I feel like guitar technology these days is like the Wild West. There is a good amount of tribalism with regards to guitar rigs, especially with the improved technology. Every week, it seems like there is a new, updated, more-realistic way to capture amp tones and put them in a digital format. There are thousands of people latching onto whatever eco-system they’ve chosen and they become protective ambassadors of that product. I, too, have been guilty of this, were it a crime. The good news is that it’s not a crime to have a preference.
There are so many options now and there are so many factors why players choose one system over another (price point, UI, sound, influencers, artist endorsements, etc), but it’s kinda always been that way, hasn’t it? Sure, our gear was more limited in scope in the 50’s thru the 70’s, with our main options being tube or solid state amps. Then the pedal revolution in the 70’s and the boutique pedal and amps in the 80’s and into the 90’s. Direct units like the POD and Sansamp became studio tools as well as cost-effective ways for beginners to get more tones cheaply.
Then it became an all-out war between amp purists and modern modeler technology. Just as home computer processing increased at an alarming rate, so did the modeling. The tribes picked their sides and battled on message boards and in bus lounges and now social media about which is “best” and why. I do try to keep my perspective on things especially knowing that everyone’s knowledge has limits and there is always something we don’t know that might impact our opinions or beliefs.
When the Kemper came out, the biggest selling point to me was that it captured my amps, not someone else’s Marshall (for instance) and what they think a Marshall sounds like. Because I’m very idiosyncratic in what tools I use and why. The fact that the fx caught up with the amp profiling over time has just made it the best fit for what I am trying to get out of a guitar rig.
Now, even long-time amp purists like Joe Bonamassa are using modeling amps. And I agree that “pushing air” is quite a big factor in the “feel” of a rig, but the technology is on par with real amps for most practical purposes. Practical is the key word here. I have a wall of what I consider “Holy Grail” amps that I love. The idea of taking those out on the road is just something that I am overly hesitant to do for many reasons: fear of damage, weight/space restrictions in trailer, maintenance from shock and vibration, volume limitations of some venues, consistency of mic placement, signal flow limitations with regards to stereo fx/multiple mics. It’s just more practical to use my Kemper rig and frankly, it’s more consistent and versatile. Are there times I want to have a real amp onstage? Yes. Is it worth the extra effort/work/expense? Meh, probably not.
Now we have other products (some AI-assisted) like NAM, Tonex, Kemper 2.0, QC, Stadium, etc. Now guitar players have been known to get in the weeds with everything from batteries, string gauge, tubes, picks, etc. and make all kinds of tribal claims that one is “better” or even “the best.” The reality I see, from years of touring and studio recording is that the guys making the music onstage and in the studio treat everything as a tool. The product isn’t the guitar tone. The product is the music. Period. And there is no “best,” much to the chagrin of annual awards shows.
At the end of the day we play guitar to play music. There are so many styles of music and within those styles there is a huge kaleidoscope of variation in tones and styles. There is PLENTY of room for many different guitarists playing any sort of guitar rig. It’s just a matter of finding a system and workflow that works for you so you spend less time tweaking and more time making music. Sometimes tweaking is fun, too, so make sure you leave yourself plenty of room for that, but our end goal really should be MORE “does it sound and feel good” and LESS “this is 100% accurate” to some arbitrary ideal that someone dreamed up. Even guitar and amp builders are fine with some small variation due to parts, woods, component age, etc. And if you’re in a studio with a competent engineer, don’t think for a second they won’t grab a knob and tweak your “accurate” tone til it sounds good.
So, whatever system you’re on, make it sound like you want to sound, then go make music. And know that if someone else uses a different system, it still probably sounds good and if sounds like they want it to sound then it is just as valid and successful in making music. I just don’t think null test accuracy matters as much as being enjoyable to play and create. I have a variety of devices I can use and they each have their place. Just choose your weapon and play…