Scuffham is a small British company founded by Mike Scuffham, who worked with Marshall and designed the JMP-1 preamp, then with Akai for the DD1500, a digital audio editor. Now he works for his own sotware amp simulator, available for Mac and PC through various formats: VST, VST3, AU et and, 32 or 64 bits.
S-Gear 2, amp simulator from Scuffham, includes 5 amps inspired by Fender, Marshall and Soldano models. You can also find effects such as chorus, flange, reverb and delay, as well as an impulse-based cabinet simulator. Various impulses are provided, some from the brand Redwirez, others designed by Scuffham. You can also import your own impulses, or deactivate the internal cabinet to use any other impulse of your choice.
100 hundred presets are available in S-Gear 2, allowing you to find out what types of sound you can obtain, or you may experiment and design your own settings.
All guitar parts were played by Simon Chenu (guitar player, pianist, drummer, singer, guitar teacher) with three different guitars:
- Les Paul-shaped guitar, the brand is SR Guitars, equipped with 3 pickups: a modern Humbucker neck pickup, a vintage P90-like middle pickup, a vintage Humbucker bridge pickup.
- Fender Stratocaster American Deluxe with stock pickups.
- Fender Telecaster American Deluxe with 2 Humbucker custom pickups : The neck pickup is a Lollar Regal, the bridge pickup is a Fender Wide Range. Simon used the Lollar for demos with distorsion, and the Fender for clear demos.
For each simulator tested:
- Each demo was recorded with all of the three guitars described above,
- Each demo includes two guitar tracks, recorded separately (no copy and paste), and panned right and left in the stereo field.
- With each demo, two different impulse responses (different microphones) were used with each guitar.
- No distorsion pedal was used, in order to show whether or not the simulations can produce the distorsion needed in some musical genres.
The settings of each demo are identical for all three guitars. Some demos will sound better with one guitar than it will on the other two. For instance, in Nirvana's demos, the sound of the Mercuriall demos recorded with a Telecaster is closer to the original sound than what I got with a Les Paul or a Stratocaster, because I made the settings for Telecaster first.
Ideally, each amp sim tested should use different impulses, in order to find the microphone and the positionning that fits the amp best, as you would do when recording real amps with real microphones. Unfortunately, this would take me a considerable amount of time to do, and I cannot afford to do that.
All the impulses I used for these demos are from Redwirez. No EQ was applied, I just added a slight compression on some demos, and a bit of reverb so that it doesn't sound too dry.
These tests help to demonstrate how important the choice of an impulse is. From my experience, I would estimate that the sound you get is: 30% from the guitar you use, 30% from the amplifier head, and 40% from the impulse. Of course, these values will vary according to the pickup settings on your guitar, the settings of the amplifier, and the use of either a clean or a highly distorted sound will greatly influence the relative importance of these elements.
Microphone positioning
(pictures: copyright Redwirez)
The closest the microphone from the center of the speaker, the less proximity effect you get, and so you get less lows.
The closest the microphone from the cab, the more precision you get. By moving the microphone farther, the sound becomes less "harsh".
"Back in black" by ACDC
A good old-school Hard Rock sound from the early 80s for this famous riff by ACDC.
Guitar on the left:
1 impulse of baffle Marshall 1960A (loudspeaker: G12M) through a microphone Neumann U67 in Cap Edge position, at a distance of 2 inches (5 cm). Stereo panning: 100% left.
1 impulse of baffle Marshall 1960A (loudspeaker: G12M) through a microphone Neumann U87 in Cap Edge position, at a distance of 4 inches (10 cm). Stereo panning: 100% left.
Guitar on the right:
1 impulse of baffle Marshall 1960B (loudspeaker: V30) through a microphone Shure SM57 in Cap Edge position, at a distance of 1 inch (2.5 cm). Stereo panning: 100% right.
1 impulse of baffle Marshall 1960B (loudspeaker: V30) through a microphone Royer R-121 in Cap position, at a distance of 3 inches (7.6 cm). Stereo panning: 100% right.
From what I've read, Nile Rogers, Chic's guitar player, doesn't use an amplifier. He plugs his guitar (a stratocaster nicknamed "The Hit Maker") directly into the studio's console preamp. As the objective here is to test amp simulations, I obviously won't do the same. In order to get this clear high sound, I used the following cab impulses:
Guitar on the left:
1 impulse of Fender Dual Showman cab (loudspeaker: JBL D130) through a microphone AKG C414B-ULS in Cap Edge position, at a distance of 4 inches (10 cm). Stereo panning: 100% left.
