Can a blues Jr really be heard over a drummer?

[voneville]

I guess maybe it would be easier to bring it to a rehearsal and test it out, but I thought I would put this out here and see if anyone else has ever actually done this. I'm not worried about playing clean. Also, I've heard they are a little more fragile then most tube amps, is it going to adversely effect the amp to have the master cranked up for a couple hours once a week? It's a first generation tweed USA model, so I feel it has some collector value in the futre maybe and don't want to fry it. My other amp is an old old peavey 50 watt classic (aka thee classic). So I'm either looking at getting a distortion pedal and playing through that for volume, or buying another amp all together. I wish I would have kept my old blackface bassman head now...

[Matter-Eater Lad]

Sounds like you have a lot to think about. You better think about it some more.

[L6Sguy]

does your drummer think he's Jimmy Chamberlin or Charlie Watts?

[Draugr]

I've gigged with a bluse jr and a ts9. For practice it's plenty loud for gigs it was always mic'ed

[tlbonehead]

A 15-20 watt tube amp is pretty loud. My old Crate VC20 was plenty loud and sounded great at gig levels. But I always used an extension cab with it.

[BrendanO]

Depends on the drummer.

[AcidRock23]

It also depends on whether 'you' want to be able to 'hear' it yourself, in which case you can just aim it at your head and will be able to hear it, even if it's buried in the mix OR if you want to bludgeon your bandmates and the neighbors into submission.

I generally think that it's better to have too much amp than not enough. You can always use a fuzzbox for distortion at lower levels but if you are at a beautiful, sweet singing tone that ain't loud enough, what's the point?

[cap'n'crunch]

A good drummer would allow you to be heard.

[BrendanO]

Originally posted by AcidRock23 I generally think that it's better to have too much amp than not enough.

 

 

While I agree (I've always tended to be over-gunned), I also find that most people think having that much firepower means needing to use it. Which ain't cool.

[tlbonehead]

Originally posted by AcidRock23 It also depends on whether 'you' want to be able to 'hear' it yourself, in which case you can just aim it at your head and will be able to hear it, even if it's buried in the mix OR if you want to bludgeon your bandmates and the neighbors into submission. I generally think that it's better to have too much amp than not enough. You can always use a fuzzbox for distortion at lower levels but if you are at a beautiful, sweet singing tone that ain't loud enough, what's the point?

I've found just the opposite. It should be plenty loud as your personal monitor and if it doesn't carry across the stage quite enough for all the other members to hear and key off of,you can bleed a little back through the wedges if needed,or the sidefills if you use any for instruments.

[Tommy Tourbus]

Depends on what kind of amp your drummer is using.

[voneville]

My drummer plays pretty straight forward ramones style beats, and she's not trying to beat the heads to submission like some drummers. I've owned a lot of amps over the last 15 years and the wattage is a lot like "horsepower" on production cars. The commercial says 300 horses, but it feels more like 150 on the road. I know a lot of factors are involved with speakers, projection, open back/closed back, acoustics of the room, how loud everyone else plays etc. The studio we rehearse in uses 100 watt marshall solid states, and they don't sound anyway near as loud as a 50 watt JCM 800, or anywhere near as good. Anyway, I guess I'm going to give it a try and see how it goes.

[sgmarshall]

I used to have one, and had no problems being heard over the drummer, master on about 3 was plenty. It may depend on the room you're in, because the master doesn't get any louder after 5. Mine was a 1st gen usa model, they hold up well, just put new power tubes in depending how often you use it. Should be good to go.

[BrassMonkey]

I have used my Blues Jr in a band situation many times and have no problem being heard. I am also a fan of traveling light so this amp is a perfect candidate. Good luck!

[The Boogie Man]

Yes.

[princeadr]

You will be heard. The question is do you want a clean sound and will you have enough headroom. That is the issue I'm dealing with now. I thinking about getting a DRRI which has a little more power plus it has tremelo

[The Boogie Man]

If you can't hear your amp over the Drums tell the drummer he's playing too loud if that don't work get a better drummer.

[id-man]

Originally posted by princeadr You will be heard. The question is do you want a clean sound and will you have enough headroom. That is the issue I'm dealing with now. I thinking about getting a DRRI which has a little more power plus it has tremelo

Ahem, if you want a DRRi to do cleans and still be noticibly louder than a BJ you'll probably need an extension cab with more efficient speaker(s) in it. They want to go right into overdrive after about 4 or 5 vol, forcing you to pick softer or turn guitar down, and there goes your extra volume.

[princeadr]

I guess the answer could be to mike it. If I get a Hot Rod Deluxe I'll have the volume but I won't have tremelo and I've heard the tone is not near as good as a DRRI. What to do?

[relva2]

i notice people on here are constantly worried about volume. anytime i jam with people now we turn the volume down more than up. if everyone is reasonable i'm sure the volume will be just fine.

[Kelly]

Originally posted by The Boogie Man Yes.

Not any of the drummers I know. I played about 50 gigs with my last band using the gear in my sig. Some nights I had to really crank to be able to hear myself. Never could hear the bass or keyboards. Well, they did put the keys in the monitor mix after awhile.

[The Boogie Man]

Originally posted by Kelly Not any of the drummers I know. I played about 50 gigs with my last band using the gear in my sig. Some nights I had to really crank to be able to hear myself. Never could hear the bass or keyboards. Well, they did put the keys in the monitor mix after awhile.

 

 

Maybe you need a better drummer? A good drummer knows how to blend his sound without covering up everything else. I've had problems with loud drummers over the past 30 years, some just don't get it. Our current drummer can play whisper quiet and still make it sound good but then he's been doing it profesionally for over 35 years, you know he's there even if you don't hear every thump, that makes it easy to do the acoustic songs and the mellow Lounge Lizard Jazz sets. It's always better to have people ask you to turn up than to turn down.