Members gardo Posted May 10, 2017 Members Share Posted May 10, 2017 I always seem to end up with amps that are just too big, so what's wrong with that ? The problem is that by the time I get it to sound good it's just too loud for home use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted May 10, 2017 Members Share Posted May 10, 2017 It could be a Fletcher-Munson issue. Turn up the Bass control and see if that helps. Is the amp SS or tube? If tube, what Wattage are we talking about? 15 Watts is pretty loud for tubes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted May 10, 2017 Moderators Share Posted May 10, 2017 find an amp that has a master volume and/or a wattage switch. There is really no need for an amp over 25 watts in the modern world, headroom claims be damned. I have been gigging with 15w-20w amps for years, and I NEVER run them above 50%...the real secret is to find musicians who know what dynamics are, and don't feel they need to play ballz out ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted May 10, 2017 Author Members Share Posted May 10, 2017 My go to amp is a Fender Princeton Chorus, solid state, stereo amp rated at 26 watts x 2 or 52 watts. For tubes it's an old Ampeg Gemini 1 that the local amp guru upgraded . It's rated at 20 watts and he claims more with the upgrades.The Fender amp is really the culprit .I guess that's just their nature. don't know if I've ever played it over about 3 at home. but I found a real sweet spot with a Strat using middle/bridge posistion adding some chorus and a touch of reverb,the thing ring like a bell. But it's just too loudThe speakers need a certain amount of power to begin to drive. It's all very seductive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted May 11, 2017 Members Share Posted May 11, 2017 In my very limited experience with Fender, they tend to be whisper quiet at 1 and deafening at 3. It's hard to get it right. I'd recommend a speaker swap but I don't know if it would be cost effective. A pair of 10" Jensens would run about $100 and might or might not fix the issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted May 11, 2017 Author Members Share Posted May 11, 2017 I also have a Mustang amp that's good at low volume or played through a stereo system .This is my amp when other people are at home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 I always seem to end up with amps that are just too big' date=' so what's wrong with that ? The problem is that by the time I get it to sound good it's just too loud for home use. [/quote'] I just finished doing a review of a very, very nice 50W combo amp, and that was pretty much the only thing I dinged it on - the volume and gain controls are pretty sensitive at the low end of their travel, so it's hard to adjust them for low-volume playing. Then again, it IS a 50W amp - it's probably not really to be expected that it's going to shine at low-volume bedroom playing. That's not really what it was designed for. IOW, IMO it's important to match the amp to the job you need it to perform. I'd recommend looking for a lower-wattage amp. A master volume control would also be a feature that would benefit you. What amp are you currently using gardo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted May 11, 2017 Members Share Posted May 11, 2017 . . . What amp are you currently using gardo? Phil, the amp in question is a Fender Princeton Chorus, as noted in post 4: My go to amp is a Fender Princeton Chorus, solid state, stereo amp rated at 26 watts x 2 or 52 watts. . . . . . . The Fender amp is really the culprit .I guess that's just their nature. don't know if I've ever played it over about 3 at home. . . . . . . The speakers need a certain amount of power to begin to drive. It's all very seductive Thus my recommendation of different speakers but I'm not sure it would help. I can only find the manual for the DSP version of the Princeton Chorus and it says the speakers are Fender Special Design P/N 0029753000. I can't find specs for them but if they're rebranded Eminience a pair of Jensens or Webers might make an improvement--or they might not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted May 12, 2017 Author Members Share Posted May 12, 2017 First of all I don't play guitar in a bedroom. Our living room is a music room. I can get some good sounds at low volume but it's even better with a little more push behind it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted May 12, 2017 Moderators Share Posted May 12, 2017 Again, and amp with a master volume would likely help, as you can push it hard without letting the dogs out. I am a bit surprised that a 26w SS amp would be 'too loud', but you know where the 'sweet spot' is...with a tube amp, you can swap pre-amp tubes to change the 'sweet spot', or the very nature of the amp's tone...with solid state, it is what it is. I suppose you might be able to change it by putting a different value volume pot in it, but that could be a pretty involved process it the pots are circuit board mounted, which I would guess they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted May 12, 2017 Author Members Share Posted May 12, 2017 that's 26 watts per channel on a stereo amp making it 52 watts I've had small amps but prefer that big sound.This SS amp is my go to amp I know where the sweet spot is but the Strat is a different animal it likes to get loud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted May 12, 2017 Members Share Posted May 12, 2017 Spend time working out your front end stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members doublecross Posted May 12, 2017 Members Share Posted May 12, 2017 This whole small watt tube amp thing going on lately cracks me up, My smallest tube amp is 72w, Granted a master volume amp as are all my others, But I've never had a problem dialing them in at low or high volume, Although my Bugera TriRec does have a built in attenuator from 1w to 100w which I find kind of silly as its a master volume amp, However it does work, I just don't see the point of it, Pushing power tubes tends to kill any headroom you have, Pushing preamp tubes gives you that nice toasty tone your looking for, and that's what the master and channel volume knobs are for, Master controls the power tubes and channel the preamp tubes, Simple as that, If running a SS amp then its a moot point, If it doesn't have a killer clean channel and is sold as some kind of metal monster then they seen you coming and stole your money, When buying a SS amp at any wattage clean channel is king and your added effects rule, the volume knobs should be of little consequence in its sound, Its either loud or its not, Speaker break up can be an issue but I doubt you've been at this long enough to notice the difference, My guess is your doing something wrong, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted May 12, 2017 Author Members Share Posted May 12, 2017 guitar,cable,amp strictly plug and play The amp has built in reverb and chorus . I don't use the gain side of the amp so much . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted May 12, 2017 Author Members Share Posted May 12, 2017 The amp has plenty of Fender clean, the only thing I'm doing wrong is not using pedals . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted May 12, 2017 Members Share Posted May 12, 2017 Then you should be able to just turn down and make mental adjustments. I know it's not the same but what in your case would less power do that EQ won't? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted May 12, 2017 Author Members Share Posted May 12, 2017 What happened is that I turned my strat up a little louder than usual hit a chord and said "what was that"It was ringing somewhere between a Hammond organ and a bell. As I turn down the volume I loose this'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted May 15, 2017 Members Share Posted May 15, 2017 Sorry to keep beating a dead horse but my gut is telling me your speakers are maybe starting to break up just a little and you either need something that will do the same thing at lower volume or a way to simulate speaker breakup, maybe a cab sim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted May 15, 2017 Author Members Share Posted May 15, 2017 No pedals involved just plenty of clean. It's not that I can't get good tone,it's pretty dang good already,but I know there's a lot more that the amp is capable of just a twist of the knob away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted May 16, 2017 Members Share Posted May 16, 2017 I have an ART preamp with pre and gain knobs (for pre and power amp I suppose) and if you just dime the gain It sounds like you need a valve job and are in danger of throwing a piston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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