One Amp Can Do EVERYTHING (get the most out of your rig)

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rhettshullguit...
You really can do almost anything with one guitar amp and the right rig. In this video I show you some of my techniques for getting the most out of one single amp.
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GEAR USED IN TODAY'S VIDEO:
Two Notes Torpedo Captor X
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Mogami Gold Guitar Cable
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MY HOME STUDIO SETUP:
Universal Audio Apollo X4
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Universal Audio 4-710D Mic Pre and Compressor
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Yamaha HS7 Studio Monitors
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Sennheiser MKH416 Shotgun Mic
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MY PRESETS & PROFILES:
Line 6 HX Stomp Presets
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Line 6 Helix & Helix LT Presets
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Kemper Profiles
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Impulse Responses (Helix, Kemper, Iridium & AxeFx)
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SOUND:
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[@SaltyJoe189]

When i was like 16 i was absolutely sure I NEEDED a 100w head and 4x12 cab for my 10'x10' bedroom lol.

[@Yannplaysguitar]

We all did 😄. Now I google: “what is the best 1 watt tube amp on the market?”. Times are changing.

[@martine.210]

When I was about 17 I bought a JCM800 and a 4×12. Then took it to school where we played the musical "Grease". I blew everybody's head away and they were mad af. But I was so proud. Lol. Good times.

[@Yannplaysguitar]

@@martine.210 a JCM800 was my teenage dream amp. Well done!

[@charlesbolton8471]

I was a bass player. I needed an 8x10 cabinet.

[@dmcarter1512]

wish i saw this comment last month 😁

[@gangnamstylegrandpa6352]

Never used pedals , lugged around a Fender Super Reverb for years , downsized to a Fender Vibrolux ( lighter , not as great reverb ) . Still using the Vibrolux every day . No lust for any other amp . 73 years old , Vibrolux and a Strat , a Tele , a Epiphone Sheraton . I am so satisfied , which in this world is rare . I love Fenders !

[@tadlehmann1906]

I traded a vintage Super Reverb for a Princeton yesterday! I hope this was the right choice but it seemed obvious I would be better off with something smaller and lighter and less than “hammer of Thor” powerful.

[@coppulor6500]

congrats! you finally ran out of GAS. lol hope to be there some day. 🙂

[@AlanDavid]

I'm with you, used a vibrolux 1966 edition on tour for years.

[@larryhall2805]

I don't like pedals either. However, the music I'm performing requires a wah-wah so I use one of those.

[@dtrude000]

First I love all those tones , I use a Sovtek mig 50 , and a Fender Bantam Bass , delay ,boost , overdrive , reverb , tremolo,...... 64 years old and always on the hunt to see what I can come up with new. Oh and P 90's are the best .

[@WalterHolokai]

What's cool here is that your parents bought you your first guitar and amp for Christmas and continued to support you in guitar journey. You in turn help others with your videos. Pretty cool man. Look at you with all those awesome amps behind you. Your parents deserve the thanks.

[@adamdelarozza1985]

no electric guitar playing in my dads house. They despised it all as drug music😐

[@tm1180]

Witness!

[@scotttrezak6558]

I run my tweed deluxe (clone).through my stand-alone Fender reverb unit. Not only does it give the tweed great sounding reverb, but heats up the front end like using a Fender champ as a pre-amp - It looks cool on stage too - Kinda like Neil Young's rig

[@j.p.sixgunner7194]

​@@adamdelarozza1985 the trick is to play it loud enough to cover up the *actual* drugs...

[@whitec59]

I love the simplicity of this rig. This video made me really dive into my amp and figure out how to a variety of sounds out of it instead of relying on modelers and pedals.

[@ianhayes7684]

I'm a drummer and was watching this to help my guitar player in Tumbletoads. Let me say that the little solo ambient jam at the end of this video is KILLER. LOVE YOUR EAR DUDE.

[@HHExpress]

My first Amp I had I build out of a cassetterecorder and a Speaker from the city's central Radio. That was in 1976. After that I designed and build a transistor amplifier 40watts 4 channel with a separate 4 speaker cabinet. It was fun to do. Now many years later and many amplifiers later. I have build 2 tube amps one combo 25w and 1 50w stereo amp. I also have a small practice amp 15w and a modular amp. And still searching for the sound I like. I'm not into Fuzz but like overdrive.

[@stringlocker]

You learned the secret. When I started the guy that owned the music store told me to turn off my pedals and Reverb. He told me to play two years with nothing and after the two years you could turn everything back on. That was the best advice I ever had. If you can make an old silvertone sound good that's half the battle.

[@adamricard9410]

2 years is a bit excessive for this experiment but I get the point.

[@stringlocker]

Tthe longer the better and it wasn't an experiment.

[@adamricard9410]

@@stringlocker I mean sounds like one. You applied strict parameters over a period of time to discover all the different intricate ways to use one tool 😂. I’m not knocking it. I was given the same advice just without the time frame. Basically spend some serious time getting to know your amp and guitar alone before anything else. I think more guitarists should do that. The guy who told me has downgraded to just his AC15 and his tele direct. Im hoping to find a 5 watter I can just do that with at home to become distraction free again from all the gear.

[@normanmozley3659]

Always loved fuzz boxes, sent you a couple, Dad and I built a fuzz into the back of a Vibrolux reverb amp in 1966, came from a popular electronics magazine. I have seen it all in the analog world and probably forgot more than I want to think about. I hope all of your subscribers and lesson people appreciate the things you teach and demonstrate. 62 years of playing rolled up in your lessons.

[@colinwallace5286]

I have always loved when a guitar and amp start working off each other, and you get very melodic feedback within a chord. A good example of this is when Joe Bonamassa holds the last note of “Why Does It Take So Long To Say Goodbye”, and turns toward his amps slightly. A really nice harmonic starts up and blends with the chord. So sweet.

