Why ?

[cybermgk]

I agree with you in principle but seeing B. B. King the other night left me feeling the opposite. Let me explain.

I'd never seen B. B. and the concert a couple weeks ago in Burlington, Vermont, was sort of a pilgrimage. When he played his opening riff, I had to pick my jaw up off the floor. Such amazing tone and phrasing. One of the most beautiful sounds I've ever heard. Gorgeous cleans and just the right amount of breakup when he pushed it.

And I know-- I know, I know, I know, I know, I know . . . that's B. B. King up there and I'll never sound like him. But it's so seductive to think, "well, if I just get his gear, and lock myself in a room for twenty years and play every day, I could sound like that."

We've all had such thoughts.

So a couple days later I'm thinking that even non-guitar-players know that his guitar is a Gibson Lucille, but what amp was he using?

I had no idea.

Turns out it's a Gibson Lab Series. A solid-state amplifier. A Norlin product. Something you can pick up for a couple hundred bucks on ebay. Something that would be slagged mercilessly if it appeared in a "NAD" thread on this forum.

That's one of those mind-blowing, paradigm-shifting moments that make me think that seeing bands play--and hearing their amps-- might help me choose one.

Not sure I follow the logic. Bt if it works for you. TO me, the take away is if your that good, it really doesn't matter what you play on and with AND, get to know your gear intimately. For most of us, the latter is all we can really use, as we are no B.B. King. But, the 2nd we can do. Amp is part of the instrument. You learn all of it's subtleties and nuances, just like you would do with a guitar, and your going in the right direction. I know B.B. has been using that SS for a long time, and guarantee he knows it inside and out.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Isn't the point of a forum community is to share experiences and ask advice from more experienced players? As well as just have some human social interaction?

I've been playing in bands for 18 years as a drummer. I'm kinda getting started in the realm of guitars and amps. But I'm not totally inept as I have played with a gazillion different guitar players with a gazillion different set ups with a wide range of tones. I have just dabbled in guitar. I'm not really a virgin when it comes to music.

I know what I like as far as tone. The problem is there are so many different choices and so many different price points and a gazillion different reviews on all of them. Trying to find the right amp at the right price point can be overwhelming. Asking for advice gives a guy like me a leg up on my search so I'm not spending countless hours parading all over town plugging into amp, after amp, after amp.

And yes I use the search button a lot before I ask a question.

I belong to a wide variety of forums. From drums, to knives, to guns.

Every forum I've ever joined, always has a string of newbs coming along asking questions and asking for advice.

If you don't like it then just ignore it and let someone else respond.

That's what I do.

If you really want to get annoyed join a gun forum. Seriously....Just sayin...

You're gonna fit in just fine around here, brotha.

 

[homenote]

Welcome to MLP!

No its, Welcome to MLP!

Silly.

 

[SteveGangi]

Well i guess you could take that position which is perfectly valid. On the other hand I know when i was a new player that guitar stores intimidated me to no end. I had no knowledge of amps or guitars and there was no way i was going to play one in a store full of people. So i read some internet forums watched some vids and bought an amp at a place that had a 30 day no questions asked return policy.

Have a salesperson or the "resident show offs" play into it - at all power levels. That way, you can step back a bit and really listen.

 

[SteveGangi]

sounds great to me, that's all the advise I need.

does it sound great
will I sound great
will my drummer think I sound great
how about my Mom , will she sound great
can I get slash tone
how many watts do I need
do I need a speaker, and if I do do I need 1 or 2 and do I need a box to put the speaker in
and if so how big
does size matter
if I do what kind of speaker to get my sound
I don't know what my sound sounds like but maybe you can help me there too

People like to ask questions before plunking down money, and just MAYBE, some are smart enough to know YouTube videos are not useful for judging the sound of anything - equalization, compression, curve shaping, crap mikes, dumb mike placement, etc.

 

[SteveGangi]

I love the quote that seeing bands Is a bad way to decide

take a guess on how many guys got a marshall after seeing Page

some guys will do anything to disagree

and then they play/sound like utter shit anyway

Yeah, a full stack Marshall will fix a lack of talent, and is just the perfect size for the living room

 

[LesPauI+SG=Win]

The only advice that I can give is to play every single amp that you can get your hands on. Everything from cheap modeling amps to high-end custom made stuff. That'll give you a good idea of what on the market sounds good and will also help you figure out what suits your tastes.

 

[blackie2]

Just think of how long that Phaze amp thread is and how many people bought Phaze amps sight unseen on the opinions of others in that thread. Over at TGP you see Phaze amps for sale in the emporium on a regular basis along with tons of other boutique amps that people thought would end their amp GAS. (not trying to single out Phaze amps, it's just a monster of a thread and a good example to use)

Although the "what amp should i buy" threads do get tedious is easy enough just to pass them by if you have nothing positive to contribute.
I for one enjoy listening to the opinions of others when it come to amps and creating certain tones. I like the technical aspect of amps as well. I've learned quite a bit reading discussions on tone and build quality. I've been through the mill myself when it comes to buying amps. Mesa, Fender, Marshall, Vox, Gretch, bla, bla, bla...etc. I've settled (for now) on the new Traynor YBA 1 Mod1 and matching cab. Not a popular choice but an educated one.

Yep I see post after post raving about Dr
Z and then on the Emporium every other amp for sale is a Dr. Z.

 

[Plug]

i'm just wondering why there are so many threads asking the same thing here in the squawkbox section 'AMP HELP NEEDED"- "WHAT AMP SHOULD I BUY"

Really guys, what help is any of this advise. your asking guys whom have never heard you play ,you've never heard them play what amp to get?

in this day of the abundance of gear out there ,and the vast price points I would think it would be a easy solution.

here's a tip for ya, go try out some amps yourself.

all you get here for the most part is bedroom players giving advise on bedroom amps, made in china from musicians friend, or GC.

same thing everytime,

if you can't decide what you want and need on your own I feel bad for ya

you tube videos and suggestions from people you don't know will never replace in person demos.

don't know what amp to buy? get your ass out of the house and demo some. go to a club and see a band.

if I did it this way my house would be filled with jet citys, tweakers and blackstars.



.

LOL the topic and the thread title made my day.

 

[mgenet]

Just pursue your own sound, then let your fingers do the talking...