Which style amp do you use? Another poll

[HappyCat]

• tube amp
• solid state amp
• guitar processor
• modeling amp
• I don’t have a amp. I play acoustic guitar only

So which amp do you use?
Do you like your amp(s)?

If you have more than one style of amp, you may vote for more than one.
ie I play tube and solid state amps. So I’d vote for both.

-Do you have a favorite style amp that you use? As in do you prefer one over the other. If you like one over the other, state why if you want.
-Do you have any desires to get one of the style amps that you don’t have?
-Lastly, is price a reason for the style amp you play?

fwiw, I’m motivated to create this poll by others here on the forum that have been starting polls. They are kinda fun so thought I’d start one too.

This is a curiosity poll. As I do wonder if the times are a changing so to speak. As tech gets better and better perhaps the line between these style amps is getting less and less, maybe?

This is not a, this is better than that type, of poll.

I’ll start
I have 4 amps. One isn’t serviceable (a solid state amp). So really 3.
2 are tube. 1 is solid state.
I suppose my favorite is my all tube amp. It has 7 tubes in it. Best I know, it’s a tube amp. I like it best because I personally like the tones it produces best over my other two amps. Granted, some days I’ll like a different one best. So I bounce back and forth as to which one I like best. It’s more of a today I like this one best, tomorrow I like that one best.
I reckon it’s a toss up between my solid state and my other tube amp. I put that tube amp in a slightly different category as my all tube amp. This one has 2 tubes in it. A preamp tube and a power amp tube. The rest of that amp is solid state. ie solid state rectified vs tube rectified. It also has switches on it that dirty it up more so than just cranked tubes. I suspect it has solid state circuitry to achieve these high gain tones.
I like my solid state amp because I can turn it on/off as much as I want. Tube amps, I need to warm them up for a bit before playing. I may play for 10 min. then turn it off. I can’t think that’s a great way to treat a tube amp, so under these circumstances, I play my solid state amp.

I have no desire to have a processor or a modeler type amp as I don’t use so many pedals (tremolo and delay are what I have in service) and I prefer the few pedals that I will use over having all the pedals I could desire, that I won’t use. Or all the control over my tone to change my tone from this tone to that tone. I use my simple tone stack to achieve any variance in tones that I’m wanting. I feel I’m pretty much plug and play (which is what I want to do) w/o much adjustment of anything.

fwiw, price has not been the dictator to what kind of amp I want to play. It surely is a factor in what I have purchased though. I’ve not gotten so many expensive amps as I’m not got a lot of disposable funds. So price has been somewhat of a consideration, for me. I’d likely have more expensive amps if it weren’t for lack of funds…

All that said. I like all three of my amps. They are all unique from each other. I get the tones I want. I have no GAS.

My last comment is, oddly.
I think my solid state amp is the most versatile amp I have. It’ll go from squeaky clean to the heaviest metal guitar tones I can think of. And anything in between. And it’ll go from lower than bedroom volume to paint peeling/window rattling loud too. fwiw, that amp is a '03 peavey red stripe transtube bandit (designed and made in USA). It’s also the cheapest amp I got. So, imho, price is not the dictator for ‘the best’ amp.
For sure my bandit is the best bang for the buck amp I got.

So, what’s your low down for your amp(s)?

[Coda]

For several years now I’ve been using a sound processor w/amp-cab modelling plus a flat response monitor or amp with a broad range of frequencies (perhaps not a true FRFR monitor). I find it an excellent solution for home playing, especially when the processor in question also serves as an audio interface.

[Svoisine]

I have Line6 modeling amp running into Orange Crush. I am 90% acoustic and the electric / amp is just for fun. I am very happy with that setup. There is virtually every sound profile (I.e. Fun) in the modeling amp. It was the lowest cost to gain access to the most sound options. If I was using electric for Gigs / open mic etc. I would likely use tools better designed to target the sound I was looking for, but I am not.

