Advantages of a one-channel amp?

[beaubrummels]

Advantages of a one-channel amp?

A single channel amp can be trouble if you like or need drastically different tones from song to song, if you play multiple covers from various bands for example.

When I have to be ‘a different guitarist’ in a ‘different band’ each song to do covers, I tend to use modeling and the amp becomes just a clean P.A. for whatever the modeler is putting out. It’s usually too drastic a change for any multi channel amp to do the job.

When I want to be myself, I use a an amp that sounds good to me from clean through saturated on its one channel, set it to edge of breakup, and use the guitar volume or pickup switching and my hand technique, and worst case a boost/drive pedal, to move from clean to singing leads.

Most multi channel amps I’ve owned, I tended to gravitate to the best channel it had and used the guitar and my hands it get variety out of it. Sometimes switching guitars if I need something dramatically different. Most channel switchers I’ve owned sounded too much like changing the radio station in the middle of the song. I got smoother transitions using my hands or the guitar controls. So in the end, I’ve never found a practical use for multiple channels.

 

[Erlend_G]

Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?

^^ My "Blackstar" has a "loudness" sounding clean channel- that goes from clean to "SRV driven"-

And the OD channel goes from "clean, but with a "telephone eq"- mids, no bass and highs- to extreme gain settings.

 

[NegativeEase]

Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?

Good amps sound good. The only guarantee is that a simpler amp is simpler.
My Pro Jr. is 1 tone knob and 1 gain knob. Almost as simple as it gets. Epic Cheap Trick tone. Total fail at VH1
My Mesa Stiletto is two channels, 3 modes and a bunch of other stuff. Nails VH1. Can do cheap Trick or Rush, but not my go to
My Hughes and Ketner TM18, well...Simple on the surface, but actually more complicated than the Mesa. Nails Rush, not the amp for Cheap Trick or VH1.
So, my simple amp may be perfect for the one thing it is perfect for, but my more complicated amps sound just as good or better at more things. So much for your point...better has no meaning without context.

I'd have to agree with this on principle.... the question really comes down to -how many sounds do you want/need and can you get them with a single channel amp, or a single channel amp and pedals/fx, or do you need a multi channel amp or multi channel with pedals/fx to get the sounds you want.

For me, I have only 6-8 base tones I use -all accomplished with the pickup switch and pedals upstream of a great sounding single channel amp -but that's not going to be enough for many people -ESPECIALLY if you are dialing in a wide swath of classic guitar tones all of the map.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?

I've owned several BF and SF Fenders, Marshalls, my SUNN...but never really found the tone I was looking for until I bought my Mesa Mark III. When I ran into financial troubles 23 years ago, I sold the vintage amps but hung on to the two Mesas I had. I've bought several since.

The clean tone was as good as any BF Fender, including the vintage Deluxe Reverb I had. Deep crunch out of the R2 channel, and the lead channel soared like no other.

A big part of it for me is that I don't like pedal distortion. NONE of them actually sound like a distorted tube amplifier. Some of them can give you a singing violin effect, but most don't do very well trying to emulate an amp on the verge of breakup. And they're hash-y and noisy. The bands I've been in have required pristine cleans, occasional crunch, and ripping leads.

I get that from the Boogies, and I ain't going back.

Bill

 

[NegativeEase]

Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?

I've owned several BF and SF Fenders, Marshalls, my SUNN...but never really found the tone I was looking for until I bought my Mesa Mark III. When I ran into financial troubles 23 years ago, I sold the vintage amps but hung on to the two Mesas I had. I've bought several since.

The clean tone was as good as any BF Fender, including the vintage Deluxe Reverb I had. Deep crunch out of the R2 channel, and the lead channel soared like no other.

A big part of it for me is that I don't like pedal distortion. NONE of them actually sound like a distorted tube amplifier. Some of them can give you a singing violin effect, but most don't do very well trying to emulate an amp on the verge of breakup. And they're hash-y and noisy. The bands I've been in have required pristine cleans, occasional crunch, and ripping leads.

I get that from the Boogies, and I ain't going back.

Bill

If your like me, and like power tube break up and speaker distortion -pedals with some preamp headroom are a better fit -but to your point if your tone sculpting primarily with overdriving the tube pres -then a multi channel makes a tone of sense.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?

