Guitar Amps

ynie92992 · #1 11-26-2008, 11:11 PM

Hey guys, sorry because this is probably my 5th gear thread in the past few months but I have a question. I am starting to get more serious about geetar playing so I am looking at amps.I am at a price point of around 200 or less for a guitar amp. I have already decided on an SX Tele.Back to the amp situation, I am stuck between a few.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/p...Amp?sku=487054

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/p...Amp?sku=487055

Those two look good in my price range.I want to play some rock and metallish stuff from alternative/punk- Metallica type metal. For that kind of music, would a 2x12 18w or 1x12 50w tube amp like above give better distortion tone?
Sorry if this sounds like any other post, but I need some help. You can also recommend another amp if you want to.

ynie92992 · #2 11-27-2008, 11:04 AM

Ok, BUMP. But now I have a new question. I am going to a pedal for this amp but I have never used an effects pedal in my life. Because the amp I desire doesn't have an effects loop, what would I do? Do I plug my guitar into the pedal and then plug the other side of the pedal into the guitar input of my amp?

filter · #3 11-27-2008, 11:15 AM

Right. Plug guitar into pedal and out of pedal into amp.
Only line level plugs into the loop. If it is a pedal go into the amp input.

ynie92992 · #4 11-27-2008, 02:40 PM

Ok, Bump dos. So I have decided to get an SX tele and the 18w amp. Does that sound good do you guys?

ynie92992 · #5 11-27-2008, 08:04 PM

Ok,last reply(I think) on my part. Do what exactly do I need to have to use a DigiTech Grunge pedal? I am thinking:Two cables,a guitar and an amp. Am I missing something? Does it run on battery, how does it run off of your amps power to turn on? I am so confused.

iamlowsound · #6 11-27-2008, 08:20 PM

Those amps are "meh" at best. Look at Traynor amps if you haven't bought yet. Don't but the digitech pedal either. It is a digital distortion, not a true distortion and wont sound as good. If that is the tone that you are going for, look into a Big Muff, or some other sort of overdrive pedal. You want an overdrive, not a distortion. Overdrive puts more power to your amp, overdriving the tubes and causing natural distortion. A distortion pedal creates a digital distortion signal and sends that to your amp, it doesn't sound as good and will be a more harsh sound. Get your amp, take it to a store and start trying out every overdrive that they have there (they will also be able to show you how to set it up) and get the one that sounds the best.

lowsound

ynie92992 · #7 11-27-2008, 09:23 PM

What do you mean by "meh"? Would the DigiTech Bad Monkey be any good? I don't have any chance to test out any OverDrive pedals for a while. What traynor would you recommend in my price range?(0-240ish)

iamlowsound · #8 11-27-2008, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ynie92992

What do you mean by "meh"? Would the DigiTech Bad Monkey be any good? I don't have any chance to test out any OverDrive pedals for a while. What traynor would you recommend in my price range?(0-240ish)

I mean that they aren't good, but they aren't bad either. The 15w traynor would be in your price range and it is a great little amp. Just don't but a digitech pedal. If you can't try them out before you buy, stick to Boss, they make great stuff, albeit a little expensive. Their overdrive is good. But if you get the traynor amp, don't bother with a pedal yet, just use the clean and dirty channels on the amp, switched with the included foot switch.

lowsound

ynie92992 · #9 11-27-2008, 09:42 PM

The super OverDrive by BOSS?

ynie92992 · #10 11-27-2008, 10:35 PM

Ok,I have made a complete decision.What do I need to power a Super OverDrive by Boss?

The Golden Boy · #11 11-28-2008, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ynie92992

Ok,I have made a complete decision.What do I need to power a Super OverDrive by Boss?

A 9v battery.

The SD-1 is a decent pedal. I've had one for years, and it does a good job of what it does- I don't think that is sounds authentically like an amp being pushed, nor does it respond like one- but it's a good pedal, it's rugged, it sounds good.

