Which amp to buy for electric guitar? - Audiofanzine
A brief history of guitar amplification
In the 1920s, the guitar began to suffer from a serious lack of volume, particularly in jazz orchestras. Making yourself heard in front of even a very minimalist drum set and a horn section quickly became a problem. Manufacturers like Gibson then developed instruments with larger dimensions, which acoustically translated into a higher volume. Doubling the number of strings was also a solution considered to increase the sound volume of the guitar. The American brand National had the idea of building instruments in wood and steel, the famous resonator guitars, always with the aim of gaining a few decibels.
The first amps...
After these various attempts at mechanical amplification, which however did not really solve the problem, the electrical amplification of acoustic instruments germinated in the minds of Hawaiian pedalsteel players. The first amplification systems were actually derivatives of slightly modified sound systems of which there remains today almost no trace. The earliest use of guitar amps of which surviving records are traced to Hawaii around the late 1940s. However, brands like Stromberg-Voisinet and Vega Electrics had already developed banjo amp systems by the late 1940s. 1920s. In 1932, Electro String Instruments developed a small portable amp with handles built into the wooden frame. In 1933, Rickenbacker came up with the idea of adding metal corners to the chassis to provide protection during transport. The same year, Dobro marketed a magnetic microphone + amp set; the microphone could be installed on any guitar you wanted to amplify and the amp had two eight-inch speakers. Gibson had also developed a few amp models in 1934, which remained at the prototype stage. All of these amps that appeared in the 1930s were derivatives of PA amps. They developed powers of about fifteen watts.
Leo, Jim and the others...
It was in 1947 that Clarence Leonidas Fender developed and marketed the first guitar amp, a small combo that offered no control over volume or tone color. He was content to amplify the electrical signal generated by the magnetic pickups placed on the guitars. Although earlier prototypes survive, 1947 was the year that saw the birth of the first commercial amp. During the 1940s and 1950s, Fender developed a whole range of amps (the famous Tweed) developing different powers, from 5 to 80 watts. It wasn't until 1960 that Surf Music great guitarist Dick Dale worked closely with the Fullerton brand to develop a 100 watt amp. Although the beginnings of guitar amplification are located in the United States, Great Britain had a major role to play in its development. Jim Marshall, then a drum teacher and owner of a musical instrument store, had the idea of developing his own guitar amps. It was Pete Townsend, guitarist of The Who, who asked him to design an amp more powerful than those available at the time in England. In 1962, the first guitar amp head was born: the JTM45. It was actually a re-interpretation of the Fender Bassman, with components available in England. However, it is to Jim Marshall that we owe the “Stack” format, an amp head placed on a speaker. The rise of the brand is largely due to Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Pete Townsend who made the JTM45, Stack and combos famous. The virus then spread and affected Jimmy Page, guitarist of Led Zeppelin, who also adopted a JTM45 at the time.
At the same time, Vox Amplification, formerly JMI Corporation, also experienced considerable growth thanks to the success of the AC-30, widely popularized by the Beatles, among others. The rise of Rock'n'roll and then Blues Rock contributed to the rapid development of guitar amps around the world. Nowadays, there are many players in amplification, whether in France, the United States, England or China. We can mention in a non-exhaustive way Peavey, Mesa Boogie, Orange, ENGL, Diezel, Soldano, Blackstar, Laney, Magnatone, KelT among many others.
Types of amps: combos, stacks, etc.
As we saw in the quick history, two amp designs exist: combos and stack. The combo brings together all the components of the amp within the same chassis, the electronic circuit and the loudspeaker(s). The stack, which appeared in 1962, was invented by Jim Marshall to develop more volume. At the time, the amp with the most speakers was the Fender Bassman with four 10-inch bowls. Jim Marshall's idea was to double that number of speakers. He therefore thought of dissociating the loudspeakers from the electronic circuit of the amp. At the time, the enclosure dedicated to accompany the JTM45 head was equipped with eight 12-inch speakers. Later, for practical reasons, the brand separated it into two enclosures with four speakers. If only these two formats, combo and stack, were available on the market for many years, other types of amps have recently appeared. The combo category has been expanded over time with the appearance of formats that are more portable or intended for home use.
