• Registered: 2011-06-23
  • Posts: 72

Topic: "Amps that work well with pedals"

This is something that I have heard a lot in past months. Now Ive owned a few different amps in my days fenders, marshalls, Vox, Bugera, Line 6, Ceriatone, Peavey etc. But her is my question, are their really amps that take pedals well, and amps that don't.  Or is it that certain pedals just work better with certain amps.

Whats your thoughts?

What amps work well and what don't?

Amps: Marshall JCM 800, Marshall 1987 X Plexi, Vox AC-30, Ceriaton ODS HRM, Fender Bassman
Guitars: Gibson Les Paul's(Standard, Classic, and Studio)Es 125 T, Fender Strats, Telies, Wasburn Idol Pro
FX's: BOSS TU-2, Ibanez TS-808, TS-9, Dunlap 535Q Cry Baby, Fulltone OCD, Full drive 2, Supa Trem, Rat, Whirlwind Phaser, MXR Micro Chorus, Digatech Whammy, Line 6 DL4, Holly grail 2,Wampler Ego,Pinical
  • From: York, PA
  • Registered: 2010-08-27
  • Posts: 1,749

Re: "Amps that work well with pedals"

I've owned quite a lot of amps too and I've never found any to NOT work well with pedals..  I know people always boast about certain amps "loving pedals", but I then again I've never encountered a problem.  Obviously the solid states blow with OD pedals for the most part..

The only thing I've found to be consistent was that larger watt amps turned up loud sound better with non true bypass effects than smaller amps.  They seem to be able to afford to lose some of that unwanted top end, where smaller amps don't come across as well if they are hit heavily with a lot of regular non-true bypass pedals.  They still sound good, but tend to get a little muffled.  Again, this is just in my experience.

  • Registered: 2009-10-10
  • Posts: 438

Re: "Amps that work well with pedals"

Obviously, if you are driving your amp hard your modulation effects may sound bad if you don't have an effects loop.  But I have had a couple of amps that did not respond well to some overdrive pedals.  One was a Marshall 1987x plexi reissue and the other was a Mesa Nomad.  The Mesa was a dud to begin with and looking back I think the problem with the Marshall was actually that I was also using an attenuator.  When I used a Keeley Tubescreamer with these amps, they took on too much of the character of the pedal.  The best way I can describe it is that they lost their tube tone and took on a scratchy solid state like tone.  I really think the Marshall would have been fine without the attenuator and I wish I still had that head.  I never want to see that Mesa again though.  My Fenders love all pedals.

4 Reply by schrom81 (edited by schrom81 2011-09-09 19:31:29)

  • Registered: 2011-06-23
  • Posts: 72

Re: "Amps that work well with pedals"

HoosierRock wrote:

Obviously, if you are driving your amp hard your modulation effects may sound bad if you don't have an effects loop.  But I have had a couple of amps that did not respond well to some overdrive pedals.  One was a Marshall 1987x plexi reissue and the other was a Mesa Nomad.  The Mesa was a dud to begin with and looking back I think the problem with the Marshall was actually that I was also using an attenuator.  When I used a Keeley Tubescreamer with these amps, they took on too much of the character of the pedal.  The best way I can describe it is that they lost their tube tone and took on a scratchy solid state like tone.  I really think the Marshall would have been fine without the attenuator and I wish I still had that head.  I never want to see that Mesa again though.  My Fenders love all pedals.


Thats funny I have a 1987x and love it with mt pedals, I too use an attenuator. 

The Only amp that Ive owned that I didn't like with mt pedals was a fender twin reverb.  beautiful amp but didn't work well for me.  But That is because its the American sound as I prefer the British.

Amps: Marshall JCM 800, Marshall 1987 X Plexi, Vox AC-30, Ceriaton ODS HRM, Fender Bassman
Guitars: Gibson Les Paul's(Standard, Classic, and Studio)Es 125 T, Fender Strats, Telies, Wasburn Idol Pro
FX's: BOSS TU-2, Ibanez TS-808, TS-9, Dunlap 535Q Cry Baby, Fulltone OCD, Full drive 2, Supa Trem, Rat, Whirlwind Phaser, MXR Micro Chorus, Digatech Whammy, Line 6 DL4, Holly grail 2,Wampler Ego,Pinical