TONE TALK AMPS | TUBES and SOLID STATE

Looking for an amp can get overwhelming when you see all the different types of guitar amps out there. With so many different brands, shapes, sizes, and features, it can be difficult to decide what is the right guitar amp for you.

In this issue we'll take a look at the different types of guitar amps out there and find which one might be right for you.

There are a few main types of guitar amps: tube, solid state, and hybrid. Each type of amp uses a different type of technology to produce your tone. All types of guitar amps also come in different configurations of speakers, which play a big part in shaping your tone.

Tube Amps

For many guitarists, tube amps are the pinnacle of amp technology and produce the best sounds. Tubes were used in all amplifiers before transistors were invented, but many guitarists still prefer to use a tube guitar amp today due to the warm tones they can produce.

While many guitarists will talk to you about the benefits of tube amps until they’re blue in the face, don’t feel like you need to buy a tube amp. They don’t suit all guitarists and having a tube amp doesn’t guarantee the best tone.

Tube Amp Pros
Many guitarists feel tube amps produce the best tone
Tube amps are usually simple to use

Tube Amp Cons
Tube amps tend to be more expensive
Can be a bit heavy 

Solid State Guitar Amps

After the transistor was invented, a new type of guitar amp started to appear. Solid state guitar amps replace glass vacuum tubes with transistors on a circuit board. When solid state guitar amps first came out, they were seen as cold and sterile. The warmth and inconsistencies that gave tube amps their character were suddenly gone when you plugged in a solid state amp.

For many guitarists, this was a step backward. For guitarists in styles like Jazz where you want a sparkly clean tone, solid state amps were ideal. The point to take away here is that different amps suit different types of guitarists. A rock guitarist might see a solid state amp as cold and sterile, while a jazz guitarist might see a tube amp as noisy and mushy.

It’s also worth mentioning that many rock guitarists enjoy using solid state amps and many jazz guitarists enjoy using tube amps. Every guitarist has different tastes and preferences in tone, so don’t let anybody tell you what type of gear you should be using.

Solid State Guitar Amp Pros
Can produce crystal clear clean tones
Can be light and relatively cheap

Solid State Guitar Amp Cons
Many guitarists don’t like the tones produced

Hybrid Guitar Amps

The last type of guitar amp worth mentioning are hybrid amps. Hybrid guitar amps are a bit of a weird type of amp. Just like hybrid cars are a weird mix of gasoline and electric, hybrid guitar amps are a weird mix of different amp technology.

The idea behind hybrid guitar amps is that they give you the best of both worlds. You have access to the sought-after tones produced by tubes and you also get access to the flexibility of solid state technology.

FEATURED GUITAR | VINTAGE V65H

A stalwart of the independent rock scene, the offset electric has established itself as the quintessential, iconic alternative guitar.The brand new Vintage V65HBLD is the perfect instrument for those players who operate on the fringes of guitar society; the six string of choice for the anti-traditionalist.

Combining a pair of soapbar single coil pickups via a three way selector switch, the V65HTB is capable of shifting between jangly cleans and raking highs to drop tuned distorted riffs and pedal-powered walls of sound. For the guitarist who flies in the face of convention, the Vintage V65HBLD is here to help you make beautiful noise.

SPECIFICATIONS
Brand: Vintage
Model: V65H Reissued Series Hardtail
Finish: Blonde
Pickup Configuration: Soap Bars
Neck Material: Maple
Finish Style: Gloss
Body Type: Solid Body
Body Material: Alder
Body Shape: Offset
Bridge/Tailpiece Type: String-Through
Scale Length: 25.5"
Neck Construction: Bolt-On
Number of Frets: 22

FEATURED GEAR | REVV G3 - PREAMP PEDAL

If you have been searching for a relatively inexpensive way to obtain one of the most sought-after amp tones in modern metal and rock (Revv's Generator 120), the folks at Revv have got you covered. With a three-band EQ, volume and gain controls, and a three-way channel switch, the G3 certainly resembles more of an amp than a typical distortion pedal. Even if your style isn’t strictly hard rock, the G3 has enough versatility that it can find a place on almost any pedalboard where distortion rears its head. If this is the type of pedal that you have been after, do yourself a favor and check one out.