Amps

Thanks for the advice                                                                                                                      There is only about a 3 decibel volume difference between 50 and 100w, so the bigger difference is not going to be volume.

The difference is mainly going to be about clean headroom; how high you can turn the volume knob before it starts to distort. A 100w will let you have a louder clean tone. If you turn up the volume on the clean channel of a 50w it will begin to distort much earlier.

Also, some experience more oomph in the low end of 100 watters, and bass-clarity.

For small gigs, probably 30w is fine. But some amps only come in 50 or 100w so that's the way to go then

Nothing like the depth of a 100 Watter's cleans!

    But, they throw out a lot of sound pressure.

    How big are the Gigs? Are the rooms seating 200 people? 300? Is it more Coffee Shops?

    I gigged last night, with a Carmen Ghia, and couldn't get it past about 10 O'Clock on the Volume. It wasn't even hitting the Sweet Spot! And there were about 150 to 200 People there. The Room was big enough to hold probably 500 though.

    So, had to use my OD Pedals to get things cookin'.

    I could have used a 10 Watter, as we used Microphones to put the Amps through the P.A.

    Do you gig a lot? Or, occassionally, with most playing done in a Practice setting? Alone, or with the Band?

    These are important questions to answer.

    I've seen waaay too many people who are first getting into gigging, get the 100 Watt 1/2 Stacks, and then selling them off for a loss ($$$$) in less than a year.

    Taking a 100 Watter to a Band Practice will usually impede the Practice, as the most actual work gets done with conversation and Band interaction.
    If you are only gigging larger rooms occasionally, I would steer clear of large power ratings. But, others may disagree.

    Just know this: A Microphone is your Friend.