through headphones with a tone I have created with my Pod Go and a backing track!
third rig sounds awesome! also love the new tattoo
Hey man your playing has gotten so sweet feel like you leveled up on this video
Duuuuse that lick for the garage band’s intro is soooooo Lincoln Brewster and it rips 😂😂
The "feel" of a tube amp for me comes from playing in front of it, where the guitar can respond to the amp (not feedback, but just before), and you can feel the air being pushed around. In front of the computer, with headphones I'd rather push a button. Garageband is underrated by most muzos. Too easy!
Nice video. Rhett is really obsessive about getting great tone, and I think he does have an ear for texture and gets great sounds. I do sometimes think that his ideas of prices of things are out of sync with the vast majority of people. Who wouldn't call an American Vintage II Strat and Quad Cortex mid-tier. To most of us, even professional gigging and recording musicians, that is a relatively expensive pro-tier and probably about as much as we feel the need to spend to get the job done. And mid-tier would be something solid like a made in Mexico Vintera or made in Asia PRS DGT SE and a Tonex or Line 6 Helix, in the $1200-1900 range. Four tiers of budget, mid, pro and expensive would probably more follow how musicians feel about pricing. But, on the other hand, to be fair he does show that lack of funds needn't hold you back.
Another entry in the Budget tier could be the Spark Amp from Positive Grid. It's only $250 and has a USB direct out and they have some really neat models that sound great. And you can also use it as a bluetooth speaker and practice amp with an aux in and headphone jack. They're getting ready to release the second version soon.
This might be my favorite Shull playing. smokin'.
i used that ac30 from logic on a lot of records about 5 years ago and no one ever complained about the tones LOL
Keen to hear your thoughts on the Boss IR-2. I'm with you on the whole 'feel' thing, and I find the IR-2 gets a lot closer than some others.
I think the most interesting thing is that Rhett plays much better through the expensive rig - I think the real value of nice gear is that the feel/vibe inspires you to play more creatively; even if you could in theory achieve the same sounds with a simulator
One thing we can't deny is that the real amp with mics and that all, made you enjoy a lot more and play better. For me that's de most important part!
Here's mine: Squier guitars into my pedal board into a Boogie Fillmore 25 into a Captor X into my Scarlett Solo into GarageBand (microphone input). I use the Genome plugin for bass. That Genome has a great feel.
The bass and cleaner amp sims for Logic/Garage Band are awesome
Nice shade of blue on that axe
Great review, great gear, oh, and GREAT PLAYING. One of the very few who can say something with the guitar.
Been saying it for a few years now: best time ever to be a guitar player. Ever.
No it's not. Better gear and technology does not equal better ears or music.
@@maximusindicusoblivious180 Miss the point, much?
When and where, exactly, did I say anything at all about the quality of music being produced? Please quote me where I said that?
Oh, you CAN'T. Because I DIDN'T.
This video was about gear and especially how good even FREE gear and tools are these days.
And that's what my comment was directed towards.
Perhaps your screen name truly is appropriate. The oblivious part.
@@joesatchton212 Oh aren’t we touchy first thing in the morning. I guess you didn’t have your fruit loops and morning meds yet. The disconnect between what you wrote and what you thought is the only oblivious factor in your brain. You stated that this is the best time for guitarist. Ever. Which is not true, not factual or debatable. I just called you out on it. So if you’re butt hurt over it, bring it up at your next therapy session.
@@maximusindicusoblivious180 Nope. I just don't tolerate people putting words in my mouth incorrectly.
You have a nice, interesting life there. Stay OBLIVIOUS! Such a good look for you!
When you reply, and we both know you will, also know you'll be talking to yourself. As usual, no doubt.
@@joesatchton212 First off, no one is putting words in your mouth when you are writing in a comments section. Secondly, have a nice day Joe, there’s no use in me putting flame to petrified wood.
More than anything this is a testament to the fact that it is, and always was, more about the player, and then having good enough gear. Rhett is an excellent guitarist and that is 95% of what we're hearing. Sure, add in a great guitar, great amp, great mic, along with someone who knows what they are doing taking the time to set it all up and dial it in and you will likely get a better sound. But how much? Take that very first setup used properly in a live mix or on a record as part of a great song and is anyone really going to find something lacking. It just depends on what you want, need and how you plan to use it. But it's still the player.
You still have to come up with a monitoring solution for the quad, same and you would with a laptop. They are both the same thing just different boxes.
