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Guitar World
Guitar World
Entertainment
Charlie Wilkins

“Too much gain is one of the most common tone mistakes”: How to dial in any guitar amp and find your sound

Four Marshall, Vox and Fender amps on a black background.

Amp Week 2026: Plugging into a new amplifier is one of the most exciting moments in playing electric guitar. But many players, beginners and even some veterans, struggle with how to set the controls.

The good news is that dialing in an amp doesn’t have to be difficult. It’s a simple process of understanding how amps work, how guitars interact with them and how the room around you shapes what you hear.

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