Why I Prefer Solid State to Tube Amps
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- Опубліковано 9 лип 2024
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When I first began getting into gear everyone always said tube amps were better.
Since then I’ve gone through cycles of owning multiple solid state and tube amps.
At present I currently own one tube amp, but my preference for most of the jazz work I do is solid state.
1. Size vs Clean Head Room Ratio
2. Maintenance / Reliability
3. Consistent Sound
4. Tube Amp Pros
5. My Favourite Solid State Amp
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There is also another aspect that pure SS amps(not emulating tubes per se) have faster transient response and lots of headroom by nature. The softness and compression of tubes is awesome when you want it but limiting when you don’t
Great point!
I also prefer solid state just because they are much more reliable and almost completely maintenance-free. I also like that I don't have to crank them to deafening levels to get them to sound amazing. The problem was always finding a solid state amp that had a good overdrive channel, as I play rock and metal and for that style you need an amp with a solid drive channel. Luckily I have found a few amps that stand toe-to-toe with tube amps very well in that regard.
I use a Quilter Tone Block 202 (solid state) through a Raezer's Edge NY8. Sound works great for me and the Tone Block has very simple and minimal controls. I play an archtop through it, a Tele, and a nylon string. It sounds great for all. It is warm but not too dark or dull. Lot of good demos of the 202 on UA-cam, including Tim Lerch.
Please note I have acquired a solid state amp that I like more than the megabrute. I’ll be posting a video about it in the future!
I'm in the market for a new amp, so tell us, what is this new amp that you like?
Is it a Quilter? Over 50 years I’ve travelled from Vox AC30 to Fender Twin Reverb to Peavey Deuce with 2 massive magnets on the 12 inch speakers. Finally I love the clean headroom of the Quilter 101 Reverb into a small cab. A super light class D amp, no hiss, no microphonic valves, no backbreaking monster to carry up stairs to the gig. Modern solid state amps are so much better than those of the past. And if I still gigging with a drummer I’d get a bigger Quilter. Great video Jamie.
It could be a SESSION amp , from down Hampshire way!!!
Hi Jamie, are you ready to tell us the name of your new amp? Really appreciate your knowledge of jazz amps. Regards,
My favorite amp is a old solid state Yamaha Ta20. It has a polystyrene speaker that will blow if you push it to far. Overall the sound is very organic and can even do crunch with a boost pedal.
Started on tube because there were no solid state. When solid state became available I didn't like them because the reverb always sounded weird. Out of necessity I switched from Fender Twins and Deluxes to the Roland Jazz Chorus. Then fell in love with the Cube 60. My favorite is my Fender Deluxe Tonemaster. All you say about this subject is spot on. When tubes stopped being Ameri can made, the tube amps changed drastically. Great video! Spot on!
Thanks!
Absolutely well said...
Closed back solid state amps sound great in jazz
I feel solid state modeling has come so far that it's no longer necessary to rely on tube amps. Yes, most of the great tones that modelers emulate are based upon tube amps, with the exception of Roland JC models, which a lot of these amps/pedal systems emulate. But a good modeling amp now has the actual feel of a tube amp. Also, one thing you pointed out in the video which I totally agree with is consistency. Solid state is just more consistent. Tubes are, by nature, temperamental. I've owned countless tube amps, but I've also used a lot of solid-state amps, like a Randall RG75 combo I used for years playing hard rock and metal in L.A. in the 80s. The most reliable tube amp I owned was a Boogie which took a lot of spills and kept on ticking. In the 8 years I had that amp I changed tubes maybe 3 times, and I played this thing a lot. At the moment I used a Boss GT-1 multi effects processor through a Boss/Roland Cube amp and get amazing tones without a tube in site. I just sold a Marshall and got this for a mere fraction of the cost. It's just brilliant. I play instrumental prog fusion, so something like Yes and Return to Forever, Mahavishnu, etc. I often go from a big rock sound to pristine clean, and I get all the tones I could ever ask for, and a lot of great effects, with this system. I always found that jazz players were more open to solid state than rock/metal players, because there are simply so many legendary tube amps that steal the spotlight from solid state. I think things are changing slowly, as more and more players are using systems like the Boss GT series, Helix, Headrush and Fractal. I tell new players not to get hung up on tubes, as the supply of tubes is very unstable, and they don't want to put all their eggs in a broken basket.
