Amplifiers

An instrument amplifier is an electronic amplifier that converts the inaudible electric or electronic signal from musical instruments such as an electric guitar, an electric bass, or an electric keyboard into sounds which can be heard by the performers and audience. more...

Home
ATV Parts
Apparel & Merchandise
Automotive Tools
Aviation Parts
Boats Parts
Car & Truck Parts
Car Audio, Video
Amplifiers
Cables & Accessories
Cassette Players
CD Changers
CD Players
CD/Cassette Combination...
CD/MP3 Players
Crossovers, Processors
DVD Players
Equalizers
GPS, Navigation
Monitors
Other
Radar Detectors
Radio Tuners
Satellite Radio
Speakers & Speaker Systems
Subwoofers
VHS VCRs & Players
Manuals & Literature
Motorcycle Parts
Other
Other Vehicle Parts
Personal Watercraft Parts
Racing Parts
Services & Installation
Snowmobile Parts
Vintage Car & Truck Parts
Wholesale Lots

Combination ("combo") amplifiers include a preamplifier, a power amplifier, and tone controls and one or more speakers in a wooden cabinet. Instrument amplifiers for some instruments are also available without an integral speaker.

Instrument amplifiers are available for specific instruments, including the electric guitar, electric bass, electric keyboards, and acoustic instruments such as the mandolin and banjo. Some amplifiers are designed for specific styles of music, such as the "traditional"-style "tweed" guitar amplifiers used by blues and country musicians, and the Marshall amplifiers used by hard rock and heavy metal bands.

Unlike home "hi-fi" amplifiers or public address systems, which are designed to accurately reproduce the source sound signals with as little harmonic distortion as possible, instrument amplifiers are often designed to add additional tonal coloration to the original signal or emphasize (or de-emphasize) certain frequencies. The two exceptions are keyboard amplifiers and "acoustic" instrument amplifiers, which typically aim for a relatively flat frequency response.

Types

"Traditional" for rock, blues and country

These amplifiers, such as the Fender "tweed"-style amps, are often used by traditional rock, blues, and country musicians who wish to create a "vintage" 1950s-style sound. They are used by electric guitarists, pedal steel guitar players, and blues harmonica ("harp") players. Combo amplifiers such as the Fender Bassman have tube amplifiers, four 10" speakers, and built-in reverb and "vibrato" effects units.

"Tweed"-style amps are designed to produced a variety of sounds ranging from a clean, warm sound (when used in country and soft rock) to a growling natural overdrive, when the volume is set near its maximum, (when used for blues, rockabilly, and roots rock). These amplifiers have a sharp treble roll-off at 5 kHz to reduce the extreme high frequencies, and a bass roll-off at 60–100 Hz to reduce boominess. The nickname "tweed" refers to the lacquered beige-light brown fabric covering used on these amplifiers.

"Tweed"-style amplifiers are available in a range of formats. The smallest "combo" amplifiers, which are mainly used for rehearsal and warm-up purposes, may have only a single 8" or 10" speaker. Some harmonica players use these small combo amplifiers for concert performances, though, because it is easier to create natural overdrive with these lower-powered amplifiers. Larger combo amplifiers, with four 10" speakers can be used for club performances. For large concert venues, performers may also use an amplifier "head" with several separate speaker cabinets (which usually contain four 10" Jensen or Eminence speakers).

Read more at Wikipedia.org