Guitar Amp Alternatives under $200 (case study)

I was recently commissioned by my church to research guitar and bass amp alternatives under $200.  The purpose of  this was to find some inexpensive backups (in case of amp failure) as well as an alternative to use in a small meeting place where amplifier volume levels would be prohibitive.

Here is what I found in no particular order:  The church went with the FloorPOD series.

Line 6 FloorPOD / FloorPOD Plus  $150-$200

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/navigation/guitars?N=100001+8+304262&Ntk=All&Ntt=Floor+Pod&Nty=1

Pros: easy to operate (no ‘menu’ levels ) simple layout and  FAST setup, sounds pretty good, built in volume/wah pedal

Cons: limited effects controls, limited amp models, does not sound as good as POD X3, unsure of reliability

My .02,  this maybe the perfect option for a guy whose amp goes out.  He can setup an amp model and effects in just a couple of minutes, just use the floorPOD for everything.  Also good for the player who doesn’t have many or any stompbox effects.  The key here is simple, you don’t have to read the manual to get it to work right, everything on top is self explanatory.  The Plus is larger…offers a few more controls and the ability to save multiple presets which may or may not be useful.  As with Drew’s POD, L6 reliability is hit or miss.  Line6 is the industry standard right now.

TECH21 Sansamp GT2 $190

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Tech-21-SansAmp-GT2-Tube-Amp-Emulator?sku=480208&src=3WFRWXX&ZYXSEM=0&CAWELAID=26039609

Pros: SUPER SIMPLE (3 sliders, 4 knobs, 1 in, 1 out, 1 switch) rugged, metal case, small (DI box) size, sounds great.

Cons: 3 limited models, no effects.

My .02,  this was probably the first “amp Simulation” ever built.  It sounds very amp-like.  setup takes seconds!  extremely easy to use.  Would be good for the player who already has a pedalboard or effects to plug into the front of it as this box has NO effects.  But it is very durable (all metal) and fits easily in the small existing pockets of the portable cases, or even your guitar case.  It can also be used in front of an amp as a distortion pedal. extremely reliable, this pedal has been around for years… (was on top in regard to amp modeling before Line 6)

PS – Behringer GDI21 is a copy of this pedal (circuitry-wise) for $30 but as you know, reliability is sketchy at best.

ZOOM G Series (G1, G1x, G2, G2.1U)  $60 – $170

http://www.sweetwater.com/c633–Zoom–Guitar_Pedals_Multiple_Effects/low2high

Pros: small format, layout similar to FloorPOD.  Tons of sounds, lots of extras – program/recording software. cheapest

Cons: plastic I think. Program menus can go deep, may need the manual to figure stuff out.

My .02,  cheapest of the bunch at the low end.  Great sounds, but may be hard to change parameters in a live situation.  Probably best to have someone program it ahead of time with good presets to use in case a backup is needed.  Lots of in depth features in a small package. The Manual is a must.

***For strictly replacing an amp only (no effects)…I’d go with the Sansamp GT2 – setup is a breeze***

**For all around use, all inclusive, as a backup or main rig on the cheap go with the Line6 FloorPOD**

*If money is the deciding factor, go with the ZOOM, but be prepared to spend time with it beforehand*

Tone Tips for Guitar Players

I get asked alot about tone.  Guitar tone.

How do you get it? …Well tone can be very subjective but here are some things I find that helps with electric as well as acoustic guitar.  RULE #1 – PURCHASE A TUNER!!!!  This is the most important tone tip I can offer!

Electric Guitar:

1) Strings -  I like to use at least .10 gauge pure nickel or at least nickel wound.  Nickel gives a rounder tone and string gauges under.10 usually sound too thin and break too easily.  I have heard many arguments for many types of strings claiming all sorts of things from cryogenically freezing to special coatings to odd wraps and colors, don’t fall for it, stay simple.

2) Amps/Pre-amps/Pedals/Settings/EQ’s – Ok so your guitar has ‘tone’ and ‘volume’ knobs, so use them!  If the guitar was made to be played all the way up on the T & V, then the knobs wouldn’t be there, right!?  If you don’t have any effects pedals, set your volume halfway and when you need to take a solo or make a certain part stand out, roll it all the way on..not only will it add some volume..it will mostly add ‘gain’ or ‘overdrive’ to your tone (even more so if you use ‘hot’ pickups).

Speaking of overdrive, most guitar players I see (especially in the church environment) use too much or too little.  To really make your sounds shine try “cleaning” up your “dirty” tones and put a little “dirt” on your “clean” stuff.  Just a slight amount of crunch can make a world of difference when trying to ’sit’ in a band mix.

Now most of what I just mentioned will depend alot on your amp/pre-amp/POD/etc.  One thing these all have in common are an EQ section.  ”Treble, Mid, & Bass” are all too commonly misunderstood in the realm of guitar.  Too often I see amps set with the bass and treble maxed out and the mids dialed way back.  This makes no sense to me, your keyboard and bass player ‘communicate just fine in the treble and bass realm without your help’  The guitar is a mid-range instrument, let it shine there…it may reveal more ‘holes’ in your playing but will help you get better and sound better.  I like to set my EQ, ‘flat’, which is 12 o’clock on most dials…get things to sound as good as possible there and then cut or add EQ as needed.

