Myth: "Amp modelers are good for recording, but can't cut it for live playing."

****Myth busted****



The (electric)guitar player in the video is named Jason and he's using the Digitech GSP1101 rack preamp/processor. Here's the details on his rig from the Digitech forums:


Cheap ESP strat style with EMG SA pickups > X2 Wireless > GSP1101

On stage my 1/4" outs feed my tube power amp/cab (no sims)
All recorded tone on the clips is 100% GSP1101 direct to the PA from the XLRs. I use ALT412 as my master cab sim on the XLR outs and like it the best overall and using one master cab sim gives me much more consistency between patches. All my patches are custom from ground up. I just create a very basic dry patch, copy that one 10 times or so and then tweak each one to come up with my tones.

I never have my GSP near a PC to upload patches, but the main lead tones are something like this:

Medium Gain Lead Tone (like beginning of Can't You See)

CS Comp (30/50/50)
.22 Caliber Amp Model (everything between 11-2 o'clock)
EQ and Gate to taste
Ping Pong Delay around 700 ms/repeats around 30/ wet to taste)
Hall Verb (Decay around 75, Liveliness around 80)

Higher Gain Lead (like Alabama)

OR120 Amp Model
EQ and Gate to taste
Modulated Delay around 550 ms/repeats around 20/ wet to taste)
Stage Verb (Decay around 75, Liveliness around 80)

I use the JCM 900 for most crunch rhythm tones.
AC15 or HC30 for edgy cleans or punchy med grit.
Twin for lush cleans (like clean Can't You See)...


...On large/outdoor stages, I take the output of my X2 wireless to a Radial BigShot ABY and split the signal, A to wet GSP1101 and B to Flextone III set on a dry Plexi semi-crunch tone for a WDW rig.

I basically just hit a chord on the GSP and bring the FTIII's level up to just fill in and fatten the tone. Anyone who says an affordable digital rig can't sound pretty freakin' huge live hasn't tried this. It sounds amazing and very easy to get consistently awesome tones night after night with typical non-boutique gear you can get at any retailer.

I have even MIDI'd the two together and switched the FTIII via the Control2, but I usually just set it and forget it.

PS: The Flextone III in only to fatten my on-stage tone and is not recorded or sent to the PA. The sounds on the videos are 100% GSP DI to the mixer.

...Hope that helps a little.
Cheers,
Jason