All you need to do is put a 9v battery in the pedal, plug in your guitar, and plug into the 'input' of the pedal, take another instrument cable and plug into the 'output' of the pedal, and go in to the 'input' of the amp.

Nothing to it.

As far as effects loops go- all of my amps are older than most effects loop technology- so I've always just used whatever effects pedals I've used in line with the instrument.

ynie92992 · #12 11-28-2008, 10:31 AM

Is the SD or Super Overdrive better? I know it is probably subjective but, I really don't know. I may go try a couple OD's today.Can I play a bass through a guitar pedal through an amp without worrying about anything asploding?It probably wouldn't sound good anyway though.

ynie92992 · #13 11-28-2008, 10:35 AM

My bad, they are the same thing

The Golden Boy · #14 11-28-2008, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ynie92992

Is the SD or Super Overdrive better? I know it is probably subjective but, I really don't know. I may go try a couple OD's today.Can I play a bass through a guitar pedal through an amp without worrying about anything asploding?It probably wouldn't sound good anyway though.

Usually, running bass through a distortion or OD pedal designed for guitar will suck the bottom end out. So, yes, you can do it, no, nothing will probably asplode, yes, it probably won't sound as good as you want it to.

lunarpollen · #15 11-28-2008, 03:25 PM

You might want to try out one of the Vox Valvetronix 15-watt amps

iamlowsound · #16 11-28-2008, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lunarpollen

You might want to try out one of the Vox Valvetronix 15-watt amps

I played one of those today, much better than I was expecting at that price. Although not near as nice as the 18w orange sitting next to it.

lowsound

ynie92992 · #17 11-28-2008, 08:26 PM

And can I play a guitar through that pedal through a bass amp?

Bard2dbone · #18 11-28-2008, 09:14 PM

Just like the other guitar-gear-and-bass-gear-used-together answer: You can do it. It won't explode or anything. But it'll be disappointing.

For guitar, you're really going to want an all tube amp. And they always cost too much. Buying used is your friend. Try out any pedal you buy. They are REALLY subjective, so what guy A likes may suck for guy B and so on down the line.

My favorite type for the distortion/overdrive pedal is the TS808 type, one of the old Ibanez Tube Screamer pedals. There were actually several different models of Tube Screamer. The TS 9 is pretty popular too. My pedal is a VooDoo Labs Sparkle Drive. It uses the same components as the TS 808, but adds a clean signal in to the mix. So you can have a combination of the clean signal and the TS signal. It's pretty awesome, but there are others out there you might like too.

The Golden Boy · #19 11-29-2008, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bard2dbone

For guitar, you're really going to want an all tube amp.

I don't think I'd agree with that.

For all of what some people are looking for in a guitar amp, the extra cost, weight and maintenance of a tube amp- it makes more sense to go solid state. Modeling amps are getting so inexpensive that you can get a "good" sounding amp to roll with bedroom volumes. IMO & IME, you'll get a better, more usable and entertaining sound at bedroom levels with a modeling amp than you will with a good tube amp and good pedals. That's not even taking into account a really good amp and really expensive pedals.

My smallest guitar amp is a 19w or so Gibson Falcon. Really sweet amp- Two 6v6s into an old Jensen- But to get it to sound "good" it's gotta be louder than what's going to disturb the wife and kids upstairs. In all honesty, at lower levels, my old stupid Peavey Bandit sounds better for that purpose.

So if you're going to get a decent tube amp, and rely on pedals for your sound, you're still getting most of your gain from the SS circuit in the pedal- you might as well just spend less money and get a better sound out of a modeling amp.

IMO.

Bard2dbone · #20 11-29-2008, 04:13 PM

I'll agree that if you want okay tone at conversational volume levels then you probably want a modeler. I even have a Vox tonelab for that very reason.

But if the family isn't home and I want to practice...I fire up my Bedrock BC50. Orlater this week I'm getting myself a tweed Hot Rod Deluxe that I found on Craigslist for Christmas.

If I can get a Omega mod for it and get my Bedrock back to how it was when I bought it, I'll all my favorite amp tones available to medium to high volume recording.