Home› Musicians and Gearheads

Amp Watt guide?

amitamit Posts: 73
edited January 2007 in Musicians and Gearheads
Hey what wattage level would I need form a guitar amp to play in a band in a practice space an also what level would I need to play in a small venue like a small bar/cafe?

Thanks
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    First, it depends on whether you want a tube amp or a solid-state amp. Generally speaking, most tube amps will be about as loud as a solid-state amp running twice the wattage (like a 50 watt tube Marshall head is about as loud as a 100 watt solid-state Marshall head, etc).

    That being said, for most players a 40-50 watt tube amp or 100 watt solid-state amp is the right size to gig or jam with. You'd probably be looking at a small combo amp with a single 12" speaker. 2x12", 2x10", or 4x10" would also work. You could also look at getting an amp head and separate cab, but any amp with a 4x12 would be overkill.

    That being said, I've jammed with a band with my 6 watt Vibro Champ (tube), and I played bar gigs one summer using a 12 watt Fender (also tube). The key here is that the amp will start to distort at a certain point, so if you want your cleans to stay perfectly clean, you want a little headroom. Even a 22 watt Fender Deluxe will start to drive if you play a bar gig with a pretty loud band. That's why I suggest 40-50 tube watts.

    If you don't have the $$$ for tube amps, then look for a 70-100 watt solid-state amp. I personally love the Peavey Bandit II amp, even though I'm a pretty big tube afficionado. Line 6 makes some pretty cool little combo amps, as well.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • xtremehardy388xtremehardy388 Posts: 2,759
    I get through with a 70 watt(tube hybrid Fender) going through a Peavey TNT 130 Bass amp(used as a cab). Both are very loud and the Fender rarely goes past 3 for practice and rarely past 5 for shows(when I played an outdoor festival, we couldn't mic the amp because it was too loud). A small tube amp going through a solid state could do well but you might wanna test it.
    Grand Rapids '04, Detroit '06
    JEFF HARDY AND JEFF AMENT USED TO LOOK THE SAME
    "Pearl Jam always eases my mind and fires me up at the same time.”-Jeff Hardy
  • All Those YesterdaysAll Those Yesterdays Posts: 2,723
    Just don't be the annoying guitar player who has to be 40 times louder then the rest of the band! There is such thing as too loud!
    E. Lansing-98 Columbus-00,03,10 Detroit-00,03 (1&2),06, 14 Cleveland-03,06,10 Toledo-04, Grand Rapids-04,06 London-05, Toronto-05, Indianapolis 10, East Troy (1&2) 11, Chicago 13, Detroit 14

    https://www.facebook.com/aghostwritersapology/
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    All Those Yesterdays wrote:
    Just don't be the annoying guitar player who has to be 40 times louder then the rest of the band! There is such thing as too loud!

    That's usually the guy with the amp pointed at his ankles, wondering why he can't hear it.

    I can't count how many gigs I've worked (as a sound guy) where the guitar player's amp was so loud, the PA couldn't compete with it. Nothing sucks more than a gig where the bass, drums, and vocals are all drowned out by an egomaniacal guitar player.

    Use a smaller amp, and play at a decent volume. Get the amp as close to ear level as possible, or find a way to tilt the amp back so it points towards your ears. If you need to dime your amp to get it to sound "right", you better be starting with a dime-sized amp.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • All Those YesterdaysAll Those Yesterdays Posts: 2,723
    mccreadyisgod wrote:
    That's usually the guy with the amp pointed at his ankles, wondering why he can't hear it.

    I can't count how many gigs I've worked (as a sound guy) where the guitar player's amp was so loud, the PA couldn't compete with it. Nothing sucks more than a gig where the bass, drums, and vocals are all drowned out by an egomaniacal guitar player.

    Use a smaller amp, and play at a decent volume. Get the amp as close to ear level as possible, or find a way to tilt the amp back so it points towards your ears. If you need to dime your amp to get it to sound "right", you better be starting with a dime-sized amp.

    No kidding, some times it amazes me what some of these people think they need to do.

    I understand that most clubs have bad P.A.s etc, but there is always too loud. Sure I'm old, or getting wiser, but I've been saying that for years.

    Kids showing up with 50 watt tube amps thru 4x12's and putting those things on kill. And none of it helps anyone sound better.
    E. Lansing-98 Columbus-00,03,10 Detroit-00,03 (1&2),06, 14 Cleveland-03,06,10 Toledo-04, Grand Rapids-04,06 London-05, Toronto-05, Indianapolis 10, East Troy (1&2) 11, Chicago 13, Detroit 14

    https://www.facebook.com/aghostwritersapology/
  • xtremehardy388xtremehardy388 Posts: 2,759
    All Those Yesterdays wrote:
    Just don't be the annoying guitar player who has to be 40 times louder then the rest of the band! There is such thing as too loud!
    Yeah. I have that cab there to add bass to my sound, haha. I hate it when the guitar drowns out everything and the guitar played isn't good and the guitar is even out of tune!
    Grand Rapids '04, Detroit '06
    JEFF HARDY AND JEFF AMENT USED TO LOOK THE SAME
    "Pearl Jam always eases my mind and fires me up at the same time.”-Jeff Hardy
  • All Those YesterdaysAll Those Yesterdays Posts: 2,723
    xtremehardy388 wrote:
    Yeah. I have that cab there to add bass to my sound, haha. I hate it when the guitar drowns out everything and the guitar played isn't good and the guitar is even out of tune!

    "dude, that's my tone".
    E. Lansing-98 Columbus-00,03,10 Detroit-00,03 (1&2),06, 14 Cleveland-03,06,10 Toledo-04, Grand Rapids-04,06 London-05, Toronto-05, Indianapolis 10, East Troy (1&2) 11, Chicago 13, Detroit 14

    https://www.facebook.com/aghostwritersapology/
  • amitamit Posts: 73
    Kool, so I'm getting some better idea's now.

    I'm really looking to spend as little as possible, literally I can't afford much at all.

    What do you guys reckon about a Vox VR-30? I know it's only 30W, but still?
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    amit wrote:
    What do you guys reckon about a Vox VR-30? I know it's only 30W, but still?


    I'd steer you towards something like this:

    http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Line-6-Spider-III-75-Modeling-Combo-Amplifier?sku=482272

    Or my other prior recommendation:

    http://cgi.ebay.com/PEAVEY-BANDIT-100W-GUITAR-AMP-BRAND-NEW-IN-BOX_W0QQitemZ320066738115QQihZ011QQcategoryZ38076QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

    I assume you probably haven't got a lot of effects pedals already, so getting something with decent distortion and a few efx on board would probably keep you happy with the amp for a while, which is why the Spider is a great option.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
Sign In or Register to comment.