Poll: Most recognisable amp sound

[Architect22]

Hi guys!

Bit of background; Axe FX II owner for about 3 years now, also owned tube amps for several years before. I'm currently at university studying audio engineering and I'm creating my final 3rd year project. I settled on an up to date look at digital (modelling) v Tube and analog gear.

The project will discuss a range of modelling gear as well as a range of amps, with the main focus being on the Axe II v it's real life counterpart amp. I'm going to record and process/analyse the original amp and the chosen Axe model and compare the two both visually (using graphs and EQ's etc) and sonically. There's a lot more to explain but thats the base of the project.

So my question to you guys is…What do you think is the most used/most recognisable guitar amp in history?

The answer will help me decide which model to face off against it's analog counterpart, as well as being very useful reference data!

cheers!

 

[jefferski]

Most recognizable to whom? Us as experienced guitarists? Beginners? Non-musicians? Back in the day I'd have said Marshall, because it was the sound (and the LOOK) of classic rock. Now I'd probably say Rectifiers, because "everybody uses them." And I'm wondering why you left out a Fender Twin from the list...

But, since you're from Liverpool... well, I'm thinking you should go w/ the Vox ;-)

 

[Architect22]

Most recognizable to whom? Us as experienced guitarists? Beginners? Non-musicians? Back in the day I'd have said Marshall, because it was the sound (and the LOOK) of classic rock. Now I'd probably say Rectifiers, because "everybody uses them." And I'm wondering why you left out a Fender Twin from the list...

But, since you're from Liverpool... well, I'm thinking you should go w/ the Vox ;-)

Bit of a difficult question to answer. The quick and easy answer would be everyone. Essentially I'm going to be recording samples and songs with the amp and the AxeII, these will then be listened to by guitarists, engineers, everyday people etc and they will be polled on which they prefer etc. So the amp needs to be 'recognisable' to everyone's ear. Picking a Diezel or something similar would sound slightly alien as you don't hear it often in every day music. I want the listeners to be somewhat familiar with the tones.

Good point on the Fender Twin, missed that out by accident.

And you may say that however despite being from Liverpool I am not a Beatles fan! :lol

 

[mr_fender]

I'd have to say the Plexi based amps. So many iconic guitar sounds are based on the cranked Marshall sound.

 

[Tommy Tequila]

I'd say it really depends on the genres that your going to be dealing with.

In broad strokes, I'd say:
- Classic blues: Fenders
- Classic harder rock: Marshalls
- Classic lighter rock and Brit/pop: Vox

TT

 

[paulmapp8306]

Other definitely. A lot of what people think are Marshal Plexi tones actually arnt. If a its a Marshall at all its got to be an 800 series. Pretty much anything rock from the 80s.

I think however its got to be a Fender of some sort. Twin, Tweed, Deluxe Reverb? any are possible I guess, definitely a fender of some sort.

 

[Architect22]

Thanks for the input guys, lots of people saying a Fender based amp so will definitely look into those further!

 

[t0aj15]

So my question to you guys is…What do you think is the most used/most recognisable guitar amp in history?

That's easy Fender Twin.

 

[Jeries]

Easy...
The Marshall 1959SLP
is the tone heard on all the following:
Van Halen
Green Day
Hendrix
It's also been used extensively by- Clapton/Townsend/Page/Kiss

Second-
Mesa Boogie Rectifier
They've been used on everything rock/hard rock from the early 90s until today

But I think when someone thinks of an electric guitar sound- the most common sound in their head is a Marshall Super Lead

 

[ColinW]

My all time favorite band & most influential guitarist only uses Mesa Boogie's.....I can't argue that one! It was a toss up between those and Marshall's, since i have one :lol

 

[paulmapp8306]

Easy...
The Marshall 1959SLP
is the tone heard on all the following:
Van Halen
Green Day
Hendrix
It's also been used extensively by- Clapton/Townsend/Page/Kiss

Second-
Mesa Boogie Rectifier
They've been used on everything rock/hard rock from the early 90s until today

But I think when someone thinks of an electric guitar sound- the most common sound in their head is a Marshall Super Lead

See this is what I mean. Actually a lot of Hendrix stuff wasnt Marshals. Van Halen's were modded so not what you get with the amp from a shop.

Not that its not recognisable as such - just that a lot of stuff you "think" is a Plexi, actually isnt - consequently exactly how recognisable is it ???

Cant argue of the Duel recs mind - quite a modern tone (are the 90s still modern !!) but definitely used heavily in that era for a certain type of tone.


The whole subject is however, personal. Ask someone whos formative years were the 50s and 60s - and its Fenders most of the time with a smattering of Marshal/Vox. They wouldnt even consider a Mesa. Someone who was into heavy rock in the 90s/00s and its nothing BUT Mesa really. You can argue Gilmore is the most influential and recognisable guitarist (votes so on a number of poles) and he primarily uses HiWatts. The edge is undoubtable on of THE most recognisable sounds over his 40 year career - and he used AC30s. So - do we mean most used, or most "correctly" recognised. The two questions will probably yield different answers.

 

[Jeries]

The Van Halen stuff isn't modded... it's a 100% stock late 60s 1959SLP

He said they were modded- but all it was was a variac lowering the voltage going to it a little bit...

Mike Soldano has talked about working on it...
Those amps vary so differently that they all sound different... so he could have a magical one

I know greendays amps are modded (LA sound design) but I can still hear the same EVH tone in green day music.

I had a plexi- I had a MV put on it- then I liked it- went further with more mods loved it- then went further than that- and hated it- sold it and took a $700 loss
meanwhile the guy i sold it too is one of the biggest vintage guitar dealers in the country- he's sold it 3x and bought it back 4x because he loves my plexi so much- meanwhile i hated the tone of it after my amp guy went to far...

AC DC is more Plexi than JCM800 in the early stuff...

BUT - the tone all the "old guys" (no offense- i started playing guitar in 1999- and didn't know who anyone besides green day was until 2001) are chasing is a super lead (hendrix/van halen)

 

[paulmapp8306]

Ha - Im an old guy (kinda) lol - started playing guitar in 1982 (so maybe not THAT old). For me the tone is fender blues tones and tweed stuff - along with Floyd I guess. I generally dont like how Marshals sound.

Each to there own - but While the Plexi sound is definitely a tone that was greatly used and emulated - its not always the sound you here. Hendrix;'s studio stuff was Fenders (I believe) in the earlier days - as is quite a lot of Led Zeps from what I understand. Im by no means an expert though so could be totally mistaken. The AC/DC is a 50W version not 100W - which again is different, and not what most think of when talking "Plexi".

Either way - its so subjective - everyones different. Id wager that what a GUITARIST thinks is iconic/recognisable is not necessarily what a non guitarist/music lover thinks. And no guitarist is the same.

Each to their own - theres no wrong answer.

 

[Rane]

To me the Marshall is the most iconic. I don't even like Marshalls that much, but there's such a distinct image and tone associated with them. The AC30 is second to me. While probably equally distinct in the guitar world, the Marshall's just far more iconic (IMO).

I do love Rectifiers (and more "aggressive" amps in general), but to me the Rectifier, 6505, and the high gain world in general are all too mushed together and competitive to be considered distinctly recognizable.