Using the House Amp

When I was about 14 years old my dad took me to Zapf’s Music, where we bought a brand new Fender Stage 212 SE. This solid-state amplifier was my first introduction to tone, and I spent hours in the basement playing with the EQ and adjusting the gain depending on what guitarist I was trying to emulate that week.

And — most importantly — this amp was loud.

So when Jersey Calling decided to use the house amps for our show over the weekend, I was excited to see that the venue provided a Fender FM 212R.

I’ve always had a few amps that stood out for me. When I was in my 20s I had a Fender Hot Rod DeVille 212, and a Marshall JCM 900. For me, and for many other guitarists, those two amps were more than enough for any show or recording I was possibly going to play.

I sold both of those amps because, quite honestly, I never thought I’d be playing live shows again, and they were just too much horsepower for at-home practicing and the occasional jam.