Recording - July 2021 - 14

1
That
One
Studio
Guitar
Amp
Line 6: Spider V 120 MkII
$429, line6.com
The Line 6 Spider V 120 MkII amplifier produces a diverse
range of tones suitable for nearly any recording situation-from
classic rock to blues to country to heavier styles. In particular, the
presets based on classic American and British amps were painstakingly
crafted by tube amp guru Dan Boul of 65 Amps for maximum
authenticity-and the stereo XLR outputs and USB interface
let you record direct, in addition to miking the amp. The more than 100 available effects will
also come in handy when recording, and the optional FBV 3 Foot Controller makes switching
them in and out a breeze. Due to the nature of the beast, it's hard to say whether the Spider
V 120 is what you are hearing on major recordings-but we do know that The Cure's Robert
Smith chose the amps for the band's performance celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Disintegration album. -Barry Cleveland, Line 6
MESA/Boogie: Mark V 90-watt Tube Head
$2,549; mesaboogie.com
The MESA/Boogie Mark V has become synonymous with 'studio amp' for
its incredible stylistic range and versatility. Released in 2009, it was designed
to capture the ultimate collection of decades of famous MARK amp sounds and
package them into one amplifier. The result is an amp with three distinct channels,
nine voicing modes, Simul-class power with three-channel assignable wattage
ranges, built-in variac mode, power tube options (6L6 or EL-34), assignable
five-band graphic EQ, and an uber-transparent FX loop. Capable of authoritatively handling
any genre from jazz to metal, it delivers everything from crystal cleans, singing violin-like
single notes, Brit-inspired crunch, all the way on up to a crushing wall of modern high gain. This
versatility, combined with many onboard tone shaping tools, gives artists and engineers an unrivaled array of
musical colors. Highly popular, the MESA/Boogie Mark V has been used by too many famous players, engineers,
and producers to list here. -Michael Fox, MESA/Boogie
Morgan Amps: AC20 20-watt Tube Head
$1,599; morganamps.com
Plugging into the AC20, you will instantly notice the familiar chime and compression of
the Class A EL84-driven output section. Instantly, U2, Tom Petty, Queen, and most praise
and worship tones are right there at your fingertips. Like all Morgan amps, the AC20
was designed with the pedalboard player in mind. This amp loves all pedals and was
designed so that modulation, delay, and even reverb pedals sound best in front of it. The
amplifier's extreme touch sensitivity will allow you to coax clean tones even at the highest
of gain settings. To quote Keith Armstrong (Chief Engineer at Mix LA), " It is impossible to
get a bad sound out of this amp! " -Rick Matthews Jr, Morgan Amps
Orange: Rockerverb MKIII 50
$1999; orangeamps.com
Orange Amplification, established in 1968, is a pioneering force in guitar and
bass amplification and is synonymous with classic British tone. The Rockerverb MKIII,
a very popular amp head used in studios, evolved naturally from other timeless Orange
amps. Guitarists particularly appreciate the flexibility of the gain channel, the
warmth and vintage character of the clean channel and the very quiet standing amp
noise; they were originally designed this way for recording. The amp is easily able
to deliver classic rock, blues, modern rock and metal. Orange amps are to be found in studios around the world and especially in the
U.S. and UK. Guitarists of all genres, including Jim Root (Slipknot), Jimmy Page, Stevie Wonder, Glenn Hughes, Marcus King, Peter
Green, Orianthi, Tyler Bryant and many others have played and recorded Orange. -David Phillips, Orange Amps
Peavey: 6505 MH Mini Amp Head
$599; peavey.com
The Peavey 6505 series has been used on more metal albums than just about any
amp in history. In addition to its iconic tone, the 6505 has a microphone-simulated
direct out that is perfect for recording. In fact, Peavey's 6505 MH and invective™.MH
allow you to use an internal dummy load to turn off the speaker output and record the
sound of a tube amplifier silently. This unique feature is the perfect solution for recording
studios where cranked tube amplifiers aren't viable. -Callie Godshaw, Peavey
14 RECORDING July 2021

http://www.line6.com http://www.mesaboogie.com http://www.morganamps.com http://www.orangeamps.com http://www.peavey.com

Recording - July 2021

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