What are your favorite small/medium solid state amps?

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Re: What are your favorite small/medium solid state amps?

Post by Maggieo » Wed Dec 19, 2018 11:40 am

Good lord, I'm getting dementia.

My all-time favorite SS amp is this one:

Image
Pignose Amp, May 24, 2015 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

It's legendary for its distortion sounds and has been used in the studio by Frank Zappa, Jeff Beck, Richard Lloyd and Robert Quine.

Not only that, but turn down your volume knob and it has a really sweet clean sound, especially if you open the cabinet. Honestly, I can't believe I didn't chime in one this right away. The P-100 is straight-up amazing. It was designed by Terry Kath of the band Chicago, who just happened to be Jimi Hendrix's favorite guitar player.

Um, I'm totally going to sound like Brad here, but get one from the mid 1980s or older. They switched the speaker cone from paper to urethane and that totally changed the sound of the amp. IMO, the vintage Pignose is a sweeter, more compressed sound than the new ones.

Oh, and they put them in guitars, too:

Image
Lucite Pignose Guitar, July 15, 2015 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

That guitar will feedback on itself!
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Re: What are your favorite small/medium solid state amps?

Post by Larsongs » Wed Dec 19, 2018 9:23 pm

shadowplay wrote:
Wed Dec 19, 2018 10:32 am
Larsongs wrote:
Mon Dec 17, 2018 9:51 pm
I have yet to find a SS Amp I like. Tube Amps sound so much better...

I'm not getting what the SS appeal is?

What am I missing!
Lots of great records are recorded on solid state amps, they generally sound different but good ones act and sound differently in a way that suits a lot of people. One of the problems with a lot of modern SS Amps is that they are speaker deficient compared to the SS Amps that were made for serious/professional use in the late 70's and early 80's when these Amps were having resources spent on them.

The thing about gear is virtually everything you've seen someone slag off on a forum has been used to make good music. There will be loadsa folk shaking their heads at this statement but IMO real tone hounds don't seem to make demonstrably superior music than the use what's lying around or what you can afford rock steady crew . In fact IMO most of the big tone boners make utterly shite music.

D
I'm familiar with a lot of SS Amps from 70's, 80's & on. I don't have a problem with SS Amps for Bass as much as Guitars. Would you care to share some of the great Music that was recorded using SS Amps? That didn't utilize Tube Mic's & or Tube Pre's thereby turning them into Tube Amplified Recordings...

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Re: What are your favorite small/medium solid state amps?

Post by shadowplay » Wed Dec 19, 2018 10:33 pm

Larsongs wrote:
Wed Dec 19, 2018 9:23 pm
shadowplay wrote:
Wed Dec 19, 2018 10:32 am
Larsongs wrote:
Mon Dec 17, 2018 9:51 pm
I have yet to find a SS Amp I like. Tube Amps sound so much better...

I'm not getting what the SS appeal is?

What am I missing!
Lots of great records are recorded on solid state amps, they generally sound different but good ones act and sound differently in a way that suits a lot of people. One of the problems with a lot of modern SS Amps is that they are speaker deficient compared to the SS Amps that were made for serious/professional use in the late 70's and early 80's when these Amps were having resources spent on them.

The thing about gear is virtually everything you've seen someone slag off on a forum has been used to make good music. There will be loadsa folk shaking their heads at this statement but IMO real tone hounds don't seem to make demonstrably superior music than the use what's lying around or what you can afford rock steady crew . In fact IMO most of the big tone boners make utterly shite music.

D
I'm familiar with a lot of SS Amps from 70's, 80's & on. I don't have a problem with SS Amps for Bass as much as Guitars. Would you care to share some of the great Music that was recorded using SS Amps? That didn't utilize Tube Mic's & or Tube Pre's thereby turning them into Tube Amplified Recordings...
You're just being a dick as usual, consider me out of this conversation.

D
Are you loathsome tonight?

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Re: What are your favorite small/medium solid state amps?

Post by wooderson » Wed Dec 19, 2018 11:47 pm

Larsongs wrote:
Wed Dec 19, 2018 9:23 pm
I'm familiar with a lot of SS Amps from 70's, 80's & on. I don't have a problem with SS Amps for Bass as much as Guitars. Would you care to share some of the great Music that was recorded using SS Amps? That didn't utilize Tube Mic's & or Tube Pre's thereby turning them into Tube Amplified Recordings...
By this logic, wouldn't the majority of the music made in the last 30 years be digital? And really, you could also argue that because the signal path ran along something non-tube along the way, all recorded music has been solid state or digital.

