Q: where can i buy a cheap left handed bass guitar and amp package?
not ebay

i have been searching around the internet for days and there all about £50 more expensive. which isn’t fair. i know they cost more to make but its not my fault i’m left handed. just want a fair price for a bass guitar and amp package

A: Cash Converters or Ebay

Q: I am looking for a Bass Package(Subwoofers, amp, and enclosure) for my 1994 Grand Am, and I am on a budget.?
I am looking the best bang-for-your buck. I listen to mostly rap music. What do you think i should get

A: cheap

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_5384_Kicker+2+CompVR+12-+Combo-+Dual+4+ohms+x+2.html

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_8319_Kicker+ZX750.1+Factory+R-B.html

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/cat_m23_i102_kicker-sub—amp-package-combos.html

Q: Exactly how many watts does a bass amp need to used at a small gig?
Let’s say I have a gig at a bar/club, and the full room is packed with.. let’s see, 50-75 people. What’s the amount of watts needed for a bass amp?

Also, for my second question. Would this amp be good for such a gig, as stated above?:

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Gallien-Krueger-Brat-Pack-Half-Stack-Bass-Amp-Package-482546-i1145830.gc

A: The Gallien-Krueger Amp is good enough for such a gig.

The wattage you’ll use is 10W for the soft music and 50 to 60W to the rock music.

Gallien-Krueger Amp is rated at 125W, you’ll have more than enough for safe long playing.

Q: Does Guitar Center sell bass and amp packages at their store locations?
Ive seen that GC sells bass and amp packages where the whole bass guitar comes together with the amp, I only see them online on their websites, does anyone know if these are available at their store locations? thanks

A: the Bogdon 2-string bass is by far the BEST way to start playing bass. its easy, fun, a bit crazy, and sounds wonderful. see this vid

http://www.geocities.com/washtubbass/cardboardbass.html

Q: Where are the best places to buy a bass guitar package?
the packages that come with a bass , amp , case etc.
maybe around 100$ to 140$?

A: I’ve always found good deals for gear at Musician’s Friend. The link will take you to the bass packages they offer.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/navigation?q=bass+package

Guitar Center is another option if there’s one near you. They’ll have packages that you can try before you buy.

Q: Would this sub and amp package be loud and that sort of thumping sound and bass?
this is the package:

http://caraudiosecurity.com/shop/product/products_id/3390.html

jw if this is the right package to buy for a loud but thumps and has great bass. As you can tell i dont no much about it so can people also send me other packages which would be good i prefer a kicker make as i hear there really good. Many thanks

A: any upgrade to your audio system picks up a loud but thumps and has great bass but this one sound good go for it and buy it if it’s what you want there are others though but it seems like you like this one and if it will fit in your car then go for it

Q: is this a good bass amp?
Is this a good amp? http://www.guitarcenter.com/Gallien-Krueger-Brat-Pack-Half-Stack-Bass-Amp-Package-482546-i1145830.gc. its a Gallien-Krueger. I have been playing bass for about two years and have had just a little 15W combo amp and want something bigger. How about this? If not what else?

A: i prefer the less empensive 50W Crate you can get new for about $150

and this 2-string bass is GREAT

http://www.geocities.com/washtubbass/cardboardbass.html

Q: BASS– would this amp have enough power?
i’m considering the Gallien-Krueger “Brat Pack”

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/GallienKrueger-Brat-Pack-HalfStack-Bass-Amp-Package?sku=482546

for now I know this will def. be enough power when playing with friends in a jam band, but how would this be at a small gig? What types of events would this be suitable at, can you give examples? I’m trying to figure out if I should consider it now or hold off and buy something larger if I get get a band around…. Obviously I would eventually update from this if needed, but would it work for small gigs? Any additional reviews/comments on it would help too.Thanks!!

A: That would be perfect for relatively small gigs.
But, honestly, i would probably jump up to a bit bigger of an amp, depending on how prominent you want the bass to be in your band.

Q: Is there anyway i can get the amplifier wires for the Fusion Encounter 12” bass package?(built in amp)?
i sold my car that had the sub installed but i didnt have enough time to pull out the wires so i just pulled out the sub/amp/box thinking that it would be easy getting the wires/harness but i guess it isnt easy to finding them.
http://imagehost.vendio.com/a/17465408/aview/EN-AB1120-ACTIVE-BOX.jpg (that is the sub and you can barely see the wires)
the amp wires had a harness looking thing to plug into the amp.. so im confused how to get the plastic harness to connect to the amp or wat?

A: Other than the wiring for the bass remote control, the wiring is what you will find in a normal amp wiring kit. I’d recommend just purchasing a generic 8 gauge kit with RCA’s.

Q: Good beginner’s bass package online/stores?
I’ve wanted to play bass for awhile, but since I just got some extra cash, this is the only chance I’ve gotten. I want to find an entire beginner’s package, with amp, bass (obviously), booklet, etc. Can you recommend one, or tell me where I could find a good one?

Price range is 100-200 bucks. I would have more, but I need some of my money for other stuff. Like..bills.

A: Try guitar center, guitar world, or any of you local music shops they should have a beginners package. It usually comes with bass, a small amp, beginners booklet, tuner, and cord. You can go on guitarcenter.com and order one from there if you need to.

Q: What is a good Electric Bass Guitar Package?
I am going to be playing bass and need all the things that some in a package so if you know of a complete package with bass,amp,strap,tuner and all that stuff for a good price please let me know. Also tell me good brands like what brand to look for and i am going to be playing like beginner and intermediate so i need something that will be good for a while before i buy another.

Let me know if these are good or if there are better.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Epiphone-EB-0-Electric-Bass-All-Access-Bass-Pack-774726-i1387982.gc?buildkit=1

http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Affinity-Precision-Bass-Pack?sku=513289

A: Get the Epiphone, it’s a cheaper version of the Gibson SG bass (a great bass), and it’s very reasonably priced for what you get.

Q: do i hav a bass guitar amp issue?
hey i hav a fender 15 watt bass amp and the standard cord and a standard jazz bass….. i got them all for christmas. so far everything works great, but when im not making contact with the strings the amp fuzzes…. is this normal, or should i buy a new cord? if so which one? i got everything in a fender bass guitar package……. thanks a lot and 10 points to the best answer!

A: You definitely don’t need to replace anything, since the buzz is perfectly normal and is actually a grounding issue. You know how the third prong on an electrical plug is supposed to be the ground and prevent electrical shock? Well, most amps buzz despite that and the reason your fingers on the strings eliminate the sound is that you are then part of the circuit and effectively serving as the ground. That’s why most musicians, when you see a band play live, keep a hand around the neck of the guitar or bass even between songs. In theory, a properly grounded electrical outlet would prevent the buzz, but you’ll still hear it in most recording studios that were designed for minimal interference.

This is getting kind of picky, but you could remove your pickguard and apply a sheet of copper to the back of it, then solder the ground wire from the cable input jack to the copper sheet. A lot of really high-end guitars and basses come with this grounding feature, but most instruments do not and most musicians just accept the buzz. If you want to look into it, the website stewmac.com has great information, as well as all the materials. Otherwise, you’ll just be one of millions of musicians whose instrument buzzes.

Enjoy your jazz bass!

Q: Should I get the Silvertone LB11 Bass Guitar Package or buy a Dean E09 Edge Bass Guitar with a separate amp?
I am looking to start playing the bass guitar and will be a beginner. http://www.amazon.com/Dean-Edge-Guitar-Combo-Stand/dp/B0007A0DRI/ref=sr_1_26?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1268157016&sr=1-26
http://www.amazon.com/Silvertone-Guitar-Package-Liquid-SSLB11PK-BK/dp/B0002D0HZ8/ref=pd_cp_MI_1
An answer would be greatly appreciated thanks!

A: The more quality one is the dean, but if you want to save money to for the silvertone…
The packages are good for the beginners, not good quality but cheap.
After you will know %100 that you want to keep and pay the bass, then get a good one.

Q: What are the best settings for the 1000watt Magnum amp & sub package?
On the back of the Magnum 1000watt amp, there are settings like; Gain, Bass Boost, LPF, HPF, and full. What is the best settings to have for this amp. Im sure if you have a different amp and these settings are on the back, they would still work fine with the Magnum.

THANKS!!

A: Depends on the speakers you are using.

If you are using a Subwoofer, you’ll have to switch to LPF (Low Pass Filter) and adjust the bass boost to your liking.

If you are using speakers, especially coaxial, switch to HPF (High Pass Filter), you can also adjust the bass boost to your liking.

If you are suing component speakers with crossovers, use the FULL.

The gain controls are used to match the preamp signal voltage sent from your head unit through the RCA cables to your amplifier.

I strongly advise you to seek a professional to install your system. You might damage several things including your car if you do some serous mistakes!

Be careful!

Q: Looking for an Unbiased Bass Amp review/answer?
Good day/evening to you. I’ve been playing bass guitar for a few years now, but just started getting serious into playing live shows. I have a small amp barely loud enough for practice, and am looking for a good/cheap starter stack. I found http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Acoustic-B200H-200W-Bass-Head-and-B115-250W-1×15-Bass-Cab-Package?sku=483494 this, however believe I’ve heard some bad things on Acoustic. Anyone have bad experience with these? Any suggestions on other amps for cheap? Im looking for the 2 parter cab / head style.

Also any comments, suggestions, and tips on bass, or playing shows will help.

The style I play and will be playing is an Alt-Rock, Punk, Pop punk mixture.

A: how many questions are you asking?

Q: What Electric Guitar Amplifier should i Get?
What amplifier should i get for my Electric guitar? (not too expensive)
I am looking for one that doesn’t muffle out the sound of my electric guitar. I am looking for a 16-30 watt amp. I don’t really need effects though
thanks for the help!

A: Without knowing your budget it is hard to answer that, but a tube amp is always going to sound better than a solid state. If you are just playing at home the VOX AC4TV is a beast. I just picked one up a couple weeks back for home practice. It is $249, only 4 watts but will blow away any 15 watt solid state amp. Two other options would be the Fender Pro Jr. at $399 or the Fender Hot Rod series Blues Jr at $499. Both Fenders are 15 watts. All 3 amps are class A power which cannot be compared to the wattage of a solid state like a Line 6 for instance. The 4 watt class A Vox is as loud as a solid state Line 6 15 watt.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Vox-AC4TV-4W-1×10-Tube-Guitar-Combo-Amp?sku=476326

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Pro-Junior-Combo-Amp?sku=480511

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Hot-Rod-Series-Blues-Junior-15W-1×12-Tube-Guitar-Combo-Amp?sku=481861#used

Q: If I were to get a bass guitar, would it work with my regular electric guitar amplifier?
If I were to get a bass guitar, would it work with my regular electric guitar amplifier? I would like to know.

A: I have tried this and it is not a good idea. I had a very nice guitar amp and I blew it out. BUY A BASS AMP!!!! But for the long term if you play guitar and bass buy a keyboard amp it can handle the low and high frequencies of the two instruments.

Q: can an electric guitar and a microphone both be connected to one electric guitar amplifier?
what i mean is lets say you buy an amplifier for your electric guitar and u have a microphone an a electric guitar, can u connect both microphone and electric guitar into the same amplifier? Because me and my friends are getting drums, guitars, and microphones but my friend has one amplifier already but i need to buy another one and a microphone so can u connect both of the microphone and one electric guitar into one amplifer?

A: yes, technically, but DON’T DO IT! The different range of frequencies could possibly blow up the guitar amp. And you can’t have effects like distortion on because it will, well, distort the vocals. My advice is to buy a bass or keyboard amp and plug the mic into it. Good Luck!

Q: can i use an electric guitar amplifier for my bass guitar?
A guitar amplifier can be use specifically for guitars, but can I use it for my bass guitar. I wonder if that will work. Or can i use it the other way around. Say I have a bass amplifier, can I use it for an electric guitar..Will there be any sound deficiencies if I use it.

Can you suggest any brand name of an amplifier that can be use for both electric and bass guitar..

A: it should work with most any brand

Q: How do an Electric Guitar and a guitar Amplifier work??
I need to know how and Electric Guitar and an electric guitar amplifier work. I need to make a power point for a class.
Thanks,
Love…me

A: Here’s a good resource for both:

http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/electric-guitar.htm

Q: why does my electric guitar amplifier sound fuzzy on Drive mode?
hey guys,
i just bought an Electric Guitar, and i dont know how to tune the amplifier.
when i put it into “Drive” mode, it the rock sound is too fuzzy.
can u guys help me tune this?
my amp. has volume, treble, and bass.
Thanks

A: I don’t know exactly, but try messing with the EQ settings etc. Maybe the treble is too low.

Q: what are these settings on your basic electric guitar amplifier?
What is Bass, Mid, Treble and Drive controls on your basic guitar amplifier. What are these controls and want differences do they make in your sound of guitar? What are the differences in volume should each knob be on for different sounds or do they even have to do with the sound? Please help me im a great guitarist after 5 months i just dont understand the controls very well.

A: Bass, Mid, Treble are levels. If you turn up the treble the higher pitches (sounds) become louder and more audible. If you turn up Bass the deeper and boomier pitches come through. Mid acts as an equilizer between both the high and low pitches. Drive is basically an effect included in many begginer guitar amps, It is a fuzzy sort of thing that usually is used for heavy metal of punk rock stuff. This usually works best with the basss and treble at high level.

Q: What can I do with my fender electric guitar amplifier if I have given it larger voltage than it requires?
My fender guitar amplifier requires 110 volts and I have supplied 220volts. Thus it is not working. What should I do now?

