General Music Chat

Just wanted some other oppinions.Right now I have the Line 6 spider 2 150 watt head with the fbv shortboard going thru a MarshallJCM 900 1960 I'm thinking of changing to the Hughes & Kettner Matrix 100 watt head, but keeping the cab of course. My music style is Creedish style some heavy and some accoustic sounding. Guitar wise all I play is Gibson I have a Paul & Explorer.

Well, I'm a sound snob when it comes to amps.
That's just me of course.

I'm a strictly ALL TUBE sort.
I'm running a TSL 100 three channel Marshall into the 1960A 4 X 12 cab. (With decent PA, that's all you need...let the sound guy make you louder if necessary).
Les Paul Custom (1972 vintage..not reissue..bought it brand new for $499)
Paul Reed Smith CE 24 and a Taylor 314CE Acoustic. (which of course is never plugged into the Marshall!! lol)
TC electronics processing....about to get the G System (also TC Electronics but 1000 times better than a G Major)

I'll never give up my tube head. NEVER!

Well, I'm a sound snob when it comes to amps.
That's just me of course.

I'm a strictly ALL TUBE sort.

I have a Line 6 Spider 3 2x12

But they (Line 6) have a new Valve amp out, which I think is a combination of tube and digital. Is that right?

Anyone tried this amp out?

I like Mesa's. Currently use a Triple Rectifier with a Laney 4x12. For smaller stuff I have a Mesa Subway Rocket (20 watts) and I ussually carry a Mesa V Twin pedal in my gig bag, so Im tubes all the way.

My older head is a Sunn Model T, also tube.

JW

I picked up a Yamaha DG80-112A digital Amp about 5 years ago and fell in love with it. At almost every gig I've played with it the sound man comes up to me after the show and tells me how blown away he was by the sound of that amp...I'm not exaggerating that either. Even after coming on stage after full stack Marshalls and at least one Mesa Boogie combo.

I've since added the matching 1x12 extension cabinet to it and it sounds amazing. Don't get me wrong, you will never hear me knock a tube amp but I rarely have time to play anymore but when I do I need to plug-n-play. It's ashame that Yamaha discontinued these amps. It took me 2 years to find the extension cabinet for it. I Got it on eBay and had to have it shipped from Canada to Beaumont, Tx. Luckily the guy miscalculated the shipping cost and it saved me about $100.

I have a Marshall 9005 2x50 Power Amp that I really want to hear pushing 2 of those 1x12 extension cabs while still using the DG-80 Amp...maybe someday!

Cary,

I used to run sound and I always loved smaller amps, but when Im playin I cant help it I want to move some air. I have an old Fender Champ not the tube amp but a little funky solid state amp. It is probably only 5-10 watts and has either a 6 or 8 in speaker. I bought is in the late 70s for about 90 dollars. The neat thing is the speaker is sealed instead of open like most combos. That amp, a Les Paul and an SM57 mic can get some of the best tones you ever heard. I used to carry it as a spare and when I would blow out one of my big amps I would use it. I think thru the pa that little amp sounded better than the big amps cause it just didnt push that much air. Of course once I got the big amp fixed I put the Champ up. Most cover bands could learn a lot by turning everything down and using the pa more.

I got on another site the other day and these kids were talking about 50 watt half stacks not being loud enough for PRACTICE! I have crickets in my ears 24 hrs a day from playing too loud. But Im a typical guitarist and we all have amp envy.

C-Ya

To me there are only two amps. Marshall, and everything else. That being said I think the Boogies are fine amps and I don't endorse every model of Marshall. I run a 100 watt Marshall JCM 800 channel switching which by reviews I have read is one of the best Marshalls every made. I concur.

Also what JW said about turning down I can't endorse more. IMO there is no need to have a 100 watt amp cranked in a standard size club. I get great tone and my master volume is at 2. A fifty is plenty and probably even less will do. Like he said, get enough volume to hear yourself on stage and let the PA do the rest.

A 50 watt half stack cranked not loud enough for practice? Geez....!!!!

.... I think I'll stay the f*ck out of here!

Wegman, I agree rock n roll is Marshalls all the way. I guess you have Marshall and Fender in the amp areas and Les Pauls and Strats in the guitar area. From where I sit every amp gets its tonal beginnings from either a Marshall or Fender. I guess its the tubes either EL34s or 6L6s. Boogies are just modded Fenders in the beginning, they have over the years taken on a life of their own. My Mesa has 6L6s in it, which seems to give a little higher headroom before breaking up. Ive owned a few Marshalls thru the years but for one reason or another I never held on to them. Ive got a friend who has that Slash model and I could live with it.