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Re: What are your favorite small/medium solid state amps?

Post by Larsongs » Thu Dec 20, 2018 10:13 pm

shadowplay wrote:
Wed Dec 19, 2018 10:33 pm
Larsongs wrote:
Wed Dec 19, 2018 9:23 pm
shadowplay wrote:
Wed Dec 19, 2018 10:32 am


Lots of great records are recorded on solid state amps, they generally sound different but good ones act and sound differently in a way that suits a lot of people. One of the problems with a lot of modern SS Amps is that they are speaker deficient compared to the SS Amps that were made for serious/professional use in the late 70's and early 80's when these Amps were having resources spent on them.

The thing about gear is virtually everything you've seen someone slag off on a forum has been used to make good music. There will be loadsa folk shaking their heads at this statement but IMO real tone hounds don't seem to make demonstrably superior music than the use what's lying around or what you can afford rock steady crew . In fact IMO most of the big tone boners make utterly shite music.

D
I'm familiar with a lot of SS Amps from 70's, 80's & on. I don't have a problem with SS Amps for Bass as much as Guitars. Would you care to share some of the great Music that was recorded using SS Amps? That didn't utilize Tube Mic's & or Tube Pre's thereby turning them into Tube Amplified Recordings...
You're just being a dick as usual, consider me out of this conversation.

D
Because I have questions, perhaps a different opinion & don't follow you I'm a Dick........as usual?

I'm asking for enlightenment on something I might be missing re; SS Amps? And I'm a Dick?

My experience to this point has been different re; SS Amps, maybe there's something new I'm unaware of? I don't know?

You make Statements as if it's fact & I ask for examples re; all the Hits recorded with SS Amps. And I'm a Dick? As usual?

I offer alternate low cost possibilities to achieve perhaps a better Sound & I'm a Dick? As usual?

I even say if you like SS Amps it's ok & I'm still a Dick?

All while no examples backing up your claim as to the great sound of SS Amps & not posting even one example of a great sounding Hit Record that was recorded with an SS Amp. In an effort to be enlightened. And, I'm the Dick?

Regarding my experience with modern Recording like Pro Tools, which is Digital, much time & money is spent by Studios & Home Users on Tube Amps, even Tube FX, Tube Pre Amps, Tube Mic's & all kinds of Plugins emulating Tube Sound in the Recording & Mixing Stages. Finally, Tube & even Vinyl emulation are utilized in the Mastering Process...

It's true modern recording is Digital but great lengths are gone to trying to capture the great Sound of Tube & Vinyl... Why?

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Re: What are your favorite small/medium solid state amps?

Post by wooderson » Thu Dec 20, 2018 11:37 pm

Larsongs wrote:
Thu Dec 20, 2018 10:13 pm
Regarding my experience with modern Recording like Pro Tools, which is Digital, much time & money is spent by Studios & Home Users on Tube Amps, even Tube FX, Tube Pre Amps, Tube Mic's & all kinds of Plugins emulating Tube Sound in the Recording & Mixing Stages. Finally, Tube & even Vinyl emulation are utilized in the Mastering Process...

It's true modern recording is Digital but great lengths are gone to trying to capture the great Sound of Tube & Vinyl... Why?
Guitar music is nostalgic by nature - even when it does incorporate new technology it's looking backward to a supposed golden age.

Your statement was that the use of tubes anywhere along the recording path nullified the use of solid state amps (as far as SS amps used for great music - John Fogerty's Kustoms, Andy Gill's Carlsboros, King Buzzo's Sunn Betas come to mind) - shouldn't the opposite also be true? If you run a digital reverb in the effect loop of an amp, why isn't it now a digital signal? What about Music Man amps with solid state preamps? Shannon Wright and Ty Segall have recorded some good music with those.

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Re: What are your favorite small/medium solid state amps?

Post by Larsongs » Fri Dec 21, 2018 11:29 am

wooderson wrote:
Thu Dec 20, 2018 11:37 pm
Larsongs wrote:
Thu Dec 20, 2018 10:13 pm
Regarding my experience with modern Recording like Pro Tools, which is Digital, much time & money is spent by Studios & Home Users on Tube Amps, even Tube FX, Tube Pre Amps, Tube Mic's & all kinds of Plugins emulating Tube Sound in the Recording & Mixing Stages. Finally, Tube & even Vinyl emulation are utilized in the Mastering Process...

