Amp Trader
As every musician will know, it’s not just how you play an instrument, it’s how the instrument sounds through a speaker too, and this is where the AMP comes in. Amps enable the sounds created by an instrument to be amplified through a speaker, and are most commonly used with guitars.
There are many different manufacturers of Guitar Amps on the market, including well-known names like the legendary Fender, Gibson, Peavy, Crate, and Marshall. Amp Traders will stock guitar amps and accessories from these, and other names that are suitable for Bass Guitars, Electric Guitars, and Acoustic Guitars. Each Guitar Amp will vary in size, shape, design, and the methods used to process the sounds. Other variants are the additional features and controls, power efficiency, and the quality of sound/tone produced. Some Amps for example, will create more noise/feedback than others, and some materials used in the casings will produce better sounds.
To a certain extent, when you buy a Guitar Amp, you will get what you pay for in terms of quality, but there are products on the market that will suit all budgets, from students, right through to professional musicians who are looking for so called ‘boutique products’ or customised models.
There are several types of Amps available on the market, including the Headphone Amp, Mini Amp, and the larger Amp Heads or Combo Amps. The Headphone Amps plug into guitar and headphones allowing for silent practice (great for the home), while the Mini Amp is a great portable product for rehearsals and touring. The larger Amp Heads are standalone products, with the sound being fed through them, and then onto the speaker, while the Combo Amps are units containing an amplifier and several speakers.
Some products can be fed through effects pedals to speakers, while other common features include integrated distortion switches, mains power adapters, and volume and tone controls. Also worth looking at is the products bandwidth, which will tell you the frequencies that the best performances will come from. Amp stockists will also offer a range of accessories to go with their products, such as belt clips and straps for the portable amps, or footswitches to remotely control the larger products.
Research will soon tell you that there are some makes of Guitar Amps that have become as iconic as the guitars they are plugged into, thanks to company reputation, design (which is often retro in origin), and of course celebrity endorsements. Every famous guitarist has their favourites, with many having custom built, one of a kind, Amps made for them by companies like Marshall, who supplied Jimi Hendrix with the 7026 Amp.
If you want to emulate one of your guitar heroes, then you best get shopping! There’s plenty of choice, so you’re bound to find the right Guitar Amp for your needs, and then it won’t be too long before you can play your guitar loud and proud for all to hear!