Acoustic Guitar:

1) Strings – Phosphor  Bronze!  I can make an exception here for using ‘coated’ strings, for the simple fact that about 5 hours of playing on regular PB strings and they go dead real quick.  The coated version can extend the life by quite a bit with minimal tone loss,  I still ultimately prefer uncoated though as far as overall ’sound’ goes.  Also use medium gauge if your fingers can handle it, your sound man will thank you.

2) Amps/Pre-amps/Pedals/Settings/EQ’s - Speaking of playing live, you are going to have to get this ‘wood & steel’ to a mixing board and PA somehow.  We’ll talk about pickups in another post so for now let’s assume you have a standard traditional piezo pickup under your bridge saddle.  Go ahead and set the volume to 3/4 (75%) to produce a good strong signal.  If a volume control is all you have, good.  you’re done…let the sound man set your EQ at the board.  There are quite a few products out there in the form of pre-amps and DI boxes (Direct Input).  These are great especially if you have a problem frequency or a guitar that likes to feedback alot.  A good pre can dial some of this out, and quite a few electric/acoustic guitars have a pre of some kind built in.  Again it’s a good idea to start out with these controls as flat as possible to get a good sound. (the old adage, If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.)

I don’t normally bother with acoustic amps, nor effects.  Maybe some subtle reverb but a good sound man can handle that for you.

One or two things I do like for acoustic guitars.  Compressors and tube pre-amps.  A good tube-based preamp can really warm up a brittle thin signal of an acoustic guitar pickup, especially piezo’s.  A compressor can also help take the ‘edge’ and ‘quack’ of acoustic pickups.  One pedal that does both of these especially well is the Electro-harmonix Black Finger Compressor, it is tube powered, has a gain control and two different types of compressors in it, also more on this and may other products later.

-All for now–

*****Note that here I refer mainly to the equipment side of things but know that there is another side of tone that comes from technique. (I know you’ve heard the expression that Tone is from your hands)*****

Electric Guitar Recommendations

The Electric Guitar. There may be no other instrument that has defined pop, rock, jazz, blues and country music for the last 50 years than the electric guitar. There are numerous shapes and sizes, and no recommendation I could ever do would be complete. So with knowing that, here goes…

Best Supporting Role

Fender Highway One HSS Stratocaster – $900

Fender recently raised their prices, making this the most affordable american made instrument they offer. It is rather plain looking but offers a lot of tonal variety in that it has a humbucker in the bridge and two more traditional single coil’s in the middle and neck position. What I like about this model is it’s flat, thin paint finish. It gives the instrument a ‘broken-in’ feel straight from the box.

Star Of The Show

Paul Reed Smith (PRS) Mira – $1,776

I have to admit, until a year or so ago…I had no desire to own or play a PRS. Then a guy in Nashville turned me onto two models that I have found to be very, very nice. The Mira happens to be one of them. Their proprietary pickups can sound like just about any solidbody guitar – les paul, strat, or tele. It has a classic styling which PRS has not been known for in the past…They used to focus on bold colored, expensive flame wood top guitars. This guitar features a comfortable neck to body glued joint, simple controls and wraparound bridge/tailpiece. And it’s less that $2,000 which is also pretty inexpensive for an american made PRS!

And the Academy (my pick) goes to…

Schecter PT – $550

The PT stands for Pete Townsend, the lead guitarist from The Who, and this is supposed to be a reissue of the model they made for him.  Well, whatever the case, it is a great guitar for the price.  Two Seymour Duncan – designed humbuckers, that can be ’split’ to give you the single coil sound.  it is a basic no frills performer.  For an import guitar Schecter makes a solid, well-built instrument…and this one is ultra-affordable for the quality and tone it produces.  This gets my pick due to the pickup configuration, the tele-style body shape I prefer, and the PRICE!

Bass Guitar Amp Recommendations

Ok. So in my opinion, amplification is the most overlooked ‘ingredient’ in the ‘tone’ recipe. Here is an old adage that I have experienced first hand. A $2,000 guitar played through a $200 amp will never sound like a $2000 guitar. The other way around would yield better results. I digress, my point is to give your bass some adequate “umph!”

The Low Down:

Line 6 LowDown LD175 – $500

Line 6 is most known for their “red bean-shaped” POD series of Guitar Amp Modelers. A few years ago they got some serious spark to design some products soley for the bass. This is one of those “Diamonds in the Rough” you hear about. Not only does it have the sound of 6 different classic bass amps, but has built-in effects and a compressor, which is so important to a good bass ‘tone’. An XLR direct out, and line in (for jamming along to iPod tracks) Top it off with a 15 inch ported speaker cabinet w/ built-in tweeter, and you’ve got some serious punch and articulation.

