Bigger isn't better

WE GET MUSICIANS in Second String Music all the time asking if we have a big amp with a lot of power. The answer? Of course we do! But bigger isn't better. It's about tone and volume, not just volume.

Some players want the massive half stacks and 1,000-watt tube amps to blow people out of the water. If that's what you are after, more power to you. What? I said, more power to you. Might want to see our friend Kevin Ballard at Quincy Audiology and get your ears tested, too.

There's an old saying in the band business that goes, "We don't get paid to play. We get paid to set up and tear down." It's so true - the three or four hours (or, in The Cheeseburgers case last weekend at a private party, five-plus hours) we are on stage are a blast. But it's a lot of work to lug all the stuff in, set it up, check levels, make sure everything is working, and go. And it's a lot of work to pack it all away after you've played your butt off and have little strength to stand up, let alone haul more crap around.

This guy packs a huge punch .

I use a Roland Cube 80-watt amp with The Cheeseburgers - I can't turn it up past 3 or 4 on stage, and I can lift it with one finger. Today's technology means you can buy incredible sounding amps without a ton of weight. And if you have a sound guy who knows what he is doing, it's pretty simple - put a microphone in front of your amp, make sure you can hear it through the monitors, and start rocking.

We just sold a 120-watt Roland Cube bass amp. And we just got more of the 100-watt Boss Katana Guitar amps in - they are unbelievable. Try one out!

As always, we encourage you to play a guitar or an amp before you buy, and Roland doubles your warranty if you purchase the amp at a small retail store.

Go big with your sound. But don't throw out your back. See? Best of both worlds, right at Fifth and Maine!