Dave Murray now using Fractal

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Why does he not just use a real Marshall head? He has a guy setup his gear and could get Marshalls for free. Maiden is a money machine and can afford to hail around some real amps.
He switched to Victory V100 heads for the Book of Souls album and tour, but went back to the JMP-1 Pre immediately after that tour. Other than that stint, he's pretty much exclusively been running that preamp for everything since the early 90's until the recent switch to Fracal.
 
Why does he not just use a real Marshall head? He has a guy setup his gear and could get Marshalls for free. Maiden is a money machine and can afford to hail around some real amps.


this is where i dont understand so many guitarist... every day it seems we have another thread of a band who can play whatever they want choosing to go the modeler route, it makes me ask what am i missing out on if all these huge pro bands are choosing them over literally any other piece of gear, yet so many guys still go the other direction and scoff at it and ask why not tubes?
 
this is where i dont understand so many guitarist... every day it seems we have another thread of a band who can play whatever they want choosing to go the modeler route, it makes me ask what am i missing out on if all these huge pro bands are choosing them over literally any other piece of gear, yet so many guys still go the other direction and scoff at it and ask why not tubes?
Because for many, the gear itself is the endgame. I’ve said it before—no one is clicking on a “show us your modeler” thread.
 
You really think he prefers that? Doubtful at best. Lots of guys working with him that might “prefer” it?
Of course I do. Do you really think an iconic guitar player in an iconic band had to stop using tube amps b/c his roadies told him to?
 
it makes me ask what am i missing out on if all these huge pro bands are choosing them over literally any other piece of gear, yet so many guys still go the other direction and scoff at it and ask why not tubes?
But he can't be a man 'cause he doesn't smoke the same cigarettes as me.
 
this is where i dont understand so many guitarist... every day it seems we have another thread of a band who can play whatever they want choosing to go the modeler route, it makes me ask what am i missing out on if all these huge pro bands are choosing them over literally any other piece of gear, yet so many guys still go the other direction and scoff at it and ask why not tubes?
Could be a lot of reasons. I would think the fractal would be very consistent on whatever sound was dialed in, more reliable, also has all the effects you need internally, and he may just prefer the sound of it. After using the same thing for so many years, he probably just wanted to try something different and more up to date. I don't think a lot of bands like Maiden, Metallica, Megadeth, etc. would be using them if they thought the sound was inferior.
 
You really think he prefers that? Doubtful at best. Lots of guys working with him that might “prefer” it?
I have a JMP-1 and I have the JMP-1 profile in the Fractal. They both sound pretty (awesome and) similar through the same IR. I wouldn't care which one I had live, I don't think Dave does either.

How was the band? I have seen a few clips now with some timing issues. I am a huge Adrian fan and in a recent clip I saw him dragging on wasted years screwing the timing up and then sort of bailing on it in frustration thinking everyone else was off. Here it is..maybe it is me but he is behind. Might be slight but he's not keeping up with that main part.
It was a blast. They played alot of songs I never thought I'd hear, was quite emotional during Lost Somewhere in Time as that song and the rest of the album had a huge impact on me. Honestly though, there where timing issues. The guitars and Steve all seemed pretty locked in, but Nicko would sometimes lag after fills or jump time. Jan, Dave and Adrian would often completely imrpov their solos which is cool to me. Overall there was nothing I wouldn't expect from a band doing it 50 years. Bruce was nailing the notes, even on the old tunes. Maybe I'm bias though as a big fan! :alien:
 
I have a JMP-1 and I have the JMP-1 profile in the Fractal. They both sound pretty (awesome and) similar through the same IR. I wouldn't care which one I had live, I don't think Dave does either.


It was a blast. They played alot of songs I never thought I'd hear, was quite emotional during Lost Somewhere in Time as that song and the rest of the album had a huge impact on me. Honestly though, there where timing issues. The guitars and Steve all seemed pretty locked in, but Nicko would sometimes lag after fills or jump time. Jan, Dave and Adrian would often completely imrpov their solos which is cool to me. Overall there was nothing I wouldn't expect from a band doing it 50 years. Bruce was nailing the notes, even on the old tunes. Maybe I'm bias though as a big fan! :alien:
I used a JMP-1 and recorded with it for a few years back in the day. I’m not saying it’s not a good piece of kit. It’s a cool preamp.

Going from that, back to a real amp head…… not even close.
 
