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How much watts do I need?

#25
Harris2016 said:
A small town with three music stores. They are not bad, but they are not "amazing". Last time I recall walking into one, I'm pretty sure all they had were combo amps.

But I do live near Toronto…kind of. Its about a 3 hour drive.
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So, Canadian? I'm asking because people might be able to point out stuff on your local area Craigslist that would be a good fit and a decent bargain, or might know stores and/or used gear in the area.
 
#26
Harris2016 said:
I apologize for a noob question, but I'm new when it comes to finding an amp more powerful than my little crappy practice amp which I haven't plugged into for a year because it sounds bad.

I'm on the hunt for a new amp, but I have absolutely no idea what to look for in terms of watts, ohms, 2x10 and 1x15 size stuff.

Its confusing to me, can you give a brother a hand with the explanation?

Thanks all,
- H
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Hmm. Well, lets start with your needs and application. Where are you planning to use the amp and does the amp also need to cover the room or will you have sound reinforcement support?

EDIT: Also, do you have a budget? Or any size/weight requirements?
 
#27
BurningSkies said:
So, Canadian? I'm asking because people might be able to point out stuff on your local area Craigslist that would be a good fit and a decent bargain, or might know stores and/or used gear in the area.
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Yup - I'd be willing to do that. You haven't mentioned a budget yet, though, which is kinda important.

$200 will get you into the range on something used and you could easily spend thousands if you let others sweet talk you out of your money.

Ontario is generally flooded with Yorkville combo amps. Any of the 200W models are a safe bet and you can sometimes score them for under $250. The 115 is a little boomier while the 210 is a little more crisp, but they're both loud enough for most practice situations or smaller gigs (house parties, smaller bars, etc...). Anything bigger will have PA support anyways.

If you're playing metal and amp size is something your guitards are into, then going with a 410 cab with a 300W+ head may make more sense.
 
#28
CL400Peavey said:
+1

Watts mean little with out a cab to produce sound.

IMHO combos are a waste of time. I have yet to see one that doesnt compromise way too much to meet size/weight concerns.

To the OP, I suggest you look around at local used gear. A 300-500 watt amp, and a good used cab is going to be way better than a cheapskate combo that will leave you wanting in two months.
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I don’t agree with your assessment of combos, and considering the level of the OP’s knowledge (and needs), I’m thinking a combo might be a good idea.
 
#29
jehhorton said:
All of this is true, but for basics, if the amp is solid state, even if the preamp is tube, you need at least 200 watts imho to get solid bass. Another general rule is: add the watts of all guitarists in the group's rigs, and double it. In other words, if you're playing with two guitars using 50 watt amps, you need 200. I've usually found that these are "rules of thumb" but cabs, style of music, etc. are all factors
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My rule of thumb is ten times the guitarist's power, and the cabs to handle it. The most commonly used number is four times. You'll never get over two cranked 50-watt amps with 200 watts - probably not even 500 watts. The lowest powered amp I use in a full band is 650 watts, but I usually go with 800.

For the OP, I'd look for something with at least 300 watts. That will hold you for small to some medium gigs. Anything large or outdoors, you're going to need PA support. If you can afford 500 watts, you'll have some extra headroom.
 
#30
jehhorton said:
I also agree with this. Go with the 200 watt 115 combo, then turn down if it's too loud. That way, you have plenty of presence and bass response, even at lower volumes. I once had a sound man ask me to turn up. I told him to turn it up in the PA, it was loud enough where I was standing.
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He was probably getting too much of your rig to be able to reinforce it with PA without it turning into mud, preferring to give over to your rig entirely.
 
#31
Munjibunga said:
My rule of thumb is ten times the guitarist's power, and the cabs to handle it. The most commonly used number is four times. You'll never get over two cranked 50-watt amps with 200 watts - probably not even 500 watts. The lowest powered amp I use in a full band is 650 watts, but I usually go with 800.

For the OP, I'd look for something with at least 300 watts. That will hold you for small to some medium gigs. Anything large or outdoors, you're going to need PA support. If you can afford 500 watts, you'll have some extra headroom.
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My rule of thumb is 100x what the guitarist plays. So, he's got a 30w amp.

Honestly, I've gigged successfully with 300w, 400w, 500w... But the amp, the cabs, the setting, and a bunch of other concerns are all part of what you can and can't work with.
 
#34
Harris2016 said:
A small town with three music stores. They are not bad, but they are not "amazing". Last time I recall walking into one, I'm pretty sure all they had were combo amps.

But I do live near Toronto…kind of. Its about a 3 hour drive.
Click to expand...

That's okay. Most people don't need 3 thousand watts of power with expensive boutique cabinets. Depending on the band, a good combo could cover most, if not all your needs. Tell about your band and how large are the room(s) that you'll be playing in - and is there PA support?
 
#35
Joe Louvar said:
That's okay. Most people don't need 3 thousand watts of power with expensive boutique cabinets. Depending on the band, a good combo could cover most, if not all your needs. Tell about your band and how large are the room(s) that you'll be playing in - and is there PA support?
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Most people aren't me.
 
#39
Asking how many watts you need to get the volume you require is a bit like asking how much horsepower you need to go fast.

Well, it depends. If you have a 100 horsepower motorcycle it's going to be fast enough to scare you, put that same 100 horsepower engine in a truck and going fast is never going to happen.

Similarly, if you have a 100 watt amp and use it to power an efficient cab loaded with sensitive speakers it may well be loud enough. If you ask the same amp to power an inefficient cab with less sensitive speakers, or ask it to produce huge low end, then you have the same scenario as an engine trying to pull a heavy load.

Only two ways around this, keep the load lighter (use efficient cabs) or get a bigger engine (amp).

How fast (loud) you need to go is down to what type of music you intend to play and where. Just like speed is not measured in horsepower, how loud is not measured in watts it's called sound pressure level and is measured in decibels (db), so a better way of thinking about it might be to think how many db you need, then look for an amp/cab combination that can give you that, plus a little bit in hand.

Although I agree with the view that a loud amp can always be turned down, there are practical limits, if all you are ever going to do is play introspective basslines supporting a quiet woman singer and an acoustic guitar, you might not need an SVT just yet.

If the above makes sense just do a bit of digging into various cabs sensitivity figures (if they're published), failing that, just see what other guys are using for the sort of purpose you have and just go with it.
 
#40
If you're gigging/jamming with a band, shoot for 300w and at least a single 15" or two 10" speakers.

If you're just playing at home, "how many watts" is the wrong question. There are plenty of low wattage amps that will sound good at home volume -- your best bet is to go to a store and try out a bunch of stuff and just get what you think sounds the best. If you can't get to a store, I'd get a budget in mind and start asking around here about the characteristics of amps in that price range.

Good luck, hope you find something that can get you inspired!
 

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