@@Taylor.B.Martin Fails on you, son. If you think you can buy a pedal & that's somehow a substitute for sheer clean power, you've missed something. Also, he said he BUILT those amps, probably not close to 10Gs, but worth it if done well.
I can promise you this, I'll never not play through my amps. I had a Helix for a year on loan, I used it one time live and then it sat in my office collecting dust. I guess I'm just an analog man. Plus........a freaking hate, hate scrolling through menus.
I’m 56 years old. I love amps. Amps are king BUT….. l Read a comment that stuck with me a day or so ago that said something like modelers and profilers are uninspiring feels terrible and just is not good. I can’t help but think that that person is simply doing the modeling and profiler WRONG. My Kemper has been very inspiring. Feels fine to me and l use a cab beside it behind me plus running to the house. There’s endless musicians with nice gigs pro and weekend warriors that successfully use modeling and profilers daily in studios, bedrooms, hotel rooms, and for live use. The ONLY complaint l have is getting some stage volume. If everything is running through the house then the people up front are not getting that volume
No dog in this fight so to speak but, none of my young students 18 & younger, own modelers. They all use amps, everyone of them. Modelers aren’t even in their sight lines. Also, we really can’t use Reverb as a reliable metric for physical amps. The vast majority of them are sold in store, Craigslist , Facebook Marketplace, or locally.
Might be the location based because the kids here use their computers. I actually bought an amp from a young guy because he said he only uses his computer for home and a modeler for live. This guy went to music school for guitar so not a novice. I was shocked he just had no care at all to keep his fender.
@@RogerThat902 With apps or software like "Guitar Rig" one can use a laptop with live gigs and have all the same sounds and FX that's ever been recorded. Amps today are falling by the wayside like CD's did after Nabster started taking off. It's like the old type writer vs the pc keyboards.
This guy is spot on. John Mayer is 50? Guitars are plentiful, cheap and with sound processing really sound great even when not "vintage". Amp modelers are getting better and better and no one wants to lug giant amps around.
There are always vintage souls that return to an earlier time to revisit the past. And as my parent’s generation takes care of their possessions, we will inherit those treasures.
There are 2 more reasons to prefer a digital solution over amps: 1. if you want stereo effects. I love it and have 4 stereo pedals (2x modulation, a delay and a reverb) right after a ToneX unit. 2. if you want to record exactly the same sound your rig produces. With an amp you have 2 choices. The first one is to use a mic which makes it EQ'ed quite heavily (not the sound you hear in a room). The other is to use OX box or similar solution, but then you have to use an IR which is a complicated EQ of a cab + a mic, so, again, not what you hear in the room.
In my opinion there will never be a digital amp or modeler that can recreate the magic and responsive feel of a human, guitar, tube amp interaction. That takes a big room and loud amp to make happen properly. It’s as fun as can be when you do it but it is absolutely not necessary to create, record and have fun with music. I can get 90 percent of the way there with today’s digital offerings. I still argue that the most important part of the equation is touch, feel and soul.
I love tube amps also. Try playing a modeler without speaker emulation through a real guitar speaker cabinet. Most of the feel and interaction stuff you mentioned is actually the guitar cab in the room, not the amp or tubes.
You're absolutely right. And I don't know why there's so much culture pessimism about these things. The comments under these videos are always "I'm still using my amps" and "I know people still using amps"... 😃 That's not the point, folks! 🙈
I just recently bought a Mark VII and run DI out from that into a quad cortex for effects and more I/O routing and vocal mic processing. Amps are still very much alive to me and most of the local gigging musicians in our area but most of them aren't dragging $4k Mesas on stage. They're taking Katanas and Blackstars because they still sound good and no one in the crowd cares.
I recently moved states and left all my amps in storage until I can finalize my move. It's been 3 months and I'm dying for an amp. Using Garage Band presents its own challenges. I just want to plugin and play. I did purchase the UA guitar plugins and they are cool but I don't want to sit at my computer to play guitar..
Ultimately we are headed away from hardware. I really believe in 5 years we’re going to be all plugins. For less than I’d pay for the pedal I can have the BigSky MX and El Capistan in a plugin form and control them with midi, host everything in MainStage, and pull off a great sounding live show
I'm 72 and I make amps in a retirement business. I also have played gigs since 1967. Getting a stage sound that is so you can hear everyone clearly isn't easy. Playing at a MUCH lower volume on stage and perhaps using a shield in front of the amp can make the stage sound much easier to balance without deleting amps on stage. The drummer is still hitting drums. If he/she is not out of control and us guitar players use perhaps Blues Junior sized amps and the bass player uses maybe a 50 watt amp for stage sound, one can keep their gig and not blow out the audience/bartenders/sound engineers. Then the Kemper/Helix tones can go through your amp and maybe direct to the sound system so we can all sound like Larry Carleton or Matteo Mancuso by choosing the right Model. Also low watt amps are lower priced!
I think you’re right. I picked up an Acoustasonic Tele this summer. The Mexican version. I love it. Just go straight to the PA. What I’m waiting for is an Electrasonic. Just have a few amp models in place of a tone knob. Use pedals for overdrive and delay etc.
In my mind you can't replace an amp. When you need to push some air you need yourself an amp. And I wouldn't ship anything of value because all the major shipping players treat your packages like crap. They almost make it a game just to see who can treat the packages the worst
The amp market will never be what it was before. We have clearly entered an age dominated by modeling systems and the occasional modeling solid state amp, many of them practice amps like the Spark which are now being taken seriously as gigging amps as well.
They may turn into a niche item but certain types of players will likely always prefer having an amp or even just a speaker on stage. I find the players who prefer digital tend to use very compressed tones. How many shredders do you see playing through tube amps these days? It's simply easier to shred through studio monitors and an Axe FX. Back in the early 2000s, we used V-Amps and PODs. I rarely see guitarists using digital rigs to play in clubs, but the couple of times I did there was a serious lack of midrange. On medium to large stages you're at the mercy of the FOH. I've found my way to the front, only to have to move back by the mixer to actually hear the guitar. I prefer there to be live cabs on stage, even if the rig is digital at the core.
