I'm guessing this is a beginner question

[The Musician]

Alright, I just got a new amp for Christmas, a Vox Valvetronix 50 watt. It has tons of effects, and different amp modules that I can choose from and has a tube pre-amp or something. It's pretty cool for just playing by myself or during band practice, but playing a gig with it would be difficult since it only has three channels and I usually use more than three different tones and/or effects for a song. I was figuring that pedals would solve the problem, but buying those would just be making tons of the effects built into the amp pretty much useless.

I love my amp, and it's still fully functional, and it'd be great for recording, but not live. So should I try and sell it and just buy another amp that has just has two channels with no effects and then buy some pedals or keep the amp I have?

[The Musician]

/chugga chugga

[metalhead___]

id sooner but some pedals

[Scuba_Steve]

sorry to disappoint, but modelling amps sound crap with distortion pedals, even if it has a pre-amp tube, it's still partially digital. But as far as I can tell, effects pedals (wah, comp. etc.) still work fine.

HOWEVER, there are ways around the number of tones, if you find a preset one you like, you can have 4. And you can use the bypass option on the effects to your advantage.

[The Musician]

Well I have one channel for super distortion/nu-metal-ish then another for light distortion, sorta pop-punkish, then a clean preset one. I can only use on effect at a time, and with the bypass thing I can turn it on and off. I wouldn't need a distortion, but other pedals would be needed to get all of the other effects that my amp already has but can't use.

Should I just sell this Vox modelling amp an just buy another amp without effects built in and buy pedals?

[Scuba_Steve]

Well I have one channel for super distortion/nu-metal-ish then another for light distortion, sorta pop-punkish, then a clean preset one. I can only use on effect at a time, and with the bypass thing I can turn it on and off. I wouldn't need a distortion, but other pedals would be needed to get all of the other effects that my amp already has but can't use.

Should I just sell this Vox modelling amp an just buy another amp without effects built in and buy pedals?
you might aswell, because it seems like you were looking for a certain type of sound from an amp.

Many people who buy the vox (and many other modelling amps) buy them because they want versitility, but if you have a set of sounds in mind, then I'd get a new one.

[The Musician]

you might aswell, because it seems like you were looking for a certain type of sound from an amp.

Many people who buy the vox (and many other modelling amps) buy them because they want versitility, but if you have a set of sounds in mind, then I'd get a new one.
I like the sound I get from my amp, it's just that it isn't suitable for playing live.

My question:
Should I keep my Vox and just buy pedals so that I can use the effects I can't use while playing live, basically making my amp's effects useless sorta, which is the one of the main reasons I got it.

OR

Should I sell the amp, and buy a tube amp and get tons of pedals.

[ChickenMcFicken]

Not solving yer question, but if you set the 2nd button on the footswitch (or any footswitch for that matter) to toggle from presets to manual and back (hold manual then click the footswitch) you can have a 3rd channel, more if you can re-EQ it quick between songs.

[Aes820]

Has it got some sort of way for you to be able to control it via MIDI? Or some more advanced footswitch other than just a channel selector?

(i'm unfamiliar with that model amp, sorry)

[ChickenMcFicken]

I dont think so, it only has 2 save-able channels (I make it 3 with what I said), so MIDI wouldn't really help, would it? (not very good with it) If you have yer presets of similar sound level with the factory presets, you could have more, but I find those REALLY quiet compared to mine

[The Musician]

Yeah, I can have at most three channels and the footswitch changes channels and turns on or off the selected effect. I don't even now how I could do anything with MIDI...

[Aes820]

Yeah, I can have at most three channels and the footswitch changes channels and turns on or off the selected effect. I don't even now how I could do anything with MIDI...
As it is now it seems like you have much more versatility than other, even more high end, amps.

[Roy.]

i like to control distortion by just rolling back the volume on the guitar. i don't like a lot of different effects. the more i play modeling amps the more i hate them. accept the fender cyber deluxe...aweeeeeeesome stuff...i think you should get a loud clean amp and get a few great pedal to use for ovedrive/distortion and such-a-such...

but let's just assume i don't know anything and let the pros tell ya...:thumb:

[The Musician]

As it is now it seems like you have much more versatility than other, even more high end, amps.
I know, that's what's bothering me. It's great for playing with when I practice, but I can't utilize all the effects I have without stopping, turning the dial, and then fine tune it.
i like to control distortion by just rolling back the volume on the guitar. i don't like a lot of different effects. the more i play modeling amps the more i hate them. accept the fender cyber deluxe...aweeeeeeesome stuff...i think you should get a loud clean amp and get a few great pedal to use for ovedrive/distortion and such-a-such...
I like effects though :-/
but let's just assume i don't know anything and let the pros tell ya...:thumb:
:lol:

[Scuba_Steve]

I like the sound I get from my amp, it's just that it isn't suitable for playing live.

