It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 1:49 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 62 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5  Next
Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5  Next
Author Message
Post subject: Mustang (III) effects are very disappointing
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 1:56 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2015 1:22 am
Posts: 10
I'm a new Mustang III owner, and while I think the amp models are great, I'm extremely disappointed with the quality of the effects.

Overdrive and distortion pedals aside (I don't use them), the modulations and reverbs really surprised me - for the worst. I upgraded from a VT40+ which I'd have to say now I've used the Mustang III actually featured some pretty fantastic modulations and reverb.

The main effects I use are the phaser and the spring reverb. The phaser on the VT+ amps has a rich full bodied sound, that all you need do is turn it on and you're in Phase90 territory. I must've tweaked the one on the Mustang for 20 mins and nothing sounded good. Am I missing something here? What pedal is this supposed to be emulating? Cause it doesn't sound like any phaser pedal I've ever used.

But I'm mostly disappointed by the reverbs. I thought a Fender modelling amp would at least have a great sounding spring reverb. Nope. This thing sounds more like a room reverb. There is no complex "boingy" springy content in it that you'd expect from a spring (the spring reverb on the VT+ has these characters). I have a Strymon BigSky and sure enough, made a very similar sounding reverb using the Room setting. These verbs have settings for diffusion and tone. From what I can hear the diffusion merely acts like a damper and the tone to my ears literally doesn't change the sound at all.

And even the other reverb types sound off to me as well. The Arena causes what sounds like almost a feedback effect when cranked up. And for an amp that advertises heavily as having a stereo cab simulated output via headphones, or the stereo XLR line outs, only the Hall and Room reverbs are actually in stereo. All other reverb types are mono. This ofcourse isn't as big of a deal, but it was another hit to my overall perception that the effects are lacklustre.

I was also surprised the knobs on he amp seem kinda flimsy as compared to the rock solid knobs on the VT+ amps which don't move/wobble at all. Something tells me I maybe should've gone for a VT80+.


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Mustang (III) effects are very disappointing
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 2:40 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
Effects are a matter of taste too .
I'm sorry for you but what do you expect to a 100 watts amp at $329 ?

Why don't you try amp before buy ?

http://www.amazon.com/Fender-Mustang-10 ... B00BTIQKM4

Just a single effect pedals like Boss cost half the price of this amp ,and these are not top of the line effect.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Mustang (III) effects are very disappointing
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 3:10 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2015 1:22 am
Posts: 10
True it's all taste and price, but I'm comparing the effects against the (cheaper) VT+ series. I went for the Mustang cause pretty much the only amp models I used on the Vox were the Fender ones.

In my country the Mustang's rrp is $799, and where I live it wasn't possible to try one out. They had to just order it in for me.

At the end of the day I'll mostly use outboard effects, but it's still disappointing to discover most of the effects are - for me at least - kind of unusable.

Just wanted to see what other people thought, as I've heard lots of great things about the amp models, but not much about the effects.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Mustang (III) effects are very disappointing
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 3:28 am
Offline
Roadie
Roadie

Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2012 12:11 am
Posts: 299
To be honest, I'm fairly surprised by your reactions as you're the first one I can ever recall being disappointed in the effects since I've been on this forum. Certainly in my case I have no disappointment, but then I knew coming into it what effects pedals were being emulated on the Mustang, and once I got the amp they all seemed to be pretty accurate to my ear. As far as reverb, I only use the spring reverbs which are emulations of the reverbs of various Fender amps, which again were exactly what I was used to.

It could be that there's not a lot of us here that are big effects users, at least not to the extent you appear to be. I do use the overdrive (Fender Drive pedal), Greenbox (Ibanez Tube Screamer), Black Box (ProCo Rat) on various songs for leads and haven't been disappointed at all as they all seem very accurate. I'm not sure what Chorus and Phase Shifters are being emulated, but I do use them albeit lightly on a couple of different presets, and like the overall sound I get from them. But, again, I may not be a connoisseur of such things.

_________________
Gibson Les Paul Standard
Gibson 335
Gretsch G5420T
Fender American Strat
Martin GPCPA1 Plus Grand Performer
Fender Mustang IV v.2


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Mustang (III) effects are very disappointing
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 5:37 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:47 am
Posts: 1256
So I guess it's another case of horses for courses.

I had the 30 watt VOX AD30VT.

I preferred the Mustang's on board effects. There is a lot more flexibility to what you can do.

I don't use a lot of modulation, and I do tend to keep the reverb levels low, (and mostly use the small or or hall settings)


With the VOX I had, you don't have a lot of options and editing is clunky.

Sorry you didn't like it, but that's the way it goes.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Mustang (III) effects are very disappointing
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 12:49 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2015 7:18 pm
Posts: 463
Location: Tucson
Obviously, I don't know exactly what you are trying to accomplish, but I am super happy with the 65 Twin amp (bright turned off) and the 65 Twin spring reverb for a great sound (to my ears). I don't use lots of other effects, but am also very happy with the compressor and stereo tape delay effects. Maybe you'll find other combinations that work for you. Best!

_________________
https://markhahnguitar.wordpress.com/
https://markhahn.bandcamp.com/releases


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Mustang (III) effects are very disappointing
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 1:54 pm
Offline
Roadie
Roadie

Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2011 7:09 pm
Posts: 253
Location: PA, USA
No disappointments at all here. I think the reverbs are great. You just have to know how to program them.