[@iamsparta96]

I had to go find this video after reading this, badass.

[@Dizastermaster.]

Lol that just sounds like clean feedback. It sounds WAYYYY better if the amp is miced as well. Some of the harmonics don't penetrate into the audience as well, and so to hear them, you gotta either be on stage or listen to a recording

[@analogoutdoors]

I went 30 years with a channel switching amp and very few if any pedals besides a compressor. Now that I've retired from gigging, I'm loving clean pedal platform style amps and a board with a few decent pedals on it.

[@frankmarsh1159]

The guitar solo on "One of These Nights" which many people consider to be one of the greatest tones ever is a Les Paul plugged straight into a Tweed Deluxe. No effects. No distortion pedal.

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

That's the magic of a Les Paul though too compared to other guitars is how you have two volume controls where you can really blend the sound along with the tone controls

[@BobJones-bh9qz]

Very high likelihood that no one will ever use that in any situation, at least without lots of inconvenience. I can buy a Line 6 Pod Go or HX Stomp for less than any decent amp, and they sound amazing, have extreme versatility, and are still being updated with new effects and amps. They also are able to be ran direct through a PA live or into an interface in a studio, using custom loaded IR’s of any cab, and can be used with headphones for completely silent practice.

[@frankmarsh1159]

@@BobJones-bh9qz Well if you own a Tweed Deluxe and a Les Paul and that's the sound you are looking for then there is no inconvenience. But yeah there are a lot of options these days with modelers that sound really good.

[@BkBk-gy6vr]

FUZZ

[@LRHutch]

Simplicity is all you need in an Amp. My go to Amp is a Peavey classic 30 with 1 12" speaker for everything and a few pedals.

[@picksalot1]

Ive been using Modelers for many years, so I don't have to limit myself to a single Amp. That said, I think it is really important to have certain pieces of gear that form the core and basis upon which you build and discover your own sound.

[@qua7771]

I used modelers to figure out what I really wanted. I think the real deal sounds way better in ways I can't explain.

[@SpunktAlex]

True. I use a Helix as my main rig for rehearsels and gigs, yet IMO as a musician you should have 1 "fallback-failsafe" rig that just sounds great by itself. For me this is my Blackstar HT1. Loud enough to play classic Rock with some drums and if I'd ever need it louder I'd put a mic in front of the 1x12 V30 cab that I play with it.

[@Phoenix_cataclysm_in_2040]

Indeed. Fender Mustang III can give you 100 tweakable presets, based on all major vintage valve amps.

[@-OokySpooky-]

Bruh laptop, cable, and a 2i2 I found is pretty much god tier and it fits in a decent sized lappy bag. Chuck an sm57 just in case and your back from modeling to recording on the floor. Anything, anytime, anywhere. That being said when I'm not modeling I learned the fender blues deluxe junior did pretty everything. I play smooths stuff but also a lot of super heavy sludge and doom metal and it's amazing at all of it.

[@ruanddu]

@@-OokySpooky- thanks for the info. Can you please reply with what plug ins or modeling you use with your 2i2? I am new to this way of playing so would appreciate it!

[@jirdesteva]

That patch cable tweak is in no manual I've ever read. Those little gems of knowledge are great to know. MORE PLEASE!

[@b.j4348]

Rhett you started on the same amp I did!!!!! Vox VT120+ but moreso the modelling amp. I loved it.. at some point I tried a Vox AC10C1 or something similar and realised how annoying a tube amp was for bedroom guitar - then sold the VT120+ to a friend. Would have kept it but I wanted that modelling / sim power capable of mixing with my looper pedal - which was my primary practice tool. Now I own a Boss Katana 100Mk2, it sits plugged into my PC 24/7; love that I can download / upload patches and import them. If I take it on the road, I have the airstep etc. Kinda makes me laugh going full circle while chasing tones - same goes with pedal I always gravitated towards a 1-3 button setup max.

[@stevejamieson1613]

I don’t gig, just play at home but I get what you’re saying. My favourite amp is a little Artist brand 5 watt tweed/valve amp with a Celestion G8C-15 Speaker. Then for boost or reverb I have it hooked up to a T-Rex Fat Shuga pedal, and that’s it! I can run the boost without the reverb and really dig in to it or flick on the reverb and just kiss the strings a little. Great video 🎸

[@largeeng]

Pleasantly surprised by your choice, especially as I have a tweed deluxe clone. This has given me some useful tips to get even more out of it. I normally use the jumper and and set the controls in the upper ranges, using the guitar controls to clean the tone up somewhat and keep something in reserve for solos. I also run into a pedal board with fuzz, bluesdriver, phase 90, and a fender tre-verb. I can see though there are even more tonal possibilities than I am currently getting, and with no extra kit than I already have. Great video

[@stephen25uk]

I don't play electric but that was one of the most interesting guitar videos I've ever seen. An insight into (to me) that geeky world of gear from someone who really knows what he is talking about and who can clearly play the instrument, well that's really fascinating.

[@jimmymarchisotto8152]

I enjoyed hearing your amp journey. I DID get a triple rectifier! I was in a heavy band and needed the gain tone. But now I run two amps. A Marshal 1-12 40 watt tube combo and my main amp is an Orange 2-10 stereo combo. Amps add so much if you get the right tone then the amps are doing their job!

[@MickeyDs14]

This was an awesome video, Rhett! I remember playing a Mustang and selling it to get a Fender Champ solid state. Over the years I’ve figured out what good tone is and had to improve my playing with that cheap solid state. During the pandemic I finally bought my first tube amp, a Blues Jr, and now my sound really comes alive. I attribute that to using cheap gear first to focus on tone and then upgrading. So many people get lost in gear and don’t understand how to incorporate the amp into their playing.

