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How many watts does your guitarist need

I use a 100w head with a 4x10 Marshall cab, but I try not to turn up louder than necessary. The rockin' boomers who demand NMV heads are a laugh.

30w into a 2x12 will probably cover most anything these days. I find the 1x12 combos hard to hear with two guitars.
 
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:) anybody here remember these Smokey amps?
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One of these through a 4-12 cabinet provides plenty of sound...

I recorded this with a guitarist who intended to do exactly that for the lead line to this track. Run one of those through a 412. Turned out that slapping a plain old SM 57 in front of it got the exact tone we wanted. Link below is to that track.

 
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How many watts do they need to have good tone? Zero. All of the guitar players at my church moved away from amps even though they are allowed to use them mic'd in an isolation room should they choose to use one. Kemper and Line6 rule the stage now. Beyond that, a 15w tube amp is the last one I heard mic'd live with a group I help out with and that was PLENTY. He even had it turned away from the crowd (open back, so there is obviously still sound coming out) and it was still more than enough. The PA did all the work anyways, but dang I forgot what those little amps can do at gig volume. :eek:
Additional chapters to my story above: I played a few guitar gigs in Branson, had a few gigs with a couple of pickup bands that had good PA's, and played in a church band for three years. I ran the guitar through a red Line 6 P.O.D., had the side earphone out as my monitor, and all the sound engineers were very, very happy with me. Ironically, with all those settings, what I used mostly was the Blackface Deluxe emulation with a touch of reverb.
 
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my Blues Jr 15w or Marshall SV20c 5/20w is more than enough.

I don't care how "good" someone thinks they are, if you can't play well with others and appropriate for the venue, you don't play with me.

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18 watts max. My long-time guitarist owned a Dr. Z MAZ 18 for a while. (I'm guessing it was a mere 18 watts). Best tone he ever had, IMO. Huge sound and plenty loud for all but the loudest outdoor gigs. Sadly, he sold it and moved on to something else after about a year. But that's what guitar players do. :)

M. M.