The Amp Guitar Snob's Don't Want You To Hear!

I'm not a hater, I believe there are good SS amps out there. I just haven't found one yet.

...and for the record, I loved Dime and what he brought to the game, but his tone sucked IMO.
 
Tubes for touch. Old skool SS for what it is…solid. Class D for…ummmm…weird twitchy softness.
I like my old school solid state for bass, especially…for some guitar too…mostly for pedals…some for cleans….but mostly for bass….whatever.
 
That dude is legitimately tedious.

Yes, a well-designed and executed solid state amp can sound fantastic, but also yes there is a big difference between an analog SS amp and a modeler. They are miles apart. One thing he does do is demonstrate that thing falling flat on its face for clean tones. SS is usually pretty good at heavy distortion though.
 
I guess if you live in a apartment condo or trailer a SS amp would work
for bass I do have a Eden world tour 800C tube preamp SS power amp 550 watts RMS bridged sounds good enough
I did sell my Ampeg SVT 320 watt 1970 bass head it hurt my back looking at it sure did sound great.
And went digital on my PA system light weight QSC K12.2 42 pounds each 2000 watts
now I'm using a ODS 100 amp I built for bass it blows away the Eden world tour in shear volume
 
Since I’m pretty much a bedroom player these days, SS or Tube really doesn’t matter much. I have a couple tube amps. A Vibro Max and a Traynor. These days I practice plugged into a Boss GT1 and use headphones. It’s not a modeler, but it’s good enough for what I do.
 
DirtySteve said:
I'm not a hater, I believe there are good SS amps out there. I just haven't found one yet.

...and for the record, I loved Dime and what he brought to the game, but his tone sucked IMO.
Click to expand...
The old Marshall MOSFET Lead 100s nailed the JCM800 down to an eerie level. @Mitch Pearrow SJMP uses them in fact. I use a hybrid Marshall: a Model Four, myself. 4 amps in one and is the precursor to the JVM actually, despite being a hybrid SS amp
 
Ever since the early 1970s, solid state manufacturers have been trying to convince musicians that tube amps are obsolete...
and by and large they failed.
Fender made solid state, Marshall made solid state, Ampeg SS was a disaster.
and it almost put them out of business, almost nobody wanted to buy them.
Marshall and Fender both started making tube amps again....because that's what sold.

Now you have these "modeling guys", these "sim" guys, these "profiler" guys, trying to do the same thing.
Professional players still want tube amps.
The pick response of digital amplifiers is too slow and causes a delay in response.
The sound of the digital amps is copied from tube amps.
Without tube amps to copy / imitate, there would be no digital amps.

I say tube amps are here to stay, both in music and in Hi Fi.
I observe that pro musicians still prefer tube amps.
 
You’re not wrong. But for me personally…. And for sure I am not a professional musician…. If I went back to playing on worship team and this time chose to play electric rather than acoustic like I did…. No way today am I lugging my heavy amp combo to church for 3 or 4 songs.

When I did play, I plugged my acoustic into a DI straight to house. Today I would go the modeling route and do the same…. Straight to house. Would it sound as perfect as putting a mic on a tube amp…. Nope. But from experience. Out of the 300 people sitting in the congregation, there’s going to be, maybe, a 1/2 dozen people that could tell. And they’d be guitar players themselves. The other 99% wouldn’t have a clue. And I’m too old to kill my back lugging an amp.

PS: I did play electric a few times at church. 10+ years ago. I did take my amp. It’s why I know I wouldn’t do it anymore.
 
Amp Mad Scientist said:
Professional players still want tube amps.
Click to expand...

I don't think it is as simple as painting with such a broad brush.

The gear that professional musicians choose to use is quite varied. Some choose tube amps. Others choose modeling.

Sometimes, an artist will use one in the studio and the other live. Neal Schon, for example, uses an Axe Fx in the studio, but tends to use EVH amps live.

Conversely, Metallica uses Axe Fx live. John McFee, of the Doobie Brothers, uses a Helix live and in studio and even uses the Line 6 Variax guitar.

However, there are players such as Joe Bonamassa who are well-known for preferring an actual tube amp.

The point is, there is no single definition of what professional players want. The choices are personal and vary from one to the other.
 
Amp Mad Scientist said:
Ever since the early 1970s, solid state manufacturers have been trying to convince musicians that tube amps are obsolete...
and by and large they failed.
Fender made solid state, Marshall made solid state, Ampeg SS was a disaster.
and it almost put them out of business, almost nobody wanted to buy them.
Marshall and Fender both started making tube amps again....because that's what sold.

Now you have these "modeling guys", these "sim" guys, these "profiler" guys, trying to do the same thing.
Professional players still want tube amps.
The pick response of digital amplifiers is too slow and causes a delay in response.
The sound of the digital amps is copied from tube amps.
Without tube amps to copy / imitate, there would be no digital amps.

I say tube amps are here to stay, both in music and in Hi Fi.
I observe that pro musicians still prefer tube amps.
Click to expand...

100% agree with you. I would never walk on stage with a SS backline, I just would not have confidence in the ability to move air with authority or give up more when you really need it, not to mention cut through the mix.

In my present state of "retirement" though, I honestly haven't lit the glass in my Mark 5 in probably 6 months, it's just "too much" for my current environment and the SS/modeling amps I have do the job admirably at spouse- and neighbor-friendly volume.
 
gball said:
100% agree with you. I would never walk on stage with a SS backline, I just would not have confidence in the ability to move air with authority or give up more when you really need it, not to mention cut through the mix.

In my present state of "retirement" though, I honestly haven't lit the glass in my Mark 5 in probably 6 months, it's just "too much" for my current environment and the SS/modeling amps I have do the job admirably at spouse- and neighbor-friendly volume.
Click to expand...

Gary we will have to agree to disagree on moving air, or cutting through the mix.

The examples of renowned guitarists like Andy Summers, Robert Fripp, Jonny Greenwood, and Lee Ranaldo demonstrate that the bias against solid-state amplifiers is increasingly unfounded. These artists have harnessed the capabilities of modern solid-state technology to create iconic and innovative guitar sounds, challenging the notion that tube amps are the only path to legendary tones.

While tube amplifiers continue to hold a special place in the hearts of many guitarists, solid-state amps have proven themselves as formidable contenders, offering reliability, versatility, and a wide array of tones. As technology continues to advance, the distinction between tube and solid-state amps becomes less relevant, emphasizing the importance of choosing the right tool for the artistic vision, rather than adhering to tradition. In the end, it’s the creativity and skill of the guitarist that shape the music, regardless of the type of amplifier they choose to wield.
 
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