How many watts do you really need?

[southadc]

Re: How many watts do you really need?

How many watts do I really need? Here's how I'm trying to do things:

1) 100 watt 4 x 12 half stack for when I want to play loud, and for gigs if I ever sort a band out (if I ever need anything more I'll just borrow a second cab from someone).

2) Piddly little Marshall MS2 (the one that takes a 9 volt battery and clips on your belt) for when I drive up to my girlfriend's flat or something. Portable, and will go in a gig bag with a guitar.

3) 15 Watt orange practice amp for when I want to practice a little more quietly at home and don't want to use the batteries up on the MS2.

4) When the Orange amp annoys me, I use my brother's little Marshall amp, I think it's 20 watts.

I think a practice amp and a gigging amp is the way to go. That little Marshall MS 2 cost £20, and does exactly what I wanted it for.

[CsaRvoX]

Re: How many watts do you really need?

I have 79'Fender Twin Reverb with push\pull master volume...I keep preamp volume at 2 and crank master volume...it gets me great sound at low levels but I don't know if I pull the 2 out of the 4 6L6 power tubes I would get better sound?Should I try it or there wouldn't be a significant difference???

[mrid]

Re: How many watts do you really need?

How about a hand-wired boutique amp that can be switched from 60w to 20w.
http://www.reverenddirect.com/revere...ake_20_60.html

I wish they'd make those heads quicker!

[mrfjones]

Re: How many watts do you really need?

well i didn't follow all the electrical stuff in this thread but as for the amp and how many watts you need, go to the local music store and just try some out. Find the tones you like and go with that amp regardless of the wattage. If you want to go used again try some amps out to get an idea and then check out ebay and the other places. I got my soldano off ebay it at 20 watts it can blow a drummer off his kit. I would imagine that the dsl201 could do the same. if you can try out a dsl and a mesa f series side by side and see which one gets louder (provided that they are close in wattage) and also see which tone you like more. Oh yeah and check out the orange AD30TC if you can it is another killer amp, though it is a bit more than the $1000 you have to spend.

Good Luck with you tone search

[sonicexplorer]

Re: How many watts do you really need?

I carry a Roland cube 20 amp in my truck. Sometimes I practice at work(late shift 9:30pm - 6am). It works well with drummer, but if I play with other guitarists, I gotta use a 50 or 100 watt amp. Use to practice with two or three other guitar players, a drummer, and keyboard player. The 100 watt Carvin head and 4x12, I used to own, pushed threw the noise. I've used my 50 watt Mesa DC-5 for gigs, and have been told that it is too loud!