Fractal FM3/FM9 - let's talk

[alex1fly]

Let's talk the Fractal FM3. I did a search and didn't find much discussion around practical use of the FM3. I suppose this discussion could extend to Fractal's other offerings, either way I'm certainly interested to hear folks' experiences using Fractal gear as replacement for traditional amps.

I'm using the FM3 to process both guitar and bass, which the runs into a multitrack looper and into a power amp/speaker situation or direct into a PA. My preferred bass amps are in the Ampeg world of tone. Don't really miss having a dedicated bass amp, because for my looper show I've been running my bass directly into the PA with surprisingly decent results. And the three years prior to Covid I was gigging with a band and mainly used a Sansamp to go direct to the board. Dedicated bass amp in jams is definitely more fun.

I'm getting pretty decent success with the effects on the FM3 - chorus, delay, reverb, octaver, envelope filter, wah, auto-wah all work well. Dialing in a base bass tone has been a little more elusive though.

Anyone using the FM3/FM9 regularly? Any tips to share, challenges you've faced, questions to ask, random info to contribute?

 

[alex1fly]

Tough crowd. Should this have been posted in a different sub forum? It's an amp modeler so I figured this was the place to go, but maybe not.

 

[mam1862]

You might want to consider posting it in the effects forum.

 

[Dave W]

Unfortunately, there aren’t that many Fractal users here.

 

[Scott Bland]

Old thread but I gig with an fm3 every week with a variety band. Easy load in and out and foh gets a perfect mix.

 

[synterx]

Getting one tomorrow. Would to know how it’s going with the fm3 4 months later. I was going to try building a patch and if needed buy a patch collection by someone, I forget that has 200 or more bass only patches ready to go.

 

[Scott Bland]

I actually went to using a Trickfish trilobite live and the fm3 at home. The fm3 has some incredible sounds in it. The one I wound up using was free from somewhere. I think it was called bassone. The fellow went through building it and so forth. I tweaked it a bit for my tastes and it was a perfect foundation sound to add anything extra like overdrive or compression or ambient stuff.

 

[BrazosBass]

I have an FM3. Want to try it with my bass (used it mostly for guitar so far).

1) Do you know of a suitable EQ or PEQ to use with it for my bass tones?

2) Also, I have an acoustic bass using K&K twin pickups….needs a preamp. I assume the FM3 will work as well for that as a separate preamp?

 

[JCW308]

Reviving an old thread. I'm using an FM3 Turbo for acoustic, bass and electric. Works perfectly for all three, direct to FOH.