Anybody else just not that into amps?

[Soap]

My approach to guitar and amps are the same for the most.
I think the whole preference and loyalty to a specific guitar model and amp model is to each their own.
Whatever works for one may not for the next because personal taste is important.

Aside from that...

I have no loyalty or preference for the most when it comes to guitars or amps.
If you want and enjoy an Ibanez, Gibson, Marshall, Soldano or boutique/modeling amps, digital vs analog effects and so on. Whatever works for you, great.
That's why its really trivial insignificant to me and I don't waste my time responding to such threads.

To me this is what this thread is about.
Bedroom player vs gigging - that's the approach to buying and using it is all about.
Knowing your needs.
If your a bedroom player or a collector your approach to guitars and amps will not be the same as the player who gigs out. Not talking about having nice things talking about what distinctively separates the two. Why they have them and how they use.

I have the following:

Cabinet: 2x12 Genz Benz
Rack...
100 watt ADA power amp - Mint
Furman Power Conditioner - Mint
Art SGX Express 2000 with the X-15 UltraFoot midi controller - Mint
Guitar: ESP Kami Sig
Guitar: Peavey Predator Strat - very old but has never failed me.
Guitar: Ibanez Electric/Acoustic

Sounds good loud and sounds good at lower quieter volumes.
Small and it stores and fits nicely in my game/music room, as well in the car to the occasional gig.
It does both scenarios well and because of that my needs are met.
A very versatile setup and that's what I set out to accomplish and succeeded.

What I have acquired I knew when acquiring them especially the guitar and speaker cabinet, my needs were fully met. They only thing I would/will consider adding at a much later time would be an amp head.
And I already know what it will be when I get ready... a Soldano Hot Rod 50 watter.

I use to years ago switch this out and switch that out and change this and that, and got tired of it, and about 4-5 yrs ago I down sized and acquired only what I knew in advance would meet my musical needs.

I'm very content with what I have and thrilled that it does what I need it to when I need it to.

[jgcable]

I agree that a good percentage of tone is in your hands and not in the guitar or the amp BUT.... there is an exception to that. Its playing live and loud.
Amps change when they are cranked up. Especially tube amps. Usually.. the better the high gain tube amp.. the better it sounds the louder it is.
IMHO.... after playing live primarily for the last 32 years in a metal band, an amp is WAY more important to your live sound than your guitar is. For instance, cranked up live, a BC Rich Mockingbird doesn't sound that much different than a Strat with humbuckers. At home, yes.
At low volumes, yes. On a big stage through a full stack that is screaming, no.
There are subtle differences in humbuckers and guitar woods, body styles etc.. but when you are playing live and loud they are subtle differences. Switching amps on the other hand.. thats MAJOR.
So... to answer your thread directly I guess.
If you play live an amp is probably more important than the guitar in regards to tone.
If you play at home or in very small venues with small combo amps it doesn't matter that much.

[Twitch]

Yeah, I think some people get the impression that if you aren't into "amp porn" then you don't care about tone.

Oops, guilty. Your right, I guess I misinterpreted the OP. Yeah, as much as I noodle and mod, I dont care for gut shots either unless its a gut shot of something I may like to perform. I do, however, like looking at the pics in peoples NAD posts, and do like to discuss the specifics of what might be the underlying reason for the gut shot(whats been done but not what it was done with). I dont care for the bumble bee this and orange drop that as far as pics go. I understand that orange drops are the mutts nuts, but I dont need to see them, I know what they look like.

To summarize, correct, you dont have to like amp porn to appreciate tone. I get just as excited over a new amp purchase as a guitar purchase though.

[6string40]

I do, however, like looking at the pics in peoples NAD posts

that's ghey

[Twitch]

Consider me burned. Damn I cant believe I didnt see that before I posted.

[jgcable]

Amp build quality... aka.. amp porn, is as important as built quality on a guitar.
If it doesn't look good inside, its probably not going to last on the road.
Amp gut shot porn is the same thing as opening the hood of your car. The real car guys always want to see whats under the hood. Same thing with guitar players.

[ulijdavid]

If you play live an amp is probably more important than the guitar in regards to tone.

I think JGcable has hit the most important point right here. My problem with amps - Tube amps in particular are that they are very fickle. If the amp is not sounding like it was the day before to my ears, I shrug it off and play. I think most amps and guitars always have a SWEET spot somewhere and you have to adjust accordingly (regardless of if they are high end). But, they are fickle. I have had and known others that had great amps and for some reason after having a tube blow or re-tube the amp never quite sounds the same. I guess I try to minimize the impact of the amp on my playing because at some point that piece of gear(/sound) may not be there. Pickups in guitars seem more consistent during replacement. Tube replacement always seem hit or miss. This is one of the main reasons why I have been reluctant to invest in the Axe-FX. I would hate for my entire sound to go away because the computer dies. I don't think anyone will disagree that amps are like guitars - no two will ever sound the same. With that being said, at this time my ears won't let me play anything other than a tube amp - that is one thing I can hear and feel the difference. I think I try to remove myself from relying on an amp because they are fickle (and expensive). Right now I love my JCM2000 because it gets the sounds I want and I can (in theory) replace it for about $500.00. Maybe that's my problem - I'm a cheap bastard!!!

