I have been out recently trying out new amps and I have come to the conclusion that some amp brands are better suited to certain guitar types.
Marshall amps to my ears just sound better when used with humbuckers. Maybe it's just me but single coils don't seem to push those amps hard enough to really make them sing (Jimi would prove as an obvious argument here as would jeff beck) but my favourite Marshall tones all come from Humbuckers.
Two Rock amps are the opposite to me - single coils really shine through this brand, to me humbuckers sound a little muddy and not articulate enough with this brand. That being said a semi sounds great through these amps.
I think Fender guitars sound better through fender amps, I'm sure they must have been designed this way as the two seem to bring out the best in each other. Though I don't know this for certain.
I tried a DR Z and I tried an SG, Strat and Sheraton through it and they all sounded equally good. So I don't think its true of all makes but it's a thought that has never really occurred to me.
Does anyone else think this?
Comments
The ending result then becomes personal taste. I play my marshall with humbuckers and p90's...they sound very different but great for the purpose and the amp doesn't really accentuate one over the other.
No experience with single coils...don't like them...but i don't think thats because of the amp I've played them through...or maybe it was??!?
I should qualify that i only use the clean tone of an amp...if you are pushing the amp to breakup then, different pickups will push differently, so you may find that some amps behave differently to pickups...I'm just theorising here...
"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
Malmsteen's early tone was standard Strat singles and he didn't sound that different.
Some amps are more suited to a particular style of music - but even there, you can't make total generalisations. For example - AC30s... from Hank, through the Beatles, past Rory,via Brian May, Quo, Suede, The Jam and onto The Edge and beyond...
I certainly concur that a good guitar will always sound good with a good amp, but certain guitars definitely do seem to 'suit' some amps better. Having said that, what combination better 'suits' or even what is deemed 'better' is largely in the ears of the beholder and is more subjective than objective. It's also down to feel - a Les Paul through a Fender physically feels quite different to a Les Paul through a Marshall, and ditto a Fender Strat.
"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 agree that a good guitar and good amp won't sound bad together but I do think some amps are better suited to certain set ups. I guess it's similar to some amps working better with certain pedals?
"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
For example, Les Pauls have a deep, extended bass response. Play one through a Blackface based amp (which has the same characteristic) and without dialling out a considerable amount of bass, the combination - especially on the neck pick-up - can sound 'farty'.
Marshalls typically have a tighter, more focused low-end, which combines brilliantly with the fatness of a Les Paul to give a really powerful sound which takes up the right amount of space in a band mix.
I'm not saying that a decent amp and a decent guitar can't be dialled in to work with each other but I think there are magic combinations that work very easily.
"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