The eMailer's question was, why would I spend $300 (or whatever) on some kits, when I can buy a $400.00 amp that has tons of effects and even lots of different amp models.
First of all, let me say that I'm not an "Analog Snob" and I don't think I have a unbalanced bias against digital effects, as many might be thinking that I would have. I have lots of good digital gear and I even use some of it from time to time ;-) Anyway here was my answer to the question (slightly edited):
It depends on who you are and what you like - in sound and in touch and feel. The amp modeling and digital multi-effects units are great, but some players feel like there is something missing when they play them. I don't know how to explain this in words, but I do think that there are times when there is something missing in some of the digital sounds. A good player can actually "play" an analog effect, there's a certain knack for getting a great sound out of it. But a digital effect usually plays itself.
It hit me as I wrote that last line..."That's it!" There really is a way to "play" an analog effect, but a lot of digital effects don't have that playability. I'd love to hear your comments. Maybe I'm missing some of the finer points of the digital effects.
I want to close by saying that I didn't post this blog to try to sell kits. Analog, digital, who really cares, it's 99.9% player and 0.1% gear isn't it? In the long run it's the music that counts. I just want to put it out there and see what you think about analog. Bob Moog had some interesting things to say about analog sound in the DVD movie "Moog"
http://www.moogmusic.com/detail.php?main_product_id=205
Check it out if you haven't seen it. It got a lot of bad reviews, but I liked it, it was all live footage(not a narrator overdubbing the course of events showing photos) so a lot of Bob telling and sharing stories. The short segments with Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman (two of my musical favorites when I wa s a teen) were icing on the cake for me!
