The Guitar Amp Is an Instrument Too!
It's unfortunate but true, sometimes in the purchase of an
electric guitar rig, the amp selection gets less attention than it deserves.
The fact of the matter is that when it comes to the final tone that comes out of your playing, the amplifier you select has a great deal to do with your sound.
Your Amp IS your instrument. At least to a great extent it is. It's difficult to put a number on it, but rest assured the amplifier you play your electric guitar through is a
huge percentage of your tone and overall sound. Giving amp selection the short end of the stick is the sure path to frustration and bad sound. So let's take a minute and think about a few undeniable truths about electric guitar amplifiers, and then put down a couple of tips on amp selection.
A Note About Guitar and Amp Quality
You're probably tired of hearing people tell
you that it's good to purchase the best electric guitar and amp that you can afford. -- But it's true, great sounding gear will inspire you to play music and styles you dream of -- and will also increase the amount of time you spend with your guitar (thus making you a better player).
And the converse is true as well: bad sounding, difficult to play gear will drain your enthusiasm and inspiration. Most of the cheap stuff winds up in the closet collecting dust.
Tips and Hints About Guitar Amp Selection
- Spend at least as much time selecting a guitar amplifier as you do a guitar. If you play 15 different guitars before you buy the one you like(not a bad idea) - then spend the time and try to plug into at least 15 different amps. (if you live near a metro area you should have no trouble finding a store with this many amps) You might be surprised at how different they all sound.
- Plan to spend at least as much money on a good sounding amp as you are spending on your guitar.
- Pay attention to the speakers in the cabinet. Since the speaker is the last item in the chain before the sound reaches your ears, it's a very important part of the chain. If you have the option to get a high quality speaker, like a Celestion, it's worth it.
- There are a lot of different styles and types of guitar amps out there - I'm overwhelmed by it all and can't decide which one to use or which one fits my style of playing. If this sounds like you talking and you undecided about which type of amplifier suits you and your musical tastes, then consider a modeling amp.
Modeling Amps
And a modeling amp can be a great choice for a first amp as it can teach you about the amps and aid in selection of future amps that you purchase.
Some popular modeling amp brands are:
Modeling amps are designed to provide the sound of many different amps all in one unit. You can get modeling amps to sound like Fenders, Marshalls, Mesa/Boogie, Vox, etc.