In 1969 appeared the first portable amp, the famous Pignose. Roland revolutionized this concept with the appearance of the Cube series. They are very versatile and above all super compact little amps, so very easy to transport. This allows you to play the guitar anywhere as long as you have an electrical outlet. The brand has even pushed the concept to the limit with the Cube Street which, as its name suggests and thanks to battery power, allows you to play in the street in a completely autonomous way, taking advantage of integrated effects and several canals. This was a first step towards streamlining amps, both in terms of power and size. More recently, we have seen the appearance of apartment amplifiers for home use. Yamaha knew how to hit hard with its THR series which very quickly became number one in sales in this category. Combos, travel amps, apartment amps or stack, today you will find the ideal amp whatever your needs. But once the format has been chosen, it remains to choose the appropriate technology.
The different amplification technologies
Tube/tube amplification
To amplify an electrical signal, several solutions are possible using different electronic components. Early amps used tubes, either for signal pre-amplification or signal amplification. Since it was the only known component at the time to fulfill this role, this choice seemed logical. Like all electronic components, lamps offer certain advantages but also some disadvantages. It is first of all a fragile component since its envelope (which contains the anode, the cathode, the filament and the grid) is made of glass. And since they are components that need a very high voltage to operate, the tubes are often associated with imposing input and output transformers which considerably increase the overall weight of the amp and release a lot of heat.
The use of tubes in early amps also presented a sonic problem. They provide clean amplification up to a certain threshold beyond which they will saturate, distort the signal. It was a real concern at the time when we were just trying to get clean sounds. Hence the appearance of amps like the High Powered Twin from Fender, which, with its 80 watts, pushed back the saturation threshold and therefore made it possible to obtain a louder clean sound. A lamp also needs to reach an ideal temperature before offering optimum performance and sound, hence the presence of a heating circuit. Finally, a lamp, like a bulb for that matter, has a limited lifespan. It is a consumable, just like the strings of your guitar, which will have to be changed.
However, these disadvantages are combined with significant advantages. From the sound point of view, it is a component that provides a particular and inimitable warmth and grain. In terms of playing, the tubes provide a smooth and very dynamic feel; every nuance of the guitarist's playing will be transcribed to the loudspeakers with great musicality.
Transistor amplification
Faced with the disadvantages of tube amps, transistor amps have appeared. The transistor is an electronic component that fulfills the same role as a lamp, namely the amplification of an electrical signal. The goal is to amplify the alternating voltage of a few millivolts coming from the guitar into a much larger signal which, once transcribed to the loudspeakers, will cause their membrane to move. Initially, manufacturers used transistors to reduce production costs and make their amps more reliable. We remember in particular the Vox MT60 amp used by the Beatles. Transistors offer many other advantages. They are reliable components that do not necessarily require changing, not being subject to drastic wear. They also make it possible to design much lighter circuits and therefore amplifiers that are more compact and easy to transport. Finally, they amplify the signal much more clearly and linearly than a lamp. The sound they provide is obviously different from that provided by lamps. We are not talking here about “better” or “worse”, everything being a matter of taste and above all of needs. The reliable and practical side of transistor amplifiers has allowed them to obtain a large share of the market, so much so that all the major brands, even the oldest, have given them a place in their catalog.
Assuming that everything is good, some manufacturers have made so-called "hybrid" amps. These use the two technologies mentioned above, lamps and transistors. Most often, as in the amps of the Valvestate series of Marshall, we find a pre-amp with lamps and a power amp with transistors. The color of the sound is provided by the pre-amplification circuit which, thanks to one or more lamps, provides warmth and a rather nice grain. This sound is then amplified thanks to a transistor amplification stage which does not offer any particular color but is very effective and above all very light. This configuration is the one most often found in hybrid amps, but some references use the opposite design: a transistor pre-amp accompanied by a tube amplification stage.