A: Hello, Abeer! Most likely you have burnt out your power transformer; unfortunately, this is one of the most expensive parts in the amplifier! It is remotely possible that you only blew a fuse; but even so, the transformer windings may still have been affected. If you have a tube amplifier, there should be an externally-accessible fuse, which can be easily replaced to check function. If it is a solid-state model, you will need to remove the chassis to access the internal fuse. If you do this yourself, don’t go poking around inside the circuitry; even off, the capacitors can store a charge for a long time, and you can get shocked! My recommendation would be to carefully check the fuses, and if their replacement does not awaken the unit, take it to a Fender Service Center (see http://www.fender.com/support/service_centers/ ) and have it repaired. Best regards, Dana

Q: Can I use a semi acoustic archtop guitar with an electric guitar amplifier.?
I am about to buy semi acoustic guitar and already own a small (15w) Marshall electric guitar amplifier. Are they reasonably compatable?

A: You can use it, it just won’t sound acoustic. If you are looking for a true acoustic sound out of an amplifier then you need an acoustic amp. But judging by the fact that your only running a 15 watt amp anyway, it’ll work fine. You can run any guitar through any amp, it’s just a matter of the sound your looking for. If it’s just for you to practice on or play with a couple friends you’ll be fine.

Q: What is a good but cheap amplifier for an electric guitar?
Im looking for an electric guitar amplifier from 100 dollars to 400

P.S. My guitar is this http://www.guitarcenter.com/Squier-by-Fender-Black-and-Chrome-Fat-Strat-Electric-Guitar-103212932-i1147427.gc?CJAID=10449560&CJPID=1759905

A: marshall amp at a pawn shop.

Q: How load are Electric Guitar Amplifier Watts?
Ok how load can a 15 watt amplifier get? How about a 25 watt amplifier?

Im talking about guitar amplifiers. Please put in to much detail on how load they can get For example as load as a airplane.

I really just need a amp that can do both practice and a small gig

A: Wattage only one part of “how loud is an amp”. The speakers play a very large part in that as well. How well the speakers take electrical energy and convert it into acoustic energy is measured by their efficiency. Just a small change in the efficiency of the speaker can equate to doubling the power of the amp!

What I’m getting at is that there’s no way to say that X amount of watts will deliver a certain sound pressure level without knowing what speakers it’s connected to.

Just as an example, 40 watts into an 18″ woofer would barely be heard. That same 40 watts into a good JBL high frequency horn would be heard several hundred feet away.

You just need to put down the mouse, get out, and try some amps. And remember that you can almost always put a guitar amp through a PA for more volume and coverage if you need it.

Greetings from Austin, TX

Ken

Q: How would I go about building a super-simple, non-tube electric guitar amplifier, and will this even work?
I have a couple of old speakers lying around, and I was wondering if it would be possible to use them as an amplifier. No tubes, no tone controls, probably just a volume control; basically some speakers in a box. Can this be done, and where could I find some basic guidelines/instructions? I don’t plan on using it for gigging or anything, I more or less just want to experiment, so it really doesn’t have to be anything fancy.

A: go to tabcrawler.com and ask those guys know what theyre talking about

Q: Would it be okay to play a bass guitar through an electric guitar amplifier? What would be the sound quality?
I have a Vox AD30VT and I use it for my Epihone Explorer, as well as my Taylor 110 Acoustic.
I have a Vox AD30VT and I use it for my Epiphone Explorer, as well as my Taylor 110 Acoustic.

A: As the other two have said it may wreck your speaker, but after many an experience of playing through P.A.’s, Guitar Amps, Bass Amps, you name it, you can really tell the differance between an guitar and bass amp. You lose most of the sound from you deepest strings (E, A) and the sound quality overall is poor, as the others said. Hope this helps, Capt. Groove.

Q: what is a good quality but cheap electric guitar amplifier?
i have a marshall MG50DFX at the moment, but i’m not very happy with the sound, so i was wondering if there was something better but for a similar kind of price, and also a good mid ranged, cheapish electric guitar, i have a hollow body epiphone dot studio but that isn’t great either, so would like ideas for something better to replace that also.

A: Hey Mark I don’t know where you are located but I would certainly try www.thomann.de.

Myself and my son have bought an AMOUNT of musical instruments and stuff here and have been very happy with their prices, quality and service.
They will ship worldwide – for example up to 30 Kg for 30 Eur

Worth a look for comparison if nothing else.
Peter

Q: What is the best electric guitar amplifier money can buy?
hypothetically lets say money is not an option, whats the best guitar amp? im just curious

A: “Best” at what? Tone? Man, that’s really subjective.

There’s an amp called a Trainwreck that was designed by a guy named Ken Fischer that’s almost legendary. Supposedly while he was designed it, he would move tubes and components around a mm at a time and then place them where he though they sounded the best.

Brad Paisley, David Lindley, and other have said this was the holy grail of amps.

Sadly, Ken passed away in 2006. There are several companies building clones now but the people who have played the originals say nothing comes close. If you can find one for sale now they’re going for between $30-40,000!

Another legendary amp is the Dumble, made by Howard Dumble. They’ve been described as a really great Fender on steroids. These amps were played by David Lindley (again, what an amp ho!), Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Mayer, Santana, and Eric Johnson. And again, Howard was very much into component placement and signal path routing. Each amp was literally custom built for a customer. But, his business model wasn’t the greatest. You sent him $10-15,000 for the amp, and then waited 6 months to 1 year. If someone with a bigger name than you came along and wanted one, he would sell your amp to them. If you called him and bugged him, he would just send your money back (kind of like the soup nazi on Seinfield). But, if you got one, it was an amazing experience. I got to play on a Dumble Overdrive Special, and it was like the guitar was playing itself.

Supposedly, there are fewer than 300 of them in existance now. Since the 80’s, Howard has been covering the circuits in epoxy to keep people from ripping off his design. However, some have been “de-gooped” and copied. The most famous Dumble clones are made by Fuchs amps, and are available for about 1/10th the cost (Joe Bonamassa is a big Fuchs amp user).

These amps are in the clean to mid-gain class, so if you’re a blues or pop or rock player you’ll probably love ‘em. If you’re a metal guy, then they ain’t gonna do it for you. You’d probably want to try to seek out a Lee Jackson modified Marshall from the 80’s. Lee was one of the original amp hot-rodders, and eventually started selling his own line of amps (Perfect Connection, Metaltronix, and he designed for Ampeg for a while). Lee’s in Austin now, supposedly working on the ultimate digital/tube hybrid amp.

If you can find on of his modded Marshalls, you’ll pay $5-8000 for one.

FInally, I’ve gotta give props to Kendrick Amplifiers. Gerald Weber is the owner and head amp guru there (and a fan of my band The Rhythm Dawgs even though I play a digital amp). Gerald probably knows more about vintage Fender amps than anyone else out there, and is now building his own signature model for around $5000 that’s one of the sweetest amps I’ve ever heard. Being a technical guy, I usually hate the artsy-fartsy descriptions people use when describing tone, but that amp truely has what I consider a 3-d sound that just envelops you.

My ultimate amp that I’ve owned? Believe it or not, it was a Peavey Ultra 60 1-12 combo from the late 80’s. There was just something about the little amp that really let me play well. I’m still kicking myself in the head for selling that thing.

I supposed that if I was going to buy another amp right now, and had a few thousand to throw down on it, I’d be looking at a Mesa Boogie Roadster or a Marshall JVM. Just my opinions.

Greetings from Austin, Tx

Ken

Q: Can I add speakers to a guitar combo amp?
I’m rebuilding an Ampeg SS-70c guitar amp and was wondering since im making a new cab anyways, why not make it bigger and add two more speakers. My only concern is would the extra load of the speakers try to draw too much power from the 70 watt amp and overwork the already 30 year old amp?

A: Amplifiers are designed to operate at a certain impedance load that is expressed in ohms. When you parallel a pair of 8 ohm drivers the load then becomes 4 ohms. When you series a pair of 8 ohm drivers the load then becomes 16 ohms. This means you wouldn’t be able to just simply use the original pair of 10″ drivers and just add two more because if you wire in parallel then the load would be too low and if you wire in series the load would be too high. The only way your idea would be possible is for example, if the original drivers are each 8 ohms then you would either have to obtain their 16 ohm counterpart or their 4 ohm counterpart. All the drivers need to be identical and with the same ohm rating. Ideally they would also have the same frequency response and sensitivity rating as the original drivers in order for the tone to be identical as the original design. If you can get 16 ohm drivers then you would parallel one pair together to achieve an 8 ohm load. Then do the same for the other pair. If you can get 4 ohm drivers then you would have to series one pair and the same for the other pair to still get 8 ohms. I believe the Ampeg SS-70c is really two 35 watt amplifiers that are each feeding one 10″ driver. Even if you found drivers that would work, the only sonic difference would be that the system will play louder BUT the drivers would not be able to play to their full potential because the power is now divided amongst all 4 drivers. So each 10″ would only be getting 17.5 watts each. Underpowering a speaker is always a bad idea. All your doing is doubling the surface area of the drivers and effectively increasing the efficiency of the system by 3dB. It’s not worth all the trouble in my opinion. If you want it to play louder then you are much better off replacing the two 10″ drivers with ones that have a higher sensitivity rating. Make sure they have similiar frequency response and the same ohm rating as the original. Good luck with the rebuild.

Q: What’s the best guitar combo amp on the market?
I’m looking at buying a new combo amp. What’s the best brand or best amp? I don’t have a price range. I’m looking at the Line 6 Vetta II 2×12. I’m also looking at the Line 6 X3 Live. Is it a good product, and can it be used just for home, or must it be used during live performances? Thanks!

A: get a marshell stack 4 preforming get a line6 spider 3 15 watt combo 4 home

Q: adding an extention cabbinet to a guitar combo amp?
Hey, i have a Line 6 Spider III 150 watt combo amp, and im thinking of buying an extension cabinet for it. But im not sure if it will be any use..
will it make it any louder or will it just split the amps power between the speakers in the cabinet and the speaker in the amp?

A: It splits the amps power between them. Extension cabinets don’t make an amp “louder”, but they do push more air (ie puts more sound out there), so you’ll actually be heard better if you’re in a band context and the like.

Extension cabs can also give your amp a subtle bit of flavor… for instance, putting a Celestion Lead 80 2×12 cab underneath your combo would put out a tone that wouldn’t color your sound too much, won’t overdrive, but will still have a nice tight low end and drive well. Putting a cab loaded with vintage 30’s or something like that would give you a sound that *is* pretty colored, you’ll get a very “cranked” sound out of them, but you’ll also get less bass response, and less overall volume.

Me, I’d go for relatively high wattage speakers, esp if it’s a 150 watt modeling amp… you don’t want your speakers to break up too much, as that will cut out some of your low end.

I love the Celestion GT75’s, they’re a bit more colored than the Lead 80’s, ie less high highs, more contoured mids, and less low lows, but the overall effect is very “rock”… power chords are chunky and tight, and the highs cut through the mix but aren’t icepick-y or hissy/shrieky.

EDIT: Let me clarify that last response.

If your amp has an 8 ohm jack for output impedance, then you want to match it up to an 8 ohm cab. That’s all you have to remember… the impedance will be in the back of the speaker cab right next to the jack itself… you don’t need to know anything about series vs parallel wiring, just read the manual and pay attention to the output impedance on the amp and make sure it equals the speaker impedance on the extension cab.

Saul

Q: Do you think the Ibanez GTA Series GTA10 10W 1×5 Guitar Combo Amp will need a distortion peda?
well i’m buying this amp the Ibanez GTA Series GTA10 10W 1×5 Guitar Combo Amp and it says it has some distortion but is it as good as a distortion pedal.

A: I have the amp and it is crap, just go with a line 6 spider 3 15 watt amp with a boss ds1 distortion pedal.

Q: where can I find knob settings for a line 6 spyder II guitar combo amp?
I want it to sound like
van halen
metallica
slipknot

But i dont know knob settings for it. Is there a site that has these settingsg shown?

A: yeah go to line 6’s website they have a list of settings and pictures of the amp

ps metallica uses line 6
dont know about slipknot
if you want to sound like eddie buy his signature amp

Q: Which should i get? The Line6 Spider III 15 Guitar Combo Amp or the Boss MT2 Distortion Pedal?
Music related question- an ok amp, or a great pedal with a starter pack not so great amp i already have?

A: please do not get the line 6 amp. they are terrible, and so brittle when turned up. At least with the metalzone you can sell it off if you don’t like it since it is a fairly popular high gain pedal. anyways that is a piece of equipment that can grow with you as a musician, the cheap amp will become a doorstop.

what guitar/ amp combination are you running? if you already have a crummy amp, keep it. save up for a nice tube or solidstate amp. no point in spending $100 on a disposable piece of equipment. that is exactly what it is.

Q: How can I put a line out of a bass guitar combo amp?
Is it possible? If so, how do you do it. I don’t know how any of this stuff works..

A: Hello there,

Soulmate has given you a very good answer. I do not disagree with anything he said.

If your amp does not have a line out jack, you can modify it to add one. In theory, not a difficult process if you understand electronics. Since you are asking this question, I would guess you do not have a good understanding of electronics. Therefore you should not attempt this modification yourself. It is quite easy to screw up a good amp if you do not know what you are doing. If you want this modification, take the amp to a tech to have it done.

However, the modificiation may not be practical. If your amp is not strong enough to handle additional speakers, you will gain nothing by added the line out jack.

Later,

Q: Does a Squire by Fender Black and Chrome Fat Strat go with a Line 6 Micro Spider 6W 1×6.5 Guitar Combo Amp?
I would just like to know if anyone has had any experience playing with either one of these. If you could recommend an amp to go with the Fat Strat (under $200) I would very much appreciate it. Thanks.

A: I’d really recommend a small, basic tube amp over any of the Spider series amps. The Spider will work as a practice amp, but you’ll never really get a very convincing guitar tone out of it. These amps will do a smaller range of tones, minus a bunch of gimmicky effects, but they’ll sound much better overall.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Epiphone-Valve-Junior-Combo-Amp?sku=480260

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Champion-600-5-Watt-1×6-Combo-Amp?sku=485054

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Peavey-ValveKing-Royal-8-Tube-Guitar-Combo-Amp?sku=481661

If you’re willing to save up a bit more cash, you can actually get quite a bit more for around $250 or more:

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product?sku=481675X

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-VibroChamp-XD-120V-Guitar-Combo?sku=483069

Q: I have a Fender Frontman 65R 65W 1×12 Guitar Combo Amp and i want it to sound more PUNK any suggestions?
I play in a punk band that sounds very similar to blink, earlier green day, earlier yellowcard, zebrahead etc. etc. and my amp just cant seem to get that sound any tips (besides get a new amp?