great video, I am a Blues and Classic Rock player and prefer tube amps for that crunch and compression, but all of your points about tube vs solid state are spot on. When I worked in a music store during the 80s, the Polytone amps were very popular with Jazz players Joe Pass used to come into our store, he was friends with the owner, Joe prefered Polytone 102 I believe. Mini Brute, Mega Brute, etc. There were a few rock players that would crank them a certain way and get amazing break up sounds too. I use a silver panel Fender Deluxe for live and at home a solid state Boss Katana 50 amp, love them both, thanks for sharing.
Thanks for your comment! Yes Joe had a lot of involvement with Polytone. He even record a few records with the accordion owner.
That would be Alex Carozza, himself an accordion player. You must also remember Sam Ulano then
I use a DV Mark Little Jazz combo. Best Amp I have ever owned, now all my guitars sound jazzy through it!
Excellent video , Much appreciated
Thank you!
Jamie, I completely agree with you. I’ve had a Princeton Reverb tube amp that I bought new nearly 50 years ago. It was great when I was playing rock and blues, but when I progressed to jazz with an archtop, I grew dissatisfied with it for the reasons you mentioned. I find it temperamental and inconsistent once it warms up. When first turned on, it sounds great. I now gig with a Fender Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb, and practice at home with a Spark amp. I play in a big band and leave the Princeton amp at the rehearsal site. BTW, Martin Taylor plugs right in to the PA system.
Fender "Tone Master " Deluxe Reverb... What a fantastic amp. to me it's perfect. It has no drawbacks and comes with that beautiful fender clean sound
Yes 100%
And Quilter amps are even better IMO. Tone Masters are great too.
Try a BOSS Nextone 40w Stage or 80w Artist you won’t be disappointed
Or
Quilter Micropro Mk2
I'd highly sought after boutique and vintage tube amps but my all-time favorite is a relatively rare about 30 years old solid state amp for everything from jazz to blues to classic and modern metal. Nothing compares tone- and feel-wise which is why I'd so much expensive tube amps in the first place. I was always looking for something that even a relatively incompetent amp tech can troubleshoot and repair (even a well respected amp guru that I provided with all the tech manuals and schematics couldn't or didn't want to maintain/repair my ss amp properly) but still has a comparable tone as well as the dynamics and feel that my ss amp has. I tried everything ss and digital as well from Amp1 to Quilter to Line 6 Helix and Fractal but nothing could even get close. Now I have a relatively new ss amp from Russia as a backup but even though it's a very well thought out design and a great amp overall it behaves and feels like most of my tube amps did.. so, it's certainly a fantastic amp but it's not the same.
As for reliability, a traditionally constructed tube amp is easily repairable, and easy to understand the circuit. 60 year old amps are still going strong.
If your modeling or solid state amp craps out, you basically have to throw it in the landfill. Inside they look like a computer.
As for clean headroom in a gig, it's just a question of choosing the right tube amp. A Blues Jr is not the right amp, unless you're mic'd.
G'day Jamie, I am mostly a jazz player, and an erstwhile pit player. For my Cargill semi-acoustic, I use a Fender Deluxe 112 mostly and, occasionally, a Fender Blues Junior. I bought the solid state about thirty five years ago particularly for jazz festivals, as it was a bit lighter. Turned out to be the very best. The Blues Junior I treat as a back-up. Quite a good unit, but it doesn't match the semi-acoustic like the 112 does. For my Cargill acoustic, I use an AER 60, a brilliant little unit.
I use two amps, in my view, both are great for jazz : Roland 80x (inexpensive) and AER Compact 60/2. Both give me a very good jazz tone and if more volume is needed they both can be hooked to a PA system. The Roland is a real workhorse full of great features for the price. If you have a guitar with both humbuckers and piezo pickups, by mixing them you can obtain a great warm and crisp tone.
I never disliked solid state amps, but I was brainwashed to think tubes were best (to be fair, they're definitely very good for certain applications). I finally got a Roland JC-22 for home use (wanted a JC for ages). Then I saw how great it was to have an inexpensive, lightweight, durable, great-sounding clean pedal platform that can sound great at any volume (bonus: the chorus sounds great). The clean sound stands up to any other, and if I want dirt, I have a collection of dirtboxes for it. I've got pedals that emulate a Marshall sound (JHS Angry Charlie), a Friedman sound (Friedman BE/OD), a Hiwatt sound (Catalinbread RAH), a Laney with modded treble booster sound (Catalinbread Sabbra Cadabra), Big Muffs, and a bunch more. If I want compression (it has none, unlike tubes), I've got pedals for that as well (Wampler Superego is so great). I might be the only guy playing doom metal and space rock on a Roland, but GOT DAYUM it sounds good and doesn't piss off the neighbors. Any sound I want is a stompbox away and it was all pretty dang cheap for how good it sounds.
But is it warm.. I have a new JC-40 and a new Fender Princeton Reverb Custom Hand wired.. side by side the Fender valve KILLS the Roland dead. The Roland sounds ok. but put it next to the Fender it's almost lifeless and sterile.
I’m researching if it’s possible to make a solid state valve for my ac30. So then when the power tube/S or preamp tubes go, I can just replace with solid state temporarily.
I play direct into the PA. The business end of my pedal board is a Guyatone VT3 tremolo (always on, with effect turned off) into an Award Session JD10 preamp, and lastly a graphic EQ pedal. The VT3 is buffered and pushes a significant volume boost going into the preamp, which gives a great impression of a nicely warmed-up tube amp. (When I want tremolo, I just wind up the intensity knob on the VT3). I find that the JD10 sounds best with all the tone controls at noon, hence the EQ pedal after it. I have all the highs turned off and the mids and lows pretty much flat. For home use and small gigs I plug into a Roland CM30 Monitor, with a 6.5 inch speaker. It sounds great.
I just had small Polytone gone through with my tech. Think it’s from the 70’s, needed new capacitors and a plug. It’s just perfect for me, sounds great to. I’m just going for that clean Jazz sound.
This is a really great video, thanks. Ive been playing for about 40 years now. I started off with transistor amps because I couldn't afford valve amps - althgough the first amp I ever used was my brother's Vox AC 30 valve amp, but he doesn't know about that so shhhh! I discovered this video because I asked myself the very question you answered. I have played valve amps and hybrids for years. But I have been wondering what transistor amps are good for. I compose alsorts of music but jazz is a big driver in that. I play fenders mostly and never seem to be able to quite get the jazz sound I want - fat, mellow sound especially when cranked up! I'm going to try a transisistor amp now due to yours and others advice. THanks!
I am happy with my BOSS Nextone Stage amp (40W). I tweaked the clean channel a little through the Nextone Editor with (100% of headroom) and it sounds warm like a Henriksen or a Quilter (I owned both). The Lead channel is great for Blues and Rock, although I prefer using pedals with my clean channel. And it has a Power Reduction knob for cranked up tone at low volume. I can highly recommend!
Moved from tubes aswell. I realised that I sounded the same regardless of tubes/SS. I needed something small, and light that makes the guitar louder when you plug it in(!) - the Henriksen Bud 6. Its the quietest amp ive had, If it didnt have a backlit logo on the front you wouldnt know it was on! Have Quilter mach2 (love it also) and have had a Katana (great gig, control layout a bit too complicated) and Roland Cube 40 GX (too hissy).
Thank you for this clip. I use the Fender Deluxe Reverb amp which must be some 30 years ++. Also for gigs I use the Bose Tonematch-8 mixer-sampler with the Bose L1 sound column. It has some limited modeling options but the ones most often used are the Ibanez + GIbson modeling options which do produce the sound that I like.
By the way, do you have any of the Clint Strong lines written down?
I play Hawaiian steel guitar. I don't want a signal that breaks up or distorts. I want a fat glassy tone.
Makes sense as you are a steel player!
Great video. I agree. I used to play out of a 6505 Plus head out of 4 12s which was super loud, and sounded great.. now I play a small Peavey vyper modeling combo amp (1 12 only 40 watts stereo,) and the 6505 setting is literally exactly the same if not better than my actual 6505. Not to mention the sound is SO loud on the vyper that I would even go as far as to say it’s as loud as my 6505 up to 4-5 volume. My peavey vyper is about 1/4 the weight of my 6505 and 1/8 the price of my half stack… there’s an obvious choice.
Hey Jamie, love your content, thanks for all your work. You mentioned towards the end that Joe Pass ended up eschewing amps altogether - what did he do then? Just mic the guitar? For the record, I use DI if I want any effects - the DAW gives me a hundred amps for one low price. ;) But if I’m looping for practice I have a Peavey Rage 108 (solid state) that is 30 years old - older than you Jamie? XD It’s solid state and does the job, with an occasional crackle (probably dust…)
Thanks for the kind words Oj! Joe Pass actually played through the house PA system which is well documented in "An Evening with Joe Pass" available on UA-cam. Compare that to his tone live at Jazz Baltica (also on UA-cam) recorded two years earlier in which he used a Polytone. I like Peavey's - used to own a Bandit. Most of my gear is older than me, but I'll take it as a compliment that I still look under 30 ;)
I play through a little Henriksen Blu 6 that’s supposed to be my “practice” amp. I keep trying to find a tube amp that sounds and functions better, because I thought that was the thing to do, but nothing can match it. It’s light, I can plug a mic into it for a mini PA setup, it’s plenty loud but has a direct out when it’s not, and it just sounds great!
As jazz player - I use DV Mark Jazz Combo (solid state) - have perfect jazz tone but also work well with cruch/everdrive delivered through combination of Xotic AC+ (overdrive) and Helix HX Stomp (modulation, delay). From time to time I also have gigs as "one-man-orchestra" and usr Roland GR55 to add some "hammod" or "brass" sound - Everything with DV Mark Jazz :-)
That’s a nice setup! Hx stomp is on my to buy list.
Great video. You are close micing your amp with a condenser mic (2:24)? Is this an AT2020? Thanks
Thank you! Close. That's a P120 condensor mic.
I have a Vox MV50 clean, which is effectively solid state - it has the ‘nutube’ in the circuit but it stays clean and consistent all the way through the volume range which is great for a variety of volumes/contexts. However, my preferred sound always comes from valve amps - I set mine for just a little break up and then roll back the volume control - the tone I prefer is similar to John Scofield rather than the classic jazz guitar tone, and valves work much better for that in my experience.
I really think the preference is going to be determined to a large extent by what you are aiming for. I dont like the round bass tone of most jazz guitar and prefer something capable of being more brash, with sustain and rich harmonics like a sax that is available at the touch of the volume control.
Is the electric current to the speakers in a tube amp different to the current in solid state. I doubt it.
I do like both SS and tube amps and get good but different sounds from both. But tube amps have been much more reliable for me. I've had Polytone, Peavey, Acoustic, Fender, and Crate (all American-made) and Bros (Korean) and Behringer (Chinese) solid state amps fail, and I've had an American Fender and a Chinese Epiphone tube amp fail. I've had 3 solid state and 8 tube amps that have never failed. So in 45 years of playing I've had non-failure rates of 30% for solid state amps and 80% for tube amps. Your mileage may vary.
I had a Polytone and a Lab Series L5.
I now have a Schertler David and a Fender Blues Jr Humboldt with Dark Green Tolex , cannabis spreaker.
Early 80’s Yamaha G100-112 II combos are the 🐐, but I’ve also got a Polytone MiniBrute II and a Quilter 101 through a Raezers Edge cab, and love em all for different reasons.
Very nice!
I like my Roland Cube 40 xl a very clean sounding amp, which goes well with any guitar.
What’s your opinion on the Boss Katana vs a Henriksen or Quilter etc?
I’ve only tried the Henriksen. They’re ok but I prefer other amps.
I prefer tubes. I have 4 Marshall's, 3 of which are tubes. One is solid state. I also have a a solid state Crate. I think the tubes sound better, but they are definitely a pain to take care of.
What is the hassle of care?
This was interesting, thx Jamie. I agree with you, I think SS is a great way to go. My BOSS Katana is fantastic for Jazz and I like that I don’t have to deal with the sensitivity of Tubes. I would like to look into a Roland JC120, one of my favorite clean tones of any amp. Thx for putting this video together
Thank you!