The truth is that amps are for old guys, rich guys, strong guys -- but maybe not most guys or gals. Yeah, I'm an old guy, but I have almost never had more than one amp at a time. I don't now, either; I do have a Fender (Yeah, an actual Fender!) Performer 650 Anniversary Model. I threw that last in so I could "brag" that it has 5 more watts than the model's usual 65. It's the last amp I'm likely to buy. I don't play out. What do I need an amp for? On those rare occasions when I DO play out, I feel that I can get along fine if I can jack into a PA system or something like that. My old, wonderful-sounding DigiTech RP pedals have worked wonders in those conditions -- and you carry one guitar, one pedal in a bag and that's pretty much it. I would have LOVED to have had this kind of sound-generating power in a package this small back then -- and I'm talking about days when I was still young and strong! (Little wonder, though -- I have no idea whether DigiTech's models sound ANYTHING like the amps they are supposed to be based on, but they sound great, so I don't need to care!)
My bass signal chain is both ampless and with an amp. Ampless is way better for control of the sound quality, easier to mix, quiet stage etc... But the amp is the real treat to me as a player, An amp is an instrument the way I see it. I like walking on a stage and hear and feel those breathing monsters. But everything has its time and place. The key is to know what to choose for the right gig. I am not a pro so I play for my own indulgenge and I prefer amps. There will always be amateur and buyers of the 'real thing'. The market will change, but there will always be a following.
Play whatever works for you. The market for amps may drastically change but some folks will always prefer them over the digital version. Personally I hate menus and option paralysis.
The fact of the matter is modelers can’t move air like a good amp.Hendrix and Kurt Cobain knew this and cranked their Amps to the verge of feedback to make the amp an instrument in itself.
I have both. Tube amps and UA amp pedals. I play both and still like them both. It’s really easy to get a good sound out of the UA amp in the box pedals. I use ox boxes and iron man attenuators to tame the volume with the tube amps. Using a good frfr cab and studio monitors I can get a good sound / tone with the UA pedals at volumes that won’t finish off my hearing. I bought four UA amp pedals for what I could have bought one vintage amp. Do they sound the same “in the room”? To me they are very close and as a plus I have a whole bunch of different speaker cabs to play through. Yes, the tube amps are fenders, Marshall and boogies so they are really good and hard to beat the “in the room” sound. I was not “in the room” when the stuff I listen to was recorded so I don’t really know what the “in the room”sounded like any way. What I do know is that the sound that UA pedal amps make sound like the recordings of the music I like to hear. I’m 54 years old and have a few worn out parts so the light weight stuff is getting good to me. I don’t think tube amps are dead but, they sure do have some stiff competition these days. The cost is what’s driving all of this with the younger crowd. Most of them can’t afford to get into the vintage stuff. Look at the prices of guitars these days. Not many younger musicians can pay Gibson and Fender USA prices. For the price of one USA guitar they can get a complete rig that’s sounds good. The expensive stuff is for us older established guys with disposable income or we are just crazy enough to pay for it. I know I am. It really a great time to be in the music game. Lots of great stuff.
That’s the secret, I use a Mesa 2:90 stereo power amp to run , kemper, Tonex, and FM9 thru in stereo. Into real cabs. That takes the modelers and profilers to real world with tube feel and compression I capture them after power amp into ir loader into Daw to record
I own a 1962 Fender Princeton and a 1967 Twin Reverb, picked them up in the 80s and used to gig heavily with both of them, but they stay home these days. The Princeton is too valuable and the Twin is way to heavy. I use a Blackstar debut 50 these days because it's so much lighter, has plenty of volume, and is more reliable and is much easier to replace. I also have a Vox MV50 if I can go direct, fits on my pedal board. 50 watts is plenty these days, and I don't want to injure my back.
True words. I could afford a big tube amp, but I don’t want one. Even if they sound 5% better, that advantage is out weighed by cost, size/weight and frankly the turnoff of the cult of vintage.
Funny timing. I picked up a 60S silverface Pro Reverb locally for $1,000 a couple weeks ago. It's in great shape. Owner kept a cover on it the whole time. It's basically a Super Reverb with 12"s
Most people who go digital end up going back to tube amps. I like using both - digital for late night sessions and gigs requiring lower volume, tube for loud practicing and rehearsing with the band.
Dude, the suburbs are not so much FULL as they are OLD. That's why we have so much gentrification going on; the young shockers with money are moving downtown, where it's edgy and forward facing.
I’m 63 years old,ans started p.aying 3 years ago,although I did initially start when I was 13…but that’s another story.Anyway,I remember how bands used to be on stage,with a stack of Marshall’s etc…and although I’ll never get to do that myself,I do have a DSL1 head and a 1x12 cab,and love how it sounds. I can see how some (or a lot) of guitarists are getting the digital amps/pedals,but for me,I much prefer a physical amp,with a pedal board. Probably helped by the fact I only play at home.
Awesome you brought that baby out! It’s like *my dream guitar* but they’re kinda hard to come by. There’s this guitarist that plays for the band Lord Huron named Tom Renaud and he plays one similar to that almost all the time. Should definitely check out some of their live performances, that thing just screams! Super underrated guitar!
Amps are ridiculous expensive to ship. Amps I feel are still more popular than people think. A modeler will never have the feel of the amp. Sound, maybe, but it will never feel like an amp. And the feedback an amp gives you if you can harness it, just can't be done with a modeler. You can go buy an off the shelf Twin Reverb and it will sound and feel better than any model of that amp can produce. A lot more people still shop for instruments and gear in an actual store than people give credit for.
