Controversial gear opinions…….lets hear them.

[VonBonfire]

Here's an attenuator, turn your amp around away from the crowd and mic it up

I had a sound guy who asked my bass player to turn his cab towards the back of the stage one night. My homie lost his cool and flat out yelled NO! at him. I bust out laughing and thanked him after the gig for the good call cause it put dude in check.

 

[Anje]

I don't use mine much, I prefer to experience loud amps, but, the PPIMV is a decent alternative to an attenuator.

No issue if it works for you.
I moved away from "classic" attenuators too with my old Marshall, ended that "quest" about 15 years ago with a Faustine; since then I've also prefered the other workarounds mentioned when volume is a challenge.

 

[mbt64]

A lot of bedroom players (that would be me) try too hard to play exactly like the guitarists on their favorite songs. Many songs can be played simplified to your skill level so you have fun playing, which is what it's about for me. Also, I never understood the allure of Dumble or Klon tones.

 

[EyesOfTheSouth!]

1) Most of what you see on YT is a money racket
2) OD pedals generally all sound the same. This modern day fascination with them is slightly approaching gay.
3) Digital Modelling is convenient but feels fake.
4) Modern Metal Tones are horrible to listen to, and Modern Metal is borderline gay.
5) Marshall Amps with G75T speakers are horrendous (why do they put them in their cabs)
6) Boogie Mark series with Dirt pedals is a terrible idea (except for a RAT)
7) RATs are the greatest Drive pedals of all time
8) I 'get' why people like the Dumble tones of Robben Ford, but I dont want one (possibly gay)
9) Lower output humbuckers sound better, nearly always
10) Telecasters look shit, nearly gay, but I wish my strat bridge pickup had that heft.
11) It really doesnt matter what you play through, nearly as much as you think
12) Dimarzio Pickups suck
13) Line 6 PODs sound like shit, dont believe all this "Oh I plugged in my old POD last week...it wasnt bad". It bloody well was bad.
14) Johnson Millenium Amps are awesome, as are Peavey Delta Blues/Classic Series.
15) Eric Johnson - How does he get that tone...
16) It doesnt really matter what wah wah you use.
17) WTF am I going to do with the "rotary speaker" effect module.
18) Why would you pay oodles of money for a tuner?
19) You dont need 50 amp choices. Pick 5 or 6 tones and build.
20) Shimmer effect, whilst nearly gay is....kind of cool.
21) Most of your tone is down to your speakers.
22) Pedal boards are an incovenient pain in the ass, and men gawking at other men's pedal boards is definitely on the road to gay.
23) Many women look great, but a woman holding a guitar just looks wrong.
24) SRV's best tone is actually on "the Sky is Crying" Album.

...I probably have more...need to think about this...

Now we’re talking. Can’t say I disagree with any of those.

 

[skoora]

View attachment 442187

That’s years of dedication right there.

 

[skoora]

I had a sound guy who asked my bass player to turn his cab towards the back of the stage one night. My homie lost his cool and flat out yelled NO! at him. I bust out laughing and thanked him after the gig for the good call cause it put dude in check.

It doesn’t work anyway. I remember trying to do that with a 1959 at what was the Off-ramp in Seattle (now El Corazon?) and it was ridiculous how loud it still was.
Luckily it was my 2nd amp of a two half stack setup, so I still had my Master volume amp to do the show with. It was the height of wishful thinking loading out of the practice space!

 

[harddriver]

A little thickness in the thighs saves lives

Loud amps too

 

[harddriver]

I was trying to be controversial
Seriously, I should say "I don't like PPIMV on old Marshall", especially on 4 input NMV models.
I don't like how, beyond just a few clics down, they mess with the power amp / negative feedback network of those old amps, and what makes them sound & feel so unique when pushed.
When volume is a challenge, I much prefer other workarounds: parallel load for only a few dB off, then load+reamp or even stock pre-PI MV (like on the 220x) and/or misc boost/pedals in front.

