Welcome to AmpStamp 1.8! Let’s take a moment to introduce the new effects with some presets that you can start experimenting with.
Preset: Stun-74
We start off with an effect so pure, so good, it’s on everyone’s pedal board, no question about it. And it doesn’t get more simple than one knob. The PH103A Phaser is tuned to perfection and pairs well with almost any amplifier, we’ve started with a classic Marshall to get you going. Check out More Controls to shift between single and dual stages, as well as crank the feedback for a more pronounced sweep.
Preset: Jet-76
Speaking of pronounced sweeps, with this preset we capture the awesome jet-like qualities of the FL101 Flanger into another favorite amp of ours from Vox. Here too, you can push Regen. into oscillation. This effect sounds amazing on muted power chords.
Preset: Bandmeister
Woolly, throaty, toothy, chewy, we could keep going, but you just need to hear it for yourself. The VG204D Amplifier and VG 2×12 PB 100W ’63 Cabinet produce a complex tonal quality unlike any other we’ve heard. So kick out the jams, and enjoy!
Preset: New Day Rising
One of the first real distortion pedals, the DS101A Distortion is so good, it stands on it’s own. And that’s just what we have here. The pedal is running Direct, hopefully reminding you of this punk rock classic from one of our favorite bands out of Minnesota, don’t ya know.
Welcome to AmpStamp 1.6! From blues revival to early thrash metal, there is a lot of ground to cover. Here are some new and revised presets, with better accuracy, and more control over your tone.
Preset: Thrash
Entering the High-Gain era amps became tighter, with more distortion at lower volumes. This defined a new kind of crunch for the next generation of rock and heavy metal. That sound is on full display here with the VG408D Amplifier. Crank the Volume control for more chunk, using the (preamp) Gain control to dial in the right amount of crunch. The tone stack is subtle, but useable. Paired with the VG 4x12B 260W ’82 Cabinet, it won’t be long before you recognize this sound, get ready to shred.
Preset: Liquid
This amplifier is so versatile, it’s hard to contain in just one preset so stay tuned for more info. From crunch to blistering leads, use the Deep option to fatten your tone and the Treble Shift option to tighten the bass. The 5-Band Graphic EQ speaks for itself… Also, dial back the Master 1 control to reduce flub in the bass and increase the Master control to compensate for the volume drop. This will allow a steeper “V” in the EQ section, creating a classic heavy metal tone made famous by bands like Metallica.
Preset: Woodstock V
We just can’t seem to pull away from this preset. Perhaps the passage of time has made it harder to capture exactly what was going on with Hendrix’s signal chain at Woodstock, but with version V we think we’ve come one step closer. With this update, we have moved the FZ102 Fuzz after the PH100 Phaser. To our ears it’s become clear that the white knob Fuze Face that Hendrix used at Woodstock was most likely a boost. It just sounds right, and we think you’ll agree. But enough talking, let’s try it out!
Welcome to AmpStamp 1.5! From proto punk and college rock, to rockabilly and psychedelia, we think you’re going to find endless inspiration from playing and tinkering. Here are some new and revised presets, with better accuracy, and more control over your tone.
Proto punks. The godfathers of punk. The Stooges. We stumbled upon James Williamson’s lacerating tone from Raw Power, and we think you’ll agree, this tone cuts like a knife. Harnessing the unique sound of mixing elements of Vox and Marshall gear, Williamson found the perfect match to Iggy’s intense delivery. The only requirement is that you play it loud.
By the time R.E.M. recorded their album Monster, they were looking for a new sound. Something harder, rockier, and faster paced. Guitarist Peter Buck found that in a small 2×12 combo known for its grit and particular voicing for guitar. Armed with only that amplifier, Buck would record instant classics, making use of the raw tone of the amplifier at full volume, as well as the novel vibrato channel.
Take a second to play this slapback tape delay and relive some of the finest moments recorded at Sun Studio. From Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis, to Johnny Cash, there’s a reason why musicians were clamoring for this new sound. Take what you can from it, and reinvent rock n’ roll once again.
While recording their album Disraeli Gears, Cream, and specifically Eric Clapton, would truly push what a guitar could do in pop music. Taking cues from seasoned blues players, Clapton effortlessly weaved inspired lead lines into simple song structures that served as platforms for improvisation during their live shows. But what was even more interesting was that sound he was putting to tape. A guitar had never quite sounded like that, and hasn’t since, until now.
Locked away from the rest of the world, living in hiding, living in excess. This was life for one of the most popular rock bands in history. Though the days may have blended into nights, interrupted by breakfast boats on the Italian Riviera, music happened. It needed to happen. It had to happen. And with a simple amplifier, a modest 2×12 combo, good times were rolling. Updated with speaker Color controls, for a darker, rounder tone, and Early Reflections to capture the sound of the studio.
Updated with a different amplifier and cabinet, and an improved, more accurate PH100 Phaser algorithm. As soon as you strike the first three notes of the Anthem, we think you’ll find that it can’t get any closer unless you happen to have the exact guitar that Hendrix used during performance. For the moment, this is one of rock’s all time greatest tones now available anywhere, anytime. Enjoy!
With the release of AmpStamp V1.4 we’d like to highlight a few sounds that combine some of the latest gear now available in the shop. We’ve added a classic tweed combo, another legendary 4×12 cabinet, one of the baddest fuzz effects, and the ultimate phaser. Let’s dig in!
