Is an Axe-FX worth it?

[biggness]

Well, look at everything it can do:

Amp - $500-$5000
Decent effects unit - $200-2000 (Eventide shit)
ISP style noise gate - $200 (or $400-500 for rack version)
Various recording/mastering tools (MBC, PEQ's, etc) - I don't even know, expensive I bet
Crazy routing capabilities that kicks the shit out of anything on the market - Priceless

Depends if you're looking for higher end stuff, or not. Personally I feel it's worth it as just an effects unit, which is what I use it for.

That being said, if you want to play live, if you don't plan on just going into the house PA (which could very well suck) you would have to either buy a powered monitor, or power amp and guitar cab. You also would need a MIDI controller. If you're going off to school you might not have the most cash available to drop on a $2k piece of gear, then spend the extra on a decent MIDI controller, etc.

Hey, you leave that boy alone...

 

[orb451]

Yeah JJ, what the fuck is up with you and the AxeFX???? Everytime a thread comes up about the AxeFX, you immediately tell the poor guy to go for it... sheeeshhhh!

And to the OP and everyone else on the fence asking, will the AxeFX make you a better guitar player? You're damned right it will, and it'll do the dishes for you, cure cancer AND balance your checkbook.

Not like those tube amps that'll fuck your sister, finger bang your mom and shit on your front lawn when you're not looking

Seriously though, get the Ultra OP, it's WELL worth the extra bit of money!

 

[leonardo7]

Lets put it this way. I used my axe fx ultra live for the first time last week and all my friends said it was the best tone Ive ever had. My Mesa Triple Rectifier and ENGL Fireball 100 get zero play time now.

 

[Demonsev7en]

Awesome! Thanks for all the responses guys !

Im pretty much dead set on one, i just have one last question!

If i run the Axe-FX into the return of my Bugeras fx loop, can i then use that as a power amp/cab setup?

 

[biggness]

Awesome! Thanks for all the responses guys !

Im pretty much dead set on one, i just have one last question!

If i run the Axe-FX into the return of my Bugeras fx loop, can i then use that as a power amp/cab setup?

Yeah, you can do that.

 

[Homebrew1709]

I too am now in the process of downsizing my gear inventory (VHT Pitbull is listing in the gear for sale section...sorry for the shameless plug) and looking at the Axe-FX. Got a question regarding recording - can the Axe go straight into your computer ala the Pod X3 Pro or does it need to run in to an interface first?

 

[Demonsev7en]

Yeah, you can do that.

Shweeeeeeeeeet!

Thanks dudes

And luckily the Mbox2 has midi in and out, so im pretty much set..

Bai bai all cash in october!

 

[Andromalia]

I'm an axe fx owner since something like a month or two, and yes it's worth it, and the more I use it the better it becomes.
I have used it at home and went to my first rehearsal with it today, paire with a 20:20 mesa power amp into the studio's Marshall 1960 cab. My bandmates went from ROFLCOPTER to WTF ??? in two chords.

I do have some difficulties making it sound *really* good with lineouts to the sound cards, but getting a good sound with a power amp and cab was pretty easy.

And when back home I just have to plug a jack and two midi cables and it's setup for home use again.

Yes it's expensive, no it's not more expensive than a single quality head, and you get world class effects to boot. Getting a mesa rectifier head+an assortment of pedals would actually be more expensive.

 

[Travmack199]

I just want to smash my fucking PD xt and suck dicks until I can afford an AXE FX... everyones usin that shit.

 

[Zehailiu]

Imma wait for the next gen Axe-Fx to come out, one that supports 4 parallel signal chains and 32 simultaneous effects, and has a genetic algorithm that generates awesome tones for you based on your tuning habits or analyze a mp3 you feed it to extract patches.

Oh and it emits pheramones that makes hot chicks wanna fuck you.

 

[Cheesebuiscut]

Imma wait for the next gen Axe-Fx to come out, one that supports 4 parallel signal chains and 32 simultaneous effects, and has a genetic algorithm that generates awesome tones for you based on your tuning habits or analyze a mp3 you feed it to extract patches.

Oh and it emits pheramones that makes hot chicks wanna fuck you.

Please... be reasonable...

The only upgrade they will slap on the axe-2.0 is a headphone jack.

 

[signalgrey]

my issue is the idea that you can "run out of space" as someone mentioned before. I love to use tons of pedals with my amp but with the axe-fx you can simply run out of processor space.

i totally see the value of it i just dont think i could fully buy into it as my only amp. but its got versatility up the wahzoo that for sure.

 

[Harry]

It's like that with ANY multi effects unit.

The real question is, with people like U2 and Dweezil Zappa using it, do you actually think you use more effects than those guys?

If you have a pedalboard that can do as much as the Axe FX, it must be retardedly huge, and impossible to navigate without a map

Me thinks Omar Rodriguez-Lopez probably uses more effects than those two guys combined, so yeah, it's quite possible one would run out of CPU power.

 

[Larrikin666]

Me thinks Omar Rodriguez-Lopez probably uses more effects than those two guys combined, so yeah, it's quite possible one would run out of CPU power.

I sincerely doubt that. Edge has one of the most ridiculous state effects rigs I've ever seen. I haven't seen Omar's since about 2005 though.

 

[Sepultorture]

Please... be reasonable...

The only upgrade they will slap on the axe-2.0 is a headphone jack.

that would be good, and hopefully a USB port, for atleast ease of hooking up to your computer for axe edit and updates, damn MIDI