Re: Best amp for covers band
For me there are two schools of thought to consider.
First option...
You play in a cover TRIBUTE band. You need to emulate EXACT tones of that band, and play the songs note-for-note. Recently saw one of the Beatle Tribute acts. They tour nationally. They do the same set of songs every night. They have a backline of VOX AC-100 amps for decoration. All the parts are played through modelers, and then direct to FOH and monitors. "George" had a Gretsch, Ric12, RW Tele, etc. "John" had his Ric, a J-160E, Casino, etc. Tones were very good and captured the recorded tones. Great show, a real nostalgia trip for me. Obviously in this case, using using a modelling amp, pedalboard, or preamp like the Fractal or Kemper is the way to go. Welcome to programming.
Second option...
You play in a weekend warrior pub band or do wedding gigs and the like. You want to capture the flavor of the song, but you might not being doing exact recorded versions. You may be doing your own arrangements, or might not have the time, energy, skill or desire to do exact copies. You may be on a limited budget. You like great tones, but basically understand that most people in the bar are not agents or audiophiles, and "close" is good enough. You've got some good pedals, but you'd rather play than spend your time twisting knobs.
I'm definitely in this latter camp, and I think this is one of the reasons I chose Mesa 20+ years ago. I like that the amps are versatile, and can produce a wide range of tones. While the market for the Rectifier Series is pretty specific, the Marks, Nomads, Dual Calibers, Express, TAs are more versatile and can handle many different styles and various guitars. But, in this situation, the style of music and the size of the venue are factors to consider. I like the dynamics of a big amp, but for most clubs these days, 35-50 watts are enough...a little more perhaps if you playing a lot of super-clean rhythm guitar parts. It might be a BF Fender or Hot Rod, a Line 6, a Peavey Classic, a modeller or a pawn shop prize. Above all...choose something that you have confidence in and that inspires you. For me, that's my Mesa amps.
You may find yourself somewhere in between these scenarios. You may find that using a Boss GT-100 into a Fender Bassman is all you need, or maybe into a PA power speaker from the likes of JBL Eon or QSC. Some guys use multi-amp set-ups. You just have to find your way.
I think it is critical to have a fundamental understanding of your philosophy and your musical goals and how they relate to these scenarios. And there's always the size of your wallet to consider.
Today's guitarist, playing a variety of styles in differently-sized venues in bands with a variety of instrumentation is probably going to need a stable of professional quality, reliable, and well-maintained amps. Until you reach a level of fame where you wear sunglasses 24/7 and a funny hat, have a signature Les Paul-through-Marshall tone and only play arena-sized gigs, it's a fact of life.
Good luck!
Bill
