Old 04-16-2014, 05:04 PM   #1
metallicaguy1
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Default Miking a solid state guitar amp?

Just wondering if this would work. I know tube amps put out better sound and all, but has anyone tried miking a solid state amp while playing guitar? What were the results like? Would it be worth buying the mic without a tube amp?
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Old 04-16-2014, 05:14 PM   #2
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Good amp tone is good amp tone - it doesn't 'have' to come from a tube based amp. Tone is subjective so you be the judge of what you hear and feel while in front of the speaker. If it sounds good to you, then mic it. If you can enhance the tone with mic placement and mic choice then you're well on your way to tracking decent guitar sounds....
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Old 04-16-2014, 05:31 PM   #3
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I don't think you can go wrong trying and I'd prefer you recording SS amps a million times over than not recording at all. I can't seem to like solid state amps live on stage for non-clean sounds. I've tried many, many times and no matter what anyone says, it reacts completely differently in my hands. However, recording is such an illusion that if it sounds good, go for it and don't look back. If it doesn't, you can't have enough mics IMHO.
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Old 04-16-2014, 05:59 PM   #4
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There is FUCK ALL WRONG WITH SOLID STATE AMPS.

I was 20 years playing before I even knew there was such a thing as valve amps..and I accrued legions of fans playing through a vox venue 100

Theres no way I'd go back to that by choice..but if I had no choice..I'd fucking rock it.

Put a microphone in front of whatever you have and let that be your sound.

Get some balls.

Be original.
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Old 04-16-2014, 06:06 PM   #5
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Why not? Mic what you have. Just get yourself an SM57 and learn how to use it.
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Old 04-16-2014, 07:27 PM   #6
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Tube amps and trannies sound different. Nothing is better than the other, just different, a bit like people...

Example, "Creep" by Radiohead, World Hit, the band's breakthrough song, guitar through a cheap, rubbish, Fender solid state amp. The chorus sounds massive, the sound is perfect.

As an aside, these days I always record a clean DI signal in addition to the normal amp-mic-signal. Lots of great amp sims out there, many even free! Add an amp sim to the clean signal and blend or replace as you desire...

(I use my Tuner pedal as a splitter, it has two outputs, one goes to amp>cab>mic>input, the other goes directly to soundcard input2. Be careful with levels, clean guitar signals are a lot more dynamic than that what comes out of the amp!)
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Old 04-16-2014, 09:39 PM   #7
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I made some IR inpulse files from my gear that I have at home so when I go live I am doing everything in the box no amps, only amp sims and IR files.

It is not hard to do in Reaper. But I have IR my Hot Cabs 4x12 Amp+ Cabinet
Solid state amp and is from the 90's.

This weekend I am doing the IR impulse files for all my Gear at home using a Nebula and also IR files to load in Reaper (using the sine wave method)


Doing some IR's for some of the FX models in my POD HD500 as well and some of the amp models.
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Old 04-16-2014, 10:39 PM   #8
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I have an Ampeg vh140c and when it comes to heavier riffing, I always suggest guitar players to record throught that amp. Most people think it's a tube amp until they take a look at the back panel to see there's not even a preamp tube... A lot of early 90's death metal records were made using that amp (Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, Dying Fetus, althought I think John Gallagher recently switched to tube amps), Dimebag Darrel, for most of his life played ss Randall's amps, so unless you want to record jazz or blues, you don't have to bother if your gear is tube based or not.

As for miking, that depends on the amount of microphones you want to use and whether they are dynamic, condenser, ribbon...As long as you're happy with the result.
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Old 04-17-2014, 05:02 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheCaptain View Post
As an aside, these days I always record a clean DI signal in addition to the normal amp-mic-signal. Lots of great amp sims out there, many even free! Add an amp sim to the clean signal and blend or replace as you desire...
This is what I forgot to tell you - always and I mean always record DI signal so that you can re-amp or use plugs. This is really important, especially when you're recording somebody other than yourself and can't get him/her to rerecord the part later.
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Old 04-17-2014, 11:02 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cosmic View Post
Put a microphone in front of whatever you have and let that be your sound.

Get some balls.

Be original.
Yes .
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Old 04-17-2014, 12:29 PM   #11
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BB King did alright with solid state amps. Go for it.
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Old 04-17-2014, 04:47 PM   #12
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In my experience, 9 out of 10 guitar players that swear by tube amps have these little boxes on the ground in front of them with transistors and 9 volt batteries in them.
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Old 04-17-2014, 05:06 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy Hamm View Post
In my experience, 9 out of 10 guitar players that swear by tube amps have these little boxes on the ground in front of them with transistors and 9 volt batteries in them.
Yep and that would be true if that part of the chain was what mattered about tubes but it mostly isn't. The term distortion (where tubes are concerned) has more to do with breakup and taming of transients on the output rather than the initial clipping. So, the pedal is only part of the chain and how they are handled post foot pedal including the input being driven and the output tubes is what makes the difference with output tubes IMHO being the deal breaker much of the time if you like one over the other. I say that because I asked myself the same thing then tested and realized why.

