Practise amp or Gigging amp with attenuator?

[rahnooo]

The title says it all really.

Just out of interest, what would you all prefer to play through at home/in the studio?

* A low wattage practise amp (cornford harlequin/matamp minimat etc)

OR

* A gigging size amp through an attenuator (hotplate/airbrake etc)

I just thought it'd be interested to see what other people were using or would prefer to use :)

Cheers

*Rahnooo*

[willo]

I went with gig amp/attenuator, because that way I can work on my tone, and its not going to surprise me when I gig. Also, I have to keep my gigging amp in my room anyway, so I figured it would be rather pointless to have two amps in the same room, and only use one.

[The amazing Phil]

Personally I'd go with a smaller amp you can crank in the house, then throw it into a 4X12 and mic it up when you have to. Tone over wattage every single time.

There's a thread somewhere dispelling a lot of the myths inherant in amps, including the one that you need mega-wattage to play live.

[Jp.]

I went with the smaller amp option.... only coz thats all I have at the moment.

I borrow all my amps :lol:

[dave_mc]

gigging amp.

i don't even use an attenuator, i just turn the master volume down.

sounds a hell of a lot better than any practice amp i've heard/played (unless you're talking about a cornford carrerra or something...)

[chrisola]

i use the amp + attenuator... low wattage good sounding amps are stupidly expensive and limited imo... makes more sense to spend my cash on a decent amp all round and attenuate it down!

plus, you get the same sound when you crank it, unlike having a gigging amp and a smaller practice amp (unless you can find a manufacturer whos 5w amp sounds the same as a 50w version!)

[indysmith]

i can only afford a gigging amp, i don't have money for a practice amp that sounds good aswell :o

[HJM]

Just go with the tone, for somethings a small amp will allways give the right results, but equally sometimes you need the tone from a big amp. No 10w amp will have the bottom end of a 100w amp, no 100w amp will break up like a fender delux or champ......pick the right tool for the job!

I'd go and try a few of each (big and small amps) buy the one that gets you the tone. If you buy a 5w amp though you'll still find it really loud when you get the power valves overdriving!!

[Spook Fish]

The problem with attenuators is they shorten the life of your tubes, even though i would say it makes life a little easier and less costly to have one set up you dont want to mess with and keep a firm hold on your tone.


i personally believe the 'right tool for the job' approach and as HJM said previous, a 10 watt valve amp is still kick ass but not much bottom end unless you hook up a cab, or go through a PA with fat speakers.

however, the natural breakup is better on a small amp maxed than a big amp maxed out with an attenuater or power soak, just my opinion:-) or my ears!

[Neemo]

practice amp, attenuators suck tone

[HJM]

Actually, if I only needed clean, I'd get a big amp like a twin with lots of headroom......you can't do that with a little amp!!! If I only played crunchy blues, then a small amp would be great.

[rinse_master]

I voted for clean, but I guess I'd be somwhere in the middle, I certainly wouldn't have a 100w stack, maybe like 20w, small gig amp?

[Bainzy]

The problem with attenuators is they shorten the life of your tubes, even though i would say it makes life a little easier and less costly to have one set up you dont want to mess with and keep a firm hold on your tone.

Your tubes won't last any longer cranking them without an attenuator - the reason your tubes don't last as long is an attenuator encourages you to crank the amp more.

[rahnooo]

Actually, if I only needed clean, I'd get a big amp like a twin with lots of headroom......you can't do that with a little amp!!! If I only played crunchy blues, then a small amp would be great.

Something tells me you have a multi-amp set up going on Hayden. I know it's off topic (but to hell with it, it's my topic) what are your opinions on clean-dirty A/B set ups? The mini-mat is still very appealing and I'm thinking of having it as the dirty half of a set up with my ashdown. Just musing though... This topic was really just out of interest to see what people were using/aspiring to :)

*Rahnooo*

[HJM]

I'm using a Fender Super Reverb for clean and a Marshall JCM8000 2204 for dirty. It's a lot to carry but works well!! I do have a C7 Matamp too that I can use if I want to have a third sound with an A/B/C pedal.

I've had to get some Ebtech  hum elliminators in to kill ground loops, and a good A/B/C switch - I use the Lehle box, 1@3 I think!!

What I take depends on the gig, if it's just overdrive I'll use two Marshalls controled from the volume pot with an SD1 as a boost. If I need a blues tone the C7 is great, or the Super Reverb for cleans with a TS9 for blues leads.

I'm lucky to have got most of these amps really cheap, if I had to choose one I'd probably go with a Matamp 1224, you can run it on one valve or two valves class A, and 2 or 4 valves in Class AB. Best of both worlds!! (or at least it was before Mesa stole the idea and tried to patent it!!)