A: The best thing you can do is try out different pedals. I recommend an Electro-Harmonix Big Muff or any of the BOSS brand overdrive/distrotion pedals. You really can’t go wrong.

Q: What guitar amp combo did bonehead use in oasis?
Love that distorted raw oomph sound!!

A: Having checked the onstage backline from Glasto 94, he’s playing a Gibson/Epiphone 335 and going through a Marshall Shortstack. Likewise on the pyramid stage the following year (I was there!). Tough to say which particular model amp it is but it’s classic Gibson (or Epiphone) humbucker thickness fed through a crunchy Marshall valve amp on the overdrive channel. Pretty standard and classic rock guitar set-up,
If you want the exact skinny on it, google Marshall Amplification and email em or buzz em up, they’ll have records. And trust me, they get enquiries like this every day.

Q: what is the best guitar and amp combo for blues rock?
i have a budget of £2000, suggestions of good pedals (wah wah, boost, fuzz, phaser, whatever) would be very good as well.

A: You have many options. But here are a few of my recommendations:
Guitar:
-Fender American Stratocaster
-Gibson SG
-Gibson Les Paul

Amps:
-Fender Hot Rod Deluxe
-Peavey Classic
-Fender Bassman

Effects:
-Vox V847A Wah Pedal
-Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9 or Ts808
- MXR M173 Silicon Fuzz
- MXR Phase 90

Q: would drummer be able to hear 150watt guitar amp/combo?
would drummer be able to hear a guitar which is connected to Ibanez 150watt combo?

A: Depends on where it’s pointed, but as a general rule, yes. The big problem is how your amp interplays with the other amps involved. Stuff tends to get lost in the midrange and it’s sometimes difficult to tell what is its you are hearing. (Which instrument I mean.) Obviously, the thing you want to hear when you’re playing drums is the bass. But even us dumb drummers figure out how to take cues from other sounds. The best thing to do is set up monitors with a monitor mixdown for each player. This way, they can control what they hear according to what they NEED to hear. I played for years with about 2000 watts of power pointed at me from a couple of Marshall stacks, four Horn loaded Fender Showmans, a couple of Sunn bass amps and four Leslie Speakers. Somebody decided that we could use THAT stuff as monitors and go direct out through the PA. It sounded great. But I cant hear much now.

In retrospect, it was worth the tradeoff.

Q: Which amp is better? (Peavey Vypyr 15 15W 1×8 Guitar Combo Amp OR Line 6 Spider III 15 15W 1×8 Guitar Combo Am?
I’d like to know which amp is better:
Peavey Vypyr 15 15W 1×8 Guitar Combo Amp
OR
Line 6 Spider III 15 15W 1×8 Guitar Combo Amp

Which amp is better for an epiphone lp-100?

Thx

A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYslxyj4Qwk

See for yourself.

Q: Should i get a Vox Valvetronix VT50 50W 1×12 Guitar Combo Amp or a Vox ValvetronixVT100 100W2×12 Guitar Combo?
There the same amp but the 100 Watt is bigger (obviously). I just want to know which one would be better for just playing in a medium sized room. and if theres going to be anychange in tone.
Thank You

A: Honestly you shouldn’t get either one. If you’re looking at the VT100, obviously you’re willing to pay $500 for an amp. At that price you should really consider investing in a tube amp. I personally don’t care too much for Vox’s amp modeling, but that’s just me. Vox’s tube amps are great though! Tube tone is the way to go.

Some amps to consider in the $500 range would be the Bugera V22, the Bugera V55, the Fender Hot Rod series Blues Junior, the Fender Pro Junior, or the Jet City JCA2112RC. Or for $100 more (at $600), you could be looking at the Vox AC15C1 (a fantastic amp, especially now that it comes with a Celestion greenback!), or the Fender Blues Junior (another great little amp). All these tube amps would be loud enough for almost any gig you’re probably going to play and would also have enough flexibility to get the sounds you want. Also, check out used tube amps on craigslist; you can really find some good deals. My general opinion is that you shouldn’t spend your money on solid state amps when a tube amp is in your budget. Good luck!

Q: What Combo Guitar Amp Should I Buy?
im 15 years old, i play in a loud thrash metal band, i work for minimum wage on saturdays & sundays, i earn about £80 a month, and im soon to own a Dean ML79F.
what twin 12″ speaker combo amp should i buy for under £400?

A: I think that the link below is a rather attractive option. I may not like their solid state amps (shudder) but I do think that their tube amps have a very pleasing sound.

Use any money left over to get better pickups. I like Seymour Duncan JB’s (very versatile, nice clean sound and decent distorted), but if you’re into playing metal and only metal, then something like the SD (Seymour Duncan) Customs, DiMarzio D-Sonic, SD Dimebucker, SD Invaders, or DiMarzio X2N’s (in order of less hot to hottest pickup I know of) might suit you better.

I hope that Dean doesn’t have a whammy. You’d be in for a lot of pain. Whammy’s go out of tune easily, you can’t change the tuning without completely resetting the trem, you have to re-intonate and setup when changing strings, and god forbid you break a string in the middle of a show! It’s all over… I’m not a fan of them, and everyone I know who plays even semi-seriously uses a fixed bridge, or won’t play with a floating trem (whammy) without a backup.

If you learn how to set it up and intonate it yourself it’s not too bad, though, it’s just a pain when it goes out of tune in the middle of the song. You don’t want to have to bring it back to the store every time something goes wrong, that’s all I’m saying….

Saul

Q: What type of amp should I get for my new bass guitar?
I just bought a cheap bass, and I’m looking for a practice amp. Can I use a regular guitar amp (in case I decide to switch to electric guitar) or should I defiantly get a bass amp?

A: Concerning the unsure outcome of playing bass or guitar: You can play guitar through a bass amp, but not bass through a guitar amp. It’s a one way street. So get the bass amp.

Since I don’t know how interested you are in bass, getting a cheap small amp could give you a horrible sound and be a complete turnoff. Get something decent. You don’t have to spend top dollar, but go to a local shop, a Guitar Center if you have one around, and try things out. You’ll run across something you like. If you think it’s too expensive, get the name and model and look it up online. Win/win

X

Q: Is it ok to play a bass guitar on a regular guitar amp, or should i invest in a bass amp?
I’ve got a regular guitar amp, would it sound like shit if i played a bass guitar on it? Should i not use it for a bass guitar?

A: The problem with playing a bass through a guitar amp is that it will eventually ruin the speaker in the amp or cabinet. The speakers in most guitar amps are not meant to handle the constant low frequencies put out by bass guitars. It won’t really hurt the amp at all and you could probably get away with it if you have decent speakers and played at a very , very low volume. But what fun is that? lol ,buy yourself a good bass amp and crank it up!

Q: Can I plug a Bass guitar into a guitar amp without harming the instrument or amp?
I have a bass but no bass amp, But I was wondering if I could plug it into a guitar amp instead. My friend (non-experienced) said it would harm the amp and the bass if I had them plugged into one another. Is this true or am I in the clear to do that?

A: Most everyone has given you the right answer so far: Yes, it’s possible, but do so only at low volumes.

The only thing I wanted to add is why it could hurt the speaker but not the bass. The bass is sending a signal to the amp. The bass doesn’t receive a signal and therefore couldn’t really be damaged. The amp receives a signal and puts it out over the speakers. If this signal is too much for the speakers to handle, they could be blown. So technically the only thing at risk is the actual speakers.

One tip is to buy a DI or some sort of preamp that has a headphone jack.

Stephen

http://guitarmann.com

Q: Can you use an electric bass guitar with an electric guitar amp?
I have an electric guitar and i want to buy a bass guitar and i have a bass amp. So why not use my electric guitar amp.

A: You need a bass amp, because a guitar amp is not designed to play the low notes a bass guitar plays. You will wear out the speaker(s) in it pretty quick if you use it. Why use the guitar amp if you have a bass amp?

Q: Can you see the difference between an Electric guitar amp and a Bass amp?
I want to switch from acoustic to bass but i honestly cant see the difference between them and what is a good brand for a bass guitar and amp?

A: Your question and description are a bit confusing but ill take a shot at answering it.

There is a big (I wouldn’t say huge) difference in Acoustic and Bass guitars. Obviously they sound different but the parts to actual songs are usually different. I dont know what kind of music you play but in a regular song, the acoustic guitar will play ‘lead’ (you might also have a rhythm part with another guitar) and the bass will play a rhythm part (for lack of a better word).

I have started playing bass myself and am enjoying it very much. I bought an Epiphone SG Cherry Bass for $320 AU and amp off Ebay for $80. These are very cheap prices for bass equipment, although good for a starter. You could go the same way or decide to get a more expensive guitar for $5/6/700 +++.

I would recomend Epiphone, Ibanez or Gibson if you want to play Rock/Metal. Or Fender/Yamaha for a clean jazz sound

Q: Is it possible to turn a stereo amp into a bass guitar amp?
I have an old stereo amp that I want to use to play bass guitar on. I don’t get the proper tone that is needed with just that. I also have a small (practice size) bass amp (BP-15). Is there a way to connect the two together to make a cheep bass amp head? I would be using separate speakers. Thanks for advise cool cool

A: I’ve run a guitar directly into a stereo, and I agree, the sound is too clean.

If there is an output plug running from the practice amp, you should be able to connect it to the stereo and any distortion or effects will come through to the stereo amp. You may need to make the correct type of cord to do this.

If the practice amp does not have an output, you should be able to have an electronics repairman or a music shop guy who knows amplifiers put one in, but I don’t have any idea what that would cost.

Q: Can you use a bass guitar amp with an electric guitar or do I need a new amp?
I’m getting an electric guitar and I already play bass and want to know if I can use my bass amp with the guitar or if I need a new one.

A: your bass amp is great for guitar, but a guitar amp can be ruined with a bass.

check out this 2-string bass

http://www.geocities.com/washtubbass/cardboardbass.html

Q: Can I use my bass guitar amp as additional speakers for my DVD player?
It’s a Ibanez SWX35 bass guitar amp, and it has CD/mp3 in ports. Do I just connect the DVD player’s audio out to the CD/mp3 in ports? Also, any way so that I can use my existing speakers with the bass amp too?

Lastly, would it damage the bass amp?

A: When I first started playing the bass I was in dire need of more power… So a friend and I decided to unscrew the amp, remove the central console and start figuring out where to connect these massive speakers that we had… So after a couple of tries making contact here and there we found a couple of 2cm ( 0.787401575 inches ) long metal thingies and connect the speakers coax cables to them and it worked…

It actually sounded louder, it was a 50W amp and with the “upgrades” I was able to play at parties, so it does work.

Of course dismounting your amp sounds discouraging, but I never had any trouble, it’s not that tricky and there aren’t any things that are going to come undone if you unscrew your amp, of course you have to be careful not to yank any cable or anything. And putting it back together it’s easy as well, of course having to repeat the whole operation may be a hassle.

The amp didn’t seemed to have suffered any damage, and I squeezed out every watt that poor little amp had to offer XD.

Pertaining the DVD player, I don’t know precisely but I think it’s just a matter of pluging cables here and there. I don’t have much experience with new amps.

Good luck.

Q: If i use headphones, Can I damage my guitar amp by playing a bass through it?
I just bought a new bass guitar… but i don’t have a bass amp yet.

I have some very nice headphones that I usually plug into my amp while i play guitar at night.

I know that playing bass at high volume through a guitar amp can cause damage to the speaker, but what if I use my headphones? Can the amp still be damaged if I use headphones?

A: no it cannot. I wouldn’t push the thing to its limits…but that’s definitely ok to do.

Q: use bass guitar with electric guitar amp?
is it possible to use a bass guitar with my electric guitar amp?
do i need specifically a bass amp?

A: You can use it, but it won’t sound as good as a regular bass amp. Keep the volume, and treble down so you don’t get distortion.

Q: Does anyone know if Orange Amplifiers makes a bass guitar amp?
And do you know if Line 6 bass amps are good? My father has a line 6 guitar amp and loves it, so i’m guessing the bass amp will be pretty chill too.

A: Yes, Orange makes bass amps. I’m guessing they’re pretty expensive though!

Line 6 bass amps aren’t very good; they’re modeling amps. This means you don’t get much of your bass’s actual tone, but the amp’s internal processors trying to sound like a different amp. Sometimes they almost get it right, other times not really. There are a lot of way better brands out there for the price. If you’re looking for a really small practice amp, check out a Peavey MAX 126 or 158. If you want something a bit more powerful, check out Ashdown or Acoustic.

Hope you find what you’re looking for =)
Cheers!

Q: Can you use a bass guitar amp with an electric guitar?
I play electric guitar and already have an amp for it..but my grandmother bought me another one. Its a bass amp though. Can I use that one with my guitar or no?

A: Sure you can. It won’t sound too great. Bass amps are made for more low end tones. Not so much the mid to high ends put out by an electric guitar.

But never play an electric bass guitar through a normal electric guitar amp. You’ll blow the speaker in no time.

Q: What’s the difference between a Bass Amp and a Guitar Amp?
What’s the difference between a Bass Amp and a Guitar Amp?

Can you play a bass or guitar in the opposite amp without wrecking the amp or instrument?

A: The preamp section of the amps are voiced differently. Meaning that they are meant for different frequencies. However, it is popular with some guitarists to play through bass amps especially an old fender bassman. There are even examples of bass players using guitar amps (but, i think it sounds like crap.) It should have no effect on the instrument, but a bass could wreak havoc on a guitar amp.

