Amp Advice for Parents?

[drpietrzak]

Re: Amp Advice for Parents?

When I was teaching here was my flow chart. If it is a real beginner modeling (smaller the better with headphone - Vox or L6). If it is the home jam thing (not really going to play out past the local backyard with buddies) modeling with more power. More serious home band moving into larger venue and commercial establishments. Smaller tube with pedals. One of the Blackhearts or Blues Jr. type thing.

The thing is the conversation with the parents more than the amp. Help them understand the plus-minus stuff and let them make teh call.

 

[andrizzle]

Re: Amp Advice for Parents?

Anyone have experience with the new Fender XD series? It seems to be the best of both worlds... TUBE, and MODELING capabilities... That's what I'd tell a kid starting out to check out... I'd probably go with them, so I could see for myself I didn't vote because a hybrid wasn't an option... so Rob Option me

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Amp Advice for Parents?

VOX Valvetronix

I have high end solid state, I have boutique tube --- I PLAY Valvetronix.

 

[Koreth]

Re: Amp Advice for Parents?

I'd recommend good modeling amp like a Rolland Cube 30. If I'd had a Rolland Cube when I'd first started playing I'd probably have been practicing more often when I first started. I hated the sound of that Wal-Mart 4w amp with it's cheap 4" speaker. When I picked up a Ross 22 (solid state, 22w I assume?) with a couple 10" speakers, I started practicing a lot more often, because even those cheap 10" speakers sounded better than the cheapie from Wal-Mart did, especially with the increased headroom from the amp. I found it more enjoyable to practice when plugging in the guitar and turning the amp on didn't result in an unbearably disgusting sound.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Amp Advice for Parents?

The new Valvetronix amps crush everything else in or near their price range. I use a VT30 for home practice and small gigs.

The great thing about modeling amps for beginners is they get to experiment with plenty of different guitar tones and decide what they prefer. This gives them a very solid foundation for when they're ready to move up to a high dollar tube amp.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Amp Advice for Parents?

I like to see kids start out with good but small and inexpensive stuff and earn their way to the better stuff. Lately I've seen some under-15 kid bands with JCM2000s, Historic Les Pauls and Custom Shop Fenders. Aside from being jealous (LOL!), I kind don't see the sense of mom and dad shelling out for that kind of stuff when the kids can barely play.

I also like to see kids learn to play clean, before they even think about turning on the distortion. I think you have to learn how to produce a good clean tone. I know a lot of adults that can't produce a good clean tone. They can play a lot of notes thru a distorted amp untill it souns like hash--but can't play ONE note with a good solid tone.

Either of the OP's options have merit. In either case, I would try to avoid buying junk and getting something that will keep its value (at least short term) or stiil be usable as the kid progresses into bigger amps.

Good luck.

Bill

 

[The Golden Boy]

Re: Amp Advice for Parents?

When I was a kid, the "distortion" knob on my Peavey Backstage Plus was the "awesome" knob.

I think I would cringe with true terror if I heard that guitar sound again.

 

[rocksoldier]

Re: Amp Advice for Parents?

I have actually become a beliver in good old solid state amps lately. I bought a Marshall Master Lead Combo (30 watts) from the 80:s super cheap and prefer it big time to any modeling crap. :approve:

Just a thought: Is it really good for a beginner to have 12828992 different tones to tweak with insted of just playing?

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

Re: Amp Advice for Parents?

I'd say modeller too, but I'd suggest a bit more oomph. You need more specified power from a modeller or solid state amp to keep up with a drummer than you do from a valve amp (and no, it's not because valve watts are louder )

 

[Jessie Sammler]

Re: Amp Advice for Parents?

I have actually become a beliver in good old solid state amps lately. I bought a Marshall Master Lead Combo (30 watts) from the 80:s super cheap and prefer it big time to any modeling crap. :approve:

Just a thought: Is it really good for a beginner to have 12828992 different tones to tweak with insted of just playing?

No, but how 'bout five? What does it matter, anyway? Most of them would just keep it on Insane all the time anyway.

 

[Arpanet]

Re: Amp Advice for Parents?

I'd like to put a good word in for the Superchamp XD.

Not to expensive (I think I got mine for $320 new), has a great clean channel which begins to break up a a reasonable volume and I've found a lot of the models to be usefully. Of the 16, about 8 are originals, and the rest are just re-hashes of other models but with a higher gain, to allow for quieter played with distortion.

Save the big t00bs for when the kids know what they're doing with them, and why they need them.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: Amp Advice for Parents?

I like tha Super Champ XD choice as well. Even if the models aren't as good as on a Vox or Line6, at the end of the day, it's a real mid wattage tube amp that can be cranked into further power tube distortion, and the digital distortion models are no worse than putting a Bad Monkey in front of a normal tube Champ.

 

[Jessie Sammler]

Re: Amp Advice for Parents?

That doesn't exactly sell me on the Super Champ XD.

 

[dominus]

Re: Amp Advice for Parents?

Used Line 6 Spiders are going real cheap these days.. I might pick one up myself just to mess around with. I've seen them in the $50-$80 range.

I started out with a Series 10 Strat copy and a Gorilla 10W amp when I was about 12. That put me off guitar for about 8 years, it sounded so horrid. Once Line 6 released the POD, and I learned about swapping pickups and humbuckers, I've stayed with it. Give the kids something that sounds like what they want to hear, and they'll enjoy it more.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: Amp Advice for Parents?

That doesn't exactly sell me on the Super Champ XD.

That's cool...I just think bang for the buck is there, especially for a newb...crank the vox and line 6 stuff, and you'll get a solid state amp doing the heavy work, whereas the Fender is a real tube amp doing the loud stuff, so it will add it's own character.

 

[Jessie Sammler]

Re: Amp Advice for Parents?

If I had a teenager in the house, I would hope and pray every day that there would be no heavy work done by the power section of his/her guitar amp.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: Amp Advice for Parents?

If I had a teenager in the house, I would hope and pray every day that there would be no heavy work done by the power section of his/her guitar amp.

I can see that...until the kid gets good, you'd get no relief.

The thing that would benifit the kid as a player, though, is that he/she could hear what a real tube amp sounds like when it's run all the way up. When the clean channel is on, it lets the amp do the OD.

Even though Vox uses a 12ax7 in a very low power amp situation, it just ain't the same as hearing a tube amp really sweat...more like a recording of a tube amp.

In fact, the Valve Junior would be a nice choice anywhere you could get away with that much volume. It's just the one knob, so there's only one sound to make better as he/she learns.

 

[Jessie Sammler]

Re: Amp Advice for Parents?

Let's cover all the bases: Get the kid a Line 6 Vetta II half-stack and a Dumble combo.

 

[glassman]

Re: Amp Advice for Parents?

I voted modeler...for a kid, I think the temptation to plug a set of headphones into the speaker jack or some other arcaine form of experimentation would be a given if they had a tube amp. Of course, this isn't a good idea and, as adults, we know not to do this. Kids will be kids and I feel that the modeler is just a safer alternative and won't end up on a tech's bench (such as mine) with a high $$$ repair.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Amp Advice for Parents?

End of thread.

+1 Another vote for a Roland Cube.