# Small amps...big amps...



## Stratocaster (Feb 2, 2006)

I was wondering, when you all _practice_, do you use a small little amp(i.e. 5-30 watts), or do you use your whole main rig (massive amp with possibly many effects)? 

Recently my parents have been saying that I practice too loud, and should be using my Microcube. Should I only use the main rig for playing infront/impressing people? And practice on a little amp?


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Personnaly i use the same kit. My Mesa Boogie MarkIII since it can be played at low volume and i don't use FX right now, but i do need a delay and a flanger soon. Only diffrence when i play with others is i hook it up in tow 1x12 thieli.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I practice on my main amp as right now its my only amp. My wife compalins that its too loud. Hopefully my Air break will be here soon and that will solve that. I'm also looking for a small tube combo for a back up amp and an amp that is a little easier to carry back and forth to practices.


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## Geek (Jun 5, 2007)

I use my 1 watt Fuzzy Pup and headphones. Keeps both the wife and I happy


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## flashPUNK (Feb 16, 2006)

I actually have a Pro Jr which is only 15 watts... my "big amp" is my AC30, which is only 30...


I guess I dont technically have a "Big amp"


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## Stratocaster (Feb 2, 2006)

*sigh*

Well it's back to playing guitar in my room lol ><

*covers 5150iii* till we meet again :smile:


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## hoser (Feb 2, 2006)

I use a 40 watt head plus 2x12 all the time. don't need anymore watts and I don't care about impressing anyone.


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## Perkinsfan (Oct 17, 2007)

I practice on my small amp.
Epi valve j.r. Great tube tone 
but it's not as quiet as I thought it would be when I got it.


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## unison thrush (Nov 17, 2007)

I use the same rig now, but once my 2 Mesa 2x12s arrive, it makes it a bit smaller if I only use 1!! :smile:


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

flashPUNK said:


> I actually have a Pro Jr which is only 15 watts... my "big amp" is my AC30, which is only 30...
> 
> 
> I guess I dont technically have a "Big amp"


Those AC30's are LOUD man. I would not classify that one as a small amp. :rockon:


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

That's one of the reason i stopped using full stacks and haft stacks over the years...WAY to big to carry around, and most of the time...to loud. A smaller combo usually do the trick...

Shame Fender did'nt do a 5150 combo.


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## unison thrush (Nov 17, 2007)

al3d said:


> That's one of the reason i stopped using full stacks and haft stacks over the years...WAY to big to carry around, and most of the time...to loud. A smaller combo usually do the trick...
> 
> Shame Fender did'nt do a 5150 combo.


I guess I never realized they didn't make one!! Great idea!


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

I actually play unplugged at home much of the time. When I do plug in, its my Stephenson 30watt combo with the power scale adjusted to lower settings to get some power tube breakup.


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## rhh7 (Mar 14, 2008)

I play my Telecaster unplugged most of the time...


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## starjag (Jan 30, 2008)

My amps are considered "small" (25 and 15 watts) and those are the only ones I use.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

i bought a practise amp thinking i would use it.. i was wrong.

i used my 120W halfstack all school year, living with people who arent used to it and arent musically inclined whatsoever - they didnt tell me to turn it down too often.

now i have my full stack set up at home, till my band starts practising then i'll be taking one of the cabs to the drummer's house.


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## Tightbutloose (Apr 20, 2008)

flashPUNK said:


> I actually have a Pro Jr which is only 15 watts... my "big amp" is my AC30, which is only 30...
> 
> 
> I guess I dont technically have a "Big amp"


AC30s have 30 watts of *CLEAN* power. At full throttle they're cookin' over 40w, which is one of the reasons those old Celestion Blues sound so nice in these amps -- They're being pushed to their max power handling (and unfortunately would sometimes succumb to the power lashing).

