Quick question are the Spark amps by Positive Grid any good for a beginner or would the app make them a bit too confusing for a newbie.
I am using a Harley Benton (tele) and eventually would like an electro acoustic to add to my collection.
Hi John,
Please do a search for SPARK on the forums here. you will find a lot of comments.
I have a SPARK 40 (original one) and do not like mine because of the muddy sound.
As a simple amp to get you started, the functionality is ok. I personally did not find it taxing to learn to use, but I am also someone to dive int complexity and enjoy it.
I don’t think they’re necessarily too confusing because they’re targeted at normal home players.
It’s more a question of whether you want an amp that relies heavily on an app to make changes to your sound or whether you would prefer that it’s all on the control panel of the amp.
The other question is are you the sort of person for whom having a lot of choices over sound and effects is likely to be a distraction rather than something useful? If you’re a beginner then you want more time playing guitar and less time fiddling with amps.
I’m not really a fan of the concept of being a beginner so only buying something simple/cheap. You just end up spending more money in the long run when you replace the beginner gear with next level gear. So if you think this amp is what you will want maybe in the near future then buy it now rather than paying for stepping stones
1 Like
I get the impression this was fixed in the newest models but I’d certainly look for online reviews to make sure
Hi John, I am in full agreement with this comment. Do some research and plenty of listening to make your decision.
When listening to youtube, the reeviewers often use the USB interface rather than a mic so the muddy sound is hidden. Be aware of that problem with reviews and try to get either an in-person listen, or make sure comparisons are with a mic. Your own computer is also a factor with online review audio.
I strongly recommend getting something you expect to use for a decade or more rather than fall linto the “beginner” stuff that is too often better described as “so cheap you won’t feel bad about abandoning this”.
As a beginner, you may not know what sound you like. There are very inexpensive ways to get some experience there with open source DAW software or Garage Band on Mac. These tools can take you a long way toward understanding what sound you like and how to create it. The cost can be very low.
1 Like
I have Spark MINI, bought it last year as I needed a small portable amp. And since then it’s the main amp I’m using, not my Mustang LT25 or recently bought multi-FX processor.
Can’t say for their other models, but I’m completely satisfied with Mini. It sounds great, there are plenty of good tones available and adjusting them is easy when you have the app open already. That’s actually the thing I’m not a fan of as it’s just distracting a bit to get the phone, open the app and do all the tweaking every time you play so most of the time I’m using just a few saved presets. The app itself works well, isn’t confusing and has some nice features while others I’m not using at all, but they’re available if you need them.
And it’s a small amp in the first place, fits right on my table and doesn’t require any cables. Oh, and it works wonderfully as a Bluetooth speaker, the sound quality is very good.
1 Like
The spark 2 is supposed to be improved from the mk1 but its £280 and you can get a katana gen3 50 for that too…
2 Likes