Tube snobbery?

twinreverb · 06-14-2008, 08:55 PM

Why is this thread in sticky mode? I doubt anyone cares about this issue any more. Sure, there are people out there that are pushy about the tube amp thing, but I think most normal people can either see past that or just simply ignore it. People are pushy and snobby about all kinds of things in life, from clothing brands to car manufacturers to sports teams, you name it. Get over it.

And get a tube amp!

Just kidding: play whatever amp you want to.

**thesteve** · 06-14-2008, 10:58 PM

It's stickied so that when someone wants to come make a "tubes rule, SS users suck" post we can just merge it in here with the rest of the rehashed arguments.

twinreverb · 06-19-2008, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thesteve

It's stickied so that when someone wants to come make a "tubes rule, SS users suck" post we can juts merge it in here with the rest of the rehashed arguments.

But we're enlightened, i.e. we know that it's really about taste and not about one truly being better than the other, so why do we care? Don't we usually ignore people who start such arguments?

**Rainer.** · 06-19-2008, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinreverb

Don't we usually ignore people who start such arguments?

Actually, we point them here to this thread. And that's why it's here.

metal4Christ · 08-02-2008, 07:42 AM

Hmm... I know I'm a bit late, but I understand tube amp snobbery now -I got one!

-but for the record I still use my Korg Ax1500g straight into a system for various applications.

mdr193 · 11-13-2008, 04:40 PM

If you have to have a solid state amp get an old peavey bandit. they're a little over a hundred bucks, built like tanks, and take pedals well. It's a good solution if you can't afford a tube amp. Now, don't use the drive channel of it though, it sucks, like pretty much all solid state amp drives hah. i don't recommend anything else though. (sorry all you solid state lovers, don't mean to offend you)

tripleshift · 12-11-2008, 04:36 PM

Very good points... One thing I'll add from experience in playing both is that yes, with tube amps you're "feeling" more of what you're playing. It's simply a naturally occuring feel that you will get with a tube amp.

Think of a car with standard rack and pinion steering up against one with power or power assisted steering. With rack and pinion, you'll feel everything and (some will say) have more control. Power and/or power assisted does some of the work for you but you lose feel. (rambling but hopefully this makes sense)

However, I play a SS Kustom Quad 200HD

The reason... I have to answer to my wife and kids if the heat gets turned off because of non-payment.

For me, simply economics. Would love a Mesa Dual Rec!

davethegringo72 · 12-20-2008, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Visirale

Oh, one downside to tubes.... They'll kill ya! I'm sure a solid state amp can shock you pretty bad, probably kill you also, but it doesn't have the exposed parts that a tube amp does. You fiddle around back there, and you could recieve a fatal shock.

Heh, think of the shock you'd get from a mesa bass 400+; 500 tube watts. Definately get you to heaven a little quicker than a solid state amp.

Unplug the amp before you fiddle. . .

**thesteve** · 12-20-2008, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davethegringo72

Unplug the amp before you fiddle. . .

Even if you unplug the amp, the capacitors hold a charge until you discharge them.

pwfirst · 04-21-2009, 01:45 PM

Hi guys I am new to this forum but not to guitars and amps. The sounds we get from amps are dependent on the guitars you plug into them too. I have guitars of all types and they don't all sound the same out of the same amp. I personally like some of the new modeling amps and the variety of sounds they produce. The upper end Line 6 amps are very nice. If you can't get the sound you like from them, you just have not found the right adjustment yet. I have had Fenders new and old, Mesa, Orange, and some more. Every time you change the tubes in your amp, the sound changes. So the sound you really like may be short lived if a tube goes out.
The bottom line is to take your guitar with you and try many amps till you find one that meets your wallet and personal likes. May old personal favorite was an old Standel amp with 4 - 10 in. speakers with my old nature 62 Strat.. Life was good when you were 17 in 1969.

LoudRocker · 08-17-2009, 11:08 AM

Just to add my .02 Cents in here.

I have two amps, One is a Solid State ( I love the Tone ) And my Tube amp (I love the tone) Both amps are for the same application Either for a Rhythm Track Depending on what I want. Both amps have their different qualities.

I run my amps as pure as possible, then in my DAW I enhance them with whatever effect is needed.

Here are my two Work horse amps in my home studio with Mics

They are great and I love my sound

The Big Red one is the Solid state, the black one is the tube.

I guess whatever sound you really love, use it.

kfinkel · 11-10-2009, 08:41 AM

I joined the forum yesterday, but have been playing and gigging as a musician for over 30 years. When I saw this thread - well, I just could not help myself. I think there is definitely room for both modeling/solid state and tube amp gear. I currently own both and they both serve very different purposes for me. Man, I wish I had the Line 6 gear available to me when I was starting out! I still use a Guitar Port connected to my laptop when I am noodling around or doing demo tracks. I have owned their flagship amp (the Vetta) and was generally satisfied as long as I was jamming out in my music room along to CD's or the radio. The minute I went to play live with it - my sound just sort of evaporated into the mix. The other thing I have noticed about them is that they sort of homogenized my guitars - they all sounded the same to me through that amp. Tube amps are a whole different ball game. They are more expensive and harder to maintain but to me, the trade off is worth it. A good tube amp inspires me to play. I love just doing a bend on my G string with the amp cranked and holding it there until it starts to feedback, or hitting an E chord and letting it ring. It has that rich, 3 dimensional thing going for it and allows each of my guitars to retain their own unique mojo. If you do not gig and live in an apartment then a solid state amp is most likely a better fit for you. Tube amps tend to sound better when they are opened up a bit - even the 5 watt ones can be too loud for apartment dwellers to have those late night jam sessions. I am glad this thread is stickied - there is no right or wrong answer to this question. If it works for you then that is all that matters! Rock on!

CheshireCat · 11-10-2009, 09:15 PM

Five years and going strong! I feel proud to have been a part of this thread!

Ax · 11-10-2009, 09:43 PM

I would like to say that modeling and solid state are not necessarily the same thing. I think that modeling is a step in the wrong direction for SS. I think SS is an abandoned technology really. There's little innovation, when I believe there could be more than just trying to mimic a tube amp. Sure they're more reliable and you don't have to change tubes, but really... if you want tube buy tube.

**thesteve** · 11-10-2009, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ax

I would like to say that modeling and solid state are not necessarily the same thing. I think that modeling is a step in the wrong direction for SS. I think SS is an abandoned technology really. There's little innovation, when I believe there could be more than just trying to mimic a tube amp. Sure they're more reliable and you don't have to change tubes, but really... if you want tube buy tube.

While I don't necessarily think modeling is a step in the wrong direction (just a step in a different direction), I definitely agree with the rest of your post. There have been some great SS amps, but in large it has definitely been an technology that has been embraced by the big manufacturers because of it's (low) cost and (in turn) profitability.

Unfortunately, SS innovation slowed to the point where most people think of modeling and SS as the same thing even though they are fundamentally different.