I have owned pretty much every modeler since Roland and Line6 in the ’90s. My daily driver is a Quad Cortex today. I have recently become a fan of Rob Chapman, “again” after a few years of not being one. I like the new him. This is from his YouTube channel.
Digital amp modellers have come a long way, so why can they still feel different from a valve amp in the room? Here are my brutal truths about guitar amp modelling, from cabinet impulse responses and microphone placement to latency, live rigs and finding a tone that works in a band.
I look back at early gear including the Roland GP-100, explain why I enjoy a digital preamp through a real guitar amp, and discuss the practical benefits of taking a modeller on tour. Plus, why thousands of presets can hold you back and why a great bedroom tone might not work at a gig.