Practice amp for recording

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Justus Johnston

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So I've often heard that the best guitar recordings come from practice amps, and honestly, my own personal experience backs that up.

I've never even once had any band actually come into my studio with one. They always bring their half-stack or whatever. However, when I record my own stuff, I use the only thing I have, which is a cheap shitty 1x8 Kustom, yet it's far easier to pick up a complete full sound off that amp, even using only one mic! With half-stacks, I always have to use at least 2 mics to really get everything, and then it's a bitch to mix well.

I've been thinking for a good while that it would be nice to get a really good tube-based practice amp to do this with, not just for guitar stuff, but for re-amping certain things too.

So, what kinds of things should I look for? Should I just get the best-sounding 1x12 I can find, or would something smaller be better?

I'm guessing that the difficulties in recording half-stacks arise from the fact that they have multiple cones, rather than the size of the enclosure. Also, I've always really liked the sound of 1x12s. But I'm open to the idea of smaller amps being easier to record, if a 1x10 would be better.

Is it a good idea to look for a tube, or should I go for solid state instead?
Remember, this is just for recording, not for actually playing live or even really practicing.
 
uhh

Fender Blues Jr
Vox AC15

or for a lil more wattage

Marshall DSL401
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe
Vox AC30

theres other, but these are my favorites that are availible new. i like the JCM900 1x12 from the 80's/90's, with the switch for higher or lower wattage, but thats hard to find.
 
Epiphone, Crate and Peavey are all selling 5 watt all tube amps these days. Haven't tried any of them but they range in price from $99 for a no-frills Epi head to $500+ for a Peavy JSX combo. They all look good.
 
The Epi Valve Jr. head is a great little amp for $99. Any guitarist should run out and get one. Also the Crate 5 watt palomino is a great little amp. but it's more than twice as much as the Epi.
 
Justus Johnston said:
So I've often heard that the best guitar recordings come from practice amps, and honestly, my own personal experience backs that up.

I've never even once had any band actually come into my studio with one. They always bring their half-stack or whatever. However, when I record my own stuff, I use the only thing I have, which is a cheap shitty 1x8 Kustom, yet it's far easier to pick up a complete full sound off that amp, even using only one mic! With half-stacks, I always have to use at least 2 mics to really get everything, and then it's a bitch to mix well.

I've been thinking for a good while that it would be nice to get a really good tube-based practice amp to do this with, not just for guitar stuff, but for re-amping certain things too.

So, what kinds of things should I look for? Should I just get the best-sounding 1x12 I can find, or would something smaller be better?

I'm guessing that the difficulties in recording half-stacks arise from the fact that they have multiple cones, rather than the size of the enclosure. Also, I've always really liked the sound of 1x12s. But I'm open to the idea of smaller amps being easier to record, if a 1x10 would be better.

Is it a good idea to look for a tube, or should I go for solid state instead?
Remember, this is just for recording, not for actually playing live or even really practicing.
Click to expand...

Well...Fletcher over at Mercenary Audio bought an Epiphone small tube amp and raves over the thing. I think it is $99

I will check it out myself.
 
The guitarist in a band I use to be in played shows with his Marshall half, but when we recorded I convinced him to use his little 20 Watt Rickenbacker amp, which has the SWEETEST tone. To me, it sounded just like a little VOX, and I think for half the price.
 
I have a little Vox Cambridge 15 I bought off ebay for $80 that has been my go-to amp for recording my own stuff lately. I don't think they are making them anymore, but last time I looked, there were plenty of used ones around.

It's 15 watts, has a tube in the pre and an 8" blue celestion bulldog speaker. Sounds pretty mean on the recordings and it doesn't take up much space at all.
 
Justus Johnston said:
So I've often heard that the best guitar recordings come from practice amps, and honestly, my own personal experience backs that up.

I've never even once had any band actually come into my studio with one. They always bring their half-stack or whatever. However, when I record my own stuff, I use the only thing I have, which is a cheap shitty 1x8 Kustom, yet it's far easier to pick up a complete full sound off that amp, even using only one mic! With half-stacks, I always have to use at least 2 mics to really get everything, and then it's a bitch to mix well.