Modeling Amplification
Since the democratization of multi-effects and digital amp simulators like the little red bean from Line 6, the famous POD of which there is still a version in the brand's catalog today, manufacturers have integrated this technology into amps. They represent our final category: modeling amps. As the name might suggest, this is a digital technology that models the sound and potentially the playing reactions of a particular amp. Within a combo, there is therefore a digitally managed pre-amp part, and an amplification part which most often uses transistors. Modeling amps are often quite light and robust. Plus, like transistor amps, they sound the same every day and don't require warm-up time. A modeling amp has the particularity of not being dedicated to any particular style. These are very versatile amps that generate a host of different sounds and usually have a lot of built-in effects. They therefore embody an excellent solution when you start the guitar and you don't really know which sounds to choose. The built-in effects also allow you to familiarize yourself with this or that type of sound without necessarily investing in dozens of pedals. A modeling amp being articulated around a digital processor, most manufacturers offer the possibility of updating it regularly with new Firmware and new sounds.
You are fixated on technologies. It remains to be seen what power to set your sights on knowing that the latter, expressed in watts, does not refer to the same real power depending on whether we are talking about a transistor or modeling amp and a tube amp...
What power for what use?
If 100 watt amps appeared to fill a need in the days when guitars weren't necessarily transplanted in concert, today they are (much) too powerful for most situations. In addition, at the time, there was no gain adjustment (saturation rate) on the amps. To make them saturate, you had to turn up the volume and flirt with the pain threshold. As we have already seen, one can find an ideal amp for each use. If it goes through the format of the amp, it also goes through its power. It is therefore necessary to know what use is intended for the amp that you need at the time of its acquisition.
An amp for working at home
For domestic use only, a power between 5 and 20 watts will be more than enough. Attention, we are talking here about the power of a transistor amplifier. If a Yamaha THR30 and a Vox AC-30 both develop a power of 30 watts, the volume and the listening experience are not at all the same. We recommend a transistor or modeling amp for this type of use. Their flexible side, easy to transport from one room to another and especially their volume make them very suitable products for working at home. However, manufacturers have been offering small tube amps with a power of one watt for a few years (like the Marshall DSL1C tested in our columns). They allow you to enjoy the sound of the lamps while embodying a compact solution.
An amp to rehearse
If you need an amp to rehearse with your band, you have to keep in mind that your amp needs to develop the power needed to play with drums without being drowned out or having to crank it all the way up. If you opt for a tube amp, an amp with a power equal to or greater than thirty watts will be necessary. In the case of a transistor amp, you will need an amp with a power between 70 and 100 watts. The idea behind these numbers is again to be able to be heard in a band mix with drums, bass, vocals and potentially keyboards.
An amp for gigs
Finally, if you are buying your amp for use in a gig setting, there are two options. Either you play systematically while being dubbed (with a microphone in front of the amp which "dumbs" the sound to send it to the mixing console connected to the sound system of the room) in which case the power will not matter insofar as you will have returns; or you play without being picked up, in which case you will have to take into account the average size of the rooms in which you play. In general for concerts, we choose a tube amp of 30 to 80 watts or a transistor amp of 100 to 200 watts. Always keep in mind that you need to be heard in the mix.
However, for this, you must also take an interest in the speakers fitted to your amp, because their number, size or model will greatly influence the sound you will obtain...
What speaker configuration?
While there are amps of all sizes, size always dictates, in the case of a combo, the size of the speaker(s). Take for example the case of the small Marshall DSL1C which is equipped with an eight-inch loudspeaker. The amp is certainly light and compact but offers a very limited low frequency response.
Size matters...
When you choose your combo or speaker, clearly identify your needs in order to make the right choice in terms of speaker configuration. Different solutions are available to you. The size of the speaker will have a direct impact on the amount and response of bass; the larger the diameter of the speaker, the wider and deeper the sound will be. The diameter is measured in inches: 6 inches, 8 inches, 10 inches, 12 inches and 15 inches. Once again, there is no better size than another, it's all a matter of taste and above all of needs. There are some aspects to consider when choosing a speaker. The power it can take, its tolerance, which must be at least equal to that delivered by the amplifier. Its performance is also very important, it will determine the sound volume it produces and is measured in dB/w/m (fictitious measurement of a loudspeaker for 1 watt at 1 meter). The major loudspeaker brands (Jensen, Celestion, JBL, etc.) offer numerous references in all sizes; here too, everything is a matter of taste and needs.
And the number too...
