British or American tone whats the diff???

[sublimerules9604]

Whenever I read speaker or amp recommendations they recommend this for a british tone and that for an american tone. I am lost and maybe (i hope) Im just missing something, What is the difference between British and American Tone? I know tone is subjective, but there has to be some big difference to come up so often.

Thanks

 

[brit84]

Re: British or American tone whats the diff???

Others will have their say but in my experience,

British tone (Marshall, Laney, Hiwatt, Orange, etc.) Is relatively bright on the cleans and tight and more mid oriented in the distortion.

American distortion sound is more loose (Think mesa) but has its share of tight sounding high gain amps (like peavey).

The main general difference is in the tubes, British amps mostly use el34's and american amp mostly use 6l6 tubes.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: British or American tone whats the diff???

Here's a quick explanation.

Tube amps were created right after WWII, when it was discovered that military tube power circuits could be used to amplify a guitar. Amps made in Europe used the tubes that were created by the military, and it was found that the EL-34 and EL-84 sounded most musical. The Americans relied on tubes from GE and Sylvania, who supplied the American military....the most musical were the 6L6 and 6V6.

The American sound is best personified by 6L6's and 6V6's into Jensen speakers. The British sound is best personified by EL-34's and EL-84's into Celestions. The only way to explain it is to suggest that you play Marshalls and Vox AC-30's, then compare that sound to Fender Blackface, Tweed, Peaveys, and most Mesas.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: British or American tone whats the diff???

I'm not an expert, but I think of American tone examples like Heart's Magic Man and Barracuda; Neil Geraldo (Pat Benatar's husband/guitarist), Eric Clapton post Cream, and Kenny Loggin's. May not be the best examples.

British tone I think of Angus Young, Hendrix, Scorpions, ie most high gain stuff is Marshally or British.

 

[sublimerules9604]

Re: British or American tone whats the diff???

So if you have a british toned amp, like I think the blues jr is (el-84), would it be better to put a more british toned speaker in it rather than an american toned one? Or, is it one of those things that you really just have to try and see for yourself, cause the whole broke college kid thing makes that kinda hard?

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: British or American tone whats the diff???

The following threads might be helpful to you...

You might check Jeremy's post (#2) in this thread

Blues Junior Speaker thread

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: British or American tone whats the diff???

So if you have a british toned amp, like I think the blues jr is (el-84), would it be better to put a more british toned speaker in it rather than an american toned one? Or, is it one of those things that you really just have to try and see for yourself, cause the whole broke college kid thing makes that kinda hard?

Put a Celestion Vin 30 in that amp, and it'll sound more aggressive and have more midrange growl. If you plan on keeping the amp, it's worth it.

 

[Mephis]

Re: British or American tone whats the diff???

I wonder why so many people come up blank when they think of American high gain tones?

Soldano, Mesa, Peavey, and now fender...

 

[sublimerules9604]

Re: British or American tone whats the diff???

I think i found the best of both worlds:
Black tolex Fender cloth Vintage 30 G12H30 8 Ω Open back 60w

 

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: British or American tone whats the diff???

British tone is more agressive to my ears and, when distorted, a little more dirty or electrified (Slash's a good example)...
There's a post here that links you to an Eminence speaker test video where you can hear the diffrences... try to think how each speaker would sound with your amp...

 

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: British or American tone whats the diff???

BTW,
I can't find the link myself and now I'm curious too.
It was a video of a guitar player comparing the Eminence speakers while playing the same licks on every speaker (a long video).

 

[sublimerules9604]

Re: British or American tone whats the diff???

i think I know what you are talking about it was for the NAMM show.

 

[Sludgenutz]

Re: British or American tone whats the diff???

Others will have their say but in my experience,

British tone (Marshall, Laney, Hiwatt, Orange, etc.) Is relatively bright on the cleans and tight and more mid oriented in the distortion.

American distortion sound is more loose (Think mesa) but has its share of tight sounding high gain amps (like peavey).

The main general difference is in the tubes, British amps mostly use el34's and american amp mostly use 6l6 tubes.

+1. I like to think of American tone as more linear, and hi-fi from top to bottom. British tone gear has crowded but sweetly complex tones in the midrange under drive. Speakers obviously important to the tone as well. Celestion creates great, easily driven speakers. I like America's brutal EVM12L.

I hear a truckload of Fender in my Mesa when the preamps are dialed back. There is a presence in the tone that says American, although I never played a Fender that I ever liked for metal (duh).