If You Opened a Studio; Modern or Vintage Amps?

  • Thread starter Thread starter PurityS.L.G
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PurityS.L.G

PurityS.L.G

Well-known member
It seems not very many studios old or particularly new utilize many modern made amps these days.

If you have a current home studio or if you were to start one, would you have any modern day made amps or stick with classics?

What I mean is lets say you have REVV, KSR, Driftwood in your studio or would you stock and record with the classics?
 
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KSR and Driftwood, maybe. The REVV couldn't cut through the air let alone a mix.
Hmm...

Probably start with a NATAS, Thrasher, Fireball, Rockerverb, JCM800, 5150, JSX, Twin, JTM45, Mk VII, and fill in from there as needed.
Would seem to cover almost everything expect extra lowfi, imo.
 
For studios the amps probably need to be easy to maintain/repair. Some of the modern amps with too many features won't be very easy to fix.

Also with enough studio magic they can probably match most of the tones with older amps. Probably not very hard to make a 5150 to sound like KSR/Driftwood in a mix.
 
That’s a tough one… for business purposes, I’d probably want amps that will most likely hold value the best in case I need or want to sell them
 
I’d make sure to have some industry standards. SLO, Dual Rec, JCM800, Plexi, Twin Reverb, 5150, AC30.

Then I’d have some modern stuff like say and Engl Savage, Friedman BE100 Deluxe, Driftwood Darkest Nightmare, RedSeven Hybrid or Leviathan, Bogner Uber Ultra, Diezel VH4

I’d also have a Quad Cortex and Kemper on hand.

I think not having the first batch of amps handy, as a client I wouldn’t even consider using a studio if guitars had to be involved. Then I’d want to see what other “candy” they had from the second part.

This is literally what I’m amassing now for specifically opening a proper working studio space in the next couple years… if the world doesn’t end.
 
I’ve recorded twice in top end recording studios, and visited several others while deciding, none provided any amplifiers or drums, we brought our own stuff. The places where I have seen provided back lines are at rehearsal studios.
 
JMP, Superlead, Wizard, Larry, 5150, JCM, and probably whatever @glpg80 is cooking up.
 
I would get absolutely amplifier in duplicate. Local artists would find out over time and say, hey let’s do a recording at ‘Henry’s Studios’ on the “x,y,or z” amp. Variety would bring you business. And the more time they spend fucking around in the studio, the more money you get. Win win
It would be like a gun range… let’s try the SVD today, then we will move to the PE90.
 
First I’d try to determine why instrument tones and almost every production sound the same these days. Once eliminated, I’d work my way backwards and choose amps, instruments, production/engineering/mixing techniques, and hopefully right down to the mastering process, that emphasize individuality. Otherwise what’s the point of investing thousands into different amps if it all just evens out in the wash?
 
Even back in the early 90’s (last time I worked in studios) unless you were a big industry name like Powerplant or Criterion etc. you were mostly recording jingles, demo’s for singers, voiceover work. When I was a gopher/ assistant the only time I saw a band load in and do an actual record (CD) was my own when we were using bumpable hours at night to record for free 😂
 
skoora said:
Even back in the early 90’s (last time I worked in studios) unless you were a big industry name like Powerplant or Criterion etc. you were mostly recording jingles, demo’s for singers, voiceover work. When I was a gopher/ assistant the only time I saw a band load in and do an actual record (CD) was my own when we were using bumpable hours at night to record for free 😂
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I recorded bands.

Most of the time it was ridiculous mariachi or jazz instead of anything remotely cool, but still, I got to record bands and learned a ton
 
The band is going to have its own gear. You don't need a bunch of amps. I would avoid anything vintage or not mass production.

Your going to need a lot of money for gear. Guitar rig is the least of it.

If your just recording a few bands at your home studio look at as a hobby. Not a job.
 
VonBonfire said:
I figured out about 80 percent of the people who own studios own a bunch of gear but don't know what the heck they are doing.
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Unfortunately, just like with all good gear, it's in the hands of people who can't play it most of the time :ROFLMAO:

The democratization of music was truly a terrible mistake
 
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