Which is better?? Cheap guitar & expensive amp or expensive guitar & cheap amp?

[Skybox]

I never consider myself an expert, pero I have tried some amps and some guitars..

I'M AN AMP GUY. HAHAHA! 
I believe that one should have an equal number of guitars to amps. 

Following the 75:25 division for the 70k budget.. considering also the locally available choices and their respective store prices (sale or not).

I'd pick any of the ff for my amps:

Fender Deluxe Reverb reissue
Fender Supersonic 22
Fender Princeton Reverb reissue
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe
Roland Jazz Chorus JC-120
Vox AC30 CC2x
Vox AC15 C1x
Marshall DSL40
Peavey Classic 30
Peavey 6505
Line6 DT-25 + POD HD500

...sayang, pasok rin sana sa budget ang Laney Lionheart and some Orange tubeys kasi medyo OP sa store kaya di aabot. Haha.

For guitars, if it had to be bnew and locally available as well, here are my choices..

Tokai Strat MIC (yung mas mahal na MIC)
Tokai Tele MIC (yung mas mahal na MIC)
Squier Vintage Modified Strat
Squier Vintage Modified Tele
PRS SE Standard/Soapbar
Cort M600
Cort G210 (yung may flamed top na mukhang guthrie govan)
Any Ibanez RG (non floating trem) or AR that will fit the budget

Wow that's a pretty extensive list! I'm trying to come up with a similar list but with affordable amps naman kaso wala akong masyadong maisip na pasok sa 17.5k haha. Any ideas?

[Skybox]

Those MIC Tokais (yung mas mahal na MIC) are some of the best bang for the buck guitars at around 12-13k new and 7-8k used. Nice fit and finish, decent hardware, ok wood. The teles also have an ashtray bridge to boot! Won't be a problem fitting a better ashtray later on. 

Iba pa ba to dun sa mga 8k brand new sa Lyric?

[Ralph_Petrucci]

Sure! 1 bus, 1 jeep na commute lang yan. Nakapunta ka na rin naman na sa UPLB dati, madali na lang yun. Haha!

Those MIC Tokais (yung mas mahal na MIC) are some of the best bang for the buck guitars at around 12-13k new and 7-8k used. Nice fit and finish, decent hardware, ok wood. The teles also have an ashtray bridge to boot! Won't be a problem fitting a better ashtray later on. 

game yan! I will PM you one of these days! pag handa na akong magas attack ng bongga sa amp HAHA

yes yes, you are correct brotherman! they totally slipped my mind kaya napa no choice ako sa squire! those 13k tokais indeed sing! and with decent fittings na rin so far! pati yung AC30. hahahaha

[Ralph_Petrucci]

Iba pa ba to dun sa mga 8k brand new sa Lyric?

iba paps. mas premium itong mga nasa 12-14k range. they actually feel nice.

[Skybox]

iba paps. mas premium itong mga nasa 12-14k range. they actually feel nice.

Wow sa Lyric din ba to bro? The ones selling for 8k kasi maganda build quality kaso hindi standard spec yung headstock and yung placement ng knobs kaya medyo nab-bother ako hehe. Sana makakita ako sa malls to try out.

[skrumian]

Magkano ba ang Peavey Bandit ngayon? brandnew and second hand?

[Ralph_Petrucci]

Magkano ba ang Peavey Bandit ngayon? brandnew and second hand?

have no idea sa bnew dahil wala akong nakikitang display sa stores ahahha second hand, nakascore yung dating kabanda ko ng minty @ 12,000 sana makakuha ng ganun

[Skybox]

Magkano ba ang Peavey Bandit ngayon? brandnew and second hand?

You can call Audiophile bro I'm sure nasa price list nila yun kung wala mang stock sa store.

[r_chino18]

Wow that's a pretty extensive list! I'm trying to come up with a similar list but with affordable amps naman kaso wala akong masyadong maisip na pasok sa 17.5k haha. Any ideas?

Hmm... Peavey Bandit 1x12, Fender Frontman 65 1x12, Fender Champion 40 1x12,   

Iba pa ba to dun sa mga 8k brand new sa Lyric?

Yup! Tama si Ralph.. Yung mga nasa 8k bnew yung medyo murang MIC.. Yung nasa 12-13k ay yung may gloss neck, center seam body, better looking headstock, etc...

Magkano ba ang Peavey Bandit ngayon? brandnew and second hand?

I just checked .. parang nasa 21k na pala bnew na Peavey Bandit, less pa konti pag cash payment.. Di na pala sya pasok sa 17k budget ng thread. Haha! Normally 2nd hand units go for 10-12k..