My question:
Should I keep my Vox and just buy pedals so that I can use the effects I can't use while playing live, basically making my amp's effects useless sorta, which is the one of the main reasons I got it.

OR

Should I sell the amp, and buy a tube amp and get tons of pedals.


okay, if that's the case, then get pedals.

I think that as long as you don't try to use a distortion/OD pedal with a modeling amp basically any other kind of pedal will sound just as it would with another amp.

Cause I don't see the point in selling it if you like the sound you get.

[The Musician]

okay, if that's the case, then get pedals.

I think that as long as you don't try to use a distortion/OD pedal with a modeling amp basically any other kind of pedal will sound just as it would with another amp.

Cause I don't see the point in selling it if you like the sound you get.
Alright, sounds good. Would a multi-effects pedal board be a good investment then? Maybe something like a Pod-XT Live?

[RNR]

A pod-xt live is the solution to your problem but it wont work very will with a digital amp. So if you have the cash, get a 40 watt tube amp (a fender would be perfect since they have amazing cleans) and then use the podxt live.

[StormX]

Yeah, getting a POD if you already have a modeling amp is kind of redundant, and it won't sound as good. Get a nice tube amp and run a POD into it.

[The Musician]

Ok, I guess that's out of the question. So just regular pedals would be better? So a tube amp is just an amp head thing, then amps to make the sound come out.

<- Feels retarded

[RNR]

A tube amp is an amp that produces sound through the use of tubes. You create your own tone by fiddling with the knobs instead of just setting to a digital amp model. Any model colors your tone too much but the clean channel on a tube amp with all of the EQ at 5 will make your amp a clean slate for a pedal.

The good think about tube amps for you is that you get a lot of power for your money. A little 15 watt tube amp is very loud and if you get a 30 or 40 watt combo amp, it will be more than enough for most gig situations (anything larger and they usually provide a PA system).

Digital amps can be good but if they don't have enough pre-sets, you're out of luck.

If you have the money, I suggest a tube amp and a PODxt live.

[ChickenMcFicken]

Ok, I guess that's out of the question. So just regular pedals would be better? So a tube amp is just an amp head thing, then amps to make the sound come out.

<- Feels retarded

difference between tube/SS/hybrid (http://musicianforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=401018&highlight=tube) I got a couple fat posts there about the differences

[The Musician]

A tube amp is an amp that produces sound through the use of tubes. You create your own tone by fiddling with the knobs instead of just setting to a digital amp model. Any model colors your tone too much but the clean channel on a tube amp with all of the EQ at 5 will make your amp a clean slate for a pedal.

The good think about tube amps for you is that you get a lot of power for your money. A little 15 watt tube amp is very loud and if you get a 30 or 40 watt combo amp, it will be more than enough for most gig situations (anything larger and they usually provide a PA system).

Digital amps can be good but if they don't have enough pre-sets, you're out of luck.

If you have the money, I suggest a tube amp and a PODxt live.
I would get a tube amp and the Pod but getting recording equipment is my first goal. If equipment didn't cost so much.... :-/
difference between tube/SS/hybrid (http://musicianforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=401018&highlight=tube) I got a couple fat posts there about the differences
Thanks

/bookmarks

[rockoholic91]

I happen to have a Vox Valvetronix 30 watt. You should consider yourself lucky to have 3 channels, mine only has 2. :angry:

[The Musician]

I happen to have a Vox Valvetronix 30 watt. You should consider yourself lucky to have 3 channels, mine only has 2. :angry:
Use the preset as your third channel. :)

[StormX]

I would get a tube amp and the Pod but getting recording equipment is my first goal. If equipment didn't cost so much.... :-/


PODxt = easiest recording possible.

[ChickenMcFicken]

I happen to have a Vox Valvetronix 30 watt. You should consider yourself lucky to have 3 channels, mine only has 2. :angry:

I have 30 watter too. Just use the manual channel as yer third. That wasn't too hard to figure out, was it?

[[Enigmatica]]

(I'm Illuminati)
PODxt = easiest recording possible.
I was thinking about getting one of those. I also need to get mics for my drums and then a mixer :-/ Money, money, money

[mnemonic]

if i were you, i'd just get a tube amp and some pedals. but thats just becasue i'm not into modeling equiptment.