Are you using a Profex?

Bill Simmons · Post by **Bill Simmons** » 6 Feb 2003 7:59 pm

For some time I've been contempating if I should buy a Profex unit and thought I see what everyone thinks about using one and why. I'd like to also hear from those who used to use them and why you stopped. What is your favorite setting? I appreciate your input...
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'79 Zum; '78 Emmons; Webb Amp

Kenny Davis · Post by **Kenny Davis** » 6 Feb 2003 8:38 pm

Bill, I started using one a couple of years ago. I probably use it 75% of the time when I play. It had the Newman presets, and was a little hard for me to get used to. I never used more than a 5 on reverb, and most of the settings use delay, reverb, and chorus. Whoever invented chorus should be whipped. Anyway, for my Pro II, My primary setting is Fat C6th. For songs that I would want a full reverb sound, I use any of the Lloyd Green settings, or Hughey1. I hate to admit it, but 65 Emmons makes for a cool sound also. I think I use Fat Lap for a fuzz effect. I sure miss my old Boss Tone![This message was edited by Kenny Davis on 06 February 2003 at 08:39 PM.]

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 6 Feb 2003 9:23 pm

Bill, I have used one for 7-8 years. It is simply the most for your money. I used the Larry Sasser settings for a long time. Then, I set up one or two on my own. For the last 3 months, I have used the Reverb only. I plug it right into the front of my Nash 400, so I can tweak the EQ a little. I am very pleased.

Jerry Roller · Post by **Jerry Roller** » 6 Feb 2003 9:41 pm

Kenny, shame on you!!

Bill I use the Profex II most of the time. I started with the 65 Emmons setting and modified it by reversing the mix and outputs on the delay and reverb to eliminate overdriving a combo amp then I plug into the input on the Webb or Evans combo amp. I cut the mix back very low on the reverb and boosted the delay mix to 40%, increased the delay time to 360ms, increased the repeats to 3 audible repeats and increased the feedback to get a reinforced sound without a definite series of repeats being heard. I then tweak those settings from one song to next depending on speed and mood of song. I use this setting most all the time. When using a rack, I use the same setting on Profex II along with a
Bluetube II and StereoSteel pre/power combo and two BWs. I have found nothing better than the Profex II although it seems just about a toss up with the Transtubefex.
Jerry

Bill Moore · Post by **Bill Moore** » 7 Feb 2003 6:39 am

I really like the Profex II, the Newman settings are fine, but I suggest that you download the manual from Peavey and try to program a few yourself. I like the LLoyd Green, Larry Sasser, Mid-E, Bright E-9, Hughey, and several other of Newman's, but I also use a few with just reverb or some reverb and a bit of delay.

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Bill Moore...
my steel guitar web page

[This message was edited by Bill Moore on 07 February 2003 at 06:41 AM.]

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 7 Feb 2003 7:13 am

I like them and I have two - they're affordable and pretty dependable; I know there are 'state of the art', and correspondingly more expensive, units available, but the Profex is more than adequate for a normal gig situation.

I, too, find some of the Newman 'patches' have too much reverb and/or delay, but I've customised the ones with the EQ I like, re-grouped them in one location, and I switch around as I need to.

'Fat C6' is my favourite, too, 'though I use '65 Emmons' quite a bit. There's another I use, but I 'renamed' it, and can't for the life of me remember what it was originally called! That's about it, though, apart from one I use for the Telecaster.

Now those 127 'factory presets' are another matter entirely - ghastly!

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Roger Rettig

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 7 Feb 2003 8:42 am

I guess I'm a heretic among steel players, because I use only the original factory program.

I don't know whether it's because I'm too cheap to buy an aftermarket card or that I'm just easier to please than most, but I've found that the original factory installed program on the Profex is all that I need or want.

In addition to all the guitar settings it has three steel pre-sets, of which I use only the one that has reverb and delay, but doesn't have chorus in it.

However, I do ignore recommendations and plug my Profex into the instrument jacks on the front of my amp which allows me the option of "tweaking" my amp controls when invironmental differences require it.

