Conference napalm::guitar

    It got a really good writeup in Guitar Player (aren't they all?) a
    month or so ago, I've never actually seen or heard one myself.  
    
    I thought it was pretty pricey for a little stomp box unit ($185?) 
    Since they seem to be targeting the recording market, it surprises me
    that they packaged it in a stomp box form and didn't use something more
    substantial then DIP switches for the options.
    
    Greg

    $185 - I think that's low.  Sam Ash (I think) is asking $215 for it.
    
    Dan

    Could be, I thought that's what it was listed for in the latest
    Musicians Friend catalog, but I could be wrong I don't have one here. 
    
    Greg

    
    re: "Good Review In Guitar Player"
    
    	Doesn't everything get basically get a "good" review in
    guitar player? ;-)
    
    -T
    

    
    	re: good reviews in GP - I read several years ago that they
    	concentrate on the good stuff (albums and products) because
    	of space constraints.  Someone wrote in asking why they never
    	seemed to give a bad review.  They said that there's so much
    	good stuff out there - why waste space on the junk.
    
    	Tom
    
    

    
    
      Re .0
    
      I've tried it, Dan. The tech from Rogue Music designed it. 
    
      It's got a switchpack (6 on/off rockers) allowing "amp" selections
    (marshall, mesa-boogie, etc). I felt the lack of "pots" a poor choice,
    since I wasn't exactly overwhelmed by the selections available.
    They all needed "tweaking".
      But crunch is crunch, and for a through the board Marshall imitation,
    this box is it.    
       When I originally checked this box out, the price was $350. Ouch.
    
      Personally, I prefer a light, Beatlish distortion or that sweet
    sustain one can only get out of a Big Muff.
    
         
    
    RichC
                                              

     It couldn't be that usually the products reviewed coincidentally
    have shelled out bucks in that issue for add space? Guitar Player
    magazine {IMHO},is 60% standard Advertisments, 10% endorsments{in
     the interviews ,10% endorsments in the Product profiles and the
     last 20% mixed between pictures with equiptment brands displayed
     promenently and a smattering of guitar related articals
    
                                     Jon T                       

    Jon,
    
    You might be right. However, give the people who sell advertising in GP
    SOME credit. I mean, if GP's gonna give a product a good review, then
    it's in the manufacturer's interest to try and convert that good will
    into sales, which means getting as much exposure as possible, which
    means... you guessed it... advertising. All it should take is one phone 
    call from the GP ad dept.
    
    Nick 

    re: Jon
    
    I believe that you're analysis is pretty cynical.  I also don't have
    much faith in advertisements that have endorcements in them, but the
    interviews generally tend to weed out what the players are REALLY
    using.  Personally, I'm *interested* in what equipment they use and
    would be disappointed if that wasn't included in many of the interviews
    as it is now.  I don't believe that the magazine is run by equipment
    manufacturers at all!
     
    If I were an equipment maker, I would CERTAINLY make every effort to
    get an advertisement into an issue of a magazine if I knew they were
    reviewing my product.  It's good business sense!  Not only does it
    increase the exposure, but it gives the reader a place to get more
    information about the product and where the local dealers are.
    
    As far as the photographs go, it's a magazine for and about GUITAR
    PLAYERS!  I hardly find it unusual that the photographs include GUITARS
    and amps.  Like reading about it, I find it kind of entertaining to
    look at how someone else has their amp rig physically configured.  It
    might give me some ideas.
    
    Greg
                             

I believe the Sansamp is a "tube-sound" emulator. You're supposed to
be able to get reasonable emulations of some well-known amps' sounds
(Fender, Marshall). Might be handy on stage if you are using a clean
tranny amp and you want to get tube sounds, or for DI-ing purposes
for recording.

Isn't there already a note on the Sansamp somewhere in here?
*DC

     Sanzamp?....yepper sure Ive heard/heard of it....they're made
    right here in NYC and Rogue Music was selling them before there
    were any ads in the magazines for them. Say hey RICH COCCOLI!
    I know you had to have tried one over there....How's about a
    review???!!!!!
    -Bildar <:^)

	The instructor I had at NGSW this year had one of those in his
	pedalboard. He had a very smooth "just beyond overdrive" tone.
	He was set up with the sans amp, an mxr dyna-comp, an old boss
	phaser (for chorus) and a boss RV-2 reverb on an ARION powered
	board. This allowed him to carry his amp tone around. All he
	needed was an amp with a decent clean tone and he was off....

	The sans amp is nice but it's pricey ( ~$225 US ).

	ccb

    
    
      RE .11
    
     Yo Spud. Checkout .6. You a little late, eh?.
    
    Yer Pal..Rich
    
    

    I bought a SANSAMP last week, it kicks big butt!
    
    I haven't tried it direct into a board, but in my live setup its great!
    I'm using it to drive, in stereo, a Fender Super Reverb and a Super 60.
    The Marshall sound is down right scary, the leads are great, sustaining
    even at a low volume.
    
    I'm still experimenting with different processing, after the SANSAMP,
    but so far I'm real happy with the purchase!! Finally a sound you can
    depend on!
    
    Rob Carlson  (United Snakes)    BUSY::RCARLSON
    
    
    
    

    
    To those out there using this piece of equipment or know about it.
    Can the Sansamp be 'programmed' to simulate a bass amp sound? 
    I need this primarily for recording. It would be nice to have
    one piece of equipment for both bass and guitar, however if that's
    not the case can some recommend something similar for bass.
    
    Maybe an equalizer is all I need to record a clean sound bass? 
    
    Thanks in advance for the help.
    
