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| title    = Spinal Tap Amps
 
| title    = Spinal Tap Amps
 
| image    = spinal tap amps.png
 
| image    = spinal tap amps.png
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| titletext = Wow, that's less than $200 per... uh... that's a good deal!
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| titletext = Wow, that's less than $200 per ... uh ... that's a good deal!
 
}}
 
}}
  
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==Explanation==
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== Explanation ==
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This comic is in reference to the 1984 mock documentary ''{{w|This Is Spınal Tap|This Is Spın̈al Tap}}'' about the tour of the fictional rock band Spın̈al Tap. Here we see lead guitarist {{w|Nigel Tufnel}} (a character portrayed in the movie by {{w|Christopher Guest}}) explaining to [[Cueball]] how the volume dial on his amp goes all the way {{w|up to eleven}}. This is impressive to Nigel since guitar amplifiers generally only have ten as the maximum setting. This leads him to believe his amp is {{tvtropes|UpToEleven|"one" louder than other amplifiers}}.
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This comic is in reference to the 1984 mock documentary ''{{w|This Is Spinal Tap}}'' about the tour of the fictional rock band Spinal Tap. Here we see lead guitarist {{w|Nigel Tufnel}} (a character portrayed in the movie by {{w|Christopher Guest}}) explaining to [[Cueball]] how the volume dial on his amp can be increased to 11. This is impressive to Nigel since guitar amplifiers generally only go to 10, leading Nigel to believe humorously that his amp is one louder than other amplifiers. In the 3rd panel you see a knowledgeable engineer wasting everyone's time by explaining in boring {{w|jargon}} that the amplifier has no units so 11 only represents a level higher than 1 through 10 on this specific amp. The numbers are not comparable to other amplifiers. This point is lost on confused Nigel. Going back to the 2nd panel we see the actual scene from the movie where the character questions the necessity of going to 11 for the very reasons explained in excruciating detail by the engineer in the 3rd panel. Lastly we come to the final panel, which features the smart engineer who understands that Nigel does not care to understand {{w|arbitrary unit|arbitrary scales}} so he offers to sell him an amp that goes to 12 and Nigel would believe to be one louder more. The humor is that the engineer would simply alter the numbers on an existing amp (that presumably only went to 10) to now read 12 as the highest value. The amp would actually not be louder but the smart engineer would be able to charge more from simple Nigel regardless.
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In reality, the loudness of an amplifier is largely dependent on how much power is supplied to its electronics.  Markings on the volume dial are merely an aspect of appearance and has no influence on the maximum achievable loudness. The highest mark could just as easily be labelled 'Maximum', which would then accurately describe the meaning of that setting. Thus, the phrase "goes to eleven" is often used sarcastically to mock people or statements that rely on arbitrary numbers without comparable units or context.
 
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The comic then extends the joke by presenting three types of reactions from different people:
 
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* The normal guy understands that using eleven is silly, and wants to know what is wrong with the usual way of numbering from one to ten -- the question that is raised in the original film.
 
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* The engineer is desperate to explain to Nigel the fallacy in his thinking, but his {{w|jargon}} just sends Nigel to sleep.  He remains unenlightened.
 
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* The smart engineer sees an opportunity: it doesn't cost any more to number the volume dial differently, but Nigel places a real value on higher numbers.  The smart engineer offers to sell him an amp that goes to twelve, but at a hefty premium.
 
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The title text further plays on the fact that the amp's levels are on an arbitrary scale. Many products are sold at a certain price per unit weight, volume, etc. (e.g., $2.99/lb for grapes). Nigel calculates that the $2000 cost for going up to 12 would equal to $2000 / 12, or less than $200 per unit of something, but he is unable to articulate what that "something" is, confirming the third panel observation of the normal engineer. Also, he already has an amplifier that goes up to eleven, so the one additional unit would cost him $2,000 unless he sells the old amplifier. However, he decides that it's a good deal anyway, and it looks like the smart engineer has made a sale.
 
  
 
==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==
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:[Nigel Tufnel of Spın̈al Tap is showing off his amplifier to Cueball.]
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:[Nigel Tufnel of Spinal Tap is showing off his amplifier to Cueball.]
 
:Nigel: These amps go to 11.
 
:Nigel: These amps go to 11.
 
:Cueball: Is that louder?
 
:Cueball: Is that louder?
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:Engineer:
 
:Engineer:
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:Cueball: But 11 doesn't have any units. It's an arbitrary scale mapping outputs—
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:Cueball: But 11 doesn't have any units. It's an arbitrary scale mapping otuputs--
 
:Nigel: Zzzz
 
:Nigel: Zzzz
  
 
:Smart Engineer:
 
:Smart Engineer:
 
:Cueball: For $2,000 I'll build you one that goes to 12.
 
:Cueball: For $2,000 I'll build you one that goes to 12.
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{{comic discussion}}
 
{{comic discussion}}
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[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
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[[Category:Engineering]]
 

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