Who needs an amp

[ctbass]

Good Sunday to you all and Happy St Pat's day.

I play at a couple of churches and use IEM's going from my pedal board direct with no amp support. I am also playing in a couple of bands that play large venues and small clubs. I have triple driver custom molds with incredible seal/isolation. I am very satisfied with the my monitor sound and really can't hear my amp with the IEM's anyway. I am not one those guys who has to feel the air behind me.

Regardless, we all have to trust the sound man. I take out an ear periodically to get a quick feel for the sound in the room. But based on everything, I am really considering ditching an amp/cabs in all siutations where I have an IEM mix.

Very interested in your thoughts on this.

[Mr. Foxen]

I need two amps. Otherwise I'd have to bring a PA with me, to the gigs I don't get because bunches of amps is pretty much the point of my gigs.

[chuck3]

I just stay flexible. I have learned that amps are necessary for some gigs but not for others. All depends on the room and the FOH support. Last week's gig I used a small Genz Benz amp and had plenty of FOH support for a very large room. Today's gig is mid-sized and there is no FOH support, so I am bringing a rig. It's all good and definitely *not* one size fits all.

[LowBC]

No amp here!

DI from a pedalboard that includes a good preamp (I use a Tech 21 VT Bass but there are plenty of good things out there) and that's where the "tone" comes from.

I use a powered p.a. monitor speaker on stage with me to make sure I can hear myself, though I can leave it at home if I know I can get enough through the stage monitors.

[Doublesixes]

Most of the time straight out from a Zoom R8 to the mains. It gives me the added benefit of recording the portions of the gig I choose.

[ezstep]

I actually played in a rock band (I should add a LOUD rock band) where we decided to forgo amps. Bass, drums, keys/sax, guitar. Not one amp. I ran the keys/sax, guitar, and a tiny bit of bass through the monitors (12"), and of course the vocals. It was relatively quiet onstage, compared to previous. It lasted about four months, after the guitarist decided that he couldn't hear himself well enough...and then the keyboardist couldn't hear himself over the guitarist's amp, and eventually I had to get back into the loop with an amp. It was fun - and quiet - while it lasted.

I have shown up at an outdoor festival where a backline is provided, only to find that they didn't provide a bass amp. I just ran into a DI and let the guy out front handle it. Friends told me that they didn't notice a difference in the sound, but we did onstage.

No, you don't NEED an amp, but they are nice to have as monitors. My current gig-rig is a Shuttle6.0 and Bergie 1x12. I can hear it just fine.