[@SplotchTheCatThing]

2:43 honestly this year I've learned how true this is, after getting a little tube amp for myself back in December. Very glad I didn't start on it, because I wouldn't have been able to sound like anything. But after already having just a few years of practicing, that same unforgiving harsh reality of its sound is really helping me improve just because of how it rewards me with that one perfect take when I get everything just right. Also, don't know if people mention this, but I for one really appreciate you keeping the promotions for your online courses in these videos super-brief and to the point.

[@RH_Guitar]

Awesome video! Too many musicians spend most of their time looking at new gear to purchase, rather then perfecting their craft. We can definitely use more “minimalism” in the guitar world 😁🎸

[@Southernguitar74]

I agree with every word you said. Less is more.

[@Bikewithlove]

Totally. Getting to know your gear reveals infinite options & eliminates the need for wasting money on bells & whistles. When I was building my recording studio back in Philadelphia, I read an article about Sinead O’Connor’s engineer’s compressorless recording & editing technique, and an interview with Brian Eno about his minimalist studio where he would teach himself everything about his equipment. All I had was an Art 2-channel tube mic preamp with a matched pair of Telefunken tubes, and after fully learning my way around it, and learning how to edit tracks in Ableton with volume and eq envelopes, I had no use for a compressor.

[@RH_Guitar]

@@Bikewithlove Very interesting! I am apart of a guitar facebook groups and they do more posting about the new instruments/amps they get rather than the music they create with the ones they already have. It's a touch backwards if you ask me. But hey, to each their own.

[@Bikewithlove]

@@RH_Guitar - It would seem so, but I noticed you didn’t include a link to your music, and neither did I for that matter. Putting one’s self out there over the internet isn’t as simple as it might have seemed twenty years ago.

[@RH_Guitar]

@@Bikewithlove fair point! I try not to flood the internet with links to my stuff. But I actually just released a couple songs on my KZbin channel if you are interested in listening! I’m always looking for new music as well if you want to share a link to your music 😁🎸

[@craigburner1296]

As an engineer of many years my fav is the Boogie combo because of the versatility. It doesn't really have a sound of it's own but can do most things well. If you can get specific amps for their sound that is better but if you can only have one, that is what I would choose.

[@clarkerobertson2764]

I have been playing 53 years, and have played and owned Fenders, Marshalls, Mesa/Boogies, etc. A few years ago I found my groove with a handwired Vox AC30. No frills, I can get my distortion, etc. either from driving the amp a little harder or using my Wampler Tumnus or Ratsbane (or a combination). Right now I'm playing with a vocalist who has a great sound system. so I got a Vox AC4HW1, and mic it with my Royer R-10 ribbon mic and it is plenty loud (and much lighter than the 30)! But to your point about handwired amps revealing everything, that is also where their versatility comes from; the touch sensitivity. I can even get a really nice, warm jazz tone from the Voxes!

[@JCGronewold]

I’ve been playing exclusively out of a (slightly modified) fender hot rod deluxe for 12 years. With a 10band eq and/or various preamp pedals in conjunction with the fx loop I can make it sound pretty convincingly like just about anything (in a live situation) Carrying a handful of preamp pedals to a gig is much easier on my back than carrying multiple amps

[@klemkadiddlehopper7361]

Ive been using a Hot rod delux as well, basically as a tube platform. I'll run a multieffects pedal into it simulating a high gain amp for juicy metal tones and let the tubes crank it up loud. The hotrod delux is not designed as a metal amp by any means, but it's super flexible and can be a fantastic platform.

[@justindlc]

Same. What pedals do you like? An EQ in the loop was a game changer. It also takes a big muff very well without the amp crapping out (though you can combine a muff with a boost to make it sound like it's crapping out!). Another thing I do is set the dirty channel to very low overdrive and then hit it was a light overdrive or boost.

[@JCGronewold]

@@justindlc my favorite is the Jhs color box, but I recently used the orange preamp pedal and it was very nice sounding. As far as muffs go, the op amp big muff has been my favorite for the HRD, something about the way it interacts well with the mid range

[@dragonsquare2802]

This is EXACTLY what I needed on my quest for a smaller and simpler rig! Thanks, Rhett

[@terrenceflynn]

If you need a small tube amp consider the ec vibro champ. Its expensive but works for nearly every situation at any volume level. Pick whatever speaker works for you and mic that puppy up. The best investment ive ever made.

[@markmcdonald5711]

My first real amp was a Fender Blues Jr. I bought in 2004, played it for a couple years then after reading a lot of guitar amp books I realized what I really wanted was a hand-wired 5 watt single output tube amp like a Fender Champ so I bought a Victoria 518. Great amp but I wanted an amp with tube reverb so I sold the 518 and bought a Swart Atomic Jr. It is all tube with a Weber 8 inch speaker and is the best sounding Champ style amp I have ever heard, my amp journey is complete now.

[@ZackSeifMusic]

This is why I went with Fractal for everything. One unit. All my tones. All my pedals. All my studio and live applications. I haven’t bought another amp since 2018 outside of upgrading the units I already had to the latest versions. Very nice and convenient to have one unit or amp or rig to do everything with. You really learn how to get the most out of the unit when you spend time with it. And this is kind of the same as what Rhett is saying, where if you spend a lot of time with one set up for one amp you really learn how to get the most out of it and you’re not stuck continuously shopping for something new.

[@davidweden1413]

Great segment! I have one of these, and over the last several years it has become the "go to" amp for most venues. The previous owner of my amp made two popular mods: an attenuator was installed so the amp can get the natural saturation without getting too loud, and a switch was added to provide three options for break up, the middle option being the factory settings. Anyway, thanks doing this segment, there are good reasons for why these have become so popular!