An amp's wattage only refers to clean power, with most pushing beyond their rating when wide open. This is why I was able to blow my 100w 4-12 cab with a 100w plexi wide open 

Also, remember that our ears hear on a *log* scale, which means that a doubling of wattage is only a 10% increase in perceived volume. A 100w amp only sounds ~10% louder than a 50w, and so on.

BTW, I love AC30s :rockon:


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## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

For the most Part I practice with my main rig... A RAndall Lynch Box full stack.. I know it's overkill but the tones are stellar. I do have a small practice amp that I use from time to time.


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## dwagar (Mar 6, 2006)

I practice on a JTM60, the master lets me keep it quiet. I keep my JCM800 where the band practices.


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## Michelle (Aug 21, 2006)

I use either 350W or 450W for practice at home, (hard on dishes), for gigs, the same, I have yet to use 800W.


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## ne1roc (Mar 4, 2006)

My main rig is a Carvin Legacy with two 2x12 cabs. I practice with it at home 60% of the time but I have other options that I like play through. 
The last 2 months I've been leaning towards my Axe Fx for ease of control over the volume levels to top off the fact that it has some incredible tones in it.


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## Brennan (Apr 9, 2008)

At home I usually play unplugged, unless I'm recording or bored enough to set everything up. My smallest amp is a 40w hotrod deluxe so playing quiet isn't really an option.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Both, but neither amp is huge. YCV50 for one mood, YCV20 for another, no particular reason other than sound. I haven't had a massive amp in years, and the master volume works wonders for low volume tone.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Greg Ellis (Oct 1, 2007)

It depends what you're praticicing.

Some things really only work at high volume (feedback techniques and such) and if you're working on "your sound" you'll need to use the equipment you're intending to perform with.

For other things, it really doesn't matter at all - you could practise scales and such unplugged, for example.

I use a modeller into headphones for some of my practise - it let's me play loud when the rest of the house is sleeping, and gives me easy access to a variety of tones, etc. Plus it's a cheap solution. But it does miss out on a lot of the "alive" character of a real amp that's turned up.


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## jfk911 (May 23, 2008)

i usually play with my amp 150 watts ss or i plug head phones into my pod xt not the best but enough for me to be happy and i don't have to hear the wife complain so thats good


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## aC2rs (Jul 9, 2007)

Since all I do is practice, my answer would have to be - both.


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## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

All I use is a Deluxe Reverb...been through the Super Reverbs, Twins and Marshalls over the years...decided that the Deluxe does everything I need and it doesn't require major effort when you gotta move it:smile:


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

LOL I've an amp thats nothing to holler about. 20 dollars off the damaged pile from L & M, no warranty but all it took was some loving with my drill to get it going. Little Fender Frontman 15G, very low end from all the reviews that I have read (think it was an included in a pack originally), but it works and I use headphones anyways  

LOL gosh I need a bumper sticker saying "My other amp is a..."


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## Clit Torres (Dec 14, 2007)

*I use both*

I use my Classic 50 during the day/evening and use my Blackheart BH5H through a 2x12 cab after 10pm. After midnight I'll just drop it down to 3 watts. My pedals are always set up ready to go.:rockon2:


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

I try to rotate stuff around, sometimes big amps are the way to go

:rockon2:


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## JSX/6505 (Nov 18, 2007)

Both.

When i have the house to myself I fire up the half stack, when I'm watching TV or feeling lazy I play my boosted 30 watt SS combo.


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## Balou (Apr 1, 2008)

I use both in the same time. Use my ycv20 for dirty things, and my blues deville 4-10for clean stuff at low level.


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## KoskineN (Apr 19, 2007)

My main amp is a Mesa Roadster Combo, but the master output let me play it at low volume. It doesn't have the BIG drive but it's still very usable :smile: But when I want to play without waking up the neighbours(I live in an appartment!), I play using my computer and Amplitube...full stack sounds with headphones! :rockon2:


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## RIFF WRATH (Jan 22, 2007)

I use both........25W bass ss in the house all year ........150W bass ss in the shed when the weather permits, neither one "cranked"


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## Buzz (May 15, 2008)

I have a small 22watt Fender Princeton II amp that sounds like a 30 watt amp. It can sound good for low volume playing or loud jamming.


