Do you fancy one (AxeFX) Andy?
I'm not sure I do yet Johnny - not at the price it has to go for anyway...
It's mainly because I'm happy with what my current beast does.
I only went the modelling route because I couldn't use my valve amp in the flat, and I wanted a recording solution:
1. I tried a POD 2.0 one day, was stunned, and took it home immediately. After a while I started getting frustrated that it didn't have the clarity I was after.
2. So I tried a POD XT Live to see if the newer XT technology from Line6 was as better as some were saying - it was... bought it and used it for a couple of years (still do for bass work, and some of my old guitar patches - and when I want to record accoustic stuff with the Variaxes).
However, I started to get into older guitar sounds, and then I started using BKPs. Most of the tones I was heading for were Fender amps or JTM45, and I found the XT was failing me in two areas for these models - a) I wasn't able to get the warmth in "just breaking up tones" that I can hear in my head for these amps, b) all modellors (even the axe, I understand from a website or forum dedicated to them - I read an article that explained it to me) all modellors suffer from a resonance thing that can occur at certain frequencies, it all depends on how you're using it on where you might get it or whether it's in the way for you. For me it was happening on my Fender/JTM45 models, I could hear it as an extra harmonic one or two octaves below the note you were bending on the g-string - not a big deal, hardly notices in a mix, but...
So...
3. I tried a VOX Tonelab LE about a year ago (after some posts by MDV). It's not as flexible as the POD, but the amp tones I want seem more alive, vibrant, warm... and there are a lot less resonance issues with the VOX for me (a different player might find its the other way round).
Through my studio monitors, at a decent volume, the VOX feels and sounds like I
remember a valve amp feeling and sounding, with no (as yet!) annoying issues... so for me, spending over a grand to "improve" things when I'm not actually suffering any problems at the moment doesn't seem to be the route forwards :roll:
Having said that - I haven't managed to get anything sensible (for me) out of the VOX's plexi and more "modern" models (nor out their vintage 4x12 cab model with 30W drivers!)... if my musical journey moves in a direction that requires such amps, then I will be wondering how to justify an axe to the missus :lol:
I'm more likely to go down the "low wattage valve amp just-for-the-hell-of-it" route first... but I'm resisting it (quite easily) at the moment :D
