TO AMP OR NOT TO AMP? THAT IS THE QUESTION

To Amp or Not To Amp

When recording, guitarists have been going direct into the board for as long as I can remember, letting the engineer and producer shape their sound. Due to digital recording, we now have audio interfaces and apps that include effects, reverbs, compression, auto tune, and amp types and cabinet simulators. You can use these to record music and even play music live without lugging a heavy amplifier to your gig.

1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb

When I was younger, I used to lug around a 1965 Deluxe Reverb, then later a 1969 Bandmaster with head and cabinet to gigs. Back then I had to take the back seat out of my VW Beetle to fit the cabinet in the car. 

Roland Micro Cube

A few years ago when we moved I stored most of my equipment away but for an old Line 6 Spider 3 and a Roland Microcube which I use at home.  I know some of you might scoff at this choice, but the Roland Microcube is a nice bedroom practice amp, and I picked up the Line 6 Spider for less than $40!!

Going Direct

More and more pro players are ditching the amp these days. Unless your venue requires rental from a backline company you can now plug directly into the house sound system and create the sound that you love. 

An advantage is no load in, or load out and no repairs if a heavy amplifier breaks down. Many guitarists and bass players have figured this out as of late, and in fact, this practice has been going on for quite a few years.

Pat Martino with Clarus

Towards the end of his career, Pat Martino played through a Clarus Acoustic Image Amplifier directly into the venue's sound system and cabinet. His rider stated a speaker cabinet/monitor must be provided. 

Joe Pass

Joe Pass, who never used effects, quit lugging his Polytone Mini-Brute in favor of just a DI box that he could store in his guitar case.  

AER amplifier

Tommy Emmanuel uses a small AER amp with a direct line to the house system. Many other players no longer use amplifiers in concert. 

Tascam 4 Channel Mixer

I saw Al DiMeola years ago at a guitar clinic. He used a Roland guitar synth, and his signature Ovation, which featured a hex midi guitar connection, was plugged into the guitar synth and then into a small Tascam mixer which had loads of reverb that he ran through the house sound system.

Instead of lugging that amplifier around, you can instead use an analogue pre-amp and power amp pedals, digital pedals or software through a DAW that emulates the sound of a guitar amp. The output from the pedal is then connected to the PA system or recording interface, which enables you to play without a physical amplifier or cabinet onstage.  

Loading In and Out

The benefits of this arrangement includes portability, since you are not lugging around an amp, 

You are going directly into the house public address system or your bands sound system. 

Radial Engineering Reamp

This way you  get a consistent, balanced sound, as the DI interface projects the sound the audience hears, and you hear in the monitor. The stage volume is lower. No more ringing ears, feedback, or fight with the guy running the mix. 

Long cord runs are no longer a problem. And let’s not forget the load in and load out. All you are bringing to your gig is your pedal board and a DI connection. 

 

Powered Monitor

A friend used to bring his pedal board rig, and a small powered monitor with an XLR cord that he ran to a direct box. This went into the house sound  He could hear his guitar in the monitor while the soundman ran the audio. This simple arrangement worked just fine.

To play gigs without an amplifier you will need a preamp to shape the sound, which can even be your pedal board, or multi-effects unit. You will also need a power amp to boost the sound, and a direct box to get that balanced signal.

 Micro Block 

One of my buddies plugs his effects board into Quilter Micro Block and a speaker cabinet. He gets great results.  A friend that owns a music store quit buying used Marshall amps and cabinets. He site the diminished demand for them as there are other ways to achieve that same sound.

5 MM power amp

There are quite a few power amp pedal such as a Electro Hamonix 22 MM MXR Micro amp or you can use a low watt practice amp. A powered monitor will work. If you have an interface with a cabinet simulator, well 'Bob’s yer uncle.'  And there are so many DI boxes to chose from. Some are passive, and some are active.  

For more than a few years guitarists have been using the Fractal Audio amp modelers and preamp system digital audio workstations or DAW's.  The AX-FX iii has eight channels for recording, with EQ, with thousands of cabinet simulations. Brand new it costs $4900. 

Fractal AX-FX iii

The Fractal Audion FM3 Turbo Amp modeler is a floor unit features some of the amp effects found on the AX-FX iii, plus over 1,000 cabinet simulations. 

Brand new it sells for $1,100. If you are a working guitarists and making a living this may be the way to go.

Two Note CAB +

Another option, perhaps more affordable, are some products from a company called Two Note. Two Note offered the Torpedo C.A.B M+ speaker simulator, which featured a preamp and power amplifier.  It has since upgraded it to The Opus which still features amp simulation, cabinet simulation, multi-effects plus pre-amp, and power amp capability for around $300. 

The Two Note products use Bluetooth technology to change effects and updates.

Atomic Ampli-Fire

The Atomic™ Ampli-Fire is a floor pedal that is an Amp-In-A-Box. It comes with nine preset amp features that include cabinet settings, but you can customize your sound. Channel switching allows you to change on the fly in a live setting.  This pedal is perfect for recording too.  The Atomic-Fire Box ML-II is current on sale new for $199 USD.  

Strymon Iridium

Another option is the Strymon Iridium Amp Modeler, new for $399 USD. This box offers 3 amplifier models,  plus nine different stereo cabinet models. This little box includes adjustable reverberation up to 256 milliseconds. The amp models are "Round" based on Fender Deluxe Reverb, "Chime" based on a Vox AC-30, and "Punch" based on a Marshall Plexi (Super lead model 1959).  

However there are plenty of other amp simulators on the market. 

Joyo FD American Sound

However one of the most popular and least expensive models is the JOYO FD American Sound Amp Simulator, which is designed to simulate a 1957 Fender Deluxe amplifier. From videos I have seen, this unit performs wonderfully and delivers sounds from clean to distorted and everywhere in between. which can simulate the sounds and cabinet of this amplifier.  

This amp-in-a-pedal has the smooth, subtle overdrive everyone expects from fender-style tube amps near full volume, although it can also be used as a clean boost you get more liquid  sound.  

Tech 21 California Sans Amp

The circuitry in this pedal is based somewhat on that of a Tech 21 NYC California Blonde Sans amp, which was discontinued and is only available on the used market.

The great thing about the JOYO amp simulator is that it sells on Amazon for only $40 USD. 

The Chinese manufacturer Joyo also offers a series of  other amp simulators that have the same price point, although the JOYO FD American Sound is by far their best seller.

Joyo Oxford Sound

The JOYO Overdrive Guitar Effect Pedal Amplifier Simulation Distortion Pedal for Electric Guitar - Bypass (Oxford Sound JF-22) emulates the sound of a 1970's British made Orange Amplifier. 

Joyo California

While the JOYO Overdrive Distortion Pedal Amp Simulator Rock Tones from overdriven to the distorted tones of a Mesa Boogie MK-II.

Joyo British JF-16

The JOYO British Sound JF-16 guitar amp simulator tone is inspired by the Marshall Plexi Super Lead amplifier.

Acetone JF-13

The JOYO JF-13 Acetone Guitar Effect Pedal Amp emulates the British Rock Sound of a Vox AC30 amplifier.  All of these pedal sized amplifier simulators are available on Amazon for only $40 USD. 

If you intend to record or put together a amp simulator board to use in live settings, one important thing to remember is the signal chain for your effects.  

Joyo Dr. J bass simulator

For bass players, Joyo offers the Dr. J Bass pedal D-53 that simulates an overdriven mic'd bass amp simulator. This pedal includes a DXL output with ground lift switch.

You definitely want the amp simulator at the end of the chain. you probably want the tuner at the beginning of the chain so it gets a clean signal from your guitar as a starting point. As an example, dynamic effects (compressors), filters (wah), pitch shifters, typically go at the beginning of the signal chain. Gain based effects such as and overdrive/distortion pedals come next. 

Signal Chain example

Modulation effects such as chorus, flangers, phasers typically come next in the chain. Time based effects such as delays and reverbs work best at the end of the signal chain. Volume pedals can go at the beginning or end of your signal chain to provide slightly different functionality in different locations in your chain. 

 I wish you all the best in your venture into leaving the amp at home.

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