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How Fragile are Tubes in a Guitar Amp?

One of the arguments against tube amps is that the tubes are fragile, but in my experience they tougher than you would expect. Yes they are glass, and if you threw one at the concrete it would (probably) break, but once they are in the amp they are safe.

I’ve dragged my tube amps all over the place and even dropped them without any damage to the tubes. One time I had a Twin Reverb fall over on it’s face so hard that the speaker was damaged, but the tubes were fine.

Tubes on amazon: https://amzn.to/2mH9qpz

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What to Expect at Jam Night or an Open Mic

Let’s talk about what to expect at a local jam night. I’ve been hosting jam nights in the Dallas / Fort Worth area on and off for 15 years and there are some things everyone should know before they show up at a jam.

Each jam session is different, and the best thing to do is show up without planning to jam if it’s a new place that you haven’t been to. See how it works and talk to the other musicians so that you know what to do.

Be prepared and bring your instrument, but please don’t bring your pedal board or amp 🙂

In this video, I go over everything you need to know, so check it out and then find a jam night.

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Dunlop Tortex Flex Jazz III Guitar Picks Review

I wanted a pick for acoustic that sounded like an orange Dunlop Tortex but felt like a Dunlop Jazz III. I have been using Jazz III exclusively for more than a decade now, and regular size guitar picks feel huge to me!

There is something special about the sound of a medium thin pick with an acoustic guitar. I absolutely love the tone of an orange Tortex pick, but I just can’t get over the size.

I set out on a quest to find a thinner pick that was the size of a Jazz III. The Tortex Flexe does a pretty good job of balancing the sound and feel I was looking for.

Jazz III flex: https://amzn.to/2Jq3x8R

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Stratocaster Tone with a Dumble Amp Clone in Jazz Mode

Most people overlook the jazz switch on a Dumble Overdrive Special style guitar amp, but there are some really cool tones to be had. It really works well with a stratocaster to get some of the more classic strat tones that we know and love.

I have also experimented with the jazz switch with humbuckers, and while there are some fantastic tones to be had, rock mode with humbuckers is really where the “Dumble sound” lives.

At gig volume the overdrive channel has some pretty serious treble in jazz mode, so depending on what volume I’m playing, these tones may or may not be achievable depending on how you set the tone controls.