Hi Jason,
-> BG> signal source, guitar amps intentionally distort and have other
-> BG> than a flat frequency response intentionally, to make the
-> BG> guitar -> sound right.
what's "right" ?
 What's right for a guitar is radically different than a normal audio
system, where we strive for perfection in cleanliness, even frequency
response and the ability to handle whatever we want to put through it.
A musical instrument amplification is a totally different thing, where
the end result is to do whatever is necessary to get the desired sound
out of the equipment, not to make it clean, etc. In a guitar amp as an
example, distortion and a compression of the sound of the guitar is
desired. Tubes help to get this all important sound to the electric
guitar. Try to put a guitar through a clean stereo system and it will
sound like crap! Thin, clean, etc.. none of the characteristics that a
guitar amp can help to enhance the sound of the guitar itself.
A musical instument amplification system is a part of the instrument.
When I play keyboards live in a band, I usually run the sound as well,
and have control over the how the band sounds. The keyboards only make
sounds through an amplification system and thus all of the electronics
and electroacoustical interface is part of that total system of playing
and making music. The band works much the same way, as I can blend the
various aspects of each of the players together to create the
"performance".
Other musical instrument types of things include the crystal bullet mics
that harpists (harmonica) use to plug into a guitar amplifier to create
that wonderful amplified harp sound.
 Most of the rest of the instruments are miced and treated as typical
clean audio sources, but hopefully, you can see the drastic difference
in treatment of some musical instruments and typical hi-fi and recording
sources.
Bonnie *:>
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