Finally a fellow Kemparian

  • Hi guys,


    I finally pulled the trigger on a used Kemper (+ remote) today and expect it to arrive by end of this week.


    I'm in my thirties and after having stopped playing for about 10 years (job, marriage and kid made sure I was busy), I recently got back into playing. I plugged in my old Mesa mark iv with a 4*12 but that definitely was not a viable solution for anyone (my wife, my son and my hearing). I was looking for the best digital solution available and in the end, I decided on the Kemper. I also considered the Headrush and the Helix, but some testing definitely convinced me. The feeling was just right with the green machine.


    I have to say that I have been reading your posts for quite some months now. The fact that this community is very active and that people are so helpful certainly gave me confidence when I decided to go Kemper.


    My first question to you guys : as I'm buying a used Kemper, I was wondering if there were any particular elements I need to take a look on? I mean, do I need to test anything in particular (connectors, inputs, outputs, ...) ?


    For now, I'm just happy to share my joy and looking forward to future exchanges!


    Cheers

  • Welcome to the forum! I don't think there's anything particular to "check" on a used KPA. You should, however, register it (which gives you access to the full forum), download and set up Rig Manager, and make sure your KPA is at the latest release level. Since you're playing at home, you probably want to use the latest beta release with spring reverb. Have fun!

    Go for it now. The future is promised to no one. - Wayne Dyer

  • I would check all the input and out put connections just to make sure there is nothing physically damaged but other than that ypu should be good to go straight away. It is possible to reset everything to factory settings but not necessary in most cases.


    As for the remote just make sure all the footswitches are working and the screen isnt damaged.


    I totally get where you’re coming from about the Mesa rig noth being viable. I have always been a mesa player but as I get older (50 this year) ligging them about isn’t mich fun, they are way too loud for most stages (I’m ised to having them mided anyway), cabinets are too directional which can make hearing on stage less than ideal, my own hearing has taken a battering over the years but the bigges t problem is that they are unusable at home. Most of my Boogies have master volume knobs that go - nothing, nothing, nothing, SHIT there go the windows ! =O I had to use attenuators to play in the house.


    My wife has hearing so sensitive that she can hear me playing unplugged from the other end of the house so I REALLY NEED something that works and sounds killer at any level. Nearly a year into my Kemper journey and I haven’t looked back. It was definitely the right choice for me. To be fair I also think Axe Fx, Helix and Headrush are fantastic tools but the Kemper just felt like a better solution for my personal needs and tastes.


    I am sure you will love yours when it arrives. Have fun :)

  • i already made a factory reset after only a few days because with all the knob turning i messed it up. The factory settings are already very usefull and i learned to tweak very gently. Make an export if some rigs are already with the device. Good luck and have fun :)

    once a purist, then analog pragmatic and finally a digital believer who found out that you can't hear a mosquito fart in a band-context.

  • Most of my Boogies have master volume knobs that go - nothing, nothing, nothing, SHIT there go the windows ! =O I had to use attenuators to play in the house.

    I didn't even try attenuators, but felt exactly the same as you with the master volume 8o It's just sooooo loud, even when I was using tweed power, triode mode and class a. The mark iv is also a quite hard to dial in, especially because I switch quite often between my strat and my les paul. I guess that I'll sell the mark iv now, or maybe I'll hang on to it. Might be able to sell it at better value in a decade or two ;)


    Thanks for the input

  • Thanks for your input guys!


    I'll also check the profiles on the Kemper. Dude told me he had like a bunch of MBritt and TAF profiles on there.

    Make an export if some rigs are already with the device. Good luck and have fun :)

    Good idea! I'll export all the profiles and do the factory reset to make sure to have a clean base to work on.

    Welcome, mate. ;)

    Oh Monkey_Man, it kinda feels weird to have you answering my post as I have been reading so many topics in which you commented. You have to be one of the main contributors in this forum.