[@philomelodia]

Currently. My amp of choice is the boss katana. It does everything. Everything! With an air step control pedal, you don’t even need to buy other petals. Everything is right there for you. It’s just amazing. You get eight presets you can store on it and you can use any effect you want or any chain of them you want that boss produces to create your sound chain. Then, all you do is step on the preset with your pedal controller and you’re ready to go.

[@tsharpton1]

Great video Rhett I always love yours! Yes I am a newby and I do love the feel of a tube amp with the guitar but my Fender GTX 100 does everything I need it to do and is pretty good sound for me the amateur. Maybe in several years I will purchase a real amp.

[@tomlangmusic9623]

Katana 100 user here. I have a selection of tubers: DRRI, Laney VC30, '64 Champ, Carvin 60 but for gigging the Katana/footswitch sounds and feels great and no pedalboard, just the long footswitch.

[@f674]

This is a fantastic example of less is more! The Tweed Deluxe is my favorite amp ever! Killer review!

[@gosteel]

This is a great vid for new guitar players. I've finally set on a Fender Bass Breaker 15 for my amp with the extention cab. I use a Blackstar "LT Dual" which makes this a 3 channel setup now (clean,overdrive,distortion). The Bass Breaker is what I have wanted from Fender for a long time. It has multiple levels a gain, effects loop and a really great direct out (DI) which I use for silent recording into my Logic Pro X or straight to a mixing board for live situations. Switchable ohms for multiple cabs and the 15 watts really holds its own. The Blackstar LT Dual really sounds amazing with this amp, like they were made for one another. Onboard reverb is good, so just add a couple of pedals and there really isn't much that I can't cover. Super simple rig to move from gig to gig, and light weight. Getting too old to lug big gear anymore. Everything is under $1000.00 (minus the ext cab) and you'll sound like a pro. Cheers!!!!

[@1davejsutdave1]

Using a Tweed Deluxe is practically a college course level certification.

[@boazhakvoort7296]

I have just the small fender pro junior, it really brings me all the sounds i need. Amazing that these amps can do so much!

[@silverjaw138]

Pro junior is a ROCKIN little amp.

[@jsz1962]

Agreed! I picked one up recently and it blows me away.

[@billb5029]

I also have a pro Jr. An absolute monster. Tons of gain who needs a pedal

[@axeist92126]

I have a ‘68 Custom Princeton Reverb. Four pedals: EVH5150 chorus, TC analog delay, Celestial Effects Sagittarius Boost/OD, Celestial Effects Aries Beast Distortion.

[@BkBk-gy6vr]

Not as much as a modeler

[@steveo44]

The tweed tone is just so nice. Incredibly versatile too. I'm much more a tweed than blackface fan . Just my preference. This was really interesting and it shows you can go a hell of a long way with one amp and 4 or 5 pedals.

[@squirelova1815]

My "Ideal" amps must weigh in at around 30 Lbs, or less. Everything after this is negotiable hence that's how I ended up with my mandatory "Dreamboat"= '65 Princeton RI (before they shot up to $1300!?) plus an equally lovely & wonderful Vibro Champ XD and the excellent Peavey VYPYR VIP3 that doubles as a bass amp too. Amplitube 5 can cover anything else for me and weighs even less too.

[@lj61south]

I have 2 main amps. Both have the tone I love. Magnatone Super 15 w stock 12” WGS and a Fender Deluxe Reissue with a WGS ET-65. Like a lot of guitar players, I spent years and years trying to find that perfect tone, and I found it with both of these!

[@4o5919]

Man, its refreshing to see someone worthwhile that will justify a pedal. Sooo many tone snobs that talk smack about pedals but they aren't the ones on stage either.Thank You sir.

[@EclipseAtDusk]

My one Amp’s become the Peavey Silver-stripe bandit - sure, it’s solid state, but it’s transistor solid state - and once you get it in just the right spot, those transistors drive and distort like tubes - after all, that’s exactly what an “amp in a box” pedal is. The dedicated clean channel is wonderful for pure sparkling cleans, and the drive channel can do everything from blues, woofy breakup, to tight, chunky metal, depending on the gain control and an overdrive hitting the front I definitely want to try picking up another one, and a stereo 2x12 cab for a fun stereo setup, just to try it

[@DCJayhawk57]

I have a Mesa/Boogie Triple Crown (TC-100) with the stock EL-34s (it can take 6L6s, but I wanted a British vibe for the vintage channel) and a 4x12 cab with Celestion V30s. The thing is amazing, I kind get modern high gain sounds like a rectifier, but also classic rock tones. Clean channel is quite good and is a pretty good pedal platform. I recently got a Strymon Iridium that I'm actually using in front of the amp with cab IRs turned off (my effects loop is taken up by chorus/flange and time based effects), and it works really well to get me the rest of the sounds that I want. I'm really of the opinion that you should just save up and buy the nicest thing you can afford. It's much more motivating and fun to play if you like your gear. Although my amp is a bit much for home use, it has a built in attenuator (to lower the wattage) so that you can still crank the volume and get natural break-up. Even though I've wanted to buy more amps (like all my favorite KZbinrs), there's no way to justify when I can get so much out of just one. I don't know many people who talk about the TC-100, so just thought I'd give my opinion. I think a nice tube amp is a must if you're not into the full blown modeler realm.

[@steves12strings]

Oh yeah, the TC-100 is my favorite amp of all time.

[@eljison]

I used to think that I needed a 2 channel amp. Now my only amp is my Fender "After the Goldrush" Blues Jr. The rest is done with my pedalboard.

