Doesn't anyone ever actually turn down an amplifier???

[Tim Armstrong]

I gotta laugh every time I read a post from someone who's looking for an amp that's not too small, not too large, but juuuuuust right. "Can't play that in an apartment" is a common theme.

Well, I've lived in a lot of apartments, and trailers, and townhouses, and big houses, and I never noticed any problem playing electric guitar through any amp in any of them! Heck, over the years I had a Music Man HD-130, a 50-watt Marshall JMP Super Lead head, a Budda Twinmaster, and all kinds of other amps, down to a nice little SF Champ.

And every single one of them sounded pretty good when turned down to "apartment" volume. Sure, they might not have been 100% as glorious as at large club gig volume, but they certainly didn't suck!

The same thing is true for gigs, in my experience. Some places require less volume than others. So I turn down the volume knob on the amp. Problem solved. I have a couple pedals I can use to add a little dirt if needed.

I've finally settled on a nice 20-ish watt 1x12 Traynor YGM-3 Guitarmate amp because it's loud enough for any gig I'm likely to play. And quiet enough (when I turn it down) to play in my room at home without irritating my 70-year-old Mom...

Cheers, Tim

[Cam]

right out of my keyboard! Volume knobs were made for a reason.

[yegbert]

I've been using my 40-watt bf Bandmaster regularly in the basement of my single home for a year or so and keeping it down around 5, or my SFDR around 7. Straight from single coil Teles (occasionally an ES-335 with stock PAFs) into the amp, no effects or boost, finger picking, so I'm not very loud. I recently found a sf 50-watt Bassman head, got it serviced and it has supplanted the Bandmaster. I didn't need the extra power it has over the Bandmaster, but I like the tone better.

I'd guess some of the motivation for the just right setup is from folks who want to push their power tubes or speakers to the edge of breakup or beyond.

[TAZ]

Tim,

Absolutely! Pick an amp that meets the majority of your volume requirements and just turn down to fit other circumstances.

[Dana]

Sometimes, when it comes to neighbors, it's better that they don't 'see' your equipment. Because when they do, they often 'hear' loud music that just isn't there.

When I moved into my condo 15 years ago the neighbor happened by just as I was bringing in a couple of guitars. He proceeded to read me the riot act, and quoting all these condo rules to me. I told him to relax, and that I wasn't planning any rock concerts here in the near future.

Soon after I was getting complaints from him via the condo association about 'loud music' coming from my condo. Not true, as I usually dont' plug in when I practice.

It eventually ended one year after I had informed the condo association that I would be on vacation in Maine for a week, and to please keep and eye out on my condo for me. My neighbor made the mistake of complaining to them about a party, and loud rock n' roll music coming from my condo. It was then they informed him that I and my family were out of state that entire week, and the condo was empty.

Needless to say he hasn't complained since.

[Tim Armstrong]

Originally Posted by yegbert

I'd guess some of the motivation for the just right setup is from folks who want to push their power tubes or speakers to the edge of breakup or beyond.

Yeah, that's why I play the amp I have. That's just right for 90% of the gigs I'll likely play. If the gig requires more volume, that's what the SM57 is for, if the gig requires less volume, that's what the volume knob and a tube screamer is for...

But I've never, never, ever had an amp that was at "apartment" volume while simultaneously on the edge of breakup.

Cheers, Tim

[Twangmeister]

I thought the term "bedroom amp" meant an amp big enought to sleep in when not playing!

I agree. Just turn it down. But it is fun (albeit expensive) to have different amps for different rooms. Of course, in my case. it's all over-compensation for perceived deficits in other areas.......... :D

[Rick Towne]

one set of voume and tone controls on the amp AND another set on the guitar. How unusual is this?

[Tim Armstrong]

Originally Posted by Rick Towne

one set of voume and tone controls on the amp AND another set on the guitar. How unusual is this?

Yikes!!!

