Played a trick on my boutique amp snob friend

[end user]

I have a buddy who ribs me all the time about using a "real tube amp" when I play out. Of course I poke fun back at him with cracks about unobtanium and unicorn farts etc etc.

I switched over full time to 100% digital direct for gigs (Helix) to PA a few months ago. I'm very happy with it and so are the patrons and my other band members.

I told him I was going to be playing through my Mark V Combo at a gig this past weekend because I had my brother in-law coming with me and he'd carry it for me.

I set it all up and even put a 57 on it. Ran a cable from the input to the back of the amp where no one could see where the cable was going and made it look 100% like I was playing through it. All turned on and all that.

In between sets he was telling me how much richer it sounds and how he can "feel the harmonic content" jumping out of the amp and how beefier sounding in general it was from my direct system. He said some other positive stuff which I cant recall.

I let him know just before 3rd set that I hadnt been playing through it at all and I just set it up to look that way. He didn't believe me so I brought him up on stage and showed him. He had nothing to say but looked like he just saw a ghost and just threw his hands up LOL. Thing is he only comes to see live music at this particular room because it's close and he can walk there and back without worrying about a DUI. So it wasn't like anything changed at all. I made no changes to anything. It was the same set up and patch I use for that room every time I play there. Sounded and felt the exact same to me and my bandmates.

I just had to get him LOL. He ribs me so much about how fake my Helix sounds. It was worth the extra couple minutes setting up to see the look on Mr. Boutique amp's face.

We usually talk just about every day. Haven't heard from him since Saturday night..

 

[StrummerJoe]

I have a buddy who ribs me all the time about using a "real tube amp" when I play out. Of course I poke fun back at him with cracks about unobtanium and unicorn farts etc etc.

I switched over full time to 100% digital direct for gigs (Helix) to PA a few months ago. I'm very happy with it and so are the patrons and my other band members.

I told him I was going to be playing through my Mark V Combo at a gig this past weekend because I had my brother in-law coming with me and he'd carry it for me.

I set it all up and even put a 57 on it. Ran a cable from the input to the back of the amp where no one could see where the cable was going and made it look 100% like I was playing through it. All turned on and all that.

In between sets he was telling me how much richer it sounds and how he can "feel the harmonic content" jumping out of the amp and how beefier sounding in general it was from my direct system. He said some other positive stuff which I cant recall.

I let him know just before 3rd set that I hadnt been playing through it at all and I just set it up to look that way. He didn't believe me so I brought him up on stage and showed him. He had nothing to say but looked like he just saw a ghost and just threw his hands up LOL. Thing is he only comes to see live music at this particular room because it's close and he can walk there and back without worrying about a DUI. So it wasn't like anything changed at all. I made no changes to anything. It was the same set up and patch I use for that room every time I play there. Sounded and felt the exact same to me and my bandmates.

I just had to get him LOL. He ribs me so much about how fake my Helix sounds. It was worth the extra couple minutes setting up to see the look on Mr. Boutique amp's face.

We usually talk just about every day. Haven't heard from him since Saturday night..

He's probably trying to figure out how to cope with what he heard.

 

[saxon68]

Man I had the same type of experience at a gig with my Helix.

I didn’t know the guy but he came up and asked where the SLO was, he’s loved them since the 80s. I told him I was just using Helix into a 44Magnum power amp then to a 1x12 with a V30.

He went up on stage and looked at it all like I was lying. I have ZERO idea how he called the model I was using because it wasn’t in the patch name.

 

[trax1139]

Well, I don’t know much about all those digital rigs. I know they’re loud as you want, clear, articulate, bold and accurate...along with all the other obvious advantages of using them. But, I’m pretty sure even if you daisy chain 10 of em together in row, you won’t get that feeling under your fingers like a Marshall 100w and a couple of 4x12 cabs. (Which is why we play the damn things in the first place-and what most guys are trying to achieve sound wise to boot) Its just my opinion and I’ll never understand otherwise.

 

[MarshallDog]

Thats a good one, you got him, he is speech less!

 

[Trelwheen]

All the digital doodads have always sounded like amps to me.

The difference is at the other end as far as I'm concerned. They feel different when I play through them.

