How to test drive a LOUD amp in a small store?

jdfoosh357 · April 29th, 2006, 03:13 PM

I'm in search of a SFTR and have come to learn that you need to hear one before you buy (to be safe). How do you guys test a big amp like this? I doubt the store would want me playing on vol 6 or 7 for an hour.

Also, what serial #'s do I need to check before I buy. I don't really care what's original or not, I just want to get a fair deal on a good amp. I would not be able to look at the chasis of an amp and tell whether it's been modified or not.

Thanks again,
Jon

Bluesbob · April 29th, 2006, 03:19 PM

NO STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN!

lostpick · April 29th, 2006, 03:35 PM

with them. Tell them; no crankito; no salelito.
Maybe they will tell you to come early or late
when the store is empty. Make sure everybody
knows and go for it. Sometimes they have
amp cranking rooms too..separate from the sales floor....This is a concern I have talked
about many times...

JohnnyCrash · April 29th, 2006, 04:33 PM

Tell them your serious about buying and you want to fully test it... as long as they get a sale, they don't care what you do! They're bastards.

Next, bring in an attenuator. Give the amp a few seconds of test driving without it, but if you want to test it for a while, use the attenuator to get an approximation of it's tone at various levels of "cranked" - this will give you an idea about how loud it can go, and how it sounds when loud.

After a good crank up session, using an attenuator makes the other customers happy (as well as the store workers).

Bringing an attenuator is also a good sign to the sales leeches that you are serious about making a purchase (and therefore, them getting a commission)... but also bring your guitar(s) to get the full amp experience.

trag-o-caster · April 29th, 2006, 04:45 PM

Twins on 10 in GC??? It's kinda a hobby of mine!

If they say anything, you just tell 'em that if they want to make a sale, they'll let you try it out in the manner that you plan on using it.

The couple of times that I've actually done that, there were so many kids playing death metal in the Crate/Line6 section that I went largely un-noticed, believe it or not.

zombywoof · April 29th, 2006, 05:03 PM

I must be one of the lucky ones. Every time I go into my favorite little store I have to turn the amps down from volume setting the owner had beein playing on. Guy definetely needs to get a blinking phone. Actually, most of the those loitering are pretty considerate of the customers, turning down so they can talk to the owner or surrendering amps so folks who actually might pay for something have a shot at using them.

lostpick · April 29th, 2006, 05:39 PM

You can find a Tom Scholz Power Soak on Ebay for $70. I used to use one on my Ac30
but it compresses your tone and removes
presence, keep this property in mind when you test, because power soak less operation will have more dynamic range. Thunk, chunk you get the picture.....sometimes they have
these in the used pedals showcase......

Wally · April 29th, 2006, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdfoosh357

I'm in search of a SFTR and have come to learn that you need to hear one before you buy (to be safe). How do you guys test a big amp like this? I doubt the store would want me playing on vol 6 or 7 for an hour.

Also, what serial #'s do I need to check before I buy. I don't really care what's original or not, I just want to get a fair deal on a good amp. I would not be able to look at the chasis of an amp and tell whether it's been modified or not.

Thanks again,
Jon

Turn it up...if they don't want you to hear it, they don't want to sell it to you. Of course, a polite request before blasting is advisable. That said, an hour might be a bit much. A few minutes should tell you what an amp is going to sound like for you.
As to numbers and originality...you need to know the status vis-a-vis originality so as not to pay for something you aren't getting. You might even prefer to buy non-orignal so as to minimize expenditure, right?
Go here http://www.tcguitar.com/articles/gagliano_pt5.html
for serial numbers. Greg Gagliano has composed this list by cross-referencing amp codes and chassis serial numbers. The chassis serial numbers were never correlated by Fender to production dates. With that knowledge, you can check tranny and speaker codes for originality...or at least for correct dates. The tranny codes usually read 606XYY with the X being the last digit of the year and the YY being the week of the year. Rarely you will see another manufacturer's code...?837? maybe, but the date scheme is the same. The speakers will carry similar codes except for JBL's. CTS will read 137XYY, Utah's will read 465XYY. If you are looking at a '70's TR with JBL's they will be orange, I think.
Good luck on the hunt.

getbent · April 29th, 2006, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyCrash

They're bastards..

