Axe FX as Pre-amp for Bass

[the explode man]

(Sorry if this is in the wrong place, couldn't figure out whether I should put it in the Amps or Effects section)

Is anyone here using an Axe FX as a pre amp? I'm just curious about experience with this. If so, are you using anything in front, or are you using the Axe for all of your tone shaping?

A rig I'm very intrigued by is Nolly Getgood's from Periphery - a Darkglass B7K into the Axe.

Thoughts?

[jasonbraatz]

The benefit of the Axe is the quality of the models, the quantity of the models, and the ease of putting together scenes and patches. For a guitar player being able to switch between a perfect model of a Fender Twin and a Diezel VH4 with a multitude of effects is a big deal. My guitar player sold off 4 amps and 15 pedals after buying his AxeFX2, and is down to just that and a pair of Mackie monitors - and he's never sounded better.

However, there's only one bass model, the SVT (which Nolly uses with a modeled B7K in front.) It's a good model, but there's no point in spending $2000 on one model of an SVT when you can buy a real SVT for that much (or 5lb SVT7 for $500.) It seems like he uses the Axe because everyone in that band uses one, and that's kind of that band's "thing." (Also, dude's a reformed guitar player playing bass.) With IEM's and good stage monitors he doesn't need to have a real amp, but you probably do, and after spending $2000 on an Axe you'd still need power and speakers.

Get a head you like and throw a B3K in front of it.

[Darkglass]

Originally Posted by jasonbraatz

The benefit of the Axe is the quality of the models, the quantity of the models, and the ease of putting together scenes and patches. For a guitar player being able to switch between a perfect model of a Fender Twin and a Diezel VH4 with a multitude of effects is a big deal. My guitar player sold off 4 amps and 15 pedals after buying his AxeFX2, and is down to just that and a pair of Mackie monitors - and he's never sounded better.

However, there's only one bass model, the SVT (which Nolly uses with a modeled B7K in front.) It's a good model, but there's no point in spending $2000 on one model of an SVT when you can buy a real SVT for that much (or 5lb SVT7 for $500.) It seems like he uses the Axe because everyone in that band uses one, and that's kind of that band's "thing." (Also, dude's a reformed guitar player playing bass.) With IEM's and good stage monitors he doesn't need to have a real amp, but you probably do, and after spending $2000 on an Axe you'd still need power and speakers.

Get a head you like and throw a B3K in front of it.

+1 on that!

Nolly sounds awesome!
But I think with a B7K and a good sounding clean amp you can get there pretty easily. Or just a B3K if you have a nice and flexible enough EQ placed after.

Another key factor to Nolly's sound is his awesome technique (he hits that bass harder than Mike Tyson) and his good taste when tweaking.