Bass Ace:

Ampeg SVT450H (Head) – $750

Ampeg SVT810E (Cabinet) – $1,000

oooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh! Nothing says thunderous bass like the Ampeg 8×10 speaker cabinet. Sometimes bigger is just so much better. If you can afford it, and carry this beast around, why not!? A 10 inch speaker is effecient but kinda weak on its own, you put a few together and you have tonal bliss. This has been a classic since 1969! Couple it with their 450 watt head and you will rival any ‘lowrider’ that dare cross your path!

Chad’s Pick: (Realistically, you may never need more than one good bass amp, and that 8 x10 cab will eventually send you to the chiropractor. So my pick is…)

Ampeg BA600 115 – $1,000

Classic Ampeg tone with a built-in compressor (very important). A single 15 inch speaker provides plenty of low end. Built-in casters for easy portability (won’t break your back). Combining a modern and vintage channel, along with a great direct out and you can cover some serious ground.

Bass Guitar Recommendations

We now move on to the bass guitar. I am not a bass player by trade, but I’ve played quite a few, know a lot of bass players and listen to many studio engineers and these picks are based on that knowledge.

Big Bottom:

Fender Standard Jazz Bass – $550

Fender’s standard line, made in Mexico, has been a music store favorite for many years and for good reason. They are well built, sturdy, easy to play, and for the most part…sound really good. Studio engineers love the way they ‘record’ and most pro’s I know either started out with one, and still own them!

The Big Top:

Music Man Sting Ray 5 – $1,500 to $1,630 (depending on color)

A classic. This bass has seen more performance stages in the last 10 yrs. than any other I can think of. 5-strings, active electronics, and a barrage of colors. Music Man instruments are one of the best values in handmade USA instruments and it shows in the StingRay.

Big Value (Chad’s Pick):

Schecter Stiletto Studio 5 – $750

I’ve meet two incredible bass players in the past two years who both swear by this bass. The funny thing is that they didn’t know each other and were in different states! I guess a good bass is a good bass. This one is great because it gives you 5 strings, great playability and sound…all for a great value. It also has an active eq/preamp section. One unique feature is it’s neck-thru construction. What that means is that the neck actually becomes the center part of the body, making a seamless joint and equals more resonance and an easier to play instrument.

Acoustic Guitar Recommendations

For criteria see previous post.

The Low End:

Seagull S6 Original Q1 – $530

Seagull along with parent company Godin, have been building a reputation for acoustic guitars in quality and innovation. You won’t find a better budget-minded acoustic made in North america for a better price. Made in Canada, this guitar features a Cedar top- known for its added warmth, and wild cherry back and sides (a combination of Mahogany and Maple) which yields a ‘woody’ and slightly ‘projected’ sound. The onboard pickup system is made by L.R Baggs, a leader in acoustic pickup systems!

Up Top:

Takamine TF360SBG – $1,850

Until about a year ago, I had an unfair bias against Takamine. Then I did something crazy, I actually played one! I was blown away! Yes it’s true these are made overseas, in Japan. It is a pretty well kept secret amongst guitarists that Japanese quality very much rivals that of the US, especially when it comes to more mass produced instruments. Solid Rosewood back and sides with a solid Spruce top- a classic combination. This ‘Tak’ is voiced and built to sound like a vintage Martin (high end USA acoustic guitars) but has two very unique features. One being a split saddle bridge. Without going into too much detail a split saddle allows the guitar to play ‘in-tune’ all the way up the neck, most acoustics get a ‘little off’ the further up the neck you play. And two, their proprietary pickup/preamp system. Takamine’s ‘Cool Tube’ technology warms up your signal and gives you complete control over the sound, add a built-in chromatic tuner to boot and you have a serious acoustic, ready for the stage.

Best of Both Worlds (Chad’s Pick):

Takamine EAN10C – $1,100

I have to recommend a guitar I own and love. The EAN10C is a beautifully underrated instrument. A USA instrument of this quality would cost 2x this much. All solid woods. Mahogany back and sides with a warm satin finish Cedar top. It has the split saddle and built-in tuner like the previously mentioned ‘Tak’ but with a smaller price tag. Just a great instrument for a great price!

Worship Band Instrument Recommendations…

I get asked from time to time my opinion on Instruments to use in the worship environment. So I will take the next few posts to walk everyone through what “I would recommend”. My criteria will change from instrument to instrument, except for 3 things. 1) is what I refer to as “investment value”. Investment value is important because it has to do with resell value. If you start with an intermediate guitar and want to upgrade to pro level, you want to make sure you can actually ’sell’ that intermediate instrument for a decent amount to offset costs. I will not consider any instrument below $500 an investment. 2) Versatility – I will make recommendations based on versatility of an instrument to respond adequately to a broad range on styles. 3) All recommendations will be readily available at Musician’s Friend, Guitar Center, or SamAsh, etc.

Get ready! Here they come!

I will review instruments and equipment from $500 – $2000 and there in between. I will also have something I call Chad’s Pick which will balance cost and features! Enjoy!