Guitars vs Amps - v2.0

Guitars vs Amps - v2.0

  • More guitars than amps

    Votes: 18 62.1%
  • More amps than guitars

    Votes: 8 27.6%
  • 1:1 - one amp per guitar

    Votes: 3 10.3%

  • Total voters
    29

waltschwarzkopf

New member
Following my previous post and as a change in my point of view I decided to create a new one with different options and a poll.

Most people didn't like being forced to have only ONE guitar or amp, so the new questions are:

Main: Would you rather have more guitars than amps or more amps than guitars or one guitar per one amp?

Bonus: Why?
 
Last edited:
Re: Guitars vs Amps - v2.0

I’ll go first.

I used to be a one-guitar one-amp person. But, While I was looking for my ideal guitar, I had one amp and bought many guitars to try different scales, construction, woods, pickups, etc. until I found "the one". Now I’ve narrowed it down to three guitars, from which I may keep only one in the end and probably buy one or two more. BUT, now I have three amps and will keep only one or two of those. In the end I may keep one guitar and one amp like I started.

As a person that doesn't use any kind of pedals or effects, I feel that the amp gives me the sound that I want, or as I call it "my sound". The guitars interacts with the amp differently and have different playing characteristics, but in at the end of the day the sound comes from my amp and that is what I love.

So my answer would be many guitars and a few amps. What about you?
 
Re: Guitars vs Amps - v2.0

I vote guitars, as they are lighter and easier to store & move. I am practical that way.
 
Re: Guitars vs Amps - v2.0

I find that without an amp my guitar sounds thin and wimpy, and without a guitar my amp just hums. Really all I need is my Bluesbreaker modded with an effects loop and my #1 hot rod Strat and I can get any sound I need from that and my Wampler Pinnacle and my MXR 10-band EQ.
 
Re: Guitars vs Amps - v2.0

My philosophy is a clean amp platform to build off of with pedals/effects. I've found Fender tube amps to be the best platform for this (although the Yamaha THRs offer a growing & convincing argument in my book.) I view my guitars more as variables...similar to my pedals when compared to my amps. So...more guitars than amps.
 
Re: Guitars vs Amps - v2.0

Imagine if it were wives and houses. Would you have more than one wife for each house? A different house for each wife? Never mind I digress.

With guitars you have solid body, electric acoustic, hollow body, semi-hollow body, HH HSH SSH SSS, 24" 24.75" 25.5" scales etc etc. Sooooo many possibilities. We didn't even touch bridges and trems.

With amps you have Marshall Vox Fender or a more modern metal tone. Lots of possibilities and cabinet options but I think from a practical stand point you don't have as many options as guitars.

Jimmy Page did a convincing job of showing you can do the same job with a Tele or a Les Paul so I think we only NEED 1 of each but since we WANT all of them we'll naturally end up with more guitars than amps.
 
Re: Guitars vs Amps - v2.0

Imagine if it were wives and houses. Would you have more than one wife for each house? A different house for each wife? Never mind I digress.

What in the gosh dang are you hollering about now? I hardly find wives and houses comparable to guitars and amps.
 
Re: Guitars vs Amps - v2.0

I have to have more guitars than amps, because I do! For many years, I gigged with one guitar and one amp. Well, actually 2 of each, because I had a bass and a bass amp also. And then the internet infected me, and the buying began. I seem to have maxed out at 20 guitars and about 7 amps, so that seems to be a balance point.
 
Re: Guitars vs Amps - v2.0

actually been thinking/working on this since the last thread...all I really need is what I have... one good HSS Strat and a Princeton Reverb amp...when I look hard at it... all the rest falls into the just nice to have around category...
 
Re: Guitars vs Amps - v2.0

Ever since I got my Spidervalve, I find that I can be happy with one amp. Some may think that it's cheating because it's part modeler. Oh well.
Realistically, I could also get by with one guitar if it were my Blackjack or my Coffin Lid. But I like being able to switch guitars. And I could also almost make do with just my V.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk
 
Re: Guitars vs Amps - v2.0

Guitars, because I can do most work on my guitars and can't do anything to an amp other than change tubes.
 
Re: Guitars vs Amps - v2.0

Sixty guitars and eight amps.

But it really depends on your style and genres. I play a wide variety of music...classic rock, '50s oldies, blues, jazz, country, etc. So having multiple guitars is important. I have a lot of duplicates, though I can admit that my collection obsession is out of control! LOL! But I have what works for me, all guitars that I USE. (And a banjo and a bass!)

The amps I've used since 1994 are Mesas, and after I bought my first one (a big Mark III head and 412), I sold off my vintage Fenders and Marshalls. But I soon realized that I needed a smaller combo, and bought a DC-3. Over the years I've bought other Mark IIIs, a IV and the three Mark V variants, and a Maverick. I'm comfortable playing a gig with any of them with the confidence that I will sound great.

I think having at least a couple of amps and cabs are handy to cover both small and large venues. And while I love my Mesa amps, a good Marshall or Fender can be delightful. Having the right tool makes any job easier.

So for me, I think more guitars are better...as long as you've got a good stable of amps.

Bill
 
Re: Guitars vs Amps - v2.0

For me, it's more guitars than amps. I don't gig anymore and live in a small apt. A gibson small combo and preamp(s)+Two Notes Torpedo is all I need to get my tones. My GF let me have a small closet to store my guitars and I'm using the most of it. I have 8 guitars to 2 amps. I prefer setting up my guitars for specific tuning and pickup setups now. I tend to rotate my guitars based on phases of music that I'm listening to or inspired by.

Sent from my LG-H931 using Tapatalk
 
Re: Guitars vs Amps - v2.0

The more of both you have, the more possible sound combinations available. I have about 16 guitars (possibly more, I'd have to count again) and at least 9 amps which allows for any sound I can imagine. I would recommend at least both something British sounding and something American sounding for amps and a spectrum from the Fender and Gibson families (including hotrodded superstrats and big, pointy metal rhythm monsters) for guitars plus modern extended range if you're that way inclined.
 
Re: Guitars vs Amps - v2.0

Definitely more guitars than amps.

At the moment I have 18 guitars and 3 amps. One amp is never used anymore, another is the one I gig with, and the third is the little brother to the one I gig with (gives a similar sound for practicing at home).

To me an amp is just the way to make my guitar louder. Of course I have my rig tweaked so that I am getting the sounds that I want, but beyond that my amp is pretty much something for me to forget about because it’s all set.

Guitars, on the other hand, all have a distinct personality, feel, and voice. Sure… I can pretty much make any of them do anything I want, but I love the diversity. Each one has things it’s really good at and others things not so much.

I name my guitars because they’re very personal to me... I do NOT name my amps.
 
Re: Guitars vs Amps - v2.0

I own a dsl40, a blues junior, a mini jubilee, a jazzamp, a crate, and most recently purchased a cube street. The cube street doesn’t have the best tone out of all of them but i find i play it more (probably also because it’s new to me) because it is light and convenient and have an aux-in for backing tracks
 
Back
Top