Listening to a well-played guitar is great. There is a certain feeling that comes from within. Therefore, if the guitar is expected to be heard over a long distance, it might not be loud enough. A guitar amplifier (amp) is used to strengthen the pickup from either an acoustic, electric, or bass guitar.
Many amps consume less electricity, and once in a while, when they are being used in full-blown volume mode, they consume more. Many of the amps available in the market do not consume any electricity when they are not in use.
The guitar amplifier might be a “combo” amplifier or a standalone metal or wood cabinet that has the power amplifier and a preamplifier circuit only. The standalone amplifier will need an additional speaker cabinet. They are also used to modify the tone of the guitar by either emphasizing or de-emphasizing some frequencies.
Many people have found themselves being accused of using excess electricity for having their amp on throughout the day. This is because people assume that amps use a lot of electricity, and hence, they should be switched on only when it’s underused. The truth, however, amps use less energy compared to many everyday household items.
How Much Power Do Guitar Amps Use?
Wattage is the measurement that is normally used in indicating the power of an amplifier. This shows explicitly the total amount of electric power output that will be used to drive the speakers. For a guitar amp, small amps use 1 to 30 watts. For midsized amps, they use 30 to 60 watts while large-sized amps use 60 watts and above.
The amps, however, depend on what it will be used for. This is because; the bass amps are thought to use more watts for driving larger speakers. Wattage is, however, calculated and reported differently by different manufacturers making amp power a sensitive subject.
Do Watts Matter In Guitar Amps?
‘Yes.’ Apart from what the manufacturers indicate on their products, professional guitarists have also agreed with their argument. A higher wattage amplifier is expected to produce louder sound compared to lower watts within the same brand of the amp.
At the same time, a more powerful amp is said to give the user more freedom to control the sound. Hence, your guitar will be heard more than the other musicians without the need to push your amp beyond its optimal operating range. You can, however, choose to use Tube watts instead of solid-state watts as they are way louder by far.
Can You Plug An Electric Guitar Into A Bass Amp?
This highly depends on an individual. However, according to experts, there is nothing wrong with connecting your electric guitar to a bass amp. If you are okay with the sound coming from the amp, then you can comfortably go ahead and do so. However, it is important to understand that the sound will not be as perfect as it is when using a guitar amp.
A guitar amp features some effects that make your guitar sound much better. These effects are, however, not available in a bass amp. Therefore, the sound produced by your guitar on a bass amp will be roughly distorted.
Can I Leave My Amp On All The Time?
The answer to this question varies with the individual, frequent use of the amp, and the location. Although many people think that an amp wears out faster when left on all the time, this is not true at all. Actually, the opposite is true. Switching your amp on and off every now and then makes them wear out more quickly than when left connected to power throughout.
However, if you live in an area that has power issues, it is advisable to switch it off every time you are not using it to avoid any damages from a power surge. At the same time, you’ll save some electric power, which is also essential.
Do Speakers Use Power When Not In Use?
The answer to this question is a solid ‘Yes.’ Although the power used is very minimal, there is some percentage of energy passed through the speakers when they are in their sleep mode. The energy consumed is a bit different from that consumed when the speakers are on high volume. However, some people argue that it almost the same power consumed when the speakers are on low volume but with only a difference of about a watt or so.
This means the speakers will heat up if they are left on for a long time, and hence, they’ll easily be damaged by the heat.
Is It Okay To Leave Studio Monitors On?
There are two different answers to this question. One of the answers is a solid ‘Yes’ while the other one is a solid ‘No.’ When talking about the wear and tear of the studio monitors, there is absolutely no problem with leaving it on. This is because, as long as it is in its absolute sleep mode, it can’t heat up and hence, no damages.
On the other hand, when it comes to environmentalists, they would give a solid ‘No’ to this answer. This is because they believe that we should try to save as much energy as possible every day.
Is It Okay To Leave Speakers On?
Leaving your speakers on when not in use is not advisable. This is because of a few reasons. One, they use energy even when they are in their sleep mode, which means your electricity bill will go higher by day. At the same time, they say the heat is an enemy of any electronic gadget. Therefore, you risk damaging your speaker when you leave it on for a long time.
Unlike the amps which work better when they heat up, powered speakers are easily affected by heat. Therefore for the sake of saving your electricity bills and your speaker, don’t leave them on.
Do Tube Amps Consume More Electricity Than SS?
If you are using a solid-state amplifier and a tube amplifier at the same watts, they will use the same amount of energy. This is because; there is no difference between the watts used on one device and the ones used on another. If it is 50 watts on both of them, then it will be 50 and nothing less and nothing more.
However, the tube amps can be said to be a bit cost-effective as they produce louder sound at lower watts. Hence, one can use much lower watts in tube amp to get the same results with what you’d get with high watts in SS.
Can You Play a Bass through a Tube Guitar Amp?
When it comes to using one device in place of the other, it is obviously possible unless it is under special cases. However, this doesn’t make it alright. This is because, although it is possible to play a bass through your tube guitar amp, you might end up on the losing end.
Playing a bass through your tube guitar amp might be fun in the beginning, and actually, it is. However, after some time, it will cause damages to your speakers as they are not meant to handle such kinds of wattage. At the same time, you will not get the same effect you are looking for.
How Many Amperes Does My Amplifier Draw?
The number of amperes your amplifier draws highly depends on its watts. This is because, in the calculation, it is the watts of the amplifier that are considered. Many people calculate the watts divided by the voltage. This is mostly used in the United States, and hence, it can be said to be the standard way of calculating amps.
This means that different amplifiers draw different amps. For example, a 400-watt amplifier is expected to draw about 3.33 amps. An 800-watt amplifier is expected to draw around 6. This means, many amplifiers used in the house draw less than 10 amps.
Conclusion
A normal amplifier uses very little electricity on a daily basis. This means that you can never classify an amplifier under the least of high voltage equipment in your house. When it comes to a guitar, it uses even less power depending on the number of watts indicated on the packaging.
For that reason, no one has any reason for not enjoying their guitar playing out of fear of power consumption. Relax and give it your best and, at the same time, ensure it is reaching all the intended audience in the right volume. This can only be possible if you use the right guitar amp.