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

I just bought a blackheart 3/5 watt amp for practise and it has become my main rig... I used big amps for most of my life in practise and for jams/gigs whatever because, honestly, I love it loud. But I have a baby in the house again, so loud is out the window for another couple of years. At least with the blakheart I can get the tone, if not the feel, of my big amps cranked. BTW the blackheart will still be loud enough to annoy parents/spouces etc., but won't bug the neighbours 

matt


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

for about 20 years the only way to play for me was cranked right up. even just practicing. and i always used big amps. bugged the hell out of everyone who lived with me, but it was the way i did it.
nowadays im content to just crank a little 5 watt tube amp. it actually sounds better to me. but im also getting old.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Practice, gig, recording, same rig.

Vox Tonelab LE direct to mixer.


When practicing and recording I monitor with headphones. For gigs I monitor with a couple of wedge monitors.

As a sound man I MUCH prefer smaller amps. A 1 X 12 with 40 watts is AMPLE for any gig, and I do mean any.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

fraser said:


> for about 20 years the only way to play for me was cranked right up. even just practicing. and i always used big amps. bugged the hell out of everyone who lived with me, but it was the way i did it.
> nowadays im content to just crank a little 5 watt tube amp. it actually sounds better to me. but im also getting old.


a cranked 5W tube amp is impressively loud. all you really changed was the wattage and tone


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

yes, but you dont sound the same. i used to love the hot, verge of feedback roar of an angry 50w combo, but its almost annoying now. a cranked sf champ sounds loud, but not the same- my perception of volume and the tone it creates has changed i guess. much of the sonics of an electric guitar are related to how loud you are and how big your speakers are- your tone varies wildly from here to there, no question.
its not like my taste in music ever changed, i prefer the same things as i always did- just where within those sounds exist has changed.
a big amp cranked doesnt sound like a small amp cranked, and vice versa
its like the old interviews and people would say- no jimis tone isnt all about volume, cause he can do it just as well with a twin reverb. lol


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

If you are using tube amps, unless your living arrangements allow you to be loud, you may as well use a big amp. Even a 1 watt tube amp is too loud to crank in an apartment. People forget that a 5 watt Champ can keep up with a drumset. That's not quiet!

I tried a bunch of small tube amps but couldn't get anywhere near break up in my environment. Went back to bigs amps because the cleans sound better and fuller.

My TIM pedal has been a gift from above. Amazing dirt that sounds _just_ like my amp.

TG


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

Depends on definition of big and small. I don't think I'd like to use anything bigger than an AC30 any more. I'm done with walls of speakers and gigawatts of amps -- my old bass rig climbed to 4x15" and 8x10" speakers with 3 poweramps totalling over 800 watts and I _still_ split the signal and ran a DI into the PA! (Of course, my left ear is now shot).

Now Ive got a 20 watt tube amp w/ attenuator and a 25 watt SS. For practicing I use an old Tom Sholtz Rockman or a VStack w/ headphones.


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## Robboman (Oct 14, 2006)

*NO amp*

I really only use this at home:










At less than $130 new I think it's amazing. Sounds decent at any volume and very quick to dial up a reasonable facimile of almost any amp tone. The 'high-gain plexi' sounds great, actually - way better than I would have thought possible for something so cheap. Headphones or into the stereo. 

I have several tube amps and a boutique-loaded pedalboard for (loud) band practice and gigs. I don't bother plugging any of that stuff in at home anymore. For quiet home use, none of it works as well as this goofy looking Behringer. 

