So you wanna buy an Amp?
Jun 01 '01 (Updated Apr 08 '02)
The Bottom Line Only buy a Guitar Combo Amp that brings out the best in your guitar(s). Choose based on your needs and the amp sounds and tone you prefer.
If you need an amp, you must already own a guitar. I hope!
1. Questions you need to ask yourself?
Do you want an acoustic amp or an electric guitar amp or would you prefer a bass amp? This really depends on your guitar(s) and what exactly your amp needs are?
Do you intend on using the amp for bedroom practice only? Do you intend on using it for band rehearsals or for gigging in small clubs? What about performing in larger venues? Have you thought about recording with the amp? Does the amp need a headphone jack for late night or early morning practice? How much does the amp weigh and is it portable enough to carry around without any help?
Would you prefer an amp with two or more channels so you could footswitch from clean to dirty in the middle of a song? Also, a two channel amp might eliminate the need for a separate effects pedal for distortion!
The answer to these questions are very important since they will help to narrow your search down to one of the following categories:
a. You need an acoustic amp,
b. You need a small bedroom practice amp,
c. You need a capable "do it all type" of combo amp, or
d. You need a bass amp.
2. Acoustic amps.
Acoustic amps are for acoustic sounds. They are primarily for acoustic guitars or acoustic electric guitars. Some models have a mic chanel for vocals and some even allow you to add drum machines or keyboards. Acoustic amps are NOT RECOMMENDED for electric guitars or electric basses, unless your electric guitar or bass has piezo pickups, some do!
When I first set out to find an acoustic amp, I tried many models from Fender, Roland, Crate, Peavey and others. I was impressed with the acoustic sounds of most models I tried and with so many good acoustic amps out there, I found it difficult to choose one over the other since they all had a certain quality and appeal of their own.
I ended up getting a Peavey Ecoustic 112. I needed an acoustic amp that I could use for vocals and acoustic guitar simultaneously and this amp performed great. Other models sounded good as well, but I and others who participated in the comparison test experience all agreed that the Ecoustic 112 was THE BEST, so to speak.
This choice was my preference that's all. Every other model was good as well. If you are looking for an acoustic amp, compare them for yourself to see what you prefer.
3. Small bedroom practice amps.
Small bedroom practice amps are great since they will allow you to practice your chops in the privacy of your own bedroom without annoying anybody else in the house. I recommend you get something very versatile so that you may probe a wide variety of music styles. A single chanel amp with only one sound will be boring after a while.
Some recommended models to try out:
a. Peavey Transtube 258 EFX (new practice model)
b. Marshall VS2000 AVT20
c. Fender Frontman or Champion 30
d. Vox Pathfinder
e. Tech 21 Trademark 10
4. O.K. So now you need something more than a bedroom practice amp!
If the amp you need is going to double for jamming sessions and for small gigs as well, then you may need a versatile combo amp powerful enough to hear through the mix, or at the very least the amp will require certain options such as a line out or an exterior speaker jack! A line out on the amp will allow you to plug directly into a mixer when performing in a large venue. Otherwise, you will have to mic your amp, although many prefer this option since the sound is often "warmer" coming from a mic than the line out.
An exterior speaker jack will allow you to ADD a separate speaker cabinet. So, instead of your sound coming out of one speaker, it will be coming out of your amp and the cab speaker(s). (Smaller cabinets come with one speaker while larger cabs come with 4).
Now comes the difficult decision regarding amps. You need to decide if you want a tube amp, a solid state or modeling amp. A tube amp requires regular maintenance, changing tubes once or twice a year depending on usage. A solid state or modeling amp does not require maintenance, nor does it require any "warming-up" such as a tube amp. For many, waiting for the tubes to warm up is a small inconvenience in order to enjoy "tube tone." If you like the idea of being able to plug and play immediately, then solid state or modeling is the better way to go.
Many prefer tube amps over transistor amps because of TUBE tone. Transistor amps are usually more versatile and dependable. Another advantage of a solid state amp is that you can obtain liquid distortion at low volumes. If unsure about the different sounds and tone, I recommend you compare for yourself several tube amps with several solid state or modeling amps to see what you prefer.
For gigging in small clubs you will need at least a 30 watt tube amp. If you go solid state or modeling, I don't recommend you get anything less than 60 watts. If you intend to play this amp in larger venues, don't forget to check for a line out or an exterior speaker jack. If the amp does not have one of these options you will have to mic the amp in a larger venue which is perfectly OK.
Another important consideration is the amount of money you are willing to spend on an amp? If you're on a budget, don't waste your money on expensive gear. There is a lot of good sounding amps for the budget minded. If you can afford expensive equipment then buy the best money can buy and you won't need to upgrade later. You can research on Epinions and Harmony Central for amps in your price range and find out what people have to say about them.
Narrow your search to 4 or 5 different models that have better than average reviews. Then go out to the music stores in your neighborhood, preferably with your own guitar(s), to compare models side by side for yourself. In addition to sounds and tone, look for features that will make the amp useful on stage or in the studio. For instance, does the amp have reverb, chorus, a footswitch and an effects loop? In addition to changing channels, can the footswitch engage the effects loop, the Reverb and/or a boost?
Some affordable recommended amps (solid state or modeling) to try out:
a. Tech 21 Trademark 60
b. Yamaha DG60-112
c. Hughes & Kettner Triplex and Tour Reverb Combo
d. Peavey Bandit 112
e. Marshall VS2000 AVT50 112 combo
f. Fender Princeton Chorus DSP or Ultimate Chorus DSP
Some affordable recommended tube amps to try out:
a. Traynor YCV40-112 or the YCV80-212.
b. Ampeg R-12R or the R-212R (Diamond Blue Lead)
c. Peavey Classic 30 or Classic 50.
d. Laney LC50 or VC30-212.
e. Fender Hot Rod Deluxe.
f. Marshall JCM2000 DSL201 or the DSL401
Of course there are many other models to choose from and please don't choose based on name brand. Go for the sounds and features that you like best. Comparison shop for yourself and make sure that what you are getting is really what you want. Don't depend solely on what others have to say.
Any amp that is worth more than $1000 will be good no doubt! But you should already know exactly what you need and what you want from an amp when you intend on spending this amount of money.
5. So what you really wanted was a bass amp?
The only recommendation I have about bass amps is that you may as well get a powerful enough bass amp that you could jam and gig with since most bass amps sound good at low volumes as well. Anything below 100 watts will only do for your bedroom. With less than 100 watts, you will never have enough power when you jam with your friends. So go for power with your first bass amp, and you won't have to upgrade later.
I've known many bass players and not a single one of them had the same bass amp. So...here are some suggestions of bass combo amps I've seen and heard that I recommend to try out:
a. Peavey TNT115/BW
b. Fender Bassman 100 or the 200
c. Yorkville BassMaster 200 or the 400
d. Ampeg B-100R
e. Marshall B-150
6. Other important considerations to think about:
Ease of use should also be a concern. If the amp you choose is to complicated to use you will be spending more time in the manual learning to tweak it than actually playing your guitar. Most amps will have information manuals with factory presets to get you started. Too many effects on a unit could be overwhelming for a beginner?
In order to be totally satisfied with your final decision and purchase, you must make sure that your guitar and amp match-up for great sounds and tone. Make sure you truly love the sounds and the tone of whatever model you buy. Personally, I think it's better to spend a few extra dollars for the amp you really want than to get the one you can afford and will most likely have to upgrade later.
To conclude, if your having problems choosing and it all comes down to sounds and tone, let your ears be the final judge in your decision making process.
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