    Errol (getting_back_to_serious_bass_and_guitar_playing)

    I don't know for a fact if the Sansamp is designed to be used for bass,
    but it sure looks that way.  Doug Wimbish, slap bassist extraordinaire,
    is endorsing these heavily right now and claims in the ads he uses his
    for bass recording.  

    Thanks very much for that info. I think I'll pursue it a little
    furthur with Rogue and/or Sam Ash and hear what they to say, but
    probably won't totally believe them.
    
    Doug Wimbish? Know of any albums I can hear him on?
    
    Thanks,
    
    Errol 

    Wimbish was part of the original Sugar Hill gang, is now with Tackhead. 
    Gigs with Mick Jagger, James Brown, etc. along the way.
    		
    						Brian

    I tried one out a month or so ago.  There was some improvement in
    the sound but not enough to justify the price tag (~$200) for a stomp box
    with DIP switches, IMO.
    
    Peter

    I believe the Sansamp has a headphone out, which makes it a little
    more interesting.  If it really worked well as a headphone amp/recording
    pre-amp/live stomp box for BOTH guitar and bass, then it sounds like
    a pretty handy box to have around.

    But what about the Rockman curse...it's in a totally screwy
    package...can't rack-mount it, it's not footswitchable, the dip
    switches aren't designed to be tweaked very often, etc.  The designers
    didn't put much money into the human engineering side of it...another
    ugly duckling box to take up table space, just what I need.
    
    8^)  8^)  8^)
    
    						Brian

    I agree completely with Brian.  If they just put the thing in a rack
    mount case with good quality switches rather then those fragile dip
    switches, I bet they'd sell a lot more of them.  They bill it as a
    recording tool, but they put it in a stomp box package?  These seem to
    conflict to me!
    
    Greg (who also think's it's overpriced)

    Well, I was going through a Home and Studio Recording rag that I took
    out from the library (Nov issue) and lo and behold, there is a full
    page add for the beastie. Lots of endorsements from 'famous' players
    I don't about so what's new. 
    
    Anyways, the ad states in part 'SansAmp's versatility makes it uniquely
    suitable for any music style, be it for guitar, bass, vocals,
    keyboards, etc......"
    
    Roland also makes a box that simulates the sound of popular amps and
    they recommend it for recording, I read that a while ago in a Roland
    rag that I can't seem to find.
    
    Thanks for the feedback guys, I am undecided and got that urge for me
    toy....maybe I'll get over it soon.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Errol

   I was in a local (Springs) store yesterday, and they had a rack mount version
   of the SansAmp.  Didn't try it, but I may go back and check it out.  No DIP
   switches on the rack unit...

   -- Sam

    Yeah, I noticed it in the more recent mail order catalogs I get.  Goes
    for about $450.  Pretty steep if you ask me.  It does have more
    functionality then the old stomp box version though.
    
    Greg

    
    	Does the rackmount have a footswitch for switching?  Like
    	Clean, Crunch, and Distortion?  Sounds like just what I
    	need for direct into the PA.
    
    	What do you guys think?
    
    	Thanks - Tom
    

    re 1
    	Has anyone tried the new rack mount version? I am interested in
    it as well,does it have cabinet simulation?
    P.K.
    

	Had this unit home for a test, was NOT impressed. I tried using
	it as a preamp on 'The Twin' and it sucked bigtime - at least
	the distortion patches: typical solid state sound, thin, buzzy
	and non-responsive. Some of the other voicings MIGHT be useful
	for rhythm and soft-lead sounds, but my overall impression was
	that I couldn't DREAM spending bucks on something like this.

	I also tried it with headphones, this was even worse. I would
	maybe have considered this device if I could use it as decent
	overdrive effect for recording direct into mixer - but forget
	about that.

	The good part of it was that immediately after the test on 'The
	Twin', I put the amp back to normal operation with my LP con-
	nected.....and drooled....the difference in sound quality was
	astonishing - the distortion sound on the SansAmp is nothing
	compared to the real thing...

	Poul

    
    I recently got hold of a SansAmp GT2, this is basically a stomp box
    with a series of three slider switches (one each for mike position,
    gain and amp) and four pots (level, two tone and drive).
    
    I've never owned or even played at any length through a Marshall but
    I have heard Jimi Hendrix and judging by this I would say that the
    Marshall emulation setting is spot on.
    
    The unit is well made and looks as if it will stand up to much abuse.
    It was primarily intended as a DI box hence the mike position switch
    which emulates different miking configurations.
    
    Used through an amp it is basically an intelligent overdrive unit
    with incredible sustain and none of the "typical solid state sound"
    mentioned in the previous note, but then we have come on a year and
    technology has improved.
    
    All in all I'm pleased with this unit and think it will be fair while
    before I grow tired of it.
    
    Chris

	Picked up the Tech 21 Tri O.D. over the weekend.  I'm sure most 
	of you are familiar with it already.  It's supposed to simulate
	Fender Tweed, a Boogie, and a Marshall.  Any or all can be on or
	off so one bummer is to have your bypass you need to shut one of
	them off.  But since I have a Blues DeVille, it was a no brainer
	to shutt off the tweed.  

	It's also a direct box to a P.A. or deck.

	One thing that got me at first was that the treble and bass are
	really cut and boost.  So setting them both at 1 or 2 o'clock
	sounded like crap.  Setting the bass to 9 o'clock and the
	treble to 11 made a huge difference.

	So far I'm enjoying it.  I have 30 days to make up my mind but
	I think I'll keep it.  With the drive channel on the DeVille
	and a Tube Screamer to kick in alone or in addition to any of
	the others, I have a bunch of different sounds.

	But I gotta admit.  They all pale to straight in with nothing
	but a little reverb and delay - no distortion.

	Tom