Updating the Ace Family

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rbc
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Re: Updating the Ace Family

Post by rbc »

I have an update on this from Dunlop. I asked their customer support if the Ace family was still in production. They assured me that the Ace family is still in production.
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Guitarvamp
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Re: Updating the Ace Family

Post by Guitarvamp »

I'll throw in my late 2 cents. :) Having pondered for many years the question of whether or not the Rockman units (any of them) should be updated or not, and having worked in a music store with the latest and greatest gadgets, amps, and pedals, I've come to the conclusion that the Rockman line should stay right where it is.

The Rockman units were made in a very different time. They were different from anything else out there (and still are). Technology has changed, too. Music styles and sounds have also changed. No longer is it simply a Marshall Super Lead or a hotrodded Fender Dual Reverb.... it's a Krank, or 5150, or some multi-sound unit that can get every known amp/speaker combination under the sun. Sadly, while that classic warm Marshall tone is still pleasing to the ear, it is no longer trendy or well understood (on a technical level).

From my years of experience dealing with musicians, I see that the technicals of sound and tone are being forgotten, misunderstood, or just not even known. People now are too busy programming parameters and patches. There is a basic core set of knowledge that is being missed. For example, just using an EQ and where to place it in a signal chain, and what it can and cannot do.

So over here you have all of that information and knowledge. Then way over here is Rockman stuff. :) It is a VERY different approach to sound. It took me a long time to figure things out, but I knew there was some magic in there - I just needed to figure out how to coax it out.

MXR is a great company, but they are still small on a larger scaler. There is a lot of stiff competition these days in pedals and multi-effects. What they put out needs to be well thought out, well planned, exactly what the market wants, and have plenty of pontential buyers before they even start. Is the Rockman sound still viable? I would say yes. Is it in a format that people would want? Well, here starts the problem. As the Rockman units sit, they are a one-trick pony, much like a stomp box - but they are totally different than the average stomp box. And thus a lot of potential technical problems. Where would it fit in the signal chain, can it work with existing stomp boxes, where would it go with the amp, FX loop or not, etc, etc. You soon start dealing with the problems of the 80's monsterous racks. And at the end of the day, it really only does one sound. For a fraction of the price (then and now), you can buy an all-in-one unit that makes any amp/speaker/mic/room combination you can think of. Still in the same ballpark? Not at all. Adding in all the switching, and knobs and sliders, and do-it-all tones really lessens the heart of the Rockman sound.

I think the Rockman sound is a bit of a niche tone, used by few, appreciated by many. It is a one-trick pony - but it is the most grand and great stallion you can dream of. ;) And in this day and age, I would compare it to a classic muscle car. Most would prefer something else with a lot more features and updates, but there will always be a special group that want to carry on the legacy.
Fireful0
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Re: Updating the Ace Family

Post by Fireful0 »

I kind of agree, but I gotta say, I use the Rockman Sustainor 200 in my rig non stop.
I always go to it when I turn on my Crunch channel on my Peavey Rockmaster Preamp.
Athough it is kind of a "one trick pony", there are a ton of tricks that this pony can do. :D