Simple, Complex Or...?

[Bogner]

What Is Your Amp Preference And Why?

Single Channel, NMV Or FX Loop? Multi Channel With All The Goodies (IR Loader, Boosts, Loops, Attenuation, Power Scaling, Midi, Etc. You Name It Or Somewhere In Between Feature Wise?

Discuss...

 

[Jazzedout]

Single channel and a few pedals.
If it is going to be complicated, I prefer a modeler. It makes complicated, simpler with even more options (if that makes sense...)

 

[Simon Says]

It's both

My amp of choice over the past 3 years is Boogie Fillmore 50. I was vocal about how much I liked this amp lots of times before. It's a classic rock-orientated amp with its level of a drive but goes mental when boosted well. The bass stays solid and quick, and the midrange has much of Boogie's DNA. But the amp itself is simple. Two sets of controls, cloned channels, and a 3-way character switch, so both channels can do cleans, light drives or higher level of the drive (not high gain, though). I set the left side for cleans and the right for light drive. I have Chase Tone Secret Preamp always on, which pushes all channels a bit. The second part of my amp rig is Synergy Preamp with one module for now. I have the Herbert module with only the Blue channel in use. It does all the high gains for me at the moment. I am doing my new rig right now, and I plan to get the Synergy with two modules eventually. It's all going to be zipped with Morningstar MC6 Pro and some MIDI gizmos to slave the preamps and enable switching between Synergy and Boogie. So it's not super complicated, but not too simple, either. I have one more booster (another Secret Preamp) and an Overdrive (Nordland ODR-CC+) used for EQ only, with barely any drive. I like my drive coming from the amp/preamp with boosts here and there.

 

[Greywolf]

I prefer simple , hence my choice for a Blue Sierra 50 and DG30 to compliment my old Studio 22+ Boogie and pre CBS Princeton.

I had a young artist friend who recently traded in her Mark V 35 Boogie because it had WAY too many bells and whistles , she went to a Vox AC15 and is totally in blissville.

 

[JasonE]

I can get along with different amps. The amp I have gigged with for the recent past is a modified Vibrolux (Marsh Springfield) so it is basically a single channel. Mine has an OD circuit (Dumble) on one side and I have used a foot switch with a cable plugged into each channel to make it a channel switcher. I find that I like it better by just running into the clean channel and using pedals to get the sound I want. It works well for what I do with it, everything into the front of the amp.

I also have a Mesa Roadster. I have gigged that amp a bit but in the end found that I didn't really like the OD sounds I was getting from it. I used it in a few different bands and while I can live with it, it didn't give me that wow factor and I tried sticking with it for a while.

The newest amp that I have is a Friedman Twin Sister. I have not played any gigs with that amp but I can tell from playing it at home that it will work well for what I want for gigging. I like the OD tones it produces. I have had the Dirty Shirly pedal on my board and run that into my Marsh and love what that pedal sounds like through that amp. I would still use some pedals with the TS but it would be a smaller pedal board.

On the other side of things, I have a Kemper Stage and a Fractal FM9. I haven't had the chance to try either of them at a gig but I plan on trying to make the Kemper my gigging solution if I go back to playing out. I like the tone and feel of it.

 

[bodia]

Two channel and MV and a pedal board.

 

[veinbuster]

Well, I play Boogie Marks, so I guess that answers the question.

But, I will say, I think I like amps that have a wide range, but are pretty simple once you find your preferred space in them.

 

[Bogner]

If I Like The Sound Of The Amp, I Will Play It. I Often Use A Two Amp Rig So Usually I Can Run Effects (If Needed) In Some Manner That Works With One Of The Amps Features. I Like Simple But I Also Like Features At times As Well. I Just Like Amps Overall

 

[ViperDoc]

I’ve found it impossible to find a 2-channel amp that nails both crunch and clean tones the way a purpose-built single channel amp does. It just gets so complicated in a two amp + setup. When I’ve run a single amp and pedals, I have to have a clean that already has breakup, otherwise the pedal-driven overdrive tone sounds like it’s missing a kidney. My favorite combo amp is hands down the Carr Telstar driven by something like a JHS Angry Charlie in parallel mode, and then solo boosted by a King Tone Duellist. Feedback for days. That amp has an onboard tube reverb that guarantees blood flow.

I’ve heard great things about the Fillmore amp series. The guy I last played with had one, but his concept of tone was super f7cked, so it got a bad wrap in that band. I’d love to play one myself.

