Advantages of smaller guitar amplifiers

Stage volume has always a problem for musicians that play the local clubs. In my 20 years of playing music and 5 years of running sound, I have learned many things that I should and shouldn't do as a musician. In the following paragraphs I will discuss the advantages of using smaller amps......

AGA Note: (I have to interject here because although generally I feel this article is good advice, I can't agree with overdriving a speaker! You can over drive the pre amp stages and even tube output stages, but to overdrive a speaker will only result in a blown speaker and maybe a blown amp as well?!)

I started researching this advice, I watched videos of my favorite players and notice a trend they were using smaller amps, and yet the sound was great. I mean guys like Paul McCartney, Robert Cray, Neal Young and many other artist were actually using smaller amps.

One thing to remember is that you and the rest of the band have microphones in front of your amps or are going through at line out from the rear of your amp and the sound is in turn going through the P.A. where the crowd of your adoring fans are out listening to you. Your amp doesn't need to be huge to be able to be heard the microphone does a great job of reproducing the sound, and great result can be achieved.

Another reason for using smaller amplifiers is that they are not as heavy as the larger counter parts. They can be carried by one person using usually one hand. Yet another reason is they dont take up as much space in your vehicle, and save space on stage as well.

So there you have it, smaller amps can sound over driven at lower levels, they dont take up as much space in your vehicle and on stage, setup and specifically tear down is not a much work on your body when you have less weight to have to lug around. Just a few advantages of using smaller amplifiers.
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Al Loya Sound Engineer/Musician. Al Loya has been a musician for over 20 years and owns and operates In the Jar Studios, a recording studio located in Houston TX.

If you have a guitar amp already that you really like the sound of, but the volume level necessary to get that 'sweet spot' is just too much then you could always consider a power attentuator.
A gibson FXPA Power Stealth Attenuator or the THD Hot Plate Attenuator do a great job of getting that sweet sound at the volume want.