Vintage Tube Amp Disaster

Ok, it's not quite as it sounds.

My drummer has a 100w gibson vintage guitar tube amp. He wont allow me to use distortion or effects on it for fear of it wrecking. Is this a legimate concern?

Originally Posted by: ericthecableguyOk, it's not quite as it sounds.

My drummer has a 100w gibson vintage guitar tube amp. He wont allow me to use distortion or effects on it for fear of it wrecking. Is this a legimate concern?

*cough* RETARD *cough*

using distortion or effects wont hurt it at all! The only way you could screw it up is if you turned the volume/level up on all the pedals and dramatically sent the thing into SUPER OVERDRIVE and crack a speaker cone or mess up the preamp. but you wouldn't do that, would you ? :rolleyes:

Assuming the retard thing was aimed at him, I'm led to believe you. It sucks playing clean. :(

Originally Posted by: ericthecableguyAssuming the retard thing was aimed at him, I'm led to believe you. It sucks playing clean. :(

Wait! Sorry I didn't specify that! I was calling that guy the "Dee Dee Deee!" not you!

What could lead him to believe that pedals hurt anything? Look at it from a technical point of view. The pickups "Pick-up" the sound from the string vibration and turn them into a signal. The signal goes from your guitar to a pedal. that pedal just modifies the signal of your guitar. and then your amp takes in the signal. It's the same strength signal (if you dont boost the volume) that you had with your guitar! then the amp takes the signal. Just as it would, as if you just had a just a guitar plugged in! So thats essentially saying you cant plug a guitar into the amp! sorry for the confusion on the retard thing! :p

A lot of pedals do boost the volume slightly, i've noticed that as soon as i hit my distortion pedal (Digitech Grunge) the volume of the guitar spikes, but its no big deal and doubt it would hurt a tube amp or any amp for that matter.

yeah bluesman described it well.

if anything, pedals sound the best through a tube amp. and if the amp's vintage, it wasnt made cheap!

Originally Posted by: suicidalmooseA lot of pedals do boost the volume slightly, i've noticed that as soon as i hit my distortion pedal (Digitech Grunge) the volume of the guitar spikes, but its no big deal and doubt it would hurt a tube amp or any amp for that matter.

But the Grunge pedal has a master volume knob that can get rid of that.

Originally Posted by: Blues_ManWait! Sorry I didn't specify that! I was calling that guy the "Dee Dee Deee!" not you!

What could lead him to believe that pedals hurt anything? Look at it from a technical point of view. The pickups "Pick-up" the sound from the string vibration and turn them into a signal. The signal goes from your guitar to a pedal. that pedal just modifies the signal of your guitar. and then your amp takes in the signal. It's the same strength signal (if you dont boost the volume) that you had with your guitar! then the amp takes the signal. Just as it would, as if you just had a just a guitar plugged in! So thats essentially saying you cant plug a guitar into the amp! sorry for the confusion on the retard thing! :p

Ha, don't worry about it. Even if you were serious, yer funny as hell, so i wouldn't care.

What you said makes total sense. Thanks for the input everyone.

Your thread title had me worried!

Now I see that it should have been "Here's another 'Stupid Drummer' joke!"

Why does an idiot like that even have a vintage guitar amp? If the amp has been checked out, and is in good health, the only valid worry would be the speakers. Forty-year-old moving parts of any description can become fragile (ask your father :D ). If its a combo, he should pack the originals away so he can impress some collector, and install new speakers. If its a head, hook it up to a new cab. Either way, plug in and wail! I have a friend with an old Atlas that sounds just amazing when he cranks it. No pedals required.

I'm with Lots...you can try the pedals, but do watch for the speakers...just listen to the sound as you play, if the speakers are crackling or cant handle the sounds they have to produce, then replace the cab or the speakers (be sure to keep originals of both...that amp could be worth a pretty penny) and away you go.

Originally Posted by: LordathestringsYour thread title had me worried!

Now I see that it should have been "Here's another 'Stupid Drummer' joke!"

Why does an idiot like that even have a vintage guitar amp? If the amp has been checked out, and is in good health, the only valid worry would be the speakers. Forty-year-old moving parts of any description can become fragile (ask your father :D ). If its a combo, he should pack the originals away so he can impress some collector, and install new speakers. If its a head, hook it up to a new cab. Either way, plug in and wail! I have a friend with an old Atlas that sounds just amazing when he cranks it. No pedals required.

Well, as far as gear info goes, your just about the be all end all, confirming what we already believe.
It's not his amp, it's his older friend's.
He is perpetually stoned, so that could have something to do with it.

Originally Posted by: ericthecableguy... It's not his amp, it's his older friend's... [/QUOTE]
So, you need to contact this friend, and get his permission. For all you know, Drummer Boy is not supposed to be letting anyone else touch that amp!


[QUOTE=ericthecableguy]He is perpetually stoned, so that could have something to do with it.

Y'think? ;)

Originally Posted by: ericthecableguyHe is perpetually stoned,

So THAT's what the name of my medical condition Is! thanks! :D

Originally Posted by: Blues_ManSo THAT's what the name of my medical condition Is! thanks! :D

The official term, I believe, is "perma-high." :D

Guess if you pump up the volume on a clean channel to get a bit of gain, your speaker wouldn't like that also, now do they?!!!.....just give it a try and give that amp a clean kill......... have fun!!