1 impulse of Fender Dual Showman cab (loudspeaker: JBL D130) through a microphone Neumann U47 in Cap position, at a distance of 2 inches (5 cm). Stereo panning: 50% left.
Guitar on the right:
1 impulse of Marshall '68 Basketweave cab (loudspeaker: Celestion G12H30) through a microphone AKG C414B-ULS in Cap position, at a distance of 4 inches (10 cm). Stereo panning: 100% right.
1 impulse of Marshall '68 Basketweave cab (loudspeaker: Celestion G12H30) through a microphone Neumann U47 in Cap Edge position, at a distance of 4 inches (10 cm). Stereo panning: 50% right.
This riff was originally played on a Gretsch guitar, through a Rivera Venus 5 amp head and a Rivera 2x12 cab equipped with Celestion G12T-75 loudspeakers. I don't know how the original studio recording was made, but live, the sound is transmitted by a Shure SM57 microphone, and a Shure KSM32 microphone, both placed against the cab cloth. I don't have any KSM32 impulse, but from the actual microphone response diagram, it seems that the closest response curve is that of the Earthworks TC30 microphone, for which I have impulses from Redwirez. Also, I don't have an impulse from the Rivera cab originally used by Depeche Mode, but I do have Marshall and Bogner cabs impulses, both equipped with G12T-75 loudspeakers. I used the following cab impulses:
Guitar on the left:
1 impulse of Bogner Uberkab cab (loudspeaker: Celestion G12T-75) through a microphone Shure SM57 in Cap position against the cloth. Stereo panning: 100% left.
1 impulse of Bogner Uberkab cab (loudspeaker: Celestion G12T-75) through a microphone Earthworks TC30 in Cap position against the cloth. Stereo panning: 100% left.
Guitar on the right:
1 impulse of Marshall 1960B cab (loudspeaker: Celestion G12T-75) through a microphone Shure SM57 in Cap position against the cloth. Stereo panning: 100% right.
1 impulse of Marshall 1960B cab (loudspeaker: Celestion G12T-75) through a microphone Earthworks TC30 in Cap position against the cloth. Stereo panning: 100% right.
Undoubtedly one of the most famous solos ever, a true standard that I couldn't ignore here. It was played by Jimmy Page with a Fender Telecaster and a Supro amplifier, from what I could find.
Guitar on the left:
1 impulse of Supro Thunderbolt cab (loudspeaker: Jensen 15") through a microphone Sennheiser MD409 in Cone position, at a distance of 2 inches (5 cm). Stereo panning: 10% left.
Guitar on the right:
1 impulse of Supro Thunderbolt cab (loudspeaker: Jensen 15") through a microphone Neumann U87 in Cone position against the cloth. Stereo panning: 10% right.
Another Metal sample from a well-known song by Metallica. Here, I leave the lows in their central position, I lower the mids quite a bit and raise the highs. The saturation is also pretty heavy, depending on the amp sim tested.
Guitar on the left:
1 impulse of Mesa Rectifier cab (loudspeaker: V30) through a microphone Sennheiser MD421N in Cap position, at a distance of 2 inches (5 cm). Stereo panning: 100% left.
1 impulse of Mesa Rectifier cab (loudspeaker: V30) through a microphone Beyerdynamic M160 in Cap position, at a distance of 1 inch (2.5 cm). Stereo panning: 50% left.
Guitar on the right:
1 impulse of Roland Jazz Chorus 120 cab (loudspeaker: Roland 12) through a microphone Royer R-121 in Cap Edge position, at a distance of 4 inches (10 cm). Stereo panning: 100% right.
1 impulse of Roland Jazz Chorus 120 cab (loudspeaker: Roland 12) through a microphone Shure SM57 in Cap position against the cloth. Stereo panning: 50% right.
Great riff in E minor for this Blues Rock song by Daniel Chenevez, guitar player from the 1984-1993 French band Niagara. The original song is played on Marshall amps with a LesPaul guitar, paired with a Stratocaster, but I don't know what amps, stomp boxes or settings were used. To try to get close to the original sound, I used the following cab impulses:
Guitar on the left:
1 impulse of Marshall 1960A cab (loudspeaker: G12M) through a microphone Shure SM57 in Cap position against the cloth. Stereo panning: 100% left.
