What is it about valve guitar amps that make them just as popular with guitarists in the digital age as they’ve ever been?
Why did I move away from Valve Guitar Amps?
When most of my guitar playing time was spent gigging, valve amps (or tube amps to our American cousins) represented a problem, as risk, an expense I wasn’t comfortable with. In the din of the live environment, playing the usual covers to the usual punters in the usual bars, valves count for nothing, nobody can tell the difference, and my main priority was something that could cover the tonal ground reliably and not be a pain to set up or lug about. That’s where BOSS Katana worked so perfectly, an amp I still have a soft spot for.
Then we had COVID and to be honest, I never felt like getting back into the live scene. I missed devoting my guitar playing time to recording, but even more so, just the simple act of playing, exploring tones, and merely enjoying the guitar for what it is, with zero agenda.
It got me thinking seriously about gear again. Not just reliable, cheap, throwaway stuff to get me through the gig and I didn’t mind getting damaged, but instruments and amps that would have that something extra. I’d almost forgotten, but in the mist of time, I used to care about this stuff, analyse and critique my tone, work on it.
Now that gigging is over, for now at least, all those reasons, rather excuses, to not own a valve amp are null and void. I no longer need to compromise.
So then, having said that, why would you want to buy a valve guitar amp over something else?
Reason to buy a Valve Guitar Amp #1 – Tone/Response
Simply put, valve amps sound better than any other format. I’ve compared many and the valve amp always comes out on top. It’s not just that the sound is bigger, more articulate, more natural, beefier, but the more subtle stuff like how it responds to your playing.
Describing sounds is always difficult, but in essence, a valve amp feels more connected to you and your instrument, it reacts more organically to what you’re playing and the subtleties in how you’re playing it, It captures and tracks your phrases better, It’s more of an instrument in itself. I fondly remember my old Cornford Roadhouse 30 valve combo, which is a single channel amp that could quite happily cover an entire set on high gain, but also clean up remarkably well on the guitar volume pot for rhythm/clean and anything in between.
We’re getting into all the old cliches now but valve amps feel more reassuringly real, whereas anything else feels like a facsimile, but what always bugged me about non-valve amps was their inability to mimic that mildly overdriven valve tone that sounds massive and works in so many scenarios, even better with an Overdrive or boost pedal in front.
Reason to buy a Valve Guitar Amp #2 – Personality
Yes, I know the above point hints at valve amps being somewhat predictable, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. They’ll surprise you and take you down musical paths ones and zeroes couldn’t hope to copy. That’s the thing with valve amps, their perceived flaws of inconsistency are a pain in some scenarios (live for example), but when your simply playing for playing’s sake? Those inconsistencies are welcome. One day you could hit on a magical, sustaining tone with bags of clarity, musical feedback, and you’ll not want to stop playing. Maybe the next day it’s not quite as good, but it’s better to have loved and lost.
Reason to buy a Valve Guitar Amp #3 – Authenticity
Nothing really compares to the feeling of owning and playing a valve amp. It’s not about technology, ease of use, weight, or even flexibility. It’s about delivering the best tone possible with quality components, which valve amps have delivered for over 50 years. it’s about the history of the guitar and all those classic tones of our guitar heroes.
You want to sound that good too, don’t you?
Reason to buy a Valve Guitar Amp #4 – Inspiration
Building on the previous points and putting them all together really does inspire your playing. A decent valve amp will make you want to pick up that guitar (Thanks Yngwie). It’s not a soulless noise box, it’s an extension of your instrument with songs and surprises in store for you.
Probably the best tone I ever had was a Gibson Les Paul Standard into a Marshall DSL401 valve amp. I found this lovely woody, rich overdriven tone that wasn’t too gainy but worked so well as both a counterpoint to vocals in the verse and for restrained soloing. I used it on only one song, but there should have been many more. Sort of my very own signature tone, if you will.
The previous paragraph wouldn’t have happened without valves.
Reason to buy a Valve Guitar Amp #5 – Enjoyment
….Put everything together and the most important thing of all happens. The reason we all took up this wonderful hobby in the beginning. Enjoyment!
Just sitting on the sofa with your guitar plugged into a valve amp, the warm-up, the smell of the valves. It’s a moment, a tactile, responsive, authentic, enjoyable experience. I never got that with non-valve amps. No, not even the Katana.
What’s your take on valve guitar amps? Drop me a comment below.
Thanks for reading.
