These things shine running direct into an interface or PA,with FRFR speakers…..I run mine thru my studio monitors…Sounds great like that…The phase notcher simulates the phase cancellation of a 4x12 cab…..These were the first “modelers”,that were designed to emulate a mic’ed up guitar chain in the studio…but they were all analog…The cab sim built in is pretty amazing…..I have always gotten mixed results running into the front of an amp…..
I'm thinking of buying some Rockman gear and changing my guitar rig. I have a Harley Benton 2x12 FRFR speaker with my modeller. Will I be able to connect Rockman gear direct to the FRFR speaker? So you're saying the Rockman's have speaker cab emulation outputs?
@@neilkendall5499 The Rockman Sustainor has an analog speaker sim as part of the circuit…but yes you can run it into FRFR speakers….an EQ or two really helps too..
You missed the coolest thing in the Distortion Generator. There Is a distortion that completely cleans up with your guitar volume control, and the clean is the same volume as the distortion.
I still have a MIDI Octopus (my kids love playing with the buttons and lights). I’ve been watching the rise as well… Interesting… Might have to yank it back from them! 😆 But I’d say that the stuff is definitely still usable.
So you plugged an amp/cab sim into the front of an amp/cab. You put a hat on a hat and were like, "For modern times, this hat doesn't work..." You could have at the very least plugged into a FX return if you weren't going to go DI.
Used the Chorus / Delay extensively in the 90s in a noise rock band and it wasn't dated at all. The Distortion Generator by itself, was pretty dated when I auditioned it in 92 - you throw it in the mix with the C/D and *BOOM* that was the 80s rock guitar sound - a sound we were eager to Get Away From😂. Now, with rock having basically been picked to the bone, it's all about capturing the aesthetics of different eras; if I want to have an 80s vibe - the Rockman is the most direct way of achieving that. They're all tools!
Rockmans are awesome. I still have one I bought right after they came out. They're not very adjustable but the limited sounds they make are great. BTW - I'm referring to the original Rockman.
I'm noticing a trend that older things are popping back up (Because they work!) The original Uni-Vibe, Rockman, Tone Bender (I have one ❤️), all these vintage boxes and devices have such a crazy amount of use that in all honesty it would make sense if a session guitarisr or touring guitarist had some, especially a classic like the Rockman. Good stuff
None of the Rockman clean or distortion units (except for the Ultimatum Distortion) were made to go into normal guitar amps. They were made to go into Mixers or PA full range speakers. Of course you can use the modulation and echo with anything.
No, I use my Sustainer which is the Rockman clean & distortion unit plugged into the clean channel of my 100-watt Crate Stealth amp & it sounds awesome.
I had a Sustainor: Really great compressor I used for electric guitar as well as bass and acoustic guitar with a pickup. I found the clean and edge settings were usable onstage but the only application I found for the distortion setting was for the super-compressed transistory-fuzz sound the second lead guitar uses in Mister Soul by Buffalo Springfield. I traded that unit for a great refret job on a played-out and trashed Les Paul. The guy who did the refret loves and collects this Scholz stuff and I noticed he looked at the date on the back of the unit before agreeing to the trade. Apparently, there were manufacturing tweaks over time which presumably affects their sound/performance and value. Miscellaneous thoughts: The build quality on these things seems bullet-proof. Todd Rundgren used to use the Rockman pocket amp thing onstage. That echo sounds cool. Good video.
Find the sounds in the Rockman you like, and that complement your playing style and the material you choose to play. Then, use it! Good tone/good effects are TIMELESS. Doesn't matter if it's a 40 year-old SR&D Rockman or a Keeper Profiler you just purchased. Great tone is what matters; NOT where it originates! Thanks for the demo!
With all due respect, these are not plug-and-play units, but are quite demanding if they are to work their best. Doing a test video without knowing how to use them is not a good idea. The units with distortion are not intended to be used as stomp boxes in front of an amp, but to used as the heart of a rig going into FRFR speakers. To be sure, it is possible to make these things play decently into an amp, but then you are essentially putting a tone with an IR (or the closest thing you had to an IR in the 80s) into an amp and a set of speakers.
Definitely a fair point! For us, what we were looking to test is whether these could be a good addition to a modern rig, not necessarily whether you could replace your whole rig with a Rockman FRFR setup to use them identically to how they were used in the 80s.