Could be a lot of reasons. I would think the fractal would be very consistent on whatever sound was dialed in, more reliable, also has all the effects you need internally, and he may just prefer the sound of it. After using the same thing for so many years, he probably just wanted to try something different and more up to date. I don't think a lot of bands like Maiden, Metallica, Megadeth, etc. would be using them if they thought the sound was inferior.
They sound ok, but still not nearly as good as a real amp. It was easy to pick out who was using modelers at the hendrix experience tour I saw a couple of years ago. Big bands using modelers are still the minority. Of the dozens and dozens of concerts I've been to the last 15 years only 3 used modelers. As for the local guys, the modeler is only as good as the band's pa, which is usually junk. I've never heard a good modeler tone in a club.
 
They sound ok, but still not nearly as good as a real amp. It was easy to pick out who was using modelers at the hendrix experience tour I saw a couple of years ago. Big bands using modelers are still the minority. Of the dozens and dozens of concerts I've been to the last 15 years only 3 used modelers. As for the local guys, the modeler is only as good as the band's pa, which is usually junk. I've never heard a good modeler tone in a club.
I think proximity plays a role in the smaller venues. if they don't have it split going to the house and some kind of FRFR or amp\cab, there's definitely a difference in the feel in the room for the listener. Just my opinion.
 
I have a JMP-1 and I have the JMP-1 profile in the Fractal. They both sound pretty (awesome and) similar through the same IR. I wouldn't care which one I had live, I don't think Dave does either.


It was a blast. They played alot of songs I never thought I'd hear, was quite emotional during Lost Somewhere in Time as that song and the rest of the album had a huge impact on me. Honestly though, there where timing issues. The guitars and Steve all seemed pretty locked in, but Nicko would sometimes lag after fills or jump time. Jan, Dave and Adrian would often completely imrpov their solos which is cool to me. Overall there was nothing I wouldn't expect from a band doing it 50 years. Bruce was nailing the notes, even on the old tunes. Maybe I'm bias though as a big fan! :alien:
There were talks/reports that age and stamina are finally catching up with Nicko too. I guess that confirms it. I mean he has been keeping up the insanity for decades. His drum lines are never straight forward and his fills have to fit into really tight spaces. I hope they come back my way, I alao love the Somewhere in Time album. I can even put up with that ass Clown Janick to see them play songs off that album.
 
These huge touring acts like Maiden or Def Leppard could definitely afford to have as much gear as they like, so I sometimes feel the switch to modellers is more for the techs' benefit not having to service and deal with tube amps and of course the modeller companies for advertising purposes.

If the artists are happy with modellers then it's all good, but what's the point of modelling a 1U rack space preamp into a super complex 3U rack space modeller if the artist isn't using much of the modeller's capabilities?
 
These huge touring acts like Maiden or Def Leppard could definitely afford to have as much gear as they like, so I sometimes feel the switch to modellers is more for the techs' benefit not having to service and deal with tube amps and of course the modeller companies for advertising purposes.

If the artists are happy with modellers then it's all good, but what's the point of modelling a 1U rack space preamp into a super complex 3U rack space modeller if the artist isn't using much of the modeller's capabilities?
Good point. My guess would be the noise gate, reverbs, delays, choruses, phasers, EQs, more advanced MIDI, ontop of the the fact it acts as a preamp all in 3U. I like that they still dragged out the old rig with them just in case.
 
Whoever pays gets the rig...

Modelers are paying the touring musicians...like amp companies used to do back in the day...

JMP1s cannot be endorsed anyways...
 
die hard tube amp guy, but if I was in Dave's shoes I would go Fractal or Kemper too. Just less to mess with and you get a consistent tone from night to night. I do miss bringing my tube amps out, but they stay home and I use a direct rig with a tube preamp into a Two notes Cabm+.
 
Whoever pays gets the rig...

Modelers are paying the touring musicians...like amp companies used to do back in the day...

JMP1s cannot be endorsed anyways...
Doubtful.

That'd be peanuts for Maiden and Fractal has gone on record saying they don't pay artists.

It's pretty easy to understand what is going on here.

Most of the appeal for these big acts are probably pragmatic considerations that apply for big name artists that are doing a huge production that has to deliver for thousands of paying customers every night rather than the weekend warriors and basement barbarians here on gear forums:
  • consistency for the FOH signal
  • no setting up mics on cabs
  • availability of redundant backup units that sound exactly alike
  • ability to backup and restore settings from unit to unit
  • replace multiple standalone FXs and preamps/amps
  • switching can be done by the tech or automated consistently via a MIDI sequencer
  • switching can be done without custom/special hardware and can change many things (FX, amp settings, etc) at once
  • reduced number of patch cables to debug/connect/go bad due to fewer stand alone devices
  • etc
Oh yeah; and it sounds really good too.

You'd have to be kind of dumb not to.