[@davidhirst1661]

I used to have loads of pedals but now I keep it simple: A standard Strat with Hot noiseless pick ups (no need for noise gate or boost pedals), through a Peavey tube amp with a 65 watt Celestion creamback speaker), with built in overdrive, boost and reverb. For everything I play this does it all tonally. This old school method requires a bit more from the player, but you have a cleaner more crisp sound. The Peavey sits comfortably between the Marshall's rockiness and the Fender's bluesiness. I put in the creamback speaker because it's very clean and glassy. If you wanted more rocky you could use a greenback. My setup sounds great for all music. I only use GHS boomer strings (10s) with a relatively low action, but with plenty of tension at the bridge. It's taken me years to get the right set-up, it was when I got the Hot noiseless pick-ups that it all came together. They are so glassy and clear that makes them great for everything from Jazz to Metal. I found that you can always (yes always) get better sound from relatively cheaper equipment with the right set up. You have to play with things a lot until you get the sound you've been searching for.

[@maxhocks2006]

In my limited experience fender amps are great for clean tones and pedals. Me personally I’m a Marshall and les Paul man. There’s just some magic that happens with this two. But I’m more of a punk rock / classic rock kinda guy. Great video and great tips👍👍

[@Matt-012]

no doubt! got a slash nov burst last week and run it into 20w jcm800 with Ikon dist and it is heavenly

[@saxophobe]

“You can do everything with a Fender Tweed Deluxe” says the guy with 4-5 very expensive amps in the same shot. 🤣🤣🤣

[@aitken1965]

I am a mere mortal. My upgraded Blues Junior is my “do everything” amplifier.

[@billjohannesen500]

1974 Fender Princeton Reverb, purchased used in 1976 from a newspaper ad. It’s lived it’s life on 10, treble 10 bass 0, reverb 2.5+. New caps after 30 + years and one tube replacement. Use the volume and tone controls on my 1957 Les Paul Special. Finally bought pedals in 2004, delay , chorus and a Zendrive.

[@cliftontorrence839]

The 50 watt Koch hand wired from the Netherlands has massive utility via 5 specific voices, two 10" speaks like the Vibrolux, 5 button floor pedal, 3 knob reverb section, regular trem and Harmonic trem, medium weight, classic tones, and very cool.

[@AndiKravljaca]

I have a Soldano. It has an amazing clean channel. A great overdrive channel. And a crunch mode which has just about the best edge of breakup sound I've ever heard. I have absolutely no need for any other amp.

[@TR4Ajim]

I played through a Roland AC 77, (the 120’s little brother), for over 30 years. Excellent clean sound, awesome chorus, and took pedals great. In all that time, dragged from bar to bar, it never let me down. Tubes, I don’t need no stinkin’ tubes!👍 BTW - love your coffee mug👍👍

[@CMHobbies]

What drive pedals did you use? I love my Roland JC40, but it appears to need pedals that produce their own distortion since it seems overdrives are usually meant to drive tube amps. Live, I go through HX Stomp for amps to stereo direct in PA, but at home I like the amp for that clean sound if I’m not using headphones (with my stomp).

[@TR4Ajim]

@@CMHobbies I tried many different pedals over the years but my favorite combo was: a RAT distortion, a Tube Screamer, a BOSS GE7 EQ, a BOSS DD3 delay, and a Roland EV5 volume pedal. Also my primary guitar throughout those years was a Rickenbacker 350. That guitar, through that rig, cut through ANY mix. It’s not often that the drummer tells you to turn down!👍😉

[@nikverschuren4291]

I think its all just a taste thing, i started playing guitar 3 years ago. With a Katana, and my motivation went down to 0,000000. Didnt like the digital sound at all. Now i have a Harley Benton tube15, aka Monoprice. And it really sucked me back in ever since. The feel, sound, dynamics, everything i love. So for me? Digital, no stinking digital 😄

[@BH-fi1sb]

@@nikverschuren4291 when you buy a cheap modeler it is going to suck.

[@logan-wq5ub]

@@CMHobbies look through shoegaze and dreampop bands and players, even if its not what you play they definitely knew how to use a roland jc amp

[@edwardyazinski3858]

I bought a Victoria 5112 - basically a hand wired Fender Champ with 12# speaker and cab to accommodate it. Love it. Starts a bit of break up around 4 and sounds great with pedals. And many, those 5 watts are loud! Could not be happier.

[@philodonoghue3062]

Rory Gallagher plus THAT Strat plus Vox equals pure genius - without ‘resorting to’ to FX pedals

[@vorpalblades]

Cool story. Except for the fact that he did use pedals.

[@AlexanderPetrov]

What a magic clean tone from this Tweed Deluxe! Thank you for the video and your story, Rhett!

[@shader26]

My experience was similar. As a 17 year old in the early seventies who saved up my money (first bought a used ES335 that I still have) when I had enough to buy an amplifier, did much talking with the guys at the music store (there were no big box music stores back then that I knew of) and ended up buying an Ampeg VT-40 with 4 10’s in it, spring everb. Heavy as hell. Loved it. At gigs I could turn it up and it was LOUD, and driven but like you say, still clean. Though with the semi hollow ES335 at gigs it was like riding a tiger at those volumes. Had to learn to damp the strings with my right hand or feedback city, but also could get musical feedback when I wanted. I did have one pedal, a sho-bud volume pedal. I felt no lack of anything and as you say, nothing to hide behind.

[@stratplayer96]

The Mesa/Boogie Lone Star Classic (100w) combo can do everything well. It is also the best pedal platform amp I have ever played.

[@jeremycraft8452]

I built myself a 5e3 a while back, and it’s terrific. I added a 470k grid stopper resistor to the phase inverter (V2b) to prevent blocking distortion especially when using pedals, and that really opened up the flexibility of the amp.

