Priorities: Great Amp or Great Guitar?
- Thread starter darkshadow54321
- Start date
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Priorities: Great Amp or Great Guitar?
taking into account the great playability of cheep guitars now days...and the huge amount of aftermarket and upgrades that can be had real cheep, I would say get a cheep (NOT CRAPPY...cheep does NOT =bad!!!), and a good amp. Yopu said you would spend $1500.00 on one and $500.00 on the other...I have killer rigs that cost WAY less than that!!! I'm not sure how the guitar market is where you are but If I were you I would lookinto a good used guitar and a good used amp...maybe a set of pickups and a set up for the guitar and a little tune-up for the amp...maybe a Boss DS-1 (or maybe another flavor of dirt box) and you'd be doing ok...
What kind of music are you playing? That would really help us all help you!
taking into account the great playability of cheep guitars now days...and the huge amount of aftermarket and upgrades that can be had real cheep, I would say get a cheep (NOT CRAPPY...cheep does NOT =bad!!!), and a good amp. Yopu said you would spend $1500.00 on one and $500.00 on the other...I have killer rigs that cost WAY less than that!!! I'm not sure how the guitar market is where you are but If I were you I would lookinto a good used guitar and a good used amp...maybe a set of pickups and a set up for the guitar and a little tune-up for the amp...maybe a Boss DS-1 (or maybe another flavor of dirt box) and you'd be doing ok...
What kind of music are you playing? That would really help us all help you!
Last edited:
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: Priorities: Great Amp or Great Guitar?
Here's an equation for you guys.
Plug a Korean Squire into a Matchless DC-30 and a Fender Custom Shop strat into a Rogue practice amp. Which one wins? Of course the Squier and the Matchless.
Now plug the Fender Custom shop into the Matchless, and the Squier into the Rogue.
Guess which one wins.....Definitely the CS strat and Matchless.
Which piece of gear ALWAYS won? The Matchless...therefore, the amp is the more important part of the equation. I used dramatically different gear, but only to illustrate the simple point. The amp is the bigger part of the tonal equation.
I got this equation from the great new book Totally Guitar A Definitive Guide.
I got this 1997 Matchless from Ebay. :13: :laugh2:
Here's an equation for you guys.
Plug a Korean Squire into a Matchless DC-30 and a Fender Custom Shop strat into a Rogue practice amp. Which one wins? Of course the Squier and the Matchless.
Now plug the Fender Custom shop into the Matchless, and the Squier into the Rogue.
Guess which one wins.....Definitely the CS strat and Matchless.
Which piece of gear ALWAYS won? The Matchless...therefore, the amp is the more important part of the equation. I used dramatically different gear, but only to illustrate the simple point. The amp is the bigger part of the tonal equation.
I got this equation from the great new book Totally Guitar A Definitive Guide.
I got this 1997 Matchless from Ebay. :13: :laugh2:
darkshadow54321
New member
Re: Priorities: Great Amp or Great Guitar?
Thanks for all the replies!
I've been thinking about it, and I'm gonna have to go against the majority....
For $500 or maybe a bit more, I can still get a really good amp like a Marshall JCM 800, and then use an SD1 or similar to get the higher gain I like... Or even just go for something like a 5150...
Sure, it's not as good as a Bogner, but still damn good. Considering I play mostly indoors, it makes more sense as well.
I simply connect more with guitars. A brilliant guitar would encourage me to play more and I would no longer have to fight the instrument.... My playing would flow...
Also, a guitar is for life IMO. The amp can be replaced (mostly).
Once I have enough money, I'll just sell the amp and move on to my dream amp... but at least during that time I'll have enjoyed having a wonderful instrument.
Thanks for all the replies!
I've been thinking about it, and I'm gonna have to go against the majority....
For $500 or maybe a bit more, I can still get a really good amp like a Marshall JCM 800, and then use an SD1 or similar to get the higher gain I like... Or even just go for something like a 5150...
Sure, it's not as good as a Bogner, but still damn good. Considering I play mostly indoors, it makes more sense as well.
I simply connect more with guitars. A brilliant guitar would encourage me to play more and I would no longer have to fight the instrument.... My playing would flow...
Also, a guitar is for life IMO. The amp can be replaced (mostly).
Once I have enough money, I'll just sell the amp and move on to my dream amp... but at least during that time I'll have enjoyed having a wonderful instrument.
