Tube amps valve amps ay ay ay?????

what is a tube or valve amp and are they good, worst, more expensive????so if an amp isn't a tube what is it???

cheers guys...

:D

Valve and tube amps are the same thing. They're supposed to be better and in general are more expensive. You have to change the tubes after they have been used a lot so are not reccomended for practice.

If it isn't tube it's solid state, which are critisized for never being quite as good as a valve amp - even if they model the amps. They're cheaper in general though.

I'm not saying that solid state amps aren't good for gigging when I say they are better for practice. I suppose some of it comes down to preferance... but solid state amps seem more convenient to me.

Well yeah, if you haven't been playing guitar for very long you probably can't even tell the difference between a tube amp and a solid state.. And in that case there is no reason to buy a tube amp ;)

Buy yourself a peavey rage 158 haha, I love the distorition when playing in a certain sound level (I would'nt advice you to use it for gigging though), works perfectly for such as practicing and jamming.
It is cheap!

tAUG

cheers guys

...so i saw a pic of a tube amp and had like glass thingys in the back, what do they do????

:D

Glass thingys... not sure what you're on about.

Yeah i think they are glass
look at this pic.

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/a/a9/300px-Trace_Elliot_Bonneville_rear_view.jpg
its the clear in colour, round things above the speaker.

cheers

:D

Those glassy things are the tubes dude! They get f###ing hit when you've had the amp on for a while, so be careful. Yeah, get a tube amp, solid-states don't even come close to the sound of a valve amp screaming at you!

Afro

ok cheers guys i get it now,

yar i heard they get hot, my uncle found out the hard way!!
lol

lewis

Ahhhhh, lol. I was picturing some kind of buttons on the casing or something and thinking that it was just a certain amp...
But yeah, Afro cleared it up.

However, even thoguh he says solid-state doesn't come close and you should get a tube... remember that a practice amp would probably better of be solid-state no matter what really. Unless you've really got the money to spare.

ok i think i got it all now
cheers for your time and help!

Lewis

I,VE GOT A 1967 SILVERTONE 1482 AMP WITH TUBES STILL WORKS.THEY WERE MADE BY THE SAME PEOPLE WHO DID FENDERS.

Tube amps are essential to get a good distorted sound.Harmonies and chords are clearer and the bass is unequaled.Try palm muting on a tube amp and you wont want to play on any solid state amp.A-B amps are good for rock.A type are better for clean guitars.

Wait a few years, keep playing electric guitar, save up your money, and go reward yourself with a nice tubed amp,
http://www.matchlessamplifiers.com/match00.html

I would say tubed amps are better tone wise, especially with that little natural distortion you'll get.

SOlid states are cheap, light, and don't need tubes to be replaced, which makes them great to start out on. Although, don't be afraid to get a small tubed amp, they tend to sound a lot louder then their watt readings. If you took one solid state and one tubed amp with equally rated wattage, the tubed amp would actually be louder.
Pick the one you like.