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Hey all, my name’s Jay and I love amps. Too much.
I’m the same guy behind WoodyTone. For all of you who are regular readers there and here, many thanks – glad you’re enjoying it.
As I was doing WoodyTone, it became clear that there are a ton of people like me out there who like classic rock and bluesy artists, tones and gear – above everything else. Many who read WoodyTone (including some famous artists!) are much more knowledgeable about this stuff than I’ll ever be. But after much studying of the signal chain, here’s where I came out:
> You will find at least one guitar that speaks to you. But your guitar (and you) will never reach its potential through the wrong amp.
> I’m not much of a pedal guy, but regardless, great pedals through the wrong amp will never sound good.
> That old saw: A great guitar through a crappy amp will sound like crap. A crappy guitar through a great amp will sound good.
Put another way: You and your guitar start the sound, and your amp finishes it. That’s a two-way street, but you get my drift.
Over the years – playing in bands, listening to bands, in the course of doing WoodyTone – I’ve been exposed to some GREAT amps. Especially lately. More amazing amp options are available now than ever before. If you’re like me, just about every time I hear one of these masterful pieces of human engineering, I want it! I fantasize about playing through it for hours on end (hours I don’t have). In other words, I have AmpGAS.
(If you haven’t heard the term before, GAS = Gear Acquisition Syndrome. Props to whoever made that one up.)
So I have AmpGAS, and I know I’m not alone. That’s the story. One more thing to note: I and some friends write this stuff but by no means are we experts. We just know what we like – to learn about, watch and hear. If you’re not seeing something you want to see, send us a note here.