1 impulse of Marshall 1960A cab (loudspeaker: G12M) through a microphone Beyerdynamic M160 in Cap Edge position, at a distance of 0.5 inches (1.3 cm). Stereo panning: 100% left.
Guitar on the right:
1 impulse of Marshall 1960B cab (loudspeaker: JBL K120) through a microphone Shure SM7 in Cap position, at a distance of 2 inches (5 cm). Stereo panning: 100% right.
1 impulse of Marshall 1960B cab (loudspeaker: JBL K120) through a microphone Neumann M8 in Cap position, at a distance of 6 inches (15 cm). Stereo panning: 100% right.
This famous song starts with a crunch guitar that turns into a heavy saturated sound. The original piece was played by Kurt Cobain on a Fender Mustang left-handed guitar. The information about the amp and cab used for the recording are contradictory but apparently, he often used Marshall 1960A cabs. These are the impulses that I used:
Left guitar:
1 impulse of Marshall 1960A cab (loudspeaker: G12M) through a microphone Shure SM57 in Cap position against the cloth. Stereo panning: 30% left.
1 impulse of Marshall 1960A cab (loudspeaker: G12M) through a microphone Beyerdynamic M160 in Cap Edge Off Axis position, at a distance of 1 inch (2.5 cm). Stereo panning: 90% left.
Right guitar:
1 impulse of Marshall 1960A cab (loudspeaker: G12M) through a microphone Royer R121 in Cap Edge position, at a distance of 2 inches (5 cm). Stereo panning: 30% right.
1 impulse of Marshall 1960A cab (loudspeaker: G12M) through a microphone AKG C414 in Cap position, at a distance of 2 inches (5 cm). Stereo panning: 90% right.
One of the most famous songs from Oasis, and probably one of the most covered songs around campfires. The original version is played with an acoustic guitar, so having it played here with an electric guitar might sound a bit strange, but this shows the ability of amp sims to offer a clean, and if possible a warm sound.
Left guitar:
1 impulse of Marshall 1960B cab (loudspeaker: V30) through a microphone Shure SM57 in Cap position, at a distance of 4 inches (10 cm). Stereo panning: 100% left.
1 impulse of Marshall 1960B cab (loudspeaker: V30) through a microphone AKG C414B-ULS in Cap position, at a distance of 6 inches (15 cm). Stereo panning: 100% left.
Right guitar:
1 impulse of Vox AC30 cab (loudspeaker: Silvers) through a microphone Electrovoice RE20 in Cap position, at a distance of 4 inches (10 cm). Stereo panning: 100% right.
1 impulse of Vox AC30 cab (loudspeaker: Silvers) through a microphone Neumann U47 in Cap position, at a distance of 2 inches (5 cm). Stereo panning: 100% right.
The purpose here is to reproduce David Gilmour's great solo and see what simulators are capable of when you have to put your guitar sound up front. The original song uses the distorsion from a fuzz pedal (FuzzFace) but in these demos, I don't use any pedal. I used the following cab impulses:
1 impulse of Hiwatt SE4123 cab (loudspeaker: Fane) through a microphone AKG C414B-ULS in Cap position, at a distance of 0.5 inches (1.3 cm). Stereo panning: dead center.
1 impulse of Hiwatt SE4123 cab (loudspeaker: Fane) through a microphone Royer R-121 in Cap position, at a distance of 0.5 inches (1.3 cm). Stereo panning: dead center.
Simon Chenu created this short Blues demo especially for the Grebz website. The demo helps judging the ability of amp sims to generate a good old Blues sound. Please note that I added a spring reverb simulator (SpringAge from Overloud) to stick to the ambiance.
Guitar on the left:
1 impulse of Fender Deluxe Reverb cab (loudspeaker: Oxford 12K5-6) through a microphone Neumann U87 in Cap Edge position against the cloth. Stereo panning: 40% left.
1 impulse of Fender Deluxe Reverb cab (loudspeaker: Oxford 12K5-6) through a microphone Shure SM57 in Cap Edge Off Axis position against the cloth. Stereo panning: 20% left.
Guitar on the right:
1 impulse of Vox AC30 Blues cab (loudspeaker: Blues) through a microphone M8 in position Cap Edge position, at a distance of 0.5 inches (1.3 cm). Stereo panning: 40% right.
