I am a huge fan of amp sims. I am always using an amp sim. Like, 100% of the time. I have spent a lot of money on amp sims. They are among my favorite things.
I would just absolutely never want them built in to an amp. There’s a lot of reasons for this, primarily around separation of concerns and convenience. Change amps, lose all your sims? No thanks.
Something like the Zoom pedals are a way better plan for this. Lots of good quality sims built in to a pedal you can use anywhere.
Or, like me, adding them in the DAW. Super flexible.
I don’t own the Studio 40 anymore, but I seem to recall there were at least one or two very clean sounds on there… However, it could have been one of the sounds I downloaded afterwards… You know that you can get additional amp sims/sounds from Fender (and most of those are from other users) by using the iPhone app!? I am very sure you can get a setting basically equivalent to a DI there. I used a very clean sound when I played through my GT-1B and only wanted that unit to “dictate” the overall sound.
agree with @howard, that’s why I prefer modeling preamps over amps. also it makes a lot more sense for a studio player but still work in a live context.
A buddy of mine runs a Trace Elliot ELF C110 combo.
It’s probably more powerful than you want or need but it’s a compact 10" combo and to my ears it’s a nice neutral clean sounding amp.
Basic tone, gain and master vol controls with outputs to speaker, headphones and DI.
Maybe they have a lower powered version that would suit?
Yes, I have the updates.
There is a basic one that is supposed to be clean, I don’t feel it is.
Maybe I have to go back and try EQing it with my B7K (which I seem to now use a lot as an EQ regardless, man that pedal is great).
I just checked via the app (that I apparently still have on my phone): there are three presets for download that immediately pop out, which might fit the bill:
studio preamp
vintage studio
basic studio
Or, start from scratch with just a clean pre-amp (EQ flat) and nothing else… it should be possible to get a “fairly” clean sound
I’d try and get a neutral tone on the amp with the EQ on the amp, and once you do, leave it there forever. Then you can always do what you like later with the B7K.
Yes, but for the studio these controls don’t mean much, as they are superseded by the settings in whatever preset you load.
But, still, the existing presets are just showcasing what is possible and while lots of them include “dirty”/colorful amps etc, you should be able to start with just a studio pre-amp, adjust the gain to where you want it, set the EQ to flat, and then follow what you suggest, i.e., never touch that preset again, and only ever use the volume control on the amp… and everything else happens at your bass or your pedals.
the shaping of the tone may come greatly from the speaker, more than from the preamp. another good reason to rely on preamps or VSTs, if you want a “pure” tone. (assuming you have a decent DAI)
actually and considering what the technology is today, I find that VSTs are probably the best approach in this case. the purest tone could be your bass plugged directly into the DAI, with just a purely transparent parametric EQ on the DAW.
I will go back and try this, again. I think I just don’t like the amp. Could be speaker as @terb suggests as well playing a role.
I just don’t want to buy a big rig without physically testing it out in person which is quite difficult these days. I have my short list of things to go see.
Wanted to know if there was similar in a smaller form factor/combo/lower wattage Vs above options in this thread for the bigger rigs.
Example, a class D ICE power amp with clean preamp and a great quality speaker in a combo small power cab
This is what I am doing, but my monitors are not the best.
And for me, if I am going to invest, I would rather invest in the amp, at least for me right now.
Looking at all the comments you made so far I think it would make more sense for you to invest in a good PA system and work with amp/cab sims. Stereo sounds amazing and you can hook up other instruments too.
+1 to this. Also PJ does sound “clean” but wouldn’t be my go-to choice with pedals. I own an old cub and they do sound amazing for practice.