[Soap]

If you play live an amp is probably more important than the guitar in regards to tone. If you play at home or in very small venues with small combo amps it doesn't matter that much.

Bingo. This is it dead on and I agree 100 percent.

[VitaminG]

Amp build quality... aka.. amp porn, is as important as built quality on a guitar.
If it doesn't look good inside, its probably not going to last on the road.
Amp gut shot porn is the same thing as opening the hood of your car. The real car guys always want to see whats under the hood. Same thing with guitar players.

I guess I'm just not a "real guitar guy" then. Although we determined that much earlier when I confessed that I'm not looking to tear the head off every other guitarist on my local scene too. I'm just too nice to be a "real guitar guy".

Putting my hand up as someone not really into amps.

I gig out. I want good tone. I only need one amp to do it.

I dig amps.... to a point. I love the tone of my RM100. I liked my old JCM900 but LUUURVE the Randall. Playing out just feels so much more satisfying now, having 3 great tones on tap instead of 2 compromised tones (compromised due to the wide range of songs we cover).

Listening to clips of all the cool amps out there is groovy, but I don't pine over all those amps. And knowing all the ins-and-outs about why certain amps/tubes/caps/etc. affect your tone isn't that important to me. Checking out soundclips is more about the inspiration.

Part of it could be that for my money, I can buy a whole bunch of guitars for the cost of one quality amp. As appealing as it may be, owning a collection of quality amps will never be a reality for me. They aren't cheap over here, so while a screaming deal can be occasionally stumbled upon, it's not raining $300 Laney AORs. Things like Carvins are not a cheap option this side of the pond. To buy my RM100 (AU$1200 on ebay, retails for $4G) I had to sell my JCM900 (got $900 for it, retails for $3G). Some like an SLO100 costs $8G here.

For most of my playing time, practicing or just jamming at home, I'm plugged into a modeller or not plugged in at all. I can grab a different guitar every night of the week and enjoy the feel of different instruments. But even if the band was playing out 5 nights a week, I'd only need one amp.

[MetalMedal II]

My opinion is the amp is the single most important part of what you’re hearing. Yes, tone is in the fingers, but chuggin out power chords doesn’t take too much talent (I’m proof of that!). So if someone has all mediocre gear, I think upgrading the amp is going to result in the single best improvement in sound.

That said, the amp is part of the equation I know the least. I tend to like tube amps cos of how reactive and organic they are, but I’m not one to tinker with them. Maybe that has to do something with all potential volts just waiting to electrocute me! I appreciate hand done point to point wiring with top components on amps (actually guitars too), but am ignorant on how it’s done. I have read quite a bit about how amps work with gain and tubes, etc, thru the years, but not enough to build one. Maybe in my later years when I get more time…um, retirement age?
Electric guitars, now that’s something I’ve been building, modifying and destroying since I was 15. I feel more comfortable with their guts just cos I’m been doing it a lot longer. Oh, and yes, it’s got something to do with their aesthetics as well.

I bet you’d get a different cross-section of answers had this question been asked on the Marshall, Mesa or Soldano forums!

[Cygnus X1]

Huh...well, hows the Cyg SEL holding up?
A pile of ashes yet?
Or is it someone else's problem?

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I don't understand why people don't understand the point of the thread.

Again, no one is saying that THE AMPLIFIER is not important. There are many aspects of amplifiers, and as a guitarist I care about two things- reliability, and tone.

What is important to me is having the versatility to get the tones I want (whether it's "live and loud" or in the bedroom or in the studio) and that the amp works reliably and the sound is consistently good.

Grandturk IMO is talking about cork-sniffers, and I don't care whether it's amplifiers, fine wine, or guitars... Cork-sniffers are obnoxious, stupid people who make arguments like "Well I suppose if one's ear is not trained to hear such a small difference then it might not be as grating and glaringly obvious..."

So, while I'm interested in working on guitars, assembling them, etc. I'm not particularly interested in building an amplifier. Why? Well, I build guitars for fun, not because I think I need them to unlock some super-secret recipe for amazing tone. And, as far as plugging into something, I have a nice Boogie and it makes the tones I need and it has a 5-year warranty and it's designed to be road-worthy and that's good enough for me.

Although I have seen a picture of the internals, I don't really care what it looks like in there, I don't need to see what is in it, I need to hear what comes out of it, and I need to like it.

Bottom line I think what you guys are missing is many of us are saying we don't care about the name on the front or what is in it, we care about RESULTS - the process by which the results are produced is not really that interesting. To me, being overly concerned with that stuff is just a waste of time.

[Grandturk]

Fuckin' cork sniffers.

Back when I did play in bands and played out - my rig was a 100 watt Peavy 2x12 solid state combo and a Boss distortion pedal. I was 17 and it rocked. Maybe I didn't know any better. Maybe it didn't matter.

[6string40]

I don't understand why people don't understand the point of the thread.

I tried to set the record straight once in here

[VitaminG]

I tried to set the record straight once in here

yea, we saw that

that's ghey