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Adjusting the electric guitar amp


Payareyar

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Hi. I'm taking lessons (blues 1 module) and it occurred to me I don't know how to tweak an amp for the right sound.

 

Is there an approach to this. I know that depending on the settings you can sound more bluesy, heavy metal, 60's rock, and many other unique sounds.

 

To top it off, I am not even sure how the knobs and levers on the actual guitar play into this.

 

I have an inexpensive $300 Fender Squire 15G amp and guitar from guitar center.

 

Can someone offer some tips about how to approach the seemingly infinite variables and create the sounds I want--or at least send me a link where its explained on this site.

 

I have it sounding OK right now, but sometimes I tweak the knobs, it sounds dirty, and I cant figure out how to make it sound clean except for some trial and error. I'm looking for more of a science.

 

Thank you

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A 15 wat amp, it won't take much to push it, so you need to sort out how loud you want to be.

 

The Master Volume, Volume, and Gain Settings all work together to create the sounds the amp can offer. (Clean, Crunch, Heavily Distorted)

 

The Bass, Treble and Midrange are the Equalization settings. Just remember that too much on the "volume" and "gain" controls, will start to overdrive the amp. the idea is, for a real clean sound, turn Master Volume "UP" Put the "Volume" at a moderate (half way?) Keep the Gain Off or very low

 

For EQing, set the "Treble" around 2 or 3 o'clock, put the "Bass", about the same, set the "Midrange" last, that will add cut/and punch to the tone, the lower the mids settings are the smoother the tone will sound.

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To top it off, I am not even sure how the knobs and levers on the actual guitar play into this.

 

Welcome to the site! :) But did you realize that you have posted this to the acoustic guitar forum? I assume you are asking about an electric guitar? You might want to ask this question in one of the other forums on the site: http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/forum/4-gibson-brands/

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I have discovered the hard way that a ”normal” guitar amp sounds helplessly lifeless no matter what, if played at a level that would work in a normal household with kids and other family members around. If your goal is to have a good tone at home, bedroom volume level, get one of these:

 

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/THR5--yamaha-thr5-10-watt-2x3-inch-modeling-combo

 

If playing loud is what your are after, I'm sure others are more qualified to help than I am.

 

Lars

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