I dunno man, I plug my sustainor and stereo chorus into the clean channels of two different tube amps ( one 120watt krankenstein + and the other a 100watt peavey valveking 212 combo) and it sounds amazing. There is a slider on the sustainor that adjusts the trebel from PA system to AMP. I have it in the middle. Sounds just like the Boston albums to me in the room. I also ran them both into an frfr with full range speakers and, while it sounded great, it didn't have the same presence or oomph. I haven't tried running straight into my effects loop returns (to just use the power section of my tube amps) because I don't want to risk possibly blowing something or breaking my windows, and like I said, it sounds great in front of the amp and I have a delay in one the amp's loops anyway.
For my ears, the distortion section of the compressor/sustainer put me in mind of the Jimi Hendrix experience and early records by The Who, whereas the dedicated distortion module brought to mind that Marshall Stack town associated with the mid-to-upper 70s. The compressor itself definitely did much to maximize the sound. I think the chorus generator was malfunctioning, because I could hear the warble associated with the square wave generator used for the chorus circuit, but I could not hear the doubling sound. That’s before that noise kicked in when you increased the depth.
I remember in the mid to late 90's you could get the modules for $60-90 bucks all day long. Shops couldn't give them a way as the average "90's" wanted nothing to do with the Eighties. Lol, that's also when you could get high end Kramer's for under $250
My suggestion is find someone who used to use these back in the day. I knew a guitarist back in the mid 80's that utilized the Rockman stuff through a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ combo amp, and he had Holy Grail tone for days.
Before watching this, I'll say of course they're usable. I know because I do it. And they came out in the early mid 80's. Listen to Megadeth's Peace Sells album that came out in 86. It's all over that. Also Joe Satriani's Surfin with the Alien. That was 87.
You know, it's a shame Tom Schulz never has made a video explaining the designs of the Rockman gear, how it works exactly, and how he planned the integration of all these modules into a net net amplification system. Dunlop won't do it either, apparently.
Well... none of these sounds you managed tu tune up with this thing doesn't sound as great as single Rockman X100. That tiny headphone amp proves its point: you dont need knobs tu play around with. 2 3 way switches will do it for you. Simplicity at its finest.
the earliest versions came out in the early 80s about the size of a tape box, with sliding on off switches for the effects and different modes, that's when every band seemed to be using them in the studio, the rack and 1/2 rack models came out mid 80s, I think by then every band making/recording music had gotten tired off sounding like journey! what made it, was eventually it's own downfall!
My sustainor cost $350.00 in 1989. (half rack distortion unit). A used Marshall Superlead early '70's 100w and 50w head were $500.00 then also! So rockman stuff was expensive. Your unit sounds terrible compared to mine....I think you need a cleaner amp to use your rockman gear with.... don't use with a distorted/muddy/low headroom amp. Lol! Nevermind...now I see what u did wrong. You didn't turn the compressor way back down ( or even better off ) when you added the edge and distortion channels!!
@@dragoonphotography5847 Price, features, endorsements, contacts, monopoly prevention, labour standards, geographical loyalty... tons more could probably be thought of. Why do you think this would sound more different from a Fender Jazzmaster than two different Jazzmasters would?
@@kospandx My above question stands then. If it sounds the same, why pay double or triple the price for a knock off? Fenders are also made in the US, so the “china bad” logic isn’t at play here. If you want a Rolex, and can afford a Rolex, why spend twice the cost for a fake Rolex, even if it keeps time just as well?
Yes usable. 1000%
I knew that would be your vote!
These things shine running direct into an interface or PA,with FRFR speakers…..I run mine thru my studio monitors…Sounds great like that…The phase notcher simulates the phase cancellation of a 4x12 cab…..These were the first “modelers”,that were designed to emulate a mic’ed up guitar chain in the studio…but they were all analog…The cab sim built in is pretty amazing…..I have always gotten mixed results running into the front of an amp…..
I'm thinking of buying some Rockman gear and changing my guitar rig. I have a Harley Benton 2x12 FRFR speaker with my modeller. Will I be able to connect Rockman gear direct to the FRFR speaker? So you're saying the Rockman's have speaker cab emulation outputs?
@@neilkendall5499 The Rockman Sustainor has an analog speaker sim as part of the circuit…but yes you can run it into FRFR speakers….an EQ or two really helps too..