That was a good prank you played on your buddy, but it's time to buy him a few beers to remind him he's still your buddy.

 

[saxon68]

Well, I don’t know much about all those digital rigs. I know they’re loud as you want, clear, articulate, bold and accurate...along with all the other obvious advantages of using them. But, I’m pretty sure even if you daisy chain 10 of em together in row, you won’t get that feeling under your fingers like a Marshall 100w and a couple of 4x12 cabs. (Which is why we play the damn things in the first place-and what most guys are trying to achieve sound wise to boot) Its just my opinion and I’ll never understand otherwise.

Don’t get me wrong I’ve still got my JVM half stack. But the Helix gets me pretty damn close to that tube sound / feel, close enough that my band mates didn’t know the difference until an hour into rehearsal when the lead player looked over and saw I had a Headrush 108 on the floor and asked if I was using that or the helix as FX on the Marshall.

He’s ordered a 108 also now for his PODGO lol. Said he had no idea it was that good or loud enough to hold up with a full band, he’s a believer now.

EDIT: I love all the toys, and use whatever gets the results I want, with the easiest setup.

 

[ricksdisconnected]

I have a buddy who ribs me all the time about using a "real tube amp" when I play out. Of course I poke fun back at him with cracks about unobtanium and unicorn farts etc etc.

I switched over full time to 100% digital direct for gigs (Helix) to PA a few months ago. I'm very happy with it and so are the patrons and my other band members.

I told him I was going to be playing through my Mark V Combo at a gig this past weekend because I had my brother in-law coming with me and he'd carry it for me.

I set it all up and even put a 57 on it. Ran a cable from the input to the back of the amp where no one could see where the cable was going and made it look 100% like I was playing through it. All turned on and all that.

In between sets he was telling me how much richer it sounds and how he can "feel the harmonic content" jumping out of the amp and how beefier sounding in general it was from my direct system. He said some other positive stuff which I cant recall.

I let him know just before 3rd set that I hadnt been playing through it at all and I just set it up to look that way. He didn't believe me so I brought him up on stage and showed him. He had nothing to say but looked like he just saw a ghost and just threw his hands up LOL. Thing is he only comes to see live music at this particular room because it's close and he can walk there and back without worrying about a DUI. So it wasn't like anything changed at all. I made no changes to anything. It was the same set up and patch I use for that room every time I play there. Sounded and felt the exact same to me and my bandmates.

I just had to get him LOL. He ribs me so much about how fake my Helix sounds. It was worth the extra couple minutes setting up to see the look on Mr. Boutique amp's face.

We usually talk just about every day. Haven't heard from him since Saturday night..

you lost a friend lol. he'll be back after he orders his.

 

[Vinsanitizer]

I'm thinking about growing a full facial beard.

.

 

[trax1139]

I agree that no one on the stage or on the audience would ever know the difference. The sound guys will love it, and not know the difference in sound...might even like it better. They just have no - well, let’s just say, to me, while the sound is great, it’s about as inspiring as playing a plastic electronic drum set. Sound great...feel like playing an anvil.

 

[trax1139]

All the digital doodads have always sounded like amps to me.

The difference is at the other end as far as I'm concerned. They feel different when I play through them.

That was a good prank you played on your buddy, but it's time to buy him a few beers to remind him he's still your buddy.

That’s right...they feel different. Uninspiring I would say. To me, that’s just as important as how it sounds.

 

[Trelwheen]

I'm thinking about growing a full facial beard.

.

As opposed to another kind of beard??

 

[Matthews Guitars]

I have a Fractal modelling amp (Axe-FX II) and I love it. But it doesn't duplicate what my Marshalls do, or any other of my "real" tube amps. It's close and you'd probably never know the difference in a band setting, but when you're in a quiet room with no other sound sources or distractions, you can feel the difference in how the two types interact with you as you play.

And that's an obsolescent modelling amp. Yesterday's news. Newer ones are assumed to be even better.

It'd be a shame if new modellers WEREN'T really good. They get more refined with every new generation of product, and the day is coming where NOBODY will be able to reliably tell the difference between the new modeller and the old classic tube amp of your choice. We may already be there.

That being said, I like plugging into my Marshalls, Fenders, and Boogies. I'm not looking to sell any of them.

