“It still feels like a f**king electronic toy to me”: Why Jerry Cantrell won’t use digital amp modellers live
While more and more guitarists are making the switch – either fully or in part – to digital amp modellers, there are some that are yet to be convinced, and others who are adamant that ‘real’ tube amps will always be the way to go.
Digital modellers are far more compact and portable, so the benefits to touring bands need no explanation. But Alice In Chains lead guitarist Jerry Cantrell says nothing compares to traditional tube amps, and even goes as far as to say that digital modellers feel like little more than toys.
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On why he’s “reluctant to use digital gear live” in the final issue of Total Guitar, Cantrell explains: “A lot of compatriots think that the technology is getting better. I understand that moving heads and cabs around internationally comes at an astronomical price. A lot of my peers have turned to Fractals as a smaller and inexpensive way to get close to their sound.
“I have looked at that but I’m not there yet. I’ve done a few gigs outside of the US with those things and it still feels like a fuckin’ electronic toy to me.”
He goes on: “But I think [the] Metallica guys were the first ones I heard about using those live. I was like, ‘Fuck, man, what are you playing through?’ And they’d tell me it was a Fractal. So it definitely can sound good. But, like anything else, You’ve got to know that tool and spend the time or have somebody around who knows how to run those things.
“I’m about as dumb as it gets when it comes to being a gearhead. I’m the guy who owns a 1963 and 1967 Corvette, but couldn’t do anything mechanically on them. But I know people who can keep them running! I’m not an audiophile when it comes to every guitar, effect and amp. I try to keep my focus on a narrower zone for creation.”
While the increasing prevalence of digital amp modellers is testament to their demand in the guitar community, Jerry Cantrell is not the only high-profile guitarist who has no plans to adopt them into his rig.
In July, Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett stated that while he enjoys dabbling with modellers, he still prefers “real” amps. Last month, Sheryl Crow guitarist Peter Stroud advised new players to steer clear of amp modellers, and Yungblud recently said that when people try to get him to use a Kemper he tells them to “fuck off”.
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
