Greetings, new KPA user from Sweden here!

  • Hi everyone,


    Let me take this moment to introduce myself, my musical and technical background.


    My name is Janne, I've been playing guitar (+ some bass and keyboard) for about 35 years now. 8|


    I've been lurking on this forum since the summer of 2012 and now I pulled the trigger and got a White KPA two weeks ago.


    A bit of my gear history, back in 79-80 i got myself a Korg MS-10 (and Rhodes 54), and then shortly one more MS-20.
    This was my first foray into the world of synthesizers.
    And as soon as it was available, the Rhodes were 'replaced' with a Korg Delta.


    We were 2 guitar players in the band and we thought that me, having some background on the keyboard, could enhance the sound by adding some keyboard parts here and there.
    That band dissolved around 81 and I did a reality check and found that guitarists were dime of dozen, so I sold everything I had and bought me the new Korg Polysix! Those of You that don't remember, this was really the first polyphonic (6 voices though) synth with memories that You actually could afford!
    The closest thing to the elusive Prophet-5...


    Now I came to the conclusion: In a few years we will have digital controlled guitar amps with memories, this is an amazing opportunity!


    I started playing in a band adding a Pro-One to my setup and soon replacing the Polysix with what was one of the first Yamaha DX7 in Sweden!
    I started exploring this new Midi tech, had a friend built me a midiinterface for my then, state of the art home computer, the Sinclair Spectrum, not yet available in Sweden, but mail-ordered from England.
    Now armed with cutting edge tech, I wrote a 'GUI' patch editor/librarian for the DX7, later realizing it might have been one of the first implementations of something like that. Remember this were the time before the PC/Mac revolution, and You basically could not buy programs (not music related anyway) for Your home computer, there were no market yet.
    And no computers even have midi-interfaces as options...


    Well, no more talk about computers 'n stuff. I'll finish of that branch by saying I work as a Senior System Architect in IT, worked professionally in IT since '84...
    I would say that the investment in the Spectrum have payed of. :thumbup:


    Around '86 I played keyboard in a band, when one of the two guitarists left and I saw an opportunity to return to the guitar! 8o
    When that band dissolved I was fully back as a guitar player and in the next band I was the sole axeman and since then always left the keyboards to guys that really can play them, not just tinker with the tech... ;)


    As You can see from my background, I would not settle for an amp and a few pedals... Being in bands playing covers, I was always faced with being able to fast switch between a variety of different sounds.
    I started with a Folkesson (Swedish amp guru) modded MusicMan amp, and a Zoom 9030 + midi switcher, but I still had some tap-dancing to do with switching amp-channels with the correct Zoom patches. Midi controlled channel switchers were too expensive for me to even think about.
    Then I went all in, the age of the rack! The big guys had been doing it for years but now it started to become within reach for the hobby/semi-pro market.


    I started with this fairly simple rig: A Rocktron Pro-GAP programable preamp, the Zoom 9030 in the loop, into a 2x60W Peavy Classic tube power amp, 2 Marshall 4x12, controlled by an Art X15 foot-controller.
    This rig were updated over the next years:
    First the Zoom were replaced with a Rocktron Replifex, much better sound and the amazing HUSH noise gate.
    The Pro-GAP were replaced with the Marshall JMP-1 when it came out. (I still do have fond memories of the Pro-GAP, under-appreciated one)
    The huge X15 were replaced with the ADA MPC switcher (that I still use... I haven't found anything like it yet...)
    I stayed with this rig for many, many years...


    Parallel to this, I had my eyes on the emerging 'modeling' market and got me a Yamaha DG-80 when they were released, still have it, and I still like it. (the motorized controls are sooooo sexy!) (to Mats Nermark: your review in Fuzz of the DG series were partly responsible... :thumbup: )
    When I started 'building' my home studio/recording set up, I got me a Line6 PodXT, and I have since then been on the lookout for anything that would help me record my guitar well. I think I've tried almost every software modeler that is/have been available.


    In 2007, I started to get bored dragging around my big rig, and I had tried to use the DG-80 on smaller gigs, but never been satisfied with it on stage with a loud rock band.
    Then Hughes & Kettner released the Switchblade series and I thought, this was what I did envisioned back in 82!
    At first I was inclined to replace my BigRig with just the Switchblade 2x12 combo, but came to my senses and got the 100W half-stack, thinking I could always have a 2x12 cabinet later on for smaller gigs.
    I'm not really depending much on effects, so my first idea were to stick with the built in FX's in the Switchblade, but I missed a programable noise gate, and the lack of control of the built in mod FX on the switchblade, rendered them unusable (IMHO). So I added a TC G-major mk I, and controlling it all with my trusty ADA MPC, and this has been my BigRig since then. 8)


    I also have since this summer gotten me a 'medium-rig'. I found by accident, a good price here in Sweden on a brand new Line6 SpiderValve MKII 2x12. And I had another band were I'd been trying for a long time to get by, by using the PodXT into the PA, with for me, no satisfying results...
    So I got the SVmkII with a Shortboard, and It's actually a quite nice rig.
    And I have to admit that I already had the KPA in my sights at that time, so I also recognized the SV/Shortbord as a live platform for the KPA. I will report back when I have tried it out!


    And now the KPA is my new baby, so far it has been a real trip to be able to crank it through my studio speakers and have the feeling and nuances from a high class guitar amp coming back to me...
    I still can't really believe it! :thumbup:
    For other new users, it's a deep product, take your time. If You expect a plug and play, instant gratification, You will not see the real power of the KPA.
    Small adjustments (and big if You like) are often necessary, because if You think about it, the rigs You are playing are made by people that have other guitars, monitoring systems, technique and taste than You.
    So far the KPA will profile their amp (+mic/preamp) for You, the rest are not available for profiling... yet... :P


    To Kemper I'd like to say that I'm impressed with the KPA and all the thing I see coming from thinking 'outside the box'.
    Things like being able to Lock parts of the Rig, to save parts of the settings, the flexible outputs, and more...
    But still keeping it one of the most user friendly devices I've used.


    Now this became long, and if You're still reading it, I also want to give this forum that You are part of, and the helpful atmosphere here a big :thumbup: !


    Sincerely,
    Janne


    Some of my music: Jannes Soundcloud

    Edited once, last by Janne ().