@@scottpeters4401 Nice one, I will try it. I think Rockman is the ultimate guitar tone!
You missed the coolest thing in the Distortion Generator. There Is a distortion that completely cleans up with your guitar volume control, and the clean is the same volume as the distortion.
Well, what do you all think? Usable, or nah?
I still have a MIDI Octopus (my kids love playing with the buttons and lights). I’ve been watching the rise as well… Interesting… Might have to yank it back from them! 😆
But I’d say that the stuff is definitely still usable.
love SR&D gear
I'd say yes.
So you plugged an amp/cab sim into the front of an amp/cab. You put a hat on a hat and were like, "For modern times, this hat doesn't work..." You could have at the very least plugged into a FX return if you weren't going to go DI.
Used the Chorus / Delay extensively in the 90s in a noise rock band and it wasn't dated at all. The Distortion Generator by itself, was pretty dated when I auditioned it in 92 - you throw it in the mix with the C/D and *BOOM* that was the 80s rock guitar sound - a sound we were eager to Get Away From😂. Now, with rock having basically been picked to the bone, it's all about capturing the aesthetics of different eras; if I want to have an 80s vibe - the Rockman is the most direct way of achieving that. They're all tools!
Rockmans are awesome. I still have one I bought right after they came out. They're not very adjustable but the limited sounds they make are great.
BTW - I'm referring to the original Rockman.
I'm noticing a trend that older things are popping back up (Because they work!)
The original Uni-Vibe, Rockman, Tone Bender (I have one ❤️), all these vintage boxes and devices have such a crazy amount of use that in all honesty it would make sense if a session guitarisr or touring guitarist had some, especially a classic like the Rockman. Good stuff
because digital modeling sounds lifeless
None of the Rockman clean or distortion units (except for the Ultimatum Distortion) were made to go into normal guitar amps. They were made to go into Mixers or PA full range speakers. Of course you can use the modulation and echo with anything.
Correct
No, I use my Sustainer which is the Rockman clean & distortion unit plugged into the clean channel of my 100-watt Crate Stealth amp & it sounds awesome.
I had a Sustainor: Really great compressor I used for electric guitar as well as bass and acoustic guitar with a pickup. I found the clean and edge settings were usable onstage but the only application I found for the distortion setting was for the super-compressed transistory-fuzz sound the second lead guitar uses in Mister Soul by Buffalo Springfield.
I traded that unit for a great refret job on a played-out and trashed Les Paul. The guy who did the refret loves and collects this Scholz stuff and I noticed he looked at the date on the back of the unit before agreeing to the trade. Apparently, there were manufacturing tweaks over time which presumably affects their sound/performance and value.
Miscellaneous thoughts: The build quality on these things seems bullet-proof. Todd Rundgren used to use the Rockman pocket amp thing onstage. That echo sounds cool.
Good video.
Find the sounds in the Rockman you like, and that complement your playing style and the material you choose to play. Then, use it! Good tone/good effects are TIMELESS. Doesn't matter if it's a 40 year-old SR&D Rockman or a Keeper Profiler you just purchased. Great tone is what matters; NOT where it originates! Thanks for the demo!
Of course it’s still very usable. Still have my Rockman X100 in it Rackmount Adapter in my Rack.
With all due respect, these are not plug-and-play units, but are quite demanding if they are to work their best. Doing a test video without knowing how to use them is not a good idea. The units with distortion are not intended to be used as stomp boxes in front of an amp, but to used as the heart of a rig going into FRFR speakers. To be sure, it is possible to make these things play decently into an amp, but then you are essentially putting a tone with an IR (or the closest thing you had to an IR in the 80s) into an amp and a set of speakers.
Definitely a fair point! For us, what we were looking to test is whether these could be a good addition to a modern rig, not necessarily whether you could replace your whole rig with a Rockman FRFR setup to use them identically to how they were used in the 80s.
I dunno man, I plug my sustainor and stereo chorus into the clean channels of two different tube amps ( one 120watt krankenstein + and the other a 100watt peavey valveking 212 combo) and it sounds amazing. There is a slider on the sustainor that adjusts the trebel from PA system to AMP. I have it in the middle. Sounds just like the Boston albums to me in the room. I also ran them both into an frfr with full range speakers and, while it sounded great, it didn't have the same presence or oomph. I haven't tried running straight into my effects loop returns (to just use the power section of my tube amps) because I don't want to risk possibly blowing something or breaking my windows, and like I said, it sounds great in front of the amp and I have a delay in one the amp's loops anyway.
