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Chapter 15: Choosing Your Amp and Effects
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The name Boogie came from Carlos Santana, who, after playing through an
early Mesa-designed amp, said, “This thing boogies!”
Figure 15-15 shows the mighty Mesa/Boogie.
Figure 15-15:
The Mesa/
Boogie
Mark IIc+.
Messing Around with Your Sound: Effects
In this section, I show you the world of effects and how they can enhance your
sound. Some effects are already inside your amplifier — such as reverb — but
introducing outboard (separate boxes that hook up between your guitar and
amp through cords) effects offers a great range of flexibility. In the early days
of blues, no one used effects (except what could be found on an amp), and
some blues guitarists shun them. But many modern players, even when trying
to emulate the effect-less masters, will use effects to create a more modern
sound. And Eric, Jimi, and Stevie used them extensively, so what more justification
do you need? In the following sections, I break down effects by category,
describe what each one does, and then offer tips on how and when to use them.
Back in electric blues’ formative years — the ’40s and ’50s — the basic sound
was of a guitar going through an amp. That approach has remained intact
through present-day blues, with only subtle enhancements to the sound, in
the form of effects.
TEAM LinG