Acoustic Image Clarus 2R with Raezers Edge Extended Range 10"/Stealth 12 backup. Twenty years, no maintenance... and I used to own 2, Two-Rock heads a Special Reverb (John Mayer) and Jet... admit a little seller's remorse, but I am TOTALLY satisfied with the AI and the AER 60 for backup. Tubes are fine... but not worth the weight, maintenance, and inconsistency. Great channel... Bless you.
Thanks for your input!
I do like the Roland Cube with some chorus dialed in. I've always wanted to try a Polytone but they are rare in Australia. I remember Emily Remler said in an interview that her favorite amp was the Twin but she couldn't lug it around and used a Polytone, not necessarily for its sound, but because it was easy for her to carry.
I like cubes too. Thanks for that info - I did not know that Remler used a Polytone too.
I have a MIJ Orange Cube 20, the clean is amazing and took pedals really well. 33 years later it’s still rock solid. I’ve recently paired it with a Joyo American pedal with a cab sim pedal and BAM! For more headroom/volume though you still can’t go wrong with a valve amp. I still manage to get a tube clean from the Roland in the overdrive channel with some knob tweaking. The main issue is unwanted frequency interference with solid states as you push more vol/more pedals. Great vid, cheers
@@snegs11 Just picked up an old orange CUBE 60 and I agree! I intend to do a video on it at some point.
@@jamieholroydguitar , Nice one! They’re definitely keepers (mij)
Aside from your useful comments about digital vs tube amps (thank you), this is the first I've heard of Oscar Moore. What strikes me is that he seems to be holding his pick in a very similar (inverted) way to George Benson. In particular, he rapidly tremolos some notes.
What settings did you use on your Mega Brute to get the tone you liked?
Hi I find turning down the treble and boosting the bass and mids make a difference on the megabrute
That's what I found myself. Thank you for replying to my inquiry.
If I’m playing jazz my Roland jazz chorus is great.
For blues, fusion or rock ‘n roll a tube amp all day because the note bloom, the responsiveness the SAG and the feeling I get when I play it it’s just better. I’m not suggesting that in the modern era very few people can pass a sound test if you play a high-end modeling rig like a fractal, But the vibe one gets Playing a great operational tube amp outside of a jazz context is at this point still untouchable. It is definitely moving in the direction of good modeling and solid-state circuits but we are still several years off from modeling amp or solid-state and that can truly produce the physical payback that the player gets when operating a tube amp. Dollar for dollar the sound tends to be better and to answer because I’ll talk to answer more expensive than most solid-state mulligans the ones that sound as good as they do are way more expensive Unless you were talking about the best tube amp on the market which sound better than anything.
For a liability and maintenance Tube amps at some point will become a pain in the ass. I was proud tube amp owner for a couple years before something went wrong. Once you get to the point a tube amp craps out on you It exactly the wrong time, you’ll get very used to Ams failing on you but you will also be very diligent about making sure your aunt is fully operational before a gig and making sure you have a backup. I have never been the kind of player who is going to plug a paddleboard into PA system a sans amps-and I have had situations where solid state amps of 150 W can’t compete with a 40 W tube amp For volume. I never understood why the circuit boards don’t deliver any volume especially when you’re using modeling software and built in effects . Seems like no matter how much you try to use the guitar EQ or the amp EQ nothing seems to cut until you get an EQ pedal and crank the shit out of thing to wear your tone is almost bad by itself but works in the band context
Im not a jazz player, but I use Roland JC variants (SB-100 and GA-60) and a JC-22. Great for noisy stuff with pedals and great for clean, but... I always wondered why the JCs are called 'jazz' amps. I guess it all makes sense.
What about for a home only practice amp? Is the polytone mega brute good for home only? Or?
Yes. I don’t but you can find transcriptions online.
@@jamieholroydguitar Thanks for your response. Btw no mega brutes available but have seen a few polytone mini brute ii? Are these any good?
I don't play jazzmaster but have moved from fender hot rod and vox ac15 to my favourite 77 vox escort and my HH 50 watt
You are right, man!
One Control BJF-S66 - transistor amp, emulates a Super Reverb in tiny box - just brilliant!!!