Just like vinyl records were dead. People don't carry around their records anymore. They leave them at home and use them at home. If you're playing out, use a little box. If you're playing at home, use whichever you want to. I use amps at home because I love them and they are straightforward. I wouldn't carry around a Picasso either. I'd carry a picture of it.
Recently I got a Friedman IR-X and Im blown away!!!! I can still use it in the return of my 20w amps and get a humongus sound or go direct to FOH. Luckily I live in Spain where amps is still a thing but not for long
Use whatever fits your needs, most convenient , and sounds the best. I think amps sound the best, though. I hate to think there will be a whole generation of players that have never "moved air/felt the vibration", etc.
Preamps might die off. Power Amp + Cab will likely live as there is a fundament in-the-room sound difference between a cab in the room v/s an FRFR-type unit producing a mic'd amp sound. Latter is easy for gigs, I find myself using this always, but can't work with that solution for practice/learning, can't hear the intricacies, or get immediate feedback, feels different under the fingers.
Totally agree, man. Personally, I am going more and more digital. I did buy a really nice Marshall (made in England) Class 5 all tube head recently. I don't think they are made currently, but the thing scratches the itch of having a real Marshall tube amp, at a reasonable cost and one that can be played in the home at 5 watts or even 1 watt. This will probably be my only foot in the tube world going forward.
IMHO the biggest hurdle for vintage analog enthusiasm is, there's almost no music that is recorded or amplified in large live settings that doesn't go thru a A/D then D/A converter in the signal chain not even vintage 80s vinyl records. And so it's not just the ubiquity & convenience of digital music technology that is a headwind for the continuation nevermind improvement of analog technology but also its undeniably superior fidelity since at least the 1980s -- hence the existence of digital modellers that can reproduce the sound of many not just one or a few vintage tube amps nevermind modellers handling an army of studio grade effects, microphones & mic preamps, etc. Digital modelling nevermind sound production has become so good the claims against it are evolving into the hysterical. I don't have a problem with instrument collecting at all & wouldn't mind at all owning Jeff Beck's Gretch guitar used for his Crazy Legs record or Wynton Marsalis' Bach trumpet for his record Think Of One or some piece of music gear they used for them. But the digital age is here, it was used to maximize the sound quality of their records even then, and it's NOT going to get overtaken by vintage analog gear quality only by something superior to both whenever that day comes.
Wondering about collector guitars and younger generations. People say its an investment. It’s only an investment when you can sell with a profit. If younger generations don’t care people will lose money in the end and price will go down. I have fond memories fitting large Marshall cabinet and gear in a small Honda. Proper filled stages with amps and gear. No laptops and modellers. I remember when 50W tubeamps were frowned upon. Volumes up to 11 etc.
I have a Katana that I use home for running tunes, charting out material etc... but when it's gig time, I grab my Pro Reverb, pedal board, Tele and Strat and go! When you're on a bigger stage, and you gotta crank it up, I don't find the modelers sound as good as a real amp. Not to my ears, and I've been gigging / touring since 1985. Will I use a modeler someday? Probably... but I'm 54, my back is still good, I have no problem carrying my amp and guitars etc... I tried a few different Tone Masters, I had the Super Reverb when it came out, and I also had the blond color deluxe, both were ok, but once again, on a larger stage, there was something missing. Interesting video for sure...
That Guild is beautiful. It’s strangely the reason I got into 335/355 guitars. I wanted that very same guitar you’re playing, but I couldn’t find an American at a decent price. That guitar is also the reason I love Bigsbys. I’ll always be a tube amp first guitarist, but if where I’m playing has a nice PA system, I’ll go through house. Saves my back, saves space and I never need to worry about the amp failing.
just get an attenuator and you can run your tube amp at whatever volume you want. is it exactly like running it wide open and moving a ton of air? no but it's still better than some digital fake.
Pro Reverbs are already reissued, called the Custom Pro Reverb = $1,600. And I just checked Reverb; old Pro Reverbs are around $2,000, plus or minus, usually plus. I saw one blackface that was $4,000! I saw one non-drip edge for $1,000. Beware, there are various iterations. Don't buy unless you know these amps.
I see a longing for "what was" ... I see my age group struggle with tech and reject it because they can seem to comprehend that it's NOT about what you use, it about what comes out of the speaker... I've been digital since 88... original Rocktron stuff... midi was new... as was DAW production... we were interested in learning, exploring... most of my generation rejected it... now they complain about it... tubes are dead...
I tried the modeler route...went back to an amp with a homemade 1X12 cab. You want good simple sound on a budget? Joyo is your amp. Just because something is selling good on Reverb doesn't mean it's popular, could just be a high turnover. No one buys MP3 players because of phones & streaming...
As Gen Z continues their love affair with technology & anxiety, I'll continue to scoop up great deals on used killer tube amps. What's old will one day be new again as tube amps are discovered by the younger generation. Every time I try to go ampless I'm always experiencing the feeling that something is missing. I'd rather have a well designed analog solid state amp than go all digital.
Amps are absolutely not dead. There are more guitar players all of the time, not all of them are going to use amps. Some amp users are going to switch to digital. Amplifiers are absolutely not dead. Are vinyl records dead? People said those were dead decades ago. The amp is actually the real instrument.
If it sounds good, it is good. I love both. I spend a lot of time playing through headphones with modelers, these days. Moved into a small place, getting ready to buy a house next year, hopefully. Amps are in storage waiting for me to build myself a mancave. Then, I might become an amp snob. 😁
I'm still seeing amps come and go. It's a visceral thing. I like modelers and use them. But I love amps and continue to buy them. I've been pro-modeler since the first Line 6 combos. I've defended them many times. But I've yet to play through one the does what a real tube amp does (for me). I'm not alone. Until that happens I think there will always be an amp market. It won't be the 1995 amp market, but it will be there for enthusiasts. That said, I agree completely about our constant shift to convenience. Great analogy about streaming, mp3, etc. Our world is disposable.
Next time you do a loop jam, try turning your volume knob down to 8 or 9 on your guitar. The mix will sound amazing. I don't know why loop pedals drop volume the moment you go to use them. Amp prices are also stupid as hell. I can't believe what everyone is charging for practice amps.
I think amps will be seen as luxury items the way vintage guitars are. They will always be cool etc. but most people will not care to own one. My interactions with young kids is they like the "tech" of modelers etc. The ability to have almost any sound you want and...share that with your friends is a big deal. Now a collection of those kids will have real amps, but most will not.
Ive heard this types of crap since 1976 when I started getting into music, and then after I started playing guitar I heard analog was dead and digital will rule everything. Instead, why they were all fighting. I started using both in my playing. Play what you like and inspires you. Age also should not be your goal of seeing musicians. You're missing out on a lot of great players if you only look towards 16 - 25 years olds.
Using online sales as a metric for the popularity of an item that is that expensive to ship is quite foolish. Modelers are popular but people still use and sell and buy amps. They just do so locally cuz shipping is a bitch.
Even young stand outs like Matteo Mancuso are using a modeler on tour. Metallica uses modelers. The Edge is using modelers. On and on. I'm still considering a Suhr Bella. :)
wat ive found is n so far is NO One comes even close to what u guys get here on Utube, i played Tonex w/friends gear, n while YES its GRT for recording, my pedal board into a tricked out Dumble circuit is flat MIND BLOWING..............
I dont know man, I love myself a nice QC/kemper/ tone x, but I’m playing a gig on Saturday with amps, no way that gig can be done with direct solutions, no good monitoring solution on this venue. So tube amo thru 4x12 it is! Having a blast, my back will hate me 🤣
There ARE guitar heroes, but there's TONS of them. Billions and billions of guitar heroes. Rabea Massad, Pete Thorn... billions and billions. But there's no _new_ AC/DC, Motorhead or Guns n Roses standing up for the Marshall. There's no James Hetfield for the Roland Jazz Chorus or Mesa Boogie. Or Dimebag Darrell for Randall. There's no "stand with one brand guys." But there's billions and billions of guitar heroes for ALL THE BRANDS. So who's the Boss Katana guy? No one.
Yeah, the time of big, heavy, loud valve amps is definitely over. There's just no longer a use case for them, outside of people who enjoy them for themselves, recording studios and such special cases. I see a future for 5-20W valve amps, particularly with XLR out, headphone jack and other connectivity, or amps like the Fender Tone Masters though, because they sound great, feel right and look the part.
Carrying heavy stuff for free is whack, man. Since paying gigs are scarce, the labor is just not worth it. I've owned many, many amps and guitars over the years. The digital stuff is very good now, as much as I hate to say it. I love tube amps and real guitars, full respect to all the players and collectors. The guitar has always waxed and waned in its history going to back to Romani street players and Tarrega. Always changing.
Best practice or small amp that I've seen for the money is the "Fender Mustang" Easy to use and awesome sound. I bought a Line 6 and absolutely hate it. They put out quality amps back in the 80's & early 90's. Around that time those small Fender practice amps started going to shit. But now one of those looks like gold compared to the small amps being sold today. Most new or young players would rather save money and use a app for their FX. So sad that music is dying.
Guilds from this era have always looked beautiful, I believe a lot of their craftsmen came from Epiphone after the Kalamazoo take over?. The Duane Eddy Mk1's with the DeArmond Dynasonics are stellar guitars.
Sweetwater counted the Ox Box as one of the top 5 amps sold in 2024.. Tube amps aren't going anywhere. Modelers do not feel like amps.. IF you grew up on modelers than maybe it's okay for you lol
My kid is 22, just built him a Princeton, he is a Jazzer and isn't into digital amps, also built him a JCM800 and a Matchless.
Thats a shame.. you've wasted about $10,000 on something you could get in a little pedal for $150
What a brag fail
@@Taylor.B.Martin Fails on you, son. If you think you can buy a pedal & that's somehow a substitute for sheer clean power, you've missed something. Also, he said he BUILT those amps, probably not close to 10Gs, but worth it if done well.
A guy would like to get his hands on a JCM800 , how difficult was that? wanna build me one? 😂
Can you be my dad?
Play what you want. Who gives a shit what gear another person uses
This is the magic statement right here.
I do. You will be judged.
The messed up thing is that you still need a big expensive rig to play a basement punk show, but you need almost nothing to play an arena.
This is so true!! 😂
I can promise you this, I'll never not play through my amps. I had a Helix for a year on loan, I used it one time live and then it sat in my office collecting dust. I guess I'm just an analog man. Plus........a freaking hate, hate scrolling through menus.
I’m 56 years old. I love amps. Amps are king BUT….. l Read a comment that stuck with me a day or so ago that said something like modelers and profilers are uninspiring feels terrible and just is not good. I can’t help but think that that person is simply doing the modeling and profiler WRONG. My Kemper has been very inspiring. Feels fine to me and l use a cab beside it behind me plus running to the house. There’s endless musicians with nice gigs pro and weekend warriors that successfully use modeling and profilers daily in studios, bedrooms, hotel rooms, and for live use. The ONLY complaint l have is getting some stage volume. If everything is running through the house then the people up front are not getting that volume
No dog in this fight so to speak but, none of my young students 18 & younger, own modelers. They all use amps, everyone of them. Modelers aren’t even in their sight lines.
Also, we really can’t use Reverb as a reliable metric for physical amps. The vast majority of them are sold in store, Craigslist , Facebook Marketplace, or locally.
Shipping cost of amps on reverb has got to be a factor in the low sales as well. Not a solid metric.
Great insight. I agree about shopping and hunting for a quality used one.
Might be the location based because the kids here use their computers. I actually bought an amp from a young guy because he said he only uses his computer for home and a modeler for live. This guy went to music school for guitar so not a novice. I was shocked he just had no care at all to keep his fender.
All the kids I teach use amps. People sell amps locally not on eBay or reverb. The modeling revolution is a bit over blown.