1 impulse of Vox AC30 Blues cab (loudspeaker: Blues) through a microphone Audix i5 in position Cap Edge Off Axis, at a distance of 2 inches (5 cm). Stereo panning: 20% right.
Simon Chenu created this short Metal demo especially for the Grebz website. The demo helps judging the ability of amp sims to generate a Modern Rock sound.
Guitar on the left:
1 impulse of Engl Pro 4x12 cab (loudspeaker: V30) through a microphone Shure SM57 in Cap position, at a distance of 1 inch (2.5 cm). Stereo panning: 100% left.
1 impulse of Engl Pro 4x12 cab (loudspeaker: V30) through a microphone AKG C414B-ULS in Cap position, at a distance of 1 inch (2.5 cm). Stereo panning: 50% left.
Guitar on the right:
1 impulse of Marshall 1960B cab (loudspeaker: V30) through a microphone Shure SM57 in Cap Edge Off Axis position, at a distance of 1 inch (2,5 cm). Stereo panning: 100% right.
1 impulse of Marshall 1960B cab (loudspeaker: V30) through a microphone Sennheiser MD421N in Cap Edge position, at a distance of 3 inches (7,5 cm). Stereo panning: 50% right.
This very famous arpeggio was recorded in 1964 by Hilton Valentine, guitarist of The Animals, with a Grtesch Tenessean guitar and a 30-watt Selmer Twin Selectortone amplifier. I don't have any impulses from this amp, so I picked other cabinets that are good for clean sounds: the Fender Deluxe Reverb and the Vox AC30, which became the amplifier of choice for The Animals after the Selmer.
Guitar on the left:
1 impulse of Fender Deluxe Reverb cab (loudspeaker: Oxford 12K56) through a microphone Shure SM57 in Cap position against the cloth. Stereo panning: 100% left.
1 impulse of Fender Deluxe Reverb cab (loudspeaker: Oxford 12K56) through a microphone Neumann U47 in Cap position against the cloth. Stereo panning: 100% left.
Guitar on the right:
1 impulse of Vox AC30 Blues cab (loudspeaker: Blues) through a microphone Neumann U87 in Cap position against the cloth. Stereo panning: 100% right.
1 impulse of Vox AC30 Blues cab (loudspeaker: Blues) through a microphone Shure SM57 in Cap position against the cloth. Stereo panning: 100% right.
This demo allows to see how well amp sims can produce crystal-clear sounds.
Guitar on the left:
1 impulse of Fender Deluxe Reverb cab (loudspeaker: Oxford 12K56) through a microphone Shure SM57 in Cap position against the cloth. Stereo panning: 100% left.
1 impulse of Fender Deluxe Reverb cab (loudspeaker: Oxford 12K56) through a microphone AKG C414B-ULS in Cap position against the cloth. Stereo panning: 50% left.
Guitar on the right:
1 impulse of Mesa Rectifier cab (loudspeaker: V30) through a microphone Shure SM57 in Cap position against the cloth. Stereo panning: 100% right.
1 impulse of Mesa Rectifier cab (loudspeaker: V30) through a microphone AKG C414B-ULS in Cap position, at a distance of 4 inches (10 cm). Stereo panning: 50% right.
The purpose here is to get a vintage, raw sound. The impulses I chose are made after cabs equipped with Jensen loudspeakers, that Jack White seems to be very fond of. The original guitar sound is difficult to reproduce with amp sims alone, as Jack White used a Digitech Whammy stomp box, set down an octave, whereas I only use the amp in the demos.
Guitar on the left:
1 impulse of Fender Twin cab (loudspeaker: Jensen C12N) through a microphone Beyerdynamic M160 in Cap Edge position against the cloth. Stereo panning: 75% left.
1 impulse of Fender Twin cab (loudspeaker: Jensen C12N) through a microphone Neumann KM84 in Cap Edge position against the cloth. Stereo panning: 25% left.
Guitar on the right:
1 impulse of Fender Tweed Bassman cab (loudspeaker: Jensen P10Q) through a microphone Sennheiser MD441 in Cap Edge Off Axis position, at a distance of 2 inches (5 cm). Stereo panning: 75% right.
1 impulse of Fender Tweed Bassman cab (loudspeaker: Jensen P10Q) through a microphone Earthworks TC30 in Cone position against the cloth. Stereo panning: 25% right.
