Better to spend more on your amp or your guitar?

[jefsut]

If you had a fixed sum to spend on an amp and a guitar (let's say $2,500), how much would you spend on the amp and how much on the guitar?

This is, of course, another way of asking whether an amp or a guitar has more effect on the sound of your music.

I must confess I'm leaning toward the amp side of the equation, but would like to see what other folks think. My hypothesis is that a $500 guitar will produce a better sound on a $2,000 amp than the other way around.

What do you think?

[pchilson]

I'll go with the 2k amp with the .5k guitar...

[Nash]

$1700 on the amp, $800 on the guitar.

[RodeoTex]

I think you are certainly right but the ratio may change somewhat.

[JosephB]

id go half and half...if we're going specific...



$1250

&



$1195

[rangercaster]

i think 50/50 would be a great split ... after that i would lean toward more money for a guitar ...

[thejerk]

Take a $200 guitar and play it through $2000 amp, it'll sound pretty decent. A $2000 guitar through a $200 amp won't sound nearly as good. These days, you can get a lot of guitar for very little coin, but amps still have a way to go. With guitars, CNC and modern technology lower prices, whereas with amps, new technology isn't what guitar players are after. Point to point wiring and vacuum tubes means higher prices.

If I were advising someone new to the "sport", I'd say get a decent low end guitar in the $300-500 range, and get a really nice amp in the $500-800 range, used if possible. If you got a used PRRI and a used Classic Vibe, you'd be pretty much set (and certainly couldn't blame your lack of tone on your gear), for around $800.

[tele12]

Originally Posted by jefsut

My hypothesis is that a $500 guitar will produce a better sound on a $2,000 amp than the other way around.

What do you think?

If we are talking about Fender guitars at MAP pricing, not friday giveaway deals or anything like that, you need to spend at least $1000 on the guitar.
Any Fender guitar selling for less than that really don't have very good pickups. Jimmie Vaughans ($869), Roadworns ($949) and Highway Ones ($699), none of them come with top shelf pickups.
A Blues Jr. at $499 is a much better amp than a MIM Standard is a guitar.

[BigDaddyLH]

What about the $350 Squier CV Tele? And it hasn't been said, but it seems fair in this $2000 split game to allow you to upgrade with better pups or better speakers, for example, as long as you put them on the tab.

[Dan German]

I think that as a rule, you will have better luck finding a good inexpensive guitar than a good inexpensive amp. Although my Peavey Delta Blues only cost $150 and a Line 6 Spider II. But as has been noted, a cheap guitar through a good amp will usually sound better than a good guitar through a crap amp. YMMV.

[Stuco]

Silverface DR and have it fully serviced and upgrade speaker. That's probably $1250 then $1250 for a nice partscaster or USA fender (used if necessary).

[varakeef]

Guitars tend to get quite playable quite fast nowadays when you spend more money. Basically you get a player with peanuts. After that it's a case of setting the bugger up and how much you want to spend on the guitar.

Amps are more important, but getting a decent amp doesn't cost arm and leg either.

Point is you get a very good guitar and very good amp with 2.500 $ with ease and deciding factor will be what do you want, it's not a case of compromising. If your budget were 500 $ it would be harder, but not impossible.

Another consideration is where you play the set. If I played for just my amusement in home I'd buy a guitar that is as funky, cool and desirable I could afford and get a decent little tube amp. For example Gretsch 6120 and Epi Jr (or similiar, maybe even some more boutique version of a 5 watter).

On studio work or giggin' there might be another considerations. Probably a Mexican or Japanese tele with an amp with the amount of power I need.

[beep.click]

With a budget of $2500, you have a LOT of options.

I like the Jaguar/Vox combo shown above; sweet.

American Tele and Twin Reverb would also be nice -- another 50/50 split (roughly).

But if I had $2500 and didn't own ANYTHING... I'd be sorely tempted to find a hollowbody Gretsch with FilterTrons (about $2000), and a Blues Jr. (about $500). That setup is a staple, in my living room!

[91xlntS-3]

For $2,500 you can get some killer gear!! Especially if you check the used market. For a 50/50 split, you could even order yourself a nice custom guitar from one of the builders/Luthiers on this site, which is what I would do for the guitar. Then I'd shop around for whatever type amp you needed. There is a lot of gear available today that would fit right into your budget. Happy Hunting!!

[TG]

I agree that a mediocre guitar will sound better thru a good amp than a good guitar thru a mediocre amp. And usually the quality of an amp is directly proportional to the price.

