Advice for free or inexpensive guitar amp/cab software

[timandmonica]

I am trying to help a guitarist friend set up an inexpensive home setup to record his ideas and fully flesh them out. I want to add guitar amp/cab/pedal software to the mix but I know far less about that world than the recording or synth world. Budget should be as low as possible, but at the VERY MOST $100 total. This should be VST format (except for impulses of course!), not stand-alone or other plugin formats. And it will be PC.

Could you guitar software experts give me your ideas on:

1. Out of the FREE VST software, what is truly high-quality and what should he not waste his time with? If I just scroll through the KVR database I won't know what real guitarists' opinions are. I don't want to discourage him with 5 average or bad quality VST's for every good one. Just the cream of the crop.

2. Out of the PAID software, where is the best bang for the buck? Like if you were broke and already used good free software, would there be a thing or a few paid things that would make sense to pursue if you had VERY limited money, that would make a real improvement to your free setup?

Variety is good but he tends to use classic rock guitar tones often, but please don't think along those lines only. I only say that to let you know what he commonly plays. I think he would appreciate some variety to give inspiration.

Thank you all so much, I really look forward to and appreciate your advice!

[Fleer]

AmpliTube. You may be able to find it for $50 at KVR Market.

[Kriminal]

http://requietus.blogspot.co.uk/2008/12 ... i.html?m=1

[Aleatoriac]

I agree with Kriminal for the free one.

For paid:

http://www.tseaudio.com/software/x50v2

paired with Ownhammer impulses.

It still sucks compared to the real thing, but for practice at night or during hours when the amp would be too loud...

Kind of wish I had never bought any of the other dozen amp sims I wasted my money on over the decades.

[B.A.Tech.]

If you want to use real cabinets,try Torpedo Wall Of Sound III.Then forget everything about other cabinet sofware or impulse responses.

[VariKusBrainZ]

http://www.two-notes.com/en/software/to ... f-sound-3/
http://www.audiffex.com/EN/amplion/444/ ... -free.html

The Behringer V amp range is pretty cheap, cheaper than some software and is pretty good.
Ive had a Vamp2 for about 15 years and just got the Bass Amp Pro for £69 new (actually designed as a Bass, Guitar, Keyboard solution, despite its name, even has a built is synth that can be played via midi!)

Also Digitech produce some cheap amp/cab multieffects that are cheap as chips.
I got the RP255 for £56 new.

[sbj]

Best free: http://www.igniteamps.com/en/audio-plug-ins

And this is reasonably priced: http://aegeanmusic.com/amp-vision

[e@rs]

Best free: http://www.igniteamps.com/en/audio-plug-ins

+1

For paid, try Studio Devil. Fab stuff.

[Greg Houston]

The Fender AmpliTube collection would be worth demoing.

[GaryG]

AmpliTube. You may be able to find it for $50 at KVR Market.

The same with NI Guitar Rig Pro, have seen it for that kind of money in the Market Place (a copy there at the mo at $70 currently). Stupidly flexible and has uses far beyond just guitar processing.

Both of the above have free versions too which are well worth auditioning (GR Pro Player only has one amp but it's a Marshall type so maybe perfect for your friend).

As for freebies: Google LePou and Freeamp3, both very worthy.

[simon.a.billington]

Waves GTR is incredibly high quality. A little overdue for its next overhaul, but still a great peace of 64-bit coding.

According to its manual it's a combination of component modelling and impulse response technology. The amps emulated seems to be based either custom or boutique models.

Still loving the tones I can get from it

[B.A.Tech.]

http://www.two-notes.com/en/software/to ... f-sound-3/
http://www.audiffex.com/EN/amplion/444/ ... -free.html

The Behringer V amp range is pretty cheap, cheaper than some software and is pretty good.
Ive had a Vamp2 for about 15 years and just got the Bass Amp Pro for £69 new (actually designed as a Bass, Guitar, Keyboard solution, despite its name, even has a built is synth that can be played via midi!)

Also Digitech produce some cheap amp/cab multieffects that are cheap as chips.
I got the RP255 for £56 new.

Nux Amp Forse is cheaper and better than Vamp2.I had Vamp 2.It's SUCKS.

[zenvoxpop]

FREE

http://www.shatteredglassaudio.com/product.php?id=103

http://www.soft-amp.com/flextron

http://www.soft-amp.com/softamp-fm25

I use them on regular basis.

Bonus: Killer guitar preamp/tone shaper + compressor.

http://distorqueaudio.com/plugins/rangebastard.html

http://distorqueaudio.com/plugins/vitamin-c.html

Now shut up, you got everything you need, go make some music

[crimsonwarlock]

Absolutely +1 for Freeamp3, but in the freeware department often overlooked is Greenmachine II. Incredibly easy to dial in almost any tone from clean to heavy driven and one of the better Fx included as well. It's what I use for my guitarplayer, he's playing a vintage (and incredibly expensive) early sixties Gibson Explorer and we record him DI with Greenmachine as the only processing.

You might have to search for a working download link, but it is totally worth it. If you can't find it just drop me a PM.

[arkmabat]

Green machine has a very nice sound to it. Certainly different from many.