I've checked out the guitar noise effects section and rooted through alot of sound samples but here's where i stand.
I called the closest guitar shop and he owns the store himself.I asked him about a Beringer v-amp2 modeler package and he said he doesn't carry much lower end equipment.He stated that alot of it ends up in the trash can because its unfixable.
Then he tried to interest me in a Vox modeler(around 350.00 dollars)
My question is how much truth is in his statement?
I paid 500.00 and tax for my ephiphone lp standard and 150.00 for a cheap mini amp(PPA-10A) i can't really see me spending that much on a modeler.
My question is how much truth is in his statement?
I'm a fairly gentle sole as far as handling my toys.
GG
There's some truth in his statement.
Frankly, I think the order of purchase for guitarists should look something like this:
1 a guitar you really really really like
2 an amp that produces a clean tone that just makes you quiver
3 a set of good foot pedals that give you just exactly the sound you're looking for
4 modellers and other toys that you'll use a lot for fun, but which will get switched out for the foot pedals that give you exactly the sound you want when it counts
Sadly, most folks buy a ton of guitars that they like ok, but which aren't really the guitar they really really like, 'cause the one they really really like needs saving for. They then skimp on the amp and never find one that gives them a clean tone to die for, they buy a cheap modeller, and wonder why the cheap modeller playing through the cheap amp doesn't give them the tone they are looking for.
"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -- HST
becksbolero
I wouldn't be afraid to buy the Behringer. I own quite a few of their products and can honestly say I have not had a single problem with any of them.
And you are right. A lot of people do not take care of their gear. I have all sorts of equipment and have not had problems with any of it. I loaned a nice Digitech processor that worked fine to a young player to use for one gig. I don't know what he did, but he brought it back completely broken. Useless.
I think many people fail to read their manuals. Or else they are extremely clumsy. I dunno. I never have problems with any of my gear.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Well i certainly wasn't complaining about the guitar or the amp,they suit my needs quite well but thank you for your input.
GG
Becks,
Unless you've already established a relationship with this Shop Owner, I'm afraid he's gonna try and sell ..err (upsale) you any way he can. He IS in the business to make money.
I'd expect the same response from one of my (3) local shops here if I just called in out of the blue. So I've established a relationship with them all, some better than others, but that's OK. My favorite shop here in town, now calls me when a great used something or other comes in that they think I'd might be interested.
Just a thought :)
Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing. - Wernher Von Braun (1912-1977)
Guitarists always want to upgrade or have something different. But you wont get the most out of the Vox with that mini amp. If you get the Behringer for now and put some money aside, Vox et all will come out with something better and you can buy the amp that will get the most from it. Just don't buy a bunch of mid level guitars in the meantime (easier said than done admittedly) :P
I have to get rid of 2-3 of mine. :oops:
"Things may get a whole lot worse/ Before suddenly falling apart"
Steely Dan
"Look at me coyote, don't let a little road dust put you off" Knopfler
Like Wes I also have SEVERAL Behringer products (including the V-Amp 2 and the GMX210 amp) and I stand behind their quality. I know the sales guy at Daddy's Junky Music only likes their mixers but is not a big fan of the V-Amp series (he likes Line 6 which I do not like much!) and always grins when I ask questions about them.
HOWEVER, after saying all this, I found that you can't always trust someone's opinion when it comes to equipment. I was originally told on another forum that Behringer sucks and not to buy it. I did not listen and I am glad I am not. Someone once said (including myself) that Squier guitars aren't that good...I now own TWO of then that I am quite happy with.
The BEST thing to do is to go to the shop and play them YOURSELF. Of course read other's opinions and remember them when you are testing equipment...but make your own judgement. I always read the reviews on Harmony Central however unless it is OVERWELMINGLY bad reviews I take them with a grain of salt.
OPPPS Sorry double post!!! :oops: :oops: :oops:
Which amp is it you have? I can't find it.
If you just wanted to play around with some efxs there's the Zoom 505II Guitar Multi-Effects Pedal for about $60. I have doubts about how good any amp simulation is going to be with your existing set up.
If you want an improvement in tone, you're better off buying a Vox AD30, which is a 30 watt modelling/ effects amp. It really depends on what you want from the equipment.
"Things may get a whole lot worse/ Before suddenly falling apart"
Steely Dan
"Look at me coyote, don't let a little road dust put you off" Knopfler
Head on over to eBay and search J-Station. You'll find listings for the Johnson J-Station. I own one think its a great first mult-effects / modeller. They don't make them anymore, so you can generally pick one up for under $100. More information here:
http://www.johnson-amp.com/jstation.htm
The forums are pretty quiet, however, there is a library with over created patch library with over 400 patches. While the j-station may not be as versatile or "up to date" as the pods or v-amp, for the money you can't go wrong. Some on the user forum swear by it over the pod or any other. I only use it for pretty basic stuff, but if you're interested, I'll try to answer any question I can. Post it here or PM me.
Steve
First things, first. It is unlikely that anything, consisting of chip-laden PCBs is going to be economic to repair. The cost of removing a dead chip and replacing it is prohibitive - chips are extremely heat sensitive (particularly the processor) and you can very easily destroy one by taking one second too long soldering one of the legs (of which there may be 24 or more). Finding the dead component can also take a long time. It is cheaper to throw the board away and install a new one. If the piece of gear consists of one board in a housing, there's not much to keep. In most "cheap" multi-fx units, it is almost certain that the rotary controls and jack sockets are PCB-mounted, so they get thrown out with the board. So, from that point of view, he's probably right. Although, the Vox may not be a lot better - it's still built from chip-laden PCBs.
I regard multi-fx units as a springboard to "real" effects (individual effects). You buy one to find out what effects you use, to create "your" sound and, then, go out and buy the individual pedals - their sound quality is almost invariably better. It's also my experience that multi-fx units tend to have patches, that were created for headphone listening, rather than amp input - most need tweaking to get rid of excess in one effect or another. The only real application for multi-fx units IMHO is for cover bands, that need to create the sounds of 20 or so original artists.
I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
Greybeard's Pages
My Articles & Reviews on GN
Someone asked about the Amp,well i picked it up at a second hand shop close to home and when i tried to google it i couldn't find it either.It was still in the box,never used and actually is a very bluesy amp for my limited talent.It's made in china and has C E on the back and PPA-10A on the front.
GG
Well after some shopping around I ended up at a nearby pawn shop and knocked the guy down to sixty dollars for a Zoom G2 after I tried it out.It had the right ac adaptor but no manual so when i got home I downloaded the PDF file.I re-entered all the presets as per the manual and I've had a bit of fun with it.Now i think i'll just fess up and say I probably created a monster,yup,I'm going to want a couple of pedals sometime soon.
Thanks guys.
GG