Guitar Amp Controls Explained! How To Use Gain, Tone & Effects Knobs...

In this beginner's guide, Sam explains what each control knob on a guitar amplifier actually does, and gives us a few tips on how to use them to achieve a better tone...

Skip to sections...

Intro - 00:00

Channel Switching, Gain & Volume Controls - 01:20

EQ & Tone Controls - 07:41

Reverb & Effects Controls - 16:30

So you’ve just got your first guitar amplifier, and you’re ready to plug in and start rocking out, recreating some of the classic tones that you’ve heard from your favourite guitar heroes. The only problem is, you’re a little bit confused as to what exactly each of these little knobs actually does!!! But don't worry, PMTVUK are here to help!

In this video, we take an in depth look at the most common types of amplifier controls and how best to use them. We'll be looking at the difference between volume and gain, and how these controls work depending on whether you're using a solid state transistor amp or a valve or tube amplifier. We find out how to use EQ and tone controls to find your amplifier's tonal "sweet spot" and take a look at the differences between reverb, modulation and delay effects...plus much more!

Other Beginner's Guides on our channel...



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[thelowmein]

Thank you so so much for this, I can’t tell you how helpful this was.

[rob]

I’ve had my Boss Katana 100 for nearly 18 months and I must admit I haven’t actually made the effort to find the sweet spot. I tend to dial in as I go. I’ll have a play round with it later

[bishalbasak]

Gain is how much you are amplifying a signal....volume is the amount of energy one puts out.think of it in this way.you are controlling a river by a dam and a gate.increasing gain will increase the wave heights.increasing volume will open the gate and thereby let more water to flow without changing wave height

[olgreybear]

Great help. Never did know what those EQ settings were meant to do. Thanks for the help and merry Christmas to all at PMT!

[esxdave]

This video is fantastic. So helpful and easy to understand. I have now dialled in such a sweet tone on my Amp. Thanks!

[BillFarnham]

Fantastic video. Super informative. Well paced description and demonstration of each of the effects and how to manipulate them with the amplifier controls. The section on finding the sweet spot for the EQ controls on your amp has made a tremendous difference in the sound I can pull from my amp. Thank you!

[timostrem]

Really well done video. A great tool for a dad trying to help his 11 year old understand his amp. Thank you.

[carrieengelstad]

This was so helpful! I recently bought an electric cello for traveling, and I was struggling to get a sound I was happy with on my practice bass amp (I didn't even know what the drive control was doing). You've made my practice much better!

[donlessnau]

Well done. Sam does outstanding reviews on everything. Great info, clearly presented without all the silly bullshit on other sites, like Anderton's. Just good, helpful, concise information. Well done.

[theslayerofgoblins]

I've been playing for 20 years and still love these kinds of helpful vids.

[tommeyer]

Bravo! I've looked at dozens of videos on this topic and this one is the best. Straight forward, common sense descriptions, with a lot of helpful demos. Thanks so very much for adding some clarity to a very complex topic.

[dylanthomas]

After glancing over some videos I see that you are the best. I know it must have been a lot of work but I am truly grateful. Thank you.

[jeremyzielinski]

Excellent video! As a beginner trying to understand how to use the amp is as daunting as learning the guitar itself !! My Fender GT 40 has got so many options to change everything makes me want to have amp lessons as well as guitar lessons!

[markhall]

Very informative and well presented without all the showing off seen in many guitar videos - thanks

[puddleofclay]

This is exactly the hands on demonstration/explaining I needed!! You are a wise man

[danssongversions]

My first amp is arriving tomorrow. This is exactly the video I needed to see. Well done, sir.

[ironmaiden]

Fantastic video. Extremely helpful and very well explained. Thank you.

[davidsnyder]

Great video for a rookie like me. I have 2 amps, a practice Amp that only has volume, treble and base knobs and a button when pushed in is O.D. and not pushed in is clean. I think that's pretty simple stuff, yet I can get some different sounds out of it. The other Amp is an acustic Amp and has more knobs: gain, low, middle, high, reverb, chorus, and master. It's a 2 Chanel, instrument and microphone.
Your video has been very helpful in setting both of these amps up. Thank

[ShashankSrivastav]

This is so incredibly helpful. I purchased a Fender mustang GT 40 modelling amp and have been playing with it, but this clears up so many things and now I can play with eq settings and create my own presets.

[gabedemichele]

very helpful video, love the way he explains it as he goes