100W Non-Master Amplifiers Scare Me...

[Guitarist]

...but also excite me in an alluring way.

How do you personally feel about these monsters?

[jdm61]

Re: 100W Non-Master Amplifiers Scare Me...

2 words.......Power Brake There is no substitue for power amp clipping

[OlinMusic]

Re: 100W Non-Master Amplifiers Scare Me...

NOTHING and I mean NOTHING compares

They will never give you the tight focused gain of newer amps, but they are BEASTS and can do damage. They are AMAZING in dual amp set ups with Soldanos or Diezels etc.

I highly recommend a hot plate and a clean boost so you can milk the classic tones. There are a bunch of other classic tricks that works well. They have the most organic tone and really respond to touch and your tone and vol controls.

[Guitarist]

Re: 100W Non-Master Amplifiers Scare Me...

How bad is the compromise? ...when using an attentuator?

[Low_fidelity2100]

Re: 100W Non-Master Amplifiers Scare Me...

2 words.......Power Brake There is no substitue for power amp clipping

But useing sumthing like a power break totally changes the tone of an amp. And that kinda destroys the whole point of having power amp clipping. To me anyways.

[jdm61]

Re: 100W Non-Master Amplifiers Scare Me...

compromise with the hotplate is that it voids some warranties.......one type of attentuator uses a resitive load and other one uses......something else......HotPlate allegedly is not kind to your output tranny....the trick probably is to use a smaller cabinet so you get speaker breakup.....one amp maker i talked to said to get a nice closed back 1 x 12 to use in small spaces with the Power Brake

[jdm61]

Re: 100W Non-Master Amplifiers Scare Me...

Attenuators that are downstream from the power section do not change the tone of the amp....they may change the tone of the speakers unless you use go with a smaller cabinet.

[Low_fidelity2100]

Re: 100W Non-Master Amplifiers Scare Me...

Attenuators that are downstream from the power section do not change the tone of the amp....they may change the tone of the speakers unless you use go with a smaller cabinet.

It may not change the tone of the "amp", but it does change the tone. Weather its a change in the tone of the speaker, or amp, or whatever, It does make it sound alot different. To me at least. And Useing a smaller cabinet/less speakers would change the tone alot too.
I'm not trying to say its a bad Idea to use an attenuator. Just saying it changes the tone alot, weather thats good or bad is up to the individual. I personally don't like it. But I also Don't buy 100watt amps.

A marshall stack run full blast, theres nothing that sounds like it. But a marshall ran at full blast through an attenuator, Isn't the same thing. Thats all I'm sayin.

[WhoFan]

Re: 100W Non-Master Amplifiers Scare Me...

If i was in a pro touring large venue band i'd have one i bet..... I can't think of any bar i've ever played i could get away with one of them.... I've done some large outdoor shows but even then i can't imagine ever using one of those cranked..... but i still want a new 1959 handwired reissue... GAS for things i can't afford or use.... man that's sad

[Mike M.]

Re: 100W Non-Master Amplifiers Scare Me...

On two seperate occasions I plugged into 100 watt amps. One was a friends 100 watt Marshall stack and one was another friends 100 watt Hiwatt stack. The power that's unleashed from those things is undesrcibable when opened up. Really, kind of frightening how loud they can get and how they can mess your senses up. I can't imagine how some people can play night after night with those amps behing them at ear level.

[Guitarist]

Re: 100W Non-Master Amplifiers Scare Me...

I think I've just soiled myself.

[Gearjoneser]

Re: 100W Non-Master Amplifiers Scare Me...

I love those amps like old Marshalls, Mojove's, and other non mastervolume amps.

There's only one problem.....they're made for one purpose......sitting in a rehearsal space or stage, next to a loud drummer, where you plug in, turn it up, and tear the roof off the joint. For every other application, you have the WRONG amp.

If you want to use an amp in your home, rehearsal space, and stage, you should really buy a master volume amp with a gain control.
If you fit into that category, you should only buy an amp that delivers good tone at low levels and high levels.

My solution is to have a tube amp that kicks ass in every loud situation, then also own a modeling amp that I can use at home at every volume. It's silly for me to compare a tube amp to modeling amp, because I like them both. I can have fun with the Valvetronix head at home, but it never leaves my music room. When I want real tone at high volume, it's tube amp all the way!
I think the smartest thing is to have 1 nice cab, then buy a great tube head and a great modeling head. Modeler for home practice.....tube amp for putting next to a drum kit.

[Guitarist]

Re: 100W Non-Master Amplifiers Scare Me...

Wise words.

[JammerMatt]

Re: 100W Non-Master Amplifiers Scare Me...

I think I've just soiled myself.

Nope. that's all the rain we're getting. I heard of this round yellow orb thing that comes out now and again. I forget what they call it though.

[Guitarist]

Re: 100W Non-Master Amplifiers Scare Me...

Oh, the night's darkness saves me from the 12 hours of depression I experience everyday due to the lack of s.....s...ssss.... ??!