Solid State Amps and Tone

[Greentone]

Hmm? Sure, there are differences. OTOH, I own, play, and build a lot of different amps. You know what? A Telecaster sounds like a Telecaster in all of them. A Stratocaster sounds like a ... A Gibson ES-175 sounds like a 175. An L-5CES? Same thing.

I don't find the variation _all_ that great. I do find tonal emphasis to be apparent--Fender tweeds sound mid-rangey (except the 4x10 Bassman). Fender blackface/silverface amps sound scooped. Ampegs sound pretty hi-fi--for a musical instrument amp. Early SS amps (other than the dinky, kids amps) sound more or less "Ampeg-y" to me. Then, about 20 years ago, there was a move to high power/really hi-fi amps with acoustic suspension speaker cabinets. The AI/Raezer movement pushed beyond the "Polytone as a SS Ampeg" thing, to a new kind of archtop sound amplified. Now, we have SS recreations of the Fender sound in light packages (Quilter), and modernized updates of the Polytone (Henriksen). Don't forget Evans.

Withal, my Tele sounds like me playing a Tele in any of them. My Heritage Super Eagle sounds...you get it.

Will I stop fooling around with different amps? Nah. Too much fun. (Just never going back to the big Marshall.)

[iim7V7IM7]

Excellent summary...

Hmm? Sure, there are differences. OTOH, I own, play, and build a lot of different amps. You know what? A Telecaster sounds like a Telecaster in all of them. A Stratocaster sounds like a ... A Gibson ES-175 sounds like a 175. An L-5CES? Same thing.

I don't find the variation _all_ that great. I do find tonal emphasis to be apparent--Fender tweeds sound mid-rangey (except the 4x10 Bassman). Fender blackface/silverface amps sound scooped. Ampegs sound pretty hi-fi--for a musical instrument amp. Early SS amps (other than the dinky, kids amps) sound more or less "Ampeg-y" to me. Then, about 20 years ago, there was a move to high power/really hi-fi amps with acoustic suspension speaker cabinets. The AI/Raezer movement pushed beyond the "Polytone as a SS Ampeg" thing, to a new kind of archtop sound amplified. Now, we have SS recreations of the Fender sound in light packages (Quilter), and modernized updates of the Polytone (Henriksen). Don't forget Evans.

Withal, my Tele sounds like me playing a Tele in any of them. My Heritage Super Eagle sounds...you get it.

Will I stop fooling around with different amps? Nah. Too much fun. (Just never going back to the big Marshall.)

[LeGrand]

Enjoying my Fender Jazz Master UL. Small, LOTS of headroom, lightweight, and can go dark or bright depending on the dials.

For my gigs, vocals are as important or more important than the instrument. Thus a PA is a necessity. I run a small pedal board to a small Allen & Heath mixer to the Bose. Clean, crisp, clear projection. A little reverb and I am golden.

The amps (Sound City Concord tube, Vox AC10C1 tube, Fender Custom Blues Jr tube, Traynor Acoustic Master Custom solid state, Fender Jazz Master UL solid state) stay home. But that Jazz Master UL is a little gem.