Avoid buying the first guitar amplifier you plug into while looking for one. Sure, playing that amp feels great, and you may adore the way it screams, but would you still be content with it tomorrow?
Before you even think of giving your cash to the amplifier owner, you should be aware of the following facts.
Bring Your Guitar
Even if you believe that the store has a model identical to yours, bring your primary instrument with you. An amplifier that seemed glitzy and alive at the store can actually sound as dreary as Anne Heche on Quaaludes when you do get it home, and a foreign guitar might sound brighter than your own instrument.
Digital, Solid-State, or Tube?
While solid-state and digital amplifiers today deliver good tone for a lot less money and with reduced maintenance issues, tube design is still the cutting edge. Many elite players continue to view tube tone as the benchmark. Use a blind listening test to determine the results.
Size Counts
If you live in a flat that only needs an acoustic guitar amplifier for music recording, a 100-watt stack is overkill. On the other hand, if you perform in a group with a percussionist dubbed Thunderbolt Fist, a 10-watt combo is terribly insufficient. Pick an amplifier that will work best for your main application.
For performing live with a rock group, you’ll need to have at least 30 watts, but Jimmy Page will attest that smaller amp can frequently produce unexpectedly powerful tones in the studio. Additionally, as a general guideline, if you frequently perform live, you might want to aim for at least 15 watts of tube sound.
The Powerful Sound
3 separate sources—the preamp, the power amp, and the speakers—typically produce distortion. When a player first tries an amp, they frequently disregard power amp distortions, but this is a mistake because here is where the low-end balls and chunks that guitarists refer to come from. Turn the main volume all the way to the top and the gain all the way down to listen to the power amp. Your pants should wiggle as a result of the vibrant, sharp attack of the music.
An Upright Buzz
Gain, or Preamp, controls (also referred to as “volume” on amplifiers with a master volume), allow you to adjust the amount of distortion for an amazing tone at low volumes, but too much preamp distort might sound excessively tight and crackling at higher volumes.
Increase the master volume while reducing the gain until the amp is set to the sound level you often play at. Now gradually raise the gain until the audio is as distorted as you prefer. The amp will get all the stage impact of an American Idol rejection if the sound is snappy and lacks dynamics.
Extra Features
Although tone and loudness should be your top priorities, you should also examine what additional features you actually require. If you really want a hassle-free, all-in-one solution, built-in features are fantastic, but they might not be as flexible as additional effects processors and pedals.
For enhancements like digital delay and reverb, an effect looping is helpful, but it’s not necessary if your effects are just a few stomping boxes. For residential recording, line outputs with sound emulation come in handy, and adding external speakers to your live setup is a terrific idea.
