As we noted in our five-star review, Positive Grid’s Spark might just be the future of guitar amplification, but how does it handle when asked to recreate classic tones from the past?
To find out, YouTuber Tyler Larson, from Music Is Win, set himself the task of using Spark to emulate not just any old guitar tones, but what he considers to be the eight greatest guitar tones of all time. Yep, the very greatest. You might not agree with all of his choices, but we’re sure you’ll appreciate the scale of the challenge.
Just the names of the players involved are daunting enough: John Mayer, Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, Metallica, John Frusciante, Brian May, Jimmy Page and Steve Vai all get a look-in. Would a $299 digital modelling amp - albeit a supremely feature-packed one - really be up to the task?
Check out the video above to find out for yourself, but - spoiler alert - we think the answer is a resounding yes. In fact, when used in combination with the Spark app, Spark can access more than 10,000 guitar and bass amp-and-FX presets inspired by famous guitarists, session players, studio engineers and top producers, so it should always be able to provide the tone you’re looking for.
Drill down a little further and you’ll find that Spark offers 30 different amp models, five compressor pedal models, nine overdrives and 10 modulation pedals, six delays and nine reverbs. What’s more, you have full control over the signal chain, giving you total flexibility when it comes to creating your own tones.
But that’s not the end of the story: Spark is also a smart amp. Stream a song from your mobile device and the Audio Chord feature will show you the chords so that you can play along, while the Smart Jam option creates a backing track based on your playing. Clever stuff.
Throw in an impressively loud pair of four-inch speakers and an intuitive design with classic looks, and you’ve got an amp unlike anything else out there.
If you fancy winning a Spark - which has quickly become the world’s number one best-selling practice amp - you need to sign up for the Positive Grid Jam at Home Giveaway. One lucky winner will receive prizes valued at more than $3,300, including a Positive Grid Spark guitar amp and BIAS software pack, plus amazing items from ESP, PreSonus, Dunlop and more. Hurry, as entries close on 30 November.
To find out more about Spark, and all the amazing things that it can do for your guitar playing, head to the Positive Grid website.