out of other components—no tube rattle,
and no need to ever bias the amp. Better
reliability is another bonus and of course,
no tube upgrades ever! Another important
factor: When you’re 20, this isn’t much of a
consideration, but for aging backs, a much
lighter amp to transport can be a godsend.
But here’s the real bonus: This amp love
pedals and so do I. The BCA has a host of
great features that make it a great pedal
platform, including a good effects loop, a
master volume, a presence control, a threeband EQ, and separate clean and crunch
channels—each with their own boost
controls, and it even includes reverb and
tremolo. This amp has a ton of flexibility
that allows you to custom tailor your tone
to your pedals. While it’s not included in the
price, there’s a six-button footswitch that
allows you to change channels, toggle the
boost for each channel, toggle the tremolo,
and you can turn engage or disengage the
entire effects loop. There’s even a blend
feature that combines the clean and crunch
channel into one. In addition, there are
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TONE TALK //
two inputs: High (primarily for use without
pedals), and Low, if you are using pedals.
But I ask that you experiment, as this is
dependent on the pedals and pickups in
your guitar.
And yes, it is a blues-based amp—it won’t
necessarily work for all players, and no
amp will. However, with the right pedal
combination, it is surprising what it can do.
Try a Muff or a high-gain distortion pedal
in front of the clean channel, and watch
out! Heavy is as heavy does. Want the amp
to sound like a Vox in a box? Pick your
pedal, and you’re there. Maybe it’s time
for a Marshall Silver Jubilee—again, pick
your pedal. Many tube amps come with a
signature tone, and it isn’t always easy to
achieve different tones with that one amp,
which is okay if that’s the only tone you
want.
This Amp Loves Pedals and So Do I: Why I Made the Switch to Solid-State