Must have gear for those considering starting a re-amping service..

[guitarguru777]

Other then the typical:

Amp
Mic
Stand
Cab
Re-amp box

What do you guys feel is really important when it comes to re-amping. I am starting this thread based on a discussion I had with a friend today who says cause he own an Axe-FX and a Re-amp box hes ready to open a re-amping service for people.

Personally for me I think some of the main things needed are:
1. Multiple amps to choose from / mix / combine
2. Variety of cabs or a cab loaded with a variety of speakers
3. multiple mics, 57's, a 609, maybe a 421, 1/2 way decent condenser
4. Stomp Box varierty, DS-1, SD-1, TS(x)

Just something I was really thinking about today considering hes billing this as haveing 50 amps, cabs, mics, and bla bla bla cause the Axe does all this Digital Emulation. Frankly I am pretty fucking offended.

 

[digitaldeath]

Yeah, your mate's a dick. Multiple mics is paramount for me, the more options available, the better.

 

[TheDriller]

Aside from what you've listed I suppose you'd need bangin' converters and some nice pre's.
Oh, perhaps some cab/floor isolation if its not already being done.

And tell your mate I think he's a tool.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Definitely a nice pre or two and a quality converter. Myself, I'd appreciate if I could choose between a pristine, utterly clean preamp (Millennia etc.) and a 312.

 

[digitaldeath]

Obviously the more amps you have, the better. You can take your time to find the right tone for a particular project, same with cabs. But most bands would just be happy with amp x, cab y and plenty of mics to give the mixer as much flexability as possible.
Greg is probably the best person to answer as he has quite a collection.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I would say a really nice clean amp or 2
A really nice crunchy amp or 2
And a couple of nice high gain amps (when I say nice I mean they record well like krank, mesa, or peavey etc...)

A few mics: couple sm57s, a 421, possibly one R122 or 121 and one nice LDC.
A nice stereo preamp.
A couple cabs, one with T-75s and the other with vintage 30s
Of course a reamp box.


That to me is the min for being flexible enough to pretty much do any project. I'm not of the opinion that the converters have to be incredibly high end for this to work out.

 

[S-O]

I have an axe-fx, but I would never tell any friends, let alone potential clients, that I have the amps which it emulates. If he wants to try to be a reamp dood, who clearly states that he is using an axe-fx, then I don't see a 'problem', in the sense that there is no shady business. But, good luck making a living off just that! I suspect most people will not buy into it.

Other than the things you have mentioned, I have no experience in it, but I can think of things I would expect. Such as speed, I would want the reamps done very fast, but that comes down to how much shit one wishes to have reamped.

Which leads me to a question, how long does it take for you doods to do the deed? With any business, quality and speed are desired, but having both can be hard to come by.

 

[arv_foh]

A nice clean pre and a nice colored pre

 

[Ermz]

Good ears and a good concept of how tone fits into a mix. I've found this to be by far the most lacking element of many reamp services. Much more important than any gear considerations.

 

[Ola Englund]

something more important to add to the list:
1. An audio interface that supports more than one input/output.

 

[Harry Hughes]

Several stomp boxes for boosts is nice, but hardly essential I think.
As long as you've got a TS of some sort, I don't think it will matter so much.
Some amps match up better with either a TS or SD-1 as I've seemed to notice, so as long as it matches well with the amp, I seriously don't think a potential client will care what you use, as long as it sounds good.
If they walk away because you don't have a "Faggot McTeeth" modded stomp box, they are probably tosspots that should go elsewhere.

What Ermz said too really. Have an ear, have an understanding of it all, and have that proper feel for it. 90 per cent of it is in the ears, feel and knowledge at the end of the day.
A guy with just an Axe FX and a reamping box in all likelihood has fuck all idea what he's doing.
Good room too, didn't seem to be mentioned. I notice a big difference on how my amp sounds depending on which way it's pointing in the room, or where it's positioned in the room etc.
Don't reamp in your bloody bathroom haha. I don't have room treatment personally, but as I've heard from many clips on here, it seems to be another key feature that takes tones from good to fantastic.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I had with a friend today who says cause he own an Axe-FX and a Re-amp box hes ready to open a re-amping service for people.

Despite the FX sounding as good as it does, I would go ballistic if I was charged for Axe FX reamps (less I wanted them).

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Despite the FX sounding as good as it does, I would go ballistic if I was charged for Axe FX reamps (less I wanted them).

I kinda feel the same. After all, the Axe FX models real life amplifiers, so if I had the choice, why would I ever pay someone for reamping my tracks through a simulation if I can get the real thing?