Q: Electric guitar through bass amp dilemma?
Hi, I’ve been wondering for years about this and never really found a definitive answer.
I’m a guitarist and bassist. Playing a bass through a guitar amp would kill it.
So I’m planning to get a new bass amp to practice both guitar & bass.
Is this the best thing to do?

A: A bass amp isn’t ideal for the electric guitar. Electric guitar amps roll off a lot of high end and emphasize mids, while bass guitars emphasize the lows and keep a lot of that high end for the “snap” and “attack” of the strings and fret noise. Overall, a bass amp is built for headroom, ie, being able to put out a lot of clean volume, while a guitar amp is built to put out a limited frequency range, specializing in where the electric guitar sounds the best.

Some bass amps sound great with guitars…. I’m thinking of the Fender Bassman, a bass amp that many guitarists have loved to play through ever since they came out way back when. However, most modern bass amps are too clean to fit a guitar without some pedals in between.

So in my general opinion, to play an electric through most bass amps, you would either want a multifx pedal (which benefits from a lot of clean headroom) or some sort of preamp in between to kinda dirty it up a bit. EQ probably wouldn’t hurt either.

Saul

Q: Difference between bass amp and guitar amp?
Hi I’m picking up the bass guitar and i already own a regular guitar amp (Fender Deluxe 90 DSP) and was wondering if there will be a huge difference between just cranking up the bass on my regular amp or using an actual bass amp. Will there be a huge difference?

Thanks!

A: The difference is huge you must have a bass amp for a bass or it will sound horrible it will sound like a wannabe guitar which can affect your song a lot and plus the bass amp can go way louder with lower sounds without giving feedback.

Q: solid state V.S tube guitar amps?
Alright I been playing guitar for around 6 years now and its time for a new amp and I will be starting a new band soon.Who likes what and why. The sales guy and guitar center was acting like I was a new b and didnt know the difference between them.I know tube amps tend to have better sound to them but solid state are cheaper and some are excelent amps.What should I do . Solid state have never let me down.

A: Check them out, plug in and play through them with the guitar you like best. Fender and Marshall are the best tube amps, they have a warmth, and tone that is the best, but if you like the sound of a non-tube amp go with it….your opinion and what you like is as important as anyone else. Tube Amps are usually heavier, than solid state.
You can always look at the lower cost Marshall’s they have good sound, and are smaller and easier to carry around. I love my Fender Twin Reverb, but it’s like carrying around a car engine. I got a smaller Marshall that is mostly solid state but has a tube or 2 for warmth, much cheaper, much lighter. Play them all…if they won’t let you, take your business elsewhere.

Q: I’m looking fo CHEAP elec guitars /amps?
I need a cheap guitar and amp, soon. NEW OR USED! i am a beginner, and i need one soon!! if you have one for sale please reply, or if you know where to get one please say. Vancouver BC area.

A: Well I got my electric Gibson for Christmas with a five watt amp from Best Buy and it was like 125-150 something like that. It works great and you get a how to DVD with it that will teach you how to play if you don’t already know how and you get pics, extra strings and a strap it’s really a great deal. It gives off great sound also. They are a lot easier to learn on than accoustic trust me.

Q: Need help buying a guitar please?
I’d like to learn to play guitar. I’m not “starting a band” or hoping to be a musican professionally. I just want to play. I don’t know anything about guitars, what to look for etc. I stopped in to a music store to look and the sales guy just confused me with things like “Humbuckers” and “single coils” and “hollowbody” “solidbody” and “semisolidbody” and glued necks vs bolted necks, “sustain” etc…I left feeling stupid.

I don’t know what to buy. I like both classic rock and country music. I’d like a guitar I can play both on. I also know nothing about gear for the guitar…Amps, cases, cords, polishing, humidity???

Please help if you have knowledge in this area…thanks.

A: I’ve been playing the guitar for 364 days, tomorrow will be 1 year. I’m not really an expert on guitar because I’m a beginner, but I’ll try my best to help you.
If you want to play both classic rock and country music, you should probably buy an electric-acoustic guitar. Oh, and probably the best place to go to is Sam Ash music store ( I hope it’s not the store you went to =] )
I am totally clueless when it comes to gears. Sorry I can’t help you on that case.

Good luck!

Q: Can anyone recommend a bass amp for me?
I’m a guitar player that recently picked up bass (4 string) to use in recording, and now I am being offered a spot in a semi-professional heavy metal band to play bass. I need a bass amp that can handle gigs in clubs and outdoors, is pretty reliable and is about 400 dollars. Can anyone recommend something – the sales people at the local store have been pretty worthless. I know my guitar amps, but have no idea about bass amps, how many watts I need, etc. Thanks!

A: You need you a rig that has good power, and at least 4-10’s or 2-15’s for outside. A budget of $400 won’t buy you much on the line of a good rig, but you might try a mail order place like www.americanmusical.com and get around the sales tax, which will help on the overall cost. Hartke is a little expensive, but you can get a Behringer 300W head for about $200 and a BA115 cabinet for about $200, putting your price at $400 give or take. Good Luck!

Q: OK, Rock ‘n Pop, you’ve been incredibly useful so far… (Guitar related question)?
This will probably be my last guitar related question, at least for a couple months…

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Epiphone-Les-Paul-Special-II-Electric-Guitar-100001870-i1149986.gc

Great price, but is it a good guitar?

Decent, affordable amps?

Throwing out a question: Would anybody happen to know if Apple has sales during the holiday season?

MQ: Which guitarist do you think has the most distinct guitar? Your favorite?

My answer to both is Clapton.

http://i.realone.com/assets/rn/cms/2004/large/Eric_Clapton_4_-_Crossroads_Guitar_Fest_2004_-_lg.6219849.jpg

He uses it quite often, and I just think it looks awesome.

A: It looks fine to me. You can’t really go wrong with Epiphone, no matter the price. As for a decent, affordable amp, go for a Line 6 Spider III 15 watt amp. I own that and a Line 6 75 watt and use it as a practice amp. It’s great because it’s only 100 bucks and has a great sound and 7 different built in effects.

Billy Gibbons has one of the most original guitars I’ve ever seen. It’s white and has a layer of fur all around it.
http://www.gibson.com/Files/aaFeaturesImages/ZZ%20Top%20Gibson%20furry%20guitars.jpg
Aside from him, Zakk Wylde also has very distinct guitars.

Q: Which guitar/amp would be good for me?
Alright so i’m still a pretty novice player. I’ve only been playing for around 8-9 months but i’m starting to get the hang of it. Learning some beginner Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer songs. stuff like that. also starting looking into some easier death metal songs like Pursuit of Vikings by Amon Amarth.

anyway that’ll give you an idea of what genre i like and want to play. So far i’ve just been using a Wal-Mart guitar and amp my dad got me for christmas a few years ago. I think it cost him like a 100 bucks or somthing. anyway not the greatest stuff point being. but he said soon i can get a new guitar and i want to know wat kind/brands i should look into.

I’m probably going to futur shop i think cuz the one near me just opnened up a decent guitar and music section and has lots of stuff on sale to start getting customers there. they hav like Washburns, Schecters, Fenders, Yamaha, Squiers. i think thats mostly wat they have. so keeping in mind that i intend to play mostly thrash/death metal which of those brands would be pretty good for me? or are there other ones i should check out as well first?

as for amps i was thinking of getting a Marchall. they got a 30watt one (i forget the actual model it is) on sale for like 225 bucks i think which is a pretty good deal i think anyway. i herd marshalls are really good amps so ill probably go with that one unless someone rly thinks otherwise.

anyway sorry for the long question and thanks for the help. rock on!! m/ xD

A: Get a Schecter, and stick with the Marshall

Q: Items sent overseas?
I’m planning on having my cousin buy my bass parts and amps in the states and sending it to Australia, but don’t know what the costs will be? I was just looking on the Fender Au. website and found this:

” Many overseas internet sites that you may be looking at may not quote you the price inclusive of their local taxes, freight to Australia, Australian duty (which is applicable to guitars and amps) customs clearance charges, port charges and surcharges and other government charges which may also include a quarantine inspection charge, and GST. The price quoted also may not be in Australia dollars. The price does not include warranty outside the country of sale.”

Will the items be charged for inspection, taxes, freight etc. (everything included in the text)?

A: Your items will be taxed (tariff), freight charge, duty and clearance fees, documents fees, quarantine charge and if it’s not clear right the way, you have to pay for the container that sits on the dock, I’m sure left something out…What they’re not telling is that you need to hire a freight brokerage company to receive it for you…

Below is a website for the freight brokerage companies in Australia…call around and compare quotes (you will need to find out the container size, it will probably be a 20′ container) and make sure they have insurance. These companies have a better understanding of how imports works and will have a better answers for you..

To me? I think it cost for shipping, taxes, duties, clearance and transport charge outweigh the cost of the items you want to have it sent…In any case, good luck to you and hope this will help you find the right answers.

Q: I need help with a guitar amp choice?
so i came out of a local music store with a Peavey Vypyr 30. It was between this, the Marshall MG30, and the Marshall Microstack. I chose this amp because i was very pleased with the wide range of effects i could play with, and i found the sound was better than the Marshall MG30, with alot more versatility. However, I have always heard that marshall are the cream of the crop when it comes to amps, however the sales guy said that that statement was true mostly in their larger tube amps. He said that for a first amp, this was the much better purchase.

So basically, i wanted to see what other musicians thought of my choice. They have a 7 day return policy and i could take it back for a marshall, although the 23 included effects are pretty sweet, but ive heard that Peavys arent high qual. Opinions please and thanks.

A: Marshall amps are known for their high quality, but not all Marshall amps are great. You made a good choice to go for the Peavey. The MG series is where Marshall falls short. The salesman was right. Only their larger tube amps live up to the standards of most musicians.

I’d say you made a good choice. And whoever said Peavys aren’t high quality is wrong. Try out a Peavey Valve King

Q: Need help deciding between two amps…?
Ok..its between this one…

http://www.electric-guitar-review.com/2006/03/29/review-fenders-reissue-blues-deluxe/
which is on sale for $560

or this one

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/guitar_amplifiers/vox/ad50vt/index.html
which is also on sale for..$250

the top one is full tube but it costs a lot more….i don’t think i’m going to be doing any gigs with it or anything.. just playing around the house…depends on how long it lasts…anyways..im just wondering which one is best to get for the money?

A: depends on what kind of music you play.tops more of a bluesy vintage sound and you don’t have to mess around with it too much to find what you’re looking for in terms of that.the description also says it’s good to gig with because of the fast set up,but if that’s not what you’re gonna be doin…..
bottom seems like a good amp that you can play different styles with.probably not going to get anything all too unique as far as sound goes (because the amps not really aimed at one i mean) but still does a good job of letting you mess around different with stuff at home
i would personally take the top one.pretty cool lookin fender
but for what you’re lookin for,sounds more like the bottom one and vox isn’t bad

Q: Can someone recommend me a Guitar Amp…?
I’m looking to spend about $300-$500
I’ve been looking at different amps around at local music shops but i keep getting mixed reviews online
(ie. behringer not being that good, Marshall is your best bet, stay away from line 6 etc. etc.)
I was thinking about getting a Behringer LX-110 or VT30FX or Marshall MG30FX since they are on sale
This will be my first amp but I’ve been playing acoustic guitar for a couple years
Just so people know I have a electric guitar too

A: OK. Forget about a Behringer, and get a Marshall or any Fender amp. This is just my opinion but I have owned Behringer and Marshall and Fender before.

Q: Acustic Amps?
Hey have been searching all over and this is my last attempt.
Do any of you musicians out there remember a guitar amp co. named Acustic? And if so would any of you know of a place were I might find one for sale Base amp
Thanks
Steel

A: i honestly didn’t know there was such thing…
i would go to a music shop… and just ask them about it. you might get better luck.

Q: For Sale!!!!!!?
i have a electric guitar … it is a replica of a fender strat .. and i have 2 fender amps.. Frontman 25R and a G-DEC … i am looking to sell all of these contact me for more info.

A: you could sell it super fast on ebay!

hope you get what it’s worth.

Q: Which guitar combo amp is a better choice: Line 6 Spider Valve 112 or Marshall AVT150?
I have recently been able to upgrade to a better amp and have rounded them down to either the Line 6 Spider Valve 112 and a Marshall AVT150. The Spider Valve cost around $450 used and the Marshall cost $400. Here is the link to the Marshall AVT150 for sale: http://used.guitarcenter.com/usedgear/details.cfm?listId=104876405
and this is the link to the Line 6 Spider Valve for sale: http://used.guitarcenter.com/usedgear/details.cfm?listId=104856299
They are both Valve-State amps but each one varies a lot. Please if you have any advice or comments, please write them down and post them here for me. Thank you very much for your help and time.

A: well i play drums and i know you
could prolly find both for cheaper on
musicians friend but the line 6 hands down
marshell is rad but your pick alot less amp

so line 6 lqtm

also musicians friend its worth it

Q: Are you going to the Salvation Army or Value Village 50% off sales today?
I’m doin’ Value Village. I like to see if they have any jean jackets. I already own like 11 but gotta get rid of about 9 of them for being a bit too small. They’re all 36. Went to Salvation Army on Friday and got an old western pearl snap plaid shirt, it’s okay. I’ve got a lot of those lately. Salvation Army kind of sucks. These places never carry amps or guitars. I don’t know why except people sell them to pawn shops or online, Goodwill would sell them on their website, unless it’s kinda low-goods so they sell like 60’s global acoustic for $15 that ain’t even worth $2 with messed up frets and general 60’s MIJ cheapness. Salvation Army sometimes has books. They have cool records like The Sunshine Company or Mimi and Richard Farina but I kinda quit collecting when you can generally download things. Still fun to search for records with sexy girls on the cover. Yeah..

