Humbucker Soup
5 Guitar Amplifiers That Changed My Life
Choosing the right amp can save you a great deal of frustration when trying to get the right tone. Here are five guitar amplifiers that are definitely worth a look
Fender Super Champ
Back in 1983, a guy who lived down the hall from me proclaimed to me: “My brother plays guitar, and I have his amp in my room. It’s a pretty good one, you should try it.” For some reason, I replied with a tremendous amount of attitude: “ok, bring it here, I’ll take a quick look…” I plugged in, and 20 minutes later looked up and said: “I’m gonna keep this for a while… you can come back and get it when I am done..” I had that amp in my room for at least two weeks before I decided that maybe I should give it back. 25+ years later this is still my favorite amp in the world.
As it only pushes 18Watts through a 10″ speaker, this is not an amp for playing in stadiums. But when miked, it sounds un-believable. I have had producers pull the same “I’ll let you have this back when I’m done…” routine with me after hearing it at a session.
Sounds
The control-set is quite simple: Volume, Treble, Bass, Lead Channel Volume and Reverb. The clean channel sounds amazing, just what you expect from a Fender amplifier but because the amp has such a low-wattage, it breaks up quicker and at lower volumes. This is perfect for recordings or low-volume rehearsals. The lead channel has an incredible amount of drive, much much more than one might expect from a Fender, especially in 1983. You can change channels and activate the reverb via a footswitch.
Magic
The most amazing sound that I have found in this amp is when you dime the clean channel, and then pull the treble knob out for a m id boost. This is a kind of Keith Richards on steroids sound. You can definitely get some pretty serious rock sounds as well if you are using very hot pickups. I have had jams where I used the amp on this setting, put it up on a chair, and then watched as jaws dropped; no one could believe such a small amp put out such a sound. And when you put it through a larger 1X12 or 2X12 cabinet, forget it, the sound is amazing.
Related Reading:
Marshall 1959 100Watt Super Lead
This may seem like an obvious one, but I’d be less than honest if I did not state that simply knowing this head exists had a profound impact on me. I have owned a few old Marshall heads in my life and they are mighty. But in 2000, I purchased a mint condition 1970 100Watt Super Lead. I had it on layaway for six months (yes, layaway, remember that?), so I had a lot of time to contemplate how it might sound. The day I made my final payment, I took it home and fired it up. My own Jaw dropped. I new it would sound great, but holy friggin’ crap! The best sound out of this amp is when you just plug straight in and turn it up past five. Granted, even through a 1×12 speaker, this is the kind of volume that can get you registered with Homeland Security. But man, if you can stand the complaints from the neighbors, what a sound. Essentially, it is clean, but also there is so much power in there, you can do anything you want. Once I got my brain in gear, I went out and purchased THD Hotplate. Using the Hot Plate I was able to get sick sick sick sounds at very low volumes. Sadly, I sold that head shorly after 911 as I lost a lot of work and needed the money. This is one that I wish I could get back.
Related Reading
Fender Deluxe Reverb
Te me, this is the original “Garage Amp”. It is just so perfect. It holds up well in rehearsals, and pretty well at lower volume gigs. I know I say this a lot, but change the speaker if you can. With a great boutique 12″ speaker, it really sounds 50% better. If you know a good amp tech, have a half-power switch put in; you can basically turn it up to 10 and it does not get very loud, perfect for small club gigs and recording.
Related Reading:
Music Man RD50
This little amp is one of the best kept secrets amongst working guitarists. Super small, super loud and a great clean channel sound. The biggest surprise is that the amp puts out 50Watts RMS. The lead channel is nothing remarkable, but the clean channel is fantastic. If you really want to hear what this amp can do, change the speaker immediately. With a really good speaker, such as the Celestion Vintage 10, you’ve got a very small amplifier that is easy to transport and puts out a fantastic sound.
Related Reading:
Music Man RD50 Amplifier – Shhhhhh… It’s a secret!
Music Man Amps – More loyal than your dog
Music Man HD130
I bought one of these in 1979 when I could not afford a Marshall. At first, I was dissapointed because I thought it was not loud enough. I was stupid. The 2X12 speaker cabinet that I was using was so bad that it made the head sound as bad and had no head room. I finally got around to saving up for a Marshall 8×10 cabinet. Wow! The sound was god-like. These heads are not to be underrated.
There is not a lot of distortion when you dime the drive control and this head does not sound so amazing at low volumes. Rightfully so, it’s 130 Watts. But, when you start to turn it up, some serious power tube stuff creeps in and the tone is amazing. The Tremolo and Rerverb are also pretty good. If you can afford to play loud and are looking for an affodable alternative to a Marshall, this is a head that might just blow your mind. Oh, and I forgot to mention: All point-to-point hand wiring and insanely reliable. There are usually a few on eBay at most times.
Related Reading:
Sound City L120
About 20 years ago, I saw an ad in a local classified ad that read: “Sound City 120 Watt Head. Missing fuse cap. $75″. I could not resist. The guy on the phone swore on his mother’s life that the head worked perfectly except that the fuse cap was missing and it would probably cost me about $75 to get it fixed. I went for it. Sure enough, that fuse cap cost me about $50 to get properly fixed.
And then I fired the head up.
Holy friggin’ cow. This amp was loud. And it sounded amazing. Not quite a Marshall, not quite a Vox, it had a bit of both. Definitely that snarly UK sound for sure. Being the idiot that I am, I had to have a look in side. What really caught my eye was the six, not four but SIX EL34 power tubes. No wonder this thing was louder than a 747. What is very cool about this head is that the tone controls are very interactive. As you twist and turn the knobs, you really change the gain as well as the overall voice.
Sadly, I sold this head for $100 one year later for two reasons: I was broker than broke, and I was stupid. The guy I sold it to was buying it for a new commercial studio he was building and he felt really bad taking it and said that if I ever wanted, I could buy it back from him for exactly what he paid me for it. I kept his number. About 5 years later, when I had some money in my pocket, I called him up. He said: “Sure I remember you. That head is so popular that people book time in my studio around the availability of the head… I’m so sorry, but there is no way I can sell it back to you, for any price…”
This might give you some indication of how great this head sounds. If you ever come across a
Sound City L 120, buy it. Even if the fuse cap is broken.
Related Reading:
