I'm looking to buy an amp for my son and was thinking that maybe I should buy him something like a combo tube amp that he can grow into. I looked at all the entry level amps which are very cool but I think he's gonna need something a little more powerful in the future. My question is how do you get the heavy crunchy sound without it built into the amp? Do you use pedals for that? I just figured I would look for something used that he could use for a long time. Any recommendations on what I should look for?
Guitar amp question
BIGMOE65
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I'm looking to buy an amp for my son and was thinking that maybe I should buy him something like a combo tube amp that he can grow into. I looked at all the entry level amps which are very cool but I think he's gonna need something a little more powerful in the future. My question is how do you get the heavy crunchy sound without it built into the amp? Do you use pedals for that? I just figured I would look for something used that he could use for a long time. Any recommendations on what I should look for?
Can't go wrong with a Marshall half-stack.
Just don't buy a Crate.
As far as the "crunchy" sound, a decent quality amp will give you a good range of distortion, but if you want more there is an effects pedal for every occasion :thumbsup:
Figure on spending $600-$800 for something decent.
Just don't buy a Crate.
As far as the "crunchy" sound, a decent quality amp will give you a good range of distortion, but if you want more there is an effects pedal for every occasion :thumbsup:
Figure on spending $600-$800 for something decent.
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1,034 Posts
Stack tube amp would be nice, but more $$$ then a combo -I think any 50 - 100 watt combo amp would be great to start with, buy him a distorition pedal if the overdrive dosn't cut it. Andy's right, Marshall half or whole stack is the standard, but there are a ton of different models/makes out there now. I know that I bought a Marshall when I could full stack 100w, and have a 50w Roland cube that I have had since '84, changed a bunch of speakers in that time, but the amp has held up.Orange are nice but very expensive tube amps, and if you want a combo they make nice ones as well.
The only thing with tube amps is that they only sound good when they are at full volume, if thats the only way he plays then by all means get a Marshall half stack. But if he's practicing in the house and or you have neighbors then I would look into something like a VOX ad30vt this will have enough power to be heard over drums, and is loud enough for small clubs. It has 11 built in amp models and 11 built in effects so no pedals are needed. The range of sound and styles is amazing This amp has more crunch at low volumes than he will ever want. Awesome tone! Go to guitar center and try one you wont be sorry!
Look at the Mesa Boogie amps, serious guys don't even bother with the big stuff anymore. Clubs mike all your sound and you don't need the big amps any more. Boogies have the nice sound and are small but still heavy in the weight end. Ego of musicians is a big thing and they all respect the Boogie amp line.
I second the Line6 SpiderII amp. It is incredible. It has built in presets from different bands over the last 50 years, you can save your own settings and jsut recall them using the buttons. The sound is incredible. It has chorus, reverb, phaser, flange, delay, tap echo, and sweep echo.
I paid about $600 new at Guitar Center. Ive been playing for 14 years and this is the best by far. Sure, a Marshall stack sounds good, but for a beginner it is not necessary. Especially if youre not going to be playing huge stadiums!
This amp has 2 12"s and 150W. PLENTY of power and enjoyment...and no pedals to get in your way and going broke on 9volt batteries
I paid about $600 new at Guitar Center. Ive been playing for 14 years and this is the best by far. Sure, a Marshall stack sounds good, but for a beginner it is not necessary. Especially if youre not going to be playing huge stadiums!
This amp has 2 12"s and 150W. PLENTY of power and enjoyment...and no pedals to get in your way and going broke on 9volt batteries
I've got an old (late 50's early 60's vintage) Gibson tube amp here with a single 12. Thing is only about 30 watts. Sounds like nothing else. We used to mike it through the PA. Absolutely the warmest amp you ever heard to the nastiest amp you ever heard.
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4,423 Posts
YES get a decent amp.
Marshall makes nice tube combos like my DSL401 40 watt. Its loud enough I could gig, but quiet enough to play in my house in town unnoticed. It sounds better cranked, but still sounds good down low too. Got it for $450 on ebay.
Also of note are the Crate Palamino amps. Nice tone and cheap.
Under $350 new.
Marshall makes nice tube combos like my DSL401 40 watt. Its loud enough I could gig, but quiet enough to play in my house in town unnoticed. It sounds better cranked, but still sounds good down low too. Got it for $450 on ebay.
Also of note are the Crate Palamino amps. Nice tone and cheap.
Under $350 new.
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2,601 Posts
See? You got your question answered..... everyone has a choice and a favorite - I'll throw my thoughts in - Carvin - made in San Diego. Fender, Roland.... all great. Don't go cheap at all - you will be unhappy. (Or he will be unhappy) Big watts don't mean lots of power - smaller wattage can be really loud. My Fender is 65 watts, the Carvin 33 and the Roland is a 'MicroCube' - really great sound and lots of power AND you can put batteries in it and play it anywhere.... cool amp.
Interestingly, a 100 watt amp will almost be imperceptibly louder than the 65 watt amp. Most people think a doubling in watts = a doubling in volume, but that's not the case. A doubling in power nets an increase of only 3 db, which to the human brain only sounds "slightly louder". An increase of 10 db is usually considered doubling in volume, I believe (100 db sounds twice as loud as 90). So, in order to double the volume of your 65 watts amp, you'd need an amp with over 500 watts.
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