Tube Amps vs Solid-State Amps

Any serious guitarist will tell you, tube amps sound better than solid-state amps. Here’s the proof. Solid State amps are always trying to copy tube amps. If solid state amps were trying to make their own sound then you could argue it's better. This even includes modelers and plugins. They are all trying to copy the sound of a tube amp. If you're debating between tube or digital, you can swap in modeler or plugin anywhere you see solid state.

So why do people buy solid state amps?  

There are actually 4 main reasons people choose solid state over tube amps. Solid-State's:

1. Are Lighter 

2. Break Less 

3. Have Consistent Tones 

4. Sound Like Tube Amps

If you are looking for a tube amp, here are some great options:

[products=blues_deluxe]

[products=515015]

[products=montauk]

[products=tremonti15]

Lighter 

Solid-State Amps are lighter than tube amps. Lugging around a giant amp with vacuum tubes is gonna have more components than solid state amps. So, they are gonna be heavier. 

Musicians don't want to lug 60-pound tube amps to gigs. They can get a 15 pound solid-state amp or use a modeler as their entire guitar rig. 

Solid-State Amps Break Less 

When I lived in Minnesota, I used a Blues Junior Guitar Amp, and it broke a lot. I spent $200 to fix it, and it broke again 2 months later. (Wasn’t the shops fault, they told it happens and to bring it back within 90 days.)

There was one time I played a gig, and the amp just stopped working. I had to fake the rest of the set because I couldn’t get a sound. 

The truth about tube amps is that they have a lot of parts that can break. The tubes die, the circuits fail. This is very frustrating for everyone. The sound crew has to try and fill the sound without guitar. The guitarist is mad about the gear. The band leader is mad they paid someone to play that didn't have good gear. I wouldn’t want to pay someone who couldn’t do the job I hired them for. 

Consistent Tone

Solid-State amps, plugins, and modelers have more consistent sounds. One reason is that knobs get bumped on amps. Solid-States can often save presets. If you can save the sound you like, you will get that sound anywhere.

Another factor is that electrical components react to different power. Tubes can overload; power can cause the amp to react differently than it does at home. Solid-State Amps usually have less issues during a gig.

Do They Sound Close Enough to Tube Amps?

10 to 15  years ago the sound difference between tube amps and modeling amps was ginormous. The modelers didn’t sound great. A couple were alright. But nowadays, the amp modelers are so close that the difference in sound isn't worth the hassle.

The context does matter for this. Are you playing at home? Are you playing with a band? At home you can hear the intricate responses of the instrument. When you are playing next to a drummer, you are lucky to hear your guitar. Especially in a live scenario where everything is running through a sound system.  

Sound engineers tend to remove all frequencies lower than 80 hz and higher than 6,000-12,000 hz. This means a lot of what you tweak at home gets cut before it hits the speakers.

So, if you are looking to get into an amp, Tube amps sound better. They respond to how the player plays more than the solid-state. But, is it worth lugging around amps that break, running through a sound system on a live stage?

Are you looking for a modeler or solid-state? Here are some great options:

[products=lt50]

[products=gtx100]

[products=blog_stomp]