Tagged: valve amps

Watts on a bass amp don't mean what they mean on a guitar amp. Here's why headroom, speaker size and valve vs solid-state design matter more than the number.

Alnico and ceramic pickups push a valve amp's front end differently. Here's how magnet type shapes breakup, feel and sag, from a former amp tech.

Silicon, germanium, LED or asymmetrical — the clipping diodes in your overdrive decide how it feels under your fingers, not just how it sounds.

Fuzz pedal order isn't fixed like your other drives. Here's why it moves depending on your rig, and how to find the spot that actually works.

Germanium and silicon fuzz behave completely differently through a valve amp. Here's how to pick the right one for your rig, not just your ears in a shop.

Fuzz sounding thin, gated or wrong on a good amp? The culprit is often input impedance, buffers and what's sitting in front of the fuzz — not the pedal itself.

Fuzz pedals interact with your guitar's volume knob more than any other effect. Here's why that matters, and how to set your amp so fuzz actually behaves.

Delay before reverb or reverb before delay? Jez explains how pedal order changes ambient guitar tone and which order actually suits your amp.

Your overdrive can only work with what your amp gives it. Here's how to set a proper clean baseline before you stack anything on top.

Bridge pickup height changes how hard you hit your amp's front end, not just your volume. Here's how to set it by ear, properly.

Fuzz pedals are built for a clean valve front end, not your amp's dirty channel. Here's why stacking the two usually goes wrong.

Fresh strings aren't always the answer for valve amp tone. Jez explains when dead strings actually help your amp break up the way you want.

Rolling back your guitar's volume knob can turn fuzz from a wall of buzz into a touch-sensitive clean-up trick. Here's how to actually dial it in.

High-output pickups don't just add gain — they change how your valve amp's front end reacts. Here's what's actually happening and when hotter hurts.

Fuzz behaves completely differently depending on which valve amp it hits. Here's why, and how to actually set your rig up so it works.

Front of amp or effects loop? Here's what actually changes when you move your delay and reverb, and why it matters more with a valve amp than a modeller.

A practical guide to stacking two overdrive pedals properly, including order, gain staging and why most players get the second knob wrong.

Bridge saddle height doesn't just affect playability. It changes pickup output, attack and how your valve amp responds. Here's why.

An overdrive pedal into a valve amp already breaking up sounds nothing like the same pedal into a clean, cold amp. Here's why, and how to set it up.

Why a 15-watt valve amp can feel heavier than a 100-watt stack, and what that means for choosing a high-gain amp that actually djents.

Jez compares miking a valve combo with going direct via DI or amp-sim for home recording, and where each one actually falls apart.

Heavier strings change how hard your pickups drive your amp. Jez explains why string gauge and valve amp tone are more linked than most players realise.

Modelling or valve? Rob breaks down what actually matters for beginners choosing their first amp, without the forum jargon war.

Where you place delay and reverb changes how they interact with valve amp breakup. Here's how I set mine up for ambient tones that still sag properly.

A 15-watt valve amp can out-shout a 100-watt solid-state one. Here's why wattage on the spec sheet rarely tells you what you need to know.

Class A and class AB valve power amps break up at different volumes and in different ways. Here's what actually changes, and why wattage alone doesn't tell you much.

Why adding chorus or vibrato to your delay and reverb trails is the fastest route to genuine ambient tone, and how to dial it in without going seasick.

Where you place delay and reverb around a cranked valve amp changes everything about ambient tone. Here's how I set mine up, and why.

An archtop and a Strat don't want the same amp. Marc explains headroom, EQ voicing and why wattage matters differently for clean jazz tone.

Stacking overdrive pedals isn't just doubling up — it's about how each stage shapes the next. Jez explains the approach that actually works.

Mismatching your amp's impedance output to your speaker cab is one of the quieter ways to damage a valve amp. Here's what the numbers actually mean.

Fuzz pedals aren't just for rhythm mayhem. Jez explains how to shape a fuzz lead tone that sings without turning to mush.

Your overdrive pedal doesn't work in isolation — the amp behind it shapes everything. Jez explains what the clean channel actually does to your dirt tone.

Wattage isn't just a volume number — it shapes how an amp breaks up, breathes, and responds. Marc explains what the specs actually mean.

Rolling your guitar's volume knob isn't just about getting quieter. It's one of the most powerful tone controls on your whole rig — here's why.

The way you strike the string does more for your tone than most gear swaps. Jez explains how picking dynamics interact with valve amps.

The three families of guitar amp explained in plain English — how they sound, what they cost to run, and which one is right for you.