I've been thinking for a good while that it would be nice to get a really good tube-based practice amp to do this with, not just for guitar stuff, but for re-amping certain things too.

So, what kinds of things should I look for? Should I just get the best-sounding 1x12 I can find, or would something smaller be better?

I'm guessing that the difficulties in recording half-stacks arise from the fact that they have multiple cones, rather than the size of the enclosure. Also, I've always really liked the sound of 1x12s. But I'm open to the idea of smaller amps being easier to record, if a 1x10 would be better.

Is it a good idea to look for a tube, or should I go for solid state instead?
Remember, this is just for recording, not for actually playing live or even really practicing.
Click to expand...

You're probably just making things too difficult for yourself. A good guitar player through a good amp is just about the easiest thing to record in a studio. Why 2 or more mics? Throw a mic a little off center and off axis right up on the grill and that should do it. BTW I only ever record through a 4x12 and have never had problems.
 
personally i'd like to ditch my half-stack for a 2x12 combo...but i love my head way too much
 
TragikRemix said:
uhh

Fender Blues Jr
Vox AC15

or for a lil more wattage

Marshall DSL401
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe
Vox AC30

theres other, but these are my favorites that are availible new. i like the JCM900 1x12 from the 80's/90's, with the switch for higher or lower wattage, but thats hard to find.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'll definitely second that suggestion of a Blues Jr.

Or, if you feel like spending a bit more, I'd definitely go for the hot rod deville...

But it really depends on what style of music you record, as you won't get the greatest death metal tone out of either of those amps I mentioned :cool: .
 
Justus Johnston said:
So, what kinds of things should I look for? Should I just get the best-sounding 1x12 I can find, or would something smaller be better?

I'm guessing that the difficulties in recording half-stacks arise from the fact that they have multiple cones, rather than the size of the enclosure. Also, I've always really liked the sound of 1x12s. But I'm open to the idea of smaller amps being easier to record, if a 1x10 would be better.

Is it a good idea to look for a tube, or should I go for solid state instead?
Remember, this is just for recording, not for actually playing live or even really practicing.
Click to expand...

Tube, definitely. If you have an amp that uses EL-34s, 6V6s or 6L6s, one option is a pair of those Groove Tubes adapters that let you put an EL-84 where a standard 8 pin tube would go. A pair of those is about 15 watts. That sounds great into a single 10" speaker. Alternatively, go smaller with one of those single tube amps, a la Fender Champ or Gibson GA-5. The Valve Jr. head is a great for the price.

The single cone does tend to simplify the miking process. I remember a TapeOp interview of Daniel Lanois a few years back talking about that very point.

Cheers,

Otto
 
I have a Silvertone practice amp with an 8" speaker and a power tube that could be used in a small radio (50C5), that sounds great to me - I got it for $40, but then spent another $50 getting it re-worked - mainly replacing the capacitors. I tried a couple of speakers in it, but wound up getting the original one reconed (another $30). It doesn't get very loud - maybe 1 watt of output, and it records well. I have a number of other small tube practice amps that I got off ebay for $50-$150. About 75% of them needed work, and in the end, only a couple of them sounded truly crappy - most are good. One of them, a Gibson Skylark Crestline, is just kick-ass. If you're willing to take chances, you can get a serviceable old off-brand tube amp for not much money. Or you can play it safe and get a well maintained Fender (or a new one), but you'll pay more.

I played through one of those Epiphone valve juniors at a guitar store. I liked it -- it was $99, but it was just the head, you still had to get a cabinet of some sort. It (and the guitar and cabinet I was using) sounded very good, and it was low-noise and responsive, and fairly loud. Physically, it seemed like pretty high quality construction - better than a lot of the old amps. It had switchable impedance output (or maybe multiple outputs with different impedance, can't remember), so you could use just about any cabinet. I'd definitely check those out.