[@oliverchapman51177]

Did you get the kit? Mojotone? Stew Mac?

[@jeremycraft8452]

@@oliverchapman51177 No kit, I figured out what I needed and ordered the parts from Antique Electronic Supply. I built the cabinet from pine shelving.

[@oliverchapman51177]

@@jeremycraft8452 may I ask the ballpark you spent. A 5e3 would complete my collection. I’ve started building guitars, so naturally I’ve gained confidence, and would like to build a 5e3. I’m impressed you actually built it from square one. Bravo.

[@jeremycraft8452]

@@oliverchapman51177 Thanks! My path was quite similar to yours. I recall spending about $700 when all was said and done, and that includes everything: components, wire, cabinet parts, screws, etc. It was my first project that could kill me if I didn’t do it right, which was great for focusing on doing it right!

[@oliverchapman51177]

@@jeremycraft8452 Awesome. Well I won’t be building my own cab, but about $1000 is what I was thinking.

[@joshuamkk]

hey Rhett love your channel man you’ve helped to keep my passion for guitar alive so thank you for everything you do!

[@justinguitarcia]

I currently have 4 combos: a Swart AST (use most of the time), RedPlate Tweedy Verb (when playing with a bigger band), Victoria 45410 (for outside) and a 70s fender champ for recording. I use them all the same way just at different volume requirements. The amp I cut my teeth on though was a fender hot rod deville, still think those are great

[@ffbai]

Swart AST’s are amazing and underrated amps!

[@mark.guitar]

I had the priviledge of seeing a certain Mr Holdsworth dep with a trad jazz quintet at the Driftbridge Hotel at Boxhill in Surrey. He "only" had a strat with 7 guage strings and a deluxe reverb. He started a solo and one by one the band stopped playing to give him space until they were all propping up the bar having a mid gig pint. The whole venue was spellbound with the emotional rollercoaster that he took us on for about 45 minutes. I had never heard anything like it. Distinctively him and his volume, tone, and technique. Swells to die for and phrasing based on the "feel" and emotion of the audience. Truly inspiring use of a very simple rig.

[@rocktorrocks]

I followed the exact same start. First amp was the Frontman 15G in the Squier pack. Second amp which was a my first real good amp, was my Vox Valvetronix, third amp was my first tube amp Peavey Classic 50.

[@overdueresidue]

Hey Rhett, I’ve watched your channel for years for the great content but I’m really starting to enjoy how your playing style is evolving … reaching into new spaces and textures, very organic and enthralling

[@FantasticExplorers]

Dido!

[@kylelewis4685]

Completely understand the pedal platform idea to go for the 1 amp to do it all setup. However, I would rather use a Mesa mark V to get all the base tones and only use pedals for things like delay, chorus, flange ect. Cheers man. Love the channel

[@coppulor6500]

yeah, the loose low end was a bit much for me

[@nickf2170]

Good stories below....When I was 16, I had to have either a Dual Showman or a Twin Reverb. I couldn't afford either one, (or carry either one for that matter). So, I ended up with a Super Reverb, It was a good amp for me for a very long time. Still have it. But of course, I have moved on to a number of others.

[@chuckstoddard5491]

This amp is touted as the holy grail of tone. I bought one a few years back but never figured it out until your video. Thanks for showing me the way . . .

[@NickGranville]

Agree the tweed deluxe is such a versatile amp. I have one made by Victoria amps and use it on 90% of my gigs including shows, with orchestras, session, tours etc. the only time it doesn’t really work for me is on big stages, cause I need it send back through the monitors to hear it and I almost never like that sound - I prefer direct from the amp. In those cases I use my bassman.

[@gregs8685]

I have been searching for a Tweed, looked at the Victoria 5112 but went with Swart SRT Tweed. Also 5W but loud. It’s awesome.

[@0riole11]

Ahhhh the 5E3, it has be the one amp all guitarists should use at least once in their life, so simple, yet so complex with some great sag, and as shown here so versatile.

[@SteveSchuffert]

Yep that’s the one. Fender handwired series Custom deluxe. Got mine a few months back. Wanna hear it totally blow away what it’s like stock? Change stock speaker (mud) to a Celestion Greenback, next the change the 12AY tube to a 12AX7 and you’ll be amazed at what happens. Night and day difference. Tons more life, response and Tone. Way more fire 🔥 I also bought the 64 Princeton & Champ from the same handwired series. All very good.

[@staminuptime7646]

Dude rhett I just got a ‘67 fender dual showman reverb. I cranked it and used a tone bender and I measured the decibels. It was literally as loud as a jet engine

[@jettyluke5867]

I’ve had a tweed deluxe for years and I’ve been waiting for someone to make a video like this, I live in an apartment in Chicago, so I can’t always do this! So now I have more things to try next jam at a rehearsal space! Thanks Rhett

[@jakestewartmusic]

Great video, Rhett. IMO understanding your gear is more important than owning lots of gear. I used the same amp for hundreds of gigs, multiple recording sessions, and several national tours over the past 10 years playing a wide range of genres as a semi-pro sideman.

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Well said! Most gear will get people a lot further than they think if they just take the time to really learn everything it's capable of. 👍

[@weets69]

Great vid Rex. I bought a Peavy Delta Blues 210 from an upset wife going through a divorce and who was dumping her Ex’s gear via a fire sale. Paid $25 bucks. I don’t think the guy used it more than a few times. I really don’t understand all its functions or really know it’s potential. This vid inspired me to really sit down with it and put some time in her to really understand it. 👍

[@billmay7364]

Desert Island Amp. FENDER TWEED DELUX. Does it All. Studio, On Stage. Simple and Beautiful.

