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What size amp do you play with?

Started by joecool85, May 24, 2011, 03:16:07 PM

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What size amp do you play with?

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Total Members Voted: 7

joecool85

So how large of an amp are you guys using these days and what for?  I had been playing with a small group including drums with a 50w Vox but now just play by myself or jam with my brother (bass) and use my 20w Dean Markley.  Been thinking about getting a bigger amp or at least more efficient speakers but can't justify it when I'm only playing by myself most of the time.
Life is what you make it.
Still rockin' the Dean Markley K-20X
thatraymond.com

J M Fahey

I don't actually play, but the amp I typically push into my customer's and friend's setups is an SS 100W one, because I find them the "universal" ones, you can play *anywhere* with them: they easily provide the 40W (guitar) to 60W (bass) needed to play/rehearse with a regular drummer, have enough beef to play unamplified in the street, a school gym or theater, a neighbourhood open air gathering, etc., and can be turned down for living or bedroom.
Being SS all the sound comes pre-cooked from the preamp, and is faithfully amplified as needed.
SS also means they are light and have excellent sound_to_cost performance.
Well, just my 2 cents.

EDIT: "universal" ???? What about a big theater , stadium or open-air multi-band show?
In those cases you won't play straight to the public with 100 nor 200 or 300W amplifiers, but:
a) You will *all* be re-amplified through a big PA and
b) 100 W are great to hear *yourself* in a huge stage.
c) Even if you have a 300W amp, the soundman will kill you if you play too loud onstage, because you'll ruin his mix, vocals, monitoring, etc.

joecool85

Juan, I can totally understand that reasoning.  Is it a 100w head or a combo?  How many speakers and of what size?
Life is what you make it.
Still rockin' the Dean Markley K-20X
thatraymond.com

J M Fahey

I have built thousands of 100W head+2x12" amps for ages, with satisfied musicians.
It also makes it easier to buy them.
Since I sell direct and can't finance sales, most kids usually bought the head first using one month's salary, played with headphones or plugging into *any* speaker (even a small home audio cabinet), of course at low power, and on next month's salary bought the cabinet.
No credit ratings, minor/age problems, "black" (unregistered) salaries which get in the way.
Of course, many bought both together, but I always found it important to make it easier for the customers .
Those which want something more compact could have everything built into a single combo, or a 2x10" cabinet instead of a 2x12" one.
The smallest amp I make is a 60W, 1x12" combo, which I find the minimum to compete with a drummer in a band.
I don't make "practice" 15W amps , because I can't compete with the Chinese, Koreans, etc., but on 60 W, 100W or more, they can't touch me.
As an example, Buenos Aires prices:
30W Korean Hartke U$250. 30W Fender BXR U$300 (both swamped by any drummer)
60W Chinese Fender (FM65R) or 65W (Vietnam?) Valvestate: U$400.
My own Fahey 60W combo: U$200
100W head+2x12" cabinet: U$300.
Needless to say, the 60W plays easily along a drummer and the 100W one crushes him.
I find the actual size of the room not *that* important; the key lies on who you have to fight against.
As an example: I used to make some Pignose type 2W battery powered amps, (with a *very* efficient 6" loudspeaker).
As an experiment, some (big local name) guitar players played with one of them in our 1 block size 8000 seat Luna Park (our Madison Square Garden)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna_Park,_Buenos_Aires
and they could be easily heard on the furthest seats (about 50 yards from the stage) ... at noon, while setting everything up, stadium empty .
At 10 PM, stadium filled, it was difficult to hear a non reamplified 100W amp over the "silent" crowd.
Just add up 8000 people simply moving in their seats, whispering to each other, crumbling a cigarette or candy wrapper ... multiplied by 8000 and you easily get a very loud "silence" background.
Oh well.

joecool85

I wish I could get a 100w head and 2x12" cab for $300 USD and not have it suck.  They just don't exist here like that.
Life is what you make it.
Still rockin' the Dean Markley K-20X
thatraymond.com

LJN

Hey, joe. If you want a bigger amp, then there's no reason not to get one, unless you have neigbors that don't appreciate good music. ;)

As you all know, I use my old sears amp on a daily basis. I'm not in a band or anything, But that's the advantage of having a bigger amp on hand. If you get the opportunity to jam with friends, you're fully prepared. My old amp, I'm pretty sure it's 100 watts. Which is perfect for just about anything... exept for pesky neighbors. Anyway, If you find one, get it if it's what you want. You don't have to crank it to make it sound good. if you have to use a low volume, get an overdrive pedal, and you're set! :tu:
If it sounds good, USE IT!

Epiphone Les Paul, Kasino U100- P, Sears 125-XL

J M Fahey

Yes, the big advantage of SS amps is that you can play them at any power you want, that's why it makes sense to buy a single "big" one (50 to 100W) and turn it down according to what you need, including bedroom or playing straight into the PC.
Tubes do their magic when overdriven, meaning they end up being "fixed volume" (full power).
Using their master volume means they become preamp_distortion_only, usually thin/buzzy, not too different from an SS amp  ;)
You can always use attenuators, but they are somewhat messy, work *very* hot, can't be switched in/out in the middle of a song, etc.
As a famous musician said, when asked about his attenuators: "I have 3 tube amps: a 5W one for warming up in the dressing room, a 30/50W one for pubs and clubs, a 100W (or a couple of them) when on a *big* stage .... the rich man's "attenuator"
A relatively light and inexpensive SS one can easily replace al three.
As a market study found: everybody claims they want a single channel, big, heavy, expensive tube amp, but shop sales sheets show 95% of amps sold are channel switching, 60 to 120W, 1 or 2 12" speakers.
Or as the famous market study said:
-What do you prefer to eat?
-Steak and fine wine.
-OK, ok, what did you *actually* eat today?
-Burger and beer. ;D

KMG

Problem of power scaling can be solved in transformer coupled SS PA with keeping all "tube" overdrive features.
It can be made simply by changing voltage at trahsformer center tap.

In this case, the point of beginning PA overdrive for 5/15/40W differs by only 1 digit at master volume

J M Fahey

Yes, in this case you may vary maxium output power simply by selecting different power transformer taps (which in the front panel might even be indicated as 5/15/40W) or by analog regulating its voltage ("Power Scaling") or even building a dedicated presettable SMPS.