Imagine standing in front of 3000 people with a dead rig or using a back up unit that does not sound/perform exactly like the one you are used to because some 30 year old preamp's backup battery sh*t the bed.

There's a lot more overriding priorities to delivering a show at the scale a band like Maiden does on a World Tour, than having the ultimate mojo gear fiend toanz, I would imagine.

It's no surprise that those other benefits have become the deciding factor for more artists putting on big tours as digital has crossed the threshold of 'good enough' in terms of sound/feel/performance.
 
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Aft
Doubtful.

That'd be peanuts for Maiden and Fractal has gone on record saying they don't pay artists.

It's pretty easy to understand what is going on here.

Most of the appeal for these big acts are probably pragmatic considerations that apply for big name artists that are doing a huge production that has to deliver for thousands of paying customers every night rather than the weekend warriors and basement barbarians here on gear forums:
  • consistency for the FOH signal
  • no setting up mics on cabs
  • availability of redundant backup units that sound exactly alike
  • ability to backup and restore settings from unit to unit
  • replace multiple standalone FXs and preamps/amps
  • switching can be done by the tech or automated consistently via a MIDI sequencer
  • switching can be done without custom/special hardware and can change many things (FX, amp settings, etc) at once
  • reduced number of patch cables to debug/connect/go bad due to fewer stand alone devices
  • etc
Oh yeah; and it sounds really good too.

You'd have to be kind of dumb not to.

Imagine standing in front of 3000 people with a dead rig or using a back up unit that does not sound/perform exactly like the one you are used to because some 30 year old preamp's backup battery sh*t the bed.

There's a lot more overriding priorities to delivering a show at the scale a band like Maiden does on a World Tour, than having the ultimate mojo gear fiend toanz, I would imagine.

It's no surprise that those other benefits have become the deciding factor for more artists putting on big tours as digital has crossed the threshold of 'good enough' in terms of sound/feel/performance.
After watching Dave Murray's new guitar rig video, looks like the Fractal Audio Axe FX III has replaced the Marshall JMP-1 preamps (still in the guitar rack), the JFX-1 multi-effects processor (no longer in the guitar rack) in his touring rig. and the Rocktron Access MIDI controller that Dave was using before. The advantages of his new set up is mentioned in the quote above.
 
Doubtful.

That'd be peanuts for Maiden and Fractal has gone on record saying they don't pay artists.

It's pretty easy to understand what is going on here.

Most of the appeal for these big acts are probably pragmatic considerations that apply for big name artists that are doing a huge production that has to deliver for thousands of paying customers every night rather than the weekend warriors and basement barbarians here on gear forums:
  • consistency for the FOH signal
  • no setting up mics on cabs
  • availability of redundant backup units that sound exactly alike
  • ability to backup and restore settings from unit to unit
  • replace multiple standalone FXs and preamps/amps
  • switching can be done by the tech or automated consistently via a MIDI sequencer
  • switching can be done without custom/special hardware and can change many things (FX, amp settings, etc) at once
  • reduced number of patch cables to debug/connect/go bad due to fewer stand alone devices
  • etc
Oh yeah; and it sounds really good too.

You'd have to be kind of dumb not to.

Imagine standing in front of 3000 people with a dead rig or using a back up unit that does not sound/perform exactly like the one you are used to because some 30 year old preamp's backup battery sh*t the bed.

There's a lot more overriding priorities to delivering a show at the scale a band like Maiden does on a World Tour, than having the ultimate mojo gear fiend toanz, I would imagine.

It's no surprise that those other benefits have become the deciding factor for more artists putting on big tours as digital has crossed the threshold of 'good enough' in terms of sound/feel/performance.
So, just for the record…..what amps do you use? Do you gig?
 
I think we'll see more of this trend. Read a few articles on touring costs these days, and given the size of non-festival crowds, touring costs / profits can be tough to balance. Makes sense for cost, consistency, etc.

Plenty of stories of fake backlines with a hidden combo or other amp mic'd backstage. With PA, monitor systems, in-ears, etc., systems today most people (on stage or in the crowd) aren't hearing the tube amps, they're mic'd and going through a solid state digital system before they're heard.

If I was playing the touristy beach bars around here, I'd bring my Marshall Origin 50C or Line 6 Catalyst, with my Line 6 HX Effects, because the amps aren't usually mic'd unless you're playing outside.

If I was doing national / global tours (which I'm not) I'd have to look at the costs. I'd probably have a pair modelers (rack or floor), one main, one for a backup, a wireless with backup, and laptop with editor and sound file backups; and a few USB drives with backups.

IMO
 
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