Ok, then to look at things from that logic for a moment, what you are saying is that people like Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, BB King, Jeff Beck and a host of others...what these people should do is put out two or three otherwise identical tracks with different amps so that people (or more specifically other guitar players) can choose which sound they like best?

Ok...that was perhaps a bit cynical...let me put this another way. When I recorded that tune in the studio (and that's me on all of the instruments including drums btw with my wife singing all the vocal tracks), it really would not have mattered which amp I used because by the time I was done mixing the tune it still would have sounded virtually the same. Yes, there was a specific sound that I was trying to create...that of mid 70's classic rock, but the tools used to make that sound were fairly irrelevant. As I've said before, when you're recording or when you are playing live, there are a great many other considerations than just the guitar players tone. The -only- person that tone really matters to is the guitar player. If a person is only going to play all by themselves in their own quiet little sanctuary, then sure that tone is important. To me part of the greatest joy of playing music comes from working with other musicians and working together to create a complete sound and my personal feelings about creating that "perfect tone as a guitar player" are simply irrelevant. It's not about "me", it's not about my guitar or my amp, it's about the mix. Live or studio, it wouldn't matter if I were using a vintage tube amp or a mid range solid state....Fender, Marshall, Crate, Laney, Peavey...it doesn't matter because it's all about the mix.

Just for the record...it was my '96 MIM Strat while it still had the VN pups and no amp at all. Ran thru my Digi RP pedal straight into the board (and no, I didn't even use a DI box) . The tracks were also never mastered and were not recorded on "high end" studio gear....all of that went in to a basic Pc thru the motherboard's built in sound card from a Behringer 2004A mixer. Of course, had the tracks of been mastered along with other tunes to create a compilation, the sound would have been even different still.

I'm sorry dude, but my opinion stands...there is no "right or wrong" when it comes to amps (or guitars), blues or otherwise and I believe in my own long winded way that I've provided plenty of facts to support this...it's not the tools, it's the person using them.

L8r,
Jim

My Marshall JCM800 and vary the tones by rolling off the volume on my guitars.

Same as buddy guy, judas priest, zak wylde, slayer and a million others. Is it the amp that proves the exception to the rule? I dunno. All i know is mine get any tones i want from 50's clean to super mega apocalyptic gain, thats why i own 2 of them. A single channel and a 2 channel they both perform much the same despite different circuits. The one thing everybody forgets about amps is that their tones are variable, their response isnt. The peavy jsx for example is a very unerring amp, dial in the sound you want on the front end and nothing but extreme adjustments via the guitar will alter that. Thats why its got 3 channels and a super effects loop. Designed by a perfectionist to perform perfectly within his set parameters. Could i dial a blues sound into it....? of course it just wouldnt respond like a ac30 or any other amp of that era/ilk.

What amp do you use to get your best bluesy sound?

Oooo - how cozy! Cheers - C

I cheat. Line 6 turned to "Blues" and neck pick up (sometimes). Sounds pretty good though.