Gigging report - going digital - UAFX and Fender FR-12

newi123

So I recently picked up a FR-12 on here and a 2nd hand UAFX Lion from guitarguitar. It`s the latest attempt to move into the modern world!

So a bit of background - I`m 51 and have played since I was 13. Always gigged and currently play in two bands and run a local jam night - One band plays female fronted covers, everything from Walking on Sunshine to Paramore. The other band is more rock with some guys my age - mainly 80s Stadium Rock.

I`ve always been into amps more than guitars. Happy with a single HSS strat, but I do like to buy an amp. :-) And realistically my set up hasn`t really changed in 30 yrs of gigging - guitar, phase 90, o`drive, crunchy tube amp, bit of delay & reverb, That`s it. the amps have ranged from JCM900 to 1987x to JTM 60 (loved those - great sound) to Peavey 5150 to Carr to Fuchs to Lazy J to Red Knob Twin (hugely under rated) to Bogner to what I`ve gigged mainly for some time now - a simple Jet City JCA20HV into a 2061cx 2x12 cab.

The Jet City set up sounds fab - but middle age has struck and more and more I don`t want to move a 25kg cab. And I`m aware I`m often too loud in pubs. 

I`ve tried digital before - ranging from early Zoom multi FX to Kemper to POD go. Of all the ones I`ve tried I like POD go the best - and thats mainly because like many others I suffer from option blindness. I thought the Kemper would solve that - but in fact it made it worse. The next profile to download is the BEST one - it`s always the next hit..........

I`d also tried the fender tonemaster amps - both Twin and Deluxe. Much preferred the Twin, great gigging solution, but didn`t like how it worked with some drive pedals - much like a `real` Twin I guess.

So enter the UAFX Lion and FR-12 - I thought this might be like having a Tonemaster Marshall???? I wasn`t really aware of the UAFX pedals, but went down the usual YT rabbit hole and watched lots. Seemed to sound great. Also, I`ve always been impressed with James Santiago`s stuff. His stuff at voodoo labs and the sounds he got was fab. So I found a 2nd hand FR-12 and Lion and here we are.

So far I`m 3 gigs, 2 Jams and 1 Student Showcase in, and I`m actually really impressed. It sounds great with a simple pedal board, same as I`ve always had just with the Lion as the amp. Advantages are: weight - FR-12 is 12kg odd. So 1/2 the weight of the cab. Volume level - moves up and down without changing sound. Convenience - xlr line to the PA is great.

It`s plenty loud enough, but in a different way to a guitar speaker. It`s not nearly so directional, which is also an advantage in pubs. It`s a bit weird still having a linear volume control - as I`m gigging at  between 1 and 2`oclock on the volume dial, where as with valve amps I was much lower. 

Disadvantages: does it sound the same as an amp in the room? Well it`s pretty close. Interestingly, one of the gigs is a venue with good sound guy, big PA etc. When I plugged in the PA was on and the FR-12 wasn`t. It didn`t sound right. As soon as I put the FR-12 on and had stage volume from an amp shaped box (and lets not beat around the bush here - the way it looks is probably one of the reasons it sounds more amp like! :-) ) it was `ah - there we are. Back to comfort zone`

Currently I`m using a DD3 in front of the lion. Ideally I`d like a delay after it, but the DD3 seems to work better in front. Not sure if the signal coming out of the lion is a bit too much for some pedals? I may slim the board down a bit more. I`d get away with only the Green Rhino, phase 90, lion and then maybe a UAFX ox stomp or del-verb to provide delay and reverb.

Anyway, the telling thing is I haven`t been on the amp for sale forum for 3 or 4 weeks now.

I am tempted to get a UAFX 65 Dream too for an alternative fender rig, but realisticaly I prob prefer the marshall cleans of the lion. And the idea of a 2nd FR-12 for a stereo rig appeals - but then I lose part of the portability, which is of course 1/2 the appeal. 

The lion also sounds great through a poweramp and guitar cab with the speaker sim off - and I`ve just joined a project which is EDM based, and will be silent stage, so this rig will also work for that. Maybe I have been dragged kicking and screaming into the 2020`s finally.

If anyone wants more info drop me a PM - The regular Jam is in Swindon if you want to come and have a play and try it! 

victorludorum

Good write-up, sir! And well done with the new set up

NickB

Pleased to see that the FR12 is working out for you 

grungebob

I’ve got one eye on one of those FR12’s. 

