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Chapter 15: Choosing Your Amp and Effects
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Solid-state amps
One alternative to the tube amp for a budget-conscious guitarist is the solid-state
amp. This amp style uses transistors and printed circuit boards in its technology.
Solid-state amps are the most popular types of amps available, and many
performers actually prefer their tone — including the distorted sound — to tube
amps. But tone quality aside, solid-state amps are light, reliable, consistent,
inexpensive, and provide a wide range of tonal and effects possibilities.
Hybrid amps
If you can’t afford a tube amp right away, look into a hybrid amp, which combines
both tube and solid-state circuitry. In a hybrid amp, the preamp uses a
tube to create the initial sound, and the power amp uses solid-state circuitry
to drive the speakers. This method puts the tube circuitry at the front of the
chain, where it has the most effect on the sound. Using solid-state circuitry
for the power amp keeps the cost and the weight of the amp down, which is
great for both your wallet and your biceps!
The Marshall Valvestate series, as shown in Figure 15-10, uses hybrid
technology.
Figure 15-10:
A hybrid
amp.
TEAM LinG