Amp Designer models in MainStage

You can learn about different Amp Designer models, their tone and sonic character, and the musical styles they have traditionally been associated with.

Tweed Combos

The Tweed models are based on American combos from the 1950s and early 1960s that helped define the sounds of blues, rock, and country music. They have warm, complex, clean sounds that progress smoothly through gentle distortion to raucous overdrive as you increase the gain. Even after half a century, Tweeds can still sound contemporary. Many modern boutique amplifiers are based on Tweed-style circuitry.

Model				Description
Small Tweed Combo				A 1 x 12” combo that transitions smoothly from clean to crunchy, making it a great choice for blues and rock. For extra definition, set the Treble and Presence controls to a value around 7.
Large Tweed Combo				This 4 x 10” combo was originally intended for bassists, but it was also used by blues and rock guitarists. It is more open and transparent-sounding than the Small Tweed Combo, but it can deliver crunchy sounds.
Mini Tweed Combo				A small amp with a single 10” speaker, used by countless blues and rock artists. It is quite punchy-sounding and can deliver the clean and crunch tones that Tweed combos are known for.

Tip: Tweed combos are responsive to playing dynamics. Adjust the knobs to create a distorted sound, then reduce the level of your guitar volume knob to create a cleaner tone. Turn up your guitar volume knob when soloing.

Classic American Combos

The Black Panel, Brown Panel, and Silver Panel models are inspired by American combos of the mid 1960s. These tend to be loud and clean with a tight low-end and restrained distortion. They are useful for clean-toned rock, vintage R & B, surf music, twangy country, jazz, or any other style where strong note definition is essential.

Model				Description
Large Black Panel Combo				A 4 x 10” combo with a sweet, well-balanced tone favored by rock, surf, and R & B players. Great for lush, reverb-saturated chords or strident solos.
Silver Panel Combo				A 2 x 12” combo with a loud, clean tone. It has a percussive, articulate attack that is suitable for funk, R & B, and intricate chord work. It can be crunchy when overdriven, but most players favor it for clean tones.
Mini Black Panel Combo				A 1 x 10” combo that is bright and open-sounding, with reasonable low end impact. It excels at clean tones with a minimal overdrive.
Small Brown Panel Combo				A 1 x 12” combo that is smooth and rich-sounding, but retains a level of detail.
Blues Blaster Combo				A 1 x 15” combo that has a clear top end with a tight, defined low end. This model is favored by blues and rock players.

Tip: Although these amps tend toward a clean and tight sound, you can use a Pedalboard distortion stompbox to attain hard-edged crunch sounds with sharp treble and extended low-end definition. See Pedalboard distortion pedals.

British Stacks

The British Stack models are based on the 50- and 100-watt amplifier heads that have largely defined the sound of heavy rock, especially when paired with 4 x 12” cabinets. At medium gain settings, these amps are suitable for thick chords and riffs. Raising the gain yields lyrical solo tones and powerful rhythm guitar parts. Complex peaks and dips across the tonal spectrum keep the tones clear and appealing, even when heavy distortion is used.

Model				Description
Vintage British Stack				Captures the sound of a late 1960s 50-watt amp famed for its powerful, smooth distortion. Notes retain clarity, even at maximum gain. After four decades this remains a definitive rock tone.
Modern British Stack				1980s and 1990s descendants of the Vintage British amplifier head, which were optimized for hard rock and metal styles of the time. Tonally, it has a deeper and brighter sound at the low and high end, with a more “scooped” midrange than the Vintage British amp.
Brown Stack				Unique tones can be coaxed from a British head by running it at lower voltages than its designers intended. The resulting “brown” sound—often more distorted and loose than the standard tone—can add interesting thickness to a guitar sound.

Tip: The classic British head and 4 x 12” cabinet combo is ideal for riffs at high gain levels. These heads can also sound good through small cabinets, or at clean, low-gain settings.

British Combos

The British Combos capture the brash, treble-rich sound associated with 1960s British rock and pop. The sonic signature of these amps is characterized by their high-end response, yet they are rarely harsh-sounding due to a mellow distortion and smooth compression.

Model				Description
British Blues Combo				This 2 x 12” combo has a loud, aggressive tone that is cleaner than the British heads, yet delivers rich distorted tones at high gain settings.
British Combo				A 2 x 12” combo based on early 1960s amps. Perfect for chiming chords and crisp solos.
Small British Combo				A 1 x 12” combo with half the power of the British Combo, this amp offers a darker, less open tone.
Boutique British Combo				A 2 x 12” combo that is a modern take on the original 1960s sound. The tone is thicker, with stronger lows and milder highs than the other British Combos.

