Small guitar amp VS big guitar for recording purposes

Does anyone have any experience with recording high quality small (10-20W) amps vs the same or similar high quality large amps (80W +)? Pretty simply reason really, a really nice quality guitar amp is MUCH cheaper if you get a small 10 or 15 watt one vs a massive 4 stack for stage use. When it comes down to recording, the volume of the amp doesn't matter, it's how it sounds on the record. But, I do find with my amp (Marshall MG100DFX - which is 100W) that recording it with the volume low vs really cranking the volume so the speakers are pushing at their sweet spot really makes a difference to the sound once you volume match. Do small amps have that same sweet spot ability? Subtle? Huge difference? Thoughts.

This could be a rant thread. That's fine. Rants can be entertaining and informative. Rant away!

Danny, I'm expecting a response from you on this one!

My approach is to play guitar and do what ever it takes to get the tone.

Yesterday I played my '73 Princeton Reverb (22 watt?) and my home made AX84 (15 watt?). Both amps happened to be hooked up to different JBL K110 speakers which are bright and can be too bright if you are not careful.

I played a Telecaster, a Hamer Special (P-90s), a Hamer Artist (Dumcan PAF), and a Strat (Lindy Fralin real '54s).

I used a 40' cord that creates a big hump at 7kHz which is near the top end of a guitar spectrum... so it's like a hi shelf.

For each song I walked over and twisted some knobs so that when I walked a way my guitar controls seemed to make effective changes.

A little of this a little of that.



Big amps have cleaner bass possibilities. Smaller amps and crazy efficient speakers have some cool distortion possibilities.

On my AX84 I have it plugged into a pair of the JBL K110s and I send so much dirt to them that they distort as well and you can hear the cabinet vibrating with it's Eastern White Pine moan. It's a sort of distortion you don't just get from an amp or electronic distortion... it's an acoustic distortion...  I like that sometimes, mainly because I don't hear it very often. It seems novel even though it's old school.

The Princeton Reverb is sort of clean sounding and the reverb honks... you have to consider the reverb's contribution to the EQ and adjust for that as you add the reverb.



The day before I played a Tele and the Hamer Special (P-90s) into a 1970 Fender Champ with a fresh new Weber speaker. (6 watt?) and I just dimed everything and let it rip. It seemed like I was using a time machine and everything was about string attack and forcing sustain by touch. But there's no authority in the bass region.... it's kind of like the hi-pass is already in place.




It's always different... treat it like a craft.


all the best,
mike

a 5 watt amp can sometimes sound as loud as a 100 watt amp.

you gotta get more specific.....

what kind of tones are you looking for?

more times than not, the critical 'TONE' factor that is missing from small wattage amps playing at low volumes, is SPEAKER EXCURSION.

in other words, you gotta play LOUD, for the speakers to move air, which gives you the big tone.


there are lots of anecdotal stories, about pros using small amps to make major classic recordings (page used Supros, Clapton used champs, etc etc.....)

so someone with a talent for dialing in tones and moving mics, can make the most of just about any rig.

but if you think buying a 10 watt amp, and driving it hard for hard rock distortion, is going to be quieter than a 100 marshall with the master volume on 1, you'll be in for a big surprise.

that's why i say, you have to be more specific.

you can easily spend 2 grand on a 15 watt amp these days.
quality counts.

i've not heard the tones of a Victoria Ivy League, out of any amp that was under $1000

Mike, very cool.  Do you have any pictures of your AX84, or sound clips?  I have always been interested in building my own amp, but too terrified to try.

Very nice work Mike as I do enjoy a well made constructed amplifier.

Mike,
Drop a 5Y3 in the 8 pin and add 1 more 9 pin for the EL-84 and you're set!

I mean, just sayin'; AX84 as in EL-84?

All the builds you've posted are quite sexy I must say, VERY nice work!

Tom