Clever Names For Amp Controls

[tele-martini]

Couldn't help notice the wide variety of terms or names for amp controls lately.The Swart Space Tone has some cool ones including launch instead of standby. 65 Amps has a "bump" control and a "bump tone" which I guess tweaks the tone. I know I've seen some really different ones that don't come to mind at the moment. Anyone feel more at home with the basic T/M/B Reverb,Tremelo etc.? I guess I'm just boring.

[jjh37854]

I remeber SWR Bass amps had something called an Aural Enhancer, I had fun teasing bass players about that one :)

[11 Gauge]

I've never gotten over amps that have a boost function. They don't seem to do much for the tone - maybe there to boost the ego?

I also like the terms shift and contour. Even if they sound like crap, the words are so cool, who would care? Randall Smith is a friggin' genius when it comes to marketing.

I think that both Bogner and Reverend have used a schizo control.

Carvin wins the award for most wet sounding with the soak control.

Other ones that I've seen on modern amps: sharp, blunt, bold, and spongy.

I forget the vendor's name, but he has amps that have switches for both the power and the glory.

Allen has his infamous raw switch...

My favorite were the 'semi-global' settings for the 6 pairs of amp models on my Line 6 - Clean, Twang, Blues, Crunch, Metal, and INSANE.

If I ever offered an amp, all switches would say active on one side, and inactive on the other, and all knobs would say more on one side, and less on the other. I wouldn't give any of them names - just symbols that don't coincide with anything. There are too many guitarists that place too much merit in what is stenciled under each control...

[cRaZY Tom]

I love the layout of Orange amps, instead of a clean and Distortion channel; they have a "Natural" & "Dirty" channel.

And each control has an image above it to represent what it does, and the more important controls (the ones you use more) have bigger knobs!

and my favourite feature is the 3 way power switch, OFF, S/BY, ON

which I think more manufacturers should use as it takes up less space, because the 1 switch does what would normaly take 2 switches

Click To Enlarge:

[RodeoTex]

When shopping for a new amp I always look for the elusive 'Talent' knob.

[aznrambo481]

I can't find a picuture... but somebody modded their valve junior with a "mojo" knob...

[Telephx]

And why should we limit it to amps- my neck humbucker is clearly labeled "Spank" while the Bridge SC has a sticker for "Twang"- just in case I get confused by having two pickups on one guitar.

[mr_hankey]

Obviously a joke (Kirk Hammett signature VJ), but I like how the knob goes from "lots" to "even more".

[J-Twang]

I've tried amps with a "brightness" but never really felt any smarter

[CancerLeoCam]

I like this one..

[e-merlin]

Many of Peavey's two or three channel amps have active tone controls on the dirty channel. They usually label them something like "Bottom," "Body," and "Edge." The Clean channels usually have passive controls with normal names.

[teleclarkster]

I remember some of the old Vox amps had a "Harmonic Clipper" control. And their bass amp (Essex?) had Tone X.

[Tony474]

It's always angered me that Boogie amps label the clean channel "Rhythm", as though it's a given that no-one ever played clean lead lines. Er, ever heard of Chet Atkins, Hank Marvin, Mark Knopfler, Albert Lee, Steve Cropper and several million others...?

Oh, yeah, and what about Rivera's "Ninja Boost"? The whole point about Ninja is stealth - meaning you don't hear 'em...

I've never been entirely comfortable with the naming of the "Weep" button and "Growl" knob on my Tech 21 Trademark 60, but since it's such a phenomenally good amp (and I don't normally use that channel anyway), I'm happy to forgive it.

[Big John]

Originally Posted by jjh37854

I remeber SWR Bass amps had something called an Aural Enhancer, I had fun teasing bass players about that one :)

I remember being hugely disapointed the first time i ran across an Aphex 'Aural exciter' in the studio !

[e-merlin]

Originally Posted by Tony474

It's always angered me that Boogie amps label the clean channel "Rhythm", as though it's a given that no-one ever played clean lead lines. Er, ever heard of Chet Atkins, Hank Marvin, Mark Knopfler, Albert Lee, Steve Cropper and several million others...?

The Peavey 5150 and 5150 Combo's two channels are labeled Rhythm and Lead. I don't imagine too many besides myself playing much clean on either channel.

I have never understood why something as simple as naming a channel would cause anger.

[scooteraz]

Originally Posted by Tony474

...Oh, yeah, and what about Rivera's "Ninja Boost"? The whole point about Ninja is stealth - meaning you don't hear 'em...

One thing for sure, you won't hear the Ninjas coming over a Rivera in "Ninja Boost"

On my Soul Cactus amplifier (a relabled Victoria Victorette), I have Music (volume), Modulate & Focus (speed and depth of tremolo) and Reverberation (% reverb) in addition to the bass and brightness controls. Larry Kanefsky, the propriator of SoulCactus Sound (when they were around) just wanted his amplifiers to be a little different. Cool in a klitchy sort of way.

[Paul in Colorado]

[QUOTE=Tony474;953852]
Oh, yeah, and what about Rivera's "Ninja Boost"? The whole point about Ninja is stealth - meaning you don't hear 'em...QUOTE]

I think it's because it's a transparent (clean) boost, therefore Ninja-like. What about the Slavemaster controls?

[tonewoods]

I just think "brilliant" is so totally brilliant...

And so totally British....

[Tony474]

Originally Posted by Paul in Colorado

I think it's because it's a transparent (clean) boost, therefore Ninja-like.

Ah, of course - I can see how transparency would be handy for Ninja. That way you wouldn't see 'em either...

[Telephx]

Stumbled across this modded EVJr today....