Frank Gambale is a huge digital fan. He uses a DV Mark Multiamp FG onstage and here he explains us why he prefers it to classic tube amps. Read the article here (IT): www.accordo.it...
Loved this,, from a real professional and not a keyboard warrior! I agree, the best amp I ever had was a Quilter Mach Pro 200...amazing and I have always used tubes, but that changed me forever! Well done Frank, don't be scared of technology and the psychology of tubes...! Yes tubes are great but one day, due to environmental issues, tubes may be getting less and less!
I haven't used any recent solid state amps but it seems like the technology is getting better all the time. It doesn't matter whether you use tubes or solid state. If you like it and it sounds good, that's all that matters. People are getting great sounds out of Kemper, Fractal, etc. as well as stuff like Quilter, and none of those use tubes at all. There's nothing wrong with that.
I wish there was more people who did not prefer one over the other when it comes to digital and analog sound like I don't haha. The damn digital vs analog thing is just as bad as the Xbox (any version) vs Playstation (any version) thing.
@@SpartanLaserCanon not really. If you like fighting games, playstation smokes Xbox. Many great fighters are not available on Xbox. Only thing Xbox has over PS is Killer Instinct. So, bad analogy, dude.
Wolf Hoffman of Accept uses Kemper,which is a similar system to DV Mark and he said in an interview,pretty much the same thing.When he records in a studio,he's using his old Marshall Plexis and various custom shop amps,but when he's touring with Accept,he's using a Kemper,because it's more practical(easier to transport,less maintenance etc.) and does the job.He said:''9 from 10 people can't tell a difference,incl. musicians and even myself.'' In couple of years from now,all these amp simulator systems will become not only better sounding but also more compact and cheap.
I have a Solid State Lab Series L7 amp. It has worked flawlessly since the mid 80's and I still use it today. Great clean tone and plenty of sustain for the distorted tones.
my brother plugs his RG Prestige through software and the sound is super sparkling chimes. He can emulate mild tubes, raging tubes, feedback for days. Realistic guitar blended with synths. It's gonna be incredible technology for guitarists in the next 20 years. However, I remember plugging a Baby Marshall through an old 1967 Gibson tube amp (I should've been whipped for that). We would practice at the park, and palm muted chugging on a Fender Strat with Floyd Rose and Pearly Gates would rattle the rivets on the pavilion. It was percussive, you could feel the thumping.
I don't know if the "dial up telephone" is a great analogy. I've played solid state amps all my life, and recently bought my first tube amp. It's a mesa boogie rectoverb 25, and that thing sounds so damn good clean, or distorted. It's not even a close comparison. I've had some of the best solid state offerings from Line 6, Marshall, Vox, etc. None of them compare to the beautiful, warm, round notes that emit from my little rectoverb. It's like night and day.
The reason why tube amps are so popular is because of the way they naturally distort, which solid state amps can't do because of the way they shape the sound wave. Frank, who plays mainly jazz type stuff, as well as a lot of other jazz players, don't really need a lot of distortion, so it's not as much of an issue whether they use tubes or solid state. Look at it from a hi fi perspective, the best amplifiers are the ones that only amplify what the recording session produces, if an amp adds any sort of coloring, such as extra bass or treble or 'warmth', it is not regarded seriously by hi end enthusiasts. In the hi fi world, there is both tube and solid state amps that are fantastic at presenting the unadulterated signal, so it shouldn't matter either way for guitar amps, unless you want that natural distortion, which, of course, is very desirable. So, that's why most rock/pop/blues/heavy metal bands prefer tubes. They WANT to color the sound.
I've used old '60s and 70's mosfet and solid state amps for many years now, if they are correctly made with quality parts, you can easily do without tubes, they are cleaner but very tube-like warm too. Tubes are the past, better we understand it. You probably won't believe it but I'm playing 70's classics from Joe Walsh, Pink Floyd and Santana's with them, with absolutely no lack of punch, warmth and tubes compression: you just need to choose the right ones and I found mine in old Italian mosfet amps from the 70s. And, yes, I have vintage tube amps too to compare them with.