I don't mean to take issue with anyone's decision to use or sell those extra settings, because I think all of you guys sound great, but I guess I'm just "meat & potatoes"!
www.genejones.com

Bill Simmons · Post by **Bill Simmons** » 7 Feb 2003 9:12 am

Another Question: I hope this doesn't sound too silly, but since one is using the sounds of the Profex, does it really matter what steel one uses then? I can see the difference aspects of the different steels if you are simply using your steel into an amp with maybe a Boss unit for delay/reverb, but...

Thanks everyone for educating me on the Profex thing...keep your input coming.

Duane Dunard · Post by **Duane Dunard** » 7 Feb 2003 10:17 am

Howdy Bill, If I were going to use a rack system, the Pro-Fex II would be my choice for the most bang for the buck in effects. They are very affordable on this Forum and the 65 Emmons setting is really good. The down side is that a rack is needed or it gets beat-up, and racks are a pain to haul in and out.The little Boss RV-3 fits right into my pac-seat and sounds good on stage.

Johan Jansen · Post by **Johan Jansen** » 7 Feb 2003 10:53 am

Another Question: I hope this doesn't sound too silly, but since one is using the sounds of the Profex, does it really matter what steel one uses then?

Bill, if this happens, I think I would be an easy and cheap hobby to play a steel. Buy a crap one and you sound like a pro.
Tone is still in the hands, and if you experience a sound that is so far dialed in with effects, it's no effect anymore, but tells you something about the ears of the programmer, or his musical taste or skills.....

JJ

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Click on the pic!

jlsmith48 · Post by **jlsmith48** » 7 Feb 2003 12:32 pm

I used one for about 8 years, And like Gene I used the Newman presets and was satisfied. Who am I to disagree with 126 different sounds!! I bought a Session 2000 last year just to cut down on stuff to haul around. Satisfied with it too!!!!

Kenny Davis · Post by **Kenny Davis** » 7 Feb 2003 5:29 pm

I keep mine in a Peavey rack that's made out of 1/4" ABS, and will hold 3 units the size of a Profex. It is carried in a nylon 'gig bag' that has two generous zippered storage pockets and a carry strap. Don't know if they're still available, but I gave $15 for it. It's a good poor man's rack.

Bob Watson · Post by **Bob Watson** » 7 Feb 2003 10:12 pm

I use a Lloyd Green setting that has a little delay on it for slow tunes, but most of the time I use a John Hughey setting that just has eq and reverb. I also like the Larry Sasser settings. Does anybody have a good distortion setting? I have messed with some of the guitar pre-sets and they never seem to work very well. I would like a rat pedal or tube screamer type sound. The pre-set sounds are all too loud when you max out the volume pedal, and that is the only time any of them sound any good to me. In general I think the Profex ll is a great unit and if you're lucky you can pick up a used one for around $200.

Bobby Snell · Post by **Bobby Snell** » 7 Feb 2003 11:18 pm

I previously used a Profex II and would recommend them. While many people like the Newman settings, others are turned away from the Profex because they can't find a particular setting in their taste. I believe that many could get a sound they liked if they put some work into experimenting with the unit.

There are quite a few options for tone, using a chain of EQ's into reverb and delay. I used the first EQ purely subractively, to take out some frequencys of my guitar, then used another EQ to take the place of a regular combo amp pre-amp. There are some good choices in reverbs, and a nice delay. Explore the coil tap and other little tricks too; just a hint of some of the effects can bring out some rich sounds. (Of course, it is a digital unit---don't expect a true tube sound.)

It takes some more work to design multiple patches that have comparable volumes (and I think going directly into the unit and using the 3-chord volume pedal method may help control that issue). But I was pretty happy with 2 distortion patches to switch with the 2 cleaner patches I relied upon.

Although they are a little noisy, the ProfexII worked well in some studio sessions...and it can save the day when the engineer doesn't have the equipment (or the knowledge).

Tom Hodgin · Post by **Tom Hodgin** » 17 Feb 2003 8:01 am

Don't know if this thread is still alive..but I recently used my pro11 with a mosvalve and hooked it up in stereo...man what a difference.....try it...tom

Chris Schlotzhauer · Post by **Chris Schlotzhauer** » 17 Feb 2003 1:48 pm

Is the Larry Sasser setting the most used setting? That's about the only setting I use. Sometimes when the room won't cooperate, I'll use Hughey1.

