The Tube Amp Emulator Countless Artists Swear By
After decades on the market, Tech 21's SansAmp GT2 is still the desert island pedal of choice for guitarists and bass players around the world. At Sweetwater, we've personally used this incredible stompbox on virtually every kind of guitar or bass we could get our hands on, and it has always performed like a champ. Need to run direct to the PA? No problem! All you need is a SansAmp GT2 and a DI box, and you'll never miss your amp. With the GT2's combination of three 3-mode voicing switches, a 2-band EQ, and a massive range of gain, you can conjure up just about any amp tone you can imagine.
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Tonal flexibility you won't find on any other amp emulator
The range of distinct amp tones you can create with the SansAmp GT2 is nothing short of amazing. A quick chat with a handful of Sweetwater guitarists and bass players yielded no less than a dozen or so favorite settings. That has a lot to do with the nature of the GT2's three 3-way voicing switches. First up, you get your pick of tube amp styles, selecting from either iconic American tweed sound, classic British drive, or an aggressive California-style high-gain tone. Next, choose from either the stock tube configuration, a gain boost you'd get if you tossed an extra 12AX7 in your preamp, or a hot-rod amp mod with a midrange scoop. Finally, you get to pick your virtual mic placement, with options for a full-range classic sound or close miking either on-center or off-axis. Top it off with a highly effective 2-band shelving EQ and a massive range of gain and drive, and it's no wonder the SansAmp GT2 has often been called the original Swiss Army stompbox.
A time-tested tone box for guitar, bass, and beyond
Unlike many modern guitar amp emulation pedals, which use a limited frequency range to cut component costs, Tech 21 built the SansAmp GT2 to be truly full range. In other words, the GT2's amazing tone-shaping capability spans the gamut from the lowest B on your 5-string bass to the highest note on your electric mandolin... and then some! All it takes is a quick peek at any of the dozen or so user forums devoted to this amazing little box and you'll find great recommendations for all sorts of tone setting for any number of instruments and pickup configurations.
All-analog pedal design and construction done right
As impressive as the SansAmp GT2's tonal range may be on its own, it's even more amazing that all of this tone-shaping takes place purely in the analog domain. This imparts a smoothness and natural dynamic character that even the most sophisticated digital pedals often struggle to capture. Nonetheless, Tech 21 built this SansAmp stompbox for the long haul, and many of us at Sweetwater have been using the same GT2s in our rigs since they first came out over 20 years ago.
Tech 21 SansAmp GT2 Analog Guitar/Bass Amplifier Emulation Pedal Features:
- An all-purpose, all-analog tube-amp emulator for guitar, bass, and other instruments
- Equipped with 3 x 3-way voicing switches, 2 shelving EQ bands, and independent gain and drive controls to give you an incredible range of tone
- Amp switch lets you choose from American tweed, classic British, or modern Californian amp sounds
- Mod switch lets you select either the default amp setting, a gain boost equivalent to adding an extra 12AX7 to the preamp, or a high-gain tone with scooped midrange
- Mic switch gives you the option of either on-axis focused sound, off-axis sound with a mellower edge, or a balanced sound reminiscent of a distant mic-placement (without artificial room ambiance)
- Independent gain and drive controls let you hit the preamp emulation as hard as you like and push the power amp emulation separately for a wide range of clean and overdriven tones
- High- and low-frequency shelving equalizer bands give you additional general tone-shaping options
- All-metal construction and quality analog components hold up to years (even decades) of heavy use