If the size of a loudspeaker has a decisive impact on the sound, the number of loudspeakers installed on the cabinet plays a huge role. The size of the subwoofer (or Cabinet as our Anglo-Saxon friends say) greatly influences the frequency response. A loudspeaker equipped with one Celestion Greenback will sound different from a loudspeaker equipped with two Celestion Greenbacks, even if the materials used for the cabinets are identical. You will get more depth and definition with two speakers rather than one, and even more depth and depth with a 4x12 enclosure. When playing in a group, the membranes of the loudspeaker(s) are likely to oscillate a lot. The quality of the loudspeaker will therefore also have an influence on its lifespan and on the sound. Volume, sound, frequency response, size, weight, price… so many aspects to take into account when choosing your loudspeaker or combo.
The rest of the functional specifications
We are starting to see things more clearly, but there are other aspects to consider before taking out your bank card. If the first amps only had one or two channels, some current amps offer four, five or even six channels, sometimes themselves divided into several operating modes.
Canal Plus
These channels simply allow you to have more control over the sound of the amp and especially to be able to dose the saturation rate with precision. These channels scale according to their gain level. Let's take the example of the Diezel VH4 which offers four channels, from the clearest to the most saturated. This allows the user to enjoy great versatility and also to have precise control over the sound. Again, it's all about needs. If you play with a lot of effects pedals and only need one sound, your needs will be different from a progressive metal guitarist who would prefer an amp capable of developing a lot of overdrive but also very clean tones and tones. crunch, slightly saturated.
Built-in effects?
We told you about it above, some amps have built-in effects. They are usually found on modeling and transistor amps. However, some vintage amps like the mid-60s Fender Blackface already had a spring reverb and a tube vibrato circuit. When you start the guitar, it's nice to be able to discover the world of effects without necessarily having to extend your budget by a few hundred euros. This allows you to explore the different sound possibilities before investing in pedals. These are often fairly basic (but sufficient) algorithms, although some manufacturers such as Boss, the real world leader in effects pedals, offer quality digital models such as can be found in the Katana series. More and more amps have an effects loop, an insert point located between the pre-amp and the power amp. This loop allows the insertion of timing and modulation effects so that they react as well as possible with the amp. Although very practical, an effects loop is however not mandatory and some musicians even prefer to place their delays, reverbs and modulation effects in front of the amp.
The accessories and functions that make the difference
If you're buying an amp for live use, a footswitch can be a consideration. If it has many channels and integrated effects like the Boss Katana, being able to change its sound at the press of a switch is very practical in concert. In addition, as part of a modeling amp, you can concoct presets with different effects and sounds that you can recall at will, at the foot.
In the case of domestic use, be sure to choose an amplifier equipped with a headphone output. This is a very useful detail for playing at any time without annoying your spouse or your neighbors. This headphone output is most often equipped with a speaker simulation in order to obtain the most pleasant sound possible. Finally, some references are really dedicated to the work of the instrument and are therefore equipped with a looper and/or a rhythm machine. These are very valuable tools when you start practicing the guitar regularly, playing with other musicians, a drummer in particular, or with the metronome, an excellent way to progress quickly.
A few essential brands and references
Among the pioneers of guitar amplification is obviously the American brand Fender. Seventy years after their appearance on the market, these amps are still widely used and reissued today. Over time, Fender has evolved its amps, both aesthetically and sonically. Several periods punctuate the production of the brand, periods which borrow their name from the amps in question. Tweed, Blackface and Silverface are the three evolutions of these legendary amps. As essential references and in ascending order of power, we can retain the Champ, the Princeton, the Deluxe and the Twin. If the Blackface and Silverface are known and renowned for their crystal clear sound a little dug in the mids, the Tweeds, on the other hand, tended to saturate much more quickly and develop a lot of mids. Joe Bonamassa uses High Powered Twin Tweed on stage for this reason.
We mentioned Jim Marshall above but it is difficult not to quote him in this paragraph. The first amp from the English brand was a reinterpretation of the Fender Bassman, with the components available at the time in Great Britain. The JTM45 therefore had two power tubes, three pre-amplification tubes and a rectification tube. The latter gives the amp a more spongy and less aggressive character than that of its descendants. Among Marshall's legendary amps, we can also mention the famous Super Lead Plexi. The latter uses the architecture of the JTM45 but with higher power (50 or 100 watts) and diode rectification. These amps literally forged the guitar sound of blues, blues rock, rock, hard rock and heavy metal as they were used by almost every guitarist of the time. Its Plexiglas-covered control panel earned it its nickname: Plexi. In the late 70s, Marshall upgraded this circuit by adding a pre-amp volume control which allowed it to overdrive at “low” volume. These versions can be heard on live recordings by Australian band AC/DC from the same era. This amp, the JMP, gave birth in the 80s to the JCM800, another legendary amp from the brand. Using the circuit of the Plexi and the architecture of the JMP, the JCM800 has a little more gain and develops an immediately recognizable sound. It is still used by many guitarists today and the brand has even recently made it available in a “mini” version, a small 20 watt head.
Another major player in guitar amplification in the 60s was Vox. Its flagship amp, widely popularized by the Beatles, U2 and Brian May is the AC-30. This amp develops very brilliant sounds and a particular grain once pushed to its limits. Listen to the early Beatles albums for an idea of the "clean" sound and all of Queen's discography for an idea of the overdriven sound. The AC-30 was declined in several less powerful versions, in particular the AC-15 and the AC-10 proposed at the time in a Twin version with two 10-inch loudspeakers.
Mesa/Boogie also played a major role in the evolution of guitar sounds with the Mark I, Mark IIC+, Mark III, Marc IV and Mark V. The brand's first amps were reinterpretations of Fender amps of the era but with the introduction of the various cascading gain stages. This implied a much higher level of gain than competing amps of the time. Carlos Santana and Keith Richards immediately adopted the Mark I for its versatility and sonic character. Later, bands like Metallica helped the brand build a solid reputation using Mark IIC+ in the studio and Rectifier on stage. Even today, these amps remain true references present in many studios. They are all characterized by great versatility, a high level of gain and a slightly "crunchy" sound.
In the 80s, Peavey experienced considerable growth thanks to Eddie van Halen who developed his signature amp: the 5150. Like the amps mentioned above, the 5150 is still today an ultimate reference when it comes to "big" American sound. The amp accommodated five pre-amplification tubes which allowed it to generate a lot of saturation. Later, the brand will experience a resurgence of interest thanks to the Bandit series, entry-level transistor amps that sound good, are reliable and have a very interesting price/quality ratio.
We can finish this section on the essential references by Soldano (the list could be much longer, but it has to be stopped!). The brand was created in San Francisco by Michael Soldano, a genius electronics engineer who began his career by modifying the amps of the time (the JCM800s, in particular) for renowned guitarists. He then came up with the idea of designing his own amp, thus the SLO-100 Super Lead Overdrive was born. The amp is a kind of “Super JCM800” built entirely by hand in the brand's workshops, and is still an essential “boutique” amp today. The Neural DSP brand has also modeled the amp in a plug-in as it is legendary.
Buying tips
Now that you have all the elements to make the right choice for your first amp, let's take a quick look at the few mistakes to avoid and the most appropriate technologies. If your ambition is to play at home, a modeling amp with built-in effects, looper and drum machine is still a very good choice. The looper and drum machine are not mandatory and a good modeling amp with effects is also recommended. Desktop format amps like the Yamaha THR, Vox Adio Air or Boss Katana Air are an excellent choice in this category. If you want to play with other musicians in rehearsal, you'll want to choose an amp that's powerful enough to make you hear, although for impromptu sessions at home, a desktop amp may be sufficient. Once again, as soon as a battery enters the equation, the amp must deliver a certain power and therefore a volume accordingly. In this context, we advise you to take an interest in transistor amps such as the Boss Katana or the Fender Champion 100. If you want a sound with a little more character, Orange and Marshall also offer very nice transistor amps, the MG and Crush. Finally, if you play on stage, the amps mentioned above may correspond but we strongly recommend a combo or a tube amp head. They will allow you to have a sound that fits more easily into a group mix while developing the necessary power. The Boss Katana meets all needs thanks to a clever power reduction system. It can be used at home without problems, but also in rehearsal and on stage.
