With the advent of amplifier modeling and plugins for DAW's, it's tempting to record guitars through using those methods instead of going through the hassle of plugging in and recording through a conventional guitar amp. But while a copy of something can often be good enough, in many ways, there's just no substitute for the original. While I like having the flexibility of using software, I may be a dinosaur but there's just nothing better than plugging into an amp and recording guitar tracks that way. Among the endless number of factors that ultimately determine the tone of an electric guitar, I believe the amplifier is the single most important factor of all.
There is a big difference in what makes an amp ideal for studio use as opposed to playing live. In a studio setting, lower wattage guitar amps perform much better that their bigger counterparts, especially when it comes to tube amps. That is because with lower wattage they have to be turned up to reach the necessary level. This gives the tubes a chance to “saturate” and distort at reasonable volume levels. That is why classic rock, blues and soul recordings from the 1950s to the mid-'60s were made with small amps. Prime examples are Billy Gibbons' and Eric Clapton's preference for the classic Tweed Fender Champ and Steve Cropper's reliance on a 12-Watt Fender Harvard combo. Nothing quite matches the sound of a cranked tube amp.
I've found that a close-mic'd setup on a small-ish tube amp can sound like the roar of a full stack in playback. Using a multi-mic setup to record a small amp will also make the amp sound even bigger. I have two different tube amps for my studio, but I also use a Laney 100-Watt solid-state tube head also. Why? Options and flexibility. Solid-state amps are great for clean sounds that sit well in a mix. The Laney records exceptionally well at low volumes and it also has a direct line out that is perfect for late night sessions or when the tube amps are too loud for my wife's sensibilities.
So without further adieu, here are the amplifiers that I have at my disposal.
MY RECORDING AMPLIFIERS
VOX AC15
The Vox AC15 Custom delivers the classic chime and complex grind that made Vox famous. This 15-watt Class A combo amp was one of the first to define the British sound and continues to be used on stage and in studios around the world. The AC15 15-watt design offers a full, driven sound in a studio setting and the 25-watt Celestion Greenback speaker mellows high frequencies. The combination of the Vox's EL84-driven power amp and its Top Boost preamp gives the amp its iconic sound. The Top Boost section adds sonic control and high-end detail to a guitar's sound while the footswitchable spring reverb and the classic VOX tremolo enhances the legendary sound. Finally. Vox's AC circuit is famous for how well it takes any variety of effects pedals, giving me a very versatile unit.
LANEY LINEBACKER 100
Laney's Linebacker 100 is one of the most overlooked amp heads ever made. The rhythm chug from Channel A is perfection. Pre-overdrive, the response is indecently close to that of a clean valve amp and when the pre-gain is turned up it gives a wonderfully progressive distortion that is not found on any other transistor amp. The Linebacker will also run as clean as ice with Channel B, and with a multiplicity of tone controls (each with with boost settings), a solid reverb, and remote channel switching, it's everything you'd want in an amp head.
MARSHALL MX412BR
The Marshall MX412BR is the cabinet I use with the Laney Linebacker head, offering a straight 4 x 12" cabinet loaded with a quartet of Celestion G12E-60 speakers which yield a muscular British sound with open cleans, brutal crunch, and singing leads. The lows are full, the mids are creamy, and the highs chime. No matter what style of music I play, the MX412BR brings out the best in my Laney. With a classic Marshall look bearing the iconic Marshall logo, the MX412BR is a great way to expand my Laney's capabilities. The G12E-60 speakers are classic-sounding Celestion with more than enough power handling for the Laney. In the 1960s, Celestion's original Greenback speakers helped shape generations of guitar tone and became a staple of modern music. With its warmth and distinctive growl, the G12E-60 serves up the essence of the Greenback's British guitar tone, with low-end grunt complementing warm mids, crunchy upper-mids, and sweet highs.
FENDER SUPER CHAMP X2
The Fender Super Champ X2 offers classic Fender blackface styling and all of the desirability of a Fender tube amp in a very economic package. Channel One is powered by two 6V6 output valves and a single 12ax7 in the preamp, delivering that classic clean Fender sound . Channel Two is a digital modeling channel with 16 different amp voicings, modified or replaced using the USB port and Fender's Fuse software. Any one of sixteen effects can be added to either channel including reverbs, delays, choruses, and flangers, all usable for recording or just for experimentation before going to pedals fro the final effect(s).
TRAYNOR YCX12
The Traynor YCX12 Custom Valve speaker cabinet is the cab I use with the Fender Super Champ head. It's a closed-back cabinet with one 12" Celestion speaker, adding a little more muscle and bottom end to the amp. Depending on the sound I'm looking for, I can rerod the amp through it's line out, I can mic the cab, or I can do both. Traynor is a much overlooked brand in the U.S. but it is revered in Canada. Peter Traynor was as much a visionary as Jim Marshall or Leo Fender when it comes to amplifier design, and as an amplifier repairman in the 1960's Toronto music scene, he had a rare ability to see the musical trends of the day, understood the limitations of available equipment, and created innovative solutions that gave way to his highly sought after amps and speaker cabinets.
MY BASS AMPLIFIER
HARTKE BA150
This is my bass practice amp and also the one I primarily use for recording bass parts. Soundwise, the B150 features a 6" 8 ohm driver that sounds full and punchy despite its compact size. It is driven by a 15 watt amplifier and includes three bands of high-quality equalization, allowing me to create a broad range of tonal colors for my basses. The bipolar circuit design ensures that every nuance of my playing is reproduced faithfully, and a separate headphone output lets me listen to myself while practicing silently. A front panel line level output lets me plug directly into my audio interface and the effects send/return jacks allow me to add any effects pedals I want. It may be small but sometimes great things come in small packages and aside from Ampeg amps, Hartke has always been at the top of my list for bass amplification.
MISCELLANEOUS AMPLIFIERS
CRATE CA60
The Crate CA60 is a 2-channel amp with twin independent channels each with its own gain,reverb and effects controls, perfect for solo acoustic gigs when I want a quick setup.
FENDER CHAMPION 30
A no-nonsense 30 Watt solid-state guitar practice amp that is light, portable, and simple to use with two channels and reverb. This amp is my go-to amp for working out electric guitar parts.
FENDER BASSMAN 60
This 60-Watt amp does double duty for me. It's my backup recording bass amp but I use it primarily my electronic drum amp. Its "kickback" design tilts the amp upward towards me as I sit behind the kit and play.