I constantly see the threads about 3 to 5 watt tube amps, or using things like power scaling, attenuators, master vol, etc all in the quest to have good tube amp tone at 'bedroom levels'. Bah.. this is just so much easier and more flexible. It has really opened my eyes (ears) to how much better modeling tech has gotten too. I mean, this little cheap toy sounds WAY better than the Boss GT-5 I bought ten years ago for $1000. 

Actually I'm having so much fun with the v-amp that I'm considering a Vox Tonelab LE or maybe going all out on a Fractal Axe-FX.


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## ikkyu88 (Apr 15, 2008)

Depends on where you are....

When I'm at work, best thing I found was the VOX amplug. Get a decent set of headphones and you get a great sound out of it for your own personal use. I've also used the Smokey amps, but they still do audio out so other people can hear.

At home, well I have the basement to myself, so my bigger amps (Kustom 72 Coupe, Mesa F50, and for fun an Epi Valve Jr.) are used. Yeah, they do come down and say too loud sometimes, but hey.... why else would you have those amps unless you get to hear what they do.:rockon:


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## Justinator (Jan 27, 2008)

I have the dilema of living in an apartment so using my big amp is out of the question. Even with a small amp I cannot crank it to get the sound I want because my neighbours are so close to me. Once I was experimenting and I found that if I lay my micro cube face down on my bed I can get a really neat tone out of it with the volume up.


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

Again, get a TIM od pedal and prepare to be amazed.

TG


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

I practice with my VCV50BLUE, as it has a great master volume that doesn't seem to colour the sound.
-Mikey


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## Steve P (May 9, 2007)

My only amp these days is the Mesa Express 5:25. I can switch it down to 5 watts, but as mentioned by another poster, this changes tone more than volume.

Since there's a baby on the way, I'll need to pick up a little Vox DA5 or microcube for headphone practice.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Lately I've been using my Line6 GuitarPort with Sennheiser Headphones. Hadn't used it in almost a year. Just something different to get some different sounds and crank the hell out of it without having the neighbours call the cops. Not the best quality, but the headphones really made a difference - from crappy to not very crappy.


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## Stratocaster (Feb 2, 2006)

I moved my main rig up to my bedroom now!! I'm a rebel now kjdr

WHAT NOW?!?! AND TODAY I TURNED MAH VOLUME UP TO 2 !


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## GlenYost (Jun 10, 2008)

I'll donate here. When I was doing heavy roadwork I was using a double stack Marshall, echoPlex and a crybaby wah wah peddle. There weren't any fancy electronics you had to do it on your own. Marshall was always on 10, miked with a blanket over it where necessary. When we came home we had small stuff set up in our practice hall since unloading all that stuff would be crazy just to load it all up again a week later. I had a Fender Twin Reverb for practice sessions and the other guys had small stuff too. thanks for reading.


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## LowWatt (Jun 27, 2007)

My "big amp" is an 18w Dr.Z Maz Jr. It has a great master volume and can still get a good tone in my apartment, so that's what I use.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

my room consists of my LP, my acoustic, my GT-8 and my halfstack.


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## Magic Twanger (Feb 27, 2006)

I tend to practice on a small amp but if I'm working on my live tones I use the big guns and crank 'em up....but that is usually when no one is home...:rockon2:


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## noobcake (Mar 8, 2006)

I have a nice little Vox modelling amp for practicing at home, but lately I've just been practicing on my acoustic. I leave my main rig at a buddy's house. Anyhow, going acoustic is great for developing "tone from the fingers" and building up finger strength.


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## mcgriff420 (Sep 30, 2008)

My gigging amp stays in it's road case in the gear trailer. 
When I'm at home I play through whatever is handy -nothing more than 30 watts or so.

I recently picked up a single ended champ style derivative -that's nice at home.

I live alone so I don't need to be super quiet but I only ever play at medium levels, I like to be able to sing over my playing.


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## famouspogs (Jun 9, 2006)

Stratocaster said:


> I moved my main rig up to my bedroom now!! I'm a rebel now kjdr
> 
> WHAT NOW?!?! AND TODAY I TURNED MAH VOLUME UP TO 2 !


ewww who eats at harveys?!


