List of amp simulations

This is a list of the amps the Axe-Fx simulates, plus the description in the manual, suggestions for cabinets and additional notes.

Download a PDF version with pictures of the amps.

Axe-Fx name	Amp simulated
TUBE PRE	= Generic Tube Preamp "A completely neutral, low-gain tube pre-amp simulation. Useful for warming up vocals and other instruments" Cabinet: n/a ...
JAZZ	= Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus "Based on a Japanese solid-state amp with built-in chorus. With essentially no tone shaping this amp has a warm, midrange-thick sound that is good for jazz and fingerstyle. With the Axe-Fx’s powerful tone controls you can tweak this type to get shimmering rhythm tones as well" Cabinet: ? ...
BROWNFACE	= Fender Vibroverb "Based on a classic American 40-watt tube amp with built-in vibrato. Great for gutsy blues, this type breaks up nicely, especially when the Master is cranked. The original had no Mid or Presence so set these to ‘0’ for classic tone" Cabinet: 1x12 Black, 2x12 Black, 1x15 Blues Wiki tips Thread GeneAndEddy clip and patch
BLUES	= Fender Bassman "A low-to-medium gain sound great for blues. Based on a classic bass amplifier with four 10” speakers, it didn’t work so well for bass but guitar players quickly discovered it made a great blues amp. Try a treble booster in front for screaming blues work a la Albert Collins or Albert King" Cabinet: 4x10 Bass Wiki tips Thread
TWEED	= Fender Deluxe Reverb Model AB763 "Based on a small, low-power, tweed-covered amp. The original had no controls other than volume. Set all tone controls to ‘0’ for authentic tone. Adjust as desired to venture into new sonic territory. Our simulation has a bit more gain than the somewhat anemic original to allow you to dial in a nice crunch. To recreate the original faithfully set the drive to about 6 and use the Master as the volume" Cabinet: 1x12 Black, 2x12 Black The "Tweed" name and description do not match with the emulated model Wiki tips Thread Scott Peterson clip and patch
BLACKFACE	= Fender Twin "Based on a popular, 100-watt American tube amp with two 12” speakers. This simulation captures the Normal Channel. Very similar to the Brownface model but a little more mellow. The tone-stack is also slightly different giving it just a bit different voicing" Cabinet: 2x12 Black Wiki tips Thread
CLASS A	= Vox AC30 "A medium-gain emulation based on an early British tube amplifier. This type does not have the high-frequency emphasis like the American types and therefore has a darker sound. Try a treble boost in front for a snarling British “opera-rock” sound. This amp is notable in that it has no negative feedback around the power-amp and hence has a gritty character and less high-frequency response" Cabinet: 2x12 Brit ...
TOP BOOST	= Vox AC30TB "Based on the “Top Boost Mod” version of the Class A. The public yearned for a brighter amp and the designers responded by adding a treble boost circuit. At first this circuit was a retrofit but then included as standard. Our simulation captures the boosted high-frequency response and slightly reduced bass response of the original" Cabinet: 2x12 Brit Thread JoCCe clip and patch
PLEXI 1	= Marshall '1959' "Based on a classic British amp, the Plexi is great for crunchy rhythm work. The original was basically a copy of the 4x10 bass amp (see Blues type above) that guitar players adopted but with EL34 output tubes and other British components. Despite being essentially a copy it had a unique voice all its own. It has somewhat low preamp gain and works best with the Master and Drive both set fairly high" Cabinet: 4x12 20w Wiki tip MrMunky clip and patch Tip from the designer RiF clip and patch
BRIT 800	= Marshall JCM800 2204 "The successor to the Plexi type was the vaunted 800 series lead amplifier. Many 80’s rock hits were born using this amp and we’ve captured its tone and put it into a neat little package. This amp had EL34 output tubes, some treble peaking on the input and a little more gain than the Plexi. Like the Plexi type it likes having the Master cranked. At low Master settings the amp can be brittle but bring the Master up and the true tone of this beast comes out. Try it with any of the 4x12 cabinet types for classic rock and metal tones. Try a drive block in front for more snarl" Cabinet: 4x12 30, 4x12 Green, 4x12 75w, 4x12 T75 Scott Peterson clip and patch
BRIT 900	= Marshall JCM900 "The successor to the 800 series was the 900 series. This amp had basically the same power amp but a new preamp with more tone shaping, more gain, and a solid-state clipping circuit that gave it a raspier sound. This amp was designed to get more of its distortion from the preamp than the earlier models but you can still keep the drive low and turn up the Master for more power amp distortion" Cabinet: 4x12 30w, 4x12 75w, 4x12 T75 ...
