College amp questions

[58flame]

Speaking of this, anyone know a good website to learn jazz? For beginners

 

Here's a great place to start. Learn this progression and you know a bunch of tunes.

 

http://www.jazzguitar.be/rhythm_changes.html

 

 

Also, grab yo-self a real book. The old illegal ones are available in PDF all over the internet. The new one (hal leaonard) is a legal copy and runs about $30 at GC or any other music store.

[twofoolsaminute]

+1. I'm a big fan of the vox ad30vt/ vt30. Headphone out, "attenuator" knob so you can keep it quiet even with the master volume dimed, and sweet sounds from the vox and fender models. Great sounding, uber-versatile little amp.

 

I just got one of these and it finally solved my quiet vs loud problem. Gets good sounds at a very low volume and cranks up pretty loud.

[Alex_SF]

+1. I'm a big fan of the vox ad30vt/ vt30. Headphone out, "attenuator" knob so you can keep it quiet even with the master volume dimed, and sweet sounds from the vox and fender models. Great sounding, uber-versatile little amp.

 

I actually sold my Vox AD30VT shortly after I picked up a Vox Pathfinder 15R: I found myself only using a couple of the amp models in the AD anyway, and I didn't like the onboard effects (or more specifically, I found the user interface for the onboard effects a major pain in the ass with the multifunction controls and just unwieldy to control on the fly -- the effects themselves sounded OK to me but I didn't really use them much).

 

The Pathfinder 15R cost me $40 on Craigslist, and sounds really damn good for a SS practice amp -- great clean and crunch sounds controllable with the main volume knob (I don't use the Boost), plus reverb and tremolo (with old-fashioned dedicated individual knob controls, the way God intended). Sounds great with the master volume turned down quiet, has both line out and headphone jacks if you want those (I've never used them), and can put out decent volume too for playing with others, especially if you use the Ext. Cab output to a bigger speaker. Stock 8" speaker in the Pathfinder's pretty good too -- I tried swapping it out for a Jensen C8R and ended up putting the stocker back in.

 

If you have a modeler already, like a POD or a Digitech RPxxx, you can run that into the Pathfinder on a clean setting. But let's face it: you don't really need a million sounds for quiet practice in a dorm room anyway. When I need to practice really quiet in my apartment, I generally just do it unplugged, or just use my Pathfinder or Peavey Classic 20 on a very low volume with a semi-crunch sound. I use my pedalboard for effects at band practice or gigs, but don't really ever hook it up at home.

 

Remember the function of a practice amp. You're just not going to get the full sonic satisfaction of a great sounding amp at a post-midnight rabbit-warren friendly volume level, or on headphones anyway: you need some air punching you in the gut for that. For practice amps, the keep-it-simple rule is usually best.

[Kid Klash]

 

I actually sold my Vox AD30VT shortly after I picked up a Vox Pathfinder 15R: I found myself only using a couple of the amp models in the AD anyway, and I didn't like the onboard effects (or more specifically, I found the user interface for the onboard effects a major pain in the ass with the multifunction controls and just unwieldy to control on the fly -- the effects themselves sounded OK to me but I didn't really use them much). The Pathfinder 15R cost me $40 on Craigslist, and sounds really damn good for a SS practice amp -- great clean and crunch sounds controllable with the main volume knob (I don't use the Boost), plus reverb and tremolo (with old-fashioned dedicated individual knob controls, the way God intended). Sounds great with the master volume turned down quiet, has both line out and headphone jacks if you want those (I've never used them), and can put out decent volume too for playing with others, especially if you use the Ext. Cab output to a bigger speaker. Stock 8" speaker in the Pathfinder's pretty good too -- I tried swapping it out for a Jensen C8R and ended up putting the stocker back in. If you have a modeler already, like a POD or a Digitech RPxxx, you can run that into the Pathfinder on a clean setting. But let's face it: you don't really need a million sounds for quiet practice in a dorm room anyway . When I need to practice really quiet in my apartment, I generally just do it unplugged, or just use my Pathfinder or Peavey Classic 20 on a very low volume with a semi-crunch sound. I use my pedalboard for effects at band practice or gigs, but don't really ever hook it up at home. Remember the function of a practice amp . You're just not going to get the full sonic satisfaction of a great sounding amp at a post-midnight rabbit-warren friendly volume level, or on headphones anyway: you need some air punching you in the gut for that. For practice amps, the keep-it-simple rule is usually best.

 

 

+1.

 

Great sounding little amp for a little cash. Looks and sounds like a Vox. It sounds great at low volume, but it can get loud if you want to jam with yer buddies. Headphone jack too. I see them on CL for $50-$75 every week, but they sell fast because they're so popular.

[Alex_SF]

 

I second the need for an acoustic, however.

 

 

And I third it. Acoustics are great for parties, beach bonfires, and what-not, don't require a power source, and girls love them. (Mmmm ... college girls.) An Alvarez RD8 sounds really good and doesn't cost much, so it makes a great college guitar -- you won't be devastated if it gets damaged at a party, and they can be had for $150 or so used.

 

When I had to work in Boston for a couple months last year, I bought one new at Daddy's for about $200, with hardshell case, and sold it on Craigslist when I left for $150 in as-new condition, effectively leasing it for $25 a month. Beat the hell out of dragging my nice acoustic out there on a plane and back, the Alvarez sounded great, and some kid got a great deal when I was done with it.

['s mel gibson]

All that computer stuff is fine for in the dorm situation. The acoustic for wooing the ladies in your dorm.

 

But if I was going to live in a dorm and want to take an amp with an electric guitar, it would be my 60w Roland Cube Chorus 1x12 combo. It's small and can be really painfully loud. It's all I would need for portability and power. And I have a pair of them because I like the tone spread out.