h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: How to Buy a Guitar Amplifier - A80377220
Author: Mister Dreadful - U651852

Taking the plunge after a long time away! 95% of this was written in the last few hours, I had a sudden attack of inspiration!

Morning Mr D! You should write more often

Buying an Amp - something I would never even consider likely in my life - but a quick read made even a subject totally alien to me seem approachable and quite useful. It might help me follow what my grandson is telling me about his guitar/amp requirements.



I wonder if we could persuade 2legs over here for some thoughts . . . and any others with first hand knowledge of this area?


Good luck with this Mr D!

Good topic for an Entry, but you've got to work in a link to its obvious companion Entry A996933 - How to Buy a Guitar

I'm not competent to comment knowledgably on the subject matter here - 2Legs et al will doubtless have suggestions to make - but you could re-read this entry carefully as there are quite a few simple typos that could be corrected.

Link added and typos corrected!

Might be worth mentioing, that valve amps weight a bluddy ton, and if your your own roadie then your the one who's got to carry it down the pub if your playing... and break your back in the process if its a big valve combo...

Also, maybe menitoning that open and closed back amps have a differnt tonal quality useually, due to having or not having air circulating in via the open back...

Done!

Anything else?

This looks very good, can't add any specific advice myself, not an instrument player myself, have to stick to the singing.

Added some more links and corrected some dreadful grammar.

I'm more of the Acoustic guitar persuasion, but yep this all looks good and makes sense.

the ending is maybe a little abrupt.

mini

Ooh yes, I could add a quick paragraph compelling the hypothetical amp buyer to go rock out with their new amp or something...

some typos and odds and ends for you Mr D
- just when you thought you'd finished with this

"think outside the box" Can you alter the " [double quotes] for single ones please?

Apparently the double ones can cause problems with some browsers - I suppose a bit like the Barlesque apostrophe curse.

is all wrong for the job!

I think the exclamation mark isn't really necessary here, your sentence is strong enough without it.


As with any business they want to make money

---> As with any business[,] they need to make money

add the comma and change [want] to [need]

Broadly speaking both valves and transistors do the same job [:] they take a signal and amplify it.

I would change the [:] colon here for a simple comma. My reason is purely aesthetic, you have used the colon in a couple of sentence structures earlier on and it becomes a bit repetitive.


A simple amplifier will probably only have two of whichever component: one in the pre-amplification stage, which brings the guitar's actually quite weak signal up to a usable level, and one in the power amplification stage where the signal is further boosted to a level that will "drive" the speakers (i.e. make them move enough for an audible sound to come out).

I would split this long sentence into three. eg

A simple amplifier will probably only have two of whichever component. One will be in the pre-amplification stage, which brings the guitar's actually quite weak signal up to a usable level. A further one will be found in the power amplification stage where the signal is further boosted to a level that will "drive" the speakers, ie make them move enough for an audible sound to come out.

Oh and take out the full stops in i.e. and the brackets around the last phrase.


Oh I found another [:] You do like them don't you

wants to know is: what differences

a comma will easily suffice in this sentence.


Valve amps can also weigh an awful lot (it is not unknown for a valve head alone to weigh upwards of 50lb), which can be problematic if you carry all your own gear!

I think the exclamation mark refers to the 50lb valve? So I would rephrase this sentence like this:

Valve amps can also weigh an awful lot, which can be problematic if you carry all your own gear - as it is not unknown for a valve head alone to weigh upwards of 50lb!


Another option is hybrid amps, which utilise valves in the pre-amp stage and transistors in the power amp stage. Depending on who you ask[,] this is either a pointless compromise or the best of both worlds.

Divide sentence into two and add comma where indicated

the louder it can go

---> the louder the volume.

(although this will always be limited by how many speakers you are outputting through) and the old roadie's8 rule of thumb is that one valve watt is the same as five solid state watts

Make this the start of a new sentence. Omit [although].

ie
This will always be limited by how many speakers you are outputting through, and the old roadie's8 rule of thumb is that one valve watt is the same as five solid state watts.


