Most guitarists prefer to be flexible; almost all of them have to be.
I was sort of hoping my previous article (One Axe To Replace Them All) that dealt with guitars would get destroyed in the comments, because this stuff is a lot of work. I do however much appreciate the kudos I got and as promised will try and take a similar approach for amps and effects. This will actually prove to be a lot more difficult, but I’ll try before I complain about that. I have found that the amp thing also seems to run on for a while, so the effects will get an article of their own, a little later. Please forgive me.
For those that have not read the previous article; I want to touch upon the type of gear that can help a guitarist accomplish the most versatile of setups, so I’m not qualifying something as 'good’ or 'bad’ in the way of sound, as that would be too much of a subjective opinion, but I look at build quality and value for money.
Amplifiers And Backline
I have to broaden the scope of the 'amplifier' part a little bit, as I just realized that oftentimes people don’t even use a dedicated pre- + power-amp setup any more. Modern technology has allowed for guitarist to take their sounds with them in small portable devices and just plug into the venue’s backline for amplification. But, as I am a loyal follower of the no-frills approach, let’s look at some guitar amps in the classic sense of the word:
There are some things that an amp that you want to use in a band setting should have:
At least 20+ Watts. This really is quite crucial, and I’m talking tube watts. A solid-state should be at least 30+ as the actual decibel output of a solid-state power-amp is a lot lower than that of a tube-equipped device. To be able to provide you with years of playing, an amp should not have to be turned up over 80% of its max volume, especially for tube amps as this will diminish tube life by as much as 75%. Please note, that certain high-end hand wired tube amps have an incredibly efficient power output and they might be able to provide more than enough volume at as little as 10 Watts.
A line-out jack; if you’re going to play gigs and want at least for the bas player and singer to be able to hear what you’re doing so things kinda sound ok, you can’t do without one. Also; if you have a smaller amp, this will allow for you to use the backline power-amp, so you can play 20,000+ crowds with your Marshall MG30.
Multiple channels are always a plus, even if its not 100% necessary. (more on this in the effects section)
Amps For The Beginning Stage Warrior
If you are just starting to find your way as a gigging guitarist, the choice and difference between the different products available can seem intimidating. Fear not; there is hope. There have been tremendous developments in the segment of low-cost solid-state amplifiers in the past few years.
Where in 1994 $250 would buy you something that had 20 Watts, no distortion other than that coming from the speaker screaming in agony from having to produce any sound at all and a brand name that read something like 'Flander’ or 'Arse-Hall’ or something, nowadays this will be more than sufficient to get you gig-proof tone monster. When looking at amps in the I’m-about-ready-to-play-in-a-band-but-don’t-have-any-money-at-all segment, here are some things you should consider:
Line6 Spider2 amps; Please note that I’m specifically referring to the Spider2 models, not the first line. With the second generation of Spider amps Line6 have reinvented the wheel. The amps are loud, stay clean if they have to and were introduced at about half the price of anything on the market at that time. They are, like many Line6 products, a little more modeled for the rock/metal player than others, so you might want to take that into consideration.
Vox Valvetronix 30 Watt; This is the perfect counterpart to the Spider2, as I feel it does a much better job at modeling clean and, particularly, the half-gain and crunch sounds. Before these amps, it was virtually impossible to get a decent crunch sound from digital equipment without a lot of help from effects and such.
Peavey Bandit; It’s a classic. Thousands of guitarist have either spend their first hard-earned bucks on this or have played one for years in the practicing studio, as this is all you see in those places, all over the world. It’s indestructible, extremely loud and will work very well with effects, which more than makes up for the fact that the clean is a bit in-your-face and the distortion needs a lot of volume to sound as good as it can.
Roland Cube 30 & 60 - These things really surprised me when they came out, as I was never very impressed with Roland Jazz Chorus models, and these new machines deliver on all fronts. Especially the 60, which is one of the loudest 60watt solid-state amps I’ve ever heard.
Time To Upgrade? Maybe You’ll Like These:
There are thousands of amps in the 'middle-class’ segment, which range from somewhere around $400 to I guess $1000 for a complete setup. This is the most difficult segment in which to decide what to get, purely because of the sheer choice. If we are looking at versatile do-it-all-and-then-some amps however, these might just be a little bit ahead of the rest:
Fender Hotrod Deville and Deluxe amps; There is quite some choice in this range of products, but they are all just variations on a theme. The Deville comes in 2x12” and a 4x10” configurations, and it is up to you to decide what you like best. I guess 12” speakers will do a broader range sounds, as the 10” will not respond to heavy distortion as well.
