Seeking advice from AxeFX owners

[jkstraw]

Anyone try setting up the fractal for use with acoustic guitar? If you can tone match with it seems like you could create a nice setting, add a little reverb and compression and have a nice acoustic rig with that and a k10 or 12

I run my acoustic (Larrivee D-03RE) through mine and use the now unavailable IRs based off of the Fishman Aura captures (unavailable because Fishman contacted Fractal about copyright infringement). Great sound - I don't have top shelf FRFR amplification like Vic though. I run it through a Yamaha StagePas 300. Still sounds good though.

[playingdead]

Question, Vic seems to really like the qsc k12. I have been looking at getting a pair, but maybe getting the k10s. Any reason why I need to go with the K12?

I have several K10s and K12s ... I have used the K10s on gigs with smaller stages. I prefer the K12s. Even though the power rating is identical, the K12s have a little more volume and headroom to them. The 10s are definitely a little easier to move, although the K12s are far from being heavy.

I've done numerous gigs with the K12s since 2009, and run them very hard with zero problems.

[DenverEd]

Newbie question. I bought one of these and I can't figure this problem out. How do you turn an effect on and off? Without a foot controller, do you just create 2 identical presents, one with the effect on and one with it off and switch between them? Seems like there should be an easier way.

If you have the foot controller, do you then have a "main" present and then numerous other presents that contain the effect only, which then can get turned on and off via the controller?

[playingdead]

You can assign a global MIDI CC control # to each effect, then use a button on your controller to turn that on or off.

For my Garcia preset, I have the following eight controls on the Ground Control Pro:

Pitch (octave)
Wah 1 (Mutron)
Phaser (phaser with expression pedal rate)
Drive (Dist +)
Wah 2 (wah-wah with expression pedal as controller)
Filter 1 (+6db boost)
Delay (delay with expression pedal for level)
Tap tempo (tap tempo for delay)

Once you set those up, the controller will turn on or off the effects block on any preset in the AxeFX. So no need to change presets at all, the Garcia preset has all the effects I ever use on it, I never change presets at a show.

Without a foot controller, you could set up a preset for each version with the various effects on or off as desired. However, if you are using an effects loop on the guitar, you can have your clean preset working with the effects loop off, and then use the switch on the guitar to bring in distortion, or whatever preset you're working with.

[DenverEd]

So bottom line, get a foot controller. Otherwise, it seems like a nightmare.

[playingdead]

It would be like having your pedals in a rack and then turning around to turn them on and off by hand while playing. You want them on the floor. Ground Control Pro works for me.

[barefootdave]

Simple no pedal solution:

Hit "edit"

Scroll to effect in question.

Hit "effect bypass"

[JonnyBoy]

Got to see Zappa plays Zappa last night and Dweezils tone is unreal. The band sounded great, but the guitar sounded so smooth and level. I was impressed. If you haven't seen his show you should!

[playingdead]

Dweezil shares some of his patches over on the AxeFX Forum, too ... nice guy.

[JonnyBoy]

You would have dug it, they played the small hall here in Jackson only about 300 people. It was super intimate. I was floored how great all his tones were, switching guitars without any changing pedals or settings, their live sound was phenomenal. After the show they all hung out, anyone could talk or ask questions. Super nice, beyond talented. And I thought the Dead was hard to play.....

[drdead]

Am planning on getting an axefx II but wanted to make sure I get this right before such a big investment. We typically pay small clubs, but have some larger gigs coming up, where we will be mic'd. We also are playing outdoor gigs where there is no board and we need plenty of volume. I currently am playing through a fender deluxe reverb 22wand simply doesn't cut it for the outside gigs.
So,
would I only need the axefx unit, and quality monitor such as qsc k12?

Would that do double duty of monitor at mic'd shows and enogh headroom for outdoor shows?

Assuming I wouldn't need a power amp with this unit.
For a rack unit, would I need a separate tuner.
Anything else I'm missing?

Thanks! And appreciate all the tips!

[playingdead]

Hey drdead ...

I've used the AxeFX at everything from small club shows to big outdoor stages. I use a pair of QSC K12s in my rig. I have one in front of me like a vocal wedge, and since they are two channels, you can also have it double as your vocal wedge (I do that if the club monitors are iffy). I also keep a second one behind me where my cabinet used to go for front of stage fill. But most of what I'm hearing is coming off the wedge in front of me. You'll want it behind you in the traditional spot if you are going unmiked. It's plenty loud enough for me.

The unit has a good tuner, I would just caution you to get a rack stand that will allow you to angle the face of the AxeFX a little bit, otherwise the LCD display can be hard to read under stage lighting.

The only other thing you should get is some sort of floor-based MIDI controller -- I use a Ground Control Pro -- to turn your effects on and off from the floor. I think the one offered by Fractal also incorporates a tuner, which is nice thing to have. Maybe an expression pedal if you want to use a wah or control effects parameters dynamically.

[DenverEd]

Will any 7 pin Midi cable work to provide power from the AxeFx to the GCP?

[playingdead]

If all the pins are wired it will work ... I use the Rocktron cable.

[jeager]

Ok so I am about to pull the trigger on this thing and it is crazy cause I love my current rig SMS Mesa power amp and jbl k120. In fact I just got my pedal board all worked out... The thing that keeps pushing me here is the versatility and the portability. I love the idea of creating a few patches to cover a few of Jerry's set ups and adding effects he never used along with sounds he did use... And also use it as my acoustic rig ... And also minimize the number of patch cords I need ....

Questions, and this is what holds me back ... Dependability?

Other question, will you guys help me with a good Jerry preset?

Also, does anyone have any IDEa where we could get recordings of Jerry isolated from the band to use for tone matching? 70s and 80s...?