Question:
In response to the recent questions of amps and what to buy, I have brought back my long explination of what i thought were the major amp companies in the guitar community.
======================
Here’s a quick breakdown on what I think are major amplifier companies:
Marshall: By far, the most famous. If you walk into a guitar center (eww…) and you’ll find isles full of them. Marshalls are known for their “british” sound but some of the newer marshalls are voiced for the modern distortion kind of sound. Unfortunately their control quality and construction design have left much to be desired for. I’ve heard many complaints on some popular items such as the TSL footswitch problem and the DSL combo heat problem. Apparently the design of the DSL head isn’t very good according to one account. Marshalls are still very very famous never the less. (artists: Ynwvie Malmsteen, Jimi Hendirx, Zakk Wylde, Jeff beck, and others)
Mesa/Boogie: Linkin Park, Creed, and yellowcard are testaments to Mesa/Boogie’s signature Rectifier Sound. M/B is really famous for making quality amplifiers and they have a very diverse line up of amplifiers. Their rectifiers are probably the most famous because of its heavy high gain sound. (Joe Satriani: “That thing is a beast!” even though he uses peaveys and marshalls). They also have diff amps for diff styles like the Mark series (Santana is famous for using those though he uses a dumble now too), the new Lonestar, and F-series.
Fender: Probably the most popular for clean sounds besides vox (later). Though their tube amps are really famous for pristine clean tones, some people complain about their overdrive section for not having enough distortion. Many amp modelers have 3 or 4 different settings that are based off fender amplifiers so that says a lot.
Peavey: They make some popular amps as well. As you can see from this forum, there are many people recommending the Peavey classic 30. Peavey also makes many other diff products such as the 5150 (famous for being designed by guitar great Eddie Van Halen), 5150II, XXX (most probably based on the rectifier fad), XXL (solid state that’s popular), and JSX (new designed with Joe Satriani, one of the greatest guitarists of all time). Beware though, the 5150 series clean channels aren’t very clean and break up easily, and in leading worship, clean amplifiers are a good choice.
Line 6: Famous for making amplifier modelers. Basically their amps digitally models famous amplifiers over the ages. Many people do complain about the tone because it’s digital and they like the sound of tubes much better. I do too.
Vox: The AC 30 is probably the most famous amp some have never heard of. Famous for their very clean tone, these were made when electric guitars and amplifiers started coming into mainstream music. Most noteable users would be the Beatles. Nowadays, Vox still makes the AC30 but now they’re famous for their Valvetronix line which combines tube and solidstate to make a modeling amp that is warm like tube amps yet flexible like modelers.
Carvin: I know, it’s not that popular, but I own one so I’ll mention it anyways . Carvin is a company that makes guitars and amplifiers that are ordered direct from the factory therefore making the prices lower. They have a diverse spectrum of amplifiers. The MTS is good for the modern heavy distortion kind of sound, Vintage series is for people who prefer vintage tones of back then, the Legacy which was made with Steve Vai (another one of the greatest guitarists in the world) and is buttery smooth, SX series that are solid state for the budget conscious, and the Tone Navigator which is a preamp designed with Frank Gamble (ANOTHER great guitarist that can blow me out of the water).
If you’re planning on buying an amplifier, there are many more variables you must consider in order for you to find the perfect amplifier to meet your needs.
*note* these are all my opinions and deductions i have made from reading countless reviews and forums. If i have left out anything you think is worth mentioning, please post!
Answer:
Rainer's Chart:
Ampeg
Behringer
Bogner
Carvin
Crate
Epiphone
Fender
Gallien-Krueger
Gibson
Hiwatt
Hughes & Kettner
Ibanez
Laney
Line 6
Mako
Marshall
Matchless
Mesa/Boogie
Orange
Peavey
Pignose
Randall
Rivera
Savage
Sewell
Soldano
Trace Elliot
Traynor
Tube Works
Vox
Yamaha
Some of the major guitar brands are bolded. The underlined ones are boutique amp makers.
(if i screwed up somewhere in this chart, just tell me. )
Answer:
Brands missed: Budda, VHT, Diezal, Splawn, Dr. Z, Matamp.
Answer:
what exactly is the purpose of this thread?
that being said, i think that mesa/boogie is actually still considered a botique amp. they are just the more accessible botique company around (botique because their amps are still hand assembled)
Answer:
Another boutique amp cornford. Exeptionnal qulity but the price is er... sick
Answer:
Originally Posted by iAMspartacus In response to the recent questions of amps and what to buy, I have brought back my long explination of what i thought were the major amp companies in the guitar community.
======================
i think that would be a fairly good list to start with... sure, there are more (hey, where's kalamazoo?? ), but these are the heavy hitters in guitar amps.
also, it would be good just listing random brands that you noticed weren't there, how about a description. what makes them a major amp company? why should they be in the list?
Answer:
what about defunct but once awesome companies like acoustic?
Answer:
then there are the extremely stinking expensive Dumble amps. santana has two of them and it's not fair.
Answer:
Polytone
Roland
SWR
Tech 21
Yorkville
Answer:
Ashdown ?