Members nerol1st Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 We had a gig Saturday night, it was a bar gig, the stage is maybe 12 feet long (at most) and no more than 7-8 feet deep. Tiny, not as tiny as some bar stages but really quite tiny. Ok so before I go into my whole story of this dudes rig and just how stupid it is let me tell you my live rig that was used: guitar--->TU-2--->vox wah--->dd6--->5150 head--->crate 4x12. And honestly for a bar gig it's a bit much but at least it's relativly reasonable. Ok so now for this guys rig, and keep in mind they had 2 guitarists: marshall jcm 900 half stack, a {censored} load of rack {censored}, 2 1960a cabs (one was a different setup with a poweramp and a preamp running it from the rack stuff), 5 guitars. RETARDED. Honestly if your doing a bigger show where you can fit that crap then more power to you but seriously all that stuff was stupid, and sadly his tone was terrible. The other guitarist was more of a realist he was using a triple rec half stack with a handfull of stomp boxes. And his rig sounded great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mr.Hanky Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 Bar gigs and 1/2 stacks rarely make good bedfellows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members B Money Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 sadly I think many guitarist in the rock/metal genre equate gear with talent. "Hey look at all this gear I've got, I must be good!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bigfatmonkeyboy Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 Man, i get grief from my band for running 5 stomps (including tuner) into a 2 x 12 combo....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gorgon90 Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 I use 1 x 12" combo which I stack on a 4U rack case containing my Midi switcher/looper, radio system, rack tuner, fx processor, and custom built power supply. This all stacks on either a chair, small table, leads or drum box, whatever is available basically, and takes up minimal space but can create as much volume as I like from low level for bar gigs to roaring for big stages. Generally I prefer to keep it low to medium volume and mic up through the PA if more is needed out front. All I have on the floor is my Rolls Midi Buddy pedal although it will shortly be joined by an expression pedal. I always have two guitars, one main and a second as backup for string breakage etc. Other guitarist in my band has two electrics (same as me) but also an electro acoustic for those songs that require it. He has a Marshall 1 x 12" combo but likes to run it into a 4 x 12". He was most disappointed at our gig Friday when I told him he wouldn't get it on the stage and he had to leave it in the van! Then he was chuffed when he went and got the best sound he's had in ages out of the combo direct! Lesson to be learnt there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Blackbelt1 Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 I don't ever use an amp at all. I just run my Pod XT Live direct to the P.A. No lugging necessary. ~Blackbelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Professor Tom Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 I've seen bands playing London pubs with about $100,000 worth of equipment, way over the top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Flannery Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 I started out with a 4x12 and a 50 watt head, went down to a 4x10 with a 50 watt head, and now I'm down to a 22 watt combo with couple of pedals. And it's still more than enough for the gigs that I play..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JBJ Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 in all fairness if i was playing with you and your 5150 half stack at a bar i'd think that was overkill... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kurtisqpublic Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 I have a 12 space rack and a 2x12 cabinet. My stage footprint can be very small, about the size of a 2x12 combo if needed. For the really small gigs I play with less feel and frills and run my POD XTLive rather than the rack and cab. I prefer not to do the POD tho because I lose some flexibility and I seem to have a hard time dialing in a consistent tone going direct to the PA. I also bring two guitars so I can continue after breaking a string. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kurtisqpublic Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 The rack is 50 watts by the way... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pjrake Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 i have a dual rectifier and 4x12 cabinet and was thinking of going dry/wet setup with a 2x12 as my wet since i cannot get a nice sound out of my main amp. but now i don't to be seen as "look at this guy with all his rig." but if i can get the sound i hear in my head by using a two cab setup, should i go this route? i've tried effects in front of the amp, effects thru the FX loop, and it doesn't sound good until i put all the effects after the power amp and that's where the effects sound the best!!! very pure sound without affecting my dry sound. i'm so confused... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassred Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 I played with a guy who used a half stack for bar gigs, but he really didn't crank it, he'd been through 4 amps in 2 years looking for the tone and he had found it... he was the guy I was always telling to turn up while the harp player was too loud with a Fender Champ...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wades_keys Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 I played with a guy who used a half stack for bar gigs, but he really didn't crank it, he'd been through 4 amps in 2 years looking for the tone and he had found it... he was the guy I was always telling to turn up while the harp player was too loud with a Fender Champ...... I hear ya. I don't get what people have against half stacks - they have a volume knob same as any other amp, right?? Extra wattage for more headroom makes sense - I'd rather run 60 watts from a 200 watt amp than a 100 watter - it won't break up so quickly... