NADS: Taking the Modeling Amp Plunge

[Trussrod]

I picked up two modeling amps last week. One is a Line 6 Spyder III and the other is a Vypyr 60 watt tube amp. The Spider III was in "like new" condition and came with the box and manual. It sounds good for an amp this size, but doesn't have a noise gate and the "clean" tone sounds like a chorus is in the signal path. I can get a lot of low end punch, but the highs are brittle and a bit shrill.

The Peavey Vypyr 60 watt tube amp sounds incredible. The different modeling amp tones offer a lot of variety--everything from a simulated Fender Twin for cleans to an overdriven 6505 and dual rectifier. This amp has a noise gate, but there's no way to adjust it. Seems like a serious oversight to me. As far as I'm concerned an adjustable noise gate is an important effect. The other issue is if you care about effects you have to buy a separate pedal (Sanpera II) to access a bank of 400 presets. The amp only comes with 12 presets. I have a Cry Baby 535Q (awesome pedal) and Whammy pedal so I can live without this $200 pedal board. I have the Sanpera I and so far I've only used it as a volume pedal.

I've played the 6505 and Mesa DR settings for the most part with a little delay. The tone is incredible--I can nail pinch harmonics almost anywhere on the neck and tap harmonics are loud and articulate. You don't even need to create patches for VH, Pantera, etc. The tone is already there.

Unlike the solid state 75 watt Vypyr--which I owned for about a week last year--this tube version is a joy to play. I feel a bit spoiled by this amp--it's so easy to get great tone.

[Newc]

Look out for an ART X-15 Ultrafoot. I picked one up stupid-cheap last year (under $100) because they thought the pedals were broken - turned out the little film strips for the optical sensors had slipped out of their tracks. 5 seconds after I found it, it was working like new. I use it with my Digitech 1101 as a Continuous Controller, so the assignments are different from what the Digitech pedal would be, but as long as the Vypyr allows you to set CCs, it oughta work just fine.

[Trussrod]

I've read about people using different controllers for these amps. Some folks even use an attenuator on the tube versions. I don't need much by way of effects, but they are nice to have just in case.

[Newc]

I had a POD XT Live a couple of years ago and found the fx pedal Models to be limited. The 1101 actually has useable models you can tweak, but still only the original controls found on those pedals.

I'm assuming the amp is the same way.

[danolikestoscoot]

good to hear you like the vypryr tube, i only hear good things about that amp... never anything bad!

[Kage]

Look out for an ART X-15 Ultrafoot. I picked one up stupid-cheap last year (under $100) because they thought the pedals were broken - turned out the little film strips for the optical sensors had slipped out of their tracks. 5 seconds after I found it, it was working like new. I use it with my Digitech 1101 as a Continuous Controller, so the assignments are different from what the Digitech pedal would be, but as long as the Vypyr allows you to set CCs, it oughta work just fine.

Hey Newc, I recently got one of these but I don't have the power supply with it. I have a universal but I don't know the voltage/polarity specs. Do you know what they are? If I can find some power for it I'm thinking of trying it out with my V-Amp and see if they work together.