[@NewHopeAudio]

This is a good video. I think we all go through a few amps but really, it’s as simple as: what’s your ideal base sound? Because like you showed in the video, getting the *most* out of your amp/ gear is really the biggest step instead of dragon chasing. Appreciate you doing it, gave me some Five Watt World vibes, would be cool to see a collab one day.

[@napalmhardcore]

An option you could also go with is something with an effects loop. Placing certain pedals in an effects loop can alter their character and it also gives you the possibility of bypassing your amp's own preamp entirely with what I'll call a "true" preamp (something designed for this purpose or to be used as part of a direct setup). On the other hand, I think this guide gives good advice and is easier to follow because there are more caveats with my approach (the type and quality of effects loop).

[@MarvinHartmann452]

I use a fender silverface super reverb for everything, even bass. It's versatile and does the job fine. I have it since 40 years ago.

[@wilhelmtheconquerer6214]

My "end all, be all"-amplifier (as a metal bass player influenced by Iron Maiden, Metallica and Black Sabbath) would be a hybrid British-style 300w head with 2 channels (clean and boost), 2 inputs (active and passive), channel volume and gain controls, a 5-band graphic EQ, an Ashdown-style Sub harmonic overtone control and switch, FX-loop and (of course) switches for power and standby. Pair that with a Celestion PULSE loaded 4x15 speaker cabinet and I'm set for life

[@andrewsrea]

I am surprised you picked a Tweed Deluxe, which I think is a fine amp to define 'your signature sound' for a player. For a 'jack-of-all-trades / let the pedals do the work,' I would have thought you'd pick a BF Deluxe Reverb.

[@m0j0b0ne]

Give me four pedals and any Fender Deluxe Reverb 1X12 combo, I can cut any gig this side of the Rio Grande. Well, not bebop; I been accused of jazz, but I swear I didn't do it.

[@frankmarsh1159]

The guitar solo on "One of These Nights" which many people consider to be one of the greatest tones ever is a Les Paul plugged straight into a Tweed Deluxe. No effects. No distortion pedal.

[@gben2457]

I have a hand wired 5E3 made by the late Brian Cox. Great amp, but for lead tone I love my 87 Silver Jubilee, 1 x 12 combo. If I were gigging I would want to A/B between the two, of course that would require two channels on the mixing board in a live situation.

[@jasonhemp5747]

@@gben2457 Brian Cox from Bloomington Illinois?

[@ficknoti]

@@frankmarsh1159 live he's in a mesa boogie mark but man that live tone in 77 is sweet but the recording is too. Felder is sick

[@nickefgen9219]

I’ve got a blues jr amp that I’m using with a couple of pedals, both pedals are the MXR brand , one is a chorus pedal and the other is a boost distortion pedal, my amp has the reverb on it with the bass, mid and the treble knobs I really like the setup that I’ve got

[@maxpeck4154]

I got a Morgan MVP23 last March and it does everything I want. I only use a Flint because it does not have onboard reverb and I can't live without it. I don't need or want any pedal of any kind (don't like fuzz) save for a wah if the song calls for it. This is only for me, purely my preference, but I don't want any breakup or drive that the amp doesn't do on its own. The power level control on the amp is invaluable, likely the last amp I'll ever buy. I can tweak the controls for the sound I want and the guitar I'm playing without even looking. You really can't beat natural amp breakup and distortion.

[@0Nafod0]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🎸 *Understanding your amp is crucial; each has strengths and limitations.* 03:12 🎛️ *Learning to maximize one amp's potential can cover various tones and styles.* 05:06 🎚️ *Interactive controls on an amp, like volume, can significantly alter its sound.* 06:47 🎶 *Utilizing "jumping" inputs on an amp can create different tonal possibilities.* 08:21 🎛️ *Adding specific pedals can expand an amp's capabilities and re-voice its sound.* 11:27 🚀 *Boost pedals maintain an amp's character while enhancing its natural breakup.* 12:14 ⏳ *Pedals like delay can provide features not inherent in the amp, like echo effects.* 12:41 🌟 *External pedals can simulate features absent in the amp, such as tremolo and reverb.* 15:02 🎸 *Mastery of your rig matters more than owning an array of gear for great tones.* Made with HARPA AI

[@Think_Up]

One amp for everything would be from Carr for me. Super Bee or Mercury V.

[@victorbennett5414]

Ah yes, a simple $2400 amp...

[@Dizzydre21]

You can build 5e3s for wayyyy less than that. They're very simple amps.

[@GedonKolga]

@@Dizzydre21 I just built a head for one, for like 350$

[@bramvanmelle5130]

Haha. But in long run it pays to buy what you want up front if you can. Problem is working out what you want...

[@karantrehan7710]

@@bramvanmelle5130 Very well said, brother

[@denissmith9772]

One amp for me is three! Two blue speakered AC30’stereo and a/b’d jtm45/66” 80wt slant cab! Beanie boost, delay, chorus, fuzz! Does it all! No compromise!!!

[@alexstrums]

I couldn't agree more! I'm currently using the free Tonex app and a cheap model pack by Jason Sadites (I think it's based on a Marshall JTM45). I've ended up using ONE amp setting from that pack and then using my pedals and guitar controls to get everything from low gain Blues (BB King and Peter Green) to cleans for Reggae and more driven Led Zeppelin style tones. As you rightly said, the key is to pick something, stick to it and really get to know how it works. There are so many options out there these days that it's easy to become a casualty of paralysis from GAS overload! I also sold 6 of my guitars and now just have a Les Paul and a Strat. For what I play, this covers EVERYTHING!