This describes way too many people J. Crash... god man, you crack me up!

telel6s · April 29th, 2006, 11:19 PM

When I bought my SF Super Reverb, I turned up to 5 for a little bit but then kept it down around 3 as I played with the tone controls, reverb, etc. I brought my Gibson L6-S with me, which was my only good guitar at the time.

One of the guys in the store grabs a Strat off the wall, hands it to me, and turns the amp up to 8. He said he wanted to hear the amp one last time before I took it out the door.

Moral of the story: a real music store knows that amps go to 10 (or 12) (or 11 if you're named Nigel). As said above, be nice about it and maybe even set an appointment. But turn that puppy up.

tjalla · April 30th, 2006, 12:19 AM

Courtesy and consideration for the staff and other customers suggest an appointment to be a good idea. If they don't want to hear about it, try somewhere else.

I'll agree that 1 hour testing is asking alot, esp if you walk out empty handed. Plus your ears will be ringing...

Does the store have a money back policy? If you need to use the twin in a stage context, take it to the next rehearsal/gig, and decide then. To be honest, that's the only real test if you're using it live.

Trevor

daddyopapa · May 1st, 2006, 12:17 PM

Just close your eyes and play.

The String King · May 1st, 2006, 02:58 PM

Ask for an attenuator (sp?) like a Hot Plate or something.

You get the tone of being loud, but your not. If they don't sell those just ask and then blast it.

Teleclasster · May 3rd, 2006, 10:38 AM

I'm a good customer with a local mom & pop shop. One of the perks of this relationship, is if I find an amp that I'm serious about, it goes home to my room for a day. I want to demo it with my pedals, guitars, in a familiar room. Cranking is the first order of the test.

Unfortunately the biggest test is hauling it to a practice, but by then it's been bought and paid for. Got burned once by an amp that killed in "the room", but fell flat at the gig.

April 29th, 2006, 03:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
jdfoosh357 Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 566	How to test drive a LOUD amp in a small store? I'm in search of a SFTR and have come to learn that you need to hear one before you buy (to be safe). How do you guys test a big amp like this? I doubt the store would want me playing on vol 6 or 7 for an hour. Also, what serial #'s do I need to check before I buy. I don't really care what's original or not, I just want to get a fair deal on a good amp. I would not be able to look at the chasis of an amp and tell whether it's been modified or not. Thanks again, Jon

April 29th, 2006, 03:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
Bluesbob Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: East Suffolk L.I. Posts: 1,073 20 Photos	Just remember... NO STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN! __________________ What, me worry?

April 29th, 2006, 03:35 PM	#3 (permalink)
lostpick Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Staten Island, NYC Posts: 1,012	Make an Appointment... with them. Tell them; no crankito; no salelito. Maybe they will tell you to come early or late when the store is empty. Make sure everybody knows and go for it. Sometimes they have amp cranking rooms too..separate from the sales floor....This is a concern I have talked about many times...

April 29th, 2006, 04:45 PM	#5 (permalink)
trag-o-caster Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Flushing, Michigan Posts: 4,631	Twins on 10 in GC??? It's kinda a hobby of mine! If they say anything, you just tell 'em that if they want to make a sale, they'll let you try it out in the manner that you plan on using it. The couple of times that I've actually done that, there were so many kids playing death metal in the Crate/Line6 section that I went largely un-noticed, believe it or not. __________________ Timothy Jon Lamb

