Should You Use Factory Presets or Third-Party Presets?
If you've just bought a Kemper, Neural DSP Quad Cortex, Axe-Fx III, FM3, FM9, Helix, TONEX, or Neural Amp Modeler (NAM), you've probably wondered whether the factory presets are enough—or if it's worth investing in third-party presets.
The answer depends on your goals.
Factory presets are designed to showcase what your device can do. Third-party presets are typically designed to help you achieve a specific sound or solve a specific problem.
Understanding the difference can save you hours of tweaking and help you get better tones much faster.
What Are Factory Presets?
Factory presets are created by the manufacturer and come pre-installed on your device.
Their purpose is to demonstrate the hardware's features.
They often include:
• Multiple effects
• Complex routing
• Stereo delays
• Large reverbs
• Experimental sounds
These presets are fun to explore because they show what's possible, but they're not always designed for real-world recording or live performance.
What Are Third-Party Presets?
Third-party presets are created by independent guitarists, producers, engineers, and tone creators.
Many are designed around specific goals such as:
• Modern Metal
• Classic Rock
• Ambient
• Worship
• Recording
• Live performance
Rather than showing off every feature, they focus on producing practical, mix-ready tones.
Why Many Players Move Beyond Factory Presets
Factory presets are an excellent starting point.
However, as your ears develop, you may find yourself wanting presets that better match your own style.
Many guitarists eventually move to third-party presets because they:
• Require less tweaking
• Are built for specific genres
• Use more practical signal chains
• Sound more consistent across different guitars
• Save time
The goal isn't simply to sound different.
It's to spend less time building presets from scratch.
A Great Preset Starts With Great Building Blocks
Even the best preset depends on the quality of the components inside it.
That includes:
• Amp models or captures
• Impulse responses
• Effects
• EQ
• Gain staging
A professionally designed preset often begins with carefully selected building blocks before any effects are added.
Recording vs Live Performance
Some presets are designed specifically for recording.
Others are built for live performance.
Recording presets often include:
• More polished EQ
• Studio effects
• Stereo processing
Live presets usually focus on:
• Simplicity
• Reliability
• Easy switching
• Consistent performance through PA systems
Choosing presets designed for your intended use usually produces better results.
Less Is Often More
Many beginners assume better presets must contain dozens of effects.
In reality, many professional guitarists use surprisingly simple signal chains.
A great amp.
A quality cabinet.
A touch of delay.
A little reverb.
Sometimes that's all you need.
The quality of the core tone matters far more than the number of effects.
Great For These Genres
Quality presets are available for virtually every style of music.
• Modern Metal
• Metalcore
• Deathcore
• Progressive Metal
• Hard Rock
• Classic Rock
• Blues
• Ambient
• Worship
• Country
If You Like These Bands
Professionally created presets can help you build tones inspired by:
• Periphery
• Spiritbox
• Architects
• Currents
• ERRA
• Invent Animate
• Gojira
• Lamb of God
• Killswitch Engage
• Parkway Drive
Remember that presets are only one part of your tone.
Your guitar, pickups, cabinet, monitoring system, and playing technique all influence the final result.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are factory presets bad?
Not at all.
They're an excellent way to learn your device and explore different sounds.
Many players continue using modified factory presets for years.
Are paid presets worth it?
Many guitarists find that professionally created presets save time by providing tones that are already balanced and practical for recording or live use.
Can I edit third-party presets?
Absolutely.
Most presets are designed to be customized to suit your own guitar, pickups, and playing style.
Will presets make me sound like my favorite band?
A preset provides a starting point.
Your guitar, pickups, playing style, and production techniques all contribute to the final sound.
Final Thoughts
Factory presets and third-party presets both have their place.
Factory presets are perfect for learning your gear and exploring its capabilities.
Third-party presets often provide a faster path toward polished, genre-specific tones that require less tweaking.
The best approach is to use factory presets to understand your device, then gradually build a collection of professional presets that match the music you actually play.
Ready to Spend Less Time Tweaking?
At Strange Angles Music, we create professionally crafted presets, amp captures, and impulse responses designed for real-world guitarists—not just demonstrations.
Whether you're recording your next album or getting ready for a live show, our products are built to help you achieve professional tones in less time.