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Post by langford on Mar 20, 2021 12:29:42 GMT -5
So, those of us who bought one have now had them for a while. What do we think—handy practice tool? Flash in the pan? Best/worst amp ever?
I was texting recently with a friend who got a Spark a few months after I did. For both of us, playing around with the Spark features actually sent us back to our traditional amps to explore them in more detail. A surprising but productive result.
I still like the Spark, especially its integration with online music sources. That's great for practicing. The variety of amp models and pedals also encourage me to try out new things. I wouldn't know if they're great models, but they're fun for me.
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Post by Leftee on Mar 20, 2021 12:55:31 GMT -5
Mine is my favorite practice amp. I find it much more usable than the GDec 30 I had a few years ago. And it sounds better.
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Post by jhawkr on Mar 20, 2021 15:47:40 GMT -5
I’ve been looking but I need to move some stuff 1st.
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Post by justin on Mar 20, 2021 19:00:08 GMT -5
I played mine earlier today and it still sounds good to me. Switching back and forth from a more traditional setup it feels weird, but I get used to it quickly. It still gets good tones and is a great practice tool. Lately I've been very enamored with my Tone Master Deluxe Reverb on the 0.2 watt setting and a pedalboard. That thing rocks at those coveted (to some) "bedroom" volumes.
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Ragpicker
Wholenote
I'm playing it in a different key
Posts: 336
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Post by Ragpicker on Mar 20, 2021 22:27:40 GMT -5
Ive not played thru one yet but Vintage Guitar magazine has a pretty positive review in the current issue.
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MoJoe
Wholenote
Posts: 855
Formerly Known As: quiksilver
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Post by MoJoe on Mar 22, 2021 2:00:03 GMT -5
No Spark but PG stand-alone head. May be not for the tube amp purist but close enough in the VR world imho. I have a JTM45 pattern dialed in to check head to head and the PR is quite holding up against the real thing. Great @home when volume matters and you don't want to trigger the neighborhood with your marshall arts. 🤓
Easy to tweak and the software is working like a charm.
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Post by langford on Mar 22, 2021 14:51:03 GMT -5
Marshall arts. Too funny! I'm going to remember that one.
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Post by Seldom Seen on Mar 22, 2021 19:29:03 GMT -5
I started out a skeptic but after test driving one and then playing my Spark for awhile, I'm a believer. It's perfect for the wife's long smoke breaks while we're watching TV. I've test driven most of the features but at this point I keep it simple, usually sticking to the four presets. I'm not replacing any tube amps with it but the Spark fills a big space for me.
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Post by Leftee on Mar 22, 2021 19:34:11 GMT -5
I’ve got 4 rigs set up, but I typically only use 2. A clean and warm based on Fender and a hot Marshall OD.
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MoJoe
Wholenote
Posts: 855
Formerly Known As: quiksilver
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Post by MoJoe on Mar 23, 2021 4:06:00 GMT -5
Pretty much the same here. Dialing in Marshall/Soldano, Fender/Dumble and Vox/Matchless types in clean to moderate gain stages is all it takes to keep me happy. Also found some bass rigs equally rewarding. And the amp is taking pedals very well.
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Post by Leftee on Mar 24, 2021 6:51:36 GMT -5
I haven’t plugged my bass into it yet.
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tomcaster
Halfnote
Posts: 91
Formerly Known As: strat-hacker
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Post by tomcaster on Mar 25, 2021 11:58:33 GMT -5
Love it. I can get a good sound for anything I plug in, but the software is the thing that sets this apart. The many options for jamming has the biggest appeal to me. I would probably never search out backing tracks for reggae, bossa nova, ambient etc. that are on there. Gets you out of your comfort zone. Since it's a Bluetooth player, you can also explore backing tracks on Spotify or youtube. This has definitely increased my playing time. It's just more fun.
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Post by langford on Mar 26, 2021 21:58:03 GMT -5
@tom... Yes. The integration with online services for jam tracks is outstanding. Pairing that with the ability to use sounds/setups I wouldn't otherwise try really opens things up.
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Post by Stinger22 on Mar 30, 2021 14:24:56 GMT -5
Still loving mine. It's my living room amp and so far perfect for that. Like others and just mainly use the 4 presets with a Clean/Crunch/OD and then one for my acoustic which I also find fabulous. The ability to pull up all the different styles of VERY GOOD backing tracks is a HUGE plus. I would normally just have Pandora or Amazon playing tunes but now can just pull up these tracks and actually PRACTICE with them!
Would I but again.............in a heartbeat.
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Post by Stinger22 on Apr 28, 2021 21:27:50 GMT -5
As an update I did move a small pedalboard into my living room to go with the Spark. Not as big as the one I used when I had my Mesa Express there. The Spark works great as a clean amp and using pedals before it which is how I played by amps anyway. I still use a brown sound preset and a crunch preset which both sound great. I have my Xotic EP boost always on to as with my other amps and applies it's secret sauce just like with my tube amps!
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Post by strat62plyr on Apr 15, 2022 10:58:23 GMT -5
I’ve had mine for better than a year now, almost 2 years. Great amp. Light, great sounding, and a blessing to gig with. I bought a Bluetooth foot switch that make channel changing and effect control so much easier. All this plus the other features mentioned make it a real winner in my opinion. Sure beats hauling my Rivera TBR-1 head and a 2-12 cab. I love my Rivera but this little amp fits well with my aging body
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Post by Cal-Woody on Apr 18, 2022 8:35:44 GMT -5
Question: does the Spark bring up the chords along with the backing tracks? I thought I saw a demo where it did this. That would be a great learning tool for me, to see the chords with the song. Am I correct on this?
If what I saw was true, then I would definitely buy one!
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tomcaster
Halfnote
Posts: 91
Formerly Known As: strat-hacker
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Post by tomcaster on Apr 18, 2022 9:48:01 GMT -5
It does. It shows the chords for basic backing tracks as well as for any song you request. Not always accurate but a good starting point for sure.
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Post by Cal-Woody on Apr 18, 2022 11:16:38 GMT -5
Now that is an awesome feature and worth the investment! Thanks for confirming what I thought I saw from the demonstration from the website.
This is a very cool aspect of this amplifier.
Well, I guess I will have to take the plunge as I wanted this amplifier that very feature for learning new songs and getting a leg up on practicing and having something that I could play along with. Again, thank you!
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Post by strat62plyr on Apr 18, 2022 18:36:23 GMT -5
Also Cal-Woody, it has looper capability, along with the backing tracks that not only tell you the chords, also the scale and mode to play in. It also has a create feature that allows you to play your tunes and then reads what you played, comes back wit a full band track of your song to jam along with. Interesting feature. Take the plunge, lol
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