Guitarists of Singletrack…

I went on the Positive Grid website last night to order the Spark amp after looking at several (suspiciously?) glowing YouTube reviews. Just as you are about to hit go there are 3 little caveats: you’re paying in dollars, at a rate yet to be confirmed, there’s a “small” import duty (at a rate yet to be confirmed but currently about £35) to be added, and a despatch date (yet
to be confirmed) of 25 to 30 working days hence. So that means I would get an email some time in February telling me that it’s stuck in a container in Tilbury with millions of others and the bill is a bit more than I expected.
Hmmm. I might see if Anderson’s have got a Boss Katana in stock for about £200. Anything better at that price for a bedroom noodler?

Yamaha THR would definitely be worth a look but they start at £279 IIRC.

I have a Line6 Amplifi (the TT – the non-speaker version) and it seems similar in idea to the Positive Grid thing. I’ve seen the Amplifi TTs going for a song on ebay. Less so the powered ones with speakers. I just run mine into my powered speakers through the line-in. It’s got a good app-based back-end, the ability to play tunes from your phone library (and to search/load an appropriate user-generated tone) and you can store four presets on the box itself, so you don’t need the phone app running.

Actually I don’t really use it that often as I can usually get away with firing up the valve amps. Perhaps that needs to get on the Classifieds 🙂

The Line 6 Amplifi is an interesting option. What sort of powered speaker would I need to make it into something like a Boss Katana and how much would the whole set up likely cost me?

Any powered speaker should work. I’d reckon that you could get a pair of powered computer monitors (or you may have some already, or might need just this excuse to get some…) or you could get a single, powered PA speaker (something like a 300W Alto, here – https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/alto-tx208-300-watt-active-loudspeaker) and then you have a (admittedly far less portable) setup. So, there’s a TT on ebay for £100 BIN and £80 for a speaker. Though admittedly you’re heading towards the money for a Katana or THR then, especially if you find one used.

I have a pair of powered PA speaker that I use for film nights and turbo trainer fun, so it’s easy enough to run the Amplifi into it. I also have a pair of powered computer speakers, which is also good with the Amplifi TT as you can play with stereo sounds too.

My mate had the spark, sold after 5 days, he uses an original THR10 most of his practice time and said its very much better than the spark

I have had a THR10 since they came out and fid it hard to believe there is anything better in this particular niche

Elise Trouw, I do like her live looping. She has explained how she does it but I’m still a bit confused.
A bit light for my tastes but excellently executed.

I also have a thr10 and love it. I kind of agree with the above. I’m struggling to think how I’d improve it (apart from adding an effects loop)

I’m a fan of the Fender Mustang amps. They make a good job of imitating amps you might like whereas the Boss sounds like the Boss which a lot of people like, but if you like a Hi-Watt, bassman or Marshal the Mustang gets closer. I did think of adding a comment to an Andertons Youtube comparing them which would have read. “if you lke the Boss then if you persist I’m pretty sure you can model it with the Mustang. Try using the “British Watts” which is a Hi-Watt amp model with the “overdrive” stomp which is tubescreamer, the 4x12g cab model and then mess with EQ and reverb to see how close you can get”. The Captain reckoned “British 60s” is a JTM model but I reckon it’s supposed to be an AC 30 with greenbacks.

I have a great and versatile 25w valve amp. I love it. Currently about 20% of my playing is done through it.
But 80% of my playing is done through my THR10ii. Brilliant amp and let’s me record via USB into my Mac.
I’d pretty much stopped playing guitar until lockdown when I got the THR and it simply made everything so easy and fun that I bought a new guitar and a bunch of stuff.
Gets my vote every time. I think I paid £245 for mine in April.

Seeing as you brought up looping, I’ll have to share my favourite ever looping video. Great song and technical looping nous. And made me buy one of those big Boss loopers too!

I’d pretty much stopped playing guitar until lockdown when I got the THR and it simply made everything so easy and fun that I bought a new guitar and a bunch of stuff.

I used to pick up my acoustic and strum often but for very small amount of time. All stuff I knew and nothing new.

Then lockdown came and I started learning new tunes, then bought a midi keyboard to create some backing tracks on Garageband.

Now I am hooked on recording stuff and writing daft songs 🙂 I still had all my guitar kit etc, but I rarely plugged in an electric guitar. Now I am doing something pretty much every day.

The keyboard is brilliant for learning music theory as all the notes are there in front of you and you can see the patterns etc. Though strangely if I hear a tune I still have to play it on the guitar to work it out then play the notes on the keyboard as I know where everything is on the guitar 🙂

So I upgraded to Logic Pro X and I am now also fascinated by syths, I was a teenager in the 80s so even though I am a rocker at heart I do love a go synth.

Problem with all the music production stuff its its time I could be improving my guitar 🙂

Seeing as you brought up looping,

That’s pretty good. For me the watershed moment was KT Tunstall on Jools Holland. Didn’t get a looper until June this year but I do enjoy it and use it most days.

This was 2004 so pretty much ahead of the curve.

I remember that KT Tunstall performance – superb.

And that was using an Akai Headrush IIRC – something with a tiny amount of memory compared to today. Shows that talent will always triumph over gear 🙂 (Needless to say, I have an Akai Headrush and can’t make it sound that good…)

Rachel K Collier and Hannie are my favorite looper types

Premier (pronounced primeer ) guitars rig rundown with KT is worth a watch (if you have spare hour, if not head to 38-39 mins in). She has a good tale about her tambourine being nicked in Wick (bloody weekers) as she deconstructs her, er, construction….
Kind of a looper build masterclass.

