A Crash Course in Rock Guitar – Part II

I hope you enjoyed the first installment of “A Crash Course in Rock Guitar!” Hopefully it was/will be helpful in your selection of a guitar.  Today, we talk AMPS!

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“A Crash Course in Rock Guitar!”

II – Choosing an Amp

You probably have some idea of how you’d like to sound, and today there is no shortage of amp models, or modeling amps.  Just like during the selection of your guitar, you should look to your idols for guidance – after all, if you like THEIR tone, you can’t go wrong with checking out the amp THEY are using.

Modeling amps can emulate a wide variety of sounds from all of the classic amp configurations.  This is great if you want to experiment with different tones, and since many can be had rather affordably, it is definitely a great place to start.

There are also modeling units that will plug right into your computer, which is great for practicing or recording yourself, but not really practical for playing in a live setting.  For this, there are always the old standards – Marshalls, Mesa Boogies, Fenders, Peaveys, Carvins, Laneys etc.

Getting back to your idols – Slash, Zakk Wylde, Jimmy Page and countless others use Marshalls.  Steve Vai has his Legacy line through Carvin.  Eddie Van Halen just released his EVH amps through Fender.  Joe Satriani uses his signature Peavey JSX amps.  John Petrucci of Dream Theater uses Mesa Boogies.  The list goes on and on.  You can’t go wrong with ANY of these amps.

You want to make sure the amp has a great overdrive channel suitable for rock playing, but it should also be versatile.  Can you get a range of different types of distortion from it?  Does it have a decent clean sound (from my personal experience, it is tough to find an amp that has both a superior clean and dirty sound..it is usually one or the other).

A nice distorted tone at a low volume is a BIG plus – just ask your family members and neighbors!  You don’t want an amp that has to be on 11 to sound decent.  Make sure it has a preamp control, and that it sounds Rock and Roll, even at a lower volume.  There are even amps with headphone outputs – just be careful not to blow your ears out!! Finally, as with the selection of a guitar – a bad sounding amp will diminish your desire to play.  Get it right from the beginning to avoid frustration, additional cash outlay down the road, or worse yet – giving up entirely.

Tube or Solid State?

This will be a never-ending argument from now until the end of time – which is better – tube or solid state?  If you don’t know what I’m talking about, amps come in either the tube or solid state variety.  Tube amps…have tubes – like old time TVs and Radios.  Solid state amps do not – they’re more or less comprised of electronics.  Kinda like the analog vs. digital argument.

So which is better?   Honestly..probably tubes.  They just sound warmer, but you can get a decent tone from some solid state amps, not to mention more versatility.  The choice is yours really.  Getting back to that “good distorted tone at a low volume” thing…this is honestly probably more easily achieved with solid state amps.  Tube amps really need to be opened up a bit to get that good, full crunch.  I’ve used both, and been happy with both.  Tube amps will require a bit more TLC, and you better make sure you have someone in your area qualified to work on them when it comes time to replace the tubes.

Lets talk about portability -or- Amp head & cabinet vs. combo amp – I should mention that amplification can come in the form of either a combo amp (head and speakers in one enclosure) or separately (as in a head and a cabinet or cabinets), or even rack units.  You may have heard the term “half stack” – this is an amp head and ONE speaker cabinet (traditionally containing 4 speakers, or 4 x 4) or “full stack” – an amp head and TWO 4 x 4 speaker cabinets.  These not only look cooler, but arguably sound better, simply because you are free to choose what you want in a head and what you want in a cabinet and speakers.  Rack units, traditionally preamp or multi-effect units, come in many varities.  If you choose some sort of rack preamp (that may or may not have effects built in), you will also need a power amp to drive it (unless the unit is powered).  The absolute beginners should probably stick with a traditional amplifier.  Powered rack units (such as those made by Marshall) or a rack unit plus power amp, can be VERY heavy, so although they look smaller and more portable, they’re just as heavy when all is said and done.

Once you found your sound, you’re well on your way!

Until our next installment – keep on JAMMING!!!

Ric

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