TheLizardKing
New member
Re: Priorities: Great Amp or Great Guitar?
It's up to you man, personal preference, though It mainly depends on which you need more ie how bad your guitar or amp is.
It's up to you man, personal preference, though It mainly depends on which you need more ie how bad your guitar or amp is.
strat_master
New member
Re: Priorities: Great Amp or Great Guitar?
I'm in the same boat as you only i decided to save up and buy a new amp, because the amp does in fact make a huge impacts on how you sound, of course the guitar is very important, but i right now have MIM strat with a hot rail and it soudns decent enough to me and ive been playing on it for 3 years now and i see no rezson why i can't wait a few mroe years to buy a new guitar, but an AMP is a MUST. PLus i found its hard to jam with people when you have a lame ass tiny crappy practice ss amp.
I'm in the same boat as you only i decided to save up and buy a new amp, because the amp does in fact make a huge impacts on how you sound, of course the guitar is very important, but i right now have MIM strat with a hot rail and it soudns decent enough to me and ive been playing on it for 3 years now and i see no rezson why i can't wait a few mroe years to buy a new guitar, but an AMP is a MUST. PLus i found its hard to jam with people when you have a lame ass tiny crappy practice ss amp.
Pandemonium
New member
Re: Priorities: Great Amp or Great Guitar?
Amp, no contest.
Amp, no contest.
guitarshredder
New member
Re: Priorities: Great Amp or Great Guitar?
It would be nice if some pickup manufactures + scientists had an experiment on whether the guitar or amp makes the bigger overall differences in a player's sound.
It would be nice if some pickup manufactures + scientists had an experiment on whether the guitar or amp makes the bigger overall differences in a player's sound.
Leveller
New member
Re: Priorities: Great Amp or Great Guitar?
The guitar is more important to me because I can and will always have it with me when Im gigging or practising with friends or stuff. I can usually either use my friends great amp, or if Im at school or doing a gig with school (I go to like a music college) use one of their even better amps, but I'll always have my own guitar.
The guitar is more important to me because I can and will always have it with me when Im gigging or practising with friends or stuff. I can usually either use my friends great amp, or if Im at school or doing a gig with school (I go to like a music college) use one of their even better amps, but I'll always have my own guitar.
guitarshredder
New member
Re: Priorities: Great Amp or Great Guitar?
bump
bump
Re: Priorities: Great Amp or Great Guitar?
25 years of experience tells me that the amp is the most important, but I'm not the one spending the money.
Your feeling in your own playing is a huge part of how you play, confidence is a big part of it. Buy what makes you feel better about your own playing. Some guys feel so good when playing a particular guitar that they can make the content good enough to overcome a crappy tone. It's your call.
25 years of experience tells me that the amp is the most important, but I'm not the one spending the money.
Your feeling in your own playing is a huge part of how you play, confidence is a big part of it. Buy what makes you feel better about your own playing. Some guys feel so good when playing a particular guitar that they can make the content good enough to overcome a crappy tone. It's your call.
T
TheArchitect
Guest
Re: Priorities: Great Amp or Great Guitar?
Everything effects tone. If you sacrifice at the beginning of the chain you never get it back down the line. Top shelf guitar makes the average amp as good as it can be but a killer amp will only be as good as the the tone thats fed into it. Therefore; Guitars before amps, Pickups before speakers, etc and so on.
Everything effects tone. If you sacrifice at the beginning of the chain you never get it back down the line. Top shelf guitar makes the average amp as good as it can be but a killer amp will only be as good as the the tone thats fed into it. Therefore; Guitars before amps, Pickups before speakers, etc and so on.
texasguitarslinger
Mo Cow Bellologist
Re: Priorities: Great Amp or Great Guitar?
Get the great guitar first.
Get the great guitar first.
RushOfBlood
New member
Re: Priorities: Great Amp or Great Guitar?
That's a long time! i've never played a guitar that did that. or at least i didn't notice
the_Chris said:
That's a long time! i've never played a guitar that did that. or at least i didn't notice
drew_half_empty
Looking for Real Life
Re: Priorities: Great Amp or Great Guitar?
i say great guitar
then a used amp that's good but you can easily tweak to your liking
i say great guitar
then a used amp that's good but you can easily tweak to your liking