Cool, thanks for the free plugins. I just got an IPad last month and am beginning to find out how useful it is. Its not exactly like having my home studio but this can go anywhere. So as my friends Bill and Ted say… EXCELLENT!!!
I’ve used the amp sims in GarageBand for all my albums on both guitar and harmonica. Great video, thanks Rhett 😎
whatever sounds good to you, sounds good! use anything! cool video!
on level 2 tho, you set the quad cortex including adding an eq, then when you started playing you changed the pickup to bridge position completely changing the sound. shouldn't you reset the eq?
I agree that the lack of "feel" can be an issue when recording with an amp sim. Could be interesting to see if there's any way of replicating some of the feel of a real amp with a budget setup, maybe by using a cheap preamp and/or compressor in the chain to get a little sag, etc.
Thank you for the mic threading tip!
Did I miss the one crucial thing, when playing live with every amp-sim...?
Where do you get your sound from?
Plain stage monitor back from FOH?
Dedicated plain stage monitor?
Dedicated amp-sim optimized FRFR?
In-ear?
Headphone???????
Whats your suggestion...?
My favorite guitars by far are pawn shop finds. I feel sorry for people who had to pawn their guitars for whatever reason, but I've found some amazing GEMS at a favorite local pawn shop. My absolute fave has been a made in Japan 1986 Squire. I don't think the pawn shop realized it was a better find than what they sold it to me for. Something about that guitar, it just feels, sounds, plays like nothing else I own. (I don't own that many guitars). If one is a not so great (okay fine, crap) player like me, the idea of spending a ton of money on this stuff isn't a great idea, but I love that if you look around, great instruments are plentiful and the quality of recording gear for not much money, even free is amazing!
Any chance that you will be creating some NAM profiles from your studio?!
I've been trying to tell my guitarist friends this for years now. I have Logic Pro and the stock amps are incredible. As Dan Worrall says, the differences are unlikely to cost you your Grammy.
Apple's Garageband is on your iPhone and iPad as well. If you plug your interface into either one of these you'll get the same results.
I just want to clarify, to avoid any potential confusion, that NAM does NOT create IRs.. ..
I think, the big thing for the NAM "cult following" is, to capture your own amps, and then never have to bring the heavy amp to a gig again. It's not so much to download, what others have captured. I haven't compared myself, but the comparison videos I've seen suggest, that it reproduces the original amps sound better, than all the much more expensive competition, like Tonex, QuadCortex, Kemper, etc.
Add a simple interface with a High-Z input, like e.g. a Zoom U24 to your laptop, and you're good to go. You're creating Vox AC30 sounds in that video. Considering my back, I wouldn't want to carry my Korg/Marshall-aera AC30 to gigs any more, but I want its glorious sound, that I can capture myself. I just hope to be able to use a Raspberry Pi 5 instead of a laptop in future. It's even smaller, more light weight and has less parts, that could break.
BTW.: some more complex plugins, like e.g. Guitarix, or TwoNotes Genome also can play NAM captures as amps together with all its effects, and dynamic IRs, and there are also pedals from companies, like Dime Head, or Poly.
Rhett, Thanks for the info on "budget" setups. Garage band is really good! Do keep in mind that Macs are very expensive! A Mac Mini starts at $500 and goes up really fast from there. That puts you in HX Stomp territory. And you still need to get the music out of the device. I have my Mac and my Stomp going out through a mini amp and cheap speakers that sound fine. About $100. I don't play live or with anyone else, so this is a great rig for my basement.
You also need an Analog to Digital converter like the Focusrite. That's another $100. But it does come with Ableton Pro Lite for free. I find it harder to use and the included plugins aren't nearly as good as Garage Band. But there are are free plugins you can find (there are some good ones). I don't think Garage Band supports plugins, but may be wrong...
Then there are modeling amps that aren't too expensive. And some have USB interfaces into your computer. This gives you a stand alone setup you turn on and play. Having the computer interface gives you a lot of control, but sometimes you just want to plug in and play.
I understand that having cool equipment helps give you incentive to play, but at the end of the day, it's not about the gear, it's about playing and getting better! Gear doesn't make you a better player, playing makes you a better player!
Thanks for the video!
I have all three options : 3 old AC30, Quad and Garageband - most fun with real amps, most versatile with quad ;)
There are a couple of profile and iR compatible multi effects from M-Vave that cost less then US$75 and come with their own profiling software: Tank-G and Blackbox.
They are not quite full rig as you only have one Profiler slot in the effects chain for a preamp, amp, or pedal profile, but the Blackbox let's you requested the effect blocks and has a compressor or booster block available.