Members flori Posted June 24, 2011 Members Share Posted June 24, 2011 Friends here know me as a classical viola-player with a guilty secret desire to be a rAwk guitarist before I grow old and pop my clogs.....so I jumped at the chance to join a team of 'pub-rockers' (weekend warriors is the term I think?) as 2nd guitar and general dogsbody. All the players are very accomplished....great drummer....skilful lead and bass and although none of us have played together before, we have after just a couple of weeks, the basis of a working set of various style numbers. I have also volunteered duty on 'keys', Electro Acoustic guitar and electric violin. As a 'rookie' of course, and used to playing in symphony orchestras where you turn up, open the box, play yer fiddle, pick up the cheque and leave, I am already overwhelmed by GEAR! The rest of the band all laugh as I collapse in a heap screaming 'Too many knobs and buttons, man!' We are rehearsing with just the gear we own in a rehearsal studio with PA for the vocals but I have no idea what we will encounter in the small pubs'n'clubs we are planning to let loose on. I have a healthy selection of cheap and cheesy guitars to use that I have collected in the few years I have been playing, but a very limited selection of 'gear'. I like using my humble '51...a nice straightfoward unfussy guit that seems to make all the right noises....but in band practise the best I can muster is a Zoom G1 into a Peavey Transtube 15w amp. Amazingly.........in practise this can produce a startling amount of noise even against drum and bass but I think I am going to need a little more soon. Annoyingly..........the eviolin demands an altogether different setup....lost of clean, wide range and reverb, so it would be nice to have something simple,, a little more powerful (but not MUCH given the small venues we are aiming at) that could serve as a small, general purpose, stage amp. Is there such a thing? Everything is a trade off at the moment between versatility, power , quality and price so I am not looking (yet?) for huge AC30,s - Mesa Boogies or bristling pedal board and racks. Just something small simple and versatile that I can plug and play, then pick up and chuck in the back of the car, that covers a number of bases adequately without breaking the bank. (I might be sacked if I can't deliver Purple Haze on the violin as I rashly promised!) I like the look of the Fender Mustang 1 and 2? Or is this type of thing just TOO weedy? Any thoughts gratefully received. Sorry for long post and tiresome n00biness! Best flori Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members notjonahbutnoah Posted June 24, 2011 Members Share Posted June 24, 2011 Well... I don't know exactly what your budget is, but what about a Roland JC 120 and a few effects? Those are A) Tanks B) LOUD C) CLEAN D) Have great reputations and E) Aren't too expensive. That plus a dirt pedal, a reverb pedal, and some switcher pedal to go from violin to guitar if you don't wanna fumble with plugs during a set should be a fantastic starter set. The 51 is ver-sa-tile! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted June 24, 2011 Members Share Posted June 24, 2011 Playing fiddel through a PA is a good option because of its full frequency responce. If you plan on using an amp, I'd take it to a music store and try amps out. If you want effects and dont want to have to mess with a bunch of stomp boxesyou may want to look at something with modeling like the line 6 stuff. Personaly I wouldnt go lower than 30w for gigging. The mustang, though pretty loud is pretty much a bedroom amp. You'll need more clean headroom for a fiddel unlessyoure going for a driven tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scott944 Posted June 24, 2011 Members Share Posted June 24, 2011 Can you translate the Brit terms "pop my clogs" and "dogsbody", please? Moving up to a larger, but used, Peavey amp might be the ticket. Used Bandits, particularly the USA made later models have strong cleans, useable dirt and the reverb you need for cheap. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaleH Posted June 24, 2011 Members Share Posted June 24, 2011 Keep it simple,keep it cheap, have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members notjonahbutnoah Posted June 24, 2011 Members Share Posted June 24, 2011 OH! Also, bring and extra guitar and instrument cable! Just do it. Always bring two guitars, always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted June 24, 2011 Members Share Posted June 24, 2011 If you have a lot of members you really don't need effects as much. I'd just get a digital multi effects pedal like a Digitech RP and a high wattage clean amp to play through. In a band setting you really don't need boutique pedals and a board on the floor etc. You sound is mixing with the other so all those expensive fine nuances get lost anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jarick Posted June 24, 2011 Members Share Posted June 24, 2011 I have no idea what kind of music you're playing (or really what in the hell you just said), but if I had to play guitar, violin, and keyboards, I would get myself the nicest powered monitor I could afford (12 or 15" driver with a horn, probably at least 200 watts) and then run a Tech 21 Character pedal in front of it. The Orange model for more rock stuff and the Leeds model for more pop stuff. Then you could run your keyboard, violin, and guitar through it. If you end up playing bigger shows, you can get a dedicated guitar amp, or else you could get a mixer with XLR outputs so you can run your keys/violin/guitar right into the house PA system. And a powered monitor is always a handy thing to have around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ashtray Posted June 24, 2011 Members Share Posted June 24, 2011 Having played guitar and keys for a band I can tell you the amount of gear for two instruments gets overwhelming. Add a third and you'll be juggling settings, tunings, and which instrument every song. A huge dance and nightmare really. I recommend to skip the violin. You'll still burn out but you'll last longer before you quit. Just picking up and putting the guitar down every other song is a pain. Check the tuning each time. You'll go from distorted guitar to vibrato Wurlitzer to clean guitar with chorus to a Hammond, etc. What keyboard are you using? And yes, get a higher wattage amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Philfixit Posted June 24, 2011 Members Share Posted June 24, 2011 In my experience, violin (et.al.), along with your 'Electro