Kemper doesn't work for Gn'R guitarists

  • Alex Skolnick shreds on LP type guitars with no problems. He is the first that comes to my mind. Others can shred a Les Paul too, like Al Di Meola, Neil Schon, Zakk Wylde, Randy Rhoads, John Sykes, Matt Heafy, John Norum, Rik Emmet, Doug Aldritch, Buckethead...

    So it is possible ^^

  • My fav shred on a Les Paul


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  • Nobody said anything about possible or impossible.


    I said something about fine nuances and details of certain reaction to pick attack and response of the notes.


    I love to shred on12strings too..it is possible.Actually I love the sound..;)

  • Alex Skolnick shreds on LP type guitars with no problems. He is the first that comes to my mind. Others can shred a Les Paul too, like Al Di Meola, Neil Schon, Zakk Wylde, Randy Rhoads, John Sykes, Matt Heafy, John Norum, Rik Emmet, Doug Aldritch, Buckethead...

    So it is possible ^^

    A les paul with active/highoutput PUs is not a les paul.At least not what I understand as "the les paul sound".


    Sykes uses a combination high output HBs(dirty fingers) and also a maple neck which gives a more direct attack.Zakk..well 81/85s..and so on.


    It is not that easy to shred on a vintage les paul.Thats what I said.You have to play very cautious to be accurate.And yes..Meola..is still unbelieveable in his accurate..even "percussive" playing on a vintage style Les Paul.Actually he was a real "full ability shredder" even in the early 70s.And he is still impressive.

  • Alex Skolnick shreds on LP type guitars with no problems. He is the first that comes to my mind. Others can shred a Les Paul too, like Al Di Meola, Neil Schon, Zakk Wylde, Randy Rhoads, John Sykes, Matt Heafy, John Norum, Rik Emmet, Doug Aldritch, Buckethead...

    So it is possible ^^

    Les Paul himself didn't seem to have any issues shredding on one either ?

  • Les Paul himself didn't seem to have any issues shredding on one either ?

    Tell me about it!! ^^
    He was the first Les Paul shredder, sweep picking arpeggios, trem picking, string skipping, piano syncing, ...he had it.


    Pickups that’s another story, that’s the sound you like. We see guys shredding with P90s PAFs single coils, etc.


    From 12” radius to flatter necks is easier to shred. We have strat guys doing it in 9.5 and 10”s,


    Shredding on vintage 7.25” strat neck, gets more difficult. But 50s/60s strat players like Hendrix, that’s what they all had,



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  • Slash is one of the greatest of all time. His solo on sweet child of mine is one of the greatest solos of all time. Timing, feel, note choice, flow, tone...everything. The same on Paradise City. He is a proven top-notch songwriter too. He is also one of the most unique and recognizable guitarists of all time. His tone, his touch and his way of blending pentatonic scales is one of a kind. The same with the attitude in his playing. Many have tried, very few can sound like him. He is also one of the main reasons gibson was reborn during the 80's. And of course, he is a rock icon.


    Having respect for other musicians is a characteristic of great musicians. Respect all musicians first, but especially the ones who have accomplished great achievements (and much much greater than you'll ever do)


    So many pages of nothing, just bashing Slash and GNR and 5-year old excuses like "he doesnt know how to tweak it", "he used bad profiles", "it took me 20 years to get a great tone from the Kemper, he didn't spend the time required with it" etc


    It's pretty ironic bashing him because he didn't like Kemper. C'mon guys, take a look first at what you 've achieved on your own in the music business, and then speak for someone else. He doesn't like the Kemper, probably as much as he doesn't like Mesas, Strats or Teles.


    It's that simple, get over it.

  • It's pretty ironic bashing him because he didn't like Kemper. C'mon guys, take a look first at what you 've achieved on your own in the music business, and then speak for someone else. He doesn't like the Kemper, probably as much as he doesn't like Mesas, Strats or Teles.


    It's that simple, get over it.

    I don't think I did or for sure didn't mean to to "bash" him about it (If he really even said he didn't I don't know) I just said the only thing I didn't like about him was that he (supposedly) dismissed a KPA. (because we all know it wasn't because they don't sound good but for other reasons he had) I'm not stressed about it, just talking about it, I don't really need to "get over" anything, it's just a discussion, I'm fine here!

  • (because we all know it wasn't because they don't sound good but for other reasons he had)

    The only thing we all know that this is an arbitrary conclusion. Mesas don't sound good? Strats? He just doesn't like it for his reasons. The whole conversation seems like some people here need to convince themselves, because someone with such great achievements didn't like their gear.

  • A cool harmonizer on his guitar. Great tracking!

  • Amazing. Did anyone notice the economy picking? He did everything first.