Tip: You can often use higher Treble and Presence knob settings with the British Combos than with other amp types. If the British Blues Combo is too clean for your needs, combine it with the Pedalboard Hi Drive stompbox for an aggressive blues tone, or the Candy Fuzz stompbox for a heavy rock tone. See Pedalboard distortion pedals.

British Alternatives

The late 1960s amplifier heads and combos that inspired the Sunshine models are loud and aggressive, with full mid frequencies. These amps are useful for single note solos, power chords, and big, open chords—making them popular with the “Brit-pop” bands of the 1990s. The Stadium amps are famed for their ability to play at extremely high levels without dissolving into an indistinct distortion. They retain crisp treble and superb note definition, even at maximum gain settings.

Model				Description
Sunshine Stack				A robust-sounding head paired with a 4 x 12” cabinet. It is a good choice for powerful pop-rock chords. If the tone is too dark, use a high Treble knob setting to open up the sound.
Small Sunshine Combo				A 1 x 12” combo based on a modern amp known for a “big amp” sound. It is brighter than the Sunshine Stack head and has tonal qualities similar to the 1960s British Combo. This amp also sounds good with a 4 x 12” cabinet.
Stadium Stack				A classic head and 4 x 12” cabinet configuration popular with 1970s arena rock bands. Its tones are cleaner than other Amp Designer 4 x 12” stacks, but it retains body and impact. A good choice if you need power and clarity.
Stadium Combo				A 2 x 12” combo based on a modern amp. The tone is smoother than the Stadium Stack.

Tip: The Stadium amps can be slow to distort, so most famous users have paired them with aggressive fuzz pedals. Try combining them with the Pedalboard Candy Fuzz or Fuzz Machine stompboxes. See Pedalboard distortion pedals.

Metal Stacks

The Metal Stack models are inspired by the powerful, high gain amplifier heads favored by modern hard rock and metal musicians. All are paired with 4 x 12” cabinets. Their signature tones range from heavy distortion to extremely heavy distortion. These models are ideal if you want powerful lows, harsh highs, and long sustain in your guitar tones.

Model				Description
Modern American Stack				A powerful high-gain amp that is ideal for heavy rock and metal. Use the Mids knob to set the right amount of scoop or boost.
High Octane Stack				Although a powerful, high-gain amp, this model offers a smooth transition between gain settings and natural compression. It is a good choice for fast soloing and for two- or three-note chords.
Turbo Stack				An aggressive-sounding amp with spiky highs and noisy harmonics, especially at high gain settings. Use the Turbo Stack when you need a guitar tone that cuts through a mix.

Tip: Combining the Turbo Stack with distortion and fuzz pedals can diminish the edgy tone. A dry sound is often the best choice for high-impact riffs.

Additional Combos

The combos and utility models in this category are versatile amps that you can use for a wide variety of musical styles.

Model				Description
Studio Combo				A 1 x 12” combo based on boutique combos of the 1980s and 1990s. These models use multiple gain stages to generate smooth, sustain-heavy distortion and bold, bright, clean sounds. Can deliver a heavier sound when paired with a 4 x 12” cabinet.
Boutique Retro Combo				A 2 x 12” combo inspired by expensive modern amps that combine the sounds of several 1960s combos. It excels at clean and crunch tones, making it a good choice when you want an old-fashioned flavor but with the crisp highs and defined lows of a modern amplifier. This model has very sensitive tone controls that can deliver countless guitar tones.
Pawnshop Combo				A 1 x 8” combo based on the inexpensive amps sold in American department stores in the 1960s. Despite their limited features and budget workmanship, these amps are the secret behind the sound of many rock, blues, and punk players. The clean sounds are warm, and distorted sounds are thick, despite the small speaker.
Transparent Preamp				A preamp stage with no coloration. Note that Transparent Preamp is activated in the Amp pop-up menu, not in the Model pop-up menu.

Tip: Combine the Pawnshop Combo amp with the Pedalboard Hi Drive or Candy Fuzz stompboxes to emulate hard rock tones of the late 1960s. See Pedalboard distortion pedals.

Download the guides:

MainStage User Guide: PDF

MainStage Instruments: PDF

MainStage Effects: PDF

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