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## Canadian Charlie (Apr 30, 2008)

I'm just a bedroom guitarist, I have a Peavey Valve King 112 combo there and a Fender Frontman 15R at my mother's place. When I drop my son off for karate lessons I'll drop by and play for an hour and a half. 

She shakes her head as how a 44 year old still plays guitar


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## -TJ- (Aug 28, 2006)

My main rig consists of a Dr Z Mini Z (5 watts), Dr Z Z-28 (22 watts), Mesa F-30 (22 watts).... all VERY loud, I play on them with my full pedalboard... its fun.... thats why I bought my toys, to get the pleasure of great tone whenever I play


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## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

> its fun.... thats why I bought my toys, to get the pleasure of great tone whenever I play


That says it all right there...


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## Ripper (Jul 1, 2006)

I can't take the poll on this one, sometimes I use my full rig, sometimes I use a smaller amp, it all depends.


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## Gene Machine (Sep 22, 2007)

*yup*



flashPUNK said:


> I actually have a Pro Jr which is only 15 watts... my "big amp" is my AC30, which is only 30...
> 
> 
> I guess I dont technically have a "Big amp"


me neither. i use a YCS50, but in 15Watt mode, for practice and playing out. i haven't used the 50 watt setting since I got it a year ago.


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

Both my main amps are under 30 watts.


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## lbrown1 (Mar 22, 2007)

I usually practice on my main setup - as some of the practice is also gettign the right tone out for the song - combo of pedals, guitar and amp.

but if I'm just screwing around..or strictly practicing a technique...I'll use one of my SS amps (1 is 25W and the other 65W) .....or just play unplugged if the wife is home


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## Wired (Jul 21, 2009)

I always practice on my main amp if I can. If not, headphones and Guitar Rig 3.

As for pedals... well that depends on my mood. A lot of time I just go through the board, but I'll often just grab my Hot cake, my 335, and just go.


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## Andy (Sep 23, 2007)

I love cranking a small amp into total meltdown, but it is nice to have some extra power on tap when I'm playing live. Last gig I played was outdoors, brought my YCV15 (at the time my only amp), ended up having to crank it to the point where the bass mushed out and it was too compressed for my liking (even just to hear myself -- we were mic'ed). I much prefer having the option of using my 15 for recording and rehearsing and my 50 for gigs, even if it means having to go without power tube distortion.


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

I practice unplugged .... I practice with my Tonelab into phones or powered monitors .... I practice into my Princeton .... or my Princeton Reverb .... or my DRRI ..... sometimes I use my full board .... sometimes just one pedal .... sometimes none. And in the rain ..... and on a train ..... and in a box ..... and with a fox .... say ..... I will practice here or there .... I will practice anywhere.

And that's the key.


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

I haven't plugged into my amp in over 2 years. I play unplugged. Sometimes I wonder why I even have an amp! But I love the thing (Peavey Classic 30).


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## JSX/6505 (Nov 18, 2007)

I practice using my 120 watt half stack. But I recently bought a Blackstar HT-5 which is a 5 watt all tube head. So I've been playing that little monster at home through my Mesa 4x12.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

I practice with almost any amp I have. I change to the amp I'm bringing with me to a gig if I have one coming up. But most times, it ends up with what I currently have setup in the studio.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

I'm in an odd situation right now. I practice at home on my main gigging amp (Traynor YGL3), and I have my Blues Jr. at the rehearsal space for band practice. We're in a small room these days so the Traynor would be overkill, but I can't help but feel I've got my amps backwards!


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## kw_guitarguy (Apr 29, 2008)

Well, years and years ago, I had a Line6 Spider 2x12...traded that in on my first effects processor...I was playing direct into a mixer at that point, no amp!

