28.9.13

Tips In Buying Vintage Sound Amps

By Dale Peck


There are many funky vintage sound amps that are sold in garage sales, pawn shops and some local music stores. However, there are some rules that can be applied and considered in buying one to avoid getting a bad one. There are some considerations that must be thought of to have something that is still in a functional condition.

A good way to tell what a certain amp sounds like is by playing your guitar through such. It would be best to use your instrument because you are familiar of it already and for you to have no difficulties as you try to assess it. Make sure that you are working with comfort since you should have known which could be used still.

If you are still a beginner and you are not that confident though, you can always ask somebody from the store to assist you. The critical part is how to compare the sounds so do the best that you can get a good comparison. However, you should evaluate your needs first before anything else.

Amplifiers are rated by wattage and not on its physical size. The lower wattage tube amplifier will only tend to create a harmonic distortion and a low volume that is preferred for practices in studios. The higher wattage tube amplifier will distort the high volumes that requires creative mixing for some live situations.

The perceived and actual volume of the sound is often affected by the wattage. Typically, it takes around ten times that actual wattage to increase the volume. Still, the price will rely on the design and the quality of all the components. The lower watts are often the most expensive compares to the higher ones.

Just be sure that you comprehend all the things that would define the whole tone. A high quality amplifier can be determined by various things as well. These can include the speaker resistance, preamp tubes, guitar, cable, types of speaker cones and the materials that are used in making the cabinets.

There are two primary categories that must be shown like the combo and also the head or the cabinet. The combination or combo amplifier will combine the electronics with some speakers in a certain package. Its head or cabinet arrangements would tend to solve some weight problems by separating its speaker cabinet from its head.

If you will be buying a tube amp, avoid abusing it physically. Generally, the transistor units are designed to take the loads of punishments, but the tube amps are the most delicate. Unless you will be playing a hard rock metal, it will be best to buy a small unit that has a good tone than buying a big and loud one.

There are some music stores that will suggest the beginners a loud one that has loads of effects. Be sure that you will not get fooled for that. Always use your ears to choose the right vintage sound amps that will produce the tone that you will really love for you to avoid spending your money over unnecessary ones.




About the Author: