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by Jim Button March 28, 2020 3 min read
Can't go out? No gigging allowed?
How are you supposed to scratch that guitar itch when the other half despises the volume on your amp set to anything more than 0.5 and you're just not feeling it?
Well, there are several ways to approach playing at home when low volume is a must, and you'll be glad to hear that it is possible to achieve a great sound as well as a great feeling of interaction between guitar, pedals and amp.
The most straightforward and family-friendly way of getting a good guitar sound at home is to use a digital amp. Most digital/solid-state amps these days utilise modelling technology to emulate various famous amp variants, and many also include effects such as reverb. Not only that, but you'll more than likely find a headphone jack, making a small digital amp the perfect solution for jamming at home. Look for something like a Boss Katana Air or Marshall Code 25: it's just a matter of plugging your favourite set of headphones in and getting on with it. Easy!
But what if you have a valve amp? Well if your amp has a master volume, the first step - and this may seem counterproductive - is to turn down the gain or channel volume (we know you have it cranked 😉 ) and turn up the master volume. You can balance this so it's still very quiet, but by opening up the master volume it lets the amp 'breathe' and tends to yield better results than having the channel volume up high and the master just off 0 on the dial.
Your best bet for a fire-breathing non-master volume valve amp is to either use a volume pedal in front of the amp, or hook up an attenuator. The Universal Audio Ox seems to be a very popular choice, although (as stated before) our preference is for the awesome Fryette Power Station as it can do so much more than simply attenuate the signal.
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There are other options is you're of a more practical mentality. How about constructing an isolation cabinet for your speaker? An old-school alternative to modern IR tech, it basically involves shutting your favourite speaker and mic away in a strong wooden box padded out with anything from old duvets to sound absorbing foam. Do it right and you can crank that amp and barely hear the speaker. How to build a guitar amp isolation cabinet
You could, of course, purchase a professionally made isolation cabinet, but where's the fun in that?6
Finally, you could ditch the amp altogether. If you happen to own a computer with DAW software and an audio interface, simply run your guitar straight in ('DI') or run it into a preamp pedal and then into the audio interface. Use the pedal as a replacement for your amplifier's preamp stage and use IRs in the DAW to replicate the sound of a Greenback-loaded 4x12 cabinet, or whatever is your poison.
Hopefully this has given you some ideas for getting the best guitar tone at home volumes.
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The Bleak District Tapescape is one of the best delay and ambience style pedals ever invented. The controls are all intuitive but highly flexible, the sounds are rich and detailed, the modulation can go from dreamy to nightmarish very quickly, and all of that inside a small footprint with a low power requirement. It's difficult to get a bad sound out of it, honestly.
Add in that Boost shipped it out quickly and it arrived with a nice note written on the invoice, is there anything else you could ask for? Definitely will be buying more from both Boost and Bleak District in future.
Part came as described. Website was easy use.
very cool pedal
Awesome service and communication all along!
Will gladly order again
I ordered a set of strings from Boost, that did not initially turn up. After contacting Boost via the website they immediately sent out another set (no questions asked). Both sets arrived a few days later (Thanks Royal Mail!). Boost were prompt in dealing with the issue (gave) me a set of strings and got things sorted out. Highly recommend you use these guys.
My favourite strings, at a great price! Very reasonable postage rates and speedy service. My first purchase from Boost, but will definitely not be my last. Hassle free, excellent...
Jazzmaster happy🙏
I didn’t know that particular manufacturer from Italy, but I definitely recommend their "Vintage Vibe”. It’s simple, intuitive, it looks awesome, the build quality seems impeccable, and most importantly, it sounds fantastic.
Pre-ordered the Tapescape through Boost Pedals. Great pedal, great order experience
Thank you. I'm very satisfied !!!
Great quality and love the colour, I've not seen this colour available anywhere else. Thanks!
Really loving the range of organic tape sounds from the tapescape. Great build quality and a world of wobbly good times. Instant atmosphere as soon as you turn it in. Great small company from the UK, worth every penny
Great shirt, very quick delivery
Nice shirt, very fast delivery
Excellent pedal , one of the better vibes out there , obviously all about opinions . The service from Boost was excellent from communication to packaging and delivery .
Great swift service. Too big for Boss pedals but works fine on amps.