April 29th, 2006, 05:03 PM	#6 (permalink)
zombywoof Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Back in the Heartland Posts: 2,923 17 Photos	I must be one of the lucky ones. Every time I go into my favorite little store I have to turn the amps down from volume setting the owner had beein playing on. Guy definetely needs to get a blinking phone. Actually, most of the those loitering are pretty considerate of the customers, turning down so they can talk to the owner or surrendering amps so folks who actually might pay for something have a shot at using them. __________________ "I don't play a lot of fancy guitar. I don't want to play it. The kind of guitar I want to play is mean, mean licks." John Lee Hooker

April 29th, 2006, 04:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
JohnnyCrash Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lost Angeles and Orange County Posts: 7,128	Tell them your serious about buying and you want to fully test it... as long as they get a sale, they don't care what you do! They're bastards. Next, bring in an attenuator. Give the amp a few seconds of test driving without it, but if you want to test it for a while, use the attenuator to get an approximation of it's tone at various levels of "cranked" - this will give you an idea about how loud it can go, and how it sounds when loud. After a good crank up session, using an attenuator makes the other customers happy (as well as the store workers). Bringing an attenuator is also a good sign to the sales leeches that you are serious about making a purchase (and therefore, them getting a commission)... but also bring your guitar(s) to get the full amp experience.

April 29th, 2006, 05:39 PM	#7 (permalink)
lostpick Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Staten Island, NYC Posts: 1,012	Attenuator Idea is the Ticket You can find a Tom Scholz Power Soak on Ebay for $70. I used to use one on my Ac30 but it compresses your tone and removes presence, keep this property in mind when you test, because power soak less operation will have more dynamic range. Thunk, chunk you get the picture.....sometimes they have these in the used pedals showcase......

April 29th, 2006, 11:19 PM	#10 (permalink)
telel6s Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 1,180 80 Photos	Would you buy a car after going no faster than 35 mph? When I bought my SF Super Reverb, I turned up to 5 for a little bit but then kept it down around 3 as I played with the tone controls, reverb, etc. I brought my Gibson L6-S with me, which was my only good guitar at the time. One of the guys in the store grabs a Strat off the wall, hands it to me, and turns the amp up to 8. He said he wanted to hear the amp one last time before I took it out the door. Moral of the story: a real music store knows that amps go to 10 (or 12) (or 11 if you're named Nigel). As said above, be nice about it and maybe even set an appointment. But turn that puppy up. __________________ Mama always said, "A little tone is good for the soul."

April 30th, 2006, 12:19 AM	#11 (permalink)
tjalla Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 1,947 7 Photos	Just reiterating what's been said... Courtesy and consideration for the staff and other customers suggest an appointment to be a good idea. If they don't want to hear about it, try somewhere else. I'll agree that 1 hour testing is asking alot, esp if you walk out empty handed. Plus your ears will be ringing... Does the store have a money back policy? If you need to use the twin in a stage context, take it to the next rehearsal/gig, and decide then. To be honest, that's the only real test if you're using it live. Trevor

May 1st, 2006, 12:17 PM	#12 (permalink)
daddyopapa Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: BC Canada Posts: 498	Just close your eyes and play.

May 1st, 2006, 02:58 PM	#13 (permalink)
The String King Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: East Sussex, U.K. Age: 16 Posts: 1,064 22 Photos	Re: How to play LOUD... Ask for an attenuator (sp?) like a Hot Plate or something. You get the tone of being loud, but your not. If they don't sell those just ask and then blast it. __________________ I twang therefore I am

May 3rd, 2006, 10:38 AM	#14 (permalink)
Teleclasster TDPRI Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Honky Tonk, USA Posts: 32	Re: How to play LOUD... I'm a good customer with a local mom & pop shop. One of the perks of this relationship, is if I find an amp that I'm serious about, it goes home to my room for a day. I want to demo it with my pedals, guitars, in a familiar room. Cranking is the first order of the test. Unfortunately the biggest test is hauling it to a practice, but by then it's been bought and paid for. Got burned once by an amp that killed in "the room", but fell flat at the gig.