Then, that all changed about 6 years ago and I needed a new amp...I did NO research (huge mistake) and bought an Ibanez Tone Blaster 100w head and matching 4x12 cab...I don't think the thing has been above 2 ever...

However, I am going to be picking on a nice Peavey Classic 50 head next week and will play that through my newish 1x12 cab, so that should be pretty good!

Oh, a Line6 Pod XT Live is in front of either one..

So my long winded answer is, I used to play through my "big" rig, but will now scale that back...

~Andrew


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## jimihendrix (Jun 27, 2009)

hey there...i used to own the marshall jimi hendrix stack...it was a huge mf...but i could only play with the volumes between 1-2...and to my surprize/dismay it was a totally CLEAN amp...i could never use it to its full potential so i had to say goodbye...

i get way more enjoyment out of my marshall 2061x lead and bass head thru an orange cab...it's a twenty watt amp...but it's a LOUD twenty watts...

i also love my tech 21 trademark 10 and tweed fender bronco...both scream at low volumes...

my vote is for low wattage practice amps...


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Not only should you be practicing with a small amp, you probably should be gigging with one too.


I would say that 7 or 8 out of every 10 guitarists and bassists use WAY too large of amps on stage.


The days of the massive guitar amps _should_ have ended when PAs became good enough to handle a proper mix (sometime in the late 70s or early 80s but so many players cling to outdated ideas.


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## tonydawe (Feb 25, 2009)

the amp i use most often right now is a Vox Pathfinder 15R. i'll use my modded Epi Valve JR halfstack now and again (it _barely_ breaks up at full volume with the mod).

a traynor 1x15 bass master combo is my main amp, and is used for practice sometimes. i'm not jamming or gigging at the moment, so it just sits there looking pretty.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

tonydawe said:


> the amp i use most often right now is a Vox Pathfinder 15R.


I run my Pathfinder through a really nice over-sized 1x12 closed back cab with a Scumback M75 speaker. Talk about night and day!

The story with cab is that I bought it here off the forum for an irresistable price. Now I have a cart without the horse. Sort of just have this pygmy pony to play into it. But it's a surprisingly good pygmy pony.


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## tonydawe (Feb 25, 2009)

i plugged my Vox into my epi jr 1x12 cab (which has a greenback in it) and it sounded like it was dieing. i'm hoping it was the cable causing that issue and not something else. the cab sounds good with the epi head.


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## Andy (Sep 23, 2007)

tonydawe said:


> i plugged my Vox into my epi jr 1x12 cab (which has a greenback in it) and it sounded like it was dieing. i'm hoping it was the cable causing that issue and not something else. the cab sounds good with the epi head.


Check your impedance. It could actually be dying.


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## tojoe (Apr 5, 2009)

I have a couple of Marshall heads, that are in stand by mode right now, I'm hoping to do some gigging soon with them, but the clubs I seem to be playing wouldn't tolerate or need the volume, I have a couple 30-50 watt combos, but still to big, so I went out and got a Reverend Kingsnake..30lbs and fender champ, thats the current live rig..how did I get here..for home maybe the champ w/pedal or mostly a line 6 guitar port, just for an amp through a set of cans..


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Milkman said:


> Not only should you be practicing with a small amp, you probably should be gigging with one too.
> I would say that 7 or 8 out of every 10 guitarists and bassists use WAY too large of amps on stage.
> The days of the massive guitar amps _should_ have ended when PAs became good enough to handle a proper mix (sometime in the late 70s or early 80s but so many players cling to outdated ideas.



...its a mystery to me why anyone would want an amp more powerful than 15-20 watts.

-dh


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

david henman said:


> ...its a mystery to me why anyone would want an amp more powerful than 15-20 watts.
> 
> -dh


i have a 15w tube marshall..it,s nice for home...real nice, but add a drum in the mix..and i can't even hear the amp anymore.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Milkman said:


> so many players cling to outdated ideas.


this is true. We also still use tube amps too!

