Posts by ElDoca

  • [Help] Confused AF: Powered vs Passive (Beginner Rig Setup)

    If you already have a cab that you like, the powered Kemper would be a good fit for you. Don't know why the rep would say it degrades the sound quality. Some here say the power output of the internal amp is nowhere near what the specifications claims to be. But, if you're not gigging, that won't be an issue for you. Only reason I didn't get the powered version is my beloved M/B 4x12 Halfback is 4 ohms which the Kemper doesn't do. As stated above, a pair of studio monitors would fill out your rig nicely. The other option is to buy the non-powered version and buy an ISP Stealth or similar power amp which, together, would still be cheaper than the powered KPA

  • Help for New FRFR User

    If you've been playing through a ported cab and closed ear headphones, I'm going to guess you've been dialing out a lot of bass or have been choosing profiles that don't have much low end to them. Try this...don't use any of your previous profiles, go through the free rig packs and start fresh. The other option is, try using a Port City cab IR and see if you can replicate your earlier tones. Lastly, you just might not be used to FRFR yet. You like the attack of a real cab and the thump it puts in your chest and the feedback it generates when you play. Well, you're not going to get that with FRFR, it's like you're listening to the hi-fi playback in a recording studio. If you've been playing guitar for a long time, it takes a while to get used to. I go back and forth between my Atomic CLR and my Mesa/Boogie Halfback cab, I don't plan on selling either because they both have their uses.

  • The most compact rig setup

    If I was still gigging, I'd get a powered lunchbox and a Matrix Neolight. I'd probably buy both the 1x12 and 2x12 and use the one that's most appropriate for the venue. Cab feel on stage, cab sim to FOH if available.

  • Tonewoods are going extinct. So now what?

    Necessity is the mother of invention and when the cost of tonewoods is greater than the cost of composite or cellulose replacements, you'll see a lot more companies research and develop alternatives to wood. Guitars would certainly be a LOT more consistent if they are able to mimic the particular characteristics of each wood species. You can also make a one-piece guitar with no joints.


    I owned a couple Vibracell guitars over the years. They weren't spectacular but they were certainly better than most poplar or paulownia guitars that I've played. I also didn't experiment with pickups like I usually do so, for all I know, they could have sounded a lot better. The problem I had with those particular instruments I owned were the fretboards. They had something that was supposed to look, sound and feel like ebony but it was nowhere close to it. And, of course, everyone knows about Steinberger

  • Anyone tried the QSC K12.2 series yet?

    Quote from DML

    I'm curious, you say the DXR colors a bit. What is your benchmark according to the most "flat sound" you're hearing. Is it your headphones? In that case it's a wake up call, you'll never find a speaker that sounds like your headphones. Never ever.

    The DXR if far from the best sounding monitor on the planet. The dude is simply asking if he spent a bit more money, would he get a better speaker. The answer is, yes. But, the new QSC is likely only a small improvement over the DXR so I wouldn't bother. If you want to see a significant improvement, expect to pay double what you payed for the DXR. Of course, it's not going to be double the quality...but noticeably better. I like the CLR, lots here like the CLR...but, some don't think it's worth the extra money

  • New Strat..

    Any thought about building your own? Warmoth ships internationally. For less than $1000, you can get the same quality (or better) as any Custom Shop offering.

  • New Kemper Owner- Not too impressed, useable

    Quote from Bommel

    i just wanted to show that it is a important feature and it would improve the kemper a lot if there would be a poweramp volume knob and maybe some selection of tubes (6l6, el34...) within the kempers amp section

    I think there seems to be a major misunderstanding lately among new buyers here of what the Kemper is trying to be. It's not an amp simulator. If that's what you want, get the Fractal or Helix. They are fantastic at what they do, they try to model the characteristics of an amp with every turn of the knob and offer multi-amp, multi cab options and cascading gain stages, etc. Think of the Kemper as merely a snapshot of an amp rig in which you can make some tonal adjustments. No one claims the Kemper's gain knob will exactly replicate what the gain knob does on a real amp. But it's there, along with other settings to get your tone dialed in if needed. True, there could be some features added that could make it more like the competition but I disagree that your suggestion it's an important feature. Because, you can already profile any multitude of amps at any setting with any powertube. I would prefer if Kemper kept going on their current path and perfecting their "snapshot" profiling process than trying to copy what another company is doing. Having choices and different approaches to amp modelling/simulating/profiling is a good thing

  • Atomic CLR not sounding great, hoping for a great PA alternative

    Not everyone likes the CLRs, but dialing in your tone with closed-ear, sound isolating headphones isn't really fair to the CLRs or any other FRFR setup. You already have them, get the tone you like through the CLRs and try those profiles through church FOH. If you like it, buy some open ear headphones for your trinity of orgasmic sound. Would be a lot cheaper than trial and error with a bunch of different powered speakers that may or may not replicate what you want.


    If you can't get the CLRs to work, try the Yamaha DXR-10. I found the Yamaha to be boomy, almost what a closed-ear headphone would sound like, so maybe that's your solution. Many people here prefer it to the CLR

  • New Kemper Owner- Not too impressed, useable

    The best part of the Kemper is you can capture your favorite combination of drive pedals and amps and thus you get YOUR sound. Yes, there is nothing that sounds as good as a real tube amp cranked up in front of you, I don't think any guitarist will argue that. But, the fact is, 99.999% of your audience (live or recorded) is not going to hear the difference. If you were paying for studio time and had to choose a session player, would you pick the one that comes in and spends hours setting up cabs and mics. Or, would you pick the player that comes in, flips the power button and just plays?