I have this FERNANDES FA 15 that I purchased a month ago. It's got lots of headroom for such a small solid-state amp master volume stays at only number 1 maximum is number 2 that's it nothing more. Even if I push just the pre-amp section I get good results out of it and it's perfect for my chosen style which is rock and metal.
Is Polytone mega brute is still available on the market?
Only the used market! I may know of one if you are in the UK that’s for sale.
i have 10 Marshall amps 7 valvestate and 3 MG
Go back 30 years or more and there were many awful sounding solid state amps, whereas nearly all valve amps were pretty good although much more expensive to buy. Today though, things have moved on and it's not so simple nor clear cut, but the mud has certainly stuck with a lot of people. (a bit like those that won't consider any other electric than a Gibson or Fender)
I’d already come to this conclusion too. Cheaper, tougher, just as good.
I always go direct into my digital interface, when recording guitar (otherwise you're at the mercy of the kind of mic that you're using and the limitation of the speaker and circuitry in the guitar amp.) For live, I always use a solid state amp. To me, for a clean tone (with rolled off highs) there is no decernable difference between a tube or solid state amp (you have to get into distortion and added harmonics to get any kind of difference, and I don't use distortion..) Because there is no difference in the linear range of an amp, a solid state makes sense. It's lighter, and there are no fragile, tempramental, and expensive tubes to be concerned with. I've had lots of guys think that my Peavey Pacer amp is a tube amp. If fact it is not. It is completely solid state, and almost all bipolar transistors (only one FET in it.) So much for the "tube tone." The Roland Cube series is my favorite.
I have the Katana 100 Mk2. Beautiful SS.
Very nice!
latest favorite fishman loud box Jr, 20 lbs, nice sound for a small gig line out for larger places, before that had a behringer keyboard amp, 90 watts 12 inch speaker and a horn, before that Fender Deluxe a transistor one from the 80's with red knobs.
I have a Fender Studio 85 that I got in the late 80's. But I love the tube amps. I got an EVH lbx1, a JCM 900, a Vox VT-40( both designed by the same guy... ) Bottom line...tubes. All good.
Like you said they both have there place I had a Supro tube amp was my favorite, now my favorite is Ia boss Katana . Which I love with tone studio and patches awesome. With a les Paul I play rock and blues. 2 questions how do you do become a jazz guitar player in 15 years ? I mean a good jazz player And I didn’t know that jazz players used a telecaster ? I love Joe Pass . Jazz playing ,and Dejango . Cheers
Hi there. I honestly believe you can good at least semi decent at jazz in 15 years. The fastest way to get good is to find a good teacher! In terms of using the Tele for jazz then check out Ed Bickert, Ted Greene and Bill Frisell.
@@jamieholroydguitar not a criticism about the time or the tele .I usually see the hollow or simihollow body guitars like Joe Pass maybe the old style Maybe fusion . Like I said I’m more of rock n roll rhythm and blues guy . But I do like the old school traditional jazz . Enjoy and be well .
The things you say about both kinds of amps are something that is slightly disturbing, and something I have to admit to not wholeheartedly supporting. BUT!! You are absolutely correct! And that is why, in the end, I followed your advice! (My guitar is a homebuilt "Partscaster" Tele-type and my amp is a Roland Cube 40 which I have used for almost 10 years, after deciding a TwinReverb is too much weight!)
Drummer who is too loud? We put a plexiglass shield around our drummer!
My experience is pratically the same of yours. And, for the same reasons, I prefer solid state amps nowadays.
Great explanation, bit of a soundscaper (wouldn't call myself musician). To me all this is comparable to the analog vs digital synthesizer debate. With analog there had been a drift of oscillators so this often needed on the fly tuning (temperature). For both there are pros and cons.
Futile are those fanboyish arguements when one has clearly pointed out the reason why one is preferred over the other.
Got both analog and digital (sample based) synths and pedals as a tube and transistor
based amp.
Nice video,cheers 🤠
Once you start recording/tracking you'll realize that tubes always win. They sit in a mix better and blend with other instruments and vocals.
Me too. I prefer solid state amps. Light weight, no change tubes, consistent sound at 10% volume and 90% volume…. Tube amps are fragile.