Remember that the sound most guitar players like from tube amps appears when you're overdriving the *power* tube(s) (and the preamp tubes, too, I suppose), and so unless you want to get really *&!#$ loud, smaller is better. I've got a Marshall half stack that is amazing, but in the 20 years that I've had it, I've been able to open it up and play to my heart's content only a few times (and that includes gigs and even studio time) -- now that I'm doing home recording, it's basically furniture, but it'll be nice to have if I ever go back to gigging.
 
ofajen said:
Tube, definitely. If you have an amp that uses EL-34s, 6V6s or 6L6s, one option is a pair of those Groove Tubes adapters that let you put an EL-84 where a standard 8 pin tube would go. A pair of those is about 15 watts. That sounds great into a single 10" speaker. Alternatively, go smaller with one of those single tube amps, a la Fender Champ or Gibson GA-5. The Valve Jr. head is a great for the price.

The single cone does tend to simplify the miking process. I remember a TapeOp interview of Daniel Lanois a few years back talking about that very point.

Cheers,

Otto
Click to expand...

THD YELLOW JACKETS too!
 
I love my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. But you probably want a deville because its a 2 x 12 whatever my friend shoulda of spoken up when I bought it he was the one who sold it to me. MY BEST FRIEND SINCE SIXTH GRADE!
 
I really like my Crate Palomino series amps a lot for recording. I have the V32, V16, and V8. I also have a couple of Valve Jr's a Blackface Fender Champ and a few other small wattage amps. I agree that you don't need a 100 watt full stack for recording.
 
As previously mentioned... I just got the Epiphone 5w "Valve Junior" and have been loving it... other amps in the collection are a '68 SVT, a MusicMan HD-130 that was customized for Aerosmith in the 70's, a THD "UniValve" and a THD "Flexi-50", a Madison "Divinity", a Groove Tubes "combo" amp [where you can change the tube, an old Silvertone with a 6" speaker and a Mesa Boogie something or other that never gets used.

Cabinets include a Marshall 1960 w/custom Weber VST drivers, a Madison 4x12", a THD 2x 12", a Marshall 4x 10" and an Ampeg 8x 10"... of all that crap, the Epiphone with the 4-10 Marshall cab have been seeing the most action [which I have to say we've all found rather surprising].

Peace.
 
Orange...

I've said it before...Orange Tiny Terror. $500 for an amp head that is 7 or 15 watts with the flip of a switch. Buy a cheap 4x12 cab and put four different speakers in it with four jacks in the back. I've tried alnico blues, vintage 30, tube 10, G10 Vintage, and jenson neodymium speakers with it. All are different and sound great with it. :D :D :D
 
I'm saying Epiphone Valve Junior...

oh and also get an eq.
 
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I am NOT a fan of combo amps...by themselves.

HOWEVER....

i love using 4x12 as an extension cab to a little combo amp. i think it's because it's making the amp work harder...while controlling the volume.

esp with my 4x10 blues deville. plug that thing into my 4X12 with v30s and it roars. i hate playing it with the 4x10s. they're really bright, and the low end that IS there, is very muddy

I've plugged my blues JR. and gotten some killer clean tones.

we plugged this 30 watt tube crate amp into it. and it sounded great.

oh. the tiny terror from orange is also amazing. its 15 watts class A, for like...$550, and it sounds AMAZING.

basically what i do is:

I take the amp and set it up in the room, and mix it til it sounds really good. Then i throw a few mics on. take the head down, haul it into the control room.

then i work with mic placement, and adjust the mix on the amp, until i get the sound i want through the monitors

i like doing it that way, cuz then i have control over what it sounds like, right there, rather than having to get up, and walk into the other room, every time i want to change the EQ or gain.

also if the guitarst isn't in with the cab, it helps reduce unwanted feedback and random other noises. one my LEAST favorite things to hear on electric guitar is pick noise.
 
If you want a tube amp, I'd also recommend the Epiphone "Valve Junior" head at $99. Plug it into whatever speaker cab you have, and prepare yourself to be very impressed. GREAT sounding 5 watt amp. ;)
 
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