  • Big Hairy Profiles - Rack Preamps Profiles

    Quote from BigHairyProfiles

    I'm not sure there's a big need for the mods... here's my reasoning.
    • The profiling process already shifts some of the subtleties of each amp. It just does. Occasionally, you'll luck out and it's 99.99% identical. But most of the time, between KPA profiling and the refining process, there's some shifting going on.


    • I ALWAYS use and profile the ADA with an external EQ in there chain. For the V1 profiles there was a TON of EQ (2 eq's between the pre and power amp, 2 EQ's after the microphone). It was absolutely needed to get close to the classic record ADA tones. For the V2, I still used a Furman EQP3 after the preamp. Otherwise the ADA sounds a little midrangey and lifeless. Everyone I can think of that ever used an ADA either went into an EQ or a BBE. The MP-1 just comes alive with a little more EQ shaping. SO, I'm kinda already modding the original tone.


    • ALSO, many of the mods reduce noise, the Kemper already takes all of the noise out.

    The MP-1 was my main rig for almost 30 years before I bought the Kemper. And...yup...always used it with an external EQ. But, the mods weren't EQ shaping, they changed the gain structure. True, some of them wouldn't be very sought after since they were just trying to mimic Marshalls, Soldanos, etc. But, the 3TM was an entirely different monster and totally unique. Just a recommendation in case you run out of rack amps to profile, they come up occasionally on eBay and Reverb for about $300. I've purchased every commercial MP-1 profile pack available and it's plainly obvious you're the only one that truly knows the MP-1

  • Kemper power rack weak at practice

    Quote from Robrecht

    Give the Pure Cab feature a try, in the output settings. It can make your sound a little beefier, less "studio" and more in your face. If you're looking for a razor sharp modern djent sound, you may not like it, but for a more natural tone it's great.

    I would hope he is running with cab sims off. If not, could be his problem right there


    Try running the Kemper (line out, not amp out) through the effects loop in on one of your tube amps and see if that helps. Or, if you have a PA amp available try that instead of the internal Kemper amp.

  • Pickup Recomendation for Les Paul Studio

    Quote from Dean_R

    These Wilkinson humbuckers are my all time favorite and among the pickups I'm comparing them with are Dimarzio 36 anniversary PAF, Distortion, and SD JBs and various other Seymour Duncan and Dimarziio pickups . Once I discovered them I put them on many of the guitars I have and they consistently sound terrific. I have tried all kinds of Pickups and currently have too many to list including Kimans also.
    For Humbuckers, specifically in a less paul these wilkinon (less than 50 dollars for a set) sound magical to my ears. By magical I mean they have the bite (nice highs). growl (mids) and heavy bottom and I honestly don't care what type of magnet they have, even though I believe the magnets are alnico 5


    http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Wi…a10505:g:3fUAAOxyHltSST8I

    The only problem with the type of companies that outsource their lower-end products is the quality can be different from year to year. They usually contract for a price point instead of specifications. They could be using Alnico magnets one year, but if market fluctuations cause higher raw material prices, they'll switch to ceramic to get the price back down to the contract price. Or, they just use whatever they had leftover from their previous manufacturing run. More than once, I've pulled Epiphone branded pickups on non-Epiphone guitars. I wouldn't buy a pickup without knowing what kind of magnet is used and the output...or, had a very liberal return policy

  • Pickup Recomendation for Les Paul Studio

    Yeah, I think we all have a story like that. I bought an early PRS back before they went to mass production. Sounded great and turned out to be the guitar I always reached for but it was a plain top and boring burst. Later I saw the ones with fancy "10 tops" and stunnings colors and traded it in for one. Worst gear mistake I ever made. Not that the new guitar sounded bad, just the plain one had something special to it.

  • Pickup Recomendation for Les Paul Studio

    Quote from deadpan

    Any particular reason you wouldn't go for boutique with a studio?
    Now looking at the darkburst.

    Just associating an LP Studio with someone that is working within a budget. But yeah, if you've got a guitar you love, no reason not to go with an equally loveable pickup. Think of the Darkburst like a JB or vintage EVH sound but with a lot more string definition. Godwood is my favorite, fat fat fat tone, more modern sounding. I don't know what his secret sauce is, but he's able to get a well potted pickup to sound like it hasn't been potted at all. That gets you harmonics galore, you'll find yourself picking with just your fingers and you'll look down and say "hey, how long have I been playing without a pick?"

  • Pickup Recomendation for Les Paul Studio

    For an LP Studio I wouldn't go overboard with the boutique stuff. I'd be looking for a used Duncan set, most people like the JB/Jazz combo. But, I like the '59 set when on a budget. On the high end, I'm a loyal WCR guy...best pickups I've ever played without the hype or need for wacky names or fancy packaging. Once you go scatterwound, it's hard to go back. Crossroads set in my profile pic.

  • Kemper - Newest model?

    I just got a new replacement unit straight from Kemper USA. Has "rig volume" but still a black chicken head switch. Also has more indicator lines around all the knobs.