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Word Association Game for Amp/Cab Brands

3toes

3toes

Aug 30, 2006
2,398
942
Denver, Colorado
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#1
Figured this might be a fun way to get everyones opinion on dominant characteristics of brands of amps/cabs.

Rules are, I'll list a brand of amp/cab, and you reply with one to two words, in your opinion, that best describe the characteristics you associate the brand with the most. After a bunch of responses I'll move on to a different brand. And please keep answers in as few words as possible, that's the challenge.

Round 1: SWR


aaaaaand.... GO!
 
#2
Single White Redhead.
Now you- GK:

Edit: Oh, sorry. Didn't read the rules as I was trying to be the first in. From the title I thought this was more of an actual *word association game*. Don't know what made me think that...:rolleyes:

Anyway, on topic- SWR: no mids, underpwered, aesthetically tempting.
 
#12
RickenBoogie said:
My thoughts, exactly, and I own, or have owned both the WM12, and 15.
Click to expand...

Not the same thing at all. Older SWR stuff is great for some things, they really hurt their reputation by putting the same name on a bunch of junk. Try an original SM400 with an original Henry the 8x8 or Goliath II. Good stuff. Not super loud for it's rated wattage, but that was never really the point with these things.

my one word for SWR:

extinct.

and it's a shame.
 
#14
lefty007 said:
I thought that the term "microphonic" was for tubes and pickups, which pick up sound and reproduce it as a squealing noise.

I'm guessing some SWR designs with preamp tubes were/are susceptible to make the tubes microphonic?
Click to expand...

I did not mean "microphonic" in the sense of squeal or feedback. I should have been more precise. I really meant it as "lacking compression." Every string sound, slide, squeal, etc was inevitably reproduced through the amp. Great, perhaps, if you are a jazz/fusion guy that uses these sounds as part of your musical arsenal. But lousy for us guys who are just trying to groove and make folks move their butt.
 
#15
I like SWR but you do have to boost the mids a little if you want more of a flat sound. I think they get a bad rap, quite frankly. I think it's a good amp with a lot on the ball. Aside from the mids, it's pretty darn close to a tube amp for a hybrid. There's better now but at one time it was the shizzy.
 
#18
I've since sold my SWR WM4004 to the guy who lives right behind me. I used to describe it as being sterile, weak in the low mids too but that changes if you hear it from the audience side of things. I would describe it as being more modern, poppy, slick sounding. Doesn't seem as weak out front as it does standing next to it but I wouldn't call it warm. If you dig into a note, it doesn't growl but gets that signature SWR "blat" sound to the note, then settles down into the regular tone again.
 

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