deefstes
So I've been told that Fender amps are famous for their clean sounds while Marshall amps are the weapon of choice for overdrive. But what about all the others.
Would someone care to point out what the strengths are of:
Vox
Mesa Boogie
Peavey
Laney
Hughes & Kettner
or any others you'd like to add to the list.
In fact, if you feel like pointing out what the famous characteristics of one specific amp (like Fender Tweed or Hughes & Kettner Statesman) are, don't hold back, I'm equally curious about that. This is your opportunity to impress a noob and show off your ample knowledge. Ha ha, ample knowledge... get it? It's funny because "ample" is like "amp" but only.... oh forget it.
Tonedef
+1 Excellent topic!
singemonkey
Erm. How did you manage to leave out the two most famous guitar amp manufacturers in the world: Marshall and Fender? ???
But yeah. Good topic.
[deleted]
deefstes wrote:
So I've been told that Fender amps are famous for their clean sounds while Marshall amps are the weapon of choice for overdrive. But what about all the others.
Would someone care to point out what the strengths are of:
Vox
Mesa Boogie
Peavey
Laney
Hughes & Kettner
or any others you'd like to add to the list.
In fact, if you feel like pointing out what the famous characteristics of one specific amp (like Fender Tweed or Hughes & Kettner Statesman) are, don't hold back, I'm equally curious about that. This is your opportunity to impress a noob and show off your ample knowledge. Ha ha, ample knowledge... get it? It's funny because "ample" is like "amp" but only.... oh forget it.
IceCreamMan
I love my ORange TT ..15 w of pure orgasm ....
not too much head room on the clean side but start dialing gain.....oj oh oh ohhhhhhhh arghhhhhhhhhhhhh
Norman86
TL?R singe?! lol!
good thing Stratisfear already highlighted it!!!
arjunmenon
On the same subject, it would be cool to get educated on Dumble, Two Rock, Kustom, Carr, Reeves, VHT & Victoria amps.
AlanRatcliffe
It's very hard to generalise and summarise - entire books have been written on the topic (check out Dave Hunter's The Guitar Amp Handbook).
For instance Fender amps may be generally known for sparkly cleans, but they have amps that crunch nicely (Deluxe) and even high-gain monsters (Supersonic).
I'll try list what they are best known for, but really it only scratches the surface of any of them (especially the bigger companies):
Marshall: Classic rock crunch to high-gain(ish - by modern standards) mayhem
Fender: Sparkly cleans to bluesy crunch
Vox: Complex, chimey cleans to fat complex drive tones
Mesa: Originally high gain now very versatile amps leaning a bit more to the high gain side of things
Orange: Marshalls without the grating upper mids and with lots of added lows.
HiWatt: (really, really) Fat cleans and classic fat drive.
Peavey: High gain solid-state & more recently valve. Reliability and affordability.
Laney, H&K, etc. tend to model after different classic amps. No real identity of their own. Pretty much true of all the boutique amps except Dumble, although some take their designs far enough away from the originals that they eventually come to be considered their own animals (like Mesa originally did with the Boogies, which were Fender designs modded to high gain) - Matchless are a kind of a very high gain Vox. I think the only truly "original" new amp with it's own thing going on is the Dr. Z Carmen Ghia - and even that is loosely based on a Hammond organ amp (but with a wonderful single-knob tone stack which is original and unique).
singemonkey
I haz a 'tard...
Sebber
As Alan says, whole books have been written about amps: for example, there's a load of books out there that just concentrate on VOX AC30s and the different AC30 models and features that came out over the years.
I also agree with him about the fact that it's a lot more difficult these days to pigeon-hole different manufacturers into different brackets. Again, for example, if you want an AC30 or close equivalent, you don't have to be looking at VOX amps, there are tonnes of manufacturers who make AC-a-like amps, including Mesa, Laney, and Matchless. I've recently moved from VOX AC30s to Mesa, and I've actually got to say the best AC30-a-like I've played out there is the TransAtlantic TA-15, to my ears (and it’s a long time since I played a vintage AC30) it’s right up there with the original ‘60s JMI-made amps. The VOX tones out of the Mesa Lonestar Special are also out of this world.
There's a huge number of variables that determine how an amp will actually sound: what components are used, where does the signal path go and what does it do, is the fx loop (if present) a serial or parallel loop (tube driven or solid state loop?), is there a master volume, what are tone stack characteristics... there's so many different ingredients that determine an amp's mojo. Just think of the different power tubes the manufacturers typically use (not exclusively, I'll hasten to add):
Marshall: EL34s
Fender: 6L6s
Vox: EL84s
Mesa: 6L6s
Orange: EL34s
HiWatt: I don't know, KT88s?
Peavey: 6L6s
Like I said, there are variations: both Mesa amps I own have EL84s in the power section. Also, subject to biasing, certain tube designations are interchangeable (EL34s, 6L6s, KT88s and so on). You also get variations like 6L6s and 6J6s, or 12AX7s and their lower gain 12AU7 counterparts. All the variations have an impact on your tone. I, personally, love the sound of a one or more EL84s getting angry in a pushed low-wattage (5W-30W) power section, but some other guitarists prefer EL34s pushing 100W out.
One thing I'll add is this: the amp you play through has much more to do with your tone than the guitar you're playing, and, if you're seriously into the guitar and making guitar music, spend at LEAST as much time identifying the right amp for you as you would when shopping for a guitar. Your amp is as instrument, to be learned and played, as much as your guitar is.
Anyway, you won't know it until you try it... for years I thought I was a high-wattage Marshall man (various Valvestates when I was a youngster, then I graduated to the JCM800 and then 2000 series). Being a pommie I just assumed that Marshall was the amp for me. That is, until I tried a VOX AC30 and my eyes (and ears) were literally opened. It was only then that I realised that I should check out what's in the back line on a stage and not just the chunk of wood with six strings stretched across it that the dude is playing. All those years I just figured "if it ain't Marshall, I don't care what it is".
There you go, I've just realised that I've waffled extensively whilst skilfully avoiding actually answering the question. Procrastination was invented in England.
Norman86
Very nice posts!! Thanks Alan and Sebber ?
chris77
If you want to hear the difference, a decent amp sim like Guitar Rig will give you a pretty good idea of what to expect from the different types. Most serious players will be quick to say that they're not as good as the real thing, but just for an idea of what to expect and what will best suit your style and preference it is a great tool.
Personally I am rooting for the Line6 to build an affordable amp within the next decade that will be able to realistically model the whole lot. From what I've read the new Line6 Dt hybrid range is pretty close allready.
http://line6.com/dt50/index.html
That would be the ideal for a lot of players I reckon. To have the feel and sound of 5 or so classic tube amps in one package. And it's not that far away...
deefstes
Jeepers, thanks for the great answers Alan and Sebber. I wish I understood half of what you were saying, but it certainly makes for interesting reading.
dee
Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
HiWatt: (really, really) Fat cleans and classic fat drive.
Quite a while ago I heard a Strat being played through a Hiwatt. I can't remember the model, but it was pure heaven.
If I can get an amp that has the high gain drive of an Orange and the cleans of a Hiwatt, I will be a happy man.
Norman86
dee wrote:
Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
HiWatt: (really, really) Fat cleans and classic fat drive.
Quite a while ago I heard a Strat being played through a Hiwatt. I can't remember the model, but it was pure heaven.
If I can get an amp that has the high gain drive of an Orange and the cleans of a Hiwatt, I will be a happy man.
Have you heard a Mesa boogie? It might be close to what you need!