[xjazzy]

Good amps tend to be more expensive than good guitars. So, I'd just look for the right amp and then, with money left, I'd look for the right guitar.
With that kind of budget in the US I think I'd buy one great amp (Lil' Dawg 5E3), one great guitar (try to spot a good CV or MIM Classic) and could still save some money to a nice vacation

[jjkrause84]

I assume this is a hypothetical question BUT....you could easily get a handwired Vox (used) AND an American Telecaster (new or used) in that price range.

Basically, you could afford "almost anything with that kinda dough if one was willing to shop around

[muchxs]

I was thinking six of one and half a dozen of the other.

I'm probably the wrong guy to ask. I build my own amps but I buy my guitars. I can't be bothered with all the fiddly finishing, a Fender style neck is a project in and of itself.

It works out to "garbage in, garbage out". You can plug a Samick or an Indonesian Squier Affinity into a Dumble, it's probably gonna sound like ca-ca unless you're a really good musician or a wizard at guitar setup.

On the other hand you can buy a CV Tele for well under $500, they seem to be pretty good guitars...

You'd be hard pressed to find a $500 Dumble...

Let's say a grand for a "decent" amp.

So there, I just did the math. It's a 2:1 ratio. Spend twice as much on the amp as you paid for the guitar...

[T Prior]

ok...
As a musician, you should buy the best instrument you can afford that matches your criteria. That can be a $199 Korean something or other or perhaps a $5,000 Gibson..

Instrument first, supporting gear second. You practice and improve your skill set "ON" the guitar and "THRU" the amp.

What good is having the best tone on the planet if you can't actually execute on the Instrument ?

And yes, an amp is very important and should be part of the total spending equation, the problem is this, most of us here are always looking for a new , or another amp, but using the same guitar !

get em' both spend it all...

[happy2]

I have a pricey amp and some not too pricey guitars. I'm an amp guy all the way. I have never regreted my amp purchase.

[BigDaddyLH]

Originally Posted by happy2

I have a pricey amp and some not too pricey guitars. I'm an amp guy all the way. I have never regreted my amp purchase.

And I have a pricey guitar (a vintage L-5). I'm going to be buried with it. I don't think anyone has deathbed regrets about either purchase.

[patrickhowell]

The nicer your amp is, the more likely you are to notice the drawbacks of a cheap guitar. I'd plan on $1250-$1500 on the amp and $1000-1250 on the guitar, making sure to take speaker and pickup upgrades in mind as a possibility.

[Singin' Dave]

As a Craigslist and eBay junkie, I'm biased, but IMO used is the way to go, especially these days where gear is selling cheap and buyers with cash in hand are king. Used you could get a DRRI and a US strat or tele for ~$1200 with some patience and no one would sneeze at that set up. Spend the whole $2500 and you could really get fancy.

Anyway, that's kind of off topic. I'd agree to most of the points above that quality amps seem to be a bit more expensive on average than quality guitars, depending of course on how you define quality. I'd probably say the 1.5/1 ratio amp to guitar, but it all depends on what's out there.

[Tele Fan]

IMHO your money is better spent on a good amp. No matter how good your guitar is it won't sound good through a lousy amp.

[jefsut]

Thanks for all the great messages, folks!

My original question was, as someone noted, a bit hypothetical, although I am in fact considering upgrading my amp. I currently have a Blues Jr. that I'm pretty happy with, and a several nice Teles.

[DMace]

$900 used '52RI
$1000-1200 SFDR
leftover money to be put toward an amp tune-up, new pickups is so desired, and a good overdrive pedal.

[Sterling Indigo]

$2500 is a very nice budget! Even though, I would try and get as much bang out of my buck by waiting for two nice good used deals to come together. If you were patient, you could end up with a Nocaster and a 57 Twin Tweed (or Deluxe) Reissue fairly easily with that kind of coinage.

[mojotele65]

I would buy a B-bender tele and a deluxe reverb or princeton RI.

[blue metalflake]

I've palyed through some poor amps, and they will destroy the best guitar.
Not sure of the exact ratio, but I'd spend more on the amp.

[Slow Reflexes]

Classic Vibe - pick one, $350 or less.

There're some seriously nice amps out there for $2150 or less.

[atroy]

I'd go $500-$800 on the guitar and the rest on a nice amp. Or maybe this...