BROWN	= Eddie van Halen's modded Marshall "Based on a modified British style head with plenty of gain and lots of mids and highs. This type captures the sound of Eddie’s early work. Crank the Master and bring the drive up until you reach sonic nirvana" Cabinet: 4x12 20w, 4x12 25w, 4x12 30w, 4x12 Green ...
BOUTIQUE 1	= Matchless Chieftain "A medium-gain, thick, yet crisp, sound with a fair amount of power amp breakup. Based on a now-defunct amplifier that was renowned for its liquid tone and endless sustain. This amp had very unique tone controls and as a result a distinctive voice with a bell- like quality. The preamp gain is fairly low so crank the Master to get that gutsy crunch. Good for rhythm work in a sparse situation where fullness of tone is required" Cabinet: 2x12 Boutique Scott Peterson's Matchless tweak guide Wiki tips
BOUTIQUE 2	= Matchless Chieftain w/ Booster "Same as Boutique 1 but with more gain and a bit more high-frequency emphasis. The lead version of Boutique 1" Cabinet: 2x12 Boutique ...
HIPOWER 1	= Hiwatt 'Normal' Channel "A medium-gain, full sound based on a famous “High Wattage” amp. These amps had a unique tone-stack and industrial quality output transformers with tremendous frequency response. Chimey with a bit of power amp breakup. Plug in your Tele and crank out some Baba O'Reilly" Cabinet: ? ...
HIPOWER 2	= Hiwatt 'Brilliant' Channel "Like HiPower I but using the “Brilliant” channel" Cabinet: ? ...
USA CLEAN	= MKIV and Triaxis Clean "A somewhat neutral clean sound that can pushed into gentle clipping. Based on a classic California amp’s clean channel this type has a full tone with a gentle midrange dip. The power amp is punchy and clean but can be driven into light distortion if desired. Sounds best with the drive turned up fairly high" Cabinet: Cali, South Wiki tips
USA RHY1	= MKIV Crunch "Crunchy California rhythm sound. Effective for solo use too with the gain turned up" Cabinet: Cali, South Wiki tips
USA RHY2	= Triaxis LD1 Green "Similar to USA Rhy 1 but with the “mid-boost” engaged. This effectively removes the midrange dip from the tone stack and gives a more focused sound and a bit more gain" Cabinet: Cali, South Wiki tips
USA LEAD	= MKIV Lead "A tight, focused, hi-gain sound great for fusion and rock leads. Based on a modern Californian lead amp that set the standard for hi-gain lead tones. With the tone-stack before the preamp tubes this type has a more liquid response than the British types where the tone-stack is after the preamp. For the classic California lead sound turn the drive up and back of the Master a bit so that most of the distortion is coming from the preamp" Cabinet: Cali, South Wiki tips
USA LEAD 2	= Triaxis LD2 Yellow "Similar to USA Lead I but with the “treble shift” engaged. This shifts the response of the treble control lower and gives a slightly different character to the tone. There is also a “treble peaker” on the input stage which slightly boosts the high frequencies giving this type a little more “cut"" Cabinet: Cali, South Wiki tips
RECTO Orange	= Mesa Dual Rectifier (version 1) (Not described in the manual) Cabinet: Recto1, Recto2 The manual doesn't mention Recto Orange (lists Recto 1 and 2)
RECTO Red	= Triaxis LD1 Red w/"recto mod". The power amp portion is identical to Recto1 (Not described in the manual) Cabinet: Recto1, Recto2 The manual doesn't mention Recto Red (lists Recto 1 and 2)
SOLO 100	= Soldano SLO-100 "Based on a high-gain hot-rod with a chrome chassis, this amp is noted for its snarling lead sound. Also great for aggressive rhythm work, this type “chugs” nicely without getting muddy. Pair it with one of the 4x12 cabinet simulations for modern rock tones" Cabinet: one of the 4x12 V30s ...
