metropolis_4
Gold Supporting Member
- Messages
- 7,655
I've been using all digital gear for a long long time now and haven't played through a tube amp since I can remember. After having problems with my laptop rig recently I did some serious thinking and went out and bought an AC15. Had my first gig with it yesterday and I have to say, it was a great experience. It had nothing to do with tone or feel, it was something else.
There's something very specific about the way Vox amps smell. I'd forgotten it, but as soon as I fired it up, it was there, and it brought back so many memories of gigs, jams, hours of rehearsal, good friends, good places... It brought this, intangible feeling of happiness along with it that made the whole experience so enjoyable. Not to mention the feeling of a connection with the instruments heritage; a connection with the past. Maybe that's illogical or impractical, but I felt like I played better last night, and I know I enjoyed it immensely.
I've done my share of ribbing tube amp guys in all these tubes vs. digital threads (and in person as well), but I have to say, after this reminder of what it's like playing through a tube amp, I get it. I totally get the appeal. There's something there that just makes the experience of playing through a tube amp enjoyable. It may be intangible and completely disconnected from the practical considerations such as tone, feel, and such, but it's there.
This is nothing against digital gear. I still love digital gear and will continue using it in applications where it is the best tool for the job. But I think I've re-found something that I'd forgotten about in this experience, and I'm sure I'll start using a tube amp more often.
There's something very specific about the way Vox amps smell. I'd forgotten it, but as soon as I fired it up, it was there, and it brought back so many memories of gigs, jams, hours of rehearsal, good friends, good places... It brought this, intangible feeling of happiness along with it that made the whole experience so enjoyable. Not to mention the feeling of a connection with the instruments heritage; a connection with the past. Maybe that's illogical or impractical, but I felt like I played better last night, and I know I enjoyed it immensely.
I've done my share of ribbing tube amp guys in all these tubes vs. digital threads (and in person as well), but I have to say, after this reminder of what it's like playing through a tube amp, I get it. I totally get the appeal. There's something there that just makes the experience of playing through a tube amp enjoyable. It may be intangible and completely disconnected from the practical considerations such as tone, feel, and such, but it's there.
This is nothing against digital gear. I still love digital gear and will continue using it in applications where it is the best tool for the job. But I think I've re-found something that I'd forgotten about in this experience, and I'm sure I'll start using a tube amp more often.