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  1. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:[..]

    Haha, go for it. Big amps are best (get it?) when it's the right amp. I'd never get rid of my AC30 Not in a million years. It's basically my dream amp, and I have it! Saved up for a long time for it. Although it's a bit unnecessary, meaning that I don't play to huge audiences and normally I don't play it louder than a quarter way up (the master volume knob that is) but the tone is freakin' great nonetheless. Never heard anything better.

    My suggestion, look into tube amps. My blues JR is small, light. but it's loud as hell and has a wicked tone. Mick has a bunch of clips with that amp as well if you want to check it out.

    For example: [YouTube Video]

    These amps work in other situations other than U2 as well My band plays mostly classic rock kind of stuff, and it sounds phenom. for that. It breaks up really nicely (well yeah, it's a tube amp!) and the natural overdrive on it when turned up is great. They're discontinued (I believe...) but you can find em' on ebay for around 300-400 bucks.

    Tube amps are more expensive so it all depends on your budget. Solid State amps are GREAT as well! The lunchbox is solid state and has a wicked tone (apparently, I'll post clips when I get it). My suggestion, bring your gear to a music store and try it on different amps.

    Alex


    I'm not going to get a tube amp because of the tremendous price of maintaining it. Since you need to replace the speakers every six months or so, I'm going to stick with solid state amps. Really, the Lunchbox looks like the best possible amp for myself. I don't have a lot of room in my (transport) car for a large amp, and I don't have a lot of room for it in the rehearsal spaces (or even my own room). The tone sounded incredible, from the Walk On clip (and all the other demos that I looked up right after lol), it looks like it can deliver the tone that I'm looking for in most of my guitar songs. I would also love to hear what my Yamaha YPT 320 would sound like through it... Oh my oh my. With luck, I'll be able to get it around Christmas time. Also, it looks a lot nicer than most other amps. I like the fact that it's silver and not the usual black. It looks more like a keyboard "thing" rather than a guitar "thing," if you get my drift lol.

    By the way, cool video.
  2. Originally posted by U2Nick:[..]

    I'm not going to get a tube amp because of the tremendous price of maintaining it. Since you need to replace the speakers every six months or so, I'm going to stick with solid state amps. Really, the Lunchbox looks like the best possible amp for myself. I don't have a lot of room in my (transport) car for a large amp, and I don't have a lot of room for it in the rehearsal spaces (or even my own room). The tone sounded incredible, from the Walk On clip (and all the other demos that I looked up right after lol), it looks like it can deliver the tone that I'm looking for in most of my guitar songs. I would also love to hear what my Yamaha YPT 320 would sound like through it... Oh my oh my. With luck, I'll be able to get it around Christmas time. Also, it looks a lot nicer than most other amps. I like the fact that it's silver and not the usual black. It looks more like a keyboard "thing" rather than a guitar "thing," if you get my drift lol.

    By the way, cool video.


    What's this about replacing the speakers every 6 months? WHO TOLD YOU THAT?! That's complete BS! You WANT speakers to be left in for ages! They break in and sound better and better the more you use them! The only thing I can think of that YOU might be thinking of is replacing the tubes! But even then it's not every 6 months I've only replaced the ones in my AC30 once (i've had it two years) and it's because a few of them blew, or burnt out, or something... but I've known people to own tube amps for 10-15 years+ and still have never reaplced some of the tubes. And even then they're not very expensive. But I can fully understand your prefernce for a solid state. Go for it! We can bring our lunchboxes and have a picnic somewhere! WITH GUITARS
  3. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:[..]

    What's this about replacing the speakers every 6 months? WHO TOLD YOU THAT?! That's complete BS! You WANT speakers to be left in for ages! They break in and sound better and better the more you use them! The only thing I can think of that YOU might be thinking of is replacing the tubes! But even then it's not every 6 months I've only replaced the ones in my AC30 once (i've had it two years) and it's because a few of them blew, or burnt out, or something... but I've known people to own tube amps for 10-15 years+ and still have never reaplced some of the tubes. And even then they're not very expensive. But I can fully understand your prefernce for a solid state. Go for it! We can bring our lunchboxes and have a picnic somewhere! WITH GUITARS


    My Uncle told me that something needs to be replaced every six months or so in tube amps. He told me that the player will not notice it unless he / she puts recording from months apart side by side. Anyway, I hope that's not the case.

    Imagine walking through the park then hearing 400 watts of guitar power blasting out of nowhere...
  4. Originally posted by U2Nick:[..]

    My Uncle told me that something needs to be replaced every six months or so in tube amps. He told me that the player will not notice it unless he / she puts recording from months apart side by side. Anyway, I hope that's not the case.

    Imagine walking through the park then hearing 400 watts of guitar power blasting out of nowhere...


    I have never heard about replacing the speakers. And I imagine that you would need to replace the valves in 6 months time only if you use the thing cranked up all the way every day for some hours.
  5. Originally posted by thechicken:[..]

    I have never heard about replacing the speakers. And I imagine that you would need to replace the valves in 6 months time only if you use the thing cranked up all the way every day for some hours.


    If you use a tube amp "regularly," how often would the valves need to be replaced?

    "Regular" being something like...
    1/4 - 1/2 volume three days a week for about two hours each day, with one day of 3/4 to full power for four hours.
  6. Originally posted by U2Nick:[..]

    If you use a tube amp "regularly," how often would the valves need to be replaced?

    "Regular" being something like...
    1/4 - 1/2 volume three days a week for about two hours each day, with one day of 3/4 to full power for four hours.


    Meh. Like I said, I use mine about a quarter the way up usually, for probably 1-2 hours a day, everyday, and the only thing I've ever had to replace were the tubes because a few of them blew, I guess they were bad from the beginning. Other than that it sounds fine, and when I brought it in for a tube change, which was almost 2 years after I'd had it, they said everything else was hunky dory. I can see maybe someone that gigs regularily to a very large crowd WITHOUT a mic'd amp system needing to do an oil change every so often, but for what you would use it for, you'd be fine.
  7. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:On another note, I just purchased a new amp (my third one now to be exact). A ZT Lunchbox! Mick from The Unforgettable Fire raves about this thing (as do others) because of its incredible sound and super small size. I was looking for a small amp for my bedroom for practising (AC30 is too big for my room, and the blues jr is at my drummers house for band practising) so this was the ticket. According to him, it's ultra clean and takes effects really well, so now my "mini-gear" conquest begins!


    I.
    Want.
    That.

    NOW.
  8. Originally posted by U2Nick:[..]

    If you use a tube amp "regularly," how often would the valves need to be replaced?

    "Regular" being something like...
    1/4 - 1/2 volume three days a week for about two hours each day, with one day of 3/4 to full power for four hours.


    I honestly don't have experience with velves, but I hear that they usually last about 5 years in moderate use. I have heard about some bass amps that have valves that are 40+ years old, but they were probably not used to get distortion, so they were not pushed to the limit.
    I don't think that it will be an issue. The distortion from valves is much better than the distorion from transistors. The only bad thing that I see about valve amps is that they are heavy.
  9. ...and expensive.
  10. Do tube amps sound "better" or just "different"?
  11. (from my experience and what I've heard)


    Both
  12. I want one so bad but amps are so damn expensive.
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Contribute to the U2 community with uploading photos or by telling us which shows you have visited.
Contribute to the U2 community with uploading photos or by telling us which shows you have visited.