I've been looking at Gibson Explorers since I have a new job lined up but was told those guitars would not work well with my amp. I have this amp here:
http://www.music123.com/Crate-VTX15B-i151242.music
Is there any reason why I couldn't use that amp with a Gibson?
I can see no reason, Angel, why an Explorer shouldn't work just fine with your amp. The pickups on an Explorer are on the hot side (i.e. high output) so you may need to set the gain a little lower than you're used to, but otherwise the Explorer's just another Gibson with humbuckers - ceramic rather than the more common alnico, but nonethless just high-end humbuckers.
Go for it - should be a fierce little rig 8)
At some point you'll want to upgrade the amp again. But there's no need to rush. Buy the Explorer and then save up for a truly nice gig worthy amp that suits the guitar. But what you have at the moment though should work fine. It may just not allow the full potential of the guitar to come through.
"Things may get a whole lot worse/ Before suddenly falling apart"
Steely Dan
"Look at me coyote, don't let a little road dust put you off" Knopfler
Whew, that's a relief. Someone told me a Gibson and my amp wouldn't work together too well. Though it does have a jack for speakers. But I'll probably buy another at some point.
Thank you for your help.
Yeah, nothing wrong with Crate amps at all. I used to own a 100W Crate full stack. It sounded pretty great for a solid state, and never broke down ever.
If you get to the point where you want to perform, you will probably need at least a 50W solid state, or 30W tube amp with a single 12" or 2 X 12". But for right now, this amp is fine, and can even be used at small parties or even an open mic.
If you like the way it sounds, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. :wink:
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Ok shall my view be there ?
Well ...why a gibson after all ?Ok , gibsons are great , we all know that and we are all constantly looking for good tone , less hum etc and what not.
Now for that amp.There is absolutly no problem using any amp with any guitar as nither the amp nor the guitar will refuse to let the sound out.And reviews on the internet - I have read them all.One would say , go for a Fender Frontman , another marshall , a third vox , fourth crate and then some (and many ) will point out that most of the practice amps ARE NOT MEANT for good high end guitars and you won't be getting the most out of your guitar and then you will probably start blaming Gibson , saying that they make bad guitars etc etc.
Also the practice amps go with cheap speakers so the reviewers will advice you to get a new one in there too.
I know right now if i had 5000 $ i would love to buy maybe a Gibson LP or maybe a Gibson SJ-200 but yet from what i have realised by thinking 'with my brain' i realised that -
1.Nither a million dollar guitar is going to make me sound any better till i learn how to.
2.I need to get a good amp to get a decent tone out of my guitar.
3.I need to invest in some really good effect pedals to get that tone.
Now i am not discouraging anyone to buy expensives.Why not , after all , if you can get one , go get it.One matter of small advice - Go play it the bigger amps in the shop ,but then again possibility is that you may not recognise the difference because a good tone can only be recognised by the person who 'understands' the tone of a guitar and those are who know how to play properly.(and have some experience over the years.)
No i am not one of those people and i have no idea of tones but , i am there to recognize my limitations and listen to the advices of others.I have lamented a lot about good expensive guitars and everytime i have recognized that i only want a new guitar to hide my limitations with shiny new guitars...
Good luck with your New Gibson ! ,:D
Rahul
So everyone is saying I should able to get the tone I want but it won't carry for larger venues. Thanks for your help.
some (and many ) will point out that most of the practice amps ARE NOT MEANT for good high end guitars
Do you have any links to these reviews?
a good tone can only be recognised by the person who 'understands' the tone of a guitar
I don't think you need to be experienced to know good tone. You just have to know what kind of tone you're after.
i have recognized that i only want a new guitar to hide my limitations with shiny new guitars...
That may be you but I that's not why I want a new one. The one I have now: the pickups aren't hot enough for my tastes, the bridge doesn't float level, I get feedback from the one pickup when I switch to overdrive and sometimes the pickups die in the middle of playing. For what I paid for it and what it would cost to correct all this, I might as well get a new one. And a Gibson would probably last me a lifetime.
I would think you should be able to hit a music shop that could hook the two up and let you go at it for a bit.
Bish
"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"
OWA
Practice amps do not necessarily sound bad. Many sound awesome. But they usually do not have the power to gig with. But this is not necessarily true either. You can mic a small amp through a PA and it will be fine. In fact, many gigging musicians purposely use a small amp that can be driven into saturation and mic it.
In the meantime, you can correct some of those problems with your current guitar. If the bridge does not float level when the guitar is in tune, take the plate off the back of the guitar. You should see springs in there connected to screws. You simply turn the screws in or out to adjust the tension on the springs. If the bridge tilts forward, you do not have enough tension on the springs, turn the screws in some. If the bridge tilts back there is too much tension. Bring the screws out some. It may take 3 or 4 adjustments to get the bridge level when the guitar is in tune. But it is not a difficult thing to do at all, just takes a little patience.
As for the pickups, sounds like you have some loose wiring or a bad solder. If you know someone with a little electronic experience have them take a look at it. This problem can probably be straightened out too.
And if this is the guitar that turns you on, get it. It doesn't even matter why. Maybe you just like the look. Nothing wrong with that. You have to like the guitar you are playing.
As for tone, that is a personal thing anyway. I absolutely hated most of the guitar tones of the 80's that were so processed. But many would call this great tone.
If your guitar and amp sounds good to you, that is all that matters.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Thank you all for support. And sorry I kinda got everyone posting about a guitar that won't be happening, for now anyways.
By the way, I split this discussion. The replies that had more to do with the way the guitar looks are now at:
Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon
If you like the way it sounds then that is all that matters.