If your like me, and like power tube break up and speaker distortion -pedals with some preamp headroom are a better fit -but to your point if your tone sculpting primarily with overdriving the tube pres -then a multi channel makes a tone of sense.

I like power tube break up too, but it doesn't work if you also need pristine cleans. And running even a Deluxe Reverb on 7-8-9 is probably going to get you fired from a lot of clubs.

The other issue is if I'm running delay, I want the delay AFTER the distortion. Most of the popular vintage single channel amps don't have effect loops.... And delay doesn't work well in the front end of a wide open amp. So now you need distortion into a delay into a clean amp.

There are many ways of getting things done; everybody has their own system. A Boogie works for me.

Bill

 

[NegativeEase]

Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?

I like power tube break up too, but it doesn't work if you also need pristine cleans. And running even a Deluxe Reverb on 7-8-9 is probably going to get you fired from a lot of clubs.

The other issue is if I'm running delay, I want the delay AFTER the distortion. Most of the popular vintage single channel amps don't have effect loops.... And delay doesn't work well in the front end of a wide open amp. So now you need distortion into a delay into a clean amp.

There are many ways of getting things done; everybody has their own system. A Boogie works for me.

Bill

totally, power tube distortion is all about sizing you amp for the situation -which usually means you have to own a lot of amps -or a power brake etc

 

[Mincer]

Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?

I've heard many 'simple amps' that sound terrible to me, as well as channel-switching monsters that sound amazing. But I can get by with most any amp with a good clean channel and reverb, and I'm good. My playing/sound is less dependent on the amp, I guess, although it helps to have a good one.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?

My Spidervalve has 128 different pre-sets. It sounds killer. My Randall has a clean channel and two drive options. I tend to use just the clean channel and get dirt from pedals with it. My Picovale is one channel, class A I think, though I could be wrong. I can get a pure clean sound from it, but it won't be very loud. I tend to set it cleanish and then hit it with pedals. Plus I can swap tubes in it very easily if I want to change the overall character. It sounds killer. Especially since I decided to use the Randall as my death metal amp and let it be more my hot "Marshall" type amp.

 

[orpheo]

Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?

A multi channel amp based on, say, a Princeton (Boogie Mark series) will sound and feel completely different from one based on a Plexi (Friedman BE100 for example). If designed well, you can expect a tonal lineage from cleans to high gain in that respective series. I.e.: Princeton clean, Princeton drive and then something that takes that tone to the nTh factor. Same with Friedman (plexi, plexi modded, high gain plexi, as shown/explained in the Jose Arredondo video from Pete Thorn).

Those are the 'simple' multichannel amps. There are a few that are much, much more complicated. For example, the Hughes and Kettner Triamp mk3 features 6 channels with each an individual boost plus three (!) individual power sections that take any tube you like, so you can have 6l6 for your cleans and high gain leads, EL34's for rhythm and Marshally tones and have it all. However, it sounded a lot worse than my Revv generator 120.

About the generator 120. I tried that next to my beloved JCM800 2203 and the Revv blew the Marshall out of the water without hesitation. Not just with the amount of gain but also the power, the clarity, the crunch, the attack. It's one of the few amps I have ever tried that I feel that does the multi-sound thing in 1 head amazingly well. Highly recommended.

 

[Liko]

Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?

I'm just wondering why someone would shell out top dollar for a one-trick pony

If that trick is an amazing trick, it's worth the money. That's the first reason; an amp that does one thing, whether that's gain or clean, and does it in a very desirable way that is not easily copied, is an amp people are going to pay for to get that sound.

Second, a lot of one-channel amps are popular because their clean tone makes them excellent pedal platforms, so their "one trick" makes them as sonically flexible as you want them to be just by laying out a few boxes in between the guitar and amp. Got gain for days, like a Hot Rod (which may as well be a one-channel amp)? Get a dirt pedal to go in front, and voila, there's your two-channel voicing. Got an amp that will go from clean into dirt in one channel, like a Princeton? You have even more options, like clean and treble boosts, to push the clean amp into breakup at the press of a footswitch.

