>
> As a fellow tone snob I feel your pain, I'm still stuck in hardware
> mode and I'm able to do what you want with out involving a computer,
> but there are few hardware choices available that can do multiple
> loops and mine, the LP-1 is currently out of production and the
> roland rc 50 has been discontinued. When the time comes for me to move
> to software I will still continue to use a small hardware front end
> and smaller floor looper as both a safety net and also because I
> still prefer analog, even solid state over modeling for guitar tones.
> To wit, my Custom Tones Ethos preamp offers a scant two channels of
> guitar tone, essentially a clean and a dirty channel with an extra
> boost on the dirty channel, but it has an excellent speaker emulator
> output, so I can get great guitar tones even if I have to run direct.
> Its like a dumble amp in a box, and I'm fortunate enough to have
> played a few in my time. Effects are another matter as i can really
> see putting a lap top to good use with both pre and post effects.
> Right now I tend to have my effects pre loop when playing live and
> honestly I like the fact that my ethos and M-9 and timefactor and
> other effects are easy to change on the fly, the frustration I have
> found with all in one modeling/effects amps is how clumsy they have
> tended to be when needing to change eq and parameter settings on the
> fly. To much bass for the room? what are you going to do, tweak every
> preset you have created each time you move to a new one? i think the
> new modeling amp choices are much better than when I was using them ,
> and they have addressed a number of these issues, but they still feel
> and sound a bit flat to my ears. Plus I'm a bit tired of endless
> menus, and LCD screens. Time spent editing effects parameters and
> learning new platforms is time not making music, and currently I'm
> more interested in making music with the tools I have, which as of yet
> have not proved limiting. So if I was making the leap, I think i'd
> keep as much analog front end as possible, but keep it simple, and use
> a combo of Abelton and Mobius, becaues cool people in the know said
> so, and because Jeff Larson has a dog almost as cute as mine , and
> what ever cool plugs I could get my hands on, I would start to
> integrate...slowly. I'd start with some Expert Sleepers stuff,
> because Os makes cool plugins, and I'd become an absolute pest to
> many of you on this list.
> Bill
>