preamp/channelstrip for elec gtr

[preben]

I am looking to upgrade from (or possibly get something to compliment) my SPL Channel 1 channelstrip. 90% of the time I will be using it for recording electric (and also some acoustic) guitar through a MOTU 828.

I have thought about the UA 6167 or possibly something like a Really Nice Pre combined with a Distressor. Possiby an AMEK..?? And obviously I know I'll have to try these things out before buying, so I am just trying to get ball-parking here.

The guitar sounds I like could probably be described as 'meaty 70's sounds': woody, thick - not overly distorted but saturated and punchy. Amps: Fender, Marshall, Vox - so pretty standard stuff :-)

Any ideas will be welcome.

[NathanEldred]

Ultimate guitar amp preamp is the Great River NV into a Chandler TG Channel. If you really need compression on a guitar amp (I usually don't, but some extra coloration is always nice), an RNC will be fine for functional usage, I recommend a Distressor or Tube Tech CL1B if you want as much color as you could possibly handle.

[preben]

thanks nathan,

I am not particularly looking for compression but was thinking along the lines of the 1176/Distressor-option to imprint some thickness and character on the whole DAW-vibe...

[NathanEldred]

Originally posted by preben
thanks nathan,

I am not particularly looking for compression but was thinking along the lines of the 1176/Distressor-option to imprint some thickness and character on the whole DAW-vibe...

Or a FATSO...I think a 1 channel version would be brilliant for those who don't need dual mono. I'd rather have a fat EQ than a compressor for guitars though.

[Messiah]

I find the Joe Meek units to be quite agreeable with guitars (...don't remember the model, but I mean the 2U strip type one(?)), but ultimately, it the old 'horses for courses' scenario again...

[Fletcher]

I've been quite enjoying the Phoenix Audio DRS-2 on guitars lately... but there are a tone of them that will work really well.

[Dan-O]

I've been quite enjoying the Phoenix Audio DRS-2 on guitars lately

I haven't found a single thing that dosen't sound great with the Phoenix.

[preben]

thanks everyone. Sounds like the concensus more or less is to skip the compressor and just go with a preamp, or am I reading to much between the lines here..??

[Messiah]

If I read your post correctly, one of the first things I would question is the quality of the 828 converters... maybe there is a fair bit more juice to be squeezed out of your SPL Channel One with an improvement in the A-D department, which frankly isn't hard to do with an 828. ymmv.

[ozraves]

I like the Great River MP-2NV or ME-1NV as well as the FMR RNP.

Steve, www.mojopie.com

[mtsupiano]

Well, it really depends on the style of music that you are recording. For distorted Rock, Calrec or API modules can be wonderfull...But they are not the first thing I would reach for on a clean/acoustic guitar sound.

For an overall pre, I would recomend a MP-2NV or possibly a Millenia Media pre. These two would cover a majority of your bases.

[preben]

Well, the music I am doing has a lot of sort of 'classic rock' guitars in it. Keith Richards'ey tones (well, sort of anyway) a bit of late 70's Eagles plus it has more recent tones such as Coldplay and even Robbie Williams. So no massive distorted stuff going on but a lot of (hopefully) meaty tones - plus quite a bit of cleanish tones as well.

I have suspected the 828's convertors but I don't know how big any difference will be compared to the preamp scenario. There IS a digital option for the SPL but unfortunately there is no way of trying that without buying it and having it fitted.

[Wiggy Neve Slut]

Ditto Phoenix...

These babies are the BUSINESS... i too have not found anything that didnt give me a warm fuzzy feeling of general well being... lol and a sense of gearslutz hysteria too.!

PEACE
Wiggy

[barforama]

Great River MP-NV2 or Trident A-Range.

[ray dsr]

Also check out the API 7600. Awesome for electric guitar.

[LIsound]

We recently were gifted from the heavens with a product (OR 2) from CHANDLER.
The GERM mic pre (with a DI input) blew my mind apart and is still doing so on other input sources. We tracked acoustic gtr w/ a GERM and a distressor in opto mode. We ordered a 2nd on to do stereo w/ 2 akg 414's. It just geot sweeter. Bang for the buck, one of my most flexible pre's. Then we added CHANDLERS tone channel and voila (always wanted to use that one!) 2 germanium devices talking to each other. something even humans have a hard time with! These thing were like aliens bleeding all ove my control room.. Get 1.2..3..?? you'll see. We kept changing comps depending on instrument ex: SUMMIT DCL200 w/GERM for Vox, 1176 for bass,,, scamp for naaa turned it off... Thanks Fletch

[woomanmoomin]

Chandler TG-2 ought to be great for Keefy stuff but I just don't know about the other stuff. There are lots of clips at the Listening Sessions:

http://www.thelisteningsessions.com/session2.htm

Dare I say the Neve Portico 5012 does not sound bad to me for lightweight guitar? The sort of stuff you get at the beginning of every lame soap-ish series on BBC TV. I guess it could handle clean Eagles-type stuff well enough.

Incidentally, what the hell is a Robbie Williams guitar tone? I only remember that guy for his excruciatingly commercial style of vocal pap. I like what Morrissey said: 'I like everything about Robbie Williams apart from the songs and the voice.'