[@999gremlins]

Fantastic and educational. Thank you Rhett. I get most of my amp choice using Amplitube 5...Definitely inspired me to "mess around" with the different models. So much to learn

[@annarakannan6620]

I recently got a 8W tweed deluxe from Lil Dawg configured with a custom wound transformer for 5e3 push pull circuit. It works like a charm. Perfect basement volume with all the tone intact. Perfect for me but non adjustable if you want this on a larger arena. Something to keep in mind. I don’t gig.

[@revelationsoundstudio]

My Mesa Boogie Mark VII gives me the sound for jazz, rock, metal, and country.

[@derrelltodd342]

I have a Peavey Classic 50 and I absolutely love it

[@vinnyguerriero5150]

Mesa Mark IV combo with extension cabs is “near” perfect. I run with 6L6 and EL34

[@zachb5803]

I’m going with Mark V head or Rectoverb head can’t decide….

[@XxCorvette1xX]

11:45 is immediate Fly Away Lenny Kravitz coming from inside a tin can tone lol

[@davidkieltyka9]

Great amp choice! Also great explanation of how a tweed Deluxe works. It’s way more versatile than many folks realize. The unused channel’s vol knob is a very effective mid control for the channel you’re plugged into. Your initial settings-inst. vol at 3, mic channel vol at ~10.5-is exactly how I set mine when I want a clean mid ‘60s Deluxe sound when playing at home. Mic channel down to ~8 when I want more guts.

[@stevenschenck7275]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I played with bands in San Francisco in the 60s and never took the time to learn about my amps because a tech would setup everything and I just plugged in. A friend dropped a 57 twin at my house a few years back but I have never learned to use it because it is too loud around my neighbors so my main amp is a Grid Mini and my neighbors never get bothered. Last week I decided to start using the 57 twin and with a large guitar collection of Strat, Telly, jazzmaster and Les Pauls it was just plug and play to change my tone. Your lesson helped show how I was missing getting all the amazing tone from my equipment that it is capable of. Now if I could just rebuild my 70 year old fingers...

[@Supergrunged]

Surprised you didn't end up with a Dual/Triple Rectifier considering they do a few tricks other amps can't! I'll agree though, it's more voiced towards a different player. But Mesa is one of the few companies I have found that have a well written manual for their amplifiers to help you unlock what you're looking to get out of the amp, as well as how many of the functions work. But from a heavy metal player that watches your channel, this is still a cool perspective to watch, thank you!

[@bluzikmusic]

I find fuzz pedals destroy guitar tone and your demonstration proves my point. At the moment my effects pedals are just an overdrive, and a compressor. Will soon add an octaver. Will also consider a tremolo pedal sometime. My Katana amp is limitlessly programmable that I really don't need pedals at all but use them for speed of changing effects on the go.

[@Frozenguy1]

Fuzz works very different with tubes, your katana doesnt have tubes... I also like fuzz more with single coils. Its still an acquired taste though.

[@bluzikmusic]

Thanks for that Bart. I didn't like the octaver either so sent it back. Just have the two pedals now plus a DI for the acoustics.

[@BellsCuriosityShop]

My first was a Ross Fame 10, then came Marshall 8080, Laney AOR30, Sound City 50+, Marshall DSL1 and Carlsbro CS60TC. I've still got the last three.

[@JosephCompton66]

So, I have watched your home amp series, and this series, and I was convinced that I was going to go the tweed route, until I heard Henriksen Bud 6. 12 pounds, two channels, 120 watts, clean pedal platform, with 3 band eq and reverb on each channel. Headphone Jack, extension speaker line out. Xlr line out for a board, effects loop, aux in for a click track, or to Run backing tracks through, and works great with electric and acoustic. I am surprised you haven’t seen one. I bet if you demo one, you would start to question the tube choice. Great amp for working musicians. You can learn a few things from jazz guys. Thanks for all your content Rhett, you put a lot of leg work in to help us all make better decisions.

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

The Tweed Deluxe is an incredible sounding amp! That's on the top of my list of next amps if Fender will stop raising the price on me, lol. I recently upgraded my one amp to a Mesa Recto-verb 25. It does the Rectifier thing but I also use a couple amp-in-a-box pedals for my Marshall and Tweed sounds through the clean channel. The clean channel takes pedals really well and there's plenty of clean headroom for gigs if I want/need it. Plus I can go from country clean to hard rock with a simple channel switch! 😂

[@georged9615]

Go for a hand wired clone. Many out there and cheaper than Fender. I bought one from Franklyn Amps. Hand wired, Tweed Deluxe clone with 3-way negative feedback mod, half power switch and master volume. About $1,300 or so depending on options. Builder is a super person to deal with. The negative feedback mod makes the amp way more versatile. More negative feedback tightens up the bass, increases the clean headroom and changes the clean to distortion transition.

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

@@georged9615 That sounds like a great option! Like the idea of a master volume. I've looked at the Mojo Tone clone kit and have considered building that. Seems like a fun project. Definitely will look into the Franklyn amp.

[@chr15tree]

Hi Rhett. Absolutely love this episode. Great to see how versatile that deluxe is, with and without pedals. One question, how loud in the room is it? I have just built a 5E3 circuit and cant wait to try it like this!

[@TobyKBTY]

The image of Rhett having his lovely versatile guitars being played through a Triple Recto is hilarious to me. Man imagine how different your tone journey would have been if that's what actually happened.

[@stanmurphy3638]

Yup. Several years ago, I discovered this for myself when I stumbled on a boutique Clark Beaufort for a great price. It's a hand wired 5E3 Deluxe circuit that taught me the magic of how volume and a single tine control work together to cover most of what I need without EQ or most pedals. Paired it with a reverb pedal and a compressor (each of which used sparingly) and have never looked back.