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alcohol Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 Closed cabinets sound better than open combo boxes. IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cooterbrown Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 I run a 100w head on half-power into a matching 1x12" cab, which is more managable than a back-breaking combo, since I can carry one piece in each hand. Sometimes I'll use a Marshall mini 4x12" which has V30's in it. I've been bringing only my Ibanez to the stage, but my Strat is always in the van if I need it. My pedalboard is reasonably modest, I think. Lately, I've been ditching the OD9 (just using my amp OD) and have been using my Ibanez Smash Box. I know a lot of people think its a crap pedal, but I get a great 80s hair metal tone out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gtrjones Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 I use a 40-watt 1x12 and have 3 pedals on my board. I always bring a spare guitar (just one, though) I still occasionally use a 20-watt 1x15... and mic it, and let the PA push it. I've been using the 40-watt lately because we've been playing outdoors a little more lately, and the smaller one gets lost without being 'up against the wall' like it is indoors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members newmaxnew Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 I played a gig with another band that had a guitarist that was using 2 8X12 marshall speaker cabs and a 100 watt tube amp. They sounded as expected, mostly crap with the guitar just drowning out everything even the drums. Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wades_keys Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 I played a gig with another band that had a guitarist that was using 2 8X12 marshall speaker cabs and a 100 watt tube amp. They sounded as expected, mostly crap with the guitar just drowning out everything even the drums. Max I'm just saying why blame the gear, there is a volume knob, right? When my guitarist was using his JCM 800 half-stack, he always got good tone and never drowned out everybody. You've still got to use your ears and be aware of where you sit in the mix - those with hearing damage probably should go with a smaller amp... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tedster Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 Once in awhile I'll use a pedal board with a tube screamer, chorus, and tremolo pedal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wades_keys Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 My pedalboard is reasonably modest, I think.Lately, I've been ditching the OD9 (just using my amp OD) and have been using my Ibanez Smash Box. I know a lot of people think its a crap pedal, but I get a great 80s hair metal tone out of it. I used to have an Ibanez SM9 Super Metal - is the "Smash Box" just a later version of that? Damn, that thing would tear your head off! I'm still pissed at myself for trading a 1980 vintage TS-9 for it (that was back in 84 or so - wonder what the ole TS-9's are worth now?) Of course back then everyone wanted that 80's tone and the SM-9 had it in spades... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members spdolan Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 I dont tell the bass player how to eq his tone and I'll be damned if I let anyone tell me how to modify mine. Now, that being said, I run a small pedalboard with a wah, a TT Classic, a phaser, and a Volume pedal through a Fender DRRI, so I'm not going overboard. But IMHO, worry about your own {censored}, not your bandmates. Dolan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members homemade Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 I dont tell the bass player how to eq his tone and I'll be damned if I let anyone tell me how to modify mine. Now, that being said, I run a small pedalboard with a wah, a TT Classic, a phaser, and a Volume pedal through a Fender DRRI, so I'm not going overboard. But IMHO, worry about your own {censored}, not your bandmates.Dolan In a band situation, you should be more concerned with how the BAND sounds, not whether or not you have your own personal favorite perfect tone. IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members spdolan Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 In a band situation, you should be more concerned with how the BAND sounds, not whether or not you have your own personal favorite perfect tone. IMHO. Of course, thats the most important thing. I was speaking within that context. Can't play a hippie jam song with a shred rig. Dolan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wades_keys Posted April 30, 2007 Members Share Posted April 30, 2007 I dont tell the bass player how to eq his tone and I'll be damned if I let anyone tell me how to modify mine. Dolan Not sure if you were referring to my posts, but I was talking about volume, not tone. In fact I object to the blanket characterizations of amps - every amp has a volume knob, and every good (non-deaf) musician has a set of ears. As long as the ears and volume knob are working, there should be no problem fitting a half-stack or a combo or even a 15 watt class-A into a mix. Tone - I agree should be left up to the player for the most part. But I also want my tone to be appealing - I often ask my bandmates to let me know if there is anything I can do to improve certain tones (mostly on keys). Some tones that sound awesome in a solo setting don't sit too well in the mix, so it is helpful to have some open dialogue about the mix IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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