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re: Bought My First Tube Amp This Week!
Posted on 8/31/26 at 7:30 pm to Shanegolang
Posted on 8/31/26 at 7:30 pm to Shanegolang
I have the privilege of playing through a Friedman JEL20. For me, it's just "that" sound.
Posted on 8/31/26 at 9:03 pm to Jef75
I've had several tube amps over time.
My two biggest hangups with them, in 2026-
1: You really have to crank them up to get "that sound". It's not practical for non-pro players.
2: They are heavy as frick and most people can't afford roadies to haul that shite around for them.
Modelers don't have these issues.
I did inherit an Ampeg SVT, bass amp with a 4-10 ampeg birch cab, it sounded beautiful.. But you had to really crank it, not good in a practice room. And like another poster said, at live shows the mixer always wants it direct anyway. But the direct out on that SVT into the DI box still sounded really really damn good. I sold that a long time ago, and wish I didn't. But I didn't play much bass (I inherited it), and needed some cash. It had been my brother's, he was in an actual touring band that made lots of money. For him, it made sense.
The most ridiculous tube amp I ever owned was the Mesa Boogie Mark IV.
Small amp, but was nailed to the floor. This little 1x12 combo amp must have weighed 80 pounds. And also, the volume knob at 1.5 made windows shake. It was ridiculous.
My two biggest hangups with them, in 2026-
1: You really have to crank them up to get "that sound". It's not practical for non-pro players.
2: They are heavy as frick and most people can't afford roadies to haul that shite around for them.
Modelers don't have these issues.
I did inherit an Ampeg SVT, bass amp with a 4-10 ampeg birch cab, it sounded beautiful.. But you had to really crank it, not good in a practice room. And like another poster said, at live shows the mixer always wants it direct anyway. But the direct out on that SVT into the DI box still sounded really really damn good. I sold that a long time ago, and wish I didn't. But I didn't play much bass (I inherited it), and needed some cash. It had been my brother's, he was in an actual touring band that made lots of money. For him, it made sense.
The most ridiculous tube amp I ever owned was the Mesa Boogie Mark IV.
Small amp, but was nailed to the floor. This little 1x12 combo amp must have weighed 80 pounds. And also, the volume knob at 1.5 made windows shake. It was ridiculous.
This post was edited on 8/31/26 at 9:06 pm
Posted on 9/2/26 at 6:36 pm to Fells
quote:
Tube purism isnt placebo laced snobbery. If you cant distinguish the sound of tubes, I dont really know what to say. It may be hard to define the sound, but it certainly isnt hard to hear it.
What it took for me was playing his every Friday for a month, then pulling out my modeling amp again. It was the epiphany moment. It just paled in comparison. And that's not a knock on anyone else's opinion. They're all great for what they can do.
I'll be going on my camping jam in a few weeks and there's no way I'd take my new amp to it even though I know it would sound "better". The difference isn't enough to be lugging it around all week and worrying if it could get wet or jostled and bust a tube. The old GTX will do just fine.
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