@@RogerThat902 With apps or software like "Guitar Rig" one can use a laptop with live gigs and have all the same sounds and FX that's ever been recorded.
Amps today are falling by the wayside like CD's did after Nabster started taking off.
It's like the old type writer vs the pc keyboards.
People been claiming amps are dead for a few decades . They aren't going anywhere .
Yeah, they were saying that to me in the 70s when the Quad Cortex first came out.
This guy is spot on. John Mayer is 50? Guitars are plentiful, cheap and with sound processing really sound great even when not "vintage". Amp modelers are getting better and better and no one wants to lug giant amps around.
Same thing we heard about vinyl records when CDs came out.
There are always vintage souls that return to an earlier time to revisit the past. And as my parent’s generation takes care of their possessions, we will inherit those treasures.
Nothing compares to the feeling an amp gives you shaking the sir behind you. Its like meering people on tinder....nothing like the real world
The vintage market is still doing well because clean power will never die.
There are 2 more reasons to prefer a digital solution over amps:
1. if you want stereo effects. I love it and have 4 stereo pedals (2x modulation, a delay and a reverb) right after a ToneX unit.
2. if you want to record exactly the same sound your rig produces. With an amp you have 2 choices. The first one is to use a mic which makes it EQ'ed quite heavily (not the sound you hear in a room). The other is to use OX box or similar solution, but then you have to use an IR which is a complicated EQ of a cab + a mic, so, again, not what you hear in the room.
In my opinion there will never be a digital amp or modeler that can recreate the magic and responsive feel of a human, guitar, tube amp interaction. That takes a big room and loud amp to make happen properly. It’s as fun as can be when you do it but it is absolutely not necessary to create, record and have fun with music. I can get 90 percent of the way there with today’s digital offerings. I still argue that the most important part of the equation is touch, feel and soul.
I love tube amps also. Try playing a modeler without speaker emulation through a real guitar speaker cabinet. Most of the feel and interaction stuff you mentioned is actually the guitar cab in the room, not the amp or tubes.
@@scottakam Great point!
You're absolutely right.
And I don't know why there's so much culture pessimism about these things.
The comments under these videos are always "I'm still using my amps" and "I know people still using amps"... 😃
That's not the point, folks! 🙈
A bit like we have electric guitars now so acoustics are dead and not coming back.
😂
No, not like that at all actually... FOUND OUT OF TOUCH GEN Z
Analog amps will be around as long as electricity is around and guitar players are willing to make it happen.
Yes , because guitar players are Luddites. Its prevented so much progress .
@juanvaldez5422 really? What the hell do you know kiddo? Do you play? Or lemme guess, you like edm and electronic music.😤🙄
I just recently bought a Mark VII and run DI out from that into a quad cortex for effects and more I/O routing and vocal mic processing.
Amps are still very much alive to me and most of the local gigging musicians in our area but most of them aren't dragging $4k Mesas on stage. They're taking Katanas and Blackstars because they still sound good and no one in the crowd cares.
Me too. In 2024 I picked up a 1979 Marshall JMP 2204, and a new Dr. Z X-RAY and a new Friedman Twin Sister. Rock on!
I recently moved states and left all my amps in storage until I can finalize my move. It's been 3 months and I'm dying for an amp. Using Garage Band presents its own challenges. I just want to plugin and play. I did purchase the UA guitar plugins and they are cool but I don't want to sit at my computer to play guitar..
You can sit wherever you want, just need longer cables (as soon as you dialled in a tone you like).
The "feel" of digital amps and modelers just still dont cut it even if the sound is good.
I have three amps plus a pedal board. This stuff, along with my guitars, have been around for 20-38 years.
Ultimately we are headed away from hardware. I really believe in 5 years we’re going to be all plugins. For less than I’d pay for the pedal I can have the BigSky MX and El Capistan in a plugin form and control them with midi, host everything in MainStage, and pull off a great sounding live show
I'm 72 and I make amps in a retirement business. I also have played gigs since 1967. Getting a stage sound that is so you can hear everyone clearly isn't easy. Playing at a MUCH lower volume on stage and perhaps using a shield in front of the amp can make the stage sound much easier to balance without deleting amps on stage. The drummer is still hitting drums. If he/she is not out of control and us guitar players use perhaps Blues Junior sized amps and the bass player uses maybe a 50 watt amp for stage sound, one can keep their gig and not blow out the audience/bartenders/sound engineers. Then the Kemper/Helix tones can go through your amp and maybe direct to the sound system so we can all sound like Larry Carleton or Matteo Mancuso by choosing the right Model. Also low watt amps are lower priced!
I think you’re right. I picked up an Acoustasonic Tele this summer. The Mexican version. I love it. Just go straight to the PA. What I’m waiting for is an Electrasonic. Just have a few amp models in place of a tone knob. Use pedals for overdrive and delay etc.
In my mind you can't replace an amp. When you need to push some air you need yourself an amp. And I wouldn't ship anything of value because all the major shipping players treat your packages like crap. They almost make it a game just to see who can treat the packages the worst
The amp market will never be what it was before. We have clearly entered an age dominated by modeling systems and the occasional modeling solid state amp, many of them practice amps like the Spark which are now being taken seriously as gigging amps as well.
They may turn into a niche item but certain types of players will likely always prefer having an amp or even just a speaker on stage.
I find the players who prefer digital tend to use very compressed tones. How many shredders do you see playing through tube amps these days? It's simply easier to shred through studio monitors and an Axe FX. Back in the early 2000s, we used V-Amps and PODs.
I rarely see guitarists using digital rigs to play in clubs, but the couple of times I did there was a serious lack of midrange. On medium to large stages you're at the mercy of the FOH. I've found my way to the front, only to have to move back by the mixer to actually hear the guitar. I prefer there to be live cabs on stage, even if the rig is digital at the core.