Jim Palmer · Post by **Jim Palmer** » 17 Feb 2003 4:05 pm

Does the Profex 11 have a Dobro simulator program?

norm mcdaniel · Post by **norm mcdaniel** » 18 Feb 2003 4:12 am

Hi Bill, I use a profex 11 and like it real well. I dont use any of the peavey presets as they are terrible in my book. I do use one or two of the settings that were programmed in the Newmam card. But what I did do was put in 4 settings that I got some where that Terry Bethel used. I like them a lot and use them just about always. If you experiment with the Pro fex some you can come up with some good stuff.
Jim:: There is a Dobro setting in my profex and I use it sometimes, its something that you have to use and get used to and probably would work for some stuff, but I dont try it too much.

Norm
Sierra U-12 Sho-Bud Super Pro Profex 11 DPC750 2Pacific Cabinets with 1501 Black Widows

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 18 Feb 2003 6:10 am

Smiley Roberts gets killer Dobro and B3 organ sounds from his ProFex II.

Mike Brown · Post by **Mike Brown** » 18 Feb 2003 6:13 am

Jim, I do have dobro parameters for the Profex II. Contact me at 1-877-732-8391 with your Profex II at your side ready to program and I'll walk you through it.

Mike Brown
Peavey Electronics Corporation

Danny Naccarato · Post by **Danny Naccarato** » 18 Feb 2003 6:52 am

Chris, are you going thru the amp input or bypassing the pre-amp and going direct to the power amp portion? I found that with a good sounding amp, I zeroed out the EQ patch in the Profex and just dialed in the effects I wanted for certain patches. I mostly use Rev & Delay, but have a couple of patches that add a bit of Chorus. But you're right about the Sasser presets being one of the best....

Wonder if someone could post Smiley's settings for those Jim. Also, Mike Brown's Dobro patches to see how they compare with Newman's...[This message was edited by Danny Naccarato on 18 February 2003 at 06:53 AM.]

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 18 Feb 2003 7:06 am

I believe Smiley said he just uses the built in Dobro patch from the Newman presets, same with the organ patch. Smiley can tell you the name of the patch.

Smiley still uses WebTV, you think he could program a ProFex?!?

He does have great tone and technique though, which make anything he plays sound great!

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 18 Feb 2003 1:34 pm

The Sasser patches are the best of the Newman presets, IMHO. I used them until I had time to play with the unit. Now, I just use the reverb and the EQ controls on my amp.
I use the Dobro patch, also. Just sounds like a horrible steel, but it works ok.

Tony Palmer · Post by **Tony Palmer** » 20 Feb 2003 8:04 am

In my opinion, the TubeFex has it all over the ProFex and I would buy that instead.
Simply put, it has:
1)A regular AC power cord instead of a wall wart
2)A built in tuner (which is worth it's weight in gold for convenience)
3)A nice warm tube sound in the eq effects chain
4)A power switch on the front panel
5)KNOBS! for tone and volume tweaking during performance (they even have LED's to shine in the dark)

Whip Lashaway · Post by **Whip Lashaway** » 20 Feb 2003 12:05 pm

I use a Profex with the DPC amps and the B/W 15" speakers. I liked it so much I have 2 complete sets of everything. One thing to point out though, the Newman presets are a good starting point. You will probably need to make some adjustments to these programs. Not every guitar is the same. Neither is the room your playing in. Keep that in mind. You can't get more bang for your buck than a Profex. They just do it all. I have a MatchBro so I can't vouch for the Dobro sound from a Profex. Wouldn't surprise me if it could get a great Dobro sound though. I just haven't needed it as yet so I haven't gone after it.
I spent the bucks for the Lemay upgrade on one of my Profex's and it did give it a little more punch. I guess I'd recommend it. Not a must have though.
You won't be disappointed with a Profex. Go for it.
Good Luck, Whip

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Whip Lashaway
Sierra E9/B6 12 string
Sierra E9/B6 14 string
78' Emmons D10 P/P