A: I went yesterday, although the stuff I hid with my friend were gone.
But i got alot of stuff.
-clothes
-jewelry
-accesories
and i’m pretty happy with what i got (:

Q: Would this be loud enough to play with my band?
http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/BX1200.aspx

this is the amp i wanna get. i know its discontinued but GC has it for sale in the used section. i think it says something about you can add additional cabs to it so i might do that. My band consists of 2 guitar players with 100 watt amps and a drummer. Please only people that know what they’re talking about…….Also if you know can i hook up a PA speaker to the amp instead of buying a cab?? thanks for your help.

A: I don’t think these have external cabinet jacks.
This amp is really only 60 watts – Behringer cheats and rates them with 4 ohms, when 8 is standard.
Get the 3000 Behringer, which has 150 watts at 8 ohms and a 15 inch speaker.
It is a heavy sucker and a strange shape – you need a small dolly to not kill yourself to move it.

Q: What is a good tube guitar amp to buy?
I’m having a custom guitar built, and was wanting to buy a new amp to go with it. I know the tube amps will give you the best sound period, but which is the most affordable tube amp that will still give you a great vintage sound? Thanks in advance for any intel.

A: Try Carvin Tube Amps.

http://www.carvinguitars.com/amplifiers.php

They are all nice, especially the Legacy’s. But they are very expensive.
They have about three other tube amp models, each with different setups. You can get Combo tube amps, or half/full stacks.

I would recommend the X100B series. They sound very nice, and are pretty affordable.

Q: Can you recommend a good 5 watt or less tube guitar amp?
I’m looking for a good tube (valve) guitar amp for home us and some light jamming. I’d prefer 5w or less, and don’t really want to spend more than $750. It can be either a head or combo.

I’m a beginning guitarist, and play blues, 60’s pop, and some rockabilly. NO METAL!
I’m cosidering the Blackheart Little Giant and the Epiphone Valve Junior. Any others?

A:
I just bought an Epiphone Valve Jr, and I love it. It even sounds good through my Marshall stack, without any pedals or other junk that I’ll be playing through it. =)

Have you heard the Fender Champ? That might be a way to go. Their rep is that they’re pretty clean, but sweet. Might be what you’re looking for, but then again, you might want to throw a Tubescreamer into the mix….

Saul

Q: How does a Tube Guitar Amp Work?
I have a solid state amp and am thinking about getting a tube amp and I’m a little confused about how they work. When do you use the standy and on switches and care for the amp properly?

A:
The principle is the same. Signal comes in, and instead of transistors, at each tube this small signal on one side of the tube influences the much larger signal flowing through the other side of the tube, so that the output signal is almost identical to the input signal, just much larger. Repeat three to five times, add some caps and resistors and whatnot for EQ, and that’s the basics of a tube amp. Well, the super simple explanation.

To make that transferal of small signal to large signal a vacuum tube needs some juice – some heat. To get ‘em hot takes a few seconds. So to get the power flowing you turn on the power, but the full voltage isn’t applied to the tubes… don’t want to hit ‘em with too much juice at once. So that’s what the standby switch is all about. Turn on the power, wait a minute, then turn it from standby to on. The manual that came with my Mesa Boogie suggested a turn-on time of about a minute, so that’s what I go by with every tube amp that I use.

If you have the amp on but won’t be playing it for a while (10+ minutes), flip it to standby for that time period. When you’re ready to turn it off, flip it to standby, wait a minute, then turn it all the way off.

I don’t think that *not* doing this will break your amp or anything, but tubes aren’t built as well these days as they used to be, and you want to maximize their lifespan. Doing this stuff keeps ‘em alive a lot longer… and reduces the chance of them blowing during a gig!

Oh yeah, and never turn an amp all the way on unless it’s plugged into a speaker cab. It damages the amp. Apparently it’s okay with solid state amps, but it is *not* *not* *not* with tube amps.

So don’t do it. Always double-check to make sure the amp is plugged into the speaker cabinet before you flip that switch off of standby.

…

Oh yeah, ratings. Amps are rated for how much clean power they can deliver. Transistor amps function by delivering clean power pretty much up until they saturate/overload at which point they sound like crap. Tube amps with the same power rating will saturate sooner, much sooner, long before they overload, and so can deliver less clean power. What that means is that if amp A is solid-state and can deliver 100w, it will be rated at 100w. If amp B is a tube amp and can deliver the same power rating, it may only be able to deliver 40-60 watts of clean power… of even less! After that it starts to distort. It still delivers the power, but the signal isn’t clean… it has distortion, or harmonics, added to it. Interestingly enough, these harmonics tend to be musically pleasing to our ears, and we tend to hear them as pleasant, sweet, chimey, etc.

So what I’m trying to say is that the tube amp rated 50 watts is actually going to be just as loud, and probably a lot, lot louder, than that solid-state amp rated at 100 watts. I say this from personal experience.

Tube amps are fun… swapping tubes out can color your amp tone in interesting new ways, and can sometimes add that sparkle you’ve been looking for.

Ummm… don’t swap out power tubes without asking a tech if it needs to be re-biased. You don’t have to rebias for preamp tubes (12ax7, etc), and those are a lot of fun to swap out. Try JJ’s, I like them a lot.

Don’t let your amp get too cold, don’t leave it in the car or garage overnight (at least the head), etc. Swap out the tubes every year or two, or if you play it a lot (20+ hours a week), then swap ‘em out every year or year and a half.

Power tubes MUST be matched, it’s way safer for your amp that way. Preamp tubes don’t. Don’t put a 12ax7 in where a 12au7 is, if it’s for reverb, it’ll be too much gain and the reverb will sound like junk.

The Spider III is NOT a tube amp. Sure, it looks like one, and even has nice tubes that glow like christmas ornaments. It sure doesn’t sound like one though! Play it, then compare it to a real tube amp… it may have the volume, but it doesn’t have that sweet tube warmth!

That’s all I can think of for now. Ask lots of questions, google is your friend! And good luck, whichever way you go! (although I think there is no turning back for me now!) =)

Saul

Q: building a tube guitar amp. there are several diff ground symbols. are they all supposed to be connected?
I am building a tube guitar amp. there are several diff ground symbols on the schematic. are they all supposed to be connected? I have the ground from the power cord attached to the chassis. Can other grounds in the schematic be attached to the same chassis ground?
here is a link to the schematic: http://ax84.com/media/ax84_m175.pdf
is the signal ground connected to the chassis at all?

A: If you are using a power transformer, then the chassis should be isolated from the other grounds. There should only be a chassis ground and a separate signal ground which is the same as all the B- supply voltages.

The only other ground I can think of is the speaker ground, returning to the output transformer. That can either be separate, or connected to the signal ground — it doesn’t matter (unless you’ve got some really bizarre tube circuit).

If you e-mail me the schematic or send a link to it, I can check for sure.

.

Q: what is the best tube guitar amp in a mid price range?
i am looking for a tube amp to replace my solid state.
Any ideas?

A: What I would do, is, look in musiciansfriend.com, and check out the prices of the tube amps they sell in there! And if any of those prices are suitable , you will have a ;new one! If not the other places I would check would be the pawn shops, for a low price used one, or the music stores,!

Q: How do i know what guitar tube amp to choose?
I’ve been playing guitar for 2 years now and mostly 60s and 70s rock i was wondering if anyone could help me choose what brand and model amp to choose?

A: depends on how much you want to spend you could get a good vintage marshall orange or laney if you have a botomless pitt of money.if you dont have but a smaller budget get a peavey windsor.its 100watts all tube and has been compared to the marshall jcm800s. that is actually what it was based off of. i actually have the windsor and i love it! it is a great amp with lots of tone

Q: How do you change the tubes in a tube guitar amp?
Do you just remove the old tubes and pop the new ones in or are there other adjustments that need to be made?

A: The bias needs to be set on the new tubes if I am not mistaken. Don’t do this yourself.

Q: Why is a tube guitar amp louder than a solid state guitar amp?
For example: Why would a 30 watt tube amp be louder than a 30 watt solid state amp at maximum volume?

A: The way the human ear works is that it is very sensitive to the harmonic content of a sound. A tube amp is less linear (that is, has more distortion) at signal levels below clipping than a solid state amplifier. The distortion will increase slowly, and then more rapidly as the amp starts to clip. In fact, the distortion increases so gradually and is of such a benign nature that the onset of audible distortion has no easily defined threshold. The solid state amplifier on the other hand has no such gradualism. It is almost perfectly non-distorting right up to the point that it clips, and then it clips HARD. It’s easy to hear the threshold.
This sudden onset of distortion is also composed of relatively harsh sounding distortion, not like the subtle second and third harmonics of the tube amp. The human ear hears the sudden harsh distortion as clipping and harshness. It interprets the low order distortion of the tube amp as a louder sound, not as distortion. In effect, the tube amp fools the ear into thinking that its early distortion is more loudness. They therefore sound louder or more powerful than the actual measurements show are really there.

Q: what is the cheapest guitar tube amp i can buy?
i need to find a replacement for my old fender frontman POS. i would really like a tube amp or at least something better in a similar price range.

A: I have a Crate Vintage Club 50…50 watts, ALL tube, 2×12
It is about ten years old, and you can find used ones for about 300-400 dollars.

Q: What’s sounds better, a tube guitar amp or a transistor amp?
There us a lot of debate about this around me lately, i just wanted to hear some other opinions. is it the clean tone, the distortion and overdrive? maybe even tell me what brand of tube you recommend in a 12ax7 or a 6v6. (if you don’t understand the last part, i just have a lot of time on my hands.)LOL

A: I’ve heard some great sounding solid state amps (Roland JC-120), and I heard some tube amps that sound like you plugged your guitar into a wood chipper.

It really comes down to what style of music you want to play, and what sounds good to you. I’d say that 80% of the guitarists (semi pro and pro level) play tube amps (and conversely, probably 80% of bass players use solid state).

And yes, while the majority of guitarists use tubes, there are a few notable exeptions:

B.B. King – his favorite amp for the past few decades is an old Gibson L-5 solid state.

Ty Tabor (King’s X) – He had what I consider his best tones on the first 3 albums. He was very secretive about his rig. It finally came out that he used a preamp out of a Gibson amp, throug his effects, and then to a PA amp. Solid state all the way.

The Edge (U2) – Uses a multiple amp set up, and usually has a Roland JC-120 and a small solid state Randall amp in the mix.

The other thing to consider…there will be maintainance costs associated with a tube amp. They do wear out after a while and must be replaced. How often depends on how often and how loud you play.

You didn’t mention anything about what I consider the third type of amp, and that’s the digital modeling amp. It’s not tube, but it’s not a linear amp either. The signal gets digitized, and the tone and distortion is derived in software. And I know that most tube purists will tell you that they wouldn’t touch one of these amps if you gave it to them. But, I’ll share this and then shut up about that debate.

Kendrick Amplifiers is a small boutique amp manufacturer and repair/mod company north of Austin. It’s owned by a guy named Gerald Weber. Gerald builts some really amazing (and expensive) amps, and can fix anything out there that glows. More than once, he’s sat 10 feet from me at a club gig while I’m playing a Line 6 Vetta, and more than once he’s shaken his head and stated he didn’t know how they did it but he would swear there’s a tube in that amp somewhere. I think part of it is Gerald is being nice, but when I hear that amp on playback, I have to shake my head a little as well.

The bottom line is that you need to go out, plug in, and listen to as many amps as you can. Don’t get too hung up on what’s behind the panel. It you like what you hear, and it’s in your budget, then you’re good.

For tube types, I’m really liking the tubes that Electro-Harmonix is selling these days. I haven’t tried their 6V6, but their preamp tubes are very good.

Good luck.

Greetings from Austin, TX

Ken

Q: Tube Amp Question for guitar players?
So i’ve been planning to buy a used peavey guitar tube amp, and currently I play a solid state amp. I’ve been reading on the internet, and it sounds like I need to play a tube amp through a cabinet or something? Sorry if this is a stupid question, I’ve just never had

A: What you’re talking about is a head. Heads come in both solid state and tube. The head is the actual amp and the speaker cabinet contains the speakers. Check if it is a combo (head and speakers all in one) or if it is just a head. If thats the case then yes you need a cab.

Q: Whats a good guitar tube amp book?
I am interested in learning about guitar amplifiers and making them and want to know some good resources like books and websites. Any help would be appreciated.

A: a guitar
tube is what you plug the guitar into

Q: Is there any difference between sovtek 6L6GC and 6L6GB tubes for a tube guitar amp that would affect an amp ?
Old univox tube amp, requires 2- 6L6GC power tubes.I have 2 6L6GB tubes that seem to be compatable

A: 6L6GB have a 19 watt rating, 6L6GC have a 30 watt rating.

See the link below for details.

Q: What is the most versatile guitar tube amp head for under 1500?
And what would be some good cabinets to match the head for versitality?

A: Most versatile as in good cleans and high gain? I love Orange tube heads and have one myself, but wouldn’t call it versatile. Same with Marshall and Fender, they are what they are. I use an Orange tube half stack and a Fender Princeton tube combo with an A-B switch so I have the best of both worlds. Personally if I had to have one “do it all” head I’d get a Fender or VOX and then use a good pedal to dirty things up more. My next head is the Mesa Boogie TransAtlantic, but it’s under $1000 and may not be as much as you’re looking for. It’s also a 15 watt and you may want more. I’m big on lower watt tube amps so I can get proper saturation and then just mic as needed.

http://www.mesaboogie.com/Product_Info/Transatlantic/transatlantic-TA-15.html

Q: Looking for a Tube guitar amp that can shred?
I play stuff like bring me the horizion, destroy the runner, all that remains, parkway drive, shadows fall, bleeding through……..Looking for a head amp that is great at shredding

A: Amps don’t shred. Guitarists do – and they can do it through any amp. However, to pay with the big boys I’d check these out:

MARSHALL:

http://www.marshallamps.com/

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/navigation/guitar-amp-heads?N=100001+338493&Ntt=Marshall&src=3WWRWXGB&ZYXSEM=0

Lots of shredders seem to swear by MESA amps as well:

http://www.mesaboogie.com/

Here’s a comparison between a Marshall and Mesa:

http://www.petrucciforum.com/forums/archive/index.php?t-3121.html

Good luck!