Acoustic' guitar, work better (in a band setting) if run through a DI, then into the PA mixer. Keys do have dedicated amps also, but running thru the PA is a workable option, if possible. It's hard to recommend an amp without knowing your music type or the venues you'll be playing, but a 20 watt combo (tubed) should be the absolute minimum you consider, and I'd be looking at something bigger for the clean headroom. Playing 3-4 drastically different instruments through a single amp seems like a nightmare leading to a trainwreck, if you ask me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Belva Posted June 24, 2011 Members Share Posted June 24, 2011 I second the Bandit motion. Durable solid state amp. I had one and sold it. Stoopid me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hoppy Shimko Posted June 24, 2011 Members Share Posted June 24, 2011 Get a Yamaha 250m ( discontinued but still available ) and use a modeler for your electric. Everything will have it's own channel/ EQ and some built in useful functions for acoustic guitaras well . Use the monitor send to the house/monitor rig via direct box phone to xlr. That will give you a speaker on a pole or as a wedge, small, manageable, and imminently versatile for the multi-instrumentalist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members flori Posted June 24, 2011 Author Members Share Posted June 24, 2011 Thanks for your thoughts everybody. I agree that certainly I need a few more watts at my disposal.........and at my stage of the game, SIMPLE is good? But I can also see that there is no 'one-size-fits-all' solution that doesn't involve using a general PA system of some sort. I also recognize that I may have inadvertantly bitten off more than I can chew by promising so much multi-instrument mayhem. At our last rehearsal I could barely work what was plugged into which and ther was a lot of swearing as I desperately tried to connect bits of equipment in the right order between songs... I can see this ending in tears. Trouble is- The band were initially keen to have me on board because I can play violin and keys and could perhaps give a different slant to some of the staple pub-rock band standards. I am keen to be on board so I can thrash my electric guitar along with some rock standards in a band for the first time, which is great fun! ( ...even though I am not amazingly good at it.) You can see the dichotomy here? I play the bloody violin and piano all the time 'at work'!! Best flori Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaleH Posted June 24, 2011 Members Share Posted June 24, 2011 ^^^Just play your guitar with a violin bow that'll show'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members flori Posted June 24, 2011 Author Members Share Posted June 24, 2011 ^^^Just play your guitar with a violin bow that'll show'em. Oh yus.............! Move over Pagey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jkater Posted June 25, 2011 Members Share Posted June 25, 2011 Hi, flori! this is really cool. I enjoyed your post. Good read, man. Well, that band is a lucky bunch to have you. I smiled at the "rashly promised" comment as I do this all the time and then regret it. (so I know how it feels) Can't help much cause I'm a n00b myself but I look forward to hear more from you regarding this new project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members aenemated Posted June 25, 2011 Members Share Posted June 25, 2011 my advice? bring your own beer to rehearsal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hoppy Shimko Posted June 25, 2011 Members Share Posted June 25, 2011 Thanks for your thoughts everybody. I agree that certainly I need a few more watts at my disposal.........and at my stage of the game, SIMPLE is good? But I can also see that there is no 'one-size-fits-all' solution that doesn't involve using a general PA system of some sort. I also recognize that I may have inadvertantly bitten off more than I can chew by promising so much multi-instrument mayhem. At our last rehearsal I could barely work what was plugged into which and ther was a lot of swearing as I desperately tried to connect bits of equipment in the right order between songs... I can see this ending in tears. Trouble is- The band were initially keen to have me on board because I can play violin and keys and could perhaps give a different slant to some of the staple pub-rock band standards. I am keen to be on board so I can thrash my electric guitar along with some rock standards in a band for the first time, which is great fun! ( ...even though I am not amazingly good at it.) You can see the dichotomy here? I play the bloody violin and piano all the time 'at work'!! Best flori Dude, I just told you. I play many instruments also. I know exactly what your situation is. 250m...plenty of channels, frfr , compressor for the acoustic guitar and possibly violin, several line inputs, it even has verb and a dedicated "click" playback if you ever use samples/backing tracks. Not to mention it's relatively lightweight and plenty loud as a personal stage amp. For your situation there is no better solution....there are other solutions, but not better solutions given your initial parameters. It can also be run stereo if you want. Here dawg, I even found you one ::: http://cgi.ebay.com/Yamaha-StagePas-250-M-portable-PA-system-/320718573206?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aac510e96 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members flori Posted June 25, 2011 Author Members Share Posted June 25, 2011 Dude, I just told you. I play many instruments also. I know exactly what your situation is. 250m...plenty of channels, frfr , compressor for the acoustic guitar and possibly violin, several line inputs, it even has verb and a dedicated "click" playback if you ever use samples/backing tracks. Not to mention it's relatively lightweight and plenty loud as a personal stage amp. For your situation there is no better solution....there are other solutions, but not better solutions given your initial parameters. It can also be run stereo if you want. Here dawg, I even found you one ::: http://cgi.ebay.com/Yamaha-StagePas-250-M-portable-PA-system-/320718573206?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aac510e96 I hear you Hoppy.........I hear you! I'm looking at UK options for this as we speak....................It's a bit more spendy than I was anticipating, but, as you say-seems to tick all the boxes. And thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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