However these days Ive been looking at one of those POD XTs if I get back playing covers again. I dont think they sound as good as an amp but the versatility and being able to program some settings in there are looking better all the time. Of course I could run stereo out of it into 2 half stacks. Ha Ha Me too loud! Isnt that why I started playing music years ago, to be loud and proud, and oh yeah for the girls!

JW

You are correct JW. My amp is a Marshall and I play a Gibson Les Paul Custom and Gibson Les Paul Standard as my backup. I can't play Fender guitars. The volume knob is in a bad spot for me and I keep turning the bloody volume knob off. I also don't like where the pickup switch is.


Actually from my reading the Marshall is based on the fender amp. So Fender technically is the grandfather of valve amps.

Me personally I don't care for the POD. The guitarist I replaced in the band I am playing in used a POD and the sound just is not there imo. The best way I can explain it is it sounds like a hive of angy bees with effects added. Lacks clarity and definition.

That's me though because many people like them.

As far as volume I actually prefer to play quiter for a few reasons but the obvious one is that it is easier on the ears. I believe this is a big problem with semi skilled musicians. At higher volumes the ears begin distort and the actual ambient sound of the band is not what you really sound like because the ears are distorting. I learned a cool little trick from of all people a drummer (joking). He would always drum with a set of muffs on. I asked him what is with the muffs? He said with the muffs on I can hear everything clearly, try it. So one practice I threw them on and wow, I could not believe how much clarity there was and that I was able to pick up stuff I was missing.

I never turn up past the level to stay with the drums or basically so I can hear myself and everyone else in the band can hear me. I find this to be a comfortable level and best for true sound quality.

Again, this is me.

Wegman,

I dont tell anyone but I keep a set of those little ear plugs for my ears in all my guitar cases. Of course when I played a lot I had longer hair like you do, but now I ussually have my head shaved and it looks funny with orange plugs sticking out of your ears. The plugs cut out all the weird overtones you hear in a typical bar, and also as you said you can hear whats going on better.

I remember reading about Ted Nugent years ago using plugs. In those days I drank too much when I played so it didnt bother me much, but the last few years playing totally sober, it really gets to me. I just use those little industrial plugs that plant workers are given. You can buy a case real cheap.

Hope you have a good Thanksgiving and let us know whats up with your new band project.

JW

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Me personally I don't care for the POD. The guitarist I replaced in the band I am playing in used a POD and the sound just is not there imo. The best way I can explain it is it sounds like a hive of angy bees with effects added. Lacks clarity and definition.

That's me though because many people like them.

Thanks for your take on the POD. Your samples all have real good guitar tone on them, so you know what your talking about. A good friend of mine who plays local all the time was using a POD, but I talked to him last week and hes using a Bassman 4x10 Combo Reissue and all his old pedals again, so I guess it may not be the way to go.

Thanks on the tone comment JW.

Hey man sorry I haven't checked out your stuff yet. I will.

Actually all my stuff was recorded with a sub par Mic. I just picked up a good condensor, so the sound should be alot better going forward. The tune Reversal of Fortune is to thin to me and I don't care for the mix on it. I can't fix it though. I also have a pair of great monitors I just can't get use to. I tend to mix everything thin. Since adding a subwoofer that has made a big difference.

IMO the best tone I have gotten is on The March to Victory and Tears.

Another story on protecting ones ears. I went to an open house at the Columbia School of the Arts in Chicago because I have been kicking around getting a degree in acoustics. Anyway, we enter the recording school wing and the first thing the staff there do is hand us ear plugs. I am looking at these things and thinking what Hell you know? So before the instructor starts his shpeel he says "If you want to be a recording engineer or even to have a future in this business your hearing is the most important tool you have got. Take care of your ears."

I was like wow, never thought of it like that. Now I wear ear protection when I mow the lawn.

I am mentioning this as public service message to everyone. Take care of your hearing people.

In my last band our other guitar player sold hearing aids for a living. He's been very succussful in his business and just about every practice he would come in with a new addition to the PA. Within a few months we were using our original old PA for side fills which was 2 Peavey SP-2's and 2 wedges with a powered mixer. Up front we had a 24 ch. Mackie board w/ 2 2x15 JBL's for mains , 2 JBL 18' subs and 2 more wedges. I don't remember how many Mackie power amps were running but at he had a stack of 'em and is still adding to it. If the level was good it sounded awesome but it didn't take much to be out of control. That's a lot of sound for a garage but probably good for his business...lol