I think there's about 2 amps I've heard of so far that are of low wattage and would get me the tones I want.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

In the living room, I have a Nighttrain hooked up and ready to go. That's my practice amp, 90% of the time. Occassionally, I'll bring a pedal or two up but quite often just "guitar into amp" - and it's nice to get back to that every now and then.

Downstairs in the jamroom, I've got a couple different amps to pick from but my main amp down there is a Mesa Roadster (212 combo on a 212 cab). As much as I love it, it doesn't get moved much because, well, it weighs more than the house it's sitting in. 

If I gig outside (which happens a couple times a year), I take the Mesa. A few bigger places we play, I also take the Mesa - just as long as I'm with the band so the bassplayer and I can move our rigs together. 

Most smaller gigs, jams, I take the NT and/or a Fender SS Princeton with a modelling pedal. That combination does most everything I need, from loud cleans to nice OD. I'm weening myself off the modelling pedal, but there are still a few things it does OK. But no doubt the NT sounds much better for crunch to satchuration stuff. It just doesn't have the clean headroom and it's only one channel.


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## octofour (Feb 17, 2009)

I try to use my main rig as much as possible


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## aloysius (Feb 15, 2009)

I play the same setup all the time, which is a Marshall silverface 2554 1x12 . It has a select switch for 25/50w. playing 25w is loud, I've never even tried the 50w often. When the setup needs to get bigger, I normally output the 25w to a 2x12 or 4x12

michael


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## Hammer Mark (Feb 20, 2009)

Stratocaster said:


> I was wondering, when you all _practice_, do you use a small little amp(i.e. 5-30 watts), or do you use your whole main rig (massive amp with possibly many effects)?
> 
> Recently my parents have been saying that I practice too loud, and should be using my Microcube. Should I only use the main rig for playing infront/impressing people? And practice on a little amp?


If you want to "impress" people, play well, play tastefully, and play at an appropriate volume for the situation. Sometimes 5 watts of tube power is plenty.


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

Sometimes rig size for gigs is a function of stage size! I like having the option of taking two heads and cabs and A/Bing between them, but that's not always feasible. It's nice to be able to have a small pedalboard and a low watt/small size amp that can be miced when the situation is right. I can't answer the poll about practice because it's not an either/or thing for me. Sometimes I like to practice with volume and SOUND PRESSURE and sometimes I just want to hear the guitar and work on other things (like singing) so low volume is fine.

Even though i'm pushing 40, loud is still the most fun for me.kqoct


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## jmb2 (May 18, 2009)

While I chose "small" in the poll question ... my practice rig is a Z-28 thru 210 cab with a pedal or two ... I do not consider it a small sound, even though it is not a 100watt full stack ...:rockon2:


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## Gene Machine (Sep 22, 2007)

*yeah*



al3d said:


> i have a 15w tube marshall..it,s nice for home...real nice, but add a drum in the mix..and i can't even hear the amp anymore.


I found the same thing with the Epi Valve Jr. My Traynor YCS50 in 15W mode did fine for gigging with drums and a band. But anything smaller would not have been able to cut through.

Right nowI have the YGM-3, it's 20W. I haven't gigged it or played with drums, but I imagine it will be fine.

G.


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## AlcolmX (Oct 12, 2009)

I use a 50 watt Traynor and 4X10 'round the house, but it needs dirt pedals to be at an acceptable volume. The Weber Mass 100 works but the tone becomes way too fizzy and annoying, so I usually skip it. I have an AC4 too, but always find myself plugging into the Traynor... it just sounds better.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

david henman said:


> ...its a mystery to me why anyone would want an amp more powerful than 15-20 watts.
> 
> -dh


I agree. It sure would be nice if the manufacturers put out more amps in this range (high gain).
I play at home through a 100w Randall Lynch Box into a Saxon 2x12...but I know its overkill. If they made the Lynch box, or Mesa dual recto and other similar heads in a 30W version, I'd have been all over it, and would have gained some WAF as well.

