View other reviews for this product:
heads on fire « It's a staple unit. »
Published on 10/31/11 at 10:58Features
Amp Models based on*:
'64 Fender ® Deluxe Reverb ®
'59 Fender ® Bassman ®
'68 Marshall ® Plexi 100 watt
Marshall ® JTM-45 meets Budda Twinmaster
'60 Tweed Fender ® Champ ®
Budda Twinmaster head
'65 Blackface Fender ® Twin Reverb ®
'60 Vox ® AC 15
'60 Vox ® AC 30 non-Top Boost
'85 Mesa/Boogie ® Mark IIc+ Clean Channel
'85 Mesa/Boogie ® Mark IIc+ Drive Channel
Dumble ® Overdrive Special Clean Channel
'95 Mesa/Boogie ® Dual Rectifier ® Head
'89 Soldano SLO Super Lead Overdrive
Dumble ® Overdrive Special Drive Channel
1987 Roland ® JC-120 Jazz Chorus
Line 6 ® Insane
Cabinet Models based on*:
1960 Fender ® Tweed Champ ®
1952 Fender ® Tweed Deluxe Reverb ®
1960 Vox ® AC-15
1964 Fender ® Deluxe Reverb ®
1965 Fender ® Blackface Twin Reverb ®
1967 Vox ® AC-30
1995 Matchless Chieftain
1959 Fender ® Bassman ®
1996 Marshall ® with Vintage 30s
1978 Marshall ® with stock 70s
1968 Marshall ® Basketweave with Greenbacks
Line 6 ® 4x12
Line 6 ® 1x12
Line 6 ® 2x12
Line 6 ® 4x10
POD 2.0 Effects
Compressor
Delay/Compressor
Tremolo Delay/Tremolo
Chorus 1
Delay/Chorus 1
Chorus 2
Delay/Chorus 2
Flanger 1
Delay/Flanger1
Flanger 2
Delay/Flanger2
Rotary Speaker
Delay/Swell
Delay
Reverb
UTILIZATION
I think nearly everyone has owned or played with one of these. If you haven't, you've certainly HEARD one - listen to anything produced in the last 11+ years, and there is usually something from this unit on there, from a simple overdub to a smattering of all guitar and bass sounds of a full album. I've actually done both approaches - I've made a couple of full-length albums that used only tones from this box, no miked sounds, and have gotten lots of positive feedback regarding those sounds. I tend to mic up guitar amps more nowadays, but this baby back in the day made great tones acheivable on the cheap and easy. It's a ubiquitous box that makes life simpler for a recording engineer.
SOUND QUALITY
The sounds are good. I'm rating it a 7 because the technology for amp modelling has improved vastly since these came out. But I know I could still jam out on a recording with one of these units and be satisfied with the results. The Treadplate sound is one of the best metal rhythm sounds around, and the delays are really cool on here as well. It's fun to use as a practice headphone amp! No matter what one thinks of amp models, I don't think anyone could plug into this and not find some kind of usable tone.
OVERALL OPINION
It's a collection of good, usable amp and effects tones, for not much money. And it is a lifesaver on a recording session - especially if a "signature tone" type amp goes down, this box can be plugged in to save the day. With some EQ and compression, the tones can be nearly indistinguishable from the originals in many cases. If one still turns one's nose up at the thought of using the little red bean pod for a record, it still makes a great headphone amp. And it's fun to mess around for reamping, like with crushed drums or distorted vocals!
Amp Models based on*:
'64 Fender ® Deluxe Reverb ®
'59 Fender ® Bassman ®
'68 Marshall ® Plexi 100 watt
Marshall ® JTM-45 meets Budda Twinmaster
'60 Tweed Fender ® Champ ®
Budda Twinmaster head
'65 Blackface Fender ® Twin Reverb ®
'60 Vox ® AC 15
'60 Vox ® AC 30 non-Top Boost
'85 Mesa/Boogie ® Mark IIc+ Clean Channel
'85 Mesa/Boogie ® Mark IIc+ Drive Channel
Dumble ® Overdrive Special Clean Channel
'95 Mesa/Boogie ® Dual Rectifier ® Head
'89 Soldano SLO Super Lead Overdrive
Dumble ® Overdrive Special Drive Channel
1987 Roland ® JC-120 Jazz Chorus
Line 6 ® Insane
Cabinet Models based on*:
1960 Fender ® Tweed Champ ®
1952 Fender ® Tweed Deluxe Reverb ®
1960 Vox ® AC-15
1964 Fender ® Deluxe Reverb ®
1965 Fender ® Blackface Twin Reverb ®
1967 Vox ® AC-30
1995 Matchless Chieftain
1959 Fender ® Bassman ®
1996 Marshall ® with Vintage 30s
1978 Marshall ® with stock 70s
1968 Marshall ® Basketweave with Greenbacks
Line 6 ® 4x12
Line 6 ® 1x12
Line 6 ® 2x12
Line 6 ® 4x10
POD 2.0 Effects
Compressor
Delay/Compressor
Tremolo Delay/Tremolo
Chorus 1
Delay/Chorus 1
Chorus 2
Delay/Chorus 2
Flanger 1
Delay/Flanger1
Flanger 2
Delay/Flanger2
Rotary Speaker
Delay/Swell
Delay
Reverb
UTILIZATION
I think nearly everyone has owned or played with one of these. If you haven't, you've certainly HEARD one - listen to anything produced in the last 11+ years, and there is usually something from this unit on there, from a simple overdub to a smattering of all guitar and bass sounds of a full album. I've actually done both approaches - I've made a couple of full-length albums that used only tones from this box, no miked sounds, and have gotten lots of positive feedback regarding those sounds. I tend to mic up guitar amps more nowadays, but this baby back in the day made great tones acheivable on the cheap and easy. It's a ubiquitous box that makes life simpler for a recording engineer.
SOUND QUALITY
The sounds are good. I'm rating it a 7 because the technology for amp modelling has improved vastly since these came out. But I know I could still jam out on a recording with one of these units and be satisfied with the results. The Treadplate sound is one of the best metal rhythm sounds around, and the delays are really cool on here as well. It's fun to use as a practice headphone amp! No matter what one thinks of amp models, I don't think anyone could plug into this and not find some kind of usable tone.
OVERALL OPINION
It's a collection of good, usable amp and effects tones, for not much money. And it is a lifesaver on a recording session - especially if a "signature tone" type amp goes down, this box can be plugged in to save the day. With some EQ and compression, the tones can be nearly indistinguishable from the originals in many cases. If one still turns one's nose up at the thought of using the little red bean pod for a record, it still makes a great headphone amp. And it's fun to mess around for reamping, like with crushed drums or distorted vocals!