Hehe This is so funny. I am a person who does not prefer one or the other when it comes to digital or analog sounding stuff. I just like what sound equipment I like. I play guitar and I play Flamenco (bright sounding guitar), and Jazz (most of the time warmer unless you are using tone similar to Pat Metheny's tone) hahah.
A very smart man. I agree. I also think for bop oriented playing the response time is much more immediate than tubes. I'd never want to play a tube amp for playing bop.
I remember purchasing a Pod X2 live decades ago. The thing sounded awful. The presets sounded like circus sounds. Nothing sounded good. The amplifier emulation inside the unit was really disappointing. Before this, I used tubes exclusively. I was just about to send it back with a list of complaints. Then I plugged the Pod into the P.A. using the stereo outputs instead of the single mono output and I was totally blown away. It sounded totally different. It sounded like I was playing through a real guitar amp. As I considered why it made such a huge difference I started to conduct experiments. I arrived at two conclusions. First I was using a mono output and I needed to use it as a stereo unit. Second, by plugging into a guitar amp I was limiting the modeling capabilities. The sound of the guitar amp was conflicting with the amp modeler. It was like plugging into two very different amps at the same time. I plugged the Pod into a keyboard amp going stereo and it still sounded good. Not as good as the P.A. but pretty good. I realized that multi-effects pedals like the Line 6 Pod units and Boss GT-100 sound the best when they are plugged directly into a P.A. system. The same thing holds true with Roland's GR-55 guitar synth. When you plug these devices into a guitar amp be it tube or transistor they don't sound nearly as good. The amp modeling in these devices sounds like an incredible amp that is miked when it is run directly through a P.A. mixer. I don't even use guitar amps anymore when I play out. I have a QSC K-12 and a small mixer and my guitar sounds are amazing. I agree with everything Frank said. We need to keep up with technology.
These day is even better, you can have every guitarist sounds with a plugin from your laptop. Its have a lighter weight and they cheap compared to tube and digital fx.
okey, here's the thing. I got the DV Mark multi amp for a short wile and have to say that that unit had the best amp simulation I have ever heard. I used it with a 1X12 Celestion Vintage cab. Great sound. Also a great power amp. But! 2 things bothered me: 1. the cooling fan: way too loud. Secondly: the archaic interface and procedure to upgrade firmware and exchange sounds/ patches. One has to use and SD card! Come on, especially since the unit has a USB port that is apparently only used for servicing! All that, and a "dead forum" and a half backed editor gave me the impression of a ⅔ finished product and most of all abandonware. A true shame....
@@uragonertoo1335 exactly. AND, Like frank said, (if you can afford it) for a stationary rig that never travels, your Mesa is tops. But not if it is your ONLY gear. Tubes are too fragile.
Well, I can understand that such a player will have an awesome tone even with a broomstick! I also understand that valves are a pain to move around the world and play! But no way, digital is still really flat and dead compared to valves! And especially if you play clean! I have never heard a beautiful blues tone from a digital rack! At least so far! Anyway that's my point of view!
Concordo, con le Ibanez aveva un sound più ovattato e medioso... merito anche del JMP-1 che ha sempre usato. Oggi i suoi suoni sono più acidi e taglienti, non so se per sua scelta o per l'uso del S.S. ma anche io preferivo il suono 80/90 :)
Ho notato il suo cambiamento timbrico da "Coming To Your Senses", dove ha incominciato ad adottare quel timbro che ben hai spiegato sopra. Al giorno d'oggi trovo il suo suono un pò piccolo, lontano, sporco ed indefinito, leggermente tendente al tamarro, anche se il suo playing fa in modo magicamente di non farlo notare più di tanto.
