Don't expect cheap practice amps ...

[Daisy]

... to give you raging, fat / thick distortion tracks.

If you're doing metal, heavy metal, hardcore, grindcore, deathcore, shoegaze or even shoecore (just made that one up), then do yourself a favor and get a real amp.

Not a practice amp you bought for 10 bucks off Craigslist because someone on a message board told you it was the sh*t.

If you can't afford a real amp, then either get a job, cut down on some of your expenses ... or find some place that rents them. If you can't find any store that rents them ... then borrow one from one of your friends.

If you don't have a friend who owns a halfway decent amp, then get some new friends. But don't expect your 10 dollar solid state practice amp you picked up off Craigslist to somehow be your answer. It just doesn't work that way. Good guitar tracks and good distortion comes from good amps.

Thank you. (This has been a public service message from that voice of reason in your head that you really need to reach out to more often)

[soldierone]

While can I see where you're coming from, I'm not entirely convinced that the size of the amp really dictates the quality of the sound coming out of it. Some of my favorite tones have come from smaller amps, and have recorded quite well.

[pipelineaudio]

This doesn't mean small, low wattage amps, can't produce massive recorded sounds though, because they sure as hell can.

I'm not all the way Harveyed, because I still believe, in the analog world, the better distorted preamp tones come from preamp tubes, but for the square wave dogshit flat out crap that passes for a guitar sound today, I dont see how a radio shack pa system with a clipper in front of it would be any worse than a Diezel

[Rust E-Z]

Originally Posted by Daisy

... to give you raging, fat / thick distortion tracks.

If you're doing metal, heavy metal, hardcore, grindcore, deathcore, shoegaze or even shoecore (just made that one up), then do yourself a favor and get a real amp.

Not a practice amp you bought for 10 bucks off Craigslist because someone on a message board told you it was the sh*t.

If you can't afford a real amp, then either get a job, cut down on some of your expenses ... or find some place that rents them. If you can't find any store that rents them ... then borrow one from one of your friends.

If you don't have a friend who owns a halfway decent amp, then get some new friends. But don't expect your 10 dollar solid state practice amp you picked up off Craigslist to somehow be your answer. It just doesn't work that way. Good guitar tracks and good distortion comes from good amps.

Thank you. (This has been a public service message from that voice of reason in your head that you really need to reach out to more often)

Can you verify that? Have you played through every cheap practice amp? Got any clips of practice amps that are being talked about to campare with your holy grails?
I wish just once I could read a slamming post from chessrock that talked about hearing said slammed gear.

[soldierone]

I swear saw someone on here yesterday talking about getting great distorted tone out of a 15 watt Frontman amp...

[WhiteStrat]

Originally Posted by soldierone

I swear saw someone on here yesterday talking about getting great distorted tone out of a 15 watt Frontman amp...

In case you're not being sarcastic: yes, you did. It was an unorthodox suggestion by a very trusted pro in the business. (Said pro also appreciates the value of big, loud tube amps, as he owns many in his studio.) He was simply trying to suggest a creative alternative to a board member on an obviously limited budget.

Daisy sniped at him for doing so--with a none too subtle disdain for the notion that this pro was well respected and many would at least try his suggestion.

This new thread that Daisy's started appears to be an attempt to shore up his position. Unfortunately, it's not his position that's the problem. It's his attitude.

Oh well...

[soldierone]

Originally Posted by WhiteStrat

In case you're not being sarcastic: yes, you did. It was an unorthodox suggestion by a very trusted pro in the business. (Said pro also appreciates the value of big, loud tube amps, as he owns many in his studio.) He was simply trying to suggest a creative alternative to a board member on an obviously limited budget.

Daisy sniped at him for doing so--with a none too subtle disdain for the notion that this pro was well respected and many would at least try his suggestion.

This new thread that Daisy's started appears to be an attempt to shore up his position. Unfortunately, it's not his position that's the problem. It's his attitude.

Oh well...

Totally not being sarcastic! (Harvey posted it! That's why it stuck... I've actually been to his studio when one of my friend's bands was recording there. Very nice place!)

[WhiteStrat]

Originally Posted by soldierone

Totally not being sarcastic! (Harvey posted it! That's why it stuck... I've actually been to his studio when one of my friend's bands was recording there. Very nice place!)

Okay, so you know Harvey. Lemme ask you: think he knows his stuff and was just trying to be helpful with that Frontman suggestion?

I know...clearly I'm being both leading and rhetorical in order to make a point.

[soldierone]

Wow... proves how much attention I was paying! I didn't even put two and two together to realize that this post was related to the one I saw earlier. Oh well! I feel a bit stupid now!

[WhiteStrat]

Originally Posted by soldierone

Wow... proves how much attention I was paying! I didn't even put two and two together to realize that this post was related to the one I saw earlier. Oh well! I feel a bit stupid now!

No sweat. Someone else played you.

[soldierone]

Originally Posted by WhiteStrat

Okay, so you know Harvey. Lemme ask you: think he knows his stuff and was just trying to be helpful with that Frontman suggestion?

I know...clearly I'm being both leading and rhetorical in order to make a point.

I would wager to say that he probably knows a thing or two about tone... all the bands I've heard come out of that studio sound fantastic!

It sounded like a great suggestion as well... I've played through a few of those amps myself, so I could see it happening. Not a bad idea for someone with a budget.

[WhiteStrat]

Originally Posted by soldierone

I would wager to say that he probably knows a thing or two about tone... all the bands I've heard come out of that studio sound fantastic!