But I still searching my ideal amp for blues and jazz:
Roland jazz Chorus sounds great but are noisy (hiss) and heavy weight.
Polytone are too compressed to me ( iconic amp)
Dv mark jazz sounds too mid range to my taste.
AER, I don’t like The speaker, only good for gypsy jazz.
Quilter, better for blues, pop music… In jazz style you should turn off The trebble pot.
I never try Henriksen but I think it’s similar to Polytone. Yes, no???
Another good SS amp is Tech 21 trademark 60, but not for jazz.
I’d like try one EVANS, I think is my amp, but is difficult try in Europe.
Laney 50w tube fusion & old Peavey Bandit Teal blue.
I'm lucky my ears are too shitty to tell the difference between tube and solid state. My favorite amps are the Peavey Bandit 65 and the Marshall JCM 800 2203x.
Do you find polytones amp new ?
No they stopped making them about 10 years but I have some used ones for sale. Drop me an email if you’re interested!
@@jamieholroydguitar sorry I live in France, I ll go for an henriksen, thx anyway, you're doing a great job ! 👍🏻
SMALLER AND LIGHTER. That is the only real reason. It's totally valid, particularly true if you are going up stairs, etc...A nice Fender Twin or even some 50 watt vintage tube anything will sound amazing totally clean. I had a Gibson RVT 77 that was amazing clean. Dead quiet, amazing holographic clean tones. So many solid state jazz amps are dark, darker and darkest.
I’ll never go back to tube. I’ve used a Quilter for years now. Best ever.
I’ve always wanted to try one!
While I can't deny anything that you mentioned about the solid-state, being more reliable and consistent. I found myself always going back to tube amps.
Just for some background and content, I play more 80's-90s metal and Blues and I've been playing for over 30 years. The amps I've kept are my Carvin X-50B with 4x12 cab, Marshall JCM800 4010 combo (both tube amps), Peavey stereo chorus 2x12, Peavey Bandit, Marshall Zakk Wylde mini stack and a Marshall MG series practice amp. As I mentioned my style of playing I also run a stero set up with my 2 tube amps and kick on the Peavey stereo chorus 2x12 with them sometimes, pretty much a full frequency spread lol. I also have about 5 different drive pedals on my pedalboard as well. So here's the thing, because of what I play the tube amps definitely take drive pedals much better in terms of really driving the tubes to get that tube sound and attributes going. Honestly I don't like the way my solid-state amps react with pedals. I do believe if you can find one, you would really dig the Peavey stereo chorus 2x12. Not much about these old amps on the net, but they are monsters of sound and seriously underrated. That being said, I always gravitate back to tube amps. I found it interesting when you were talking about "headroom ". Both my amps I switched over to 6L6GC tubes and they are both 50 watt versions. I have tons of headroom, especially on the Carvin X-50B, it's an understated amp that does mild to wild and has a 5 band active EQ.
Just my 2 cents, great content, Cheers!
I've played a few tube amps and some solid state amps as well. What most people or some people don't understand is that the best sound comes from the speaker. And yes there are some other hacks as well. Maybe a noise gate or a more tight and heavy distortion pedal.
I'm surprised with the pedal boards I see, that more people don't just go straight tube amp- that is literally just a tube power amp. I've always stuck up for solid state. Because I was lucky. I had 2 Riverera era fenders when I was 15 or so. Most solid state amps aren't those. Dude at a gig says "don't bother bringing your amps" (I did run stereo) played a gig I hated on a crate.. my gear didn't mesh with it. My buddy had a carvin same era tube amp. It never really impressed me. It nailed that doors 5 to 1 sound but I might like it better today lol......
Been happy with a fender mustang v modeling amp. Again I dig stereo and tube amps don't do it. .. But just having bought a tube amp: I don't use the modeler as much. Maybe just new gear gleam.. but I really only miss the reverbs and univibe tones. My 2¢ if it made any sense.
Agree! One other reason is that tube amps lose their great tone at low volumes. Many transistor amps don't!
Wow. I was just saying to myself I'd put my up grade tube amp against solid state everyday. Really fun. But it's nice to see other opinions like yours here. Thanks. To me solid state is compressed a lot more, so it's played different.