I totally feel the same way ....- I mean now a days there are calls financial concerns .... space concerns ... efficiency ..., convenience ... .... If folks remain stuck in time there wouldn’t even have been amplifiers ...
you can talk this issue to death but most will still agree that a good tube amp is still the most natural sound. now this is coming from a player that rarely uses effects and, when playing through a not overly noisy amp, I even try to avoid a noise gate because I like the purest tone, with only amp overdrive. I also don't like distortion pedals and even usually use little or no reverb. What can I say? I like the sound of the guitar, not a processed version of the guitar. I also play a lot of acoustic. I imagine that one's opinion on this issue also depends a lot on their musical preferences. I like old school rock, metal, reggae and grunge. I don't like digital sounding bands or ones that in general have a highly processed sound. And finally, I respect and admire Frank Gambale as an excellent guitar teacher of technique, but I don't care for his compositions. So, I tend to take his comments on this issue with a grain of salt. He speaks arrogantly on how many albums he's put out. Well if he even had one that made history and wasn't simply considered by most as a masterclass of hard rock shred guitar instead of actual music, his opinions on tube vs SS would hold more weight. But let's face it: this is like hearing your high school lit teacher preach on his opinions of Shakespeare. It's cute but not to be taken as the final word.
Well said. Frank is known for his amazing technical ability but not song writing or his tone.. Can you imagine How Hendrix would sound thro a Dv Mark multiamp? Yeah...
Let's be honest: if you do want a fantastic tube amp - get one from the past: like Fender Vibroverbs, first Marshalls from 60's and other smaller boutique makers, some of which don't exist anymore, but sound great. They have their own character, unlike the modern ones, it's more a feeling that they give you (apart from sounding fantastic, of course) and they are built well unlike the modern ones (hello Fender!). But they are difficult to maintain, repair, carry around and so on. As for modern tube amps - Kemper/Multiamp/Helix are well on the same level being much more flexible!
Here's my main thing: The newer digital/solid state stuff sounds great -- because it's better able to sound like tubes. What happens when tubes go away? It's like saying fake plants are better because they don't need water or lights -- but we still need actual plants that breath, and exchange oxygen. What happens to the development of guitar sound -- and to guitar as an instrument on the whole -- when tubes are just gone? Where will the innovation occur? Does everyone just go to keyboards? They're superior in lots of ways? Maybe Keyboard with a vocoder or something to bring back the vocal quality of guitar? On recordings, it's long been really difficult to discern tubes from solid state -- but they haven't felt the same to play.
valebliz what are you talking about? Please address a point - name a product that works as a legit tube replacement, and gives room to continue innovating. Tube sounds are still the most exciting, and the reference against which new technology is judged. What direction are things growing - because it seems like they really aren’t - that we are in more of a preservation mode, and that guitar sound has reached the end of development. So for me, it’s tubes are home, or when I’m not constantly moving stuff around - nobody is denying the convenience of pedalboard amps, micro heads, or neodymium speakers - quilter and DV Mark make great products - but they really don’t sound or feel the same.
@@mjobusch i think he meant your assumption that tubes/valves will just one day vanish (suddenly OR slowly) is nonsense. I mean they will, but so will a lot of things. And if you're around when/if this happens, tubes will be the LAST thing on anybody's mind.
i have a 5150 and a triple x with effects and I find myself going back to my dinosaur line 6 axsys 212 the first model. I got some GREAT tones on it. It doesnt quite have the bouncy sustain lead as tube though.
I got tube gear at home and love them. But to play live the digital is the way when you got small stages, angry sound guys, and no roadie to carry your shit😂
1:36 not really. 44.1KHz is the sampling rate of CDs and STILL the sampling rate of CDs and who now is complaining that CDs sound harsh? The issue was in studios recording NEW material using digital equipment. The engineers had to learn to employ some MORE digital software that would warm up the signal path like those old tube compressors and tube mics and analog stuff that clipped a hair when driven. That is all. The bit depth (16 or 24 or 32) is just ,more about headroom (noise floor). Anyway... FG you are one of the best guitarists ever to walk the earth but stick to that instead of engineering. :)
I used to think solid state would never catch up but now they really are making amps that make the sound the same without the feedback or extra 50 pounds.
Frank is known for his amazing Technical ability but not his tone.. Can you imagine you traveled back in time with a Kemper, Axe Fx, Helix or a DV Mark Multiamp to Woodstock and setup a Rig next to Hendrix's Marshall, and you were unplugging him from his Marshall to the Digital rig..back and forth AB-Ing him...How Hendrix Would sound? Probably the Audience will hear a slight difference, but For Hendrix its night and day..Cause his the one operating the instrument and he knows how the Amp is reacting to his picking technique, Legatos, Harmonics, articulations, sustain...He would tell you..Son, plz keep me plugged in thro my Marshall.. Yes Digital stuff are Ok at lower volume and they are more versatile..But for a serious tone Guitarist..tube is the way and the only way... I have been playing for 35 years and trust me, I tried both...Tubes just Tubes...