I'll go one further Dave Friedman believes that installing those 1 ohm 2 watt bias resistors on pins 1-8 to ground to measure bias on the power tube sockets negatively affects the amps tone. I've never compared with or without but Dave does know his shit.

The old Lar/mar PPIMV is only tolerable at about half up as I use mine in conjunction with an attenuator to offset those issues.

 

[The~Kid]

Here’s some of mine

The EVH line of amps are WAY overrated

All Celestion Creamback iterations suck

Dimarzio’s are worthless unless you are trying to fix a crap sounding guitar.

If you have to boost, then you have the wrong amp.

RFT 12ax7’s are garbage

Modulation always goes in front of amp

OG 5150 is the pinnacle of metal tone

Pick choice has more effect than preamp tubes

I agree the Creamback iterations suck......


The CreamNico is the only one that is any good tbh...... Also love modulation in front of an amp and that's just I roll too.



Sounds great in chain and stuff but always put modulation after DS/OD and and before time etc etc

 

[tallcoolone]

I agree the Creamback iterations suck......

Nah, 8ohm H75s are like a punch in the face

 

[skoora]

Nah, 8ohm H75s are like a punch in the face

I have a 16 ohm in my 4x12 and really dig it when I need a little help bring an amp more alive in the top end. I think it’s a big improvement over the regular G12H30 Anniversary which is like a razor blade taking your head off.

 

[Nigel]

4) Modern Metal Tones are horrible to listen to, and Modern Metal is borderline gay.

Jinjer is a rare exception and worthy of appreciation. Roman's tone has developed over time, he and Eugene sound amazing live too.

5) Marshall Amps with G75T speakers are horrendous (why do they put them in their cabs)

I jammed an old 1960 the other day with 'em, and it actually sounded great. Many do suck tho, you are right.

21) Most of your tone is down to your speakers.

Agreed.

23) Many women look great, but a woman holding a guitar just looks wrong.

Plumtree rules.

 

[stephen sawall]

It doesn’t work anyway. I remember trying to do that with a 1959 at what was the Off-ramp in Seattle (now El Corazon?) and it was ridiculous how loud it still was.
Luckily it was my 2nd amp of a two half stack setup, so I still had my Master volume amp to do the show with. It was the height of wishful thinking loading out of the practice space!

That stage is such a weird shape in the room. A big deep wedge. It's always too loud in there.

That and the chicken waffles are kind of gross....and I like chicken and waffles.

 

[tallcoolone]

I have a 16 ohm in my 4x12 and really dig it when I need a little help bring an amp more alive in the top end. I think it’s a big improvement over the regular G12H30 Anniversary which is like a razor blade taking your head off.

Agreed…but I have 57yr old ears so I kinda like the G12H30 haha

 

[GuitarVacation]

I love gear, and get into the deepest minutiae.

But:

There is no gear addition/purchase that will have anywhere near as positive of an effect as consistent, focused, intentional practice.

As long as the gear situation is decent enough to get the job done, everything will get better at a higher rate with genuine practice/playing improvements.

Now, back to the preamp plate voltage that gets the compression ‘just right.’

 

[DanTravis62]

A lot of bedroom players (that would be me) try too hard to play exactly like the guitarists on their favorite songs. Many songs can be played simplified to your skill level so you have fun playing, which is what it's about for me. Also, I never understood the allure of Dumble or Klon tones.

This is good advice. I would add, that a whole bunch of bedroom players should either

a: spend a whole lot more money on lessons or time on practice, and a whole lot less on wizards and R9s or
B: spend a whole lot less time pretending they know what they are talking about with gear when they don't have a clue what theyre talking about

This isn't shitting on bedroom guys, or guys who aren't super shredders, its just asking them to slow their roll on the internet about shit they are severely unqualified about. I do not, in fact, care what you spend your money on. Nor do I care how you spend your time. I *do* care when you pretend your hot takes are as informed as anyone else's when you can't play alterate picking over 110bpm