I wanted to say something witty and clever like "...and its an even bigger mystery why manufacturers dont make more amps in this category", but it really isnt. They couldnt bring the price down low enough for a lot of people to justify the savings in a smaller amp, and big watts sell sound equipment the same way big horsepower numbers sell cars. Every young player thinks he's going to be filling arenas soon, and of course by then still wont be able to upgrade to a "coliseum" amp or p.a. board.
It doesnt help that all the stars in my day like EVH, Judas Priest etc played with walls of amps and cabs, at least for the look of it.


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## Bevo (Nov 24, 2006)

A few reasons come to mind why we go with 100 watt heads.

1, The head itself, to own a Dual Rec or 6505 means you have the same thing your favorite bands play..in many cases you can buy the exact same gear they use.

2, Tone, we are always after that tone and nothing comes as close as 100 watt head and a 4-12.

3, Power as in torque, a palm mute on a 15 watt amp is no where near the same as a 100 watt with a decent set of speakers.

4, Volume or percieved volume, all the 15-20 watt amps I have played are just as loud as the 100 watters i have played. This is mainly because I can't get get the volume high.

I will never play anywhere that I need such a big rig but I like to pretend I do:smile:

Last, some of these new low watt amps are bridging the gap between the high watt heads and the type of power they produce.
Have my eye on the new Jet City 20 watt head, this is built by Soldano and the price is just stupid...in the best way of course $325 CDN
http://www.jetcityamplification.com/amplifiers/jca-20h/


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

I'm surprised there aren't more single EL34 amps available from mainstream manufacturers. I think that would be a perfect middle ground for a lot of us. I love the EL34 sound, but just don't require a huge amp (either volume wise, or physical size).

I'd love something the size of an Epi Valve Jr, but with a single EL34.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Ever since I got myself a THD Hotplate, I find myself using my JTM45 a lot more these days. There's nothing like a cranked Marshall! Well, except for a cranked Marshall that won't get my evicted 

I still use an old Fender Frontman 25R in the den to practice scales and stuff when I'm watching TV, but when I want to practice actual songs, I'll fire up the Marshall.


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## Bevo (Nov 24, 2006)

Don't know, have the attenuator and its not that great..Maybe the Marshall is not one of the better ones.


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## ashm70 (Apr 2, 2009)

I use my resolectric junior unplugged. It is just as loud as an acoustic and lets me hear "cone tone" just fine thank you very much!


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## Bird (Nov 6, 2006)

My only amp at the moment is a 75 watt Line6 Spider 3. All the sounds I need to practice with in box. And because it's transistor low volume sounds good too. I wouldn't put it up against any of the amps it emulates, but as practice amps go it's a lot of fun as long as you don't think it's supposed to replace your Mesa or something.


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## rhh7 (Mar 14, 2008)

Since I only have one amp, I practice on my big rig, my Traynor Dyna Gain 30DG!

I realized that 30 pounds is the max than I can lug around, and this amp has 30 watts through a 12-inch Celestion speaker.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...great post! i may have to rethink this. the best tone i ever got was from an ampeg half stack, back in the 70s. it was loud, but i could get virtually any sound i wanted without pedals.

i do wonder, however, if a decent 15-watt tube head through a 4-12 cab would get me close.

-dh





Bevo said:


> A few reasons come to mind why we go with 100 watt heads.
> 
> 1, The head itself, to own a Dual Rec or 6505 means you have the same thing your favorite bands play..in many cases you can buy the exact same gear they use.
> 
> ...


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Bevo said:


> Last, some of these new low watt amps are bridging the gap between the high watt heads and the type of power they produce.
> Have my eye on the new Jet City 20 watt head, this is built by Soldano and the price is just stupid...in the best way of course $325 CDN
> http://www.jetcityamplification.com/amplifiers/jca-20h/


$325 for that??


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