Do modeling amp heads exist?

[MtManiac]

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Seems to be pretty common.

 

[MtManiac]

Good grief, your approach sounds like a massive PITA.

A FRFR cab, a power amp, a modeller and a couple of dozen presets to cover just about any song I think I've ever played, using bass, guitar or baritone.

Of all the other ways to do it, that’s certainly one of them. To each their own. The way I’m doing it is the way millions of guitar and bass players have done it for decades, and it gives me what I need. I’m not saying it’s for everyone, but there are reasons why people obsess over choosing between two OD pedals, three of four different fuzz pedals, different amp heads, or different cab configs. Differences you can’t coax out of a patch.

Besides, I interface with computers all day and all week long and in my job do nothing but talk to people about their software and other tech. It’s exhausting. When I’m playing, I really need to get out of virtual space and touch things.

 

[Snert]

Differences you can’t coax out of a patch.

And no one will ever hear the difference between in the audience.

When I’m playing, I really need to get out of virtual space and touch things.

I'd rather just play, so I hit the preset number next to the song name in the set list, and it's set up instantly exactly the same as it was in rehearsal. Add a MIDI controller and you're doing the same as many really big name bands do live.

 

[MtManiac]

And no one will ever hear the difference between in the audience.

I'd rather just play, so I hit the preset number next to the song name in the set list, and it's set up instantly exactly the same as it was in rehearsal. Add a MIDI controller and you're doing the same as many really big name bands do live.

Ok, like I said - you do you, and enjoy. Me too.

For me, setting up those presets has been a PITA. I strongly dislike doing it. Good for you if it brings you some kind of pleasure.

Whether audiences can hear a difference in a live situation is debatable, but also besides the point - I can hear a difference, and it’s my job to care about those differences. Otherwise, hell I could just buy any old POS for gear, who cares.

I’m not clear what you think is being debated here. I gave an opinion to OP, and actually encouraged them to check the Effects forum for threads about Line6, Neural, and Zoom. I literally said “You’re looking for a modeling pedal, in which case you should read the Effects forum here on Talkbass for threads about Line 6, Neural, Zoom, etc”. For some reason you think what I choose to do is a bigger PITA than what you choose to do, but it’s also pretty debatable how much effort you’re saving, since you’ve gotta go through and set up all those presets in the first place, get the effects in the right order, adjust the virtual knobs, and then try it out at rehearsal to see how it stands up in a mix. For me, that’s literally hours and hours and hours of invested time in front of yet another blue light virtual interface that I’d rather spend playing my bass or doing pretty much anything else - watching paint dry, or experimenting with removing my fingernails. I’ve tried it. Multiple times. I’m done. If I don’t like my fuzz in the rehearsal mix, I can literally step on it to turn it off, adjust a knob, or between songs swap it out if I want. That’s a lot easier for me, and that it’s easier for me is a fact you can’t argue with. Again, you do you, and may god or whomever bless you on your journey.