Tier 2 modelers (as I see them)

I started spring cleaning early, and took a bunch of stuff to donate/ sell/ get rid of. Trying to minimize as much waste as possible, but there were just some things we had to throw away. A bookshelf from the garage that water got to.

At my church, we’ve got three super talented guitarists who, none of them had ways of going direct-in. I bought two HX Stomps for the church, and ended up taking my Stomp XL to the church as well. They sound incredible, and they can do anything you dream up. I love that pedal!

So I took my modelers to the church, and then I realized that that’s my *primary* practice tool, the HX Stomp in headphones, and in its place I needed to buy a headphone amp and audio interface. The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 did the trick beautifully.

I also kinda figured now would be a good time to get into what I’ve referred to as one of the ‘Tier 2’ modelers: Axe-FX, Kemper, Helix, or Quad Cortex. Something with more foot-switches than the HX Stomp or even Stomp XL, because I’ve recently gotten into programming pedals using Scenes and Snapshots.

More foot-switches for more Scenes, Snapshots, and Stomps. More, more, more. Let me talk myself out of spending this $1,500-2,000.

A T2 modeler is just a computer that does one thing, and you’ve already got a bangin’ MacBook Pro.

Unless you go Helix, learning a new multi-effect pedal is hardest on the flagship models—it’s like learning a new language, or adapting to a new ecosystem—where each one of them is limitless and complex.

I’ve owned an Axe-FX FM3 before, and I didn’t like several things about it. I’d call it a Tier 1 modeler, even though it’s over $1,000. Early on, I jumped on the opportunity to sell my FM3 for $400 more than I paid.

To me, it was a bigger, more complicated, heavier HX Stomp.

I think I'd be happiest with the Helix, but if my name comes up for an FM9 Turbo I might do that. I just find Axe-FX to be so overwhelming to learn. It’s like trying to jump from Logic Pro to Pro Tools.

I've thought about Quad Cortex but it's such an unfinished product. Didn’t they like, just get a looper? And the ability to do scenes or snapshots? And aren’t the rows of foot-switches locked so that they are altogether PC or CC, not individually assignable?

I had stereo Kempers, but that was ages ago. I liked them. More on that in a second. Here’s the full run-down, as I see it:

Tier 1: HX Stomp, UA Dream/Woodrow/Ruby, Walrus ACS1, Strymon Iridium.

Tried the ACS1, and it was good, but it takes A LOT to balance your stereo image and I felt like if I just looked at it wrong it would change tones on me. It’s a lot of complicated processes to pack onto each knob, so squushed together.

HX Stomp is KING, to me at least. Perfect mix of compact and powerful.

I’m never going to buy a Dream, Ruby, or Woodrow. No headphone jack. That’s a deal-breaker. I'm a headphone player 90% of the time, in my bedroom.

I’m sorry, but Strymon Iridium's JFET preamp sucks. It'd be great as an overdrive pedal. That’s what it is. Don’t try to emulate tubes with transistors. It doesn’t feel a "real amp" at all. Also, I loaded my own IRs from Ownhammer. The stock IRs were mostly bad. The only redeeming quality was the ‘Room’ control. I’d put that shh on anything.

Also, Strymon's headphone jack is this flimsy lil plastic piece of garbage that I just knew I would break, and I did.

Tier 2 modelers: Kemper in all its form-factors, Axe-FX 3 TURBO, Helix, what else?? oh yeah, Q.C.

Kemper is great, but you've got to spend about $125 on Michael Britt's website to actually get good amps into it. And the effects are fine. But Kemper is best when you profile your effects in the chain with the amp. And then you've got to have a list like this: “Twin Reverb Clean,” “Twin Reverb with Klon BOOST,” “Twin Reverb with Klon DIRTY”—it's a headache.

Super admirable of Kemper though that they haven't updated in 12 years. It just is what it is.

Also, I don't care what anyone says. Kemper doesn't take pedals well at all. At all. It’s ugly.

Axe-FX III TURBO: I feel sorry for people who bought Axe III and then the TURBO was released right after. And by Summer NAMM it will probably be Axe-FX III TURBO Mk II ULTRA

And if you had Axe-FX II Mk II when ULTRA came out, or whatever, you were just screwed. Sorry 'bout it. Dropped support. Obsolescence.

I'm kinda hoping Helix goes like the DL4 went. Line 6 sold it for like 20 years, and then, after Mk II was released, they were still selling the old one! POD 500 HDX or whatever its called is still on the market right now, even though it is fully discontinued. And I'll bet they're still releasing software updates for it!

This has been my run-down of trying to convince myself not to buy into boutique modeler hype. I think I’ve fully talked myself out of it. After all, NeuralDSP’s apps for MacBook sound incredible. I’ll just use Archetype: Cory Wong.