Breaking Down The Stages Of A Guitar Amplifier

Breaking Down The Stages Of A Guitar Amplifier

For an electric guitar to produce any kind of sound, it must be connected to one of the input sockets of an amplifier using what's known as a "lead." This is a piece of screened cable with jack plugs on either ends. Although amplifiers are available in many shapes and forms, and the specific features of each one different, there are a number of functions common to nearly every model. These functions include input sockets, channel input level, tone controls, and a master volume control.

Guitar amplifiers work in a variety of different ways, but regardless of whether they are combos or heads and stacks, or whether they utilize valve or solid-state circuitry, there are many common operations that every single amplifier must be capable of performing.

Two fundamental stages exist. They are the pre-amplifier (usually called the "pre-amp") which controls the input volume and tone, while the power amplifier is in charge of the overall volume. The majority of the tonal coloration happens during the crucial pre-amp stage.

The process begins with an input signal coming from the guitar. Invariably this will be a jack socket. There are also amplifiers that contain more than one input socket, which can sometimes be used to allow a second guitar or even a different electronic instrument to be plugged in. It can also be used to change between different settings, something that can be estremely useful when deciding on the different volumes being used for playing, such as rhythm or lead guitar.

The channel input volume is something that can be altered by the guitar itself. However, the volume of the initial signal is determined by the input channel volume control. This pre-amplifier stage will boost the signal, which then is passed through to the equalization stage.

Next are the tone controls or "EQ". In its simplest form, this part of the process can consist of only a single bass and treble control, although more sophisticated models usually feature a mid-range control. Some brands like the Mesa Boogie combos will use a graphic equalizer as oppossed to the conventional tone controls. What this does is split the sound spectrum into five or more bands, and that provides much more precise tonal programming at the amplifier stage.

During the final stage of the process, the output signal coming from the pre-amplifier is passed on to the power amplifier. The master volume will then be the final control prior to the signal being output to the loudspeaker. The master volume controls the overall output of the amplifier, no matter how many input channels there are, or their settings.

Lastly, some of the sophisticated valve amplifiers will often contain a variety of intermediary stages. Many amplifiers will also feature "lead" or "overdrive" channels which are completely separate from the standard volume ones. There are also some classic amplifiers that have built-in sound effects like reverb, or even tremolo.

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