 

[El Fenix]

Single channel with a master volume.

JMP 2204 may be perfect if loud option.

My Marshall 6100 does a great imitation.

 

[tiboy]

I’ve found it impossible to find a 2-channel amp that nails both crunch and clean tones the way a purpose-built single channel amp does. It just gets so complicated in a two amp + setup. When I’ve run a single amp and pedals, I have to have a clean that already has breakup, otherwise the pedal-driven overdrive tone sounds like it’s missing a kidney. My favorite combo amp is hands down the Carr Telstar driven by something like a JHS Angry Charlie in parallel mode, and then solo boosted by a King Tone Duellist. Feedback for days. That amp has an onboard tube reverb that guarantees blood flow.

I’ve heard great things about the Fillmore amp series. The guy I last played with had one, but his concept of tone was super f7cked, so it got a bad wrap in that band. I’d love to play one myself.

My main amp is a Suhr PT15 IR that can be complex as it has IR and a headphone jack. I use neither. Channel one is an excellent clean IMO. It has its own complete EQ controls. Channel 2 is an excellent crunch IMO. It has its own complete EQ. Channel 3 is channel 2 but with its own volume and gain. I use channel 3 for lead/solo. I set up the channels and I’m done. Simple yet it gives me everything I want/need. Of course, like many there’s a pedal board. But it’s really superfluous. While it may not be optimal, I find the one set of settings works with Strats, Teles, LP’S and of course the PRS 594 just my using the guitar knobs.

 

[DISTORT6]

My amps run from the simple (Marshall JCM900 2100 and Soldano SLO-100) to the complex (Mesa Boogie MkIV and Fryette Sig:X) and in between (Mesa Boogie Single Rectifier).
The common denominator is the heavy, overdriven sound that comes just from the amp, not a pedal. As long as I can get that type of tone, it could be just an on switch and I could make it work.

 

[Gtrbldr]

Amp: 2 or 3 channels, fx loop with 4 cables and a helix. Otherwise: digital.

Not necessarily complex, but I prefer tools in the right context. And I am pragmatic.

 

[Wyzard]

Well, I play Boogie Marks, so I guess that answers the question.

But, I will say, I think I like amps that have a wide range, but are pretty simple once you find your preferred space in them.

Reminds me of ........well, me.

If I Like The Sound Of The Amp, I Will Play It. I Often Use A Two Amp Rig So Usually I Can Run Effects (If Needed) In Some Manner That Works With One Of The Amps Features. I Like Simple But I Also Like Features At times As Well. I Just Like Amps Overall

Been there too, and still doing it - I've often run two Boogies or two Two Rocks together. Currently K&M/Two Rock LTD and Akoya (speakers are Celestion Black Shadows) for a singing violin-like tone. After working on this for over a decade, I'm finally getting there.

I like amps too!

 

[nac]

I am definitely in the simple camp - although I'm currently using a Kemper and I wouldn't say that simple.......

I may need help

 

[Bogner]

I am definitely in the simple camp - although I'm currently using a Kemper and I wouldn't say that simple.......

I may need help

What Are You needing Help With?

 

[Rider1260]

Two Multi Channel and 2 Single Channel ,pedal board for each , I have to much stuff

 

[Tony M.]

Simple.

Clean amp and a few pedals.
Six at the most. Tuner, Dirt, modulation, Delay, Reverb.
(Maybe a Wah, depends on the gig.)

In a room with bass and drums and 37 motorcycles parked outside
you're not gonna need that pedal you use for that one bridge in that one song.
Leave it home.

 

[László]

A single channel amp can put me in that Twilight Zone between clean and breaking up, and that's where I live on guitar.

Set the amp up for Twilight Zone to happen with the guitar volume at 6-7, dial the guitar volume higher (or just dig in) for dirt, and lower for clean, and I have a world of tone colors at my fingertips.

I've yet to play a two channel amp that does that the way I like best.

But I do like some two channel amps anyway. Because I'm a slut.

 

[Bogner]

A single channel amp can put me in that Twilight Zone between clean and breaking up, and that's where I live on guitar.

Set the amp up for Twilight Zone to happen with the guitar volume at 6-7, dial the guitar volume higher (or just dig in) for dirt, and lower for clean, and I have a world of tone colors at my fingertips.

I've yet to play a two channel amp that does that the way I like best.

VH4 Channel 2? Einstein? Shiva? Roccaforte? SLO? Wizard?