100 watt amps. Do you really need that much power?

[xerxes]

Re: 100 watt amps. Do you really need that much power?

when jamming with a drummer and bassist, my amp never goes over 6. its soo loud, you cant even hear the drummer if its higher than that!

[papersoul]

Re: 100 watt amps. Do you really need that much power?

I used tube heads since I was 15, but now I just take my Line 6 Vetta II head to practice and gigs. Does me fine.

One thing I hate concerning volume is that we play louder at rehearsal than gigs. I am usually the last one at practice and the guys are cranked! Especially our lead singer/guitarist....has his amp cranked and it's solid state. I have to turn way up to compete or crank the mids......crazy. They won't listen!

[jeremy]

Re: 100 watt amps. Do you really need that much power?

while i do love my 100w twin and 50w marshall, my 15w blues jr gets way more use. i can actually crank it up and some killer tone without ripping off heads

[Xeromus]

Re: 100 watt amps. Do you really need that much power?

the main reason I didn't get the peavey XXX is because of the 120 watts. Way too much. They should make a 50 watt head. My 50 watter is waaaay more than enough

[kmcguitars]

Re: 100 watt amps. Do you really need that much power?

It's nice to have a 100 watter in your arsenal, But for most gigs it's overkill.
Years ago I used a 135 watt Twin in small clubs (volume on 8 !!) I was drowning out the drummer (who was a hard hitter) make 'in him play harder
and his meter faster. And the singer was blowing his voice out. So no matter
how good I played or my tone was, I was make'in my band sound like crap. So It smartend up and retired the Twin , And brought a
15 watt Princeton Reverb. That's all I needed !!

[59paul]

Re: 100 watt amps. Do you really need that much power?

I've always liked takin a smaller amp and openin' er up !!!

[That90'sGuy]

Re: 100 watt amps. Do you really need that much power?

Future amps should definitely have more power options. I mentioned this with the Satriani thread, but would it kill companies to make amps that can be 100, but can also be adjustable with a knob to 50 , 30 etc? 50w is all you need for any gig, even unmic'd.

[kmcguitars]

Re: 100 watt amps. Do you really need that much power?

Future amps should definitely have more power options. I mentioned this with the Satriani thread, but would it kill companies to make amps that can be 100, but can also be adjustable with a knob to 50 , 30 etc? 50w is all you need for any gig, even unmic'd.

Yeah ,That Idea has been around for a while. I had a 70's Musicman head
that hade a 1/2 power switch. ( I should have held onto that amp) The
Fender red knob 'The Twin' from the 80's had a 100w to 25w switch. Your
right thought, EVERY amp should come with that STD.

[strat_master]

Re: 100 watt amps. Do you really need that much power?

HOORAY! if get a mesa boogie single recto head thats all ill ever need! I wont have to shag out another 500 for a 100 watt cuz thats too much! even 50 would be alot! WHOOO HOOO!!!!!

[strat_master]

Re: 100 watt amps. Do you really need that much power?

one more thing, how about the triple rectifier heads??!??!~ i know tom delonge uses one into 2 mesa 4 x 12 recto cabs! How the hell does he not kill anyone with that thing??!?!?!?!??!?!?!!??!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?...WHO CAN USE 150 watts of high gain recto power??!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!??!?!?!??!?

[strat_master]

Re: 100 watt amps. Do you really need that much power?

PLus he uses VERY hot pick ups...liek the invader or the dirty fingers! WOW

[Norman_T]

Re: 100 watt amps. Do you really need that much power?

Its all about image and the very clever marketing ploy by all the big boys - Marshall, Mesa etc to have you buy amps that you really cannot use until such time as the power tubes are starting to glow hot and then comes the sweet tones. In my early days I have had Marshall, Hiwatt, Soundcity stacks and although nice to be honest you played so loud that it was difficult to get a good tone acroos the whole band because of the imbalance. This was at a time when PA systems were frankly crap!!

You really don't need 100w amps unless you are gigging in stadiums, large stages - most of the "stage gear" that you find are actually dummies - and no sound is coming at all, just there to say oh how impressive!! Most of the time I use Blues Junior linked upped and off the floor on stands, other times I will use my Nomad 55 and ext speakers but again these are off the floor (see the picture below for an example of what I use).

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: 100 watt amps. Do you really need that much power?

Tech21 Trademark 60 (60watts)....Power Engine 60 adds 60 more watts, if EVER needed.

SansAmp PSA-1...lotsa different amps in one package & you choose the output.

THD UniValve........15 LOUD watts of completely saturated tube tone.

Any of that can be miked or run to a P.A. if needed...........


I'm not gigging...mainly play at home or jamming with friends, occassionally out somewhere...so I don't have the obstacles some of you have. But for what it's worth, I'd rather hear every note being played with beautiful tone than something cranked out so loud that all you hear is noise.

I think 100 watts is a marketing ploy that hinges on young guys...it buys into the myth & makes them believe that "Bigger is Better". It's not the size of the toys boys....it's all in how you use that thang!!!

[garublador]

Re: 100 watt amps. Do you really need that much power?

Some people "need" a 100 watt amp in the same way some people "need" tubes. Tube amps sound different than SS amps and 100 watt amps sound different than 30 watt amps.

[jmv]

Re: 100 watt amps. Do you really need that much power?

no, you don't need 100w...

you need a 200w all tube Marshall Major. And not a halfstack, the full one.

Those things are insane...

but, in reality, i'd agree that 50w will prolly be plenty for any gig you'd be doing...