It sounded like a great suggestion as well... I've played through a few of those amps myself, so I could see it happening. Not a bad idea for someone with a budget.

Seriously--I've got one! Well, I loaned to my nephew who's taking lessons. I'm gonna have to snag it back long enough to give it a try.

[Freudian Slip]

small, cheap and shitty sounding are three different things. I learned this on Sesame Street. While most small cheap amps tend to suck, there is an exception to every rule.

F.S.

[rockerdude]

I have A marshall jcm 800 stack,Krank rev,mesa boogie,old silvertones,magnatone and other various amps in my studio for use.A friend of mine said that I should be using a amp with a 10" speaker for recording to get a tighter sound.He is a platinum selling engineer(Papa roach,Cake)So one day this band came into record and the kid had a marshall microstack.This thing sounds awesome.So the next day I got one.Great amp and it was only 300.00 new.

[WhiteStrat]

Originally Posted by rockerdude

I have A marshall jcm 800 stack,Krank rev,mesa boogie,old silvertones,magnatone and other various amps in my studio for use.A friend of mine said that I should be using a amp with a 10" speaker for recording to get a tighter sound.He is a platinum selling engineer(Papa roach,Cake)So one day this band came into record and the kid had a marshall microstack.This thing sounds awesome.So the next day I got one.Great amp and it was only 300.00 new.

Yep...lot's of the "biggies" (no pun intended) use little amps for a big sound. The thing is that the best distortion is not the gain dial, but the natural distortion you get from turning an amp all the way up--the power tubes get sweet, the speaker breaks up some, and air starts moving. That's all easier to do with a little amp...

[MadHatterTCM]

Originally Posted by Daisy

... to give you raging, fat / thick distortion tracks.

If you're doing metal, heavy metal, hardcore, grindcore, deathcore, shoegaze or even shoecore (just made that one up), then do yourself a favor and get a real amp.

Not a practice amp you bought for 10 bucks off Craigslist because someone on a message board told you it was the sh*t.

If you can't afford a real amp, then either get a job, cut down on some of your expenses ... or find some place that rents them. If you can't find any store that rents them ... then borrow one from one of your friends.

If you don't have a friend who owns a halfway decent amp, then get some new friends. But don't expect your 10 dollar solid state practice amp you picked up off Craigslist to somehow be your answer. It just doesn't work that way. Good guitar tracks and good distortion comes from good amps.

Thank you. (This has been a public service message from that voice of reason in your head that you really need to reach out to more often)

I'm 100% sure that the last two radiohead cds have been recorded with small cheap practice amps for the majority of the guitar parts. Most of the songs are mellow, but there's some thick stuff in there.

Does a practice amp sound like a diezel/mesa stack on stage? hell no! can it be amazingly useful in the studio and sound as thick at times in a recording? sure as hell can if you know what you're doing.

Quit being so narrow minded, what works, works...

[Corndog]

I've heard a story about somebody plugging headphones into a cheap-o practice amp and stickin' a 58 between the cans and wrapping a towel 'round the whole lot. Claimed it sounded great. Weird huh???

[antichef]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm going pawn shop to pawn shop until I find a $20 15 watt Fender Frontman to plug into my 1960A cab (which, I guess means it has to have a 16 ohm speaker out jack?)

[bigtoe]

Originally Posted by Corndog

I've heard a story about somebody plugging headphones into a cheap-o practice amp and stickin' a 58 between the cans and wrapping a towel 'round the whole lot. Claimed it sounded great. Weird huh???

i stick mics inbetween headphones and mic em up to stink a solo up often. great trick.

i've also used a homemade practice amp @ about 5 W built in a lunch box (my friend who makes em calls em a 'lunchy') thru a 4X12 sovtek cab to get bob mould type guitar tracks...a fender pro jr thru the same cab is large and in charge...if you've never tried a smokey...invest in one...

any one who shits on the thought has read too many ads while he or she should have been recording...a product of the time.

Mike

[omtayslick]

This may be urban legend, but I read somewhere that the Stones recorded that raging guitar on "Brown Sugar" by playing through a little transistor radio someone had laying around. Can anyone verify that yay or nay?

[bigtoe]

Originally Posted by omtayslick

This may be urban legend, but I read somewhere that the Stones recorded that raging guitar on "Brown Sugar" by playing through a little transistor radio someone had laying around. Can anyone verify that yay or nay?

that's a raging twin with a 77 and bleed...if i remember that article correctly.

i think you're thinking of street fightin man...where the acoustics were recorded on a cheaper tape recorder in a hotel room with a kilo of cocaine, a brick of hash and some bourbon.

Mike

[PhiloBeddoe]

I have a Randall RM20 (15W) that sounds plenty big by itself or ran thru a 4x12. I've also used the Orange Tiny Terror with success. Using low wattage amps in the studio is certainly not a new idea.

I suspect no one here besides Harvey has actually tried the Frontman through the 4x12, so I'm not sure why some are discounting it. Hey, if it's really a $10 experiment, why the heck not try it?

[Corndog]

Smallest amp I have is an Epiphone Valve Special. 5 watts an I could gig with it. That sucker is LOUD!!!

[antichef]

3 days into the power outage from hurricane Rita in 2005, I thought to try the (battery powered) smokey amp through my Marshall 1960A 4x12. After about 72 hours of heat and silence, that was an awesome sound! The 2204 head does sound better, but requires wall socket power

[Freudian Slip]

Originally Posted by Daisy

... to give you raging, fat / thick

Are we really talking about amps here?


F.S.