Tube Addiction:

Inspector #20

Inspector #20

Ambassador of Tone
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Growing up, I loved the sound of Leslie West's guitar on Mississippi Queen. The next overdriven guitar I heard was Tony Iommi's on War Pigs.

Needless to say, I became obsessed with that aggressive tone. And, quite naturally, I sought to replicate it. A lifelong, love/hate relationship with tubes ensued.

In the SoCal studio session realm, by far, amp simulations are the most prolific guitar effect being employed, with Blue Cat Destructor and Avid Eleven Mk II being the most widely used.

While some studios have high end amps in stock, and some people insist on seeking these places out, it's really kinda fading away as simulations keep getting better, more organic and efficient.

Recently, I began to really rethink my approach to tone...and my industry/peer generated bias toward tube amplification.

Everything I've recorded over the past two years, here at home, has been through my Blackstar ID-CORE 100watt Stereo Combo.

Last night, I listened to a couple of recordings in which I used a tube amp and the Blackstar was much better sounding overall.

Recently, I played a live show with a 50 watt Marshall MG50 Solid State and all the reviews from that performance were remarkable, both my clean and overdriven tones were on point.

At Rat's Nest Studios, despite having a Dumble Overdrive Special, a JCM800 2204, a Marshall 9204 Rack Mount and an old Vox AC-30, Steinberg's VST Amp Rack has been the "Amp du jour" for almost a year now.

These factors have caused me to just switch over to solid state for everything, even my live rig.

I'll keep posting to this thread as things progress...
 
I initially changed from tube amps to solid state because of weight. After going through a few different solid state amps I found that a good solid state amp can sound just as good as a tube amp and feels just as good dynamically. The emphasis is on good. I think SS amps get a bad rap because most people's experience with them is with cheap "practice" amps. To get a good SS amp you need to pay what a decent tube amp will cost. I still prefer real amps rather than modellers for live use but for recording it is all VSTs. For live use I have a Quilter 101R with a 10" cab that weighs around 20 lbs total that sounds like a Fender tube amp and will blow a loud drummer away and a Peavey Bandit that is way too heavy but has a great tone. I haven't had a chance to play the Peavey live yet but I'm sure it will do the trick. I have played several Peavey SS amps at jams and they sound great in the mix.
 
I can go either way here on this topic, as I have stated many times over: Ive used both for years. I honestly don't have a devout biasness towards either; as long as it sounds awesome, I will use it.

That being said however, I am also the kind of person that once I find something I do like, i will just stick to it. I did admittedly look elsewhere for a good while for something else. After meddling around with different amps, i ultimately have settled on one of the earliest I ever got and that's the JCM2000 DSL50. It just works, no matter how many times I've looked at replacing it with something newer, more classic or more exotic.

I bought two to replace it. And while I like the Mode Four , which is an SS by the way, it doesnt match the DSL. I had a 5150 that i regrettably sold, that was to be a replacement as well but i didnt click with it, despite being the first 6L6 amp I had.

In the end: an old and basic, no frills amp is what I keep going back to
 
I own both SS and Tube amps---and I have (as you all know) this little digital wonder
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which sits right on my desk and gets used 99% of the time just because it allows for a very very diversified and wide range of tones and effects and models LITERALLY at my fingertips --does it sound EXACTLY like a dumble played live in the Royal Albert Hall -- NOPE but neither do 2 different dumbles !!! --:p

the effects are excellent
the navigation is simple
the drum machine-- looper-- and tuner are a BONUS -- and a load of fun-- one day Ill figure out the online editor and the recording capabilities as they are infinite.... but I dont have the patience for that at present LOL!!

AND -- I can get "tube break up" -- or really driving booming bass ---- or beautiful rich reverb dripping jazzie cleans---at volume levels that will NOT cause any issues outside the walls of my office --- and its all in wonderful STEREO through the Presonus studio monitors..... stereo tone JUST LIKE the stereo music -- I am listening to and playing along with -----

how cool is that ?? (pretty damn cool really)

BUT I am about to fire up some "real amps" to test the new V through for :poo:s and giggles-- ;)
 
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For me, my affinity for chorus and reverb, plus having an amp that can produce sufficient gain with a pedal, is what brought me back to a Valvestate.

I gigged with a Valvestate VS265 2x12 Stereo Combo for years, but it's 65 pound weight made it impractical to move around.

I don't want a dry tone, like a JCM800 2204. I want chorus and reverb, plus some compression to get a "studio-esque" tonal quality when playing live.
 
I think there are some key advantages to this approach. While I usually hesitate to say one approach is “right” and another “wrong”, just going for the sound you’re after rather than being tied to a particular technology or make and model of equipment item opens up possibilities that you otherwise would likely miss.

I’ll be interested to see how you progress with this newfound (rediscovered?) approach!
 
My skill level and home player i dont require some big tube cookers. Truthfully i like the sound of Solid State better than tube distortion. In all honesty ive never had Engl,or Hughs and Ketner or Mesa tripple rec so i cant comment on how those sound but for dickin around my Bus i play my Roland Cube on Classic Stack.
 
