Do specific types of guitars sound better with certain brands of amp?

shaunm

If I'm being honest I think that's the point I was making that I think some guitars just marry up with some amps very easily and with little effort. 

richardhomer

shaunm;457333" said:

If I'm being honest I think that's the point I was making that I think some guitars just marry up with some amps very easily and with little effort. 

And you're right - some do.

ToneControl

yes, but the fender amps of the 50s still sounded better with Gibson guitars than the Gibson ones

All depends on what tone you want. Older designs like the 5E3 Deluxe are very middy, later amps have more tone-shaping capability
From using guitars with active EQ or onboard sims, I know that some amps are inflexible, and that to get away from that amp's default sound needs a specific guitar or active EQ on the guitar

57Deluxe

Doh! The OP Q is the reason why we are all here!

...now, where did I put that Holy Grail again...???

welshboyo

I'm of the opinion that some guitars sound better in certain venues.

Case in point  - 2 gigs on Saturday, using the same gear - Strat sounded absolutely terrible 1st gig - big boomy room with wooden floored stage, loads of bass which turned everything into a mush - no end of EQ tweaking could dial it out....and I've played Strats for years so know how to dial them in normally. LP for whatever reason I can't fathom out as its a bassier sound in general sounded great though - its as if the midrange honk suited the room better

2nd gig - Wooden staged again but lots more carpet around the place, same original EQ as 1st gig - always start with it flat and dial in from there - almost perfect tone from the outset..Gibson sounded "out".

ICBM

Voxman said:

Re the DSL401 gain channels, you don't need to change the speaker.  Firstly, jumping the FX loop not only gives you a dB boost (15dB I think but not sure) but it actually tightens up the sound so even the red channel becomes useable.  But.... stick a simple 7-band EQ in the FX loop and it's just staggeringly good - you wouldn't think it's the same amp and turns it into an utter tone monster!  And no way could you get that difference in tone/clarity from just a speaker change (although I'm sure a speaker change would be good).  Next time you get a DSL 401 on the bench, try it.

Apologies to everyone else for the ongoing thread hijack, but...

@Voxman - wow! I've got a DSL201 here now, and jumpering the FX loop does make a huge difference. Interestingly, not that much on the clean channel, just a bit fuller - although that's not bad anyway, so less important - but it gives a huge improvement in power and resonance on the dirty channel. I don't think it's as much as a 15dB boost, but it is substantial and much more at the bottom end than the top. I wouldn't describe it as tighter, quite the opposite - it opens up the sound and makes the amp seem much bigger. It's definitely not the same as just turning up the volume either. I'll need to have a look at the schematic and work out what's going on!

This one had already been fitted with a V30, so it sounded pretty good anyway, but it does genuinely sound great with the jumper in. If it wasn't for the build quality and long-term reliability being so appalling I might even like it .

Reverend

shaunm said:

Perhaps this is just a personal opinion thing. When I was sat there playing this week, I thought that the Marshall and Two Rock just sounded better. Of course that's subjective but then I looked at the players that use these amps. Two Rocks better known players are Strat players (mostly). The Marshall tones that I think as defining are people like Slash, Jimmy Page, Angus Young.

I'd say that although Appetite sounds great over all, the guitar and bass sounds are all pretty weak on their own. And also the first Led Zep album has a lot of Telecaster on it from what I recall.

Defining Marshall tones must include Hendrix and Blackmore with Rainbow.

And also Trouble's first album which is the benchmark for heavy sounds.

Voxman

ICBM said:

Voxman said:

Re the DSL401 gain channels, you don't need to change the speaker.  Firstly, jumping the FX loop not only gives you a dB boost (15dB I think but not sure) but it actually tightens up the sound so even the red channel becomes useable.  But.... stick a simple 7-band EQ in the FX loop and it's just staggeringly good - you wouldn't think it's the same amp and turns it into an utter tone monster!  And no way could you get that difference in tone/clarity from just a speaker change (although I'm sure a speaker change would be good).  Next time you get a DSL 401 on the bench, try it.

Apologies to everyone else for the ongoing thread hijack, but...

@Voxman - wow! I've got a DSL201 here now, and jumpering the FX loop does make a huge difference. Interestingly, not that much on the clean channel, just a bit fuller - although that's not bad anyway, so less important - but it gives a huge improvement in power and resonance on the dirty channel. I don't think it's as much as a 15dB boost, but it is substantial and much more at the bottom end than the top. I wouldn't describe it as tighter, quite the opposite - it opens up the sound and makes the amp seem much bigger. It's definitely not the same as just turning up the volume either. I'll need to have a look at the schematic and work out what's going on!

This one had already been fitted with a V30, so it sounded pretty good anyway, but it does genuinely sound great with the jumper in. If it wasn't for the build quality and long-term reliability being so appalling I might even like it .

Glad that was helpful - sorry if my terminology was confusing, but yup you've described the effect - When I referred to 'tightened' I meant that it helps demuddify the tone by giving it a tighter bottom end, greater definition, and more resonance as you say.  Now, try a simple 7-band EQ in the FX loop - and tonewise you'll think you've plugged into a big Marshall!  

ICBM

Voxman said:

Glad that was helpful - sorry if my terminology was confusing, but yup you've described the effect - When I referred to 'tightened' I meant that it helps demuddify the tone by giving it a tighter bottom end, greater definition, and more resonance as you say.

No, what I meant is that it's the opposite - the bottom end isn't tighter, it's looser. More open and resonant, and a touch boomy if you push it too far.

Having experimented with it a bit more I'm no longer convinced it's that much different from whacking the volume and the bass right up, either - or if it is, the amp still reaches its limit for both at the same point, just earlier on the dials so you still don't gain much. There is just a limit to how much of either you can get out of a 20W amp. (This one has been fitted with a DSL401 OT as well, after the original type blew twice.)

Voxman said:

Now, try a simple 7-band EQ in the FX loop - and tonewise you'll think you've plugged into a big Marshall!  

Nah. It doesn't have the same trouser-flap potential . Just farts out before it even gets close. Not bad considering how crap it sounds with the stock speaker and no jumpering, but I'll stick with big amps I think .

shaunm

This thread, back from the dead.......

I just thought I'd comment as I've had a moment tonight that fits this thread. 

I bought the Two Rock Exo and I admit I've been a little underwhelmed with it when I've been playing an LP trough it. I know the guitar is sound, I've played it in different amps and it's sounded good but I just couldn't get the sound how I wanted it with the Exo and LP combination. I really tried, spent ages at it but to no avail. It isn't a bad sound but it isn't a brilliant sound, I have achieved this sound on much cheaper amps than this.

I then tried my trusty, been with me for ages, I know it sound brilliant Sheraton in the amp tonight and it's absolutely blown me away, it didn't take much effort to find settings that suited the amp, it was just - right. 

I don't know if this is because my preconceived idea of a Two Rock tone has been achieved on a Strat or on a 335 but I was just massively impressed. 

Now I've said I know this Sheraton always sounds good, I know I seem to have found a one in a 1000 version of this guitar ( the mods have only enhanced what was brilliant to start with) but I know the LP is a good guitar and has sounded good on three other amps with no effort at all. 

I think in my own mind I answered my original question that I think some guitars do sound better with some amps than others. Some guitars just marry up with some amps perfectly and with minimal effort. 

I'm sold on the Two Rock now though.