[Ralph_Petrucci]

Hmm... Peavey Bandit 1x12, Fender Frontman 65 1x12, Fender Champion 40 1x12,   

Yup! Tama si Ralph.. Yung mga nasa 8k bnew yung medyo murang MIC.. Yung nasa 12-13k ay yung may gloss neck, center seam body, better looking headstock, etc...

I just checked .. parang nasa 21k na pala bnew na Peavey Bandit, less pa konti pag cash payment.. Di na pala sya pasok sa 17k budget ng thread. Haha! Normally 2nd hand units go for 10-12k..

san ka nakakita niyang 10k na bandit huhuhuhuhu panay 14 nakikita ko ((

[r_chino18]

san ka nakakita niyang 10k na bandit huhuhuhuhu panay 14 nakikita ko ((

Meron ako dati nireto sa kaibigan ko.. nakita ko sa OLX.. natawaran namin ng 10k, pero listed ar 12 or 13k ata.. newer version yun na silver, not the older red stripe.

[iamweird]

^ as far as i can remember nabili ko yung bandit ko around 18k sa AP. sold it 2 weeks ago 10k.

[Ralph_Petrucci]

^ as far as i can remember nabili ko yung bandit ko around 18k sa AP. sold it 2 weeks ago 10k.

bakit di ko nakikita sa classifieds hayyyyy

[iamweird]

bakit di ko nakikita sa classifieds hayyyyy

di ko na naipost sa classified paps . barkada ko din bumili. indeed a great amp for the price. 

[7string_highway]

Amp Guy here, for the same reasons stated in the previous pages. Also I'm a fan on buying quality used Items. A big thanks to Philmusic and its community my Mesa Boogie Dual Rec Roadster, Mesa Boogie Electradyne and my ESP horizons are coming from these site and for the prices that I get? It's justifiable if not a steal. Wish the classified ads are as diverse as 1-3 yrs. ago. 

[Skybox]

I think it may also be an option not to have an amp in the first place. Maybe just buy an expensive guitar and then go direct to FOH during gigs and direct to soundcard for home recording/rehearsal.

Anyone have this kind of set-up? Care to share your rig?

[r_chino18]

I think it may also be an option not to have an amp in the first place. Maybe just buy an expensive guitar and then go direct to FOH during gigs and direct to soundcard for home recording/rehearsal.

Anyone have this kind of set-up? Care to share your rig?

I don't really gig so I can't comment on plugging direct to FOH.

I do have a POD HD500 going to my Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 then out to my studio monitors for quick recording when I'm too lazy to set up my amp mics. I also have Bias amps and Amplitube and a bunch of other softwares.

They're nice to have and gets the job done. In a properly mixed recorded track, it's hard to tell if I used my amps or software (or maybe I suck at dialing and mic'ing my amps haha). Software is very convenient to use as well for post editing and tweaking, I just need to have the "dry" signal.

However, more than the sound... There's a certain "feel" that I can't get when using softwares as my main "amp". It may or may not work for others depending on their tolerance. I'm not saying it's bad, but for me it's still quite far from using real amps.

[Skybox]

I don't really gig so I can't comment on plugging direct to FOH.

I do have a POD HD500 going to my Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 then out to my studio monitors for quick recording when I'm too lazy to set up my amp mics. I also have Bias amps and Amplitube and a bunch of other softwares.

They're nice to have and gets the job done. In a properly mixed recorded track, it's hard to tell if I used my amps or software (or maybe I suck at dialing and mic'ing my amps haha). Software is very convenient to use as well for post editing and tweaking, I just need to have the "dry" signal.

However, more than the sound... There's a certain "feel" that I can't get when using softwares as my main "amp". It may or may not work for others depending on their tolerance. I'm not saying it's bad, but for me it's still quite far from using real amps.

I agree. Nothing beats that amp-in-a-room feel. 

[Ralph_Petrucci]

I think it may also be an option not to have an amp in the first place. Maybe just buy an expensive guitar and then go direct to FOH during gigs and direct to soundcard for home recording/rehearsal.

Anyone have this kind of set-up? Care to share your rig?

tried it before. it works, but the in your face wall of sound is not there. and isa pa, given the quality of house speakers in PH Bars, its not a very good idea. vocals nga hindi na marinig sa normal bar gig eh, makikiplug pa si guitar hahahaha!

