Valve vs. Transistor Poll

dabhoys

Vote which you think is better in your opinion Valve or Transistor??

Doctor J

Jay, it's like you're asking me to choose which child I prefer. I can't vote on this!!!

dabhoys

Deep down inside Doctor J theres always a favourite child!! Its always true.

The favourite son always becomes a doctor and the other gets sent to be a priest. Ted Isn't your brother a Doctor!!!

Don1

How bout hybrids?
I likes my valvestate Marshall a lot, and it doesn't weigh or cost heaps!!!!!

mirv

I'm going for valve, but I'd say the a lot of the players out there wouldn't have experienced playing on a valve amp at home so as to be able to tell the difference between the two, and a lot of players out there these days are solid state uber-gain shredheads, so it wouldn't make a difference.

Töpher

I voted Valve, cuz that Mesa rocks like a mofo!

feylya

I voted SS cos that's all I have experience with unfortunately. If anyone wants to donate a tube amp though....

Myksyk

It's gotta be valve for me. I've played through SS fenders, marshalls and peaveys then I bought a Mesa Mark IV which converted me and which led to a compliment from our keyboard player which in itself was miraculous!!! I now play through Mesa rack gear (triaxis + 2:90) and the sound is great.

HOWEVER!!!!!.... valve amps are a BITCH to carry!!!!!!!!!

mirv

Valves are extra finicky though, especially if you take into the whole world of NOS valves, and bitching about cheap chinese/russian valves and customising your setup for your own tone and all that jazz.

What about digital? I've never played through a Line6 POD or Behringer V-Amp, but I hope to get a Behringer X V-amp pedal next year, it's digital without too much fuss, and is more of a multifx pedal to begin with. Also it'll be extra cheap, cos its RRP is €120, and god knows that musicstorekoeln and thomann will have it for cheaper. The only thing is that its not effing out there until sometime in the new year, grrr.

Doctor J

Can't stand digital. It's like the artificial sugar of the amp world, the Canderel if you will. No fat, no cholesterol, no bleedin taste. You could have something that sounds like valves or you could just get the damn valve amp. Do you really want to play what some scientist/mathematician/computer programmer thinks a JCM900 sounds like?

I didn't think so

mirv

I really could stand to, considering the fact that its meant to sound good, but not cost a ****load, when you can buy the sounds of 15-30 classic amps in one compact rig for less than €400. Also the fact that it hooks right into the PA

Doctor J

The finicky side of things is part of their charm. The sound of the amp changes as the valves age, no €400 computer program can replicate that. There is nothing rock 'n' roll about computers or computer programmers. Just get that Line 6 guitar and you'll have something that soulds like a Les Paul, Strat, SG, Acoustic 12 Ric at the filck of the switch. Ach, not for me. I'd rather save up and get something that is a Strat or a Ric. Rock 'n' roll is about making noise and the manipulating of noise. It's about 60 cycle hum, it's about buzzing single coils and overloaded humbuckers. Analogue distortion is the sound of Rock, digital distortion is that annoying clicking sound. Do you really want a computer pretending to be a Dual Rectifier or do you want to feel it through the floorboards? Man, when did guitar playing become so civil servant-esque?

mirv

Pah, I bet people said the same thing when transistors came around, and tried to replace valves... but valves are no-where near the quality they used to be, as standards have dropped as there's no need for them apart from audio purposes. It's all too finicky at times.

That said, I like valves, but it's just a real load of hassle in fairness. And also the price of things these days, especially in Ireland. I doubt many players would be able to afford an all valve rack of mesa/boogie and a bunch of heads and cabs to boot. Think about how much easier, cheaper and less effortsome at times it is

Doctor J

But to my ears, it doesn't sound right. A valve amp has individual characteristics which made it sound the way it does. Me, I wanted a bass that sounded like a Rickenbacker, so I worked really hard and saved up and bought a Rickenbacker. It's more than just the sound, it's the feel of it, the weight of it, how it plays, how it responds on different settings, the fact that the guys who made it signed it on the inside, that people used their hands to make it sound and feel like it does. Whether I play it through a solid state amp or a valve amp, it sounds like what it is, a Rickenbacker. If I played a Cort or some other lesser make through some digital modelling, you could probably get some sort of Ric-esque sound, but I guarantee it won't stand up against the real thing. You'll know you're playing a Cort and it'll effect how you play. That's why people pay £150,000stg for a 59 Les Paul, they have that sound, the Spinal Tap sustain, the vibe that you just don't get from a computer. Yeah, if you're on a budget, digital might be an option to get a load of thereabouts effects cheaply but if you're really serious about getting a quality sound, you've got to go for the real thing. Even the very best electronic equipment becomes obsolete very quickly, a good guitar or amp never sounds old, it sounds classic. BB King's guitar is called Lucille, Clapton had Blacky and Browny. What's your COSM digital moduator called? If digital was right nobody would go through the grief (and there is loads and loads of grief, belive me) of acoustic drums. Despite all the expense, the carrying around, the setting up, the taking down, I've only ever seen one band who played digital drums.

It sounds corny, but the vibe you get from an instrument and an amp really does effect the way you play. When dabhoys gets his Mesa sorted, it'll sound foooking ace, and when he plays his PRS through it, it'll almost sound as good as it does when he plays my Eggle through it Digital impersonations just don't move me the way a good analogue setup does, it's too clean, not rock and roll enough. Gimme noise any day of the week.

mirv

*twonks Doctor J with a 6L6GC and a PAF humbucker*

Bleh, I'm too newbie and broke to really count. I've a cheap single channel all-tube amp, and hope to get a digital multifx sometime, but it's just the expense which matters. As long as I get a good tone with my crappy gibson faded sg, my crappy tube amp and a bit of effects along the line I'm happy. I'd be too broke to 'rectify' the situation (get the pun? )

Doctor J

BOOM BOOM

dabhoys

Dr. J as usual you sing the truth. I couldn't have said it better meself.

Its the very reason why I worked like a bitch for 60 hours a week 5 days a week for 3 months in a Fish Market/Kitchen sweating my ass off in america. I played the dual rect and felt that extra something I couldn't quite put my finger on and then from that day on I did all I could do to get the amp. By god the 3 months of having no life are so worth it. If you truly want something you'll go out and get it.

The mesa wasn't handed to me I worked for it and that makes it all the sweeter sounding my mates all said I wouldn't do it. Your full of ****. But I went out and did it.

Now I'm back in the lovely world of being broke but god damn I have a nice guitar and a nice amp. What more could a man ask for.

If you truly wanted the amp or the guitar. You'd do nething and everything to get it. Its an addiction!!! Doctor J knows the score he did the same thing for that beautiful Rick and by god she is just that. Words can't describe her!!! I'm tempted to try aquire myself one over the summer now too!! Maybe some day

If you really want something you'll get it!!! But I understand yes your on a budget that be all you can afford. But its only a scrath on the surface of the real thing. Get out there and get wat you want. With in reason. I don't think even if I tried hard enough I could afford a 59' Les Paul!!!:p

herbie747

I doubt most people can even tell the difference, and that includes the majority of posters on this thread.
I had a valve amp - a big heavy old Fender sum' bitch! It would cut out the odd time - more of a pain in the a*s than it was worth; and REALLY heavy & awkward to carry around - it actually had 2 handles.
I much prefer my Marshall valvestate now, although I did like the sound of the Valve amp, the Marshall still sounds as good.