What is a combo amp and how to choose one: tips from addo. com. ua

The peculiarity of an electric guitar is that when trying to play it, it is impossible to create an acoustic effect without additional equipment.Even a built-in adapter cannot work without amplification, and even if an electric guitar has a special preamp built into it, which is often found in electro-acoustic models, it will be of no use unless you have an external speaker. To produce the desired sound when playing an electric guitar, you will need a special device called a combo amp. Now it’s clear: if you’re thinking about learning to play electric guitar, you’ll need an amplifier, which you can purchase at Addo. Nowadays, there’s a fairly wide range of guitar amplifiers, specifically tailored for various functions. Guitar amplifiers are divided into combo amplifiers for acoustic, bass, and electric guitars. This division is determined by the specific needs of each instrument and, consequently, the different requirements placed on them.

to understand how an electric guitar combo amplifier works, it’s important to understand where the work begins, as the process of producing sound appears quite simple. Every modern acoustic-electric and electric guitar has a built-in pickup. Nowadays, there are quite a few additional pickups that should be installed on any acoustic or classical guitar. In this case, the device functions as a microphone and therefore will not function independently.

A combo amplifier is a device that incorporates an external speaker and a basic audio amplifier. The signal from the movement of the strings is transmitted to the pickup, from where it is then transmitted to the amplifier, and then, converted, to the speaker, from where we hear the sound we are all familiar with. With built-in amplifiers for electric guitars, the signal is bi-amped, but this affects sound quality more than signal level.

Three combo amp variations:

• Transistor
• Vacuum
• Hybrid

1. Transistor amplifiers are the most common and inexpensive type of combo amplifier that operates on transistors. The sound quality is suitable for beginner guitarists, yet most professional musicians use these combo amps at home.
2. Tube ones, accordingly, operate on tubes and have a much higher cost than the transistor type, but the speaker power and sound quality speak for themselves. The sound frequency makes it possible to catch every note.
3. Well, hybrid ones operate on both lamps and transistors. Therefore, they have an average cost, higher than transistor units, but lower than tube ones.

If necessary, qualified specialists in the Addo store will advise you in any convenient way before purchasing a combo amplifier.