All that being said I have a spankin small solid state amp I just built, I love it but it isn't my tube amp, different tool, different use.
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Old 04-17-2014, 05:35 PM   #14
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If you like the tone you're getting out of your amp, then record it. Tubes only really differentiate themselves from transistors when the amp starts to distort.

You can get fine clean amp tones from a solid state amp.
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Old 04-17-2014, 06:20 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by metallicaguy1 View Post
...has anyone tried miking a solid state amp while playing guitar? What were the results like?
My best results miking my amp have been with a combination of a ribbon mic (cascade fathead) and a dynamic (sm57).
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Old 04-18-2014, 01:25 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dynsdale View Post
BB King did alright with solid state amps. Go for it.
BB never ever played live or recorded with a SS POS amplifier. Period.

His first choice was a Fender Twin, second choice a Fender Super Reverb.
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Old 04-18-2014, 06:23 AM   #17
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Ty Tabor recorded the 1st four Kings X albums with a solid state amp, and many people consider his tone on those albums to be among the best guitar sounds ever recorded.

Who cares if it's tubes, solid state, digital or jello. Mic it up. If it sounds good, it is good.
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Old 04-18-2014, 06:33 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Muddy Tbone View Post
BB never ever played live or recorded with a SS POS amplifier. Period.

His first choice was a Fender Twin, second choice a Fender Super Reverb.
Well, there are people who have seen/heard him play this.
Lab Series L5
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Old 04-19-2014, 10:25 AM   #19
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If you like your tone with that amp and it is the best you have for the material you want to record, then do it.

If you can get a better and more appropriate sound using a digital amp sim, then do that.


I think it is worth mic'ing it regardless because it will teach you a lot about your microphone, your amp, and the technique. The more you test it, the better your understanding and stronger your intuition about how you need to position the mic relative to the amp, and position the amp in the room, to get the sound that you need for the mix for that song.

It costs nothing but time, and I think that time would likely be spent playing with amp sims anyway.
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Old 04-19-2014, 12:05 PM   #20
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Chuck Berry requires a Bassman wherever he goes..and let me tel you in Ireland thats not an easy thing to rent.

Do you need a Bassman to equal Chuck?

Course not
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Old 04-19-2014, 11:04 PM   #21
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Judging from your user name I assume that you play metal. I generally play heavy music and I actually PREFER solid state amps for several reasons.
1. Low relative cost. You can get real loud for much less cash with SS vs tube.
2. Few maintenance issues. This is also a cost issue, but you have no tubes to replace.
3. They are reliable. I've rarely had issues on stage with SS amps. I can't say that about tube amps. I've seen SEVERAL guitarists bring a SS amp as a backup because they can't trust their tube amps.
4. Lightweight. Go pick up a tube amp. They're heavy! You can even rack up two preamps and a stereo power amp and have one rack for two guitarists that's easy to handle.
5. It's easy to control volume. With SS you set your gain and it can sound basically the same at bedroom volume, rehearsal volume, or stage volume. This can be a nightmare with tube amps. You get everything sounding perfect in the rehearsal room and it gets all muddy when you crank it up at a show.
6. Consistent tone. Set it and forget it.

Okay, that's not SEVERAL reasons, but it's a few. I'm not bashing on tube amps, I've got a couple. They definitely have their place any I would recommend that every guitarist eventually should own one, but don't let a lowly SS amp keep you from making music.

I use a SS half-stack for recording rehearsals, but I frequently use a small practice amp for recording overdubs. I also have a tube amp combo that's very adjustable and can even work for lower volume rehearsals.

I usually record with a cardiod dynamic mic. Anything works. I use a Shure SM57, a Audio Technica Pro25, or even a ball style vocal mic with the ball screwed off. I place it very near the speaker grill, straight in, between the center of the cone and the speaker edge. That seems to be a good starting point. I usually adjust the amp from there and if I can't dial in a sound real quick I'll start moving the mic closer to the edge. I like less high end, so that seems to work for me.
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Old 04-22-2014, 08:21 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Muddy Tbone View Post
BB never ever played live or recorded with a SS POS amplifier. Period.

His first choice was a Fender Twin, second choice a Fender Super Reverb.
Played? Was? Did I miss something?
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