Amps - How much is too much? - GuitarTalk Community

Amps - How much is too much?

Alex-B-Broadway

Okay, so my current amp collection looks something like this:

Roland Cube 80XL H&K Blonde Edition 40W Roland Cube 15W Vox Pathfinder 10

I'm tempted to start saving up for "just one more" amp but then I thought - how much is enough if doing a lot of gigs? Does one amp cut it? Does one need one and a backup (with a backup for the backup) etc? I'm between either saving up for another amp or buying a pedal or two, which is unexplored territory for me so far.

GAS is a horrible thing. ???

(old forum) Poll Results: How many amps are really enough?

One is enough: 1
Two is great: 14
I need three: 6
Four or more: 4
This one goes up to 11...: 2

Psean

They're all solid-state right?
If so, sell a some and buy a valve amp (Cub 12/ TS15?).
Maybe keep the best one (Cube 80?) as a backup.

AlanRatcliffe

A room full of amps can be OK: VOX, Fender, Marshall and Mesa in a variety of sizes to suit all your applications from small practice amps to big stage monsters and everything in-between. But kind of pointless having multiple amps if they are all the same kind of thing - especially with solid state/modellers, all of which give you the same variety and work well at different volume settings anyway...

DaFiz

Would you ever play through several amps together...? Like an outdoor stage, using maybe a few Marshall stacks together totalling more watts than one could possibly use indoors ...? ???

AlanRatcliffe

DaFiz wrote: Would you ever play through several amps together...? Like an outdoor stage, using maybe a few Marshall stacks together totalling more watts than one could possibly use indoors ...? ???

Not these days - while you would use a bigger amp, you'd mic up and let the PA do all the heavy lifting.

Alex-B-Broadway

Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
DaFiz wrote: Would you ever play through several amps together...? Like an outdoor stage, using maybe a few Marshall stacks together totalling more watts than one could possibly use indoors ...? ???
Not these days - while you would use a bigger amp, you'd mic up and let the PA do all the heavy lifting.

Speaking of mic'ing up, I like the tone I get from the Vox. Think it could stand up to gigs despite being technically "small" at 10w?

DaFiz

Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
DaFiz wrote: Would you ever play through several amps together...? Like an outdoor stage, using maybe a few Marshall stacks together totalling more watts than one could possibly use indoors ...? ???
Not these days - while you would use a bigger amp, you'd mic up and let the PA do all the heavy lifting.

That make sense... thanx ?

Wizard

There's an option missing from the voting buttons:
- One more

AlanRatcliffe

Alex B Broadway wrote: Speaking of mic'ing up, I like the tone I get from the Vox. Think it could stand up to gigs despite being technically "small" at 10w?

Yup. I've seen guys gigging with mic'ed up Champs (and getting great tones). You have to rely more on the monitor to hear yourself on bigger stages though.

Alex-B-Broadway

Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
Alex B Broadway wrote: Speaking of mic'ing up, I like the tone I get from the Vox. Think it could stand up to gigs despite being technically "small" at 10w?
Yup. I've seen guys gigging with mic'ed up Champs (and getting great tones). You have to rely more on the monitor to hear yourself on bigger stages though.

Interesting. ? I'm still trying to debate whether or not I should pick up a Vox Valvetronix 20w or not. Seems like I could get a lot out of it.

Sean

Alex B Broadway wrote: I'm still trying to debate whether or not I should pick up a Vox Valvetronix 20w or not. Seems like I could get a lot out of it.

To add to what you've already got? I don't see much point to be honest.

Alex-B-Broadway

Sean wrote:
Alex B Broadway wrote: I'm still trying to debate whether or not I should pick up a Vox Valvetronix 20w or not. Seems like I could get a lot out of it.
To add to what you've already got? I don't see much point to be honest.

Want to sell the Cube 15 at some point, like the demos I've seen of the Vox. Figure it's worth a shot.

Norman86

why 2 cubes?

i didnt like the tones from the cube myself, so if you like the vox, sell the others and get a tube amp you like!

or sell them all and look at a fender mustang... probably the best modelling amp to look after your needs!

and built in effects if needed.. ?

Reinhard

Do you really want so many SS amps (I am assuming they are all SS)? Do they all get played?

