Should I Buy a Tonelab LE

[GAJ52]

Hi Gentlemen

I have been reading the threads on this forum regarding amp simulation, and my attention was drawn towards the Vox Tonelab. In the past have I spent a lot of money trying to get as near to Hanks sound as possible, as I'm sure we all have. So far my equipment list includes a Burns Drifter with Kinman pickups, Jap Marvin Signature Fender, Q2 with original EFTP, G7.1ut with EFTP and a Session Acetone amp.

It may be just lack of expertise setting up EQ etc, although I do use the settings recommended that came with the equipment, but I still cannot get the sound I'm after. There are many sound files on various Shadows websites that produce a sound I would be very happy with, especially Gerebriel (GG). Although I have perfect echoes with Charlies EFTP I think I may be lacking a AC15/AC30 tone. As I just record to computer and not play live, the Tonelab looked very interesting played in front of my Q2.

Now I am retired, finances are limited and I don't want to waste any money on something that will make no difference, as I think I did with the G7.1ut as its not mentioned very often on this and other sites.

Would the Tonelab LE at £299 be a worthwhile investment !!

Many thanks

Glen

[BarryH]

Hi Glen,

Quite a few people on the different Shadows forums use the Tonelab, either in the LE, ST or Desktop forms. I think in all cases, the Tonelab is only used for the amp simulation, not the delay and reverb. This, more often than not comes from one of Charlie's creations. The Shadows patches for the Tonelabs that you find on the internet generally try to do the lot, echoes and all. They're not very successful.

I'm not sure if the Tonelab LE is a good buy at nearly £300, they're fetching around the £180 mark on the well known auction site at the minute. The newest Tonelab on the market, the ST seems to be a good buy with some going very cheaply, again on the well known auction site. Gerabriel uses the Desktop model, the one without any foot pedals.

An increasing number of people are now trying out the Line 6 Pod XT or Pro. Some getting very good sounds, but again only for the amp simulation. There a few more models on the Pod XT including the Matchless variants and the Fawn Vox.

The attached sound file is from Roger Bayliss over on the Shadow Music forum, this is done with a Pod XT and a MagicStomp.

www.4shared.com/file/115182625/4af8213a/Savage.html

Hope this helps.

Cheers
Barry

[93strat]

Hi Glen.
I have a Tonelab LE and Iam very happy with the sound that I get..I use it for everything echoes and all and it gives a great sound..Alot of people do use it for just the Amp sims. If you play around with it a little you will possibly get the sound you are chasing.. alot of people don't give it the credit it deserves but some are just chasing that exact sound I believe they will never get..I like the tonelabs features and think it will be a great buy for you..But it's your call have a play with one and you decide.
Cheers Alex

[GAJ52]

Hi Barry & Alex

Many thanks for giving your views on this unit its most appreciated. I was hoping to get a few more comments to make my mind up one way or the other, but looking at other posts on this site it looks reasonably popular so I took the plunge and bought one on the well known auction site today for £185. I'm hoping delivery will only be a few days - fingers crossed.

AS I have a Q2 with Charlie's echoes can anyone give me any tips on setting the Tonelab up with the Q2 and any basic settings so I get a fairly good AC15/30 sound . I won't be using an amp just straight into a computer for recording into Cubase.

Thanks again

Glen

[Deleted]

HI GLEN & ALL ,, well glen you have now committed to the le ,I was going to say unless you wanted the ''pedal'' the desk-top version is smaller and is what [GG] uses & I have as well I am not shure whether they are technically the same ?? but I am sure you will like the sound ,, what I found with the Q2 was to use ,as charlie has said many times a pedal of some description between your guitar & the Q2 ,a very good choice would be a ''ORANGE-SQUEEZER'' with the comp setting very ,very low,but not bypassed !!!!!!The ''FET"S'' give a distinctive-sound. you could build one & or buy a clone that is still available!!!!

ALL THE BEST ON YOUR NEW PURCHASE ....................barry..

[hubert]

Hi all, I had a performance yesterday, and for the first time used my new "Blackstar HT5" amphead clean channel. I used the line out speaker-emulator with the 2x12 sim. ( it has allso a 4x12 sim.) right to the f.o.h. (soundcraft fx16), the isf set full to "Britisch", treble ten o clock, mid 12, bass so that it just come in. I used an old 15 watt 8 Ohm 8" speaker for dummyload, why i don't know because if you use the emulator it blocks the speaker, but blackstar adviced to do so. I had to tweek a little on the f.o.h. round 7 to 800 hz, give it a 3db plus, and "VOILA", sound like a VOX. The guitar used is a selfmade strat copie made from Warmoth parts, maple neck, one peace ash body, wilkinson trem, (VSVG), Tonerider vintage pickups, ( yes they are good!!!!). the amphead cost €299,00.!!!. I also have a vox tonelab that I use sometimes with the Q20 in front!, (because the eq from Charlie's patches has to effect the first note to). But i have to say that the Blackstar is wonderfull!!!, It sound not like a vox , but with a little tweeking, i like it more then the tonelab!!!, its more realistic. try it out, regards, Hubert.

[tedw]

Charlie's settings on Q2 or Magicstomp are as good as it gets. However you will find a lengthy thread somewhere in this site where he has prioduced echo settings for Tonelab SE and the LE uses the same chip I believe. The key is that the multitap setting on the Tonelab is not good enough on its own, but in the Modulation section there is a setting for Mod Delay which, when added to the Delay section gets you fairly close

[tedw]

and here it is! "All things ToneLab (LE/SE/Desktop)
"

[BarryH]

I wonder why so many people are selling their new Tonelab ST models?

This is Vox's latest version of the Tonelab and some have been going on the well known auction site for less than the much older Desktop models are fetching.

Cheers
Barry

[Deleted]

HI BARRYH,,,,,,,,,,,,, Maybe it's like many effect unit's the older first one's were better ,I feel the desk-top version is a great unit ,,I had trouble getting a new one a good while ago eventully found a new-old stock one in the US, but had to buy a 240v-115v transformer to still use the genuine p/pack ,the same story with my Q2's but I bought a heavy trans & it comfortably supplie's all the 115v unit's I have...

THe desk-top version is just that it is a rugged desk-top only unit [no pedal's] but a pletherer of tonal control's [KNOB"S' ] my favorite over button's!!!!..& all metal casing!!!!

CHEERS ALL ....................barry..