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Re: Amp tone at home and with the band

4/20/2000 2:55 PM

Rebel420

Re: Amp tone at home and with the band

quote:
"Hence the reason Peavey stays in business. ;O"

I've heard a LOT of Peavey bashing on here, and I've got my digs or 2 in, but truth be known, for an amp that can take the road abuse and still sound Ok, oyu really can't beat peaveys... will they sound like your Plexi? NO, will they sound like your twin NO (althought the Deuce and Mace were not bad sounding clean amps at ALL). One of the best guitarrists I know has used Peavey amps for quite some time, and ya know what? His tone always sounds pretty damn good... He is the type of guy that brings his amp in from the van plugs it in and goes... wherever the tone knobs and volume knobs land while in transit, that is where he plays... Yet no matter what he plays thru, he ALWAYS sounds good. I personally like different amps for differnt things, but sometimes, the less obvious choice is not that bad.

4/20/2000 3:50 PM

BWilliamson

quote:
"I've heard a LOT of Peavey bashing on here"

I'm not a fan, and said lots of negative stuff about Peavey(not on BBS's). But I'll relate a quick story. Locally they have a Bluesfest once a year and I got a 3-day pass from one of the local shops.

Over the course of the weekend--saw 7-12 bands(can't remember), but was able to listen to many Blkface, Silface, Marshall, Fender Custom shop amps and many more including some modern amps. The second night the last band--the Kinsley Report if I remember the name right played.

He had a newer Peavey--don't know thier models but I"m assuming it had a bunch of effects built in. Was playing I believe a Starfield guitar. Well half way thru the first song, the group of players I was hanging with. Most who have played earlier that day, all stood up to see what amp he was playing. He had the best tone that anybody heard all weekend. In the context of his band, it was "the Shit". We all shook are heads and I asked, "Why do I even bother building/modding amps when you can get that tone with that amp."

it still haunts me

bw

4/20/2000 10:20 PM
Lee M.	>He had the best tone that anybody heard all >weekend. In the context of his band, it >was "the Shit". We all shook are heads and I >asked, "Why do I even bother building/modding >amps when you can get that tone with that amp." But I'll bet you couldn't get that tone with that amp. It's the old "tone in the fingers" thing. Lee

4/21/2000 3:17 AM

BWilliamson

quote:
"But I'll bet you couldn't get that tone with that amp. It's the old "tone in the fingers" thing."

I agree 100% about tone in the hands. I've seen it's cards dealt out time after time. But by acknowledging that statement, why do we waste time stroking the guts of our amps/guitars instead of practicing. Kind of makes me feel stupid when I think about it.

Makes me wonder why I bother tweaking when I should be playin' was more or less my point.

bw

4/21/2000 10:42 AM
BC	Yes, But.... BW, Like you, I have seen the same thing and had the same thoughts...But, the real reason that I tinker on old amps is....I ENJOY it! I am not a young man anymore. In my youth I tried to do the pro gigging thing (practicing 8 hours a day, gigging at night) and found out that it was a lot tougher, on both the body and spirit, than I ever dreamed it would be. After doing that for a few years, I decided to go to school and get an education...and get a "real" job. I am now at a point in my life where being the best guitar player in town doesn't mean much to me...I would rather have "slow hands" and play with soul. By tinkering with my amps I enjoy the process of learning, and I enjoy the rewards of creating a sound that is MINE. Yes, I could play a Peavy/crate/etc. But, my old Fender Amps inspire me...and therefore make me want to make better music...To me, it all comes down to soul...and, for me, the older amps have it in spades. Rant Switch is now disengaged.... BC

4/21/2000 10:42 AM

Yes, But....

BW,
Like you, I have seen the same thing and had the same thoughts...But, the real reason that I tinker on old amps is....I ENJOY it! I am not a young man anymore. In my youth I tried to do the pro gigging thing (practicing 8 hours a day, gigging at night) and found out that it was a lot tougher, on both the body and spirit, than I ever dreamed it would be. After doing that for a few years, I decided to go to school and get an education...and get a "real" job. I am now at a point in my life where being the best guitar player in town doesn't mean much to me...I would rather have "slow hands" and play with soul. By tinkering with my amps I enjoy the process of learning, and I enjoy the rewards of creating a sound that is MINE. Yes, I could play a Peavy/crate/etc. But, my old Fender Amps inspire me...and therefore make me want to make better music...To me, it all comes down to soul...and, for me, the older amps have it in spades.
Rant Switch is now disengaged....
BC

4/22/2000 1:41 AM
Steve A.	Re: Amp tone at home and with the band bw: Your previous post indicated that the Peavey amp in question had the effects built in. So was it the amp voice or the FX that sounded so good...? Have you heard the new single from the latest Joe Satriani album? I know that he is using a lot of ss fx on that, and I can't even tell for sure whether he is even running into a tube amp. (I believe that his last cd, Crystal Planet, was recorded directly into the board without an amp at all.) There are sounds that you can get with ss devices that would be hard to recreate using just tubes, but a tube amp can appeal to the pioneer instincts- just you, your guitar, and your tube amp! While everybody is raving over some players hands, don't forget his ears, too! If the settings of any amp aren't appropriate for the song, the amp will probably sound like crap. Some of these players with the great hands also have great ears to tune in a killer sound from a soup can... --Thanks! Steve Ahola I'd have to give my vote for Satch as being the best guitarist of the past 15 years- he is one of the few rock guitarists to have made it to the top playing strictly instrumentals... And his appeal is very universal— practically anybody from 6 to 60 will tell you "that guy is really good!" (Of course most of those people would be bored stiff listening to a whole cd by him— let alone his whole catalog loaded into a multi-disk player— but hearing one song at a time of his on the radio usually elicits very positive responses.)

4/22/2000 1:41 AM

Steve A.

Re: Amp tone at home and with the band

bw:

Your previous post indicated that the Peavey amp in question had the effects built in. So was it the amp voice or the FX that sounded so good...?

Have you heard the new single from the latest Joe Satriani album? I know that he is using a lot of ss fx on that, and I can't even tell for sure whether he is even running into a tube amp. (I believe that his last cd, Crystal Planet, was recorded directly into the board without an amp at all.)

There are sounds that you can get with ss devices that would be hard to recreate using just tubes, but a tube amp can appeal to the pioneer instincts- just you, your guitar, and your tube amp!

While everybody is raving over some players hands, don't forget his ears, too! If the settings of any amp aren't appropriate for the song, the amp will probably sound like crap. Some of these players with the great hands also have great ears to tune in a killer sound from a soup can...

--Thanks!

Steve Ahola

I'd have to give my vote for Satch as being the best guitarist of the past 15 years- he is one of the few rock guitarists to have made it to the top playing strictly instrumentals... And his appeal is very universal— practically anybody from 6 to 60 will tell you "that guy is really good!" (Of course most of those people would be bored stiff listening to a whole cd by him— let alone his whole catalog loaded into a multi-disk player— but hearing one song at a time of his on the radio usually elicits very positive responses.)

4/22/2000 1:47 PM
Brad	Steve, I'll concede him as being ONE of the best guitar players in the last 15 years. Don't think he's any better than Danny Gatton, though, for pure guitar playing enjoyment. Just different. Brad

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