My brother just bought one of those "other" guitars, and he has TWO sets of volume and tone controls on his guitar. How crazy is THAT? :D

Cheers,

Tim

[Scott S]

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

But I've never, never, ever had an amp that was at "apartment" volume while simultaneously on the edge of breakup.

Cheers, Tim

This li'l guy (~1 watt?) will:


But even so, I unplug at 10pm or so.

[eryque]

I'm the kind of weirdo that actually likes the way a Fender amp sounds when turned only to about 3 or so. On all of my Fenders, it was never very loud utnil you hit about 4, with the exception of the HRD. Obove 2 on that one and it's putting out some decent volume for the house.

[genelovesjez]

Promise not to tell anyone, but I'm quite happy using my 100 watt Marshall JCM 800 half stack at home.

And when I had an early 70s Super Reverb, I always like how it sounded quietly at home better than at volume.

[genelovesjez]

Originally Posted by eryque

I'm the kind of weirdo that actually likes the way a Fender amp sounds when turned only to about 3 or so.

You beat me to it, but I totally agree. I guess that's one reason I'm not currently playing any Fender amps.

[Pepi]

A tube amp from 18 to 40 watts works for me anywhere.

[Robin Nahum]

Good post Tim.

I am very seldom in a situation where I can turn up enough to get breakup; my jazz workshop band comprises unamplified horns, and the only instruments that use amps are the bass, guitar and keyboards. I run the Deluxe about 4-5 with the guitar volume between half way and full.

I would occasionally like to have a bit of 'natural' distortion but my only amp that can do this in polite company is the 74 Pro with the master volume. Unfortunately this is a lot of amp to take to a rehearsal.

Paradoxically though, I am very conscious of speaker efficiency and feel that I am losing value if I buy a lower efficiency speaker, especially nowadays when one can buy an Eminence Cannabis Rex with an SPL of 102 for about $US80. In the old days, you needed to spend up big on a JBL or EV for that kind of efficiency.

I'm not sure how to get out of this (probably self-defeating) mindset. I think it's a hangover from my youth. Is anybody out there deliberately using a lower efficiency speaker that they might recommend for the music I play?

[RussBert]

People want their small amps louder, their big amps "quieter", more headroom, faster break-up, it's an endless quest to get what you don't have!

I play my '69 Twin in the house...it sounds great.

I crank my 18 watter, it's loud!

My Kid plays his 5150 head/4-12 in the house,and gets great tone!

Have "We" got to the point that we're afraid to turn the knobs a bit to get our amps to suit us? Volume knobs...the next BIG THING?

[voided3]

Hello. I think i've blown the excess meter for home amps. My guitar amps are all no less than 100 watts, the biggest running 2 2x15" cabs. The bass stuff takes the cake though; a combined 3100 watts running 3 2x15" cabs (two of them my friend's), a 1x15, a 4x10, and a 2x10. My parents said it was louder when they put a pillow over their head and the pictures upstairs usually were in different positions when I came back up from the basement. But yeah, they can play real quiet too and sure as hell sound better than someting like a 15 watt Squier amp. Fun stuff indeed.

[stevieboy]

Well whatever turns you on. I play amps turned down ok but for me it's just more fun to crank up my Champ.

[Tim Bowen]

Last night, I wound up doing two shows instead of just the one that I'd signed on for. Large club, large stage. The headliner's second guitarist had an unexpected crisis and was unavoidably detained. After my band's sound check, the bassist asked me if I could do their hour and a half show with them. I looked at the set list, had no clue, told them so, and asked if they'd still like me to do it, as best I could. The leader said "sure", and handed me a hundred dollar bill. Okay.

With my band, I was asked (by someone who should really have no say in the matter) to turn my amps (VOX AC15 & Fender '63 reissue Vibroverb) down to the point where they sounded tinny; no bass, no body, had to turn gain from pedals up way past my liking. That's okay, I'm a sideman, and I don't make waves. I've been doing this a long time, and I know that making a vocalist sound good is in fact paramount, and I know that I wasn't even remotely beginning to approach "loud". Actually, I knew exactly what the problem was, and it wasn't electric guitars. In the interest of avoiding politics and doing the job, I simply did as asked.