My favorite / go to sound is clean amp setting with a little overdrive (Centaur clone somewhere 2-4) and a maybe a little reverb (2-3). With that I think you can probably get away with a well set tube amp with no pedals and I am sure I would be happy, but again I am going Value for Money so all in one is better.

[mattswain]

I have a Fender Mustang GTX 100 which is a modeller.

I suspect at some point I’d like to try a tube amp but right now I’m not a good enough player to justify another amp on a bit of a whim.

I use my modeller in a variety of ways. Sometimes I use it as you’d expect, emulate a sound with a few built in effects. Other times I have it set to just a clean tone and I stick a drive or fuzz pedal in front of it. And then also sometimes I plug my guitar into a Valeton GP50 and run that into the fx return of my amp so I’m basically only using it as a speaker.

I think a lot of the above comes from still being an inexperienced player who hasn’t found their sound yet. I think ultimately my setup will become a clean amp with a few pedals. At least my setup gives me the opportunity to try lots of options (and yes that can be a bad thing as well, too much choice).

Oh and I do also own a small Yamaha acoustic amp. It gives the acoustic just a little bit of reverb. It sounds nice but my criticism of the amp is it’s very susceptible to electrical noise and is prone to humming (which no other devices in my house suffer from)

[dlemire60]

A Boss Katana 50 Mk II is my studio / practice room amp. I also have an older Boss Cube 10 that’s my “living room amp” that gets limited use. I’m a home player / recordist so gigging isn’t a thing. The Katana meets my needs and to my ears sounds fine. I need to spend more time using the Tone Studio software to really explore what it can do; some of the examples I’ve downloaded are amazing. When I’m recording guitar parts it’s nearly always direct from the Katana’s record out into my audio interface and relying on either the Katana’s processing or my old Digitech RP-255 pedal for tone shaping. My usual collaborator likes what I send him so I guess it’s working.

Full disclosure: I’ve never owned and only rarely played through a tube amp so I probably don’t know what I’m missing. OTOH, my 12’x12’ basement room would be overwhelmed by any but the smallest tube amp and since the least expensive tube amp I see on Sweetwater is $300+ USD I just don’t feel like spending that money.

[Prof_Thunder]

I have an old hybrid vox vtx 50: its a hybrid tube, solid state 50W combo and its a modeller so not sure where to put my vote for that one Its a bit of everything. It does nothing very well, but several of the clean amp models are not bad, especially the tweed type and the vox amp simulations (as you would expect).

It has some effects too which I never use.

The distorted amp models are pretty crappy. Has a 12" speaker which is nice.

I also have an Orange crush 35rt - so definitely solid state, all analogue. Lovely amp but loud. I heard that if yo swap the 10" speaker for a celestion 10" or 12" then it really comes alive. Already seems quite alive to me.

Then I have a Roland blues cube - it’s a solid state amp but essentially is a modelled amp - just that it only has one model (simulation of a 59 bassman) which it excels at. 12" speaker designed for this particular amp is really good. Delivers beautiful overdrive.

[AJSki2fly]

Favourite amp I have is Cornford Harlequin valve amp. It’s good without pedals or with

Everyday I use VOX AD50VT AMP, a modelling amp that I picked up for £115, it is great and versatile.

For acoustic I have a Kustom Sienna 30 which is very good and not expensive.

I also have an Amp/Pedal modeller Positive Grid RIFF which is great for quick set up and practice through headphones or an amp. Good for tryin out different setups.

[pwoodtx]

For pushing air, I’ve got a Marshall JCM-900; you can dial in pretty much any sound you need. For daily use, I use a Helix modeler/effects processor driving stereo Headrush FRFR-108s. It’s great for practice, and playing along with songs that have had the guitar parts stem-ripped. I use Logic Pro for that.

[Beatup6String]

I have a Line 6 Catalyst 60, a Spark Go and a Blues Junior. I like them all for different reasons but I tend to play the Blues Junior most of the time. I’ve written about it in other threads, I love it!

The Line 6 is nice too, but has become the looper FX loop practice platform.

The Spark Go is portable, not very loud, doubles as a Bluetooth speaker and lets me play on my porch or deck without annoying the neighbours.