However, you are also able to overall get more power

I don't know what you mean here,

The biggest thing to consider [here] is where

omit the [here]

imepedance is this a typo? impedance?
a sepearate ---> separate
less inclined t move ---> less inclined to move
there is less that can go ---> there is less than can go

Start a new sentence here:

wrong. While digital amps offer all kinds of inbuilt effects and 'modelling' (usually simulations of famous models of valve amps), [options] once you get to the price bracket where the models actually sound the[y] way they should, you might as well be buying a classic valve amp anyway!

remove [options] and the typo extra [y]

If you can[,] always try before you buy!

add a comma where shown.


Sorry, gotta rush - the food is cooked. I'll be back to finish the last paragraph.

Lanzababy

Done! Save for a few points: (there's that colon again )

"ie make them move enough for an audible sound to come out."

I've put this in a footnote. "i.e." without dots just looks awful to me and I cannot bring myself to use it!

" However, you are also able to overall get more power

I don't know what you mean here, sorry"

It is possible to generate more overall power using solid state electronics. You won't find all-valve amps above 200w generally, but solid state units can happily go above 1000w (although only bass amplifiers need this kid of power, mostly so they can compete with powerful valve guitar amps, low frequencies need more power behind them to be audible than middle-high frequencies). It's at least partially a matter of weight. Getting 1000w of valve power would require a unit that simply isn't portable (my 160w valve amp contains 14 valves and is the source for my claim that valve amps can weigh more than 50lb)

"there is less that can go ---> there is less than can go"

This is not a typo. There is less *that* can go wrong with analogue amps than there is with digital amps as there are fewer, not to mention simpler, components involved.

Hi again!

sorry about the that/than cofusion. I was in need of a rest.



However, you are also able to overall get more power


okay, thanks for the explanation. So I would edit this sentence to



However, you are also able to get more overall power

Last few edits and suggestions

When first trying an amplifier connect your guitar (yes, your guitar, you'll always get a better impression of things if using your own instrument) directly to it, with no effects or anything else that may colour the signal, turn the volume and tone up to maximum on the guitar and if the amp has two or more channels make sure you are using the cleanest one

---> ( a suggestion)
Take your own guitar with you, as you'll always get a better impression of the sound quality, if using your own instrument. When first trying an amplifier connect your guitar directly to it, with no effects or anything else that may colour the signal. Turn the volume and tone up to maximum on the guitar and if the amp has two or more channels make sure you are using the cleanest one.


the amp (and the speakers) responds to various frequencies

---> the amp, and the speakers, respond to various frequencies.

lose the brackets, add commas and take the [s] off responds

This will help you work out how to initially adjust the amp's equaliser controls (usually just three knobs marked High, Middle and Low. More complex equalisers are usually found as separate units) to get your desired sound

Divide the sentences as suggested and remove he [)] after units.

rock oriented ---> rock-oriented


phew!

And finally, check that all your footnotes have full stops.

"wattage" - As an engineer and musician this is a pet hate of mine, "power", please!

Iain

A newbie who has signed up to comment in Peer Review!

Thanks, Iain.

Oh crumbs, and "W" instead of "w", please!

Also, stylistically, I'm not sure if the mix of Imperial and SI units you have is a good thing. Since you'll have to continue with the derived SI unit, of watts (W), for power, should you therefore also use the SI unit for mass instead of the Imperial unit (lb)? Or use both with one parenthesised? Similarly where you discuss speaker size (12"), including the SI equivalent ("300mm") may be a good idea.

That really is it from me now!

i

Please let it not be! There are always some entries that will need some more specific science information.

Hope to see you around

*waves to Iain* Glad to see you here. Reviews and comments such as yours are what makes h2g2 the place it is. Thank you!