I started in high school.
Had nobody to teach me a thing. We didn't have the internet and I did not know music.
I had to just figure it out, took me forever. Finally nailed down a power chord and that opened up the world to me.
Used my ear to just figure out song after song.
Rocking a Marshall TSL 100
Also a Marshall DSL 100 the new style.
Mesa Boogie 50 caliber plus.
Roland xl 40 for bedroom practice.
Traded and sold off Peavey 6505+, boss Katana head, Peavey XXL, Marshall mf350, various crate and Marshall avt heads.
I've always been a gain freak.
Lately I've been trying to use less and less gain for recording. It's good and bad. It can get tighter, but lose some of the nuances associated.
When I play love I max gain the hell out of things.... Cuz that's what I like.
I use SM57 and a Sennheiser e609 mixed. 1 on a T-75 and 1 on a V30.
Cheap alesis mixer into Reaper daw on a laptop.
Record it in the garage with a Marshall TSL or DSL 100 and 1960a cab with V30'S and T-75'S.
Mix it inside on my PC with headphones.
Simple. I am learning so much.
That purple is a thing of beauty!
It also took me many many years to aquire a Marshall.
Now I have 2 and a Mesa as well!
Things are looking up for this old guy.
I think for most amps matching tubes is always a good idea.
Makes the biasing easier (for those who have to bias) and makes the amp run quoter.
My humble 2 cents worth.