SPEC. OD 1	= Dumble Overdrive Special Clean "Based on a coveted but rare lead head that was made famous by Larry Carlton and others. Another amp with a very strange tone-stack, this amp has a singing voice and is great for modern blues/fusion work. This is the clean channel" Cabinet: 2x12 Custom ...
SPEC. OD 2	= Dumble Overdrive Special Lead "The overdrive channel of the above" Cabinet: 2x12 Custom ...
EURO 1	= 20th Anniversary Bogner Ecstasy Blue Channel "Based on a German high-gain amp, these amps pay homage to the British amps but with lots more gain and more high-frequency emphasis. This type simulates the overdrive channel with the boost and “structure” switches off" Cabinet: German The description in the manual refers to the amp sim before firmware 9.0. In firmware 9.0 this amp sim was replaced Cardinal of crunk clip and patch
EURO 2	= 20th Anniversary Bogner Ecstasy Red Channel "As above but with the boost and structure switches on. This one has lots of gain and plenty of low-end chunk along with a crispy top-end. Great for modern metal" Cabinet: German The description in the manual refers to the amp sim before firmware 9.0. In firmware 9.0 this amp sim was replaced Scott Peterson clip and patch
UK GC30	= Laney GC30V "Based on a great British amp introduced in the 90’s this amp is a strange marriage of a USA style pre-distortion tone-stack, British voicing and a Class A power amp. Best for blues and lower-gain rock leads, has nice sustain qualities. Can get muddy at high drive levels, decrease the bass to compensate" Cabinet: ? ...
BUTTERY	= Loosely based on a Budda Twinmaster "Based on an 18-watt amp that gained notoriety during the late 90’s this type is a low- gain amp that relies mostly on power amplifier distortion. Try a drive in front for smooth lead sounds" Cabinet: ? ...
METAL	= FAS Custom Model "A custom type similar to a British type but with more gain for more grind. This simulation features quite a bit of high-frequency emphasis along with a modified British tone-stack. Capable of searing rhythm and lead tones" Cabinet: 4x12 75w ...
BIG HAIR	= FAS Custom Model "Spandex, studded wrist bands, pyrotechnics and your Axe-Fx are all you'll need to relive the 80's metal scene. This custom type has a unique voicing and tone-stack that emphasizes mid frequencies without getting muddy. Now plug in and shred!" Cabinet: ? ...
HELLBEAST	= FAS Custom Model "A radical custom type with an unconventional tone-stack" Cabinet: 4x12 75w ...
SUPERTWEED	= FAS Custom Model "Like a vintage Tweed amplifier on steroids" Cabinet: 1x12 Tweed, 2x12 Tweed ...
FUSION	= FAS Custom Model "A smooth, thick tone good for fusion/blues solo work" Cabinet: 2x12 Custom ...
FAS CLEAN	= FAS Custom Model "Combines the best features of the Blackface and the USA Clean into a hybrid clean tone that’s great for a variety of uses" Cabinet: 2x12 Black ...
FAS CRUNCH	= FAS Custom Model "A hybrid British/USA crunch sound" Cabinet: ? ...
FAS LEAD 1	= FAS Custom Model "A neutral high gain lead with a tight midrange" Cabinet: ? ...
FAS LEAD 2	= FAS Custom Model "More gain and more sizzle" Cabinet: ? ...
FAS MODERN	= FAS Custom Model "A high gain hybrid tone that’s equally suited to modern rhythm and lead work" Cabinet: ? ...
JR BLUES	= Fender Blues Jr. "Based on a modern all-tube combo amp with two EL84 output tubes and a single 12” speaker. This amplifier has become an instant classic because of its gutsy tone at manageable volumes" Cabinet: Blues ...
BRIT PRE	= Marshall JMP-1 preamp. The power amp is from the JCM 800 "Based on a rack-mount preamplifier version of the Brit 900. The preamp gained notoriety for its crunchy tone and was made popular by ZZ Top" Cabinet: n/a ...
