Changes

The main things to consider when choosing an amp are price, your core tone desired, versatility, reliability, and power. Most amps are designed for several tones and have a tonal signature that is difficult to find elsewhere. This doesn't mean you should or shouldn't like any amplifier's signature characteristic - you may prefer other aspects of it, or a channel or feature that doesn't get the same love as other tones it can produce. However, when trying to figure out what amp you want, it's a lot easier to listen to lots of clips and choose which tones you like and narrow that down to a list of amps that can do that tone well than it is to aimlessly try every amp on every channel. The modern amplifier generally has 2 to 4 channels that you can switch between. This will give you that many distinct tonesthat you can access on-the-fly. Some amps have completely independent controls for each channel, while some amps share some controls across channels which may make them less versatile. Beyond that, some amps have controls that affect all the channels. Outside of tweaking the controls provided on the amp itself, using boost/overdrive pedals, EQ, or other effects can be used to strongly alter the tone. == Budget ==Quality guitar gear is very expensive, and it always feels like you never have enough, or the right gear. An amp is typically a major purchase and the centerpiece of your guitar tone. I'd always argue to spend more on your amp than anything other than possibly your guitar(s). If you are a tone junkie, you may want to consider a good modeler. For the price of 1-2 quality amps, you get several dozen to hundreds of models. Remember that your amp purchase isn't your only expense. Tube amps have to be retubed and possibly maintained every so often. If you need additional effects, such as [[Boost|boost pedals]], [[Noise Gate|noise gates]], or [[Delay|delay]]/[[Reverb|reverb]], those can add up quickly. So can cables, pedalboards, gig bags, cases, etc. Write it all out, then set your budget. If you are a professional and need absolute reliability with bigger gigs, you should also have a backup amp. If tone is crucial or budget isn't a big concern, you can fully duplicate your rig; but practicality often necessitates a watered down, "get-through-the-gig" backup rig. A major part of amp tone is what cabinet it is paired with. Cabs can range from fairly cheap to quite expensive. If it's a key part of your amp's tone, you may have to spend a bit of money here - the expensive amp but cheaper cab solution may not be a solution at all. Or you can consider looking smaller, such as getting a 2x12 vs. a 4x12. I use a modeler with a FRFR wedge monitor, and it was quite cheaper than a real guitar cab.

An additional lead channel may simply offer more versatility by being a complete duplicate of the other lead channel or , allowing two different sets of settings (Gain, BMTP) to be instantly accessible and tweakable. Sometimes the additional lead channel will have a different signature to the tone, including different dynamics, breakup, aggression, tightness, and clarity.

Most modern amps feature the availability of distortion in the pre-amp. Additionally, even when using distortion pedals in front the amp, the pre-amp still provides compression. Many effects should be processed completely after any distortion or compression affects the signal. For example, the delay trails of a delay effect should gradually decrease in volume until they are inaudible. With compression, the trails would have a more consistent volume level until suddenly dropping off. Similarly, reverb would seem to stagnate rather than decay. Distortion would be even worse - , with delay trails and reverb being distorted just like the original signal, creating a noisy mess.

An effects loop <u>Effects Loop</u> gives you the option to run effects between the pre-amp and power amp. In some cases, the power amp may still be providing compression or distortion; but it's usually less than the pre-amp.

What you have to watch out for with a parallel loop is when effects introduce lag into the signal, such as with some digital effects that necessarily , by nature, buffer the signal time-wise. Even a small lag in the signal will create a ''comb filter'' with the dry signal, where regular nulls occur throughout the frequency spectrum, particularly in the highs. The tone will sound dull or not as full as it should. Also, effects like tremolo or others that alter volume may sound quite awkward when blended with a dry signal.

Fender is one of the first big names in amps, producing many classics still sought after today. Their vintage tone is typically defined by shimmering cleans with a nice fat bass response. Pushing them into heavy overdrive can be a rather unpleasant experience for many models, but with the right pickups, style, and/or boost in front, they can deliver excellent lead and mild crunch tones. Keith Richards and Stevie Ray Vaughn are some notable users.

From the early 70's to today, Marshall basically dominated the amp market, by delivering the crunchy, "British" tone. The clean tones were sweet, but what set the amps apart was they could be pushed into overdrive more easily and without getting nasty. Think Jimi Clapton, Hendrix(when he's not using a fuzz pedal), Ritchie Blackmore, and Pete Townshend. Their sound is somewhat nasal but delivers a relatively aggressive distortion, especially when boosted. This is how early Eddie Van Halen, Randy Rhoads, Zack Wylde, and pretty much every 80's hair metal band got their sound. Other notable artists include Joe Satriani and early Steve Vai. Many modern small-shop amp manufacturers got their start by modifying Marshalls to have greater and more focused gain.