Replacing Guitar and Bass Amps With Amp Modelers On Stage

Many guitar and bass players have long held the purist attitude that no amp modeler or direct-to-sound system rig could ever replace a real amp. But with the analog and digital technology available today, more and more musicians are going direct on stage for various reasons. Let’s take a look at why, and the options available. 

A Bit of Modeling History

Using an amp modeler to quietly practice with headphones goes back to the early 80s. The legendary Boston guitarist/engineer, Tom Scholz, created the Rockman headphone amp.  Guitarists adopted the Rockman for use in the studio. The massively successful Def Leppard album “Hysteria” used the Rockman extensively in the studio, but tube amps were still used on stage. Even legendary players such as Jeff Beck and ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons used a rackmount Marshall preamp live, but amps and guitar cabs were employed on-stage. The Sansamp products were good for direct recording, but didn’t seem to break into the live performance realm. It wasn’t until products like Fractal Audio’s AxeFx and Kemper’s Profiler, did we see big name artists such as U2, Metallica, and others moving away from amps on-stage.

Why Use an Amp Modeler

Many guitarists and bassists love their amps, so many will never convert to going direct on-stage. I empathize with the amp purists. But the benefits of going direct are more prominent these days.

1. Stage Volume

If everyone in your band goes direct, there is no loud stage volume other than the drums. This can eliminate feedback issues. If everyone uses in-ear monitors, then you should be able to hear yourself clearer at lower volumes. It can also provide complete control of the mix so your audience will hear a more consistent sound from venue to venue. It also allows you to crank the drive settings of your amp modeler and achieve full-stack arena guitar and bass tone at controllable volumes. Audiences and venues love this. In fact, many venues such as casinos will ONLY book bands that use a direct-to-sound system solution. Many casinos don’t accept on-stage amps!

2. More Space to Play

On average, the bar stage or restaurant stage is never as spacious as you’d like. So eliminating amplifiers will save on stage floor space and on your load in/out.

3. More Versatility

With a multi-effects pedal, you can create presets customized to a specific song. This is especially a bonus for cover bands when you want to have the ability to sound as close to the record as possible. For bass, Carvin’s BX1 Bass Preamp Pedal is a dream as it has a really great foot switchable compressor that lets you easily thin out or fatten up bass for different musical genres.

Which Modeler is For Me?

Today, there are a number of amp modelers that sound amazing and won’t break the bank. They typically sit in two different camps, all-digital modelers and analog modelers/preamps. For those that want to retain a connection to the analog spirit of a tube amp, there are a number of fully analog modelers and analog/digital hybrids. The first question to ask yourself is what are your goals when using an amp modeler? If you plan to keep all your other pedals and simply replace a bulky amp with a modeler, you might want to go analog. There are a number of analog pedals out there and some, like Carvin’s X1 or VLD1, use preamp tubes for authentic analog circuits and tone. If you really want to lighten your gig pack, then a multi-effects digital pedal might be what you need. There are too many choices out there to discuss here. The best advice is to do your research and make sure your purchase will deliver the features you need. There are so many end-user video reviews out there, that you’re going to know all the pros and cons before you buy if you spend the time doing the research.

Carvin's VLD1 Legacy Drive Preamp Pedal with 12AX7 Tubes

One Final Tip

No matter which modeler you choose, be conscious that what you hear on stage through in-ears or monitor wedges will be different from what the audience hears. Without a bass or guitar amp on the stage, you will need to become accustomed to hearing your sound only through the monitoring system you use. Take the time to listen to your mix from the audience position. Gauge your amp modeling settings from the audience, not from the stage. You’ll be surprised at how different and awesome the band will sound out in the audience. Let that be your mix goal and then do your best to employ a monitoring system for the stage.

Also in Guitar / Bass Amplifier Info & Education