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I mean really really needs 'em ? I think only those very few folks that want a HUGE crystal clean sound could have any need for one...or have I got it wrong ?
My amps - AC30HW2x = 33w RMS = DEAD LOUD, DSL50 2x12 combo (1923C LTD edition) = DEAD LOUD and Mesa Express 5:50 2x12 = DEAD LOUD. There is no venue I will ever likely encounter where any of my amps will be remotely underpowered. Yes, I can crunch up the clean channel a bit at a nice gig volume ( only with humbuckers though) which is nice. 50w on the drive channels of the Marshall and Mesa combos is so damn loud its untrue. I use those channels on 50% volume and that's for solos, so I can cut right over the top of the band easily. To use the amps at 50% max volume on the drive channels is really too loud for rhythm playing with the guitar volume fully open...so I have to roll back a bit and just open it up for solos. Who or when will any bugger actually really need 100w ?? I say this believing my opening sentence is the answer, but even then on a bigger gig at least a pro gig you won't run a stage volume at deafening volumes anyway ie you will have PA and monitoring assistance.
100w seems very common despite being unnecessary. IMO. Discuss..tell me I'm wrong n all that.....
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50W is actually enough for that, but 100W still sounds better.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
I don't especially.
Also the valves last longer in a more powerful amp.
There's a sweet spot in all amps...some like AC30s its cranked to the max...often on other amps like older Marshalls its somewhere between 1/2 to 3/4's max volume. But anyway..
100 watt amps have bigger output transformers which generally equals more bottom end at low volume and tighter bottom end at high volume. So the amp just sounds bigger than say a 50 watter, even though it's only 3db louder.
*An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.
I have used the 200 watt Marshall cranked at a huge gig into a massive line array PA .... Sounded like the voice of God!
I absolutely nail amps if I have to in the studio, but on stage power valve distortion is my enemy, I just don't want it to compress too much.
I know a lot of metal players feel the same, from the opposite end of the musical spectrum.
The difference is that you can get all of those sounds from an amp which is powerful enough that the power stage never distorts, whereas you can't from one which isn't.
This is what puzzles me. It's pretty much *only* rock guitarists who don't seem to be able to understand that.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
I also think power valve distortion and pre is a beautiful sound when it's balanced right. The sound from that 100 watt plexi on Van Halen's first album was pure power section drive (no master volume mods) coupled with a variac to ad compression and 'hair' to the distortion, and this was all done with just three pre amp valves! not like modern high gain 4 pre circuits. I think amps now, although easy to dial in and play can sometimes sound too sterile and players will use too much distortion for me.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein