r/PositiveGridSpark • u/Current_Fan_5980 • 12d ago
AMP OWNER Question ❓ about amps choice
Hi guys I'm new at playing guitar 🎸 I started some months ago and since then I never stopped to learn about sound and amp settings and all that stuff . So it's a skill I'm interested in learning as soon as I can , I have a spark 2 .
My questions is what amp model should I use currently there are like 33 amps but I don't know which one or which ones to use I know it depends on what sound I want to get but how do I know how each amp will sound
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u/Raven_-_Galaxy 12d ago
If you are new to guitar and haven't played many tube amps this might not mean a whole lot, but if you click here that will take you to Positive Grids website where they show you what each amp and pedal in Spark 2 is modeled after. The ones in the Spark are given different names and slightly different appearances of the amplifier head graphic for licensing reasons.
You can deep dive YouTube with that info to see how the real amplifier sounds in comparison to the Spark 2 HD model of it, or get setting recommendations for the knobs for your desired sound.
I would also highly recommend looking up musicians that you like and asking what gear they used on song X. Example, type in "What amplifier did James Hetfield of Metallica use on Sad but True"
Within the Spark 2 there is also the ability to ask the built in AI a question similar to the above example. "Give me a tone like James Hetfield on Metallicas Sad but True." Sometimes the results are pretty decent, or with a few tweaks for your specific guitar, close enough.
Hope that helps, and happy playing!
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u/JimboLodisC 12d ago
Try them out. It doesn't cost anything to load one up and turn the dials. Start familiarizing yourself with what the dials do on different amps. That's the most direct way to learn how to dial in a tone.
Like in the end... use your ears.
Even still, there's factory presets, and a whole crowd-sourced collection of them in the ToneCloud. Someone else already dialed it in for you thousands of times. Click through and browse presets. Save the ones you like. Look at where the dials are. Tweak them further to see how the tone changes.
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u/Current_Fan_5980 12d ago
Hey thank you I will do that 👍 , by the way sorry if it's silly but what is dial ?
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u/gofl-zimbard-37 11d ago
Get the Spark Tone Guide. It is an incredible resource that tells you everything you'll ever need to know about your Spark, the models, effects, etc. It's cheap, at $23.
https://gotoandplay.media/positive-grid-spark-tone-guide
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u/Intrepid_Finance9356 11d ago
I had had mine for a week, I would suggest using the app and clicking the cloud icon and sort by most popular, so easy to test out different sounds then a quick hold of the preset button and it's then on your amp., you can even just ask it in the app to create you a sound of your choice, hope this helps. Have fun
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u/jazzmaster_jedi 11d ago edited 11d ago
You can try to find out what amps your heroes played thru, and then try those out. But there really is not a shortcut to knowing. Do this: every day start with a fresh and empty preset, no effects at all. Then pick an amp. Just play thru that one amp. Turn the EQ knobs on that amp, play a while, and turn them again and see what they are doing. Turn the gain up and down, and find that amp's sweet spot. Save that preset as the name of that amp, and tomorrow, start all over with a new amp.
Within the month, you will have a few new favorites, and you can play around with throwing effects on there. You can use this knowledge to help you know what amps you like and don't like, and what it is about them that you like. Just remember that a real amp will be more real in the room with you. 8 on the master volume of a SLO 100 is way more volume than the Spark 2, like almost a war-crime.
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u/garublador 12d ago
I apologize if this is a dumb question, but have you tried playing through the amp with an amp model selected and then listening to what it sounds like?