It takes a while to dial in the tone on a processor. You have to choose the type of reverb and amount. The amp model, the settings on the amp, equalization and often there are several levels of equalization in a preset, etc. But once you get use to programming a bit, you can get some awesome sounds and with the push of a foot button you can change the sound on the fly. Way more bang for the buck or colors on the palette.
Yes, That's How Modern Technology Evolves So Rapidly, Modern Solid-state Amps are Not as Solid state Builds as 10-20years ago.. Preamp tubes back then 12AX7,12U7 Can now sounds(alike) for analog Devices, like different Op-Amps(much cheaper, less maintenance) &Adding a Digital Preamp DSP Processing..More Convenient, light & portable.
Uhm... my parents actually still use a dial-up phone, they don't want to get rid of it but they have to, it's only supported for a few more month, then it won't work anymore.
Heres a better way to look at it.Touring guitarist vs the Bedroom guitarist.Many Many Many more bedroom players out there than touring guys.Tube amps never leave the bedroom.Tube Amps WILL NEVER DIE! Eventually companies like DV will be LLLOOOOONNNNGGG gone along with their digital shite, and tube amps will still be here.
I have something in common with Frank!! I too hate mosquitoes!!! Too bad I don't have the ability to play like he does!!! Yes siree bob, he is a monster player!!
Roland contributed a lot against the need for tube amps - even in the traditional music areas with their Blues Cube series - those things a ahead of tube technologically and weight wise and delicacy wise and cost but the sound power loudness and responce thro all the dynamics you throw at it is very very tube-like, costs a lot less too; if youre considering non tubes try them out; Frank can afford whatever he wants yet still buys DV tranny amps; Roland Blue Cube is not as technical as DV but the sound range is very good
I know this is an old thread , but I saw Frank with The Chick Electric band 4-5 years ago ( RIP Maestro)... and Frank was unreal... but there is no doubt I could not hear some definition in his playing ( and his playing is all about the details ) and overall could tell that the amplification was solid state. This was a large pavilion setting ... and it seemed blasphemous to not honor his playing with the best sound possible. I get the lightweight / reliability thing .... but I’m far from an audiophile and I could hear the difference. My Boogie Mark IV is going nowhere.
i have a green ibanez with a floyd rose and i can't stand mosquitos and flies. Am i one of his secret child ? i hope because it will maybe get me better one day.
yes ok but there's still nothing like a beautiful sounding strat out of a fender tube amp ( deluxe -super). The SD card thing just seems so artificial to me. it's like wearing a wig and trying to pretend it's real hair.
How moronic and asinine can you be to even take this seriously? Regardless of how high sampling rates are,you can't change the law of physics! Solid state will never surpass the natural response of a tone generator.The only reason he sticks with it is for one reason and one only: Because it's easier!!.....No true artist does anything because it's easier.I started out with tubes in the late '70s.I switched to s.s. in the mid 80's and thought I had it made until I bought my first Bogner in 2008. Then I realized what I've missed all those years.Solid State?? You got to be joking.
hes emphasizing that ssd is extremely close now to the point people cant tell the difference. can you? maybe idk. but if all listeners cant tell it doesn't matter to him.
Comparing the debate of tubes vs.digital to the use of a telephone is utterly rediculous.People don't use phones as a means of musical expression.Tube amps produce a more natural distortion than digital.No matter how high and precise the sampling rates are,a synthetic technology can never improve over a natural variable.The only reason people use digital means is simply because of ease,not creativity.If I had the room,I would only use tapes and not digital.
Weird thing I've heard recently is that the old copper wires used by standard old-school phone lines are actually capable of much higher audio fidelity than new cell phones. Not sure if it's actually true.
This guy is up his azz.... digital is not the same as solid state, not at all. also sampling rates have pretty much been the same. 44.1 has been the standard for 50 years
