The future of rock guitar rigs...

[4406cuda]

I think in the future you will see more modelers in the form of a POD or iPad/iPhone. Modelers have come a long way. I have a POD HD500X I use for effects and for recording occasionally and the sound is pretty decent.

 

[thiswaythatway]

Fact is, every band that has switched to the Axe or Kemper... their tone has gotten worse because of it. Just an observation.

Devin Townsend comes to mind and Metallica will sound worse, if that's possible, from what they sound now.

 

[Shiny_Surface]

I hope tube amps will continue to be widely used longer than predicted here.

Some paths I might see digital going...

- Continuous miniaturization of the hardware. Something the physical size of say an Axe-Fx II may one day be considered "huge" in a future where very powerful software modeling might be running on tiny embedded hardware, wearable or otherwise.

- Amp modeling will become a mere subset of an entire Synth library. In some ways this is going back in time to the Guitar Synths of the 80's, but evolved. The guitar will become merely a controller for any sound, amp modeling or otherwise.

- Continuing with the theme of the guitar as becoming merely a controller, the traditional electrical guitar may be eschewed for some "guitar shaped" input device without strings but with a neck that responds to traditional fretting hand (and strumming/picking) movements.

Those who continue to enjoy/play electric guitar in the traditional sense may still see the need for traditional amps in that type of future scenario (imo).

 

[Wagster]

I play a lot of country gigs and use an old AC30. I tried using an AX-FX but something was missing on the clean tones. The OD tones were stellar. I use a plexiglass and a baffle to keep the FOH and singers happy.

 

[RJF]

If I played in a band and did gigs, I'd use my dual Diezel head rig with 2 Diezel 412's and just higher a couple of goons to move my crap around.

 

[Badronald]

I have never seen a local band use a Axe Fx. I would be surprised if I ever did. There has not been that many built. Fender makes 700 amps everyday. Marshall makes 200..... Not to mention Peavy and the others. These companies build more amps in a day than all the small companies do in a year combined.

All this gear most of you are talking about makes up such a small part of the industry it is not even worth mentioning.

I've never seen anyone use one either.
Just regular tube amps. Mesa, Marshall, Fender, Orange Vox, Bogner, Soldano, etc......

 

[searching]

With all the amps I have right now, my current favorite is a 20 watt Friedman modded Jet City. Modelers are one direction the gear is shifting, but low watt amps are another direction. Look at all the lunchbox style amps that have come out recently. I would stay with the low watt amps before going digital, but I predict within 5 years I'll probably have either a Kemper or an Axe (or similar)

22H?

 

[PBGas]

I love having tube heads and cabs! I've been using them since I grew up as a teenager in the mid-80s. I'd still really like to get another tube amp at some point. I'm just tired of lugging them around anymore and my back just doesn't allow me to. For me, the Kemper solved quite a few issues and sounds awesome both live and in the studio.

Either way, I'll probably get another tube head, small 2x12 and a Torpedo again at some point. There is just something about that touch feel you get from a real amp.

I don't think they are going anywhere soon. There will always be lots of people who love playing through a real amp, including myself! Sometimes just turning on a small combo amp as well and letting it chime out or crank out is pure bliss.

That being said, I get some wicked cool closeness to that with the Kemper and a good FRFR setup.

 

[cujo]

As someone who gigs lots, I'm seeing more low watt, smaller rigs, and axefx. I have always had big tube amps and cabs but mostly use the axefx2 or a custom carol ann 1-12 combo. The PA is pushing most of the sound, by having a 100W head cranked I am causing issues with getting a good band mix out front. I also picked up a ENGL ironball lunchbox that I may try Sat, that thing is a beast, and has the amp about to melt sound at lower volumes.

I feel like in 5 years you will only see things like the axe not only on major tours but in every club band as well.

It will Never Happen !

 

[rubyAudio]

In the coming years, digital could become more popular, but the past has a way of repeating itself. For years, people thought vinyl was dead and over the last decade, there has been a huge resurgence in vinyl production/sales. Lots of bands are having records pressed again even in the age of MP3/downloads. Who's to say the same thing couldn't happen with amps?

