Looking for AMP Suggestions... Need Help with Guitar Setup

Hey everyone,

I’m posting this on behalf of my son. He’s been learning electric guitar for a while now, mostly playing at home. He recently took part in two competitions, but it didn’t go too well for him. In one instance, he connected his guitar directly to the PA system, but it didn’t have the same sound options as his amp, like the crunch settings. The second time, he used his Mooer GE100 processor and connected it to the PA, but this time there was no sound at all.

My son is feeling pretty down about it and we’re not very familiar with how PA systems work. I’m wondering if there’s an amp with a line-out that could connect to a PA system. How does the connection usually work in concerts? Any suggestions on what we should look for? Thanks a lot for your help!

I wouldn’t recommend using the line-out on the amp, it could actually make things worse.

PA systems are designed to amplify sound, not really to give guitar players the sound they need. If you want crunch or effects, you’ll need your own gear for that. A PA system is just going to give you a dry clean sound.

Here’s what I’d suggest:

  1. Put a mic in front of the guitar speaker and send that through the PA. But this depends a lot on the PA operator’s skills and equipment.

  2. Try using an amp modeler pedal with Impulse Responses (IR). This can go straight into the PA. I’m not sure if the Mooer has this feature.

  3. You can find amps with line-outs and IR features, but I wouldn’t make that my main focus when shopping for a new amp.

Option 2 is probably the best way to go.

@Joey
Thanks for the suggestion! Do you have a specific model in mind that I should look at? I’m open to checking out other brands as well. I’m fine with option 2. I’ve seen the Boss IR 200 and 100 models. Do you know if these pedals have settings to adjust gain or crunch like a regular amp? Sorry for the basic questions!

@Drue
Take a look at the Valeton GP200. It’s affordable and seems to get great reviews for the price. It can send an output directly into the PA and sound just like a miked-up amp. Plus, at home, he can plug in headphones (I think).

@Teegan
Thanks, I’ll check it out!

Most amps have a line-out, and the Mooer processor should have worked fine in theory.

It’s unfortunate that there wasn’t a sound check beforehand to make sure everything was working. The problem could also be with whoever was running the PA.

I think something like the Boss Katana would be a great option, especially if your son can just use the amp instead of dealing with the PA.

I get why they want to use a PA, but it sounds like the PA crew didn’t know what they were doing.

When I was starting out, we used a Zoom 505 pedal and could plug it into anything.

@Marlowe
Right now, he’s using a Blackstar 10W, but it only has a line-in, not a line-out. The only other option is a headphone jack. So, I’m considering upgrading the amp. Do you have any budget-friendly amps with a line-out? I think that might solve the issue. I’ve seen the Boss Katana has a line-out. I’m not sure what other amps have that feature.

I’ve seen the Fender Rumble 40 has a balanced output. Like you said, the program happened at the school. The reviews for the Mooer were better than Zoom, so that’s why we went with the Mooer GE100.

Q) I’ve seen videos where people mic the amp. Is that a valid setup for a concert? How does that usually work in a live setting? We bought the Blackstar before we really understood how this all works. So, keeping everything in mind, what’s the best amp to get if we plan to buy one?

Most modern amps come with either an IR loader or direct out. But it really depends on what your son wants to do. Does he need an effects loop on the amp? Does he prefer a rock or metal sound? Or just clean? Is this mainly for home use or does he need something loud enough to keep up with a drummer?

In my setup, I use an IR loader at the end of my pedalboard so I can go directly into the PA, or use an amp and send an XLR signal to the front of house. That way, they don’t need to mic my amp. If you’re looking for a budget amp, the Boss Katana comes to mind.

@Reece
He mostly plays rock music and is on the Grade 4 Rockschool certification path. At home, he’s been experimenting with his processor, but the issue he had with the Blackstar was that the harmonics weren’t working even with the gain turned up. He mostly plays at home and only goes to competitions or records for the certification. If you have a model you’d recommend, that’d be awesome. Thanks!