 

[Derek S]

You're going to start a rumble.

I love my new modeler. I love my old tube amps. Both provide me great tones to make music with, that's all that ultimately matters.

 

[end user]

All the digital doodads have always sounded like amps to me.

The difference is at the other end as far as I'm concerned. They feel different when I play through them.

That was a good prank you played on your buddy, but it's time to buy him a few beers to remind him he's still your buddy.

Thing is before the latest update on my Helix it was the same for me. The latest one pushed it over the top. I dont know exactly what they did but I was on the beta testing team and I noticed it right away. The feel is there too now. I played (and still do) through tube amps for 35 years. Everything is there now. The feel, the dynamics. Matter of fact it does some of it better than my tube amps now.

 

[ibmorjamn]

I have a buddy who ribs me all the time about using a "real tube amp" when I play out. Of course I poke fun back at him with cracks about unobtanium and unicorn farts etc etc.

I switched over full time to 100% digital direct for gigs (Helix) to PA a few months ago. I'm very happy with it and so are the patrons and my other band members.

I told him I was going to be playing through my Mark V Combo at a gig this past weekend because I had my brother in-law coming with me and he'd carry it for me.

I set it all up and even put a 57 on it. Ran a cable from the input to the back of the amp where no one could see where the cable was going and made it look 100% like I was playing through it. All turned on and all that.

In between sets he was telling me how much richer it sounds and how he can "feel the harmonic content" jumping out of the amp and how beefier sounding in general it was from my direct system. He said some other positive stuff which I cant recall.

I let him know just before 3rd set that I hadnt been playing through it at all and I just set it up to look that way. He didn't believe me so I brought him up on stage and showed him. He had nothing to say but looked like he just saw a ghost and just threw his hands up LOL. Thing is he only comes to see live music at this particular room because it's close and he can walk there and back without worrying about a DUI. So it wasn't like anything changed at all. I made no changes to anything. It was the same set up and patch I use for that room every time I play there. Sounded and felt the exact same to me and my bandmates.

I just had to get him LOL. He ribs me so much about how fake my Helix sounds. It was worth the extra couple minutes setting up to see the look on Mr. Boutique amp's face.

We usually talk just about every day. Haven't heard from him since Saturday night..

That is the greatest trick , just in time for the Halloween season. A trick and treat. Lol
It is good to know the Helix can pull that off.
I am constantly dialing in different stuff, searching for the exact sound I want.

 

[ibmorjamn]

Thing is before the latest update on my Helix it was the same for me. The latest one pushed it over the top. I dont know exactly what they did but I was on the beta testing team and I noticed it right away. The feel is there too now. I played (and still do) through tube amps for 35 years. Everything is there now. The feel, the dynamics. Matter of fact it does some of it better than my tube amps now.

Are you using the Park model live and what
songs are you using it for ? I just wonder because I got really close to a plexi with the plexi normal and the playcater dirty has got lots of potential.

 

[DaDoc]

Good prank, and I'm sure your buddy will come around..

But I'll stick with my tube amps, thanks.

But having said that, I also have to admit to having just scored a BOSS SY-300 guitar synth..I've only been playing around with the presets of the synth sounds so far, but it also have a nice array of modeled effects built in, and one can do all kinds of editing and combining effects sounds..Unreal possibilities with this unit! I've got to get into those and see what they sound like!

I have to admit it would be nice when playing out to have something I could use and leave the big-azzed pedalboard at home.

 

[end user]

Are you using the Park model live and what
songs are you using it for ? I just wonder because I got really close to a plexi with the plexi normal and the playcater dirty has got lots of potential.

Yes I use the Park 75 brt. I think it's probably the best of the Marshall flavored amps in there. At least for my use.

 

[StrummerJoe]

As opposed to another kind of beard??

I wear a goatee. A goatee is considered one form of beard.


Apparently there's a whole bunch of different beard styles. It's a bit too "metro-sexuall" for me to get into the differing styles, but in case you're interested :
Top 27 Different Types of Beards: Best Beard Styles & Ideas (2021 Guide) (menshairstylestoday.com)

(and no, I'm not trying to suggest you might be one of those metro type dudes)