National Department Of If An Amp Is Your #1 And You're Playing A Different Amp More, Is It Still Your #1

[László]

I got both my HXDA and my DG30 in 2014. I've taken great care of both, stocked them with NOS tubes, kept them up to snuff, etc. The HXDA has been my designated #1 amp ever since. Why? I've previously played it more. #1 ought to be a player's go-to instrument, right?

Well, I still love the HXDA, but this year I've actually been using the DG30 more. I realized that today when I instinctively flipped the power switch on the DG30 and not the other amps. I did the same thing yesterday, and probably the week and the month before, too, with the other amps sprinkled in from time to time.

Of course I used my other amps in this period when I wanted to deploy other tones. Nonetheless, lately my instinct has been to go straight to the DG30 and say there.

Things change over time, tastes change, and it's nice to have options. I simply don't know why or how this happened.

Then again, it's possible I'm just a slow learner...I mean, it took me 9 years to figure this out?

I wonder if that will change again. One thing that hasn't changed is that the PRS amps get used more than my Mesas, and I really, really like my Mesas, so that tells me a lot.

 

[tiboy]

I think the cosmic universe is saying,”Laszlo, send that unwanted and unloved HXDA to Tiboy where it can again reside at the top of the pecking order.” Oh, and this just in from upon Mt. High. Don’t forget to include the matching cab.

 

[László]

I think the cosmic universe is saying,”Laszlo, send that unwanted and unloved HXDA to Tiboy where it can again reside at the top of the pecking order.” Oh, and this just in from upon Mt. High. Don’t forget to include the matching cab.

I love you, man, but I could never part with the HXDA. There are times I still really need that Duane Allman bone tone.

 

[veinbuster]

Interesting. I think the HXDA is still #1 until you explicitly say it isn’t.

I have an interesting variation on this theme though. My Mark V gets played more than my Mark III, because I have all 3 channels set up for different purposes. The Mark III is much more of a nuisance to set with multiple channels sounding right without knob twisting, so I leave it set for dirty blues. But, I play that sound more than any of the channels I use on the Mark V.

So...is the Mark V #1, or is the dirty channel of the Mark III #1?

 

[Longneck Tenon]

I got both my HXDA and my DG30 in 2014. I've taken great care of both, stocked them with NOS tubes, kept them up to snuff, etc. The HXDA has been my designated #1 amp ever since. Why? I've previously played it more. #1 ought to be a player's go-to instrument, right?

Well, I still love the HXDA, but this year I've actually been using the DG30 more. I realized that today when I instinctively flipped the power switch on the DG30 and not the other amps. I did the same thing yesterday, and probably the week and the month before, too, with the other amps sprinkled in from time to time.

Of course I used my other amps in this period when I wanted to deploy other tones. Nonetheless, lately my instinct has been to go straight to the DG30 and say there.

Things change over time, tastes change, and it's nice to have options. I simply don't know why or how this happened.

Then again, it's possible I'm just a slow learner...I mean, it took me 9 years to figure this out?

I wonder if that will change again. One thing that hasn't changed is that the PRS amps get used more than my Mesas, and I really, really like my Mesas, so that tells me a lot.

I really like my amps, but am pretty sure a DG30 would be my #1 as well!

 

[Greywolf]

I love all of mine , but I'd agree , more and more the DG30 is the one I go for . If I want to do Carlos or Derek thick stuff I'll use another amp, but the cleans on the DG30 are just perfect and it takes pedals very well and the cab is my fave by far

 

[László]

Interesting. I think the HXDA is still #1 until you explicitly say it isn’t.

I have an interesting variation on this theme though. My Mark V gets played more than my Mark III, because I have all 3 channels set up for different purposes. The Mark III is much more of a nuisance to set with multiple channels sounding right without knob twisting, so I leave it set for dirty blues. But, I play that sound more than any of the channels I use on the Mark V.

So...is the Mark V #1, or is the dirty channel of the Mark III #1?

I think your guess is as good as mine! You might be right about the HXDA, the time I'm spending with the DG could be temporary or not.

 

[László]

I love all of mine , but I'd agree , more and more the DG30 is the one I go for . If I want to do Carlos or Derek thick stuff I'll use another amp, but the cleans on the DG30 are just perfect and it takes pedals very well and the cab is my fave by far

Yeah, it's really great clean, and it's a wonderful amp with pedals.

 

[Bogner]

Here Are A Few Thoughts To Ponder...
1. You Could Be Going To It Out Of Habit.
2. You Could Be Playing It More To Actually See If It Is Or Could Be Your Number 1 Since You May Already Intimately Know What The Other Amp(s) Do.
3. You Could Be Going To That Amp Due To Your Recent Guitar Purchase As It Is A Comfortable And Musical Union In Order To Help You Get Familiar With Your New Guitar.