Fast forward to the headliner's set. In between shows, I went out to get some air, and just left my rig set as previously. I started the set, and man, those guys just ate me alive with volume; it rocked, and you could feel the electricity in the room, and that crowd came to life in a major way. Within about 30 seconds, I was cranking volume from BOTH amps several notches, backing the stompers' gains down to nearly nothing (utilizing them as the "preamps" that they best function as). And there it was - that glorious tone that I KNOW to live within those amps and stomps. Suddenly, it was a joy to play, and fun just oozed out of the amps. Aaaaah, thank ya very much! Vocals were loud and clear, no mix problems whatsoever, nada, and the crowd went nuts.

So, to answer the question, yes, I can make it work at low volume, and yes, it's always my last choice. Heck, here at the house, I play acoustic.

[Daddy Elmis]

Thus the growth in the attenuator industry. I've got attenuators on everything except the Goblin -- which can be switched to 5 watts.

At the end of the day, we all want what we want when we want it -- and for rock guitar, that usually means a hard driven tube amp.

I think we also lust for the tone we hear on recordings, forgetting that the Plexi played on that record along side an acoustic guitar track was dimed and in an isolation booth during recording.

[geddyleedog]

Tim,
I totally agree. I could never understand how anyone turns up the volume on their amp so it has "a little hair" and be able to play that amp in every application. To me it's impossible. Every application will usually use a different volume and therefore it just won't seem to work. That's why they invented stomp boxes. Sure it would be cool if you could always have your amps volume at the sweet spot, but it seem impossible to me. I guess if you've graduated to arenas then you could have that luxury. You could turn the amps volume right where you want it because your volume is coming from the PA.

[Tim Armstrong]

Originally Posted by geddyleedog

Tim,
I totally agree. I could never understand how anyone turns up the volume on their amp so it has "a little hair" and be able to play that amp in every application. To me it's impossible. Every application will usually use a different volume and therefore it just won't seem to work. That's why they invented stomp boxes. Sure it would be cool if you could always have your amps volume at the sweet spot, but it seem impossible to me. I guess if you've graduated to arenas then you could have that luxury. You could turn the amps volume right where you want it because your volume is coming from the PA.

Either that or use a really small amp and mic it, which would get you the hair (actually an approach I dig...). But then there's no possibility of pants legs flapping and/or hearing damage, which is of course a rock'n'roll necessity! :D

No reason to wait until you graduate to arenas, either. My bar band always runs a bass line out, an SM57 on a Deluxe Reverb, and kick and snare mics to the PA system, in addition to our vocal mics. Our setup allows us to play just about anywhere, indoors or outdoors, big room or small room, without any serious angst about levels. We just adjust the master volume on the PA system... :D

Anyhow, all ranting aside, it seems to me basic common sense to get an amp that'll cover whatever you need it to do. And if sometimes you don't need to play it real loud, to turn down the volume knob...

Cheers, Tim

[winny pooh]

All this reminds me that i really need a Univalve!

[Gene Machine]

I personally like the sound of my tube amps when they are cranked to 10. I have a GA20RVT that is 15W and it sounds 'best' (to me anyway) when it is cranked and the tubes are working hard. I can control the volume and distortion with the volume on my guitar.

Similarly, I can do the same with my '73 Twin Reverb, but it is so incredibly loud it makes it impossible inside. WAY TOO LOUD!!! but great tone, if you can manage to stand a few hundred feet away.

That said, the dilema is that when my Gibson amp is in 'ZZ Top Mode' as i call it, it is a bit of a one trick pony. But, it's one hell of trick.

If I turn it down, get a cleaner tone and use stomp boxes for different sounds and tones, i get more versatility but not that one tone i am looking for.

another option:
Use different amps and an A/B box (like Eric Johnson). Use one amp, cranked for a certain sound, another amp at a different volume with pedals for other sounds, etc. etc.
More complicated, costly but gives you best of both worlds....

just my $.02