The truth is that amps are for old guys, rich guys, strong guys -- but maybe not most guys or gals. Yeah, I'm an old guy, but I have almost never had more than one amp at a time. I don't now, either; I do have a Fender (Yeah, an actual Fender!) Performer 650 Anniversary Model. I threw that last in so I could "brag" that it has 5 more watts than the model's usual 65. It's the last amp I'm likely to buy. I don't play out. What do I need an amp for? On those rare occasions when I DO play out, I feel that I can get along fine if I can jack into a PA system or something like that. My old, wonderful-sounding DigiTech RP pedals have worked wonders in those conditions -- and you carry one guitar, one pedal in a bag and that's pretty much it. I would have LOVED to have had this kind of sound-generating power in a package this small back then -- and I'm talking about days when I was still young and strong! (Little wonder, though -- I have no idea whether DigiTech's models sound ANYTHING like the amps they are supposed to be based on, but they sound great, so I don't need to care!)
My bass signal chain is both ampless and with an amp. Ampless is way better for control of the sound quality, easier to mix, quiet stage etc...
But the amp is the real treat to me as a player, An amp is an instrument the way I see it. I like walking on a stage and hear and feel those breathing monsters.
But everything has its time and place. The key is to know what to choose for the right gig. I am not a pro so I play for my own indulgenge and I prefer amps.
There will always be amateur and buyers of the 'real thing'. The market will change, but there will always be a following.
Play whatever works for you. The market for amps may drastically change but some folks will always prefer them over the digital version. Personally I hate menus and option paralysis.
The fact of the matter is modelers can’t move air like a good amp.Hendrix and Kurt Cobain knew this and cranked their Amps to the verge of feedback to make the amp an instrument in itself.
I have both. Tube amps and UA amp pedals. I play both and still like them both. It’s really easy to get a good sound out of the UA amp in the box pedals. I use ox boxes and iron man attenuators to tame the volume with the tube amps. Using a good frfr cab and studio monitors I can get a good sound / tone with the UA pedals at volumes that won’t finish off my hearing. I bought four UA amp pedals for what I could have bought one vintage amp. Do they sound the same “in the room”? To me they are very close and as a plus I have a whole bunch of different speaker cabs to play through. Yes, the tube amps are fenders, Marshall and boogies so they are really good and hard to beat the “in the room” sound. I was not “in the room” when the stuff I listen to was recorded so I don’t really know what the “in the room”sounded like any way. What I do know is that the sound that UA pedal amps make sound like the recordings of the music I like to hear. I’m 54 years old and have a few worn out parts so the light weight stuff is getting good to me. I don’t think tube amps are dead but, they sure do have some stiff competition these days. The cost is what’s driving all of this with the younger crowd. Most of them can’t afford to get into the vintage stuff. Look at the prices of guitars these days. Not many younger musicians can pay Gibson and Fender USA prices. For the price of one USA guitar they can get a complete rig that’s sounds good. The expensive stuff is for us older established guys with disposable income or we are just crazy enough to pay for it. I know I am. It really a great time to be in the music game. Lots of great stuff.
I'm gonna buy a couple of tube combo amps and run the Kemper stereo into the back of em
i think that's a waste. the real thing is always better than imitation.
That’s the secret, I use a Mesa 2:90 stereo power amp to run , kemper, Tonex, and FM9 thru in stereo. Into real cabs. That takes the modelers and profilers to real world with tube feel and compression I capture them after power amp into ir loader into Daw to record
I own a 1962 Fender Princeton and a 1967 Twin Reverb, picked them up in the 80s and used to gig heavily with both of them, but they stay home these days. The Princeton is too valuable and the Twin is way to heavy. I use a Blackstar debut 50 these days because it's so much lighter, has plenty of volume, and is more reliable and is much easier to replace. I also have a Vox MV50 if I can go direct, fits on my pedal board. 50 watts is plenty these days, and I don't want to injure my back.
True words. I could afford a big tube amp, but I don’t want one. Even if they sound 5% better, that advantage is out weighed by cost, size/weight and frankly the turnoff of the cult of vintage.
Amps are alive and well over here
Funny timing. I picked up a 60S silverface Pro Reverb locally for $1,000 a couple weeks ago. It's in great shape. Owner kept a cover on it the whole time. It's basically a Super Reverb with 12"s
Nice!! That’s a great deal!! Congrats, it’s a great time to buy amp!!
Time will tell. I have a feeling tube amps will always be around. Same reason acoustic pianos haven’t been replaced by portable keyboards.
I use amp sims built into Cubase, It's all I need.
Most people who go digital end up going back to tube amps. I like using both - digital for late night sessions and gigs requiring lower volume, tube for loud practicing and rehearsing with the band.
Dude, the suburbs are not so much FULL as they are OLD. That's why we have so much gentrification going on; the young shockers with money are moving downtown, where it's edgy and forward facing.
The video should have started with "Once upon a time". Because that's how fairy tales usually start.
🤣
I’m 63 years old,ans started p.aying 3 years ago,although I did initially start when I was 13…but that’s another story.Anyway,I remember how bands used to be on stage,with a stack of Marshall’s etc…and although I’ll never get to do that myself,I do have a DSL1 head and a 1x12 cab,and love how it sounds.
I can see how some (or a lot) of guitarists are getting the digital amps/pedals,but for me,I much prefer a physical amp,with a pedal board.
Probably helped by the fact I only play at home.
Awesome you brought that baby out! It’s like *my dream guitar* but they’re kinda hard to come by. There’s this guitarist that plays for the band Lord Huron named Tom Renaud and he plays one similar to that almost all the time. Should definitely check out some of their live performances, that thing just screams! Super underrated guitar!
Amps are ridiculous expensive to ship. Amps I feel are still more popular than people think. A modeler will never have the feel of the amp. Sound, maybe, but it will never feel like an amp. And the feedback an amp gives you if you can harness it, just can't be done with a modeler. You can go buy an off the shelf Twin Reverb and it will sound and feel better than any model of that amp can produce. A lot more people still shop for instruments and gear in an actual store than people give credit for.