In a similar position I'd be tempted to sell the lot and get one decent tube amp. I went through the same process and ended up with a bunch of amps that take up a lot of space and you usually only end up playing one of them.

singemonkey

Sell every last one and get a small tube amp between 5 and 25 Watts with a 12 inch speaker.

It can be a lot of fun having a lot of variety and different stuff. But it's pointless owning a bunch of solid state amps. That's not an amp collection any more than 5 budget hatchbacks are a car collection, or 10 nylon ties from Mr. Price are a tie collection. You could call me a snob about this if it weren't for the fact that great sounding tube amps can be had for the same price as some of the amps you mentioned.

Alex-B-Broadway

singemonkey wrote: Sell every last one and get a small tube amp between 5 and 25 Watts with a 12 inch speaker.

It can be a lot of fun having a lot of variety and different stuff. But it's pointless owning a bunch of solid state amps. That's not an amp collection any more than 5 budget hatchbacks are a car collection, or 10 nylon ties from Mr. Price are a tie collection. You could call me a snob about this if it weren't for the fact that great sounding tube amps can be had for the same price as some of the amps you mentioned.

Noted. Any suggestions? Any drawbacks of a tube amp that I should know about?

Warren

I really wouldn't buy a Valvetronix based on what you currently own. I owned a 50W Valvetronix amp, and it was a great amp, but it was also my only amp at the time. Owning another modelling amp at the same time didn't make sense.

I would keep the Cube 80XL as a backup amp, since I believe you gig regularly and having a single tube amp without any backup whatsoever might be a bad idea.

Sell the other amps, and then take that money and go shopping for as a nice a tube amp as you can afford, and that fits your requirement. Take your guitar with you, and play a bunch of amps in the price range and make sure they work for you and the music you're playing.

Warren

Alex B Broadway wrote:
Noted. Any suggestions? Any drawbacks of a tube amp that I should know about?

What type of music are you going to be playing with it? Do you do a lot of covers? If so, can you give us a sample playlist?

Alex-B-Broadway

ShreddySmurf wrote: What type of music are you going to be playing with it? Do you do a lot of covers? If so, can you give us a sample playlist?

Mostly blues. I do a fair bit of covers, but I'm looking to start gigging a lot more next year and doing more originals at some point. Since I'm still wrapping up matric I haven't been able to work on the sets as much as I'd like but some of the songs would be something like: Crossroads, I Shot the Sheriff, Hellhound on my Trail, Evil, Pride & Joy, etc.

It's worth mentioning that I'm highly neurotic and always need 100 backups for everything "just in case" - true for everything from amps to computers, but especially the amps. ??? If I'm getting into serious gigging and anything goes wrong I don't want to be completely buggered.

Psean

Alex B Broadway wrote:
ShreddySmurf wrote: What type of music are you going to be playing with it? Do you do a lot of covers? If so, can you give us a sample playlist?
Mostly blues. I do a fair bit of covers, but I'm looking to start gigging a lot more next year and doing more originals at some point. Since I'm still wrapping up matric I haven't been able to work on the sets as much as I'd like but some of the songs would be something like: Crossroads, I Shot the Sheriff, Hellhound on my Trail, Evil, Pride & Joy, etc.

It's worth mentioning that I'm highly neurotic and always need 100 backups for everything "just in case" - true for everything from amps to computers, but especially the amps. ??? If I'm getting into serious gigging and anything goes wrong I don't want to be completely buggered.

I reckon a Cube is a pretty solid backup. I don't know of many people having problems with them. For blues, check out the Ibanez TSA range http://www.ibanez.com/Electronics/model-TSA15 or Laney Cub 12 http://www.laney.co.uk/products/product_details/28 I've heard both in a Blues/rock context and they've sounded great. TOMS do the Ibanez stuff pretty cheaply too (they have the agency as far as I'm aware) The TS has a built in Tube Screamer too - that should do "Pride and Joy" nicely ?.

Edit: The Laney VC15 is an awesome sounding 2-channel amp that I'd recommend if it wasn't for one thing: it only has a 10" speaker - I've used mine for an open mic next to a big bass amp and couldn't hear much. I love the amp but f I was buying again I'd probably get a Cub12. Make sure you get something that'll cut through the band mix at gigs.

Are your gigs with a full band?