Following @Northwind on the Squire Mini P Bass (I think – we’ll I’m blaming him anyway 😀 ) I bought one for Junior 2 for Christmas. If she doesn’t like it, I might just have to adopt it 🤔

Nothing to do with me! I posted the Ibanez TMB30 shortscale not the Squier. Which I had totally resisted, and now I will have to resist again because of you, you MONSTER.

’tis a good one.

A bit OT but since we’re talking looping I think I’m legally required to post this

(posting this particular version because I was there, it’s not the best ever)

🙂

My latest purchase is a Truetone CS12 power supply.
After replacing my Orange Crush 35RT with a Rocker 15, I had awful problems with ground loops.
This has solved it, at a cost. Worth it though.

I’ve also sold quite a bit of gear.

Now have:
Squier Tele Custom II – P90s, vintage style neck.

Ibanez RG550 – Just marvelous, frankly it can do anything. Absolute quality build.

The Jap Strat – Took a while to get used to, coming from the Ibanez. But my word, what a lovely thing. Has stolen my heart. Amazing quality, faultless.

LAG acoustic – Mahogany body, lovely slim neck, great build. Set up perfectly by my local shop, no desire to change it.

‘Er indoors has a Japanese Paisly Tele and a Faith Venus electro which are both lovely, expressive instruments.

No need for anything else.

So, next is a piano. 🙂

How my looping usually works…

😀

@rustyspanner I’ve had a cw12 for a while now. At the time it was the only viable option as I needed a Digitech Whammy on my board, so I could still power everything off one plug with it. I’m hoping that my micro POG has replaced the Whammy now, so I suppose I could go back to my gig rig setup…..I did have one issue with the CS12 about this time last year during a show. My HX Stomp froze during the final song before the interval….it was weird…..a clean sound was still coming through but the screen was blank. I swapped it to be powered by the other 500ma socket during the interval and it was fine. Worked fine in both 500ma outputs ever since! A few others have had similar issues with the HX stomp and cs12 combo though I believe.

My next question is: What’s the best (simplest) way to record from my amp into my laptop to lay down some basic tracks and then add a few layers, say a basic rhythm track then a lead, then some more noodling?

I listened to all the advice here on amps (thanks to all who contributed) tried and failed to get a Spark within a sensible timeframe, narrowed it down to Yamaha, Katana, Mustang, and Line 6 and phoned Andertons to talk it through. I was talked out of the Yamaha (maybe I’ll regret it) and bought a Boss Katana 50MkII.

My laptop is a Windows 10, a couple of years old so not the fastest.

As soon as I google the question the answers go straight into lots of words and numbers that I don’t understand. I know I’ll need some software to do the recording and editing, and I’m looking for a simple inexpensive one to start with. It seems like I have the choice between going in via the USB or a 3.5mm mic port and maybe something to reduce latency. I might need something in between as well.

Who can recommend a simple basic setup so I can write and record a few tunes and accompany myself with my own backing track? I guess my ultimate goal would be to be able to play all 3 parts of Albatross, or play Black Dog, Wish You Were Here, Breathe, etc. Or something of my own in similar vein.

Does the Katana come with some software? I think Ableton live lite often comes bundled with amps. I’m sure something was bundled with my THR but I can’t remember. That should get you up and running. You may need a USB cable.

I think the Boss software allows you to add more tones and features to the amp. I’m not sure if it’s a 2-way thing.

Usb from amp to PC

Then one of these free DAW or if Mac, Garage Band.

https://producelikeapro.com/blog/free-daws-best-available-2018/

Inspired by the recent Paul Davids analysis of SRV’s classic, I thought I’d have a go. Still not accurate or fast enough! Certainly a work in progress.

Certainly a work in progress

Sounds great!

I was talked out of the Yamaha (maybe I’ll regret it) and bought a Boss Katana 50MkII.

I doubt it. I’ve got both a Katana and a THR, they’re both great and very versatile. The Katana is the most versatile as it’s got a huge range of Boss effects pedals built in whereas the Yamaha only has a few basic effects. I’d be more than happy with either one to be honest for home use.

The Boss Tone Studio software is an editor and doesn’t allow recording.
I plug in via USB direct to my laptop and use Audacity (it’s free) which does everything I need it to so far. I’ve not tried any others, but should so will take a dive into that link above.

Excellent advice markwsf. Just what I needed to hear. Audacity downloaded!

Ah, didn’t realise that I could plug a USB cable from my Fender amp into my Chromebook and record sound. That could be useful 🙂

@simondbarnes chrome book DAWs here https://filmora.wondershare.com/audio/best-daw-for-chromebook.html

AdamT how long have you been playing, I’m just coming up to 12 months, it might help me get things in perspective. 😶

@simondbarnes chrome book DAWs here

I’d already found them but thanks 🙂

Certainly a work in progress.

kicking my ass there! Nice one.

If I could nail this part (going to take a long time!) then I could record it using a DAW and then learn Billy’s part and combine them 🙂
I think I’d be able to play it better on my Jag but it’s in a crazy tuning (D#, A#, A#, F#, A#, D) so it’ll be easier to just leave this guitar in that tuning as I want to play other stuff on the Jag.

Nice one @AdamT… the main problem my students have had with that piece is maintaining the rhythm at speed….you’re getting the right rhythm as you were getting faster 👊

When you’ve got it nailed it’ll feel like an awful lot of work for a piece that is less than 2 minutes 🤣

Edit: I find it nicer to play in Eb