Amps as Instruments:  A Simple Approach to Amp Shopping

 For anyone remotely dedicated to the guitar, there comes a time when you are confronted with the need to be amplified.  If one is serious about their tone, the importance of finding a good fit in an amplifier cannot be overstated.  Yet, shopping for an amplifier can be somewhat intimidating, and, if we’re to be quite honest, the process is not as romantic as shopping for a guitar—for instance, I find that it doesn’t take much technical information to make most people’s eyes glaze over!   Without launching into an epic discourse on what is a very broad topic, I’d like to impart two very simple, but fundamental perspectives on amp selection that I’ve adopted over the years.  

 Now, being stubborn and seemingly committed to learning things the hard way, my own journey towards amplifier enlightenment has been protracted and fraught with missteps.  This is clearly reflected by the procession of amps that I’ve gone through.  My first amp was a solid-state Gorilla 15 watt practice amp, featuring the not-so-sweet bargain basement overdrive coveted by inexperienced children and Indie rock player alike (sorry Indies, that was a low blow!).   In hindsight, my poor mother was probably teetering on the edge of madness while listening to my endless distorted renditions of Sunshine of Your Love; but, as a complete novice, my needs were totally met by such an amp.  Over the following years, my amps ranged from hand-me-downs (like my absurdly oversized solid-state 25 watt Quantum full stack) to very well-made tube amps (like a Mesa Son of Boogie or a Holland Jimi) that seemed like a lot of amp for the money.  While these amps served to get me down the road, I remained ignorant and somewhat ambivalent about amps for a long time, not realizing that my casual attitude was really eroding my enthusiasm for playing the electric guitar.  More than twenty years later, following a decade-long hiatus from electric guitar, I plugged into a CARR Mercury 1x12 (a highly versatile and beautifully-crafted amp) and knew instantly that I had to have it.  This realization on my part was prompted by both an immediate sense of the amp’s fundamental tone and an awareness of the fact that it fit my needs perfectly as a versatile, lower output amplifier, which allowed me to get fabulous saturated tone at “bedroom volume.”   While it was a bit of a stretch for me to purchase such an amp, my investment in inspiring tone and necessary performance features in an amp has proven to be one of the best expenditures of my life. 

 In light of my own trials and tribulations, the most essential piece of advice I can convey when it comes to amplifiers is that you should always regard an amp as an instrument.  This concept may seem a bit alien where electronics are concerned, but if you consider the fact that each amplifier is an assemblage of various specifically selected components all chosen to achieve a certain tone, then it becomes easier to detect and appreciate the personality of each amp.  Indeed, just like the best guitars, the best amps are voiced by their builders for an optimal tone (although “optimal” is highly subjective).  The impact of the amp is most apparent in the realm of electric guitars, where it could be argued that the amplifier is the principal determinant of sound quality as the guitar doesn’t do much on its own (though pickups and guitar construction are undeniable factors as well).   To illustrate this, I occasionally show customers the difference between an expensive guitar played through a $99 practice amp and a $200 guitar played through an expensive amp—invariably the expensive amp and the $200 guitar win out!   In the end, the goal is to achieve a happy relationship between the guitar and the amp, so you should budget for an amp that is commensurate with the quality of your guitar (for customers shopping for their first electric guitar, I recommend dedicating 1/3 -1/2 of the total expense to the amp). 

 Though it seems like good old common sense, I’ve also learned that it is crucial to be mindful of your needs/usage when shopping for an amp, as this will narrow your field of options and ultimately save time and money.  Perhaps the most common mistake I’ve observed is over-buying in terms of output—amps are not televisions, and bigger is not necessarily better!  More often than not, the inexperienced are drawn to large, dominating amplifiers (just like those they’ve seen on stage), only to find that it is virtually impossible to use such amps in the day-to-day home setting. This is particularly true of tube amps, where the wattage can be misleading (for instance I primarily play my amp at around 2 watts and it fills the room!).  It is important to remember that tube amps and solid-state amps differ in volume relative to their respective wattage—a 20 watt tube amp can easily compete with or over-power a 100 watt solid state amp!  Where tube amps are concerned, keep in mind that a player really can’t capitalize on the tone the amp has to offer unless the amp can be turned up to at least 11 or 12 ‘o clock on the volume dial, be sure to test any amp you’re considering at this level.  For these reasons, I recommend 30-80 watt solid-state amps or tube amps that are 20 watts or less for the average player, who is either playing at home or in smaller venues. 

 If you are willing to embrace the notion that an amp is really an instrument just masquerading as a box with knobs, then you should approach the selection process in a manner similar to that of shopping for a guitar. For me, this translates to hands on comparison culminating in a decision based upon my most positive emotional response (i.e., compare and buy the one that speaks to you!).  I often encourage guitar shoppers to bring along their current guitar as a benchmark for comparison.  It is likewise helpful to bring your primary guitar along as a control when shopping for amps; and, if adding to the amp collection, bring your main amp along as well.  When going between amps, it is advisable to replicate settings on each amp at the outset (I typically begin with a clean tone and a flat EQ).  It is truly difficult to retain specific sound information, so it is always most constructive to go back and forth between amps while playing the same phrase with the same attack. We at Maple Street Guitars frequently use A/B switches to facilitate this process (both with guitars and amps), so requesting an A/B switch or bringing one along with you is not a bad idea!  I’m confident that any player of any skill level will hear distinct personality emerge while sampling amps in this manner.  Keep in mind that it can take time to find an amp that best fits your tastes and needs; but, armed with an open mind, an attentive ear, and a realistic understanding of your needs, you will have all the tools you need to get louder and sound good doing it!   – L. Petsch   August, 2018