Little help on amps..?

[Leveller]

Im a bit undecided here... is it worth to buy an expensive tube-amp if I'm going to use a stomp-box to distort anyway? Do you understand what I mean, does the amp make a lot of difference if I'm using a box to distort with anyway? I just realised that tube-amps are EXPENSIVE Lol anyway I would appreciate it if someone could fill me in on how this stuff works here =).

 

[Mike M.]

Re: Little help on amps..?

Lot's of people use stomp boxes for their OD/distortion thru a tube amp. One reason may be that if they have a two channel amp (clean and distortion) maybe they don't like the distortion the amp delivers so they use a stomp box to get more toward's the kind of OD or distortion they are after. Or maybe they do like the distortion their amp delivers but it only sounds good with the amp cranked. With a box you can get some pretty good sounds at a reasonable volume without totally destroying your hearing. IMHO, OD/distortion boxes sound better thru a tube amp anyway.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Little help on amps..?

I guess I'm what you'd call a 'tube snob' who also happens to appreciate what modeling amps have to offer. The main thing to consider is where you play your guitar. Mike M pretty much answered the question about why you'd use an OD pedal.
Every amp has a different fundamental sound, and people spend a lot of time figuring out which OD will give them a higher gain version of their amp, which gives them their favorite lead voice. If you play in an apartment or bedroom with close neighbors and family, you need a modeling amp, since they have a better sound at super-low volumes. If you have a garage or studio where you can turn it up a bit, a 30-40 watt tube combo is appropriate. If you rent a commercial rehearsal studio and play in venues that hold over 200 people, a 50-100W halfstack becomes a decent option.
Don't forget that the majority of loud tube amps being sold used are by guys that got sick of hearing them on 1, instead of being able to turn them up.

 

[theodie]

Re: Little help on amps..?

Here is the way I see it, get a good tube amp with a great distortion and you will not want anything to do with a distortion pedal anymore. Needless to say, I am not huge fan of pedals. I always think a good amp sounds better than a pedal anyday. Thats my own opinion though.

 

[Naps]

Re: Little help on amps..?

Here is the way I see it, get a good tube amp with a great distortion and you will not want anything to do with a distortion pedal anymore. Needless to say, I am not huge fan of pedals. I always think a good amp sounds better than a pedal anyday. Thats my own opinion though.

I hate to jump on the band wagon, but I agree totally. Stomp boxes are good at lower volumes, but they're really hard (and most are impossible) to get good sound out of at loud volumes.

 

[aleclee]

Re: Little help on amps..?

Really good OD pedals aren't cheap, either.

IMO, tubes are even more important in the power amp than in the preamp. :saeek:

 

[HamerPlyr]

Re: Little help on amps..?

I look at it as the amp being the basis of the tone and the stomp box as being an ingredient. Personally, I wouldn't want to start my soup with swamp water and I don't think that my idea of the best tone can be derived from a solid-state amp.

There is an exception, though. The Roland JC-120 is great for a super-clean chorused tone. In stereo, no less!

The modeling thing is another issue. If you play at low volumes most of the time, a modeling amp is the way to go, IMO. Only my own snobbery has prevented me from doing it myself in my old age.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: Little help on amps..?

I think that it also matters how you use your pedal. If you have a Metal Zone cranked to 10 on every knob, (a little exaggeration, I know), the amp won't matter nearly as much as when having a tube screamer, for example, going at a smooth little overdrive. I also think that all tube amps aren't expensive, depending on your way of use, of course. A little 15-30w combo won't cost much, a 100w fullstack will. Guess which I would choose.

Hope that helped. If I was being unclear, ask and I'll try to refine my choice of words. Not a native english speaker, sorry.

 

[Leveller]

Re: Little help on amps..?

Ok guys thanks for everything! Better start saving up for one right now =), can you recomend any good 30-60W? My main style is metal, any kind exept nu.

 

[Leveller]

Re: Little help on amps..?

How is a laney vc-30/vc-50? I can get any of those used for about 500$, the vc-30 comes with a metalzone for free. Is this a good amp/deal or should I keep looking? I'm afraid I cant try these out in advance.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: Little help on amps..?

I think it depends on where you're going to use it. Do you play with a band? Do you gig? Do you just play in your bedroom with really small volumes?

I've heard some very good things about the laneys, especially for money, but I haven't personally tested any of their tube amps. I have a laney TF300 hybrid amps, which has great cleans but sucks at gain, IMO.

 

[drew_half_empty]

Re: Little help on amps..?

hot rod deluxe

they seem to bring out the best in most pedals

 

[Leveller]

Re: Little help on amps..?

Well a bit of everything really ;D. The amp I have now is a Laney HCM30R which I bought some years ago before I was a good player or knew anything about gear or anything. It was a lot better then my brothers friends 15W I used before but I'm really starting to hate it's tone, it's ok for low gain stuff like blues or something but not good clean or heavily distorted. But it's ok when I use it home in my bedroom, but right now my frehly started trash/death/synth/whatever-metal band are beeing kicked out of the place we used to rehearse so I need a good new amp both for small gigs and band practise. A combo would be best I think, because if I understood things correctly, a combo can also work as a head? So if I need to to be louder later on I can buy a cab.

Hope that helps you help me =).

 

[XSSIVE]

Re: Little help on amps..?

If your willing to buy used and play metal i say get yourself a peavey ultra plus...this is what i have and love. it can do it all, metal, punk, nu-metal, rock, jazz, blues, clean yadda yadda...you can get this amp to do it all. i play mostly metal and heavy punk and it works perfectly for me. plus they aren't that much $$ check ebay or if your lucky a local shop may have a used one in stock you can try. also with the distortion this amp can make you can throw the stomp box out the window b/c you won't need it anymore...it also has a foot switch so going b/t clean and distortion is taken care of for you there too. I own about 3 or 4 distortion pedals i used to use to push my marshall with since the distortion from it was not enough IMO then i got the ultra plus and the pedals collect dust...i wont touch a distortion pedal again, amp distortion is the key IMO.

-Mike