Odd Question

mpb13 · #1 07-12-2009, 09:31 PM

Sorry if this isn't in the right forum, I couldn't really think of where to post.

Our lead guitarist has a JCM 800 and I think he's scared of it. He uses this little POS 50 watt Marshall Valvestate (the name implies tubes, but there's no tubes in it) on stage and I use an SVT-CL which I feel like I don't get the full potential out of due to his use of the small amp. He always seems to have an excuse to not use the JCM. I've tried to make it clear millions of times that we will sound better together if he uses the JCM and that 100 watts of tube doesn't mean it will just be louder but clearer and more full.

Anybody ever deal with this before? I know guitarists are douches in general (I'm kidding) but I'm out of ideas on how to get my point through to him. He has one of the nicest guitar amps ever made in his basement and he gigs with a terrible amp.

He's also an amazing guitarist which makes this even more frustrating.

Again, sorry if this is in the wrong forum.

tl;dr - anyone ever deal with a guitarist who seems to be afraid of using his rig?

bongomania · #2 07-12-2009, 09:40 PM

Huh. Most of the time we encourage guitarists to leave the oversized rigs at home, and bring only what they need for any gig: a 50 W amp.

If he's got that amp miked to the FOH, as would normally be the case, then that 50 W amp is enough for even the biggest gigs. Now if it sounds bad, then that's another story. But even then, how would you feel if the guitarist was pressuring you to use a certain amp or a certain bass that you didn't want to use for whatever reasons?

mpb13 · #3 07-12-2009, 10:42 PM

You make a valid point. However he complains about the sound all the time. I forgot to add that.

hbarcat · #4 07-12-2009, 11:52 PM

I've run into this same situation, the rhythm guitarist in my band had one of those valvestate Marshalls and it sounded like crap no matter how long you tweaked the knobs on the thing. He also had a Carvin 50w tube combo that was perfect for our size gigs (our lead guitarist played through a Mesa 50w combo) but he insisted on playing through the Marshall.

And he always complained about how harsh and crunchy it sounded but when we told him to just use the Carvin amp he would come up with some nonsensical excuse. We never did figure the guy out and he quit before we could fire him.

I have a theory that he is one of those guitarists who believes that Marshall is some mystical company that can do no wrong and that every amp they ever made is far superior to every other amp on the planet. He is a devotee of the 80's heavy metal scene and I know quite a few guitarists from that genre who absolutely worship Marshall.

In your case this wouldn't apply because he's using the crappy Marshall and leaving the really nice Marshall at home.

Sartori · #5 07-13-2009, 05:41 AM

Maybe he's just a wimp and doesn't want to lug it around?

Still, that's bizarre. It would be much more normal for him to be finding every excuse to use that big Marshall JCM.

Mr 600 · #6 07-13-2009, 07:08 AM

Wow. I don't think I've ever heard that problem before. I can't even wrap my brain around wanting to use a crappy 50w over a JCM 800. Maybe he needs to sell them both and go shopping for something different, like a Soldano, or an EVH or something.

jojobean39 · #7 07-13-2009, 08:24 AM

Your guitarist sounds like an idiot. Tell him to trade that amp head for a smaller combo amp if he doesn't want to lug that around. I recommend an older VHT (now called Freyette amps) or a Mesa style amp.

I have never heard of this problem before with a guitarist. (I am also a guitarist)

Hoover · #8 07-13-2009, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpb13

He uses this little POS 50 watt Marshall Valvestate (the name implies tubes, but there's no tubes in it)

I'm pretty sure all the Marshall ValveState amps have a single 12AX7 (or 12AT7, or 7025, etc) in their preamp circuit.

So the name "ValveState" -- implying a mixture of Valves and Solid State -- would technically be correct.

OTOH, calling one of those ValveState amps a "Marshall" might be a stretch...

T-Bird · #9 07-13-2009, 01:45 PM

Hi.

Valvestate....Metal....This brings up some memories.

Back in the day when I was doing monitors in a club in our capitol, there once was this Metal Marathon.

IIRC 15 "metal" bands, 30 min slot each, 5 min "setup time" between the sets.

EVERY ****ING SINGLE ONE of the so called guitarist wanted to use THEIR OWN...yep, You guessed correctly, Marshall VALVESTATE head.

Now don't get me wrong, it's a decent amp for bedroom practice, but on rehearsal or God forbid, on stage, it's just horrible.

Each of the guitarists also wanted to use THEIR OWN cab. Most of them 4*12" from the valvestate line too.

Since we quickly found out that the sound of each and every one of the guitarists were virtually the same buzz, we let them have 5 heads on each side of the drum riser and two cabs on each side for asthetics (and providing something to put a few amps onto

). Fortunately there was a few 1960 cabs there too so we plainly told them to use those and to stack the remaining cabs...well You know where.

Changing the amps was a breeze compared with the whiny drummers who insisted on setting up the whole arsenal of cymbals over and over again. They were plainly told beforehand, that 35min is all they'll get, not a second more. A few more experienced ones had their cymbals ant the snare ready on the stands and could play the whole set, most of them were cut short as there usually was only a minute left before the last tune.

The Valvestates, which by the way have a 12AX7 in the signal path, sounded horrible, absolutely horrible. The FOH guy came over several times to check the mic placement and the lines as the sound never changed, just this thin buzz, like a bumble-bee in a jar. Only amplified.

Break the Valvestate so he has to use the JCM800. Not the best Marshall by any stretch, but a major improvement over a Valvestate.

Regards
Sam

mpb13 · #10 07-23-2009, 10:56 PM

Forgot that I posted this. We gigged at a pretty large place the night I posted this and FOH apparently sounded awesome (The sound guy was wicked and funny as hell). However our stage sound was a muddy piece of poo.

His reasoning for not bringing the JCM this night was that it wouldn't fit in his car. Which he used it for recording a while back and brought it in his car...

Also I was at a party the other night and one of the bands' guitarist brought a Mesa 412 in his car.

If our guitarist wasn't an amazing guitarist I would have more of an issue, but I guess I just have to deal with it for now. My tone is sexy, that's the best I can do.

Side note: I bought new strings before the gig and when I was putting them on the E unwound as soon as any tension got on it (Fender will be getting a complaint). So I played with 3 new strings and one dead string. Stupidest decision ever but I didn't have time to change back. I did, however, probably have the most unique bass sound out of all the bassists that night.

Edit: There may be pre-amp tubes. The back is solid though, so I don't know how they would be changed.