Just thought I’d put this question out there: do you use ‘real’ pedals and amps/cabs or do you use software/simulations? And why?
I’ve been playing my guitar a lot more lately and I’m at a crossroads as to whether to finally put together a pedalboard or just go all in on an amp/cam/FX modeller like the Helix. I feel you get more for your money with the modeling setup but some of my pedals can’t really be replicated in these all-in-one boxes.
A good answer would depend on what kind of sound/music you want to make. However…
There is no digital process that behaves like a saturated analog tube circuit, nor able to respond with the same fidelity to human expression (physics). The sound of a guitar amp with a well found guitar (intonation, action, tunable, string gauge, etc) and various combinations of effects is what the digital modelers are all trying to copy. Some are better than others, but they are copies and can only emulate as many aspects of the sound as the process can handle. And even then, it is the engineer who determines the behavior of the program- it is an "interpretation of what a guitar/amp sounds like, not the actual thing. if you compare apples to apples; a proper guitar rig to a digital model of one, there is no question the quality and depth of sound in a analog tube amp and we’ll applied effect is fundamentally different than the digital, and more expressive, ethereal, wild, creative and just feels really nice; responsive. Of course in either case one must learn how to use it. (Less emphasis of “learn” than on understanding, experience, and practice)
I’m not saying digital models don’t sound good. I believe they are very useful in a home studio and can yield great sounding music. Just that they are invented for situations where there’s a lack of space or money for a proper guitar rig. And they are great if you use headphones. They simply don’t sound or play better than the real thing though.
I’m interested though in how good the digital or amp model guitar process sounds?
I play viola and electric violin just as much as I play guitar. For me it’s not worth the trouble to own and maintain a tube amp, mic it up with a nice mic for recording, etc. My Line 6 HX Stomp XL has amp models and amp speaker models that sound so good to me that I have no desire for any more tube amps. I was planning to replace all the pedals I used to bring to band practice with the one HX Stomp XL, before the pandemic put an end to the band.
There are still a few pedals that I GAS for:
Analog Music Company Evil Pumpkin - Rob Flax reviewed an earlier version of Evil Pumpkin on his Fuzz Fiddle video series. Crazier fuzz pedals like this one are notoriously difficult to emulate with modeling tech.
EHX String 9 - Matt Bell’s demo on e-violin sold me.
I’ve been with modular units for some 5 years already - Helix, HX Stomp, Two Notes Preamp + Cab M and lately rocking Quad Cortex.
What those set-ups gave to me was a) lighter packing b) ability to play silently - not neccessarily with headphones, but just going through studio monitors at adequate levels.
Obviously it’s not as magic as a tube amp, but then again I had to always turn it down (even though it was a 15w Blues Junior).
There is some learning curve and need to adjust to hearing a miced tone, but ultimately it’s just so much easier in everything.
Most importantly - there is no need to go all in, go hybrid - leave your loved pedals and integrate them together with modeler. It if will be one of the smaller ones, they will fit on the board very nicely 
Speaking of Gibsons - finally received my ES-335 after waiting for almost half a year.
There were absolutely no models to check out locally, so I ordered from thomann and waited all scared having all of the quality issues in mind.
Yet the guitar arrived and it’s fantastic, really loving it’s organic sound and resonance.
I only use pedals and a real tube amp (an Orange Rocker 15 atm) bcs I have never felt the response from simulations is good enough. Those might be great especially for metal music where the dynamics are not all that pronounced anyways but for the kind of stuff I like to play there is no question, at least for me.
I love the way the real deal reacts to playing and the way harmonics sound with it.
I love the buzzing and all that too.
As for the fx I like the fact that they are from different era’s and have completely different characteristics.
What a beauty!! Congrats!
…aaand, literally the day that I first post about my new baby on the forum, I go and inadvertently smash it into an overhead light fixture while navigating my over-cramped studio space. Absolutely shattered the nitro in like five different places on the headstock. Still feeling pretty gutted. That guitar was just mint before, and I feel like such a tool.
Brutal, feel for you! Smashed my brand new Martin an hour after bringing it home. Sucks.
I have a Tweed Champ, and I barely use it, although it sounds amazing. I usually use a Strymon Iridium, which is as easy to use as an amp, but way less hassle. And it sounds much better at apartment levels.
If you do go the amp sim route—pedal, software, or analog amp sim pedal—make sure to get a good Impulse Response (IR) cab sim after it (sometimes they’re built in). This makes an utterly huge difference to the result.
About 3 years ago I sold almost all my pedals (1970’s 80’s 90’s built) because I thought 2 eventide H9’s would solve everything. But playing different venues I picked up on the difference compared to playing in my controlled environment at home. Now I only ever use H9 as a clean digital delay for Bass, but would love to have a boss DD-2 again (way simpler).
As for rigs, I’m happy with Origin Effects BassRig for Bass and guitar.
Not digital, but the same convenience. Ultimately it gets played out massive stage monitors or my 8” studio monitors so regardless, it’s still shaking a cabinet right 
I have tried numerous solid state amp/cab sim pedals and mostly wasn’t impressed, but it’s like conventional rigs yeh, there’s thousands of them but only one sounds perfect to you.
How many of you are using the GenLoss mk2 on guitar?
Leaving aside synths and other stuff (love it on vocal samples), I kind of got over it pretty quickly after a few guitar sessions.
Agreed. I play somewhat clean and mic my amp. I get the logic of modelers but I’d rather get my recording in the room and not sweat the details of it. But you need a room with a bit of privacy.
I suspect I’d be the same. I’ve had a lot of pedals which wonk the sound and they never stay long, especially with a good guitar where you want to hear the actual guitar. I get that different flavors is cool but it never worked for me when playing. I also spent way too much time tweaking rather than playing!
Thank you. I know I’ll get over it in time, and the first ding is always the worst. Also not a fan of the shop-aged thing. As my partner said: “It’s ok, now you know it’s yours.”
On the amp/modeler front, I’ve been giving the Quad Cortex a shot. First experience with a HW modeler. I really like it, actually. Different than the real deal, but still really enjoyable. And so convenient. My modeling experience was previously limited to NI Guitar Rig, and honestly, I was about to give up on modeling based on that. Worlds of difference with the QC.
Sucks, but as long as you haven’t cracked the headstock (be very careful of that on Les Pauls in particular) I wouldn’t stress too much. The first dings are really painful, but they can also be liberating as you can just stop worrying about keeping it pristine now. The worn nature is what nitro is all about. My nitro tele hasn’t naturally checked or anything over the last decade or so, but it’s got loads of dings that I embrace now.
Totally. My old Vibro Champ actually sounds quite nice clean at apartment levels so I often practice and noodle with it, but for recording I almost always go to modelers these days out of laziness, especially if I want big dirty tones. The UAD and Strymon stuff is so good.
I was really tempted by it, but couldn’t pull the trigger because of the price here in Japan. I eventually lost interest as I have stuff in the DAW that will do similar stuff and I think the more extreme settings will eventually become played out, like the extreme stuff on the SP404. Or at least, that’s what I’m telling myself.
My current set-up includes both a Helix rack unit, three tube driven amps (Fender Blues Jr., Victory Countess MKII, and an Egnater Rebel 30), and a Suhr reactive load box. I have a couple of cabinets – the Blues Jr., plus a 2x12 I built myself, and a de Lisle amp & speaker selector. When I’m practicing (usually at night when everyone else in the house is asleep), I use the Helix – it’s great, and I love that it has 4 effects loops (I have a bunch of pedals, too). I’ve set up my studio so my pedals run through a patch bay so I can put whatever instruments I want through them – guitar, bass, various synths, etc.
For a long time I used the Helix exclusively, and when I finally got another tube amp, the difference was a revelation. Once I got the Suhr reactive load box, I bought a pack of Ownhammer IRs so I could run my guitar through one of the amps, into the Suhr, then into the Helix and through one of the IRs, and record that (I don’t have the proper space for mic’ing up a cab, and my studio is right next to my daughter’s bedroom – most of my practicing and recording necessarily has to happen at night). So it’s a digital/analog combo platter that’s working great for me. And in my limited experience, I will echo @Funkyswitches and say that nothing matches the sound of a guitar straight into a tube amp & speaker cabinet. Once I got amps back into my life, there was definitely no turning back. Sending them through the Suhr and through the IRs gets me as close as I reasonably can get to an amp and mic’d cabinet sound – it’s super fun.
I think it completely depends on personal taste, expectations, and what you want to achieve (just noodling, playing gigs, recording, etc). Also, the genre of music you want to make is maybe an important factor in your decision, as “the real sound” of an amp is IMO negligible if your gonna throw lots of fx on it anyway. I think I’m in the minority here, but to me, ease of use in playing and recording, and the ability to just recall a patch exactly as I saved it trumps everything else.
The additional benefit of just getting a multi fx modeling unit is that you can decide that it will be all you’re going to be working with. Just dealing with that restriction tends to nudge you towards just playing and creating with this limitation and kills all gas for following the trend of getting fancy pedals to achieve a certain sound.
Like I said, I’m probably in the minority here and for some users here this is probably heresy, but atm I’m using nothing but a boss pocket gt for playing and recording guitar (straight into an op-1f).
