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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2018 8:34:58 GMT
I had a thought. I was just about to spring for a boring old floor monitor for this sort of price from going-bust-Maplins but it's really hard to get excited by one of those things - even a Laney one with lots of flexibilty. So I thought a Katana with it's decent EQ and an acoustic channel would be able to double up for me. It's open backed so that's not ideal for this job and just as I was thinking of having an attachable back board I suddenly thought, 'no, and attachable wedge back so it can vary from this:  To this:  So a great, highly respected 50 watt solid state without the hiss of the 50 watt Blackstar that I sent back or the 10 watt one that I still have, covering the overdriven end of my requirements PLUS an acoustic amp, PLUS a line in for a monitor, PLUS USB connectivity for direct recording. It's on its way.  |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2018 8:55:20 GMT
Interesting what you say MartinB . It was the flexibility of the fx that impressed me on the Boss website and the fact that you could choose the location of the fx in the chain, pre or post amp etc.  Perhaps I need to know more. Software and me are pretty much sworn enemies.  |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2018 9:03:32 GMT
Well, congratulations are in order I guess. Now you have the digital Boss multi fx and the digital Katana. Lots of fun with all those knobs and options  |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2018 10:14:04 GMT
Yeah, gulp. I'll decide how deep I want to go into the website options. I suspect not very! I haven't been to Blackstar's horrible portal for over two years as it didn't really do anything useful. I'll have to ask salteedog about the promises and pitfalls of going there. I'll more likely find the sounds I want right in front of me. Can't bear presets and I'm not even particularly interested in storing my own. I'd rather fiddle there in the room. Even live I find having presets for each song horrid on the Boss ME-70 because it kind of assumes every room is the same and that you don't want to switch effects on and off mid song. I'm really a pedals guy but the multifx box is convenient to transport the way I use it. IF I use the Katana as a live amp rather than a monitor I'm likely to do little with the onboard effects other than some reverb and possibly switching the amp style. BUT for recording I'm very interested in what it will do, especially for re-amping. I haven't found a happy overdrive/distortion sound on the ME-70. Fingers and toes crossed. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2018 10:34:48 GMT
Digitech RP225 has very bad sounding ODs and Distortions. Actually the only thing I use it for is the Bassman amp sim with 4x10" cab sim, Reverb is nice and some of the FX are good too. Its handy for recording but Im trying to mic my Big Bugera from now on since the tone is just different.
Im now looking for stomp pedals and will likely first buy the once no other brand can do; TC Hall of Fame and TC Sub'n'Up. After these are in my possession I will likely go for the Mooer mini pedals like their Clean Boost, Black Secret and Blues Crab. I already have the American Sound for my main Fender simulation but am looking at the CKK Lunar Drive (Dumble style) for a more creamy tone which I seem to prefer.
Im trying to get the Digitech out of me pedal chain and use it only when necessary (quick recording).
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1,774 posts
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Post by MartinB on Mar 27, 2018 14:29:21 GMT
Can you try before you buy?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2018 15:00:05 GMT
I can MartinB. Giving it a go Thursday night as a monitor/acoustic and electric amp. Looking forward to it. I'll take my Fender amp and Blackstar to compare them. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2018 16:16:48 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2018 22:12:14 GMT
That opening crunch is good. Chorusey one is meh. After that I lost interest! Looks like another cover I won't be doing. Hooray!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2018 16:36:30 GMT
Well I tried it and it was hiss free. Sounded big and bright (almost too bright) in the kitchen where I played it. In the short time I was able to test it I can say it blew the Blackstar away, even though it is not stereo. The effects felt a bit like toys and aren't very sensible to use. You can set the level of a delay mix for instance but not the length of its tail. But the reverbs were nice-ish.
I was unable to set it to sound like my Fender. I never got that feeling of a tube amp where you feel as though you are pushing the sound through the amp. It simply responds very willingly and in a slightly brittle way. Acoustic, Clean and Crunch were probably the only areas I would want to venture into, same as my Blackstar. I could sort of make it sound like a Peavey Classic 30 though.
In the end I was about to reject the thing when I was made an offer I couldn't refuse "£80?" "70" "75?" "OK". As an on-stage monitor it would be worth that alone. Now I have it at home. Installed the latest software which was clearly designed originally to launch a space shuttle and took a look at the Tone Studio before deciding that it would never be my best friend and more likely to become the reason for launching something through a window.
This is more likely to be used in manual mode and, if I can make it do it without resorting to that cat's sick of a Tone Studio, I'll attempt some direct recording via the USB. However, I suspect that will also turn out to be something I wish I hadn't ventured near.
I'm interested to see what it can do without driving me to tears and resorting to a katana sword of my own.
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Post by john on Apr 2, 2018 16:47:48 GMT
Sounds like bargain @defjef, I contemplated paying full price for one a while back then decided I’m not smart enough for anything more than valves and a couple of knobs. I sense this may be going through a window eventually mate. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2018 17:01:20 GMT
Fortunately it's turning to spring round here so I'm going to start fiddling with it outside. That way my windows are safe...as long as I don't hurl it so far it hits the house!
Actually just using the knobs is fine. It's the UselessSoddingBit (USB) of wire that tends to need a punch. I reckon the 'Tone Studio' will turn out to be all zeroes and no ones.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2018 17:24:15 GMT
I would pay a person to get that out of my house big no from me. I remember the VOX VT20+ amp and me getting dizzy and nauseous after trying to find a usable tone! My Digitech RP225 is still in the house only because of its Bassman 59 amp sim and the FX. Easy plug n record. I'm staying away from digital fiddling and desire a few good stomp boxes instead into my beloved Bugera V55. I wish you all the best with it though just remember you can always sell it and even make a profit save that money and wait for a 2nd hand Bugera  You know you want one! |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2018 17:58:33 GMT
Fortunately it's turning to spring round here ... Oh yes, here also  today was the very first day my bees are flying and collecting early Spring pollen! I had 6 colonies going into Winter and now I see all 6 of them flying today  I hope all are strong because weak ones will have hard time to build up for the honey flow! |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2018 18:13:56 GMT
I would pay a person to get that out of my house  big no from me. I remember the VOX VT20+ amp and me getting dizzy and nauseous after trying to find a usable tone! I'm staying away from digital fiddling and desire a few good stomp boxes instead into my beloved Bugera V55. I wish you all the best with it though just remember you can always sell it and even make a profit save that money and wait for a 2nd hand Bugera  You know you want one! After some fiddling I got it into Fender Champ territory just using the manual controls. Thank goodness no need to enter into software billhooks. Surprisingly I needed to take a lot of top off and boost the bass and mids a bit. (? I thought Fenders were mid scooped? !  ). Now the only difference I'm hearing is the reverb. So, having done that I now need to find sounds that I don't have already! But not today 'cos it's getting too cold out here. |
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big no from me. I remember the VOX VT20+ amp and me getting dizzy and nauseous after trying to find a usable tone! 
You know you want one!