Kabum

Q: Do you guys think a small fender guitar amp is decent or do you advise something else?
I need a guitar amp, and I don’t know much about them, personally I want a small/practice one, and i was wondering if the fender ones would be okay. Thanks:)

A: I’ve had a Fender Twin Reverb, and I have a Roland JC-120, both of which weigh a good 65 lbs each!

I now use a Fender Blonde Blues Junior, which has a 12″ Jensen speaker, spring reverb, and 15 watts of tube power..about 5 bills for this little amp.

I love it, and now I can have a guitar case in one hand, my gig bag over my shoulder, my amp in the same hand as my guitar, and still open a door without any help!

Of course, I do mic my amp through the bands PA system using an SM-57. But I will never lug around another 65 lb amp again.

Q: Why does my Fender guitar amp have a maximum volume of 12 rather than 10? Does it have a 12 step attenuator?
I have been asked about why my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe goes up to 12 and I’m sure it has nothing to do with Spinal Tap!

A: It’s just the knob. You could put 1 to 100 on there and it wouldn’t change anything.

Q: frontman fender guitar amp hook up to a guitar pedal?
I have a frontman fender guitar amp, can I hook up a pedal to this amp…if so how?

A: turn the amp on clean, no od. plug your guitar into the pedal, and plug the pedal into the guitar input on the amp. . . .. oh yeah, turn it down first so you don’t blow your amp… post how many watts it is…

Q: Where could I find a dealer for replacement switches for a Fender Guitar Amp?
I have a Fender Guitar amp (Model: Frontman 25R Type: PR 498). The power switch for this amp has gone bad. Normally I would replace it with any switch I could find, however, the wiring is not “normal”; it has two black wires and two white wires to deal with. I suppose I could bypass all that, but I am just to worried about shorting something out. I would like an exact replacement. Does anyone know of online dealers that would probably have said switch?

A: Talk to Garry (correct spelling) at Catalina Guitars. Don’t let the name fool you, he does mostly electronic repairs.
(520) 886 0799
Garry@CatalinaGuitars.com

http://CatalinaGuitars.com

Q: where can i find a replacement rca part for a fender frontman guitar amp?
i was playing music through the amp when one of my friends more or less stood on the cable and the prongs snapped off inside, i have managed to get the prongs out but now it doesn’t work. I have tried ebay, with no luck and i can’t really find anywhere on the internet. Does anyone know where i can find the replacement part?

A: Check the local music stores,
ot Radio Shack

Q: I have a question about a Fender Princeton Reverb electric guitar amp?
I was just wondering what this amp would be worth if i were to sell it. Everything on it is completely vintage except for one of the 7 tubes in the back. Yes, that is right, it is a vintage Fender tube amp with the original tubes, and i believe it is a ‘62 or ‘63. It sounds amazing. Buy, yeah. I was just wondering if anyone had any idea what it would be worth. So, thanks for your help!

A: I’ve heard of them going for anywhere between $80 and $800, depending on the shape of the original components and the year it was made.

Fender Princeton’s go back to the 40s, but the Princeton Reverb models only go back to 64. The early models of Princeton Reverb were blackface and they later introduced the silverface version in the early 70s.

The blackface models are more desirable. If yours is a blackface model and in great shape with all the original parts, it could go for close to $1,000 to a buyer who really likes vintage Fender stuff.

At a local music store, I don’t think they would put any higher than $800 on the tag.

Q: Is it possible for a Fender Electric Guitar amp to break if you play too loud?
I was just playing with it on almost as loud as it goes and it stopped working.. I checked the connections everywhere and everything is where it should be. Now I’m just wondering if I really screwed my amp up…

A: You probably blew out the speaker but it is possible that something shook loose inside of it. Take in to a guitar shop and have them look at it and see if it can be fixed. You’re probably going to need the speaker replaced.

Q: Can you use a Fender bass with a guitar amp?
Can you use a Fender bass with a Randall 30 watt amp? What will happen?
Can you use an Ovation Acoustic-Electric guitar with a Fender 60 watt amp? What will happen?

Thanks

A: Playing bass through a guitar amp is bad. They are not designed the same, and you run the risk of blowing speakers. If you must, don’t crank it, keep it quiet and it should be ok. Not good, just ok.

Playing that acoustic through an amp… eh. An acoustic amp (an oxymoron if I ever heard one) is best, closely followed by a P.A. system. It’s not bad for your equipment, but look out for feedback. Standard electric guitar amps, I find, are a bit too trebley for acoustics.

Q: I Need Help Finding Info On My Fender Guitar Amp?
Just need info on my fender amp i picked up second hand, the model says its a H.O.T. but i cant find anything online at all, its roughly 15i x 15i in size, its a 75 watt, From Left to Right the face controls aree as follows, two guitar lead inputs Hi and Lo, then 4 push buttons controls Bright/Clean Crunch/Lead, then three dials, Contour/Volume/Reverb, then a over and under in put headphone size holes saying Tape Input, then three inputs next to that, Preamp Output, Preamp Output, Head Phones and next to that thePower Switch

A: Try going to Fender.com you might see your model there or you give them a call Telephone: (480) 596-7195

Q: how do you get the best sound out of a fender guitar amp?
i got a fender 85 guitar amp which is really cool and i got a gibson SG and i would love to know how to get the best sound out of each of them, i use pedals with the guitar these can be boss distortion and a korg pedal of various types, overdrive, chorus, blues etc. i want to play it loud and any help wld be gratefully appreciated…..keep rockin`

A: Fender 85 is cool, but if you really want to get the best out of your SG, get a Marshall 100 watt master volume.

You can sell the pedals and still have a monster sound!

Q: How do i fix a 15r fender frontman guitar amp’s drive?
i opened it up to see if i can find out what was wrong with it and i saw that the out cable was unplugged so i plugged it in and it still didn’t work.i also checked to see if anything else was unplugged and nothing else was. what problems can my amp have that wont let it work

A: Check the fuse in the plug, it might need to be replaced. If that isn’t the problem or you have no idea what you are doing, take it to Guitar Center and they can fix it for less than $10. Also check the warranty: You might be able to get a completely new amp.

Q: How do I change and match(bias) the tubes in my fender super twin reverb guitar amp?
I have bought a new full set of tubes/valves for my 1979 fender super twin reverb guitar amplifier. I can switch the tubes easily enough, but don’t know a thing about matching them. I see an adjustable screw at the back saying “output tubes matching”, but how do I do this correctly to achieve the best tone from my amp, and to ensure that the tubes won’t cut or blow. I know very little about electronics. I also live in Dubai, and there are no tube amp specialists whom I can take my amp to.

A: Take it to someone who knows what they are doing. some older amps still hold a charge big enough to kill you unplugged. good luck

Q: What do i need to use the rocktron banshee talkbox. I have a fender amp and guitar. how is a mic used with it?
i know the actual thing comes with ports for a power chord, guitar chord and amp chord. but the machine i heard is not loud since it has its own pre amp. so how would i go about hooking up a mic to it

A: The talkbox effect is probably one of the most misunderstood effects out there. It’s an acoustic effect, not an electronic one.

You don’t hook a mic into the Rocktron Banshee (or most any other talk box). If you’re going to use a talk box effective at a high volume, you have to have a PA system. Period.

The Banshee is much simpler to use than most other talk boxes in that it has it’s own power amp built it. Most if them require another amp to drive them, or have to loop between the output of a guitar head and a cabinet.

To use the Banshee, hook it up like you would any other guitar effect pedal. (Personally, I would put it first in the effects chain, but that’s just me). Then, you’ll need to attach the tube to your vocal mic. I actually use a couple of hair ties to do my, but the velcro straps they sell at Fry’s for bundling cables works well too.

That’s it. Step on the button on the Banshee, the sound shuts off from your guitar amp and starts coming out of the tube. From here on, you have to practice using it, especially if you’re actually going to try to talk with it.

Just to recap, when you’re using a talk box, the effect DOES NOT come out of the guitar amp. It comes out of the end of the tube, and requires a PA system to be usable in a band enviroment.

Good luck.

Greetings from Austin, TX

Ken

Q: If I were to purchase a Fender guitar, would I be required to purchase a Fender amp or any brand of amp?
I’m about to take up playing the electric guitar.

A: its cool that you want to take up the guitar now you just need to figure out where you want to go with it. The unfortunate thing about guitar gear, is that it is expensive. And in the guitar world, you definitely get what you pay for.

so have you decided how much you want to spend?

Personally i recommend spending 300 on the guitar at least. at this level you get a very solid mid level guitar. the law of diminishing returns comes into play. anything above this threshold will be using the same wood types, etc. so ultimately you begin paying for better fancier finishes, pickups, and craftsmanship.

and for amps, used is a great way to go. I bought a Fender Hot Rod deluxe for 400, they run for 800 now. decent savings for an amp that only had a year of use. the only catch is, the buyer needs to know what to look for. signs of wear that a beginner wouldn’t know to look for.

certain guitars traditionally sound better through specific amps. Gibson to a marshall. Fender to a fender amp. this is of course not always the case, but they just sound really good together. That and the fact that we learned to like that sound, from hearing it so much.

I personally recommend holding off on the amp for now. as you will learn guitar players are a fickle bunch. If you can already play great go test some amps at your local guitar shop. otherwise wait till you get some songs under your belt and then see which amp you like the most with your particular instrument. Also if you ever plan to play louder than bedroom levels anticipate buying at lest 50 watts for a tube amp, or 75 to 100 for a solid state. If you cannot tell the difference between the type of amps, just take it as a sign that you have more learning to do. practice amps really are a waste of money as you will learn.

Q: I have a little fender 15 guitar amp, it turns on , but when I plug in guitar, it just buzzes, no sound??what?
The amp lights up, the buzzing gets louder when I turn up volume, but other than buzzing, no sound, guitar cord is fine, amp is a little fender frontline 5 solid state amp, what could cause this?
it is not guitar or the cord.. It is definitely the amp, it lights up, it buzzes, but it the guitar does not come thru at all. the buzzing gets louder with volume switch..

A: You said that the cord is fine. How did you verify this? You can either measure continuity on the wires with a digital multimeter (and every electronic musician should be able to do this), or try the cord with another amp and guitar.

We’ll assume that the cord is functioning as you say. That leaves the amp or the guitar. With everything hooked up, does the buzzing go away when you turn the volume control on the guitar down? If so, then it’s probably the guitar itself. From what you describe, it sounds like a ground wire in the guitar control cavity has come loose and will require resoldering.

If it stays the same, then it’s likely the amp. Again, this could be a ground wire that has come loose. But unfortunately, there are several other things that can go wrong in an amp that would cause this as well. Without having the amp in front of me, I can’t pin it down anymore than that.

Good luck.

Greetings from Austin, TX

Ken

Q: Can you play an acoustic/electric guitar through an electric amp?
I’ve got a 50w marshall electric guitar amp and I learned how to turn my acoustic in an A/E so i was wondering if I could just play it through my marshall or would I have to buy an acoustic amp?

A: Just did this yesterday, you just have to be careful with the feedback potential that an acoustic presents. Take some time to set it up, and it will sound just fine.

Q: What is a good brand for an electric guitar and amp?
What is a good brand for an electric guitar amp?
I am buying my boyfriend an electric guitar and amp for his birthday. He is an average player and is still learning. I don’t want to get him a completely cheap beginners guitar because I know he will take his playing seriously and will improve. Any suggestions?? And also, what color? What else should I get with it?

A: First, do NOT go to Target or some other department store and get one of those crappy Fender Starcaster or First Act guitars. Very crappy. Go to a specialized music store. It doesn’t have to be a chain store like Guitar Center, but those stores usually have an updated and large inventory with various models. Also look at musiciansfriend.com, although, getting to see the guitar in person is better. Guitarcenter.com, also. Ask the employees in the store, they’re usually knowledgeable.

Second, Fender is actually a good brand. Really depends on your taste of music and looks of the guitar. I don’t usually associate Fender with genres like heavy metal, rather, with jazz, classic rock etc. Gibson is an all-arounder. Some other good brands I can think of are Ibanez, PRS, ESP, Godin, Epiphone (cheaper brand of Gibson that is made outside of U.S.), Dean, and Scheter. That’s all electric guitars. For acoustic and classical guitars, it’s a whole different game.

The two most influential electric guitars are arguably the Fender Stratocaster and the Gibson Les Paul. Many of these kinds of guitars come in different variations and originate from different countries from which they are made, but beware of the cheaper so-called “Special” versions that can cost ten times less than a standard version. They usually lack important elements. Ones that are made in the U.S. are often more expensive.

As for amps, Fender makes their own good amps. Marshall, Vox, Line 6, and a countless number of others and boutique brands are ones to consider.

Third, if I were your bf, I’d really appreciate a good tuner, extra strings, a strap, a scale and chord book (or electronic library), a hard-shell case or a good gig bag, a set of picks, a capo, a cleaning and polishing kit, or an effects pedal. If you got him all those things with the guitar and amp, it would be overkill. Just get one or two. Also, try to avoid guitars that are specifically labeled as a “starter/value/beginners/special/etc. pack” as these tend to be of lesser quality and come with less features.

Also, since I assume you don’t know exactly what kind of guitar to get (death metal-ish? jazzy?), get something along the lines of a Stratocaster or Les Paul. The copies made by other brands do just as well. In the end, it doesn’t really depend on the brand, but the guitar itself. Be sure to ask for some advise about specific features about the guitars you look at, and ask what style of music they best fit.

Hope that wasn’t too long and made you go tl;dr.

Q: Can I plug my acoustic electric guitar into my electric guitar amp without damaging anything?
I’m talking about my electric guitar amp made for electric guitars, not acoustic-electric.
It’s a fender.