The different ranges
The guitar amp segment can be divided into three ranges: entry-level, mid-range and high-end. The entry-level reaches a first level of around €450, the mid-range ranges from €500 to €950 and the top-of-the-range starts around €1,000 to reach prices around €5,000. , we can remember the small Fender Champion, Marshall MG, Orange Crush, Blackstar ID Core, Roland Cube 10 and Vox VT40x combos.
Roland Cube 10GX | Blackstar ID:Core | Fender Champion 40 |
Marshall MG15 | Orange Crush | Vox VT40x |
Fenders are available in several powers and several sizes but embody very good amps to start with. Ils sont polyvalents et disposent de plusieurs canaux ainsi que d'effets intégrés très pratiques. Du côté de Marshall, la série MG à transistors est un véritable best-seller. Ce sont des amplis fiables, pratiques et disponibles en plusieurs tailles et puissances. On retrouve le grain sonore typique de la marque, ce qui est plutôt sympa, et les effets intégrés sont un vrai plus. Les versions les plus petites ne sont équipées que d'une réverbe et de deux canaux alors que les versions plus imposantes disposent de quatre canaux et d'une foultitude d'effets. La série Crush d'Orange est une vraie référence dans l'amplification à transistors. Comme chez Marshall, Orange a essayé d'intégrer un peu de son ADN sonore dans cette série d'entrée de gamme, et le résultat est plutôt chouette. La série intègre plusieurs amplis, du petit ampli de poche à la grosse tête de 120 watts. Deux canaux, une réverbe, une égalisation trois bandes, vous avez tout ce qu'il faut pour un bon son de guitare. Blackstar a frappé fort avec sa série ID:Core notamment grâce à l'utilisation de haut-parleurs FRFR qui permettent à ces petits amplis très compacts de générer un gros son. Effets intégrés, beaucoup de sons différents, connexion en USB pour l'édition des sons… ces amplis offrent beaucoup pour le prix. Les Roland Cube, Yamaha THR et Vox VT40 sont des références qui sont assez vite devenus des classiques. Le Cube de Roland propose une qualité sonore très satisfaisante avec des effets plutôt agréables, le tout dans un ampli super compact. Le Yamaha THR5 incarne le petit ampli de bureau idéal, compact, assez joli et développant un très bon son. Enfin, le Vox VT40X est le seul de cette gamme à disposer d'une lampe de pré-amplification. L'ampli intègre de très nombreux sons différents et effets, et son haut-parleur Bass Reflex lui permet de générer un très bon son. Vous avez accès à un éditeur logiciel en connectant l'ampli à votre smartphone ce qui est assez pratique bien que l'ampli dispose d'un grand panneau de contrôle sur lequel vous pouvez déjà ajuster beaucoup de paramètres. On peut également citer l'inévitable Boss Katana qui, dans sa version 100 watts, reste l'ampli de choix quand on joue à la maison, en répétition et en concert.
Dans les amplis de moyenne gamme, nous vous conseillons les Marshall Origin, Fender Blues Junior et EVH 5150 III LBX. La série Origin de Marshall développe les sonorités classiques de la marque (on pense tout de suite au fameux Plexi) mais à des tarifs tout à fait raisonnables. Ce sont des amplis tout lampes fabriqués au Vietnam et disposant d'un astucieux système de réduction de puissance. Cela permet d'exploiter l'ampli au maximum dans pas mal de situations. La gamme comprend des combos et têtes de différentes puissances pour correspondre à la plupart des utilisations.