It's true modern recording is Digital but great lengths are gone to trying to capture the great Sound of Tube & Vinyl... Why?
Guitar music is nostalgic by nature - even when it does incorporate new technology it's looking backward to a supposed golden age.

Your statement was that the use of tubes anywhere along the recording path nullified the use of solid state amps (as far as SS amps used for great music - John Fogerty's Kustoms, Andy Gill's Carlsboros, King Buzzo's Sunn Betas come to mind) - shouldn't the opposite also be true? If you run a digital reverb in the effect loop of an amp, why isn't it now a digital signal? What about Music Man amps with solid state preamps? Shannon Wright and Ty Segall have recorded some good music with those.
I agree Fogerty got a good Sound on Record. Not sure the Studio process used but doubt it was plug in & Play... Although I've seen him live using his Kustom & Ric. He did sound great!

I have an 80's cheapie Fender SS Champion 110 Amp which I ran a $29.00 Art Tube Pre Amp into the Amp. It really improved the a sound of the Amp...

IMO Tube & SS/Digital can be used together to get a good Sound.

A typical Pro studio Recording Process today. Run a Tube Mic from an SS Amp, to a Tube Pre Amp, into Pro Tools, Logic or whatever DAW, through various, FX, Comp, EQ, Tube emulated Plugins & finally a Vinyl emulator (in many cases) in the Mastering process. You end up with an extremely Tube emulated Finished Product..

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Re: What are your favorite small/medium solid state amps?

Post by eggwheat » Fri Dec 21, 2018 1:07 pm

At least with electric guitar, running up a tube mic to record a guitar amp is not typical. Typical is a dynamic mic, into a transistor pre-amp.

If you want a pure transistor record try a Cure album...how about 'A forest'...Transistor JC-160 amp >> FET 47 and SM57 mics into a Harrison 32 channel console on to 2" Tape. Not a single tube on the whole Seventeen Seconds record. Drums were recorded with contact mics!

Theres an absolute ton of punk/post punk with no tubes on anything...Cocteau Twins twins did away with amps altogether by Heaven or Las Vegas...it's all D.I'd.

Most of these bands didn't want tube guitar sounds..that's the whole point.. they wanted something different.

Even Beatles songs feature transistor amp sounds, DI'd sounds...into the Trident SS or EMI TG SS console.

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Re: What are your favorite small/medium solid state amps?

Post by Larsongs » Fri Dec 21, 2018 2:26 pm

eggwheat wrote:
Fri Dec 21, 2018 1:07 pm
At least with electric guitar, running up a tube mic to record a guitar amp is not typical. Typical is a dynamic mic, into a transistor pre-amp.

If you want a pure transistor record try a Cure album...how about 'A forest'...Transistor JC-160 amp >> FET 47 and SM57 mics into a Harrison 32 channel console on to 2" Tape. Not a single tube on the whole Seventeen Seconds record. Drums were recorded with contact mics!

Theres an absolute ton of punk/post punk with no tubes on anything...Cocteau Twins twins did away with amps altogether by Heaven or Las Vegas...it's all D.I'd.

Most of these bands didn't want tube guitar sounds..that's the whole point.. they wanted something different.

Even Beatles songs feature transistor amp sounds, DI'd sounds...into the Trident SS or EMI TG SS console.
Using an SM57 or comparable is common for Budget Home Studios. But in Pro Studio's many more options are available. Given the option most would prefer the best a Studio has to offer. Condenser or Tube Mic's to Tube Pre's etc....

The Beatles used those Vintage Telefunken Mic's on their Amps through Tube Pre's & Recorded into the Best Consoles in the World.. Their SS Amp Period was very brief..mostly for live.. They used Tube Amps for most of their Career live & Studio.....

As for The Cure the quality of their Sound is subjective.. But, they did have some good Songs.. Not being a big Fan of Punk or Post Punk it wouldn't be fair for me to critique... SS Amps could be part of the reason though...

To each his own... I won't belabor it...

I'll be going to NAMM next month & I'll give a few SS Amps a try.. Maybe I'll hear something that will change mind????

My apologies for detouring this Thread....

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Re: What are your favorite small/medium solid state amps?

Post by eggwheat » Fri Dec 21, 2018 2:51 pm

..anyway....swiftly moving on...

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