A: There is no problem with plugging your acoustic-electric guitar into your electric guitar amp, because an acoustic-electric guitar is basically an electric guitar when it comes to electronics. Plug in, and enjoy, my friend. And I’m jealous you have an acoustic-electric…I really need one of those…oh, and if anything gets damaged, tell me and I’ll pay for it, because I’m pretty sure you’ll be fine.

Q: What are some names of good rack mount electric guitar amp?
I am looking for a good rack mount electric guitar AMP (NOT BASS) and have been having a hard time finding a new one. I don’t want used. New only! I am looking for company names so that I can compare. So far I just see mesa boogie and Marshall guitar amps. Does anyone know of any other companies that have these type of amps?

A: u got fender or go to guitarcenter.com.

Q: Can you use an electric bass guitar with an electric guitar amp?
I have an electric guitar and i want to buy a bass guitar and i have a bass amp. So why not use my electric guitar amp.

A: You need a bass amp, because a guitar amp is not designed to play the low notes a bass guitar plays. You will wear out the speaker(s) in it pretty quick if you use it. Why use the guitar amp if you have a bass amp?

Q: Can i use an home theater system instead of an electric guitar amp?
I want to buy an guitar but i don’t want to spend money on an amp.Can you tell me if i can connect the electric guitar to a home theater system or i need a amp?

A: You could, but you would also need some kind of guitar pre-amp.

You’d have to connect the guitar through some kind of small pre-amp and connect the output to the home theatre!

The pre amp is needed to amplify the very weak signals from the guitar output, and also to allow you to change the sound of the guitar a bit if you wanted.

Q: What is a good brand for an electric guitar amp?
I am buying my boyfriend an electric guitar and amp for his birthday. He is an average player and is still learning. I don’t want to get him a completely cheap beginners guitar because I know he will take his playing seriously and will improve. Any suggestions?? And also, what color? What else should I get with it?

A: Yeah, these are good decent electric guitar amp.

Marshall MG10CD Combo Amp for Guitar

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001Q5Y8C4?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwbestdisc08-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001Q5Y8C4

If you would like go some on higher end than you can also prefer,

Pyle 300-WATT Portable Guitar Amplifier

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E1PXFW?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwbestdisc08-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000E1PXFW

Q: How much does an electric guitar/amp cost?
I’ve been playing guitar for about 5 1/2 mos (without a teacher) , and I already have an acoustic guitar, but I would like an electric. What are some good guitars/amps that are about $100-$250? Also, what other equipment would i need besides the amp and guitar?

A: you may want to check out some epiphones and lower priced fenders. if you go for and epiphone try not to get a pack unless you have to because they tend to suck. Be sure get an amp that has the features you want such as distortion if you want to play rock and get a static sound or an effects amp that makes a wide range of sounds or if you want a clean sound go for a tube amp. And also you obviously need a cord to plug your guitar into your amp. I recomend finding a guitar store such as guitar center or a smaller place to try out different things before buying them and then once you make a desicion you may want to check out musicians friend or guitarcenter.com if those dont work just google guitar stores and youll get lots of results.

Q: What kind of electric guitar amp do i need?
Im going to be buying an electric guitar pretty soon and I’m not sure what kind of amp i should get.

Any suggestions?
i’d like my price range to be under $200.

Thanks!

A: I’ve got a Fender Front Man and for a first amp it packs a real punch. It’s a good size for carrying to different places (but it would really be for practicing not gigging) It’s pretty cheap too

Q: What are some good brand names for bass guitars? and will an electric guitar amp work for a bass guitar?
What are some good brand names for bass guitars? and will an electric guitar amp work for a bass guitar?

A: I’ve been a bass player since i was a kid and I’ve played many different types of music. Warwick is the best all-around bass value for a pro-level bass ($1000-1200 range). I have a Warwick Corvette (active pickups) and I love it. But that’s kinda expensive for beginner/intermediate players, so I’d say to just play as many different basses as you can and don’t be afraid of used equipment as long as the electronics are in good condition and the neck isn’t warped. Beware: new Fenders are generally expensive because of brand name. Try Ibanez and Yamaha, they’ve been good values for years.

Do NOT use a guitar amp for a bass unless it’s a practice amp. You need to think about getting an amp so you can play loud enough to be heard by a band with a drummer. That should be your goal in getting a rig if you play rock, jazz, latin, reggae, or anything band-oriented. It’s better to have a cheap bass and a nice loud amp than a nice bass and an amp that is so weak that you can’t be heard. You generally FEEL the bass in a band; that should be your goal, to be felt, not exactly heard. Also, if you continue to play down the road, it’s better to have a nicer amp because your next upgrade will be to replace your cheap bass. If you get a mediocre bass and mediocre amp, you will need to replace both if you continue to progress. Look at combo amps above 150 watts with one 15 inch speaker. Peavey is a good value. Also, Line6 is coming out with bass amps and they may interest you because of the cool extras like bass modelers and FX that can make a crappy bass sound sweet. Basically, go to guitar center and bug the crap out of those douches that work there. They are generally snobs but they work for you and you should play as many basses and amps as you can to find what is right for u. Also, they are hurting for business these days so look for coupons and exploit their 0% financing deals with their credit cards. Good luck.

Q: What would be the best brand of electric guitar & amp. for me to buy?
i’ve been playing acoustic for about a year now, and im ready to move on to electric. I’m looking for opinions on brands of guitars that have good quality, would last me a long time, doesn’t break easily, etc. Same goes for the amp. i’m looking for an amp. with many sound effects that relate to metal or heavy and lively guitar playing.

A: an amp with many sound effects??…I would look into Hybrids….such as a Vox Valvetronix, or Roland Cubes…maybe even Line 6 if you’re desperate….and as far as a guitar…..you’re on your own…you shouldnt let anyone else determine what you want…its all opinion. You can spend as much as you want on a guitar, it just depends on what features you want and what type of music you want to play with it.

Q: use bass guitar with electric guitar amp?
is it possible to use a bass guitar with my electric guitar amp?
do i need specifically a bass amp?

A: You can use it, but it won’t sound as good as a regular bass amp. Keep the volume, and treble down so you don’t get distortion.

Q: Can you play a acoustic guitar on a electric guitar amp?
Im just wondering if i can play my yamaha acoustic/electric guitar on a electric epiphone amp that i use to play my les paul with.

A: Absolutely.

They make amps specifically for accoustics, but you can plug it into anything.

Q: Yamaha electric drum set plugged into electric guitar amp?
Ok, I have a Yahama DD-55 electric drum set. The volume is pretty weak, so one day I plugged it into my Epiphone electric guitar amplifier. Will this harm either the electric set or the amp? Thanks.

A: I see no way that this will harm your drum set, but you could blow your speaker. guitar speakers can produce low notes. Their xmax(distance they can travel) is fairly short. so at lower volumes your probably in the clear, at higher volumes you risk deforming voice coil with lower notes produced by kick. How loud do you want to get? why not just home stereo or similar speakers.

Q: Can I connect my classical guitar to electric guitar amp and have a over drived sound?
my guitar is nylone string, and i want use electric pick up and a amp like marshall AVT50, can I?

A: as long as you either have an acoustic pick up built into your guitar already or you go pick up like a dean marley acoustic pick up for about 50 bucks at your local music store

then it will work fine before i had an electric i used to hook my dean acoustic up to a guitar amp through and acoustic pro mag pick up it just fits right in your sound hole then on the other end is your regular 1/4 jack

i also sometimes ran my acoustic through a wah pedal or an overdrive pedal and it all worked fine

so it will work fine ive done it

Q: guitar amplifier?
whats a good guitar amplifier to play system of a down on
i see a marshall jcm2000 TSL-100

theres alot of marshall jcm’s

but they have like tsl and dsl and i dont know what that means haha someone give me the best marshall jcm type

A: marshall.

Q: What kind of guitar amplifier should I buy?
I’ve been in the market for a new guitar amplifier and I am not sure which one I should choose. I would like a detailed answer providing specs of the amplifier, and why I should choose it above others.

A: Depends on how much money you would like to spend bro. If your budget is lower, I would invest in a Line 6. These babies can rock. You have plenty of effect choices, and different types of sound. They are great. If you are leaning to a higher price, Marshalls, VOX’s, Fenders are great. Fenders are actually cheaper and so are VOX’s. Here are some links you can explore at.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Line-6-Spider-Jam-75W-1×12-Guitar-Combo-Amp-104506035-i1371684.gc

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Fender-Frontman-212R-100W-2×12-Guitar-Combo-Amp-104506076-i1323510.gc

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Marshall-MG100HDFX-MG412-Half-Stack-with-Digital-Effects-482805-i1145907.gc

I recomend Fenders Price.

Hope This helps and remember DO RESEARCH AND ALWAYS TRY THE AMP FIRST. Peace bro

Q: How can I fix my guitar amplifier after connecting a bass to it?
I have a guitar amplifier and I connected a bass to it. I played with it for a few minuets then it turned off all of a sudden. I kept on switching the amplifier on and off, and nothing would happen. I was wondering if the amplifier can possibly be fixed or not. If it can, what do I do in order to fix it?

Thank you.

A: It’s probable you blew the fuse. Small amps generally use a cartridge-type fuse that can be examined by unscrewing a (usually black) cap somewhere on the rear or occasionally the front panel. If the metal strip in the cartridge is discolored or burned through, replace it with an equivalent fuse.

You may have blown the fuse because something was out of whack with the wiring of the bass, so I wouldn’t suggest plugging the bass back in unless its owner can confirm it’s working properly. Instead, once you’ve replaced the fuse, test with a known-good instrument (e.g., your guitar). Normally, hooking a bass up to a guitar amp shouldn’t cause catastrophic issues per se, though it’s possible to blow a speaker cone if you turn the amp up too loud — guitar amp speakers can have trouble absorbing the mechanical stress of playing low-frequency bass notes at high volume.

Q: Guitar Amplifier?
I have a Marshall MG 150 guitar amp. Every time that I turn it on, it makes a loud buzzing sound, almost like a fan turning. This sound goes on for about 2 minutes, then subsides, but the amp still has a soft hum. These 2 buzzings may be unrelated, but what is the first buzzing? Is something broken with the amp?

A: most likely it is just the fan running….mine does that too. It just need to clear out the dust and any residue that is settled on the fan.

The second soft hum: check your guitar cables you might have a loose connection.

Q: What is the best Acoustic guitar amplifier for Martin guitars?
Helli, I’m buying a Martin D-16 Acoustic Guitar And i want to get an amplifier for it, Im getting the D-16 With the pickup yes… So i was wondering what IS the best acoustic guitar amp for Martin guitars around the price range of $1500-2500? Thanks!

A: I’d say either a Fishman acoustic amp or a Roland acoustic amp

www.music123.com
www.americanmusical.com
www.samedaymusic.com
www.samash.com
www.zzounds.com

Q: If I were to get a bass guitar, would it work with my regular electric guitar amplifier?
If I were to get a bass guitar, would it work with my regular electric guitar amplifier? I would like to know.

A: I have tried this and it is not a good idea. I had a very nice guitar amp and I blew it out. BUY A BASS AMP!!!! But for the long term if you play guitar and bass buy a keyboard amp it can handle the low and high frequencies of the two instruments.

Q: what are these settings on your basic electric guitar amplifier?
What is Bass, Mid, Treble and Drive controls on your basic guitar amplifier. What are these controls and want differences do they make in your sound of guitar? What are the differences in volume should each knob be on for different sounds or do they even have to do with the sound? Please help me im a great guitarist after 5 months i just dont understand the controls very well.

A: Bass, Mid, Treble are levels. If you turn up the treble the higher pitches (sounds) become louder and more audible. If you turn up Bass the deeper and boomier pitches come through. Mid acts as an equilizer between both the high and low pitches. Drive is basically an effect included in many begginer guitar amps, It is a fuzzy sort of thing that usually is used for heavy metal of punk rock stuff. This usually works best with the basss and treble at high level.

Q: How can I play my Ipod through my guitar amplifier ?
How can I play my Ipod through my guitar amplifier ? I know it can be done, I’ve seen the little cables that plug through the amplifier into the ipod, I just have no idea what their called.

Thanks for all answers, if its convinient could you post a link to amazon uk , if not just tell me the name of the cable. Thanks

Quick 5 points for a right answer!

A: Get one of these (a 1/4″ jack to 3.5mm jack reducer) http://www.installergadget.com/catalog/251-155.jpg
Then connect it into the headphone input of your ipod and insert a 1/4″ jack plug (guitar cable) from it to the amp!
Watch the volumes or you might blow a speaker!

Q: What is a good guitar amplifier for all genres of music, but specifically heavy metal?
I want a good guitar amplifier that has great tone for all genres of music and has especially great tone for heavy metal.
I want it with great distortion and overdrive and it does not cost so much.
Thank You

A: Line Six Spider III, great amps, come in a variety of Wattage, I personally have the 30W amp, it is more than loud enough…I have to play it on about a quarter volume and it is still very loud, has 4 channels, clean, crunch, metal and insane, insane is excellent for solos although the metal channel is not very heavy but still can sound good, I personally don’t tend to play a lot of metal music but it is a still a kick ass amp, the 30W is only £140 as well. Brilliant amp well worth considering.

Q: How can I build a tube guitar amplifier?
I am an experienced electronics technician looking to build an tube guitar amplifier. I have done some research but all I found were books writen in the 50s. I am interested in theory as well as materials. I am a little confused about tubes. There are so many different kinds. IE: pentodes, triodes, ballasts, rectifiers, etc… Also there are various mounts, covers and things. A big part of the reason I studied electronics was an interest in guitar amps and effects.

A: Hi,
I’m trying to figure that out myself , planning to build one this summer. This site I found is really helpful, it has instructions for how to build various tube amps with different tones, I think it has some theory stuff too. Check it out

http://www.ax84.com/

Q: What material can substitute the earth to create a portable electrical ground for a guitar amplifier?
I have a guitar amplifier which makes unwanted noise when I connect my guitar to it. It happens because the amp is not connected to ground because my house’s electrical wiring is bad. I manually connected the the gorund line to the earth and the sound went away. What I want to know is, Can I connect the ground line to another source with high capacitance (such as the earth) and let it be small and portable at the same time?