Now, there's one-trick ponies, then there's paying $2500 for that trick. I like Josh Scott and JHS, and his collab with Milkman on the "Loud Is More Good" amp is a good idea; a single-channel amp designed from the ground up to be the best pedal-platform amp money can buy. However, if that's what you're going for, you're up against serious value-for-dollar competition (not to mention name recognition) in Fender's 1x12 combo lineup, from the Blues Deluxe and Hot Rod Deluxe to the newer Bluesbreakers, all of which are amazing pedal platforms for under a grand. A boutique hand-wired single-channel clean-to-dirty Princetonish amp might do well against these at a slight premium, maybe $1200-$1500. At $2600, which is the Sweetwater price for these, I say "no thanks, where's my Blues Deluxe?"


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[NegativeEase]

Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?

I just have to address the elephant in the room.

Anyone questioning why someone would purchase an expensive one channel amp or question why someone would buy an expensive multi channel amp I guess can only be explained that they have not played many or enough great amps....

because i can see discussing why you would make the choice you made, but questioning why their should be choices at all just means you need play more amps and discover the various great amps out there -no big deal -be it a 1x12 combo or multichannel stack -every category has stellar stuff

 

[Ascension]

Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?

A one-channel amp isn't necessarily a one-trick pony. Often they are capable of a wide range of overdrive levels and are also touch-sensitive and respond well to changes in the guitar's volume and tone knobs. In a scenario like this, the player can control the amp with the guitar's controls and wring much more out of it than you might think.

Spot on !! One of my all time favorite amps is the Marshall JCM 900 MK III Dual Master Volume amps. Single channel amp with a second master volume that is switchable only and no reverb. This is also why I love the PRS Archon and MT 15 I have so much as they are very very good amps for some one who plays like this!!
This is a 50 watt combo Dual Master and I'm running only a little delay in the loop and a wah here with my PRS Custom 24..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyaKsovjYpk&list=PL4Xz--pZhwstAAtIrpvg09Cshb16ANtW5&index=10&t=0s

 

[Ascension]

Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?

I just have to address the elephant in the room.

Anyone questioning why someone would purchase an expensive one channel amp or question why someone would buy an expensive multi channel amp I guess can only be explained that they have not played many or enough great amps....

because i can see discussing why you would make the choice you made, but questioning why their should be choices at all just means you need play more amps and discover the various great amps out there -no big deal -be it a 1x12 combo or multichannel stack -every category has stellar stuff

Yep agree here 100%. Those of us who have been privileged to have actually owned and played really great amps know this. I am one from the one off 100 watt Fender Prosonic that Bruce Zinky hand built at the Fender Custom shop then gave to Brad Whitford that I once owned to the Zinky Blue Velvet Bruce built me I still own to the PRS Archon I now own and others I have been truly blessed over the years with some truly spectacular amps. I know the difference.
.

 

[Jacew]

Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?

Simple amps sound better than complex ones.

More options to shape great tone equals much wider spectrum of bad tone available. That's user error.

Also one channel doesn't necessarily mean simple. Egnater I have is one channel and way more complex desing than average channelswitcher.

 

[dave74]

Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?

I've been pondering an EH mig50 for awhile, just as a simple smaller tube head for playing with pedals.
Haven't seen them in-stock anywhere in awhile though.

 

[Erlend_G]

Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?

I've found one advantage-

footswitch doesn't get worn out.

(heh..eheh.. hehe) XD

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?

Yep agree here 100%. Those of us who have been privileged to have actually owned and played really great amps know this. I am one from the one off 100 watt Fender Prosonic that Bruce Zinky hand built at the Fender Custom shop then gave to Brad Whitford that I once owned to the Zinky Blue Velvet Bruce built me I still own to the PRS Archon I now own and others I have been truly blessed over the years with some truly spectacular amps. I know the difference.
.

I have only had one guitar amp make me turn around to see what I was plugged into

and I wish I had got that Prosonic back in the late 90s

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?

No tap dancing.

 

[Liko]

Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?

No tap dancing.

I disagree. Single-channel amps tend to be great pedal platforms. Push em, boost em, run reverb and choruses into a clean one, they just kinda do the tap-dancing thing.

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