Just like vinyl records were dead. People don't carry around their records anymore. They leave them at home and use them at home. If you're playing out, use a little box. If you're playing at home, use whichever you want to. I use amps at home because I love them and they are straightforward. I wouldn't carry around a Picasso either. I'd carry a picture of it.
I love my amps. They speak to me as a hobby playing guitar.🎸 Wouldn’t trade them for the world.
Recently I got a Friedman IR-X and Im blown away!!!! I can still use it in the return of my 20w amps and get a humongus sound or go direct to FOH. Luckily I live in Spain where amps is still a thing but not for long
Tonex floorboard would be amazing.
I don’t have a lot of storage space.. so a fm3 goes a long ways. I would love to have all analog, but it’s not realistic for myself.
Use whatever fits your needs, most convenient , and sounds the best. I think amps sound the best, though. I hate to think there will be a whole generation of players that have never "moved air/felt the vibration", etc.
Preamps might die off. Power Amp + Cab will likely live as there is a fundament in-the-room sound difference between a cab in the room v/s an FRFR-type unit producing a mic'd amp sound. Latter is easy for gigs, I find myself using this always, but can't work with that solution for practice/learning, can't hear the intricacies, or get immediate feedback, feels different under the fingers.
Totally agree, man. Personally, I am going more and more digital. I did buy a really nice Marshall (made in England) Class 5 all tube head recently. I don't think they are made currently, but the thing scratches the itch of having a real Marshall tube amp, at a reasonable cost and one that can be played in the home at 5 watts or even 1 watt. This will probably be my only foot in the tube world going forward.
IMHO the biggest hurdle for vintage analog enthusiasm is, there's almost no music that is recorded or amplified in large live settings that doesn't go thru a A/D then D/A converter in the signal chain not even vintage 80s vinyl records.
And so it's not just the ubiquity & convenience of digital music technology that is a headwind for the continuation nevermind improvement of analog technology but also its undeniably superior fidelity since at least the 1980s -- hence the existence of digital modellers that can reproduce the sound of many not just one or a few vintage tube amps nevermind modellers handling an army of studio grade effects, microphones & mic preamps, etc.
Digital modelling nevermind sound production has become so good the claims against it are evolving into the hysterical.
I don't have a problem with instrument collecting at all & wouldn't mind at all owning Jeff Beck's Gretch guitar used for his Crazy Legs record or Wynton Marsalis' Bach trumpet for his record Think Of One or some piece of music gear they used for them. But the digital age is here, it was used to maximize the sound quality of their records even then, and it's NOT going to get overtaken by vintage analog gear quality only by something superior to both whenever that day comes.
Wondering about collector guitars and younger generations. People say its an investment. It’s only an investment when you can sell with a profit. If younger generations don’t care people will lose money in the end and price will go down.
I have fond memories fitting large Marshall cabinet and gear in a small Honda. Proper filled stages with amps and gear. No laptops and modellers.
I remember when 50W tubeamps were frowned upon. Volumes up to 11 etc.
I have a Katana that I use home for running tunes, charting out material etc... but when it's gig time, I grab my Pro Reverb, pedal board, Tele and Strat and go! When you're on a bigger stage, and you gotta crank it up, I don't find the modelers sound as good as a real amp. Not to my ears, and I've been gigging / touring since 1985. Will I use a modeler someday? Probably... but I'm 54, my back is still good, I have no problem carrying my amp and guitars etc... I tried a few different Tone Masters, I had the Super Reverb when it came out, and I also had the blond color deluxe, both were ok, but once again, on a larger stage, there was something missing. Interesting video for sure...
That Guild is beautiful. It’s strangely the reason I got into 335/355 guitars. I wanted that very same guitar you’re playing, but I couldn’t find an American at a decent price. That guitar is also the reason I love Bigsbys.
I’ll always be a tube amp first guitarist, but if where I’m playing has a nice PA system, I’ll go through house. Saves my back, saves space and I never need to worry about the amp failing.
2:41 SICK BURN
just get an attenuator and you can run your tube amp at whatever volume you want. is it exactly like running it wide open and moving a ton of air? no but it's still better than some digital fake.
Yes, agreed.
Should I buy a loaf of bread? Or, I can buy a Marshall Origin... hmmm...
Pro Reverbs are already reissued, called the Custom Pro Reverb = $1,600. And I just checked Reverb; old Pro Reverbs are around $2,000, plus or minus, usually plus. I saw one blackface that was $4,000! I saw one non-drip edge for $1,000. Beware, there are various iterations. Don't buy unless you know these amps.
When they stop doing tubes what do you think will happen..!
I see a longing for "what was" ... I see my age group struggle with tech and reject it because they can seem to comprehend that it's NOT about what you use, it about what comes out of the speaker... I've been digital since 88... original Rocktron stuff... midi was new... as was DAW production... we were interested in learning, exploring... most of my generation rejected it... now they complain about it... tubes are dead...
I tried the modeler route...went back to an amp with a homemade 1X12 cab. You want good simple sound on a budget? Joyo is your amp. Just because something is selling good on Reverb doesn't mean it's popular, could just be a high turnover. No one buys MP3 players because of phones & streaming...
As Gen Z continues their love affair with technology & anxiety, I'll continue to scoop up great deals on used killer tube amps. What's old will one day be new again as tube amps are discovered by the younger generation. Every time I try to go ampless I'm always experiencing the feeling that something is missing. I'd rather have a well designed analog solid state amp than go all digital.
End the end it ends up digital in playback. Even acoustic.
How about Mesa Boogie Express amps - they arent that old yet (only about 15 years)?
Mk.gee is a young guitar hero
man I love this new videos, keep em coming brother .