Maybe I should start offering a PODFarm reamping service. I could use the words "the very same equipment used on Joey Sturgis' albums" as a bait and ask for $150 per song.

 

[xturbox]

i would add good cables to connect all units and to reduce noise.

 

[doomfred]

Well, I think that reamping service if for those who can't afford the real things and want the sounds from it. Getting it from an Axe-Fx ? mmm i only agree in the case I have to pay real cheap for it.

So, what is needed ?

imo
1. a good pair of ears
2. a reamp box
2. excellent sound card (with excellent converters)
3. several microphones, with an excellent preamp
4. several cabinets
5. several heads (if possible specialised in a kind of sound each...)
6. a bunch of good pedals (mostly ODs & Boosters)

If you propose a reamp service, you must be able to provide the widest variety of guitar sounds possible.

What are the key elements ?

I think that what most people overlook, is the cab / microphone couple. Changing, for instance, from V30 to greenback changes the sound dramatically, and also the microphone you use. Go compare a SM57(dynamic), a U87 (static) and a R121 (ribbon), they really shape the character of what is recorded. And that is before adding any preamp (Chandler, SSL, Neve...) which also adds its touch on the sound.

Of course, the grain is made on the guitar head. What i like about the real stuff, opposed to modelised stuff, is that amp heads are like guitars... supposed to sound the same, but they slightly change of sound from one to another, depending on the tubes you have in them, etc. Also what an Axe-Fx is unable to emulate, is the reaction of these heads to the pedals you put in the front, particularly bost or OD pedals... So if I was to run a reamp service, i'd carefully choose the heads i'd have and have them sound at their best, carefully choosing their components.

I myself solved the points 2 to 4 using the Two Notes Torpedo VB101, which is a convolution based guitar & bass take processor. it's about the price of a U87, but you get 32 cabs, 8 microphones and possibility to use your own convolution files built in it.

 

[guitarguru777]

So i Guess this begs to question, since you guys are talking about A/D converters, what do you recommend without having to spend $1,000+ on a preamp. What do you reccomend in the sub $1,000 genre for conversion. (trying to give him an idea cause hes Pro-Fire isnt gonna cut it )

 

[AdamWathan]

So i Guess this begs to question, since you guys are talking about A/D converters, what do you recommend without having to spend $1,000+ on a preamp. What do you reccomend in the sub $1,000 genre for conversion. (trying to give him an idea cause hes Pro-Fire isnt gonna cut it )

What is this, Gearslutz? I think it is more than feasible to get quality guitar tones with the conversion in a Profire... A half cm movement in mic placement is going to impact the tone about 500 times more than using a Lynx Aurora vs. the converters in a Focusrite Saffire Pro 40.

 

[guitarguru777]

What is this, Gearslutz? I think it is more than feasible to get quality guitar tones with the conversion in a Profire... A half cm movement in mic placement is going to impact the tone about 500 times more than using a Lynx Aurora vs. the converters in a Focusrite Saffire Pro 40.

I guess I should clarify that a bit more. Hes claiming his Axe-FX, Radial, and Profire, are going to give him as good of results as guys like Greg, and "Pro Quality" reamps that will rival the Pros.

So now I guess my comment is more relevant.

 

[ahjteam]

I guess I should clarify that a bit more. Hes claiming his Axe-FX, Radial, and Profire, are going to give him as good of results as guys like Greg, and "Pro Quality" reamps that will rival the Pros.

So now I guess my comment is more relevant.

Well, main difference is that Greg knows his shit.

 

[guitarguru777]

Oh I will definitely not disagree with you. Greg is the man when it comes to this shit!

I mean, yes I offer re-amp services through a small variety of amps that I own 5150, Bugera, and Krank. I have other amps I have access to as well. Mesa's, Marshalls, Vox, Fenders. But I don't dare call myself a pro re-amping service. My services are catered more toward the bands doing home production that want a 5150 or a Mesa on their track. My rates also reflect this.

I have a variety of mics, 57, 609, d6, SM7b and speakers V30, GT75, G1260, but I don't own any high end condensers, and my pre's aren't the best, in the biz, Saffire Pro 40. They are good for mid line but I wouldn't put them up against anything by Cranesong or (Insert other high end pre here)

I dont see myself or market myself in a way that would put me on "major label" or even "independent" label status.

My Buddy doing this just really rubs me the wrong way. Just another example of how "technology" makes people think there is a magic button or preset for everything.