I don't have any issues with any type of amp (tube, SS, digital, hybrid) as long as it sounds the way the person playing it wants/needs it to sound. Personally I have not found anything that compares to a good tube amp - emphasis on good - but that's me. For others their experience will vary. And for the record, I have thought for a while now that eventually we will all be playing digital amps, but that the technology hasn't yet caught up to the promise.
 
JohnnyGoo said:
My skill level and home player i dont require some big tube cookers. Truthfully i like the sound of Solid State better than tube distortion. In all honesty ive never had Engl,or Hughs and Ketner or Mesa tripple rec so i cant comment on how those sound but for dickin around my Bus i play my Roland Cube on Classic Stack.
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FWIW, the power soak in the ENGL amps is fantastic. They are amazing tube amps for using at conversation volumes.
 
gball said:
I don't have any issues with any type of amp (tube, SS, digital, hybrid) as long as it sounds the way the person playing it wants/needs it to sound. Personally I have not found anything that compares to a good tube amp - emphasis on good - but that's me. For others their experience will vary. And for the record, I have thought for a while now that eventually we will all be playing digital amps, but that the technology hasn't yet caught up to the promise.
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For my desire to have onboard chorus and reverb, the only all-tube amp that offered that was the Hughes and Kettner GrandMeister 40. But, at $1,300.00 I wasn't comfortable with that big of a "hit" after buying my Gold Top.

The Valvestate's impressed me when I first saw them in 1992/93. Initially, what drew me to them was no overdrive pedal was needed for a tight, fat bottom end.
 
gball said:
I don't have any issues with any type of amp (tube, SS, digital, hybrid) as long as it sounds the way the person playing it wants/needs it to sound. Personally I have not found anything that compares to a good tube amp - emphasis on good - but that's me. For others their experience will vary. And for the record, I have thought for a while now that eventually we will all be playing digital amps, but that the technology hasn't yet caught up to the promise.
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Oddly, for me, the interest in tube amps developed out of a desire to use processors better!

As I’ve mentioned before, I used processors live before I began using tube amps live. But, it became clear when configuring patches that the underlying paradigm was a tube amp, speaker cabinet, and effects pedals. So, I decided I should understand that world, as well. Thus began the tube amp journey!

Today, I’m comfortable with any of the technologies and feel I learned a lot.

But, at the moment I don’t feel a pressing need to get anything else to achieve “a sound.” I’m so satisfied with my recent Rivera amp that I’m pretty happy where things are. It really does what I need in grand fashion. Should I ever be in a situation where I feel I need something more, I’d probably go with a Fractal. But, I can still tweak my old Pod X3 Live to get pretty respectable sounds for live use!

So, as things currently stand, whereas I began my foray into tube amps to get smarter with processors, they ended up becoming an end in themselves.
 
We still record with the studio's JCM800 2204, but all it does is amplify you a "hot & dry" sound. If you don't put a Tube Screamer in front of it, you are not getting much more than a Malcolm Young level of gain.

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In summary, you'll need a rack full of effects, or digital signal processing, to get a more "cultured" tone from it.

I want to produce the most studio-esque tone that I can create for a live . I also want the most minimal pedalboard I can get away with.
 
Robert Herndon said:
I want to produce the most studio-esque tone that I can create for a live . I also want the most minimal pedalboard I can get away with.
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Robert,

I completely understand where you’re coming from. I feel much the same way about my sound. There are those times when I do use a somewhat dry sound (though, even then I’m using some reverb), but I normally have a little “sumthin’ , sumthin’”on it - if not a lot of sumthin’!

So, let me ask, why haven‘t you just made the switch to a processor? To be very honest, you could probably get the live tones you need from something like a Helix. Then, it’s just running a feed to the desk. If you need a backline, you could simultaneously run an FRFR powered speaker.

Most processors also have an effects loop, so if you do have a favorite pedal, you could still use it.
 
smitty_p said:
Robert,

I completely understand where you’re coming from. I feel much the same way about my sound. There are those times when I do use a somewhat dry sound (though, even then I’m using some reverb), but I normally have a little “sumthin’ , sumthin’”on it - if not a lot of sumthin’!

So, let me ask, why haven‘t you just made the switch to a processor? To be very honest, you could probably get the live tones you need from something like a Helix. Then, it’s just running a feed to the desk. If you need a backline, you could simultaneously run an FRFR powered speaker.

Most processors also have an effects loop, so if you do have a favorite pedal, you could still use it.
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I have no doubt you are correct.

For me, the familiarity of a Marshall tone stack- especially the 'Contour Control' models - means zero learning curve, a tone I've grown up loving and relatively cheap.

I'm likely set in my ways... LOL
 
Robert Herndon said:
I have no doubt you are correct.

For me, the familiarity of a Marshall tone stack- especially the 'Contour Control' models - means zero learning curve, a tone I've grown up loving and relatively cheap.

I'm likely set in my ways... LOL
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Gotcha.

Getting used to setting up patches can be a whole new opportunity to spend time on something other than playing!

There is value in being able to just run and gun with a rig you’re familiar with.
 
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