Marshall Origin 50C | Fender Blues Junior | EVH 5150 III LBX |
Chez Fender, la série Hot Rod est un très bon compromis de moyenne gamme. Selon vos besoins, vous pouvez jeter un œil aux Blues Junior, Hot Rod Deluxe III et Hot Rod Deville. Le Blues Deluxe est aussi un très bon ampli, avec un esprit et un son plus « bluesy ». Ce sont également des amplis à lampes, sans réduction de puissance cette fois-ci. Pour un usage domestique, même les 15 watts du Blues Junior détérioreront vos relations de bon voisinage. On retrouve un ampli de la série Hot Rod dans la quasi-totalité des salles de concerts qui existent dans la mesure où ce sont des amplis fiables et bien pensés, surtout la version III du Hot Rod Deluxe. Canal clair qui prend très bien les pédales, canal saturé efficace, boucle d'effets et réverbe, il y a tout ce qu'il faut. Enfin, si vous cherchez un son très saturé pour aborder des registres musicaux bien moustachus (hard rock, heavy metal, thrash), la petite tête EVH 5150 III LBX est une solution parfaite. On retrouve une architecture à deux canaux et un niveau de gain démentiel, le tout dans un châssis très compact et bien réalisé. La marque EVH dépend du groupe Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC pour les intimes), la plupart de ses produits sont donc fabriqués au Mexique dans l'usine Fender. Comme pour les amplis de la série Hot Rod, le EVH 5150 III LBX est très bien fabriqué et sonne très bien. Sa puissance de 15 watts en fait un ampli idéal en concert quand on est sûr d'être repiqué ou si on joue dans une petite salle. Pour la maison, l'ampli est également exploitable bien que, comme tous les amplis à lampes, il nécessite un certain volume pour fournir le meilleur son. EVH produit également une version 50 watts du 5150 III, ainsi qu'une version 100 watts pour les plus audacieux.
Enfin, du côté des amplis haut de gamme, on peut citer les Friedman BE-100 Deluxe, Soldano SLO 100 et Tone King Imperial MKII. Le Friedman BE-100 Deluxe est une version plus complète du fameux BE-100 qui a conquis de nombreux guitaristes professionnels depuis sa sortie. Dave Friedman est un véritable gourou des amplis à lampes, il répare, modifie et conçoit des amplis depuis une bonne trentaine d'années. Ses amplis se distinguent par une qualité de fabrication irréprochable et une signature sonore très particulière. On retrouve indéniablement le grain Marshallmais avec un caractère plus épais et plus présent, notamment grâce à une égalisation beaucoup plus efficace et centrée autour de fréquences différentes. Le BE-100 Deluxe est une véritable référence utilisée par des guitaristes comme Steve Stevens, Phil X et bien d'autres.
Friedman BE-100 Deluxe | Soldano SLO-100 | Tone King Imperial MkII |
La marque Soldano possède une histoire un peu similaire à celle de Friedman dans le sens où Michael Soldano a commencé sa carrière en modifiant des amplis. Le premier ampli qu'il a conçu, le SLO 100, reste encore aujourd'hui un incontournable de l'amplification guitare haut de gamme quand on cherche un son extrêmement présent et direct. Le grain se rapproche une nouvelle fois de ce qu'on peut entendre chez Marshall mais avec un côté plus saturé, plus agressif et plus polyvalent. Enfin, on peut s'intéresser à la marque Tone King avec l'Imperial MkII (testé dans nos colonnes) disponible en combo ou tête + enceinte. Cet ampli développe les sonorités vintage qu'on associe à Fender avec un canal plus typé Tweed et un autre canal plus typé Blackface. Un atténuateur est intégré à l'ampli et permet de le pousser, même à la maison, ce qui est un vrai plus. La qualité de fabrication est simplement bluffante, les sons le sont tout autant.
Conclusion
Vous l'aurez compris, le choix de votre ampli de guitare électrique est intimement lié à vos besoin, à vos goûts, à votre budget et à la place dont vous disposez. Chaque type d'ampli offre des avantages certains pour une utilisation donnée. Même s'il et très tentant de s'équiper d'un trois corps Marshall qu'on mettra dans son salon, ce n'est pas nécessairement une solution idéale. À l'inverse, un petit ampli à modélisation ne servira pas à grand chose dans un local de répétition. La méthode la plus efficace reste encore de rendre visite à votre magasin de musique préféré et d'essayer les quelques références que nous avons évoquées dans ce guide d'achat. De nos jours, les fabricants ne cessent d'innover et de proposer des amplis toujours plus compacts, polyvalents et avec des sonorités plus que convaincantes. Les algorithmes intégrés aux amplis à modélisation sont de plus en plus réalistes et les amplis à transistors rivalisent de plus en plus avec les amplis à lampes. Encore une fois, seul un essai en bonne et due forme pourra aiguiller davantage votre choix.