_________________
Guitars: Fender A.D.E Strat - Schecter PT with Duncans - Martin OOOC16RGTE
PA Gear: Alesis MultiMix 10 Mixer - Carvin FX2 - EV ZLX12P Powered Speakers
Amps: Fender Mustang III v2 - Alto Kick 12
Effects: Line 6 M13


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Mustang (III) effects are very disappointing
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 3:48 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2012 3:15 am
Posts: 300
I kind of agree with the OP but I'm comparing to a Roland reverb/delay rack unit I used to have.
I'm very happy with the MIII (actually I'm continually amazed by how great it sounds) but I can see for more ethereal sounds an outboard box might be a good addition - but that's easy enough to add, right ?


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Mustang (III) effects are very disappointing
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 6:30 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2015 1:22 am
Posts: 10
Yeah I do mainly use external effects but it would be handy to have a few essentials built in for times when I want to travel light.

And yeah I do go heavy on the effects. I play mostly post-rock and ambient music, a some reggae now and then. So I usually go pretty heavy on the delays and reverbs!

I might try and make a couple comparison audio clips. It's entirely possible the spring reverb sound I'm used to isn't actually what a 'real' spring unit even sounds like. Perhaps I'm just used to a handful of digital ones that happen to sound a certain way. Who knows.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Mustang (III) effects are very disappointing
Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 7:48 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2012 3:15 am
Posts: 300
Yep.. my intent is 'post rock' too but I give in to rock'n'pop'n'country when I'm noodling around.. hmm, maybe I need that other delay pedal too.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Mustang (III) effects are very disappointing
Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 8:56 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 6:30 am
Posts: 375
I tend to use outboard effects with mine, mainly because they're easier for ME to tweak. I don't use Fuse, and sometimes the editing interface is a tad clunky. That, and often there are TOO MANY parameters to tweak (that I know nothing about).

I will say that I like the Mustang a LOT better than my Vox VT. The adjustability of the fx just didn't do it for me on mine. Just level with the stomps and reverbs, and level and speed with the mods and delays. The Vox does have some nice, and interesting effects on it, though. The Chorus, Flanger and phaser were NOT my favorites,

Keep trying, OP. Sometimes when you switch to something completely different, it's those differences that you hear most. It takes a bit of use to really get good at the Mustangs- there's just so much you can do!

Personally, I like the reverbs- but there are so many parameters you can tweak, it's easy to get lost and frustrated when looking for a specific sound. I've actually found it easier to just look for GOOD sounds, than to try and find something really specific.

I know what you mean about the Vox amp models- I mainly just went for the Fender stuff too. It was my first amp, and I had no idea what to get or what I liked. So I kinda tried everything, and went in the direction my ears liked best. Turns out, I like Fender amps- especially warm tweedy sounding amps. Thus, when I went to buy my next bigger/better amp- I got a Fender. Everything I've bought or GASsed for since has been Either Fender or Fender-sounding, lol.

Oddly enough- the brit 60's (VOX AC30) and brit 70's (Marshall Plexi) are two of my favorite models to play with on my Mustang and SC X2 amps. Go figure!

On the presets I've made, the Simple Compressor, Vintage Trem; and the reverbs are the only on amp effects I've added. I use my own collection of pedals for the rest. I do like many others esp the delays, and the sine chorus- I just prefer to make my presets as naked as possible, concentrating on the basic tone.

The Echo filter sure is fun to play with, though!


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Mustang (III) effects are very disappointing
Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 9:34 am
Offline
Roadie
Roadie

Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2014 6:22 am
Posts: 220
I like the effects on the Mustang, but as pyroman said, it's easy to get lost in all the adjustments. I'd really like to see a tutorial on just what all the reverb adjustments do and how to set them for a particular sound. Anyone care to try writing a description?


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Mustang (III) effects are very disappointing
Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 11:16 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2008 10:38 am
Posts: 12975
Location: Canada
Reverbs are funny things. There are all sorts, and choice is a personal like or dislike.

Aside from telling my age (not my character) I want to tell you about a favourite reverb I had. When I dated my wife (when she was my girlfriend), I owned a '64 Parisienne with raised white letter tires and Moon Eye/STP/NHRA stickers. Before my Stereo/Quad 8 Tracks were installed, I simply had the stock AM Delco radio with added Jensens front and back. Hmm, is that the best I could get for my tunes? Nope.

There on the store shelf was an under dash spring reverb. After I installed it on the car even the announcers were in reverb! I was in spring reverb heaven, and it was fun cruising with the windows down on that Midnight Blue 2 Door hardtop with my aquamarine traps in the back seat.

To me . . . that was REVERB.

I often wondered how my Strat would sound with that reverb . . . but then again, I'll stick to my Mustang IV, because I also remember that mobile reverb when I drove over the potholes and railway tracks :lol:

_________________
Hello, big guitar. Meet my little fingers.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Mustang (III) effects are very disappointing
Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 11:28 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2012 3:15 am
Posts: 300
Great story Fender Strat Brat!
It ain't a real reverb unless you can thump it and get those lovely zings.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Mustang (III) effects are very disappointing
Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 12:05 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2008 10:38 am
Posts: 12975
Location: Canada
markcc wrote:
Great story Fender Strat Brat!
It ain't a real reverb unless you can thump it and get those lovely zings.


Boing Boing. Sproingggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg! :D

_________________
Hello, big guitar. Meet my little fingers.


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 62 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5  Next
Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: