British v. American

[Drifting]

My views have changed back and forth from time to time, but personally I seem to have settled on American voiced amplifiers. I've always found it odd, because alot of my favorite recordings ever were made on old Plexi's, but I have found more of 'my' sound through American styled amps.


British and American amps are very different obviously, not better or worse. Just wondering what you guys think. This is not just Fender v. Marshall. Vox, Dumble, Ampeg, Trainwreck, all others included etc.


Yeah, we all know early Marshall's were similar in circuit to Bassmans, etc. That is not the point. Just wanna see the consensus at the moment. Sides, those early tube amps and Fenders came out of Tube manuals, books and such

 

[troykennedy]

I am kind of a Vox, Marshall fan

 

[sixty2strat]

But what era .....love Marshalls till about 76....but would rather have a BF bassman than a DSL or an 800.

 

[Drifting]

But what era .....love Marshalls till about 76....but would rather have a BF bassman than a DSL or an 800.

Doesn't matter. The best of either era, of either voicing. Whatever does it for ya'.

I agree with you on the Marshalls though, the more knobs they put on those things the less I got into 'em.

 

[The Last Rebel]

I'm a definite British guy. Nothing, and I mean nothing, will ever beat a good Vox in my mind.

 

[Drifting]

The British are coming, The British are coming! 12 to 4.

 

[Drifting]

I'm a definite British guy. Nothing, and I mean nothing, will ever beat a good Vox in my mind.

Voxes are one of the only type of amps I have not connected with.

I'm sure a Matchless would change my mind though. Don't have that kinda dough, not now

 

[Yankee Univox]

Hi whattttttttttt?!

 

[Darkburst]

I prefer Marshall and Vox tones for my own playing. When it comes to other players it doesn't matter. I've heard plenty of great tones from American style amps. The British ones just do it for me.

 

[shngn7]

I am kind of on the same page with the OP. Even though almost all of my favorite recordings tend to be with cranked Marshall's (Cream, Hendrix, Zeppelin), I find my sound in cranked Fender's. A cranked Brownface and a slightly dirty Blackface is probably the most fun I have yet to experience which is what I have in my Category 5 Andrew.

 

[Drifting]

Hi whattttttttttt?!

I remember a year or so ago I was talking to a friend about how AMAZING Pagey's tone was on the Led Zep DVD on the RAH performance.

I later learned it was a Hiwatt. I'm still pretty much a dufus, but from what I can tell, Hiwatts are similar to marshalls, with more definition, but less crunch.

I could be totally wrong though, I'm a total dork to Hiwatts.

Also heard Live at Leeds was on a Hiwatt which is awesome, although Townsend's was modded.

 

[airwarrior]

I dig my JTM-45 a lot. It's kind of like the best of both worlds.

 

[Yankee Univox]

I remember a year or so ago I was talking to a friend about how AMAZING Pagey's tone was on the Led Zep DVD on the RAH performance.

I later learned it was a Hiwatt. I'm still pretty much a dufus, but from what I can tell, Hiwatts are similar to marshalls, with more definition, but less crunch.

I could be totally wrong though, I'm a total dork to Hiwatts.

Also heard Live at Leeds was on a Hiwatt which is awesome, although Townsend's was modded.

'Watts are definitely cleaner,stiffer,more immediate attack.

'Shalls(good ones) are crunchier,'greasier',far more forgiving.

That's what I hear anyway.

 

[Drifting]

'Watts are definitely cleaner,stiffer,more immediate attack.

'Shalls(good ones) are crunchier,'greasier',far more forgiving.

That's what I hear anyway.

Ok cool, I'm not a total dufus.

I think Hiwatts are American.... or are they British?

 

[The Last Rebel]

Voxes are one of the only type of amps I have not connected with.

I'm sure a Matchless would change my mind though. Don't have that kinda dough, not now

I can totally understand that. Not everything or everyone sounds great through a Vox. The wrong guitar can easily make them sound like crap. But with me and the right guitar, I think that's about as close to perfection as I'll ever get.

 

[Sniper-V]

Love them all,

But,

I'm partial to British voiced amps.
Marshalls and Vox just do it for me.

 

[Drifting]

I can totally understand that. Not everything or everyone sounds great through a Vox. The wrong guitar can easily make them sound like crap. But with me and the right guitar, I think that's about as close to perfection as I'll ever get.

Definitely agree with you. For me personally, a strat with just a normal blackface, straight in, can sound like poop. But my strat through a bassman clicks much better with the extra mids.

I've also found it to be people's musical personalities. Not just their style of music, but just they way they meld with an amp's character. Some people just flat out sound better on certain styled amps than others, despite the guitar(not that the right guitar and pickups aren't crucial for the other 50%).

 

[Yankee Univox]

Ok cool, I'm not a total dufus.

I think Hiwatts are American.... or are they British?

Hiwatts,the models that are worth a damn anyway,are British.

 

[Drifting]

Hiwatts,the models that are worth a damn anyway,are British.

I see, thank you!

I have heard only the vintage actual Hiwatts are worth it. For current production, people seem to go to other manufacturers, Reeves, etc.

 

[Yankee Univox]

I see, thank you!

I have heard only the vintage actual Hiwatts are worth it. For current production, people seem to go to other manufacturers, Reeves, etc.

Reeves are great...Clearly Hiwatt inspired,with some of their own thing going on as well.