The perennial “tubes are dead” declaration 😅
I use digital when I have to but I will always use an amp if at all possible. To me it’s way more fun and just a different experience.
is that why you have 50 amps in that room?
There’s more than 50 😅
I one hundred percent disagree. Modelers have their place. But they will never replace tube amplifiers. They just sound artificial.
Amps are absolutely not dead. There are more guitar players all of the time, not all of them are going to use amps. Some amp users are going to switch to digital. Amplifiers are absolutely not dead. Are vinyl records dead? People said those were dead decades ago. The amp is actually the real instrument.
If it sounds good, it is good. I love both. I spend a lot of time playing through headphones with modelers, these days.
Moved into a small place, getting ready to buy a house next year, hopefully.
Amps are in storage waiting for me to build myself a mancave.
Then, I might become an amp snob. 😁
I'm still seeing amps come and go. It's a visceral thing. I like modelers and use them. But I love amps and continue to buy them. I've been pro-modeler since the first Line 6 combos. I've defended them many times. But I've yet to play through one the does what a real tube amp does (for me). I'm not alone. Until that happens I think there will always be an amp market. It won't be the 1995 amp market, but it will be there for enthusiasts. That said, I agree completely about our constant shift to convenience. Great analogy about streaming, mp3, etc. Our world is disposable.
Next time you do a loop jam, try turning your volume knob down to 8 or 9 on your guitar. The mix will sound amazing. I don't know why loop pedals drop volume the moment you go to use them.
Amp prices are also stupid as hell. I can't believe what everyone is charging for practice amps.
I think amps will be seen as luxury items the way vintage guitars are. They will always be cool etc. but most people will not care to own one. My interactions with young kids is they like the "tech" of modelers etc. The ability to have almost any sound you want and...share that with your friends is a big deal. Now a collection of those kids will have real amps, but most will not.
Ive heard this types of crap since 1976 when I started getting into music, and then after I started playing guitar I heard analog was dead and digital will rule everything. Instead, why they were all fighting. I started using both in my playing. Play what you like and inspires you. Age also should not be your goal of seeing musicians. You're missing out on a lot of great players if you only look towards 16 - 25 years olds.
Using online sales as a metric for the popularity of an item that is that expensive to ship is quite foolish. Modelers are popular but people still use and sell and buy amps. They just do so locally cuz shipping is a bitch.
You've never heard of Quilter Labs amplifiers and pedal size amplifiers?
Even young stand outs like Matteo Mancuso are using a modeler on tour. Metallica uses modelers. The Edge is using modelers. On and on. I'm still considering a Suhr Bella. :)
....amps dead? ..only those who've not played a Hamstead Artist....magical.
wat ive found is n so far is NO One comes even close to what u guys get here on Utube, i played Tonex w/friends gear, n while YES its GRT for recording, my pedal board into a tricked out Dumble circuit is flat MIND BLOWING..............
I dont know man, I love myself a nice QC/kemper/ tone x, but I’m playing a gig on Saturday with amps, no way that gig can be done with direct solutions, no good monitoring solution on this venue. So tube amo thru 4x12 it is! Having a blast, my back will hate me 🤣
There ARE guitar heroes, but there's TONS of them. Billions and billions of guitar heroes. Rabea Massad, Pete Thorn... billions and billions. But there's no _new_ AC/DC, Motorhead or Guns n Roses standing up for the Marshall. There's no James Hetfield for the Roland Jazz Chorus or Mesa Boogie. Or Dimebag Darrell for Randall. There's no "stand with one brand guys." But there's billions and billions of guitar heroes for ALL THE BRANDS. So who's the Boss Katana guy? No one.
Yeah, the time of big, heavy, loud valve amps is definitely over. There's just no longer a use case for them, outside of people who enjoy them for themselves, recording studios and such special cases. I see a future for 5-20W valve amps, particularly with XLR out, headphone jack and other connectivity, or amps like the Fender Tone Masters though, because they sound great, feel right and look the part.
I just went from tonex to real amps. No regrets 😍
Matteo Mancuso is an extraordinary young guitar hero. I moved to using Modelers long ago.
There are young guitar heroes, their music is just not popular.
you cannot compare a digital amp to a valve amp, once you gone valve you're not turning back
Wolf Hoffmann tours with a Kemper. Just mentioning.
Carrying heavy stuff for free is whack, man. Since paying gigs are scarce, the labor is just not worth it. I've owned many, many amps and guitars over the years. The digital stuff is very good now, as much as I hate to say it. I love tube amps and real guitars, full respect to all the players and collectors. The guitar has always waxed and waned in its history going to back to Romani street players and Tarrega. Always changing.
I have digital stuff and tube amps. I use both but enjoy the tube amps a bit more.
That’s a Jem of a Guitar!!!
Best practice or small amp that I've seen for the money is the "Fender Mustang" Easy to use and awesome sound.
I bought a Line 6 and absolutely hate it. They put out quality amps back in the 80's & early 90's.
Around that time those small Fender practice amps started going to shit. But now one of those looks like gold compared to the small amps being sold today.
Most new or young players would rather save money and use a app for their FX. So sad that music is dying.
Tube amps are what they are and aren't what they aren't. Same with modelers. For a band in a room, amps are great, but that's not every use case.
Guilds from this era have always looked beautiful, I believe a lot of their craftsmen came from Epiphone after the Kalamazoo take over?.
The Duane Eddy Mk1's with the DeArmond Dynasonics are stellar guitars.
Sweetwater counted the Ox Box as one of the top 5 amps sold in 2024.. Tube amps aren't going anywhere. Modelers do not feel like amps.. IF you grew up on modelers than maybe it's okay for you lol
And it won’t be modelers going through the Ox boxes
Literally said aloud “Man, that guitar is gorgeous” and had to share 😅.
If amps are dead, why you got so many? If tube amps are dead, looks like you got a plie of worthless juke behind you.😂
Clearly you didn't watch the video
Quad cortex is just the best even an app guy like me I have to admit it