[RenanRischiotto]

Hold on… I’m the poll guy

[colinthomas77]

Well none of the above as I built my own amp. Its all all tube and has no solid state components. Just valves, resisters, capaciters, inductors and a few bits of wire, switch and sockets. It is only 15w but powers 2 10 inch celestion speakers and can rattle the windows.
Its based on an old Marshall plexey from the late 60s. I would like to say it was cheap to make … but that would be rubbish it also took me about 6 months to make … the ‘Made in Britain’ speakers and componets…really mounted up the price. I think it sounds amazing …but I would say that anyway I suppose. AND if we have a nuclear war it will still work!

[J.W.C]

These days my preferred amp at home is my Marshall SL5 (tube). I also have a Boss Katana 100/2x12 (model), a Fender Blues Junior III (tube), a Marshall DSL40 (tube), and a Boss GT1000CORE (processor). With the exception of the SL5, when I play a tube amp at home I run it through a Torpedo CaptorX to attenuate it.

The Boss Katana and GT1000CORE aren’t bad, and they’re convenient, but I have to admit I still like tube amps better.

[CD02]

Nice one Jim, and interesting reading all the comments.

Like Tony I did have a Katana 50 Mk2 that I recently sold and replaced with a Nux SA-100 Street Artist.

I didn’t vote in your Poll as to be honest I couldnt even tell you what category my amp/PA falls into poor I know.

Anyway, the Nux has ticked all my boxes. It’s a 3 in so I have Mic, Gtr and then a spare for whatever. Each channel has basic eq, delay, chorus, reverb, and a couple of options to go out to an A/I or mixer which I do but also a USBC that will direct sound to a mobile phone for recording or live streaming. I do most of my recording this way now to listen back to my playing or even when recording my avoyp videos.

[chris_m]

Boss Katana 50 Mk II
I see a few others have the same. I only got it because it was the recommended amp at the time I got an electric guitar. I know less than nothing about gear.

[sclay]

Went digital a few years ago…never looked back.
Use S-Gear by Scuffham Amps …output to Studio Monitors/ Headphones.

Cheers, Shane

[LesPaulMoreRay]

Laney Cub 10

[sequences]

@pwoodtx

guitar parts stem-ripped. I use Logic Pro for that.

Does Logic Pro rip apart the guitar from other instruments like keyboards or horns? Can it isolate lead from rhythm?

I have been using stemroller, and it does not isolate these things. I get a stem file with all of them together. Vocals, drums, bass (kinda) get isolated. I have a large number of songs with horns or keyboards I wish I could isolate the guitar from.

[sequences]

@HappyCat

So, what’s your low down for your amp(s)?

Primary is Helix Stadium. I enjoy using it pretty much daily. Technically, the amp is a PowerCab. It is intended to be used with the Line 6 gear, but the Stadium needs an add-on interface for it and that is not out yet. Line 6 is taking some heat from users for the late release of that interface.

My alternate has been a 5W solid-state Hottone head that I wired into a gutted Fender all-in-one. Not sure which model it was, but it has a single 12 inch speaker. Sounds fine, looks ugly. I need to add a face plate where the amp used to be. 5W will get loud enough to feel a bit loud, but not rattle anything.

I also designed a tube amp and can use it with the gutted cab above. I decided to go get another gutted cab from my favorite used shop and managed to find a 2x10 unit that used to be a Fender Chorus. The tube section was my first tube design for audio, was just a drive and distortion section for a power stage I simply purchased as a module. It will do at least 15W. It sounds ok for the garage, but I learned a lot about how to cultivate good sounding EQ and distortion and have the start of a new design to use those learnings. I’ll likely use this amp mostly for an alternate and for the novelty of designing it myself. It will fit under my desk which will get use during transcribing.

[pwoodtx]

The Logic Pro stem splitter takes a music track (that you own) and can separate it into vocals, drums, bass, guitar, piano, and other.

[pwoodtx]

I should add that you can select which tracks that have been separated to include into a new file.