New Amp Day! Twin content...and the rest of the gang.

[olrocknroller]

Just to be a spoiler, I have had the pleasure of sitting in jam sessions where Nokie is playing, through an Ampeg head into a 4 x 12, a Carvin tube combo 2 x 12, a Jazzkat, my old Peavey Backstage 50, a Roland cube 30, my Roland cube 80xl, and probably a few others I've forgotten...

So what's my point? Nokie asks for the amp to be set up "dry" meaning, no effects of any kind, and fairly neutral tone settings. In addition, he often bleeds off a good amount of treble from his guitar when using the bridge pickup, depending on how edgy the speakers are...

So what's my point? At risk of dragging out the old "tone" argument again, I am leaning away from searching for the perfect amp, and more toward tuning my ear so that I can create my favorite sound on the sound equipment at hand...a la Nokie.

[huffman83]

I think that kind of depends on the player. Could Chet Atkins plug into anything and still sound like Chet Atkins? Yeah, he would.

I can play my surf set w/ a Vox or a Marshall if I wanted to. I have. But I don't want to because I don't have to. Honestly if the reverb on my Vox was more Fender like I would use it a whole lot more!

I look at what you're talking about as when you ask someone at a burger joint what they want on a cheeseburger and they say, "Whatever." Sure they'll be fed regardless, but wouldn't it be more satisfying putting what you wanted on it?

I'm all about the flava! As well as using the proper tools to get the sound I want. Physics are physics, but modeling technology is good enough to get a reverb pedal that does sound like a Fender verb!

[vjf1968]

Oh I've tried all of that. Putting an OD kind of boosts it too much. I can't seem to find the balance.

I've essentially found "my sound." w/ my Quad Reverb which is my main amp right now. Someone modded it w/ a 2nd master volume. So I can blend in the amount of preamp and power amp grit that I want.

You should take a look at this

http://www.thenocturnebrain.com/products.html

Tavo basically took the preamp circuit from a Roland 301 space Echo and put it in a stomp box. So what you are getting is a preamp that gives that "little kick" but not overly aggressive. Not a boost, not an OD. Been meaning to get one but I have other financial obligations to consider but he gets a lot of good feedback from customers on the Gretsch-Talk forum.

[Sarah93003]

Oh I've tried all of that. Putting an OD kind of boosts it too much. I can't seem to find the balance.

I've essentially found "my sound." w/ my Quad Reverb which is my main amp right now. Someone modded it w/ a 2nd master volume. So I can blend in the amount of preamp and power amp grit that I want.

You should take a look at this

http://www.thenocturnebrain.com/products.html

Tavo basically took the preamp circuit from a Roland 301 space Echo and put it in a stomp box. So what you are getting is a preamp that gives that "little kick" but not overly aggressive. Not a boost, not an OD. Been meaning to get one but I have other financial obligations to consider but he gets a lot of good feedback from customers on the Gretsch-Talk forum.

I'll second that vote!

[huffman83]

Oh I've tried all of that. Putting an OD kind of boosts it too much. I can't seem to find the balance.

I've essentially found "my sound." w/ my Quad Reverb which is my main amp right now. Someone modded it w/ a 2nd master volume. So I can blend in the amount of preamp and power amp grit that I want.

You should take a look at this

http://www.thenocturnebrain.com/products.html

Tavo basically took the preamp circuit from a Roland 301 space Echo and put it in a stomp box. So what you are getting is a preamp that gives that "little kick" but not overly aggressive. Not a boost, not an OD. Been meaning to get one but I have other financial obligations to consider but he gets a lot of good feedback from customers on the Gretsch-Talk forum.

If anything...it looks cool!

[olrocknroller]

I think that kind of depends on the player. Could Chet Atkins plug into anything and still sound like Chet Atkins? Yeah, he would.

I can play my surf set w/ a Vox or a Marshall if I wanted to. I have. But I don't want to because I don't have to. Honestly if the reverb on my Vox was more Fender like I would use it a whole lot more!

I look at what you're talking about as when you ask someone at a burger joint what they want on a cheeseburger and they say, "Whatever." Sure they'll be fed regardless, but wouldn't it be more satisfying putting what you wanted on it?

I'm all about the flava! As well as using the proper tools to get the sound I want. Physics are physics, but modeling technology is good enough to get a reverb pedal that does sound like a Fender verb!

I hear you, and agree completely, I was trying to point out that the ones we admire the most can make "their" sound on darn-near anything, but as you point out so well, they have their favorite set-up also... I am trying to achieve that distinct style on the instrument that can be heard regardless of the kit I'm using...as for amps, I gravitate to Roland's JC-120...and a pickup truck to haul it!