What does "touch sensitive" mean?

[Fat Fingers]

I don't really get it, I don't have nearly the experience or ear that most of you have. Also I know that it is difficult to describe sonic concepts with words.

That being said I have a '57 custom champ re-issue, (the one with just one volume knob). I read online and see reviews talking about how this amp is touch sensitive. I guess that means that you get more or less overdrive in the tone by how you pick the strings?

I don't really hear it, it just seems louder the harder I pick when playing a strat through it. How do you get this mystical touch sensitivity? Do you have to turn the amp and guitar all the way up? Could someone demonstrate or tell me where to look and listen to hear what they mean by "touch sensitive"? I may be getting it and just not realize it.

I bought this simple amp so I could learn about stuff like this without being overwhelmed. So please don't be afraid to talk simply to me, I won't be offended.

[DonEsteban]

Listen to Sco (not always but on a lot of his recordings recently) He changes between a break up/drive like sound and clean just by his playing dynamics.

So far so good,but... he plays loud (very)! So if you push an amp in it's break up zone, depending of the amp of yours, it can sometimes happen at volume levels that are simply not advisable in home situations.

So, get your amp and go to a place where you can turn it up, I mean TURN IT UP. Pretty sure you soon understand the "touch sensitive" concept!


:-D

[Fat Fingers]

Listen to Sco (not always but on a lot of his recordings recently) He changes between a break up/drive like sound and clean just by his playing dynamics.

So far so good,but... he plays loud (very)! So if you push an amp in it's break up zone, depending of the amp of yours, it can sometimes happen at volume levels that are simply not advisable in home situations.

So, get your amp and go to a place where you can turn it up, I mean TURN IT UP. Pretty sure you soon understand the "touch sensitive" concept!


:-D

It is only 5 watts, but yeah those tubes will rattle the windows

[fep]

That being said I have a '57 custom champ re-issue, (the one with just one volume knob). I read online and see reviews talking about how this amp is touch sensitive. I guess that means that you get more or less overdrive in the tone by how you pick the strings?

That is my understanding also. I'm usually dialed in to get just a touch of "dirt" when I pick hard.

[DonEsteban]

Well..it's a wide field. I for one use only clean amps (DV Mark). My touch sensitive device is an OCD clone. Mostly set up in a way that at 10% guitar volume pot it's pretty much clean - I mean like CLEAN!

So here I go up the Vol Pot and it gets dirtier all the way ... that's what it's about.

BUT:

Befor achieving that I tried literally everything: 808s, Tube Screamers, Rats, Line6 stuff, Boss stuff, Exotic, you name it... I tried dozens of amps (including a Vox AC30, Mesa B, Fender, and much more.)

It's a path to walk, no shortcut here, till you get YOUR sound, because.. in the end... it's in your hands... definitively it's in mine now...

[jads57]

It means the instrument or amplifier seems to almost breathe or react to how much you dig in. Or how hard or soft your attack is.

[TOMMO]

It means the instrument or amplifier seems to almost breathe or react to how much you dig in. Or how hard or soft your attack is.

^This!^

search YT for those fabulous Julian Lage live clips where he plays a Telecaster through a tweed champ.

[TOMMO]

A favourite of mine:

[vintagelove]

I tend to think a robust power supply with SS rectification, or a single ended amp.

[JaxJaxon]

First time I have heard an amp as touch sensitive. I would think its more of the guitar thing electronic wise Pickups and pots. for the amp to respond to attack strength of the player, now you do have amps that give a flat response and amps that give a sharp response and amp that give normal response. same for speakers.

[pauln]

The most touch sensitive amp I ever played was when I went to pickup a used Super Reverb. It sounded SO GOOD even at low and moderate levels. Of course I knew something was wrong, and sure enough, of the two 6L6 power tubes one of them was dead cold. I bought it, put live tubes in it and all was well and has been since, but I have to say it sounded like HEAVEN limping on just one tube!

[Alter]

For me it is the most important thing in the signal chain, the one thing to go after. Once you get the amp response right, everything else falls into place. It's usually so much easier when playing relatively small tube amps on gigs (15-20 watts)..

With the champ, you can try turning it up, then backing down on the guitar volume to where you can produce clean and breakup sounds just by playing soft or harder. Look for the gain area where notes begin to bloom the way you want them to, and the sound isn't too dead but not too dirty either. Try playing very soft or very loud just with the fingers. That's one of the best features of tube amps. Of course pickups and setup will play a role too.

Sometimes just a comparison will show you what it's all about. Play the champ for a while, and then play through another, lesser amp, you'll see what's missing..