MrDinsdale

Anyone used the WB100 and a Marshall VBA400? I have been playing on a VBA400 at rehearsals and totally blown away by the tone. Less excited for the weight though... Takes two people to lift it on to an 8x10 and makes JCM800 feel like carrying a class d. Just wondering if anyone can offer a comparison between the two? The tone I'm after is an abrasive clanky grit fest if that helps.

This is my current rig I'm using at practice. It's obnoxiously heavy but gotta say it's an absolute beast. I've been super happy with my GK Fusion S class d head until I tried this Marshal VBA400. Combining that with the Schecter J4, Model FeT preamp and Longsword drive makes for the perfect gritty tone. Kind of wish I'd played this setup before grabbing the Jad Freer Capo but tbh that thing is gonna make this even better!

I loved the Boss GTK core, much less variety compared to the Helix but you could get great sounds. I ran it into my FX return on my head and it was great live, got the amp in the room feeling while still having a solid FOH sound. I've since gone back to just my amp and analog pedals but thats more because it fits my current project better and I wasn't using anything but compression and drives. There are so many big names using this kind of gear I don't think the "Modellers/MFX units sound rubbish" comments hold much water. They're not right for everyone but when deployed effectively they're incredibly powerful tools for live shows and recording. When used well they're pretty indistinguishable from the real thing, certainly for the audience.

Yeah thats exactly what I'm after ❤️❤️❤️ gonna get some ordered to got with the Stellartone B10!

Thumpinator, its subtle but really tightens up the sound nicely. I've got mine running just before my compressor. I've noticed my amp has stopped inconsistently clipping a lot too.

Decided to do an A/B between the guitarists Marshal VBA400 and my GK Fusion S 800 at practice last night. I'll be honest it wasn't even close. The VBA400 just sounded incredible, so much punch and crunch but without sacrificing warmth. As hard as I tried I just couldn't match a similar tone with the light weight class d. What i will say is neither sounded half as good without the Model FeT preamp pedal.

I felt the same (possibly to a lesser extent as i have one) but it's actually just the top of the pickup that is rounded, the base fills the cavity so there isn't a gap or anything. It's still a bit of an odd design decision on the pickups though.

The only Schecters I've played are the 2 i own and I can't fault them. They're a league above the MIM equivalents I've tried (granted I've only played a few) and come with excellent stock hardware. The only downside I have is that they don't hold value as well as a Fender but that's only an issue if you intend on selling it. Of the two I've actually come to like the cheaper J4 more, the monstertone pickups are perfect for my needs. The P4 Exotic is incredible but my first p-bass and I'll admit I miss the articulation and snappiness of the bridge pickup.

I don't know the weight of mine but i can say they weigh a lot less than my Warwick! Funnily enough the Yamaha BB is the next bass on my list. Was actually considering a 434 as a lowish cost backup for my J4 when when I'm gigging again.

I've got a jazz and p that i love. Actually been blown away by the jazz, plays and sounds excellent. I wish it had the luminilay like the Exotic but that's about my only criticism. The Model T exotic looks fantastic, the PJ setup will give loads of tonal options too.

That is exactly what I had in mind! 👀

Heard good stuff about the DiMarzio Model P, definitely one thats on my radar!

Nice! Will have to keep an eye out. Will give the EMGs another go before committing to a change and have a play with their height etc but just not quite there. Should really try some of the different preamp voicings too i guess. Will have a scout around for some audio samples of those suggestions 🙌

Hey! Got a Schecter P4 Exotic which I love, plays brilliantly etc. Over time I think I've come to the conclusion the EMG Metalworks pickups it shipped with aren't quite right for the project i'm in, even if they look awesome. Need something with a good aggressive mid range and ideally passive, needs lots of clanky noisy punky goodness. I really love the Schecter Monstertone pickups in my J4 but don't think you can purchase separately. Control wise I'd probably go for a mute button, volume and maybe try a Stellartone tone pot.

Yeah its an awesome unit, awesome interface too for recording. It does take a little time to get used to i think but once it clicked I found it way quicker and easier to use than the touchscreen stuff like Headrush etc. It was all about the 3 divider blocks for me, they unlock so many options once you start getting deeper. Hope you feel better soon!

Well i had a play on a VBA400 last night at practice and its an absolute beast. Still not sure that it was good enough to warrant carting it about and maintaining an all valve head vs my GK Fusion S but annoyingly as soon as I started playing everyone in the band just turned and said "That's the sound right there".

I just had a go with a VBA400 at band practice and it was a monster! A big change from my GK Fusion S head!

Glad you got it sorted. Despite being a little ugly at first the actual UI on the unit is pretty awesome, after a little familiarisation I found it super quick to make adjustments. Annoyingly I had that realisation as soon as i ordered the Widi jack bit to be fair its great to have options!

Whats the problem you're having with the widi jack? I followed a video on YouTube, it sounds silly but i had loads of issues with the app not connecting and turned out it was just the in/out the wrong way around in the core 🤦‍♂️

The EAE Longsword is excellent, plenty of bass with the 3 band eq. Their Dagger pedal sounds great too.

I was just using the EQ in Logic to mimic the Thumpinator with a HPF at 30ish hz and -24db/octave although just got the real thing so that won't be necessary anymore. For the LPF i was copying the Jad Freer Capo starting at around 2.5-3khz and a very gentle roll off at about -6db/octave. It seems way better in the mix than using any of my IRs and way easier. I tried the same with guitar but much preferred the IRs though on the flip side.

Also i do think after the Longsword and FeT is best but equally between the Longsword and FeT was practically identical. Before and after the Longsword was the only change where I'd say there was a noticeable difference, the Longsword just plays better with hi-z.

Well I've managed to get a quick play and I've noticed a significant reduction in clipping which is excellent. Everything sounds super tighter but I'd have to A/B it to know if there's any audible difference.

Thats a cool idea, my signal chain is pretty dull in comparison, just various stages of gain, saturation and compression. Maybe ill jazz it up with a chorus or something down the road!

Good shout. Will try it in a few spots before I settle on anything. It'll be interesting to see how/if it affects the drive and preamp. I've also noticed a lot of spikes and clipping on my head/interface despite pretty safe levels so will be interesting to see if it has an impact there too.