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I sure hope Rick's alright!

Very kind of you, sir! And yes, it's all relative. Relatively speaking, based on the amount of time I've spent trying to become more kickass on guitar, I should be less awful. But I suppose we're all our own harshest critics. So we perhaps should endeavor to move the goal posts, shift our paradigm and aim for having fun instead.

I for one always enjoy your videos - definitely kickass. There's a reason you've never seen a video posted by me! It's all relative. 😉

https://therockrevival.com/rock-news/cheap-trick-guitarist-rick-nielsen-leaves-the-stage-for-apparent-medical-issue/

I managed to move from analog tube and solid state amps to Fractal but I have somehow avoided going down the rabbit hole of all the various new iterations of modelers for the same reason I avoided running down the perfect tone in a traditional amp: Too much work, $$ and really cornfusing. I would rather spend my time becoming a little less awful at guitar. Besides, in addition to the drain on my sanity and bank account, there's the consideration of putting pearls on a swine. A really kickass sounding modeler or amp is still not gonna make my playing sound kickass.

"Only a Gibson is Good Enough" (???) Here is an interesting video that popped up here this Monday morning. It is an interesting take (to me, at least) on how this has evolved. And a sort of take on how such as Epiphone has moved up and down the quality and price scale over time. And the decisions Gibson has made. I have been known to be more than a little "guitar snobbish" and probably always will be. Too many stories......😉 Not really thinking in terms of "Chibson" or "Chender". But the talent transfer has had an impact. Case in point (non-Gibson design). I have always admired the Languedoc guitars. I do not even know the cost of ordering one. Into 5 figures I reckon. Used ones? Just try to find one. Anyway, something popped up with a Chinese made version. I looked at a few videos and said, WTH. Worst case, it is a POS and I dump it. OR, it is okay but the pickups and parts need replacing......Placed an order for a Firefly Pegasus. It arrived and I was impressed right outta the box. Yeah, the pickups COULD be better, but to me they sound very good, either in HB or split mode. Played great, except.....The second day, I was a bit more critical and realized it did not play cleanly at 3 frets on ONE string. Rather than mess with it myself, I brought it to my local guy who did some minor work on the ONE fret that was high and reset the bridge. So, add $26.93. Keeping my total cost for a very decent instrument to well UNDER $300. (No case, of course). Decided to take a second swing. Same seller/make was (is) offering a "single cut" that will make you do a double take on an Ace Frehley mood. No need for a tech touch. Except....For me, the pickups are too hot. For my taste. BUT, if I was more the "hard rock" guy.......And I can always compensate a bit with amp settings, EQ, etc. So, even less invested than the Pegasus. Note again, these are not exactly "Chibsons" in the sense that the design, headstock, inlays are NOT pure replicas intending to be passed off as a Gibson (or PRS or whatever). But for something that could be taken to a gig and fit right in, not bad at all. The few that have seen/heard them so far have been impressed. Hmmm.....Maybe a "PRS" take with dragon inlays(?) next..... Anyway, should anyone be in that mood, worth checking out. Look up Guitars Garden (California) on line. No need to order from some seller in China and hope for the best. Neither will replace my favorites....Breaking out the Shishkov for rehearsals lately....But color me impressed.

I could probably get through a show with my Nano Cortex into a Quilter as a power amp. It wouldn't be fun but it would sound decent.

Watched this last night. He rambles a good bit, but the overall takeaway I got mirrored what @scottcald was just saying: most users gravitate toward a very few amp simulation settings with a few pedal sounds and they're set. For this reason people seem to be opting for the less expensive systems because they can provide that as well as do the $2,000 systems. I've yet to take the plunge due to paralysis by analysis, but so far, my $100 Tech21 Screaming Blonde is completely sufficient. As we get to sub-$1,000 options I could be tempted to grab something just to simplify even more.

^^^ What they said X2!

Sold!

My experience with modelers and similar devices is purely as a headphone demo rig for trade shows and pedal demo events we exhibit at around the country. If Im at home, working on pedal designs, playing in a band, etc... Im always going to be using a 'real' amp into a cab at high volume. For me the thing that has finally come around to being close to playing a real amp is the right hand feel of some devices. We used a Strymon Iridium and a Two Notes Cab M as headphone solutions for a long time but neither really felt very good while playing. There isn't a ton of dynamic range in a 5V DSP system and I think the way a lot of devices manage it is to just shelve a ton of signal level before the A/D conversion and then the device feels lifeless. The Neural DSP Nano is what we use now and we moved over to it after playing one and seeing that it really felt like playing a real amp. Demoing stuff in headphones in a room full of people is already weird but I think the Nano does a really nice job of feeling as natural as possible and removing that weird feel friction from the experience.

Bump

wow

Beauty.

I've used a lot of amp sim/modeling units over the years starting back with the Zoom 3030, Boss GT-10, GT-100, GT-1000, Atomic Amplifire, Helix/HX, Fractal, Tonex One and Headrush Core. You can really get good sounds from anything these days. I feel like the NAM stuff is the newest/latest/greatest fad that the social media folk are hyping. A few years back, IRs were the magic elixir and then only certain ones from certain companies or using your own. Now it's NAM captures and in another year or so, it'll be something else that's the pixie dust for modelers. Most folks use 1 to 3 basic live sounds with effects on top of those sounds, so it really shouldn't be difficult to get a good tone with anything that's out.

Jay Rawks.

That is amazing - truly. Thank dog I’ve got an unreasonable aversion to 1st fret markers that aren’t straight LPC style blocks or I’d legitimately e losing sleep over this one!!

Always great to see folks here face to face. Scott's good people. : )

Well done.

Thanks to the great Veatch for an awesome convo when he picked up the ADA cabs! Still lots of groovy stuff to snag...

Hamer Newport Pro Color: Vintage Natural Condition: Like new - Comes with like-new original Hamer Newport Pro case Here's the specs: Color: Vintage Natural Top: Spruce Fingerboard: Rosewood Scale: 24.750" Frets: twenty-two medium oval (.100" x .050") Pickups: Seymour Duncan Seth Lover Tuners: Grover Bridge/Tailpiece: TonePros There are no scratches, dings, wear, Hameritus, or anything. It is, without a doubt, the cleanest, like-new Hamer I've ever owned. It sound killer - chords ring out. Price is $2,600 Shipped.

Yeah, I was just trying to throw some names out there, but honestly I haven't been impressed with ANY music stores in the last 10 years, sans internet shops... and as much as I love and want to support brick and mortar, mom and pop shops, I'm pretty selective in the guitars I'm looking for, that's why I belong to these groups better tailored towards my interest... and when I travel, I seek out food and nature spots...