I prefer AER & Schertler to Polytone.
Tube amps forever
Solid state with a compressor… all the squishof tubes… half the weight. Cubes are great
I just don't understand people who say tube sounds better...It's old technology guys and the quality of the sound depends of the synergy of your equipment.That's nothing to do with the damn bulbs 😅
If you are you own roadie (99% of all guitar players) then solid state is more practical. The audience wants a show. Not a nerdy contest of tube club members. I mean... its the indian.. not the arrow that makes the difference in the end.
I mean, no offense but this isn't really all that unusual. Solid state amplifiers have been popular in jazz for quite a long time now. So much so that it is generally well documented in books about guitar and such.
Well duhhhh there is only one Jazz amp and that is the Roland JC120(Jazz tends to be more mechanical and twiddly and not feel so tube amps are wasted on this style...)Blues Rock Metal...all good tube amp styles but Jazz requires a precision that Tube does not do justice to (differing playing styles....Jazz players prefer Clean Response and that is the realm of Solid State, no sag, no breakup all clean!!!)) Metal player here and die hard tube guy (but =can appreciate a properly applied SS amp)
People are funny. They cant fall behind when it comes to the newest tech. They'll stand in line for two days to get the new $1000 iphone model even though the iphone they have, which they also bought the day it came out, is barely over two years old but they refuse to believe anything could be just as good or better than a vacuum tube invented in 1904.
Firstly, I agree. I think people prefer tubes because they offer compression and crunch solid state doesn’t have without on-board effects or pedals. For me, solid state has the best clean pedal-platform sound ever. Look at the jazz chorus.
Solid State amps don't have the same dynamics of a chube amplifier! that's whole point of having a valve amplifier. You have to play hard on a valve amp whilst a solid state you can just tap a string and it'll sustain for about 100 years. Apples and Oranges whatever a player prefers.
People who don't no how to play lead correct like solid state.
Yeah solid state works for jazz. Rock not so much
It's simple: Tube amps are super expensive. They get hot when you use them, they could double as a room heater. They pull more current out of the wall. Since they run hot, you have all kinds of problems with them. Tubes need to be replaced and re-biased periodically. A lot of them end-up on a amp techs bench with burned circuits inside. They sound different from venue to venue. Did I mention they were super expensive to buy? All these reasons make them a STUPID purchase for most people. They all make noise, and they all sound a little different. So what. People talk about "headroom". Whatever. Get a Fractal FM9, plug it into a 500-watt rack SS power amp, into your favorite 4x12 cab and you have all the "headroom" you could ever need. Screw tubes, I say! Who needs them! Not me! Tube amps are a ripoff.
so the reasons jazz musicians avoid tubes are the same reason rock guitarists love tubes. the breakup!!
Shhhh... you're going to wake up the analog guys.
But is it warm.. I have a new Roland JC-40 and a new Fender Princeton Reverb Custom Hand wired.. side by side the Fender valve KILLS the Roland dead and sounds far more ALIVE and ORGANIC. The Roland sounds ok. but put it next to the Fender it's almost lifeless and sterile in comparison. But.. turn the Fender up to 4 and it starts to crackle and hiss like it suddenly tuned into some alien radio station. Horrible noises and crackles. You just can't win. I care more about how an amp 'feels' more than it sounds.
Seriously, Clint who? Stromm?
Clint strong
@@jamieholroydguitar cool. He's got a youtube channel, just so everyone knows.
In my opinion, solid state amp sound nasally
I used to think that
Roland micro cube is absolute garbage.
I found mine very noisy!
Because you are deaf?
Say again please
I’m not buyin it. I’m pretty sure these new “solid state is better” videos are popping up due the high likelihood of a looming tube shortage and you guys wanna keep a UA-cam music commentary market alive. Tube simply sounds better. If this guy knew there was an unlimited supply of vacuum tubes for the future, he’d buy all day. No sense arguing. I don’t care. Reality is what it is.
I don't like tube amps. I prefer my Roland 30 and my Roland 60 Cube. I bet if Joe Pass would have used mainly Roland cubes; they would be suddenly be the must-have amps for every Jazz guitarist and sell for a fortune.