    Kemper PowerRack |Kemper Stage| Rivera 4x12 V30 cab | Yamaha DXR10 pair | UA Apollo Twin Duo | Adam A7X | Cubase DAW
    Fender Telecaster 62 re-issue chambered mahogany | Kramer! (1988 or so...) | Gibson Les Paul R7 | Fender Stratocaster HBS-1 Classic Relic Custom Shop | LTD EC-1000 Evertune | 1988 Desert Yellow JEM

  • Currenty using Top Jimi TJ-68SLead Low M profile + Celestion G12MHeritage Hi-Gn 421+57
    * PURE CABINET TURNED OFF { Make sure you turn Pure Cab off at the Output stage as well)
    Amp settings
    Gain 2.8
    Bass -2.5
    Mid +3.5
    Treb -1.8
    Pres +3.4

    Turned up full Classic rock ala Aerosmith
    Turn volume control down cleans up like a amp does
    If you need a bit more dirt turn up the gain up a bit or try the Top Jimi TJ-68SLead Medium M profile with the same Amp settings above

    The issue with the Kemper I find is it scoops everything. Which is fine for NU Metal players but not for classic rock or 80s rock and metal. You need mids for that kind of tone. it makes a huge difference in how your guitar sounds, feels and how your volume control responds.

    *
    Just want to add how Slash has no problems endorsing IK Multimedia Amplitude and even raves about writing songs with the phone app version, but some how between his tech and himself they can't make the Kemper work for them.
    I have a feeling that if Kemper was paying Slash a licensing fee for the use of his name Slash would miraculously be able to dial in and make *approved "Slash profiles" for Kemper ;)

    Edited 3 times, last by Nitocris ().


  • The issue with the Kemper I find is it scoops everything. Which is fine for NU Metal players but not for classic rock or 80s rock and metal. You need mids for that kind of tone. it makes a huge difference in how your guitar sounds, feels and how your volume control responds.

    Trust me, it's the profiles and cabs you're using. I have profiles that have the biggest sweetest mids. I have ones that can nail the tone on solos like "Sister Christian" or Skid row "I remember you". I Don't think there's an 80's rock or metal tone I couldn't get from the KPA. I've already managed to get all the ones that have always been the most difficult for me to duplicate with other amps. White lion, Dokken, Whitesnake, Dio, SRV etc etc It's all right there. If it's not, it's because of your profile not the KPA!

  • Trust me, it's the profiles and cabs you're using. I have profiles that have the biggest sweetest mids. I have ones that can nail the tone on solos like "Sister Christian" or Skid row "I remember you". I Don't think there's an 80's rock or metal tone I couldn't get from the KPA. I've already managed to get all the ones that have always been the most difficult for me to duplicate with other amps. White lion, Dokken, Whitesnake, Dio, SRV etc etc It's all right there. If it's not, it's because of your profile not the KPA!

    No idea what profiles your using but I have literally thousands from Michael Britt, Top Jimi, Tone Junkie, Bert Meulendijk and some others and its always the same issue
    I would love to know what profiles you are using?
    Right now with the set up listed up I love my tone, but it won't do EVH, Thrash or any kind of NU-Metal or Power metal. Those sounds are much more scooped

  • A cool harmonizer on his guitar. Great tracking!

    And a Loop Station On Board??!?? Why Not! The Poulverized

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  • https://youtu.be/hQNwHDTVEek


    This doesn't sound "scooped" to me, sounds pretty accurate.

    For me that is scooped. Eddies brown sound is a scooped sound thats why Eddie sounded on fire. As far as the Friedman BE100 I'm * not * a huge fan of that amp. I was 18 when VH 1 was released and yes can still clearly remember Ed shaking up the guitar world but his tone was very original and very different then what players like Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Ronnie Montrose, Thin Lizzy, Aerosmith. Pat Travers, AC/DC, Michael Schenker, Gary Moore, Scorpions, the list goes on and on
    The sound sample link you shared has no similarity to the OP reference to Slash. Slash's tone is not nearly as over driven as Eddie Van Halen's tone. Having said that I find Slash's sound a little scooped as well. It was bands like Slayer, Metallica and Thrash that started leading guitar players to scooped guitar sound. Pretty much Starting at the 90's to this day
    Slash is a player influenced and inspired by players from the 60's and 70's and his tone is a reflection of that. He is old school player who uses his volume control to manage his sound not a bunch of presets
    Different strokes for different folks. Some of us older players still use the volume knob on our guitar to go from overdriven to clean sounds. That's what Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, and yes Slash. It takes a certain amp and setting to achieve that. I love my Kemper but it is a tricky beast to get those classic tones. For many players now the sound is too clean for them

  • Right now with the set up listed up I love my tone, but it won't do EVH

    So here you are writing that the Kemper won't do EVH because the tone is too "scooped". Guessing you meant EVH is not "scooped" and mid heavy.

    Eddies brown sound is a scooped sound thats why Eddie sounded on fire.

    And then you are writing that Eddies brown sound is scooped and as such, it's on fire. I'm confused.


    Sometimes people perceive "scooped" in different ways. Sometimes thin and hollow, can come from whatever you are putting the Kemper into. I plugged mine into a $15.00 plastic micro amp once and it sounded real hollow and thin. With the right cabs and speaker cabinet, it's anything but mid starved, and mids in a kemper are perfect. Maybe I just got lucky and got a magic one.

  • With the right cabs and speaker cabinet, it's anything but mid starved, and mids in a kemper are perfect. Maybe I just got lucky and got a magic one.

    Na mate, properly-made Profiles are that accurate it's not funny. 8)


    If the mids you want are there in the amp->cab->mic setup, they'll be there in the resulting Profiles.