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Different amps for different guitars


Guest HRB853370

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Guest HRB853370

Does it make sense that some amps are just more suitable for certain guitars? I was playing a 150 CM through my KPB Tweed Deluxe the other day and it really howls, but with much natural overdrive. That same amp played today with a Fender Strat 62 AVRI (stock) plugged into it sounds so much chimier and cleaner. I guess the difference could be humbuckers vs single coils, but I just like the sound of a Strat through that amp much better!

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Same thing here, Slammer. I only play my single coil and minibucker guitars through my 5E3 as it has too much mids and makes humbuckers sound a bit muddy.

 

One exception to that is when I play with an ABY box into both the 5E3 and the VR at the same time. Humbuckers sound great through that rig! The windows rattle a bit though... ;)

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If you don't mind the volume dropping a bit, you could try a 5751 (gain factor of 80) or a 12AY7 (45) in the V1 position (far right as viewed from the back) to tame the clipping a bit.

 

I've got a 5751 in V1 and a tight, spanky Greenback speaker and it still seems nicer with single coils.

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Does it make sense that some amps are just more suitable for certain guitars? I was playing a 150 CM through my KPB Tweed Deluxe the other day and it really howls, but with much natural overdrive. That same amp played today with a Fender Strat 62 AVRI (stock) plugged into it sounds so much chimier and cleaner. I guess the difference could be humbuckers vs single coils, but I just like the sound of a Strat through that amp much better!

 

I've struggled with amp and guitars for a balanced output... That's part of the reason why I had a revolving door of amps over the past couple years.

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Does it make sense that some amps are just more suitable for certain guitars? I was playing a 150 CM through my KPB Tweed Deluxe the other day and it really howls, but with much natural overdrive. That same amp played today with a Fender Strat 62 AVRI (stock) plugged into it sounds so much chimier and cleaner. I guess the difference could be humbuckers vs single coils, but I just like the sound of a Strat through that amp much better!

Yeah it's weird but for me, a Strat is more "my sound".. I still have a humbucker equipped guitar, but I don't really do any hard rock anymore.. Plus the chimy-ness seems to just cut through the mix better.. A little overdrive grittiness for the leads I do, and then back to that nice clean rhythm tone.. The number 4 position is my favorite.. Both bridge and middle pickups on.. YMMV

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I bet Leo wasn't bench testing his amps with Les Paul guitars. He had Strats n Teles. All single coil gits. That's why they sound so good with Fender amps.

 

 

Leo-Fender-01-e1312990737157.jpg?fit=250

There ya go.. :icon_sunny:

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Yea, buy a new guitar, buy a new amp to match. Repeat until you cover the spectrum. Amps with high and low imputs are more flexible when it comes to single and double coils. 150's and Marshalls, strats and Marshalls, Ampegs and Archtops, P90's and Tweeds, Vox and Ric's Vox, Fenders and Fenders, Black face and anything.

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My Laney TT50 sounds great with my all my guitars ... except MFD equipped G&Ls. It just doesn't like those pickups, in particular the large rectangular ones found in the ASAT Specials. Those very same pickups and guitars sound great through the AC30 and Blues Junior.

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Yea, buy a new guitar, buy a new amp to match. Repeat until you cover the spectrum. Amps with high and low imputs are more flexible when it comes to single and double coils. 150's and Marshalls, strats and Marshalls, Ampegs and Archtops, P90's and Tweeds, Vox and Ric's Vox, Fenders and Fenders, Black face and anything.

 

finally . . . a good explanation for high and low inputs. Thanks, Spectrum!

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a 535 pairs extremely well with Vox amps. Mine loved my Vox AC 4 TV.

Every guitar I have loves my Vox AC30 CC1. Have to tweak the Cut accordingly. But yeah, they loves them the Vox!

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Guest HRB853370

Yea, buy a new guitar, buy a new amp to match. Repeat until you cover the spectrum. Amps with high and low imputs are more flexible when it comes to single and double coils. 150's and Marshalls, strats and Marshalls, Ampegs and Archtops, P90's and Tweeds, Vox and Ric's Vox, Fenders and Fenders, Black face and anything.

Spectrum?

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I bet Leo wasn't bench testing his amps with Les Paul guitars. He had Strats n Teles. All single coil gits. That's why they sound so good with Fender amps.

 

 

Leo-Fender-01-e1312990737157.jpg?fit=250

 

 

Pressure: " Some amps have a bright switch which works great when you switch between single coil or humbucker pickups.

Bright switch on for humbuckers, bright switch off for single coils."

 

 

what these guys said +1

 

Smurph did you try adjusting the EQ on the amp to match the gtr? humbuckers can sound muddy if the mids & lows aren't dialed out a bit. plus they drive the amp harder, which can be a good, juicy thing :D but you won't get those chimy cleans as easily

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This is why, when I go to try out amps, I bring a single coil guitar, and a humbucker guitar. Most of the modern amps have EQ's that allow you to dial in good sounds on either. I do kind of wish my marshall had a "bright" switch for the clean channel, as it sounds like it's got a blanket over it unless I put the treble up to 9 when I am using a humbucker guitar. I have found mesa boogie and carvin amps to be much more flexible, and they tend to work well with just about any guitar you can put through them.

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That's why I'll use two combos together, every chance I get. Usually a tweed and a blackface, or an EL34 with a Celestion and a blackface.

+1

 

Rob knows :)

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I agree with the tele statements above.

 

This is a great thread guys - I think its something everyone should know prior to going out and buying amps. It should be in an Amps 101 primer.

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Guest HRB853370

 

That's the argument for owning a Tele!

I don't own one and I am not missing anything! But soon I will be learning C&W so I will eventually need one.

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+1 for having a stable of amps as well as more than one guitar to play through them. Different amp topologies sound different with the same guitar. Wonderful is spelled only one way but describes a variety of sounds...out of those amps if you did well there.

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I don't own one and I am not missing anything! But soon I will be learning C&W so I will eventually need one.

 

I don't play any C&W, but I still have a Tele. It's one of the most versatile guitars I own, comfortable as heck, and came in a really nice case.

 

There are also plenty of tele clones from the 80's and 90s that would be fine. Hamer USA made some, Peavey USA made some, G&L has made a ton, etc.

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