[Skybox]

tried it before. it works, but the in your face wall of sound is not there. and isa pa, given the quality of house speakers in PH Bars, its not a very good idea. vocals nga hindi na marinig sa normal bar gig eh, makikiplug pa si guitar hahahaha!

Thats a very good point bro. Good thing there are lots of nice portable amps in the market right now. Looks like bringing our own amps is our best option right now.

Having said that, does this mean that the expensive guitar + affordable amp option is more favorable here in the RP as we need to lug around our own amps? Parang katakot mag byahe ng 50k worth na amp sa gigs haha.

Your thoughts guys?

[titser_marco]

tried it before. it works, but the in your face wall of sound is not there. and isa pa, given the quality of house speakers in PH Bars, its not a very good idea. vocals nga hindi na marinig sa normal bar gig eh, makikiplug pa si guitar hahahaha!

+1000 If anything, FOH signals should be treated as sound reinforcement for guitars rather than actual amps. Pampakapal lang, kumbaga, either ng amp stage volume or ng miked amp signal going into the PA.

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[titser_marco]

Thats a very good point bro. Good thing there are lots of nice portable amps in the market right now. Looks like bringing our own amps is our best option right now.

Having said that, does this mean that the expensive guitar + affordable amp option is more favorable here in the RP as we need to lug around our own amps? Parang katakot mag byahe ng 50k worth na amp sa gigs haha.

Your thoughts guys?

My post above illustrates why I prefer the Bandit 112 --- it has a cab simulated out that can go straight to PA without the need for a Cab Sim DI.

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[Ralph_Petrucci]

Thats a very good point bro. Good thing there are lots of nice portable amps in the market right now. Looks like bringing our own amps is our best option right now.

Having said that, does this mean that the expensive guitar + affordable amp option is more favorable here in the RP as we need to lug around our own amps? Parang katakot mag byahe ng 50k worth na amp sa gigs haha.

Your thoughts guys?

in a way, yes. medaling ingatan ang gitara sa biyahe eh. you have mono cases and hardcases which would let you commute with the guitar with peace of mind.

amps however, with the fragile tubes and all, kahit nakahardcase yan, kailangang maingat parin ang pagtransport so its not really a viable option for most gigging guitarists.

dyan na papasok yung mga gig worthy solidstate amps like the peavey bandit hahaha


still though, for a pro musician, at kung may oto ka naman, might as well bring an amp!

[Skybox]

in a way, yes. medaling ingatan ang gitara sa biyahe eh. you have mono cases and hardcases which would let you commute with the guitar with peace of mind.

amps however, with the fragile tubes and all, kahit nakahardcase yan, kailangang maingat parin ang pagtransport so its not really a viable option for most gigging guitarists.

dyan na papasok yung mga gig worthy solidstate amps like the peavey bandit hahaha


still though, for a pro musician, at kung may oto ka naman, might as well bring an amp!

I agree. Saw a pic of Franco rocking a pair of ZT Club 12's din. Isa pa yun na mukhang reliable on the road.

Does this mean na in the Philippine setting, the expensive amp + affordable guitar combo is not a very viable option for gigging guitarists? Does it lean more on the bedroom/rehearsal/recording setting?

[Ralph_Petrucci]

I agree. Saw a pic of Franco rocking a pair of ZT Club 12's din. Isa pa yun na mukhang reliable on the road.

Does this mean na in the Philippine setting, the expensive amp + affordable guitar combo is not a very viable option for gigging guitarists? Does it lean more on the bedroom/rehearsal/recording setting?

eh discontinued na eh. kung meron pang zt club id get it in a heartbeat. in the case of franco, I know their techs personally, they prefer the ztclub kasi less hassle sa transport at sa setup. plug plug plug, game. rak na itu! pati si jomal ng kazee laging may dalang zt club. siguro yung setup din kasi ng gigs sa pinas (one gig, many bands, shorter setup time).

depende sa gigging guitarist padin papito. dami ko parin kilalang nagdadala ng tube amps, kahit commute pa. they do not want to compromise tone. I admire these guys. tama naman eh, if you want to sound consistent. bring everything you can bring and don't depend on what's there.

isa pang factor na nakikita ko, genre. kung leaning towards heavy music (rock, metal) okay lang sakanila ang solid state amp, basta dala nila pedal board nila at gitara nila. the jazz and blues guys however, make it a point to bring their preferred arsenal. amps and all. pero hindi ito generalization ha? hahaha may friend kong metal kung metal pero laging bitbit yung GOLDEA AT30 or LINE6 Spider 2x12 niya hahahaha

bottomline imho, its up to the guitarists preference.