| Guitar amplifiers amplify the sound fed into it from the | | | | the guitarist wants a heavy distortion akin to heavy |
| guitar and drive the guitar loudspeaker. The sound | | | | metal rock sound. To get this type of sound, the input |
| waves generated by the guitar strings are converted | | | | signal is fed into the signal modulation stage where the |
| into minute electrical signal with the help of the guitar | | | | signal undergoes the required (but controlled) distortion. |
| pick up and then fed into the guitar amplifier (or simply | | | | The same applies to other sound effects like |
| guitar amp). Depending on whether or not the input of | | | | wah-wah sound, reverb etc. Many guitar amps have |
| the guitar amp can work with the minute signal coming | | | | equalizers and other tone control knobs, which also |
| from the guitar, the guitarist may need to feed the | | | | come under the signal modulation stage. |
| guitar signal first into a pre-amplifier and then take the | | | | Signal Amplification Stage |
| output from the pre-amplifier to feed the guitar amp. | | | | The signal amplification stage is the 'business' stage of |
| The working of a guitar amp typically has four stages | | | | any guitar amp. It is here where the guitar sound is |
| - input, signal modulation, signal amplification and then | | | | actually amplified. Good guitar amps will faithfully |
| finally the output stage. | | | | magnify the signal coming from the Signal Modulation |
| Input Stage | | | | Stage, i.e. the incoming signal will be the exact replica |
| The input stage of the guitar amp accepts the input | | | | of this stage's outgoing signal, only that it will be of |
| signal either from the guitar pre-amp or directly from | | | | much greater amplitude. It is the 'business' of any |
| the guitar itself. Normally, there are input female jacks | | | | amplifier (be it voice or guitar amp) to faithfully amplify |
| installed onto the amplifier where you attach the input | | | | the incoming signal. |
| signal cable. If the guitar signal is too weak to be fed | | | | Output Stage |
| into the guitar amp, the signal should first pass through | | | | This is the final stage of all guitar amps. Some guitar |
| a guitar pre-amp. It is very important that there is | | | | amps have the output driver stage as a part of the |
| proper impedance matching between the available | | | | output stage, while some of them do not. In some |
| input signal impedance and specified guitar amplifier's | | | | cheap guitar amps, the outgoing signal from the signal |
| input signal impedance. More often than not, signal | | | | amplification stage is directly fed into the loudspeaker. |
| impedance mismatch is the cause of deterioration of | | | | However, good guitar amps have proper signal |
| the final guitar sound on the loudspeaker. | | | | conditioning output stage where it is ensured that |
| Nowadays, there are many guitar amps, which have a | | | | output signal is properly matched to the input |
| pre-amplification stage incorporated into them. For such | | | | specifications of the loudspeaker. |
| amps, you do not need to pass the guitar signal into a | | | | Every good guitarist should have good knowledge |
| separate pre-amp. You can directly feed the signal into | | | | about guitar amps. Getting a good guitar amp is very |
| the amp itself. | | | | important if you wish to have a reliable and predictable |
| Signal Modulation Stage | | | | output musical sound whilst playing your guitar. |
| Plain in and plain out is not exactly the way normal | | | | For more information and reviews on guitars, guitar |
| electric guitarist likes it. He wants the guitar sound to be | | | | amplifiers and equipment visit GuitarHeadz.com, the |
| jazzed up, twangy, funky, heavily distorted etc. etc. For | | | | complete guide for anything you want to know about |
| such sounds, the input signal has to under go | | | | guitars and related gear. |
| modulation before they can be amplified. Say suppose | | | | |