In my last blog post, I wrote about Charlie Daniels recent passing. I also mentioned how I saw him in concert. There is a detail I did not mention about that experience that made me look at my rig in a whole new way. The band played on an enormous stage in an arena and all he had behind him was a Fender Twin Reverb – a little amp.
Why was that a big deal? Well, Kiss had been out a few years and the wall of amps became a thing. Most of the amps behind Kiss were facades but the effect said it all: Big a$$ sound! Friends of mine had Marshall half stacks and I played a Peavey Standard head with two cabs for my bass rig. We all wanted to have a wall of amps! Yet, here I was in an arena and this guy just had this little amp behind him!
Little amp but big sound
Keep in mind that the Twin Reverb is a Loud, powerful amp at 85 watts with two 12″ speakers. Most of the Marshalls I saw among my friends were 50 watts. Put that through a 4×12 cabinet and it will strip paint off the wall. The shocker was the setting – an arena. I expected huge! The were two things I wrestled with: the look and the stage volume.
If you have a good P.A. system, the amp size really doesn’t matter that much. The complaint we would hear was always, “You’re too loud!” Add to that the many nights I came home with ringing in my ears so bad I was all but deaf. These days, I don’t even use an amp unless I have to. I go virtual with an in-ear monitor or use a small amp that is easy to carry. No more ringing except for that left over from the damage I did to myself in those early days – Doh!
Go for tone
Big rigs certainly look cool and I love them. When I was young and following my older brother around music stores, the stacks of amps would always grab my attention. Even the P.A. system speaker columns and stacks would call my name. However, the key detail is your tone. What is the sound you are listening for? Clean or dirty, you must nail that first! If you can get it with a mere 15 watts, do it. Your bank account will thank you and your back will definitely thank you.
Where to start small
Depending on your style of playing, you want to start with an amplifier that is designed to support that sound. For example, if you typically play clean electric then a Fender style amp may be your thing. If you want crunch, then veer toward Marshall type amps. For acoustic guitar, you can actually get away with a small P.A. system as you are looking for an amp that is not going to color your tone. There are plenty of acoustic guitar amplifiers available, just realize that they really are just miniature P.A. systems meant to amplify your instrument as cleanly as possible. The extra bells and whistles are typically the types of effects built in. That can make it more convenient but better to spend your money on a good mike or pickup for your guitar.
If you are an electric jazz guitarist, you will be looking for clean like the acoustic players but will need an amp built for electric guitars. Why? Because the magnetic pickups have a particular frequency response that is enhanced by the design of those amps. Polytone amplifiers are typical but the Roland Jazz Chorus or Fender Ultimate Chorus are good choices, as well.
Final praise for little amps
I watched a friend of mine’s band play a Christmas concert a few years ago: Karen England. It was in a large modern style church (i.e. stage and folding chairs). I sat in the front row right next to the guitarist. What did I see but a little Fender Blues Jr. just off the stage aimed up at him. I couldn’t get over the huge sound he was getting! 15 watts and one 12″ speaker. Harkened back to ol’ Charlie Daniels and his little amp so many years ago. I now have a Blues Jr. for myself and just love being able to lug that little guy around as easily as my guitar. Lesson learned 😉