It Would Be Interesting To See What You Think And Feel By Playing A Different Guitar And Amp Than Your DGT Stuff And Seeing Hw They Wrk For You? Do You Want To Quickly Go Back To Said Amp...Guitar...Or Both? That May Be A Good Test To Discover What Song The Siren Is Actually Singing.

 

[Rider1260]

The way my playing area is now set up , my computer and drum machine and such is set up on my desk my HDRX 20 and H are set nearest the desk so for a late night jam with backing tracks or drum machine the HDRX20 is getting the most play time BUT I fired up the MKV the other day and YES it is my #1. sometime just knowing the #1 is there is enough , same goes with guitars , I will often play the newest ones and the #1 ( 408 ) sits until I remember why I like it so much.

 

[László]

Here Are A Few Thoughts To Ponder...
1. You Could Be Going To It Out Of Habit.

Could be!

2. You Could Be Playing It More To Actually See If It Is Or Could Be Your Number 1 Since You May Already Intimately Know What The Other Amp(s) Do.

I've had the DG30 for 9 years, and know it well, so...probably not.

3. You Could Be Going To That Amp Due To Your Recent Guitar Purchase As It Is A Comfortable And Musical Union In Order To Help You Get Familiar With Your New Guitar.

True. But I was using it before I got the DGT.

It Would Be Interesting To See What You Think And Feel By Playing A Different Guitar And Amp Than Your DGT Stuff And Seeing Hw They Wrk For You? Do You Want To Quickly Go Back To Said Amp...Guitar...Or Both? That May Be A Good Test To Discover What Song The Siren Is Actually Singing.

I'm going to do that experiment. Good idea!

 

[Greywolf]

I find some of my guitars like some amps better than others , but all of them like the DG30 and Mesa Rosette ( the Cafe' workhorse)
There was a discussion a while back ( ad nauseum) about "transparent" amps .. these 2 fall into that category . My others all add a good deal of their own flavor , not a bad thing , but more focused.

 

[WEDGE]

The head and heart answer to two different masters………I love certain guitars but play others more often…….

 

[László]

I find some of my guitars like some amps better than others , but all of them like the DG30 and Mesa Rosette ( the Cafe' workhorse)
There was a discussion a while back ( ad nauseum) about "transparent" amps .. these 2 fall into that category . My others all add a good deal of their own flavor , not a bad thing , but more focused.

The DG definitely lets the guitar shine through, but it adds its own character along the way. That sounds like one of those 'it can't be both' deals, but you hear both the guitar and the amp, very little is obscured.

That's one of the most interesting things about it.

 

[Wyzard]

I reconciled this in my mind a while back: as long as an amp reveals a fundamental musical truth alongside a limited amount of editorialising, it can still be "transparent"........ giving rise to a requirement for different amps.

Plus, in a dimensionally-extensible sensorial universe, I can have multiple "#1" amps.

 

[László]

I reconciled this in my mind a while back: as long as an amp reveals a fundamental musical truth alongside a limited amount of editorialising, it can still be "transparent"........ giving rise to a requirement for different amps.

It's pretty easy to hear true transparency with an electric guitar; run it into a very clean sounding direct box without an amp/cab simulator, and listen through studio monitors.

Over the years there have been artists who've recorded this way; George Harrison on a few tunes (though he did overdrive the mic preamps purposely), some of the funk players, etc.

I don't care for it.

The character and coloration an amp brings to the table are mostly good things. Of course, as with any other question regarding tone, it's a matter of degree of coloration, style of coloration, etc. And that will naturally vary from person to person.

If there's good string-to-string definition, if I can hear the woodiness of the guitar, feel the immediacy of pick attack and crisp upper frequency snap, that's transparent enough. If I can't hear the nuances of my guitars and pickups, it isn't.

Plus, in a dimensionally-extensible sensorial universe, I can have multiple "#1" amps.

No doubt this is true! We can also have different #1s for different needs/styles/situations.

But I like having a set #1. Granted, that's a deliberate choice.

I need to start with a 'home base' tone as a point of comparison, i.e., "This is how I identify my sound, let's hear it in context; if it needs to change, go from there." It simplifies my thinking to roll this way.

My DG30/DG cab certainly qualify as a #1 combination with my guitars except the McCarty Singlecut - that guitar works best for me with the HXDA; it needs an amp with more 'give' that I can dig into a bit more.

Each amp has its uses, and they're all loaded with NOS glass, so they're well-tweaked to sound their very best. At least that issue has been put to rest.