Members emotart Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 I am thinking about playing out again, but I don't want to purchase a HUGE half stack that I won't have room for in my apartment. Most venues mic up the amps anyway, so it got me thinking... I could run a 30-50 watt combo or head and 2x12 cab and be fine or am I far from correct? The reason I ask, is because I remember venues sound checking and having me run my 110 watt head at like 3 tops, which was frustrating. I think the loudest I ever had it in a live gig was at 5. That's what made me think I could run a much smaller set up and be just as efficient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dimmypage Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 Who needs to be a musician to own a half stack:confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rusholmeruffian Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 You are correct. Excessive stage volume is also why so many bands sound so terrible live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wagdog Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 Use what sounds good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members -Assy- Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 you could, but a half stack is more fun. its as simple as that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members xStonr Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 Probably don't need one, but they sure do look cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitarist970 Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 50W Tube is MORE than enough to handle almost any venue you'll play. If you're at the point in your music career you need a half or full stack for your venues....you'll be getting paid more than enough to afford one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Saturn Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 I've gigged with a 5w amp and many times with a 18w 212. I bought my Haze 40 because for me it's perfect for small gigs un-miced and if I do anything larger mic it up. Much esier hauling around than a 412 and head and at small venues I don't have to worry about breaking any eardrums trying to get a good sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members emotart Posted January 22, 2010 Author Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 Use what sounds good. It's more about not wanting to lug all the crap around at the venue, fine a place in my apartment to store it and transport to and from the venue. I had recently left my band in Chicago and moved right outside NYC. However, when I return home and they have a show, the plan is to hop on and sorta guest appear. I don't want to be spending $2000 on an amp I will rarely use, however I don't mind getting a little 30-50 watt tube set up to use for that and even for recording purposes in my apartment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members emotart Posted January 22, 2010 Author Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 50W Tube is MORE than enough to handle almost any venue you'll play. If you're at the point in your music career you need a half or full stack for your venues....you'll be getting paid more than enough to afford one. It's not that I can't afford it, I just don't want to be spending $2000 on an amp I won't be using that often. It doesn't seem like a good investment to me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JSutter Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 You could play a show with a marshall ms2 if you're mic'ed. 5 watts goes along way though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grantus Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 If you're not playing stadiums or huge-ass clubs, half stacks are generally unnecessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members smorgdonkey Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 I have a 40 watt 1 x 12" combo with an extension cabinet loaded with 1 x 12" and I have a 50 watt combo same deal - with extension cabinet. Traynor YCV40WR and Traynor YCV50. Great half(ish) stacks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JSutter Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 Oh yea and the answer is NO. They want it, not need it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ross8428 Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 4x12 will have more low end sounds, but i think a 2x12 would be fine, hell, even a mic'd (if need be) 1x12. if you have a 50+w 1x12 tube amp, that will be plenty loud to play most anything. unless you play outdoor stadiums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brewski Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 head not withstanding the sound of a good 412 cab cannot be replicated. you don;t need to CRANK it although I love it when my hair flys back from the force. Plus, the only combo that I've heard that I liked is the Fender Super Sonic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jamdogg Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 "1. The vast majority of players play amps that are too powerful. If your tube amp is not being turned up past 5 or 6 on a regular basis, you're not using it to it's design specs. Most people don't realize that a "little" 15 watt tube amp is pretty loud. Sure, you may need that 100 watt head for the next 120,000 seat outdoor festival you play . . . but you'll still have to mike the amp. And how much stage volume do you really need? That's just the way it is. " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 If you're not playing stadiums or huge-ass clubs, half stacks are generally unnecessary.well, either way. A big gig like that will be using IENS or you will have as much onstage monitoring as needed to keep a good stage mix. That said, I use two half-stacks onstage in my full band usually. But one head is a Valvetronix AD60H set at 15 watts and the other is either my Blackstar HT5 or my 45 watt Mesa set at 1/2 power with an attenuator pulling things back a little more. I don't play too loud onstage but I like that wide initial soundfield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elazul Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 I get by with a 30 watt 210 just fine, so I don't see why not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kap'n Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 In over thirty years of playing, I have never encountered a place where I needed a half stack. Maybe a few times when it would have been a lot of fun. When I see folks show up to clubs around here with a half stack on 1.5 for the massive bee-in-a-bottle sound, I laugh my ass off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bro Blue Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 The answer to the original question is, as others have stated, no. My main amp is a Peavey Valveking 1x12 combo. It's 50 watts, but I use the texture knob to run it in it's simulated class A, which drops it down to probably about 20 watts, which is still loud. I have an amp that sounds good, is light and easy to carry, and has plenty of volume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Steadfastly Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 No. PS: PM me if you need a longer explanation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members crowguitar Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 Really, once you get to playing sheds or arenas where having a full-stack actually makes sense, it really comes to a point of having good monitors and monitor guy anyway. The second you walk far enough away from the amp on a huge stage, its gone, lost in the madness, and the only thing you have are the monitors to rely on. I play 1,000 + venues with nothing more than a 30watt combo (or sometimes 30-50W head/2-12 cab). Yes, Im playing a totally different style from my Stack days, but it still does the job fine. Actually the lower wattage allows the amp to break up sooner and get the tone I want alot easier than an overpowered amp on 2. The difference from 100watts to 50 is only 3db. The only thing I miss is more speakers pushing the air around, but I dont miss the gigs without roadcrew when you have to lug all that crap. A combo or lower wattage head plus 2-12 cab should do just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BydoEmpire Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 No, most musicians don't need a half stack. If you want to move air, though, they do have a particular sound and you might want that. It also doesn't mean they don't look cool... plus they let you mix and match cabs and heads. Most places are going to mic the amp or run a speaker sim out, anyways. Even if you're playing a stadium, you're not going to fill a stadium with a half stack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brewski Posted January 22, 2010 Members Share Posted January 22, 2010 ok - someone recommend me a good combo amp that doesn't sound like ASS for less than $450.00 - new or used. I haven't seen or heard one but you can get a head for 400.00 and a cab for 450.00 or vice versa - total cost is $900.00 but I can buy one piece at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.