What’s left to say about such a classic fuzz? We provided three of the most desired variations and in this preset are running the pedal through a hybrid combo for best tone. But the whole point is to find your own sound and I think it won’t be hard with this effect. Make sure to tweak the Miller capacitance setting under the More Control section.
This phaser has turned up on more recordings than you would expect. From classic recordings in the 70’s considered cutting edge at the time to grunge rock artists in the 90’s probably looking to revisit the sounds they grew up hearing, it’s an endlessly fun pedal due mostly to its complexity of control. Stacking two phasers seems like a simple task but once you start experimenting you’ll see it’s easy to get lost in the details. Best advice is to forget about the signal path and focus on what sounds good to your ear.
When Mr. 335 came to this particular session it was just like any other. He grabbed his guitar, grabbed his amp, and headed over. What was not clear was that the combination of his signature “sweet” tone would explode when collided with the songwriting capabilities of the members of Steely Dan. Not to mention his ability to craft amazing lead lines over some of rock’s most complex progressions, it’s safe to say this classic studio tone is still in demand.
The mid-70’s… disco, electronic art music, “middle of the road,” acoustic jazz, it was an interesting decade. The “Me” decade. If musicians learned one thing from this time period it was that the fuzz goes after the phaser, but that wouldn’t be so for Ernie Isley. Wanting to take advantage of some of the latest effects technology for guitarists he would have to learn this lesson for himself. And with a top ten single we all got to experience this amalgamation. Considered a classic today, it’s now yours to avoid at all cost and secretly cherish at the same time.
With the release of AmpStamp V1.3 we’d like to highlight two sounds that combine some of the latest gear now available in the shop. We’ve added an earlier version of our classic non-master volume amplifier accompanied by its legendary cabinet, another classic 2×12 cabinet featured in several piggy back models of its era, a most recognizable tape echo, and our first foray into EQ effects. There is a lot to explore!
Summer, 1967. AKA the Summer of Love. San Francisco, Golden Gate Park, Haight-Ashbury, and the Monterey Pop Festival. The 100W amplifier had just been perfected and many were eager to get them on the stages of performing musicians. What took place was the union of music and technology, sealed in a moment in time as music and technology would forever change after that. Call it by any name, the holy grail, woody tone, legendary, this is the sound at the birth of an extremely creative period of rock n’ roll.
Locked away from the rest of the world, living in hiding, living in excess. This was life for one of the most popular rock bands in history. Though the days may have blended into night, interrupted by breakfast boats on the Italian Riviera, music happened. It needed to happen. It had to happen. And with a simple amplifier, a modest 2×12 combo, and a little slapback echo, good times were rolling.
In this post we will be looking at the next batch of presets available for TapTone Vintage Guitar. This collection of sounds showcases new amplifiers and cabinets available in Version 1.2 including one of the most famous non-master volume amplifiers and a controversial update to a vintage combo.
This is rock and roll in one of its most purest forms. The amplifier: a late 1968-69 100W head. The cabinet: a 4×12 bottom loaded with blackbacks circa 1978. The sound: classic rock, hard rock, proto metal, early punk rock. Together this amplifier and cabinet combination became known as the half-stack, providing fuel for thousands of records featuring the electric guitar. Make sure to turn it up loud.
Our third iteration of Hendrix at Woodstock. As soon as you strike the first three notes of the Anthem, we think you’ll find that it can’t get any closer unless you happen to have the exact guitar that Hendrix used during performance. On one hand the cabinet dates from a period more than ten years later, but the speakers in question did not change significantly during that passage of time. For the moment, this is one of rock’s all time greatest tones now available anywhere, anytime. Enjoy!
An excellent example of a pure amplifier with minimal effects. The ability to dial the Vibrato (which is really Tremolo) back to create a subtle shift in amplitude gives even the most simple passages an interesting sonic quality. As with any clean amplifier, pickup choice really shines through, giving more bite for lead work in the bridge position or getting a classic blues tone in the neck position.
Keeping the Treble control near its maximum value and dialing up some Reverb definitely brings to life the surf rock sound that became popular in the early 1960’s. It’s an unmistakable sound once you hear the reverb coils shake with intensity from a single string run or a chord bent out of tune from the Tremolo bar (which is really a Vibrato bar). Throw a fuzz or crank the gain in front of the Reverb for even more strange sounds from a bygone era.
In this post we will be looking at the next batch of presets available for Vintage Guitar. This collection of sounds showcases the new pedals available in Version 1.1 including one of the earliest phase shifters and two classic tones associated with a well known musician.
Featuring the PH101A Phaser, the first official phase shifter to hit the market. The most interesting feature of this effect is the ability ramp between speed settings. Increase the Ramp Time and shift between speeds to create dynamic modulation that never quite settles.
Our second attempt at the tone Jimi Hendrix made famous at Woodstock, this time with the right lineup of effects: the WH100 Wah, FZ102 Fuzz, and the PH100 Phaser. Try adjusting the FZ102 Bias on the colder side with the Fuzz set low for a more spitty fuzz effect.
Similar to the Woodstock tone, this preset adds the OC100 Octave Fuzz, just as Jimi Hendrix did with the Band Of Gypsys. This effect alone could be the source of several new sounds but we decided to feature this fuzz in its natural habitat. With just the OC100 engaged, switch to the bridge pickup and notice that the octave is more pronounced when playing above the 12th fret. Also select the Silicon FZ102 Transistor Material for more gain and a harsher sound, and let the sustain begin.
The Musicology Group 