I’ve done the digital dance a bit myself over the past year and a half. 

POD Go was the first one I thought gave me the possibility of using a digital set up. Still left me twiddling a bit and chasing EQ settings, the next one was a Tonex One. Now that’s a fantastic bit of kit , some amazing sounds to be had that sound very authentic however I found it doesn’t like most of the pedals I’d like to use in front of it (a Rat and a Fuzz). If will still use one and can’t see me getting rid because of how small and solid it sounds. 

Next enter the  Friedman IR-X and I’m now very happy.  I’ve got it going into a headrush FR08 at the moment with a prophet digital delay in the loop and a rat and rusty fuzz up front. 

I think the hybrid nature of the Friedman really gives me the best of both worlds.  Valve touch and sound response with a digital back end to tame it all down when needed. 

Glad you’re liking the Lion. If the Friedman didn’t work out for me it was next on my list to try. 

richardhomer

grungebob said:

I’ve got one eye on one of those FR12’s. 

I’ve done the digital dance a bit myself over the past year and a half. 

POD Go was the first one I thought gave me the possibility of using a digital set up. Still left me twiddling a bit and chasing EQ settings, the next one was a Tonex One. Now that’s a fantastic bit of kit , some amazing sounds to be had that sound very authentic however I found it doesn’t like most of the pedals I’d like to use in front of it (a Rat and a Fuzz). If will still use one and can’t see me getting rid because of how small and solid it sounds. 

Next enter the  Friedman IR-X and I’m now very happy.  I’ve got it going into a headrush FR08 at the moment with a prophet digital delay in the loop and a rat and rusty fuzz up front. 

I think the hybrid nature of the Friedman really gives me the best of both worlds.  Valve touch and sound response with a digital back end to tame it all down when needed. 

Glad you’re liking the Lion. If the Friedman didn’t work out for me it was next on my list to try. 

I’ve recently bought a Friedman IR D and using via studio monitors at home, I’m really impressed.

I’ve added a couple of York Audio IRs - a Mesa Vintage 30 and a Deluxe Reverb. I run one channel through the Mesa and the other through the Deluxe, set at the same gain level but with more treble/lower mids. It does a decent facsimile of a Fender amp, with lovely break-up characteristics.

My only other (recent) digital experience is a Strymon Iridium. For driven tones the IR D is far superior.

grungebob

@richardhomer ;;
yeah I debated over the  X and the D but the dedicated clean channel on the X swung it for me. 

I’m really liking the edge of breakup sounds the clean gives me and the ability to add the boost on top means really I wouldn’t need the second channel at all but it sounds ace so I use it all. 

Most amp like non amp application I’ve used. 

newi123

I've heard great things about the Friedman stuff from @Kebabkid - really interested to try it at some point and see how it compares to UA

Kebabkid

newi123 said:

I've heard great things about the Friedman stuff from @Kebabkid - really interested to try it at some point and see how it compares to UA

It's a great unit, particularly Ch1 and I only have mine up for sale in the Classifieds as I haven't taken the FRFR route and it's not needed.
It's very amp-like in feel and sound.

YellowLedBetterMan

I've been really happy with the tones I've gotten in rehearsal recently using a Joyo British Sound straight into the PA. I do miss the feeling of having a speaker a few feet behind me but sound-wise, I don't find myself really missing my DSL40CR.

Maybe something like one of these Fender cabs would be a nice addition to that set up.

TimmyO

Need to sort play date so I can hear this 

Tp200023

I've been playing around with the Lion for a while and absolutely love it - not least for some stunning clean tones, which work great as a pedal platform. Doesn't feel too dissimilar to the clean tones the TPS guys found when comparing a JTM45 to a 1987x. 

It's so good, I've found myself using my Quad Cortex less and less - all I need now is a decent solution to play through headphones (kids and bedtime incompatible with my practicing!) and the QC will probably end up doing at some point. 

Re the Dream - definitely worth playing around with, however I found the clean tones from the Lion much better (to my taste!)

supes

@newi123 ;

I've been playing around with the Lion too. I bought it as a gigging backup for a Fractal, but I'm starting to think it could be my main gigging "amp."

