Do you use a modeling amp live in your metal band? If so... which one?

[pianoguyy]

I hear what you are saying but I don't consider these things as the norm.

[jgcable]

There was one other rig I saw live that I have to share about.
I played a show in Illinois. Tango Down is one of the bands on our label so they were playing at the show too.
Tango Down is a metal band. Similar to Skid Row or Lynch Mob. They have several albums and are VERY popular. Their lead guitar player... who I assume could play out of anything he wanted... (there were Marshall DSL's there, Soldano SLO100, and many other amp heads and cabs to choose from).
He was talking about the amp head he was using live in the green room. None of the other musicians were really gear heads there except for me.
He was talking about how cheap it was, how robust it is and how great it sounds in every room. I didn't hear what he said it was. I was on the other side of the room tuning my bass. Anyway... they go on and sure enough.. he has really good guitar tone. He is the only guitar player in the band. I look at his rig.. and low and behold... its a Marshall Valvestate 8100 head into a Marshall 1960A cab.
Sounded great. He paid $100 for it. Been using it all year. How frikkin cool is that?

[jgcable]

What I notice about modeling live is this.
If you know what you are doing.. almost anything sounds good enough live.
If you don't you should stay away and use an amp with as little knobs on it as possible.

[kmanick]

just recently joined a cover band doing a lot of 70's 80's hard rock.
I was using my JVM210H but recently decided to to try the Seymour Duncan Power stage 170 with my Axe Fx II into my mesa 2X12 recto cab and my early JCM 800 2X12.
we haven't gigged yet but for the last few rehearsals the guys really like it. The other guitarist is going through a Bogner 2X12C combo and I've had no problem keeping up with him.
I find the "feel" is a little flatter without tubes but I'm not playing any shred with these guys so It hasn't really been an issue yet.
We do "emerald " by thin Lizzy and I don't really hear a drop off when we alternate the solos in the middle of that one, so that is encouraging.
We have started talking about doing some stuff like "Get the Funk Out" by extreme and "Addicted to that rush" by Mr. big. Stuff more in that vain
I may switch back to my Jvm, but so far the Axe Fx with the Powerstage has been surprisingly good. All I'm using are Marshall models (actually the JS JVM and the JCM 800 for the most part)
I like being able to go FOH and to an am/cab on stage if I like. Nice options to have.

[PowerTube]

Shut up then!

Actually, I'm not in a band any more either. Come on, let's go.

Yeah. Let's go have a cold one and let these "band snobs" have their fun.

[rocksoldier]

Old thread.. but what the heck. Been touring the country as a bass player in an original band. Who would have thought. When I am home I am still busy with 2 cover bands on the weekends. Been using every type of amp imaginable. Egnaters, Mesa's, Marshalls, Carvins... 1 x 12, 2 x 12, 4 x 12, etc.... all tube amps though.
Playing everything from Tom Petty to Ozzy.
We always have a killer PA system where everything is mic'd. Sometimes I just use whatever is in the backline. You would be surprised at what is back there sometimes! SOMETIMES ITS MODELING!! Here are a few of the notable ones....
An ORIGINAL Line 6 POD. 1st generation. Plugged directly into the snake with a little 4 button footswitch out in front. Clean, Crunch, Heavier crunch and lead. Going through an incredible PA system. How did it sound? Absolutely outstanding. Got compliments after the show. Not kidding. It was even fun to play through.
Line 6 Spidervalve MkII 2 x 12 combo with the MKII shortboard. This combo was mic'd with a 57. Again.. killer PA system. I could barely even hear the combo. It was a pretty big stage and the combo was way in the back. I relied on monitors only for my sound. I don't even know what presets were on it. The foot controller was marked CLEAN, Rhythm1, Rhythm2, Solo 1, Solo 2. The pedal was a WAH or a volume boost for solo. There was a another button marked boost. That was also a volume boost for solo's. How did it sound? Really good again. Not a bad tone in that thing. Reacted like a traditional tube amp, didn't sound digital at all. Completely silent.
Line 6 Helix. Direct into the PA. Good lord does this thing sound good. There is no need for a real amp when you have one of these. It might be the best $1500 you could ever spend. You don't need an amp... you just need this.
Axe FX II. I don't even know where this rack mount gear was. I had a wireless and there was a midi controller on the floor. It was set up as a Marshall Plexi clean, crunch, heavy, lead etc.... minimal effects. It sounded exactly like a real Plexi. I couldn't tell the difference.
Tech 21 Fly Rig. This was the red Richie Kotzen model. Plugged directly into the PA. Even the bass player had one. His was made for bass though. No amps on stage at all. Just these 2 little strips plugged into the snake on stage. Sounded like there were amps on stage to me. I couldn't tell the difference. I swore there must have been a backline somewhere. There wasn't.
Just goes to show you....

I haven't tried the Fly Rig, and don't really like Sansamps in general, so I won't comment on that, but...

I'm also of the opinion that the Helix and Axe II (plus the Kemper) sound truly killer, and that modeling is no compromise these days, just more flexible and convenient than any tube amp.

I've had NO issues being heard over a band mates Marshall with my Kemper/Helix, and I'm the lead player in all my bands/projects.