+


I put Fender 57/62 pickups in my MIM Strat and it sounds and plays far better than the American Strat owned. I like to tinker so I'll upgrade along the way where I see fit.

I like Les Pauls too but I'd never cut it financially as a Gibson guy.

[mr newhaven]

i agree with roughly everyone here...

in my opinion...while all amps have their quirks...you can get a great great amp for around 1000 bucks...give or take a few hundred...a 57 tweed champ reissue...comes to mind...a princeton reverb comes to mind...etc...swart...victoria...blah blah blah

that being said a great guitar can be had for roughly 1000...whether it be a gibson les paul studio...a fender american strat...an american tele...an epiphone casino elitist...a les paul jr with the p-90 pup...

so with that ratio of cash for guitar and amp...you can get pretty much anything you want! but once you start messing with that ratio...youre gonna have a crappier guitar and more amp than you can play at normal levels...or an awesome guitar and a battery powered amp...either way youre not gonna sound like you want to!

even though pignose 7-100's are awesome...and only like 100...which could then get you a used custom shop something or other...hahaha
but i digress!

enjoy your buying spree!

if i wasnt saving for a gibson acoustic id be in your same boat but over the last 2 years i spent like 10k on gear so im good once i get my acoustic!

enjoy!

dont forget a wah peddle and some overdrive!

[Jakedog]

Used Am. Fender, and Used Dr. Z.

Buying used is not nearly as scary when you get into this level, as most of the time, not always, but most of the time, people who spend that kind of money on that kind of gear take great care of it.

If $2,500 fell into my lap right now, I'd be buying a recent American Std. Strat and either a Dr.Z head or 2X12 combo, or a Marshall Bluesbreaker.

[jefsut]

Originally Posted by DMace

$900 used '52RI
$1000-1200 SFDR
leftover money to be put toward an amp tune-up, new pickups is so desired, and a good overdrive pedal.

Thanks for the tip. Uh, I'm a little old and slow. What's an SFDR? These acronyms are killing me!

[superhand]

Spend about $100 on an SX, another $100-200 pimping it out, and the rest on the amp. Best bang for your buck right there.

[Single-coil]

1300 on a used but mint EJ strat, and 1200 on a DR-Z anything

[DMace]

Originally Posted by jefsut

Thanks for the tip. Uh, I'm a little old and slow. What's an SFDR? These acronyms are killing me!

Silverface Deluxe Reverb. I was guitar acronym deficient myself. That is, until I spent countless hours on TDPRI. Now it's second nature...for better or for worse.

[imsilly]

I have had this discussion with a number of people and we've conclude if going to one extreme with either a guitar or an amp to the detriment of the other is a waste of time tonewise.

What is great about the second hand musical instrument market is that it can throw up bargains so you can have your cake and eat it if you are lucky.

What happened to me was I was certain I'd get a vintage Blackface Fender amp with reverb, Super, Vibrolux, Deluxe or Princeton, you know the thing. Then I would try to get the best modern guitar with what I had left. Luckily I scored a Super Reverb for cheap leaving me enough cash left over to import a 1950s Les Paul Junior. I can't be more happy with that combination and I got it for what I consider a reasonable price, under £4000, which in the UK is not bad for a vintage rig of such high quality. So I wouldn't discount getting both if you are prepared to do the hard work, track gear down, take a risk on it and do research.

[BillyC]

I love my cheap guitars and expensive amps.I've been playing a SX jazz bass for the last two years through a Markbass amp...The bass is alder with a maple neck,the stock pickups sound great,The pots are cheap but function properly.I set it up and I've played a couple hundred gigs with it.It cost $120 with shipping and it's paid for itself many times over.

[studio1087]

Originally Posted by thejerk

If I were advising someone new to the "sport", I'd say get a decent low end guitar in the $300-500 range, and get a really nice amp in the $500-800 range, used if possible. If you got a used PRRI and a used Classic Vibe, you'd be pretty much set (and certainly couldn't blame your lack of tone on your gear), for around $800.

That's a very solid plan. That's a very realistic plan.

My amps (in general) are worth about time and a half what I spent on my guitars.

I have a Mexi Tele, Mexi Strat, Mexi Nashville Tele, a couple Melody Makers....lots of guitars that I bought new for about $500 that I truly enjoy. I play a Princeton Reverb Reissue and a Deluxe Reverb Reissue.

If I had $2500 to spend at a guitar shop tomorrow...I might look for a $1000 guitar and a $1500 amp.