ENERGYBALL	= ENGL Powerball Lead Channel "Based on a very high-gain German amplifier. Lots of bass, great for aggressive, drop-tuned riff work" Cabinet: 4x12 Metal ...
RECTO NEW	= Mesa Dual Rectifier with an extra "cap" in it which gives it more sizzle "Based on the modern version of the Recto 1 and Recto 2 amps. Some minor circuit changes made this version slightly more aggressive than the originals" Cabinet: Recto1, Recto2 Cardinal of crunk clip and patch
HAD ODS 1	= Dumble Overdrive Special "Based on a very rare amp used by the likes of Larry Carlton and Robben Ford" Cabinet: 2x12 Custom This sim is based on a real Dumble, the others (ODS) are based on schematics Scottl clip and patch
WRECKER 1	= Trainwreck Amp "Based on another very rare and expensive amp designed by Ken Fischer" Cabinet: 2x12 Boutique ...
BRIT JM45	= Marshall JTM-45 "Based on a legendary British Blues amplifier. This amp was actually a copy of the American “bass” amp that many guitar players were using but with different output tubes and transformer. Made famous by Eric Clapton and others" Cabinet: ? ...
DAS METALL	= Diezel VH4 "Based on a high-gain, boutique German amplifier famous for its aggressive sound" Cabinet: 4x12 Metal Needs confirmation that it's the VH4
PLEXI 2	= Similar to Plexi 1 but with a different “bright cap” value and different transformer model. Lower gain and more “vintage” sounding. "(see above)" Cabinet: 4x12 20w ...
SV BASS	= Ampeg SVT "Based on a popular tube bass amp" Cabinet: 4x10 Alum, 8x10 Bass, 1x15 Bass ...
CA3+ RHY	= Custom Audio Electronics 3+ SE preamp, channel # 2 (crunch) "Based on a boutique rackmount preamp made by Bob Bradshaw. This models Channel 2" Cabinet: n/a ...
CA3+ LD	= Custom Audio Electronics 3+ SE preamp, channel # 3 (lead) "Based on a boutique rackmount preamp made by Bob Bradshaw. This models Channel 3" Cabinet: n/a Senseix Steve Vai tone
Eggie R20	= Egnater Rebel 20 "Based on a popular “rebellious” 20W amplifier head" Cabinet: ? ...
USA IIC+ 1	= Mesa Boogie MkII Lead Pull Bright off "Based on an early model of the USA type famous for its smooth overdrive sound. This model is with the pull bright off" Cabinet: Cali, Recto1, Recto2 Wiki tips
USA IIC+ 2	= Mesa Boogie MkII Lead Pull Bright on "Based on an early model of the USA type famous for its smooth overdrive sound. This model is with the pull bright on" Cabinet: Cali, Recto1, Recto2 Wiki tips
Fryer D60L	= VHT Deliverance 60 Less switched "Based on Fryette Amplification D60 in the “Less” mode" Cabinet: ? ...
Fryer D60M	= VHT Deliverance 60 More switched "Based on Fryette Amplification D60 in the “More” mode" Cabinet: ? ...
Mr. Z 38 SR	= Dr. Z Maz 38 SR "Based on a boutique amp popular with country and roots players" Cabinet: ? Wiki tips Cardinal of crunk clip (with fuzz) and patch
Euro Uber	= Bogner Ubershall "Based on a high-gain German amplifier" Cabinet: German Turn up Presence (see Uberschall manual) Tips Cardinal of crunk clip and patch Samhill clip and patch JoCCe's Andy Timmons tone
PVH 5105	= Peavey 5150 "Based on a popular amplifier designed with the help of EVH" Cabinet: ? ...
Solo X99 Clean	= Soldano X99 Clean Channel "Famous rack preamp" Cabinet: n/a ...
Solo X99 Rhythm	= Soldano X99 Rhythm Channel "Famous rack preamp" Cabinet: n/a ...
Solo X99 Lead	= Soldano X99 Lead Channel "Famous rack preamp" Cabinet: n/a ...
Corncob R100	= Cornford RK100 "Based on a boutique British amplifier" Cabinet: one of the 4x12 V30s. This amp has loads of bass Andi-o clip with patch Cardinal of crunk clip another Cradinal of crunk clip