For 90% of our set (pub rock) i use just 3 sounds. Cleanish, dirty, and lead. Interested how you're using it - are you playing it as a 2 channel amp? Left button as your main rhythm, and hitting the preset button to recall your lead tone? That's what I'm doing at the moment. Do you find you need to do much tweaking of dials on the pedal during gigs? Or do you use presets on the app?

newi123

supes said:

@newi123 ;

I've been playing around with the Lion too. I bought it as a gigging backup for a Fractal, but I'm starting to think it could be my main gigging "amp."

For 90% of our set (pub rock) i use just 3 sounds. Cleanish, dirty, and lead. Interested how you're using it - are you playing it as a 2 channel amp? Left button as your main rhythm, and hitting the preset button to recall your lead tone? That's what I'm doing at the moment. Do you find you need to do much tweaking of dials on the pedal during gigs? Or do you use presets on the app?

So I started using it like you said - one button for preset / live, 2nd button for boost.typically I'd have the two sounds fairly similar but one a bit louder.

I'm really enjoying it just as I'd use an amp - phase 90, couple of o'drives, dd3 in front - UA Evermore after it. Works really well.

Personally I'm liking the superbass setting. 

Still not missing dragging a valve amp out!

supes

Sorry, another question about the Lion!

I'm really liking the sounds i can get from it, but I feel i'm a bit limited by only having one live sound and one preset. I'm thinking about buying another Lion and running both on my board so i can have clean, light gain, rock rhythm, lead. 

How could i connect 2 Lions together so that only one is in use at a time? The manual talks about bypass but i just want to make sure it's possible before buying another.

jpttaylor

supes said:

Sorry, another question about the Lion!

I'm really liking the sounds i can get from it, but I feel i'm a bit limited by only having one live sound and one preset. I'm thinking about buying another Lion and running both on my board so i can have clean, light gain, rock rhythm, lead. 

How could i connect 2 Lions together so that only one is in use at a time? The manual talks about bypass but i just want to make sure it's possible before buying another.

I don’t think there’s a way to effectively “link” them, unless there’s a sort of weird four cable method. If you connect the pedals to your phone via Bluetooth then you can edit what the foot switches do, so you could change the left foot switch to on/off and then the right to live settings/preset.

Beexter

supes said:

Sorry, another question about the Lion!

I'm really liking the sounds i can get from it, but I feel i'm a bit limited by only having one live sound and one preset. I'm thinking about buying another Lion and running both on my board so i can have clean, light gain, rock rhythm, lead. 

How could i connect 2 Lions together so that only one is in use at a time? The manual talks about bypass but i just want to make sure it's possible before buying another.

If all else fails, could you not connect them via a Boss LS2?  You could then A/B or run both together.

newi123

supes said:

Sorry, another question about the Lion!

I'm really liking the sounds i can get from it, but I feel i'm a bit limited by only having one live sound and one preset. I'm thinking about buying another Lion and running both on my board so i can have clean, light gain, rock rhythm, lead. 

How could i connect 2 Lions together so that only one is in use at a time? The manual talks about bypass but i just want to make sure it's possible before buying another.

Maybe a mail to UA support - it looks like you an use them in what they call 4 cable method to switch between the lion and an amp preamp, or multiple UA preamp pedals and an amp preamp. So no reason why you couldn`t just switch between 2 Lion pedals.

Or as above a simple loop switcher might be the best option!

Islandape

supes said:

Sorry, another question about the Lion!

I'm really liking the sounds i can get from it, but I feel i'm a bit limited by only having one live sound and one preset. I'm thinking about buying another Lion and running both on my board so i can have clean, light gain, rock rhythm, lead. 

How could i connect 2 Lions together so that only one is in use at a time? The manual talks about bypass but i just want to make sure it's possible before buying another.

Is this what you’re after:

https://help.uaudio.com/hc/en-us/articles/13963018486932-Connecting-Your-UAFX-Pedals

scroll almost to the bottom. 

supes

Thanks for the replies. I've emailed UA support too.

I should also have mentioned that i use both outputs on the pedal too. One to PA and one to Frfr for monitoring. I think that means i can't  use an A/B switcher or 4 cable method. 

I'm wondering if i just run my guitar into Lion 1, and output from Lion 1 into input of Lion 2. Then i can still use both outputs from Lion 2 to pa/Frfr. Will that work?

supes

Just to update - you can run 2 Lions together without any a/b switchers/4 cable. I'm just running one into another using the input of Lion 2, and can still use the two outputs on the 2nd Lion to pa and frfr. Full test at rehearsal room this week but so far it's looking good!