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In this video Daniel and Mick are discussing the practicalities and benefits of using lower power guitar amps to get great tones at real-world volumes.
We’re also responding to a question we asked regularly: ‘Can you use some normal/smaller amps to get good sounds, instead of the really powerful/expensive/boutique stuff?’

Yes we can!

So we’re taking a Fender Blues Junior – probably the most widely used 15-watt valve amp in the world – and a 5-watt Marshall Class 5 as the basis for our tones, on the end of a bunch of common effect types.

The pedals we’re using today:

• Origin Effects Cali76 Compact Deluxe
UK & Europe: http://bit.ly/2uVGMBL
USA: https://bit.ly/323rheM
Australia: http://bit.ly/2ZA9MfE

• Lovepedal Vibronaut - no longer made

• Wampler Tumnus
UK & Europe: http://bit.ly/2AKx1eG
USA: https://bit.ly/3yJjLlu
Australia: http://bit.ly/2Vy2v1q

• Fire Custom Shop Carpe Diem - no longer made

• Analog Man King Of Tone
http://www.analogman.com/kingtone.htm

• Chase Bliss Audio Warped Vinyl
UK & Europe: http://bit.ly/2H7vIJ9
USA: https://bit.ly/3dZ3Y8A
Australia: http://bit.ly/2JxcATd

• Electro-Harmonix Memory Man 1100-TT
UK & Europe: http://bit.ly/2WbQLhG
USA: https://imp.i114863.net/GWqeE

• MXR M300
UK & Europe: http://bit.ly/2hLvESX
USA: https://bit.ly/3yo9D1c

All pedals are going into both amps (yes, wet/dry would sound fantastic too).

Interesting bits and go-to sections…
• What amps are we using today and why? 1:43
• Lovepedal Vibronaut brief intro and sounds: 3:23
• Origin Effects Cali76 Compact Deluxe discussion and sounds: 4:13
• Amps played on their own and together: 7.39
• Amps in and out of phase with one another: 8:21
• Can you use small amps live? 11:10
• Tumnus discussion and examples: 13:54
• Compressor into Tumnus: 15:15
• Overdrive pedal considerations for small amps: 18:00
• Modulation / Warped Vinyl discussion and examples: 22:05
• Reverbs and delays: 26:06
• Rock rhythms with distortion: 29:30
• Dan making awesome noises with the Gretsch: 34:20


Mick is playing a Fender American Vintage ’62 Stratocaster. Dan is playing a Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard and Gretsch Players Edition 6118T Anniversary.

As mentioned above, amps are a Fender Blues Junior III and a Marshall Class 5 (original version, without the low-power mode).

As always, all pedal and amp switching and routing is handled by TheGigRig G2.
For more on TheGigRig see www.thegigrig.com