 

[Valtyr]

I think the use of modelers will increase over time, but they will probably have to get closer to emulating the feel and response before they overtake amps. Right now an AxeFX or Kempers seem to the most likely choices for replacing amp rigs and they cost more than many of the amps they model.

 

[Little B]

Nice thread...of course technology will advance in guitar amps as time goes by,and all the hype about low wattage amps,modelers,ect probably will continue. Those lunch box amps "seem"to and "sound " decent at low volumes( I guess that's the point w/em),But there's simply no substitution for a full size amp head or rack for that matter w/ a 4x12 that's cooking them tubes and delivering the goods with authority and moving the air around you..When I gig in 75-150 people rooms, Ive never had a problem running 100 watt heads with 2- 4x12 cabs.F.O.H. guy respects my gear, I respect him..were all happy.And there's a "feel" you get with the real amps that modelers and some lunch boxers just cant deliver..Racks were thought to be gone forever too, but nowadays I see a combo of racks/ heads on the big stages. I think someone will eventually make "never wear out" tubes,or the equivilant and perfect that..that would cool..Buy your tube choice once and be done with it.

 

[Hung Huy Tran]

Jose Arredondo Modded JCM 800 100 W Head
Two Seymour Duncan Convertible Heads
4 space rack with Roctron Hush 2C, Roland SDE-3000, Furman Graphic EQ
4 Seymour Duncan 4x12s (two are mine, two are the other guitar players so I could hear him)
2 Marshall cabs on the other side for the other guitar player to hear me
Two guitars
Bag of strings and tuners, cables and other crap
Bag of gay outfits
Makeup

Total of 8 4x12 cabs for me and the other guitar player

Steve

Fuck yeah!

 

[cujo]

Hell there is a huge differance between 2x12 n 4x12. I just cannot go small. It's about feel,head room, tone,moving air n yea Look !

 

[cujo]

I listened to kemper videos were guys did diff Amps n switched thru them honestly they all just sounded the same pretty much. I like to just listen n not watch to see if I can pick up on the changes.

We demoed an axfx against a real Diezel ... Sorry just not the same. It's missing that MOJO

 

[JerEvil]

Fact is, every band that has switched to the Axe or Kemper... their tone has gotten worse because of it. Just an observation.

I have to disagree. Saw some footage of Accept and Wolf was running his Kemper. Sounded great. I think part of the problem is people Dial them in to sound good in their "room"

You still have to treat your Modeling profiles like they need to sit in the mix of what is going on. Just watched a vid of an AC/DC tribute playing outdoors and their tone was not only spot on, but sounded like a few big old Marshalls.

As of this post, my metal and punk bands I'm in still get the full Splawn treatment. I don't plannon changing that, but my Kemper arrives Wednesday. I have an ISP Stealth and a few guitar cabs to run it through. I'll be giving it a go with the metal band for sure. The punk guys might beat me up.

 

[sbeirnes]

In the last 20 years I have moved from gigging with 100W full stacks to a 212 SS combo to a 50W 112 combo.

The other guitarist in my band is using my Tech 21 Flyrig direct at our next gig on this coming Thursday.

We sound better than ever and it is getting easier and easier and much quieter on stage.

After our drummer moved to an electronic kit, everything became more manageable, and at 45 years old I have also grown up a bit.

 

[cujo]

How many of you guys love to hear that volume on stage. That crushing amp roaring thru the night ... When it's quiet I feel like the vibe is totally off ... Guess that's just metal adrenalin

 

[Beyond Black]

How many of you guys love to hear that volume on stage. That crushing amp roaring thru the night ... When it's quiet I feel like the vibe is totally off ... Guess that's just metal adrenalin

I live for it. Nothing better than getting my half stack out of the house, onto a stage, and letting her rip. My amp floors me every...single...time.....

 

[Badronald]

How many of you guys love to hear that volume on stage. That crushing amp roaring thru the night ... When it's quiet I feel like the vibe is totally off ... Guess that's just metal adrenalin

No, I agree with you. I love the wall of sound that at great band creates on stage. I cannot stand the super quiet in-ear/direct stages.

As a matter of fact, even at church we've gone back to some floor monitors on stage to help get that vibe back.

Of course the singers do better with good in ears. Pitch is much better and they don't have to scream to hear themselves.