For my ears, the distortion section of the compressor/sustainer put me in mind of the Jimi Hendrix experience and early records by The Who, whereas the dedicated distortion module brought to mind that Marshall Stack town associated with the mid-to-upper 70s. The compressor itself definitely did much to maximize the sound. I think the chorus generator was malfunctioning, because I could hear the warble associated with the square wave generator used for the chorus circuit, but I could not hear the doubling sound. That’s before that noise kicked in when you increased the depth.
I remember in the mid to late 90's you could get the modules for $60-90 bucks all day long. Shops couldn't give them a way as the average "90's" wanted nothing to do with the Eighties.
Lol, that's also when you could get high end Kramer's for under $250
Im beginning to really enjoy the videos.
My suggestion is find someone who used to use these back in the day.
I knew a guitarist back in the mid 80's that utilized the Rockman stuff through a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ combo amp, and he had Holy Grail tone for days.
Before watching this, I'll say of course they're usable. I know because I do it. And they came out in the early mid 80's. Listen to Megadeth's Peace Sells album that came out in 86. It's all over that. Also Joe Satriani's Surfin with the Alien. That was 87.
Of course! They're awesome! 80s sounds are the best sounds
You know, it's a shame Tom Schulz never has made a video explaining the designs of the Rockman gear, how it works exactly, and how he planned the integration of all these modules into a net net amplification system. Dunlop won't do it either, apparently.
I own the sustainer and chours delay
Well... none of these sounds you managed tu tune up with this thing doesn't sound as great as single Rockman X100.
That tiny headphone amp proves its point: you dont need knobs tu play around with. 2 3 way switches will do it for you. Simplicity at its finest.
Carver amp, 500 watts, 15/10 and horn
I'm pretty sure Dave Mustaine used a distortion generator in the late 80's
Y wouldn’t they be??
🤟🏽🤟🏽🤟🏽🤟🏽🤟🏽🤟🏽
the earliest versions came out in the early 80s about the size of a tape box, with sliding on off switches for the effects and different modes, that's when every band seemed to be using them in the studio, the rack and 1/2 rack models came out mid 80s, I think by then every band making/recording music had gotten tired off sounding like journey! what made it, was eventually it's own downfall!
When you want to sell them I will buy them let me know whenever.
My sustainor cost $350.00 in 1989. (half rack distortion unit). A used Marshall Superlead early '70's 100w and 50w head were $500.00 then also! So rockman stuff was expensive. Your unit sounds terrible compared to mine....I think you need a cleaner amp to use your rockman gear with.... don't use with a distorted/muddy/low headroom amp. Lol! Nevermind...now I see what u did wrong. You didn't turn the compressor way back down ( or even better off ) when you added the edge and distortion channels!!
Ryan. Stop stealing my licks. Sincerely - Ryan.
those three units will run you closer to $1500 today.
I prefer my Marshall 1987x plexi with master vol. and karl martin plexi rander dual pedal. ths sounds canned and over saturated.
Demos are more useful when we have a frame of reference for the guitar…a real Jazzmaster would be more familiar in tone to more people than a copy.
It's a Jazzmaster. It sounds like a Jazzmaster. Just because Fender is not on the headstock does not mean it sounds like a 335.
@@Stringjoy If it sounds precisely like a Fender, what’s the point of going boutique?
@@dragoonphotography5847 Price, features, endorsements, contacts, monopoly prevention, labour standards, geographical loyalty... tons more could probably be thought of. Why do you think this would sound more different from a Fender Jazzmaster than two different Jazzmasters would?
@@kospandx My above question stands then. If it sounds the same, why pay double or triple the price for a knock off? Fenders are also made in the US, so the “china bad” logic isn’t at play here.
If you want a Rolex, and can afford a Rolex, why spend twice the cost for a fake Rolex, even if it keeps time just as well?
@@dragoonphotography5847 Dude, I have already answered your question; you have not answered my.
You did it all wrong! Direct is the only way with a rockman. 😅
..... & The answer is?.....No.