Peavey Delta Blues; I feel this amp does not get the recognition it should. As an affordable and very durable tube amp it already is a great value, but the wide range of sounds this thing will do is quite amazing. It does miss a line out though, and the 30 watts can be a bit small, especially if your drummer gets excited. For this one I’d recommend the 1x15” version, as it has a massive amount of bass, but the 2x10” might suit people that want a lot of twang a bit better.
Engl Screamer 50; this is one loud little combo. You’ll probably never need anything bigger once you get this monster. It has an amazing spread in it’s sound, considering its only a 1x12”, but it is not really suited for jazz or country playing, so try it to see if it does what you want it to.
Hughes & Kettner Matrix - series; The H&K solid-state series have always been a little underrated, but this is really a shame. They actually were the first company to come out with a cheap amp that produced sounds that were good by itself, not just for the money - the Matrix evolved from the company’s knowledge and new technologies and its really puts some low-end tube models to shame sound-wise, with the added benefit of solid-state ruggedness.
Marshall DSL50 Head; One of the few 90’s Marshalls that had a right to exist, the DSL 50 has a sound that combined the best of classic Marshall crunch with an actually functioning clean channel. It does not have as much bass and gain as most modern rock players prefer, but it does turn all nice and creamy when the volume passes 6, and there’s just no beating that.
So You're Feeling Rich Huh? Try These:
With the way things looked in music over the past ten years, it seems like I could only revel in the beauty that is the Mesa Rectifier and leave it at that. Fact is; even though Rectifiers rock really hard, they’re not that versatile, and they make your guitar sound like every other guitar sounds through a Recto. You might as well be playing a Yamaha Pacifica instead of a Les Paul Custom or an RG3020. So; once again we focus on versatility, and this is what I came up with.
Hughes & Kettner TriAmp; I’m ashamed to admit that I have not had the pleasure to try the latest installment of H&K’s top-end monster, but I have always loved the TriAmp. Even though the front that lights up in soft blue alone would easily make it worth the price, the amp does everything, and it does everything well. One thing; you have to be certain of your chops when hauling this thing on stage, because, as the amp is extremely sensitive and efficient, every little noise you make will be heard really loud by everyone in the house. This does not allow for cock-ups.
Line6 Vetta2; Once again; be sure to go for the second generation. I’m no big fan of digital amps, as I feel digital technology is for playing videogames, but there is no mistaking the awesomeness that is this big 'ole box of chips and wires. Especially when turned up loud (and boy, is this thing loud) it sounds amazing, and the extra options you get for your cash make it something you really have to consider if you want a lot of sounds.
Mesa Engineering Stiletto Trident; Yes, a Mesa. There is nothing wrong with Rectos, I have played many of them with great enjoyment, but the Stiletto is so much of a better amp that it really should be considered before anything else the Boogie people make. The clean is actually clean, and the crunch does not have that brittle mid that made everybody scoop their mids from previous Mesas. Try it and love it.
Koch Multitone; I had to put a Dutch amp in here, so just agree with me that this thing is really true to its name; it delivers any kind of sound, and has one of the most beautiful clean channels found this side of Budda and Zinky. I’m not sure just how easily available Koch amps are in the US, but if you can try one out, do yourself a favor and have some fun. They used to have some problems with reliability due to some bad preamp tubes, but that has been sorted and they should be fine.
The All-In One Solution: When Weight Matters
I don’t like racks, it seems like people that work with rack-mounted systems always end up carrying around a lot more crap than they would otherwise, or than they could possibly need. Therefore; I will not advocate doing this, but since I never did it, I am also not the person to advice you in this field. There are some awesome preamps on the market, however, and if you’re looking for something really good that you can just plug into a venue’s backline, check out these pieces of kit:
Mesa Engineering TriAxis
Rocktron Prophecy Preamp
Line6 PodXT Pro
Engl Modern Rock Preamp
Closing Words…
I want to wrap this up with the statement that even though I categorized everything here by (average) selling price in shops, you do not need to get all your stuff new. Especially solid-state amps should be able to withstand years of abuse without many problems, and if you sort of have an idea of what to look/listen for in a second-hand amp, you could save yourself a lot of cash by seeing what’s available pre-owned. Tube amps should take some more research, as the equipment is more fragile and susceptive to wear.
I hope this was of any use to you, and if not, that you enjoyed reading it. If you have any questions, feel free to hit me up with a note and I’ll see if I can help you or know someone who can.
Stay safe,
-Maxx
| POSTED: 06/08/2005 - 02:43 am |
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