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Chapter 1 Amps and pedals 13
Amp Designer models
Tweed Combos
The Tweed models are based on American combos from the 1950s and early 1960s that helped
dene the sounds of blues, rock, and country music. They have warm, complex, clean sounds that
progress smoothly through gentle distortion to raucous overdrive as you increase the gain. Even
after half a century, Tweeds can still sound contemporary. Many modern boutique ampliers are
based on Tweed-style circuitry.
Model Description
Small Tweed Combo
A 1 x 12" combo that transitions smoothly from clean
to crunchy, making it a great choice for blues and
rock. For extra denition, set the Treble and Presence
controls to a value around 7.
Large Tweed Combo
This 4 x 10" combo was originally intended for
bassists, but it was also used by blues and rock
guitarists. It is more open and transparent-sounding
than the Small Tweed Combo, but it can deliver
crunchy sounds.
Mini Tweed Combo A small amp with a single 10" speaker, used by
countless blues and rock artists. It is quite punchy-
sounding and can deliver the clean and crunch tones
that Tweed combos are known for.
Tip: Tweed combos are responsive to playing dynamics. Adjust the knobs to create a distorted
sound, then reduce the level of your guitar’s volume knob to create a cleaner tone. Turn up your
guitar’s volume knob when soloing.
Classic American Combos
The Blackface, Brownface, and Silverface models are inspired by American combos of the mid
1960s. These tend to be loud and clean with a tight low-end and restrained distortion. They are
useful for clean-toned rock, vintage R & B, surf music, twangy country, jazz, or any other style
where strong note denition is essential.
Model Description
Large Blackface Combo
A 4 x 10" combo with a sweet, well-balanced tone
favored by rock, surf, and R & B players. Great for lush,
reverb-saturated chords or strident solos.
Silverface Combo
A 2 x 12" combo with a loud, clean tone. It has a
percussive, articulate attack that is suitable for funk,
R & B, and intricate chord work. It can be crunchy
when overdriven, but most players favor it for clean
tones.
Mini Blackface Combo
A 1 x 10" combo that is bright and open-sounding,
with reasonable low end impact. It excels at clean
tones with a minimal overdrive.
Small Brownface Combo
A 1 x 12" combo that is smooth and rich-sounding,
but retains a level of detail.
Blues Blaster Combo
A 1 x 15" combo that has a clear top end with a tight,
dened low end. This model is favored by blues and
rock players.