A: Do you have copper old medal water pipes that go into the earth where
you have seen this. If so you can use that as a ground while at home
but when you leave your house seek compliance grounded wired sites.
There is no fake ground substitute that I know of. It sounds like you
know your home is a danger if an appliance gets grounded and you or
someone comes in contact with it.

Q: What Electric Guitar Amplifier should i Get?
What amplifier should i get for my Electric guitar? (not too expensive)
I am looking for one that doesn’t muffle out the sound of my electric guitar. I am looking for a 16-30 watt amp. I don’t really need effects though
thanks for the help!

A: Without knowing your budget it is hard to answer that, but a tube amp is always going to sound better than a solid state. If you are just playing at home the VOX AC4TV is a beast. I just picked one up a couple weeks back for home practice. It is $249, only 4 watts but will blow away any 15 watt solid state amp. Two other options would be the Fender Pro Jr. at $399 or the Fender Hot Rod series Blues Jr at $499. Both Fenders are 15 watts. All 3 amps are class A power which cannot be compared to the wattage of a solid state like a Line 6 for instance. The 4 watt class A Vox is as loud as a solid state Line 6 15 watt.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Vox-AC4TV-4W-1×10-Tube-Guitar-Combo-Amp?sku=476326

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Pro-Junior-Combo-Amp?sku=480511

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Hot-Rod-Series-Blues-Junior-15W-1×12-Tube-Guitar-Combo-Amp?sku=481861#used

Q: What is the function of powered loudspeaker connected to a guitar amplifier?
What is the function of powered loudspeaker connected to a guitar amplifier?

A: Well you have your amp and well if there is a pa system you can

1.) run a line out from amp to pa

2.) mic amp to pa

For a complete mix on stage so everyone in the band an audience can hear you

Q: Is it possible to connect a guitar amplifier to additional speakers ?
Ok so I have 2 sub woofer speakers and a synthesized tuner amplifier I was wondering if I can some how set them up to my guitar amp or guitar itself so I can get a better sound.

A: Use the “line out” jack from your amp, plug it into your subs cabinet.

Q: What can I do with my fender electric guitar amplifier if I have given it larger voltage than it requires?
My fender guitar amplifier requires 110 volts and I have supplied 220volts. Thus it is not working. What should I do now?

A: Hello, Abeer! Most likely you have burnt out your power transformer; unfortunately, this is one of the most expensive parts in the amplifier! It is remotely possible that you only blew a fuse; but even so, the transformer windings may still have been affected. If you have a tube amplifier, there should be an externally-accessible fuse, which can be easily replaced to check function. If it is a solid-state model, you will need to remove the chassis to access the internal fuse. If you do this yourself, don’t go poking around inside the circuitry; even off, the capacitors can store a charge for a long time, and you can get shocked! My recommendation would be to carefully check the fuses, and if their replacement does not awaken the unit, take it to a Fender Service Center (see http://www.fender.com/support/service_centers/ ) and have it repaired. Best regards, Dana

Q: Guitar Amplifiers?
What are the sound advantages and disadvantages between the different types of guitar amplifiers (valve, transistor, etc) except for the prices?

A: To put it simply, valves (or tubes, as they are also known) warm up the sound. They saturate so the louder you get, the better it sounds. Most transistor (or solid-state) amps, will pretty much give you what you’re gonna get, but doesn’t always work when cranked. If you want a pretty good idea of what I’m talking about compare the tone of Dimebag Darrell from Pantera (solid-state ALL the way) to, let’s say, Adam Jones from TOOL (pure tube tone). FYI there are also hybrids that use tubes in the preamps section (tone-shaping, EQ, etc) and solid state power sections (for volume and overall presence).

Q: GUITAR AMPLIFIERS?!?!?
Ok, I have been playing guitar for a little over 3 years now, and I’ve been playing through a Line 6 Spider 3. The problem is, when I tried to use this amp to play with a drummer and a bassist it just wasn’t loud enough to keep up. As of right now I have about $200 saved up. I’m not looking for an amp to gig with just something that’s loud enough that you can clearly hear it over a guitar bass drums and a singer.
Oh, and please keep the price range in mind anything over $300 is just too much.
Thank you.
p.s. this is the second time i posted this question and another user told me a Raven RG60 60W 1×12 Guitar Combo Amplifier was what i was looking for, and it seems to be pretty good. just to maybe have a second opinion, is the Raven loud enough over drums bass and another guitar?

A: Yea it’s loud enough, but the tone sounds like garbage. But then if you’ve been playing out of a spider 3 you’re probably used to it. The tone is worse than spider though. I would suggest getting a used tube amp (15 watts should do the trick). Although you’re still relatively new to tone and may not appreciate the difference, so what wattage were you playing out of with the spider? When I started playing guitar I had a spider 3 75 watt and that thing was freakin loud! The new spider 4 75 watts are 300 and they have some cool new effects too, so that’s probably your best bet. Don’t buy a Raven, you will regret it down the road

Q: Can you try out amplifiers on your own guitar in music stores?
I’m looking to buy a new guitar amplifier, but this is my first time shopping for one. My first amp came with the guitar (starter pack). I’ve been told to never buy an amplifier or guitar without trying it out first. With that said, would the store owner/employee have a problem if I brought my own guitar in to jam on the amplifiers?

A: Don’t give it a second thought. It’s very normal to use your axe while shopping for an amp. Just be considerate. Consider that the dude at the music store has to listen to lots of noise. Some worse then others. While becoming familiar with the amp, keep the vol low.When your ready to test gain or volume, let the clerk know your going to ramp it up for a few. Give yourself plenty of time at the store, You may wait until there are no other customers to check volume.
Lastly, consider a tube amp. You will appreciate the tone.

Q: Is it possible to get two guitar amplifiers to work as one?
I have two guitar amplifiers Ibanez and Line 6. Is there any way that I can get them to both work with one guitar. If so, would there be any advantages to it and could I still transport without it messing up?

A: Yes. Without know the model numbers of what you have it’s hard to say if yours can be used though.

As long as you have a line out on 1 it’s as simple as adding 1 more patch cord.

Hope that helps.

Q: Where can you learn how to repair guitar amplifiers?
I would like to find out where and how to repair electric guitar amplifiers. What books, tutorials, tools, and classes are available to learn troubleshooting amps. How and where do electronic repair shops get qualified techs? Any info is really helpful

A: Just check out any tech /trade school. They will have something in their curriculum. Another thing you could do is call or visit a music store that also does repairs and ask them how/where to go. They are all musicians and musicians like to talk shop. They won’t mind a bit. I am a musician and I have spent hours in music store just shooting the bull.

Q: Guitar amplifiers?
i currently have a line 6 spider 3 but i want an amplifier with a thick disortion for about 300-500? any ideas would help thanks

A: as far as distortion goes, the spiders are the best amps you can get in ur price range. If you really don’t like it, try running a distortion pedal through it.

Q: How do guitar amplifiers work?
I have to write a technical description for class on a guitar amplifier but I’m not familiar with them. Im specifically writing on the Roland Cube-15x because it looks the simplest (I’ll take recommendations). As of now I have no idea where the power source is, is it an ac adapter, on board battery, does it even use electricity? And my last question is does anyone know where i can see pictures of how its constructed so i can draw an exploded view of this amplifier.

A: If a device is going to add gain to a signal, then it has to have some type of power source. Be it AC or battery powered, you have to get the extra energy from somewhere.

I’m not familiar with the Roland amp, but they all work in a similar fashion. We will stick with how a solid state amp works (tube amps will be similar, but have additional power supplies).

The sole purpose of a guitar amp (or any amp for that matter) is to increase the level of the signal put into it so that it can be reproduced by a speaker. Think about it this way…if you plugged an electric guitar straight into a speaker would you hear anything? No, because the speaker requires several volts to operate (while the guitar is probably only putting about about 1/10th of a volt.

The basic blocks of a guitar amp are:

1. PREAMP – this is where the signal from the guitar is connected, and the first stage of amplification occurs. Usually, this gain is anywhere from 10 times to 100 times, depending on the design of the amp.

2. PREAMP 2 (optional) – some amps have a second gain stage which allows you to implement a controlled overload of the second stage in order to generate distortion

3. TONE STACK – this is where the Bass, Mid, and Treble controls would fall. These are normally passive controls (in other words, they can only take away frequencies, and not put more in to the signal). The tone stack is usually a low pass, a band pass, and a high pass filter in series.

4. PHASE SPLITTER – the phase splitter does just what the name says, it splits the signal into two paths. The signals are 180 degrees out of phase with each other (complimentary). This is necessary to drive a push-pull power amp, which is the most common type.

5. POWER AMPLIFIER – up until now, our signal has been somewhere in the 1 to 2 volt range, and only a few milliamps of current. The power amplifier provides that last boost to the signal in order to drive the signal. If our amp is rated at 100w of output, then it’s probably putting out somewhere around 20 volts at around 5 amps max.

6. SPEAKER – the last stop for our signal is the speaker, which takes the electrical energy from the power amplifier and converts it to acoustic energy.

The amp would also have a power supply which will normally have a number of output voltages. The preamp section usually takes betwee +/- 5Volts DC to +/-15Volts DC. The power amp will usually take between +/-40 to +/-80Volts DC.

That’s a very high overview of how an analog solid state guitar amp works. Tube amps, again, are similar. Digital modeling amps are very different animals all together.

Good luck.

Greetings from Austin, TX

Ken

Q: guitar amplifiers?
hey i need a good amp what will last i do gigs round north and im 15 in a band and i need a good amp but im cluless on what to buy so can u give me some good advice i just want it to a decent amp waht will last me ive got 500 quid to spend so give us some help pleasea nswer back

A: don’t just buy the nearest Marshall

Give some amps a serious try out with your own guitar in a music shop

£500 won’t get a decent valve amp; you may need to accept solid state – a good solid state amp with lots of power will serve you better than an underpowered valve amp

be very very wary of second hand gear

you will always need more horsepower, less funky features and a more basic sound than you think. You’re going to end up playing it on one setting most of the time anyway, and you can grow the features with the right pedals over time. Your audience doesn’t really know the difference between a cheap rig and a classic. The things that will make you ditch the amp will be:

1. unreliability
2. underpowered
3. you stumbled across more money and can afford a better sound.

In the case of 3, who cares, you’re not catering for that now. So deal with 1 and 2.

Q: do bass guitar amplifiers work the same way as electric guitar amplifiers?
I mean can i buy an electric guitar amplifier for my bass guitar?

A: The speakers on a bass amp are more heavy duty to handle the bottom end.

You will blow the speakers on a guitar amp with a bass.

Q: I plan to import guitar amplifiers into the US. What types of certification do I need?
As stated in the question, I plan to import amplifiers into the US. There are many types of conformance (EMC, FCC, CE, etc) that I can get for the amplifier, but it’s cost prohibitive to do them all. As such, as a minimum, which ones would I need to get, to certify the amplifiers?

A: Listen. Before you start worrying about conformance standards, you want to ensure that they match the american mains voltage.

Q: Does a guitar amplifiers head make sound?
I know i sound like an idiot. But does a guitar amplifiers head make any sound. Like can i play guitar through the head without a cab.

Thank you
I am new to this

Best answer will go to a serious answer

A: The head makes no sound. You will need to plug it into a cabinet.

Q: whats the difference between watts in guitar amplifiers?
i have a ten watt amplifier for my guitar.
i was wondering if a 50 watt or larger amplifier has just bigger sound or many other functions as well. if it has many other functions then what are those?

A: In the case of an audio amp (guitar or not) the wattage figure is a measure of its audio output to the speaker. A 50 watt amp is roughly 5 times as powerful as a 10 watt amp. Most larger amps may have other features such as multiple inputs and mixer features. Some may even contain an equalizer system.

Q: How much do e drums probably cost? How much does a bass guitar with amplifiers probably cost?
I’m not asking how much they cost altogether, im asking how much e drums are and another separate question for how much a bass guitar with amplifiers cost..

Thank you for the answers (if anyone’s gonna answer)

A: google it……..look on a musical instrument sire

Q: Does anyone know any good inexpensive guitar amplifiers?
I spent all my money on the guitar. I need an amp hahas. I know It;s a bad idea. I only have about 100 to spend. It can go higher if it needs to, but not that much higher.

It needs to be good for stuff like blues and classic rock. It needs to able to handle distortion and overdrive as well.

Thanks guys

A: I have to say the best amp for its value is the little vox amp.
I think it’s about $85 at Long and Mcquade now the model is DA5.
This amp has all kinds of different preset tones, long with an mp3 input and a mic input, so u can sing at the same time if you wanted to!
If tried this and it works great! It also comes with different effect presets, such as flanger, reverb, tremolo, and wah. This is a great little amp (I own it and would recommend it to anyone with a small budget) that really gives a lot for the small cost!

Q: Which companies make the most powerful guitar amplifiers?
I am a guitarist starting my own metal band and i need to know
out of all the companies that make amplifiers which ones are the
best and give the most powerful sound and output?
Which company makes the amplifiers with the most watts?

A: Here’s the thing. You should be buying an amp for the tone, not the power. Once you get that it is a simple matter to send the signal to your sound reinforcement system (P.A.). If you have trouble hearing yourself through the noise of your band, have everyone turn down a little. Balance is everything. If your audience is having problems hearing, then reconsider how you have your P.A. set up.

There is absolutely no need to be LOUD when you practice. In fact, you might find that you can be a better musician when everyone knocks it down a couple of pegs.

Also, wattage does not necessarily mean that an amp will be louder. The combination of speaker and power amp (inside the amp) will dictate the loudness. The more efficient a speaker is, the less wattage you need, and the better the sound.

If what you want is a BIG amp, then by far the best tube amp brand is Mesa Boogie, the best solid state is Peavey.