The Marshal stack 70 loud guitard stereotype

questhe · #1 08-16-2007, 06:53 PM

OK, Last night we go audition a guitarist and drummer. My Keyboard friend and me pack our gear into his car and drive to the drummer's house. Now, we are both over 40 years old, and so are the other 2.

Along the way, I'm telling the my friend about the guitarist:
- that I met him at an open mic night
- he played pretty good on La Grange
- He had a beautiful bookmatched Les Paul
- He was arrogant about his playing, but probably that good.
- He told me that I was a really good bass player, in the groove, etc.
- He wanted to form a band with us
- He owned several all-tube Marshall Heads and stacks.
- During Our Audition, we will be able to talk over the sound.

At this point, My friend tells me that the guitarist will:
-Play way louder than anyone else.
-Play louder than reasonable for the space
-Play over anyone else's solos
-Play when we are talking about what song to play
-Not listen to anyone else's playing - because he is too loud and into his own thing.

Well, turns out, my friend is Psychic. That is exactly what happened.
So I asked him how he know. He says that is what to expect when you hear about a guitarist that plays Marshalls, and wants to ply Deep purple, Hendrix, and Led Zepplin.

I didn't think this stereotype existed beyond High School!

Say it Aint SO!

Stinsok · #2 08-16-2007, 06:58 PM

It's not stereotypical, just typical.

fenderx55 · #3 08-16-2007, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinsok

It's not stereotypical, just typical.

or typical... in stereo.

MysticMichael · #4 08-16-2007, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by questhe

I didn't think this stereotype existed beyond High School!

Say it Aint SO!

You know it's so!

You already had a few clues, based on the observations you made about him personally. But your keyboard player just knows his type better than you do...

MM

WalterBush · #5 08-16-2007, 10:39 PM

There's always a reason why a type becomes a stereotype. Sounds like you just met one.

IanStephenson · #6 08-17-2007, 04:05 AM

PLay in a band, playing that kind of material with 2 guitarists.

They're both great guys, and the only thing i would unconditionally accuse them of is playing too loud. The drummer probably doesn't help much though...

One of them doesn't listen as much as he should, and does tend to play his own thing during discussions, but the other has GREAT ears. The one thing he is guilty of is having too much gear - three guitars, rack, pedalboad (including roland v-guitar board), TWO heads. Fortunatly only one 4x10. Trouble is this is for small bar gigs. He's building a second rig for smaller venues - cause the rgular one doesn't fit!

Ian

Lazylion · #7 08-17-2007, 10:05 AM

I voted "What??"

Rock on with your bad deaf self!

Silaxian · #8 08-19-2007, 10:38 PM

Beware the guitarist who thinks a 100 watt Marshall is mandatory for practice.

The_D · #9 08-20-2007, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silaxian

Beware the guitarist who thinks a 100 watt Marshall is mandatory for practice.

+1000

Our Guitarist plays a 30W Valve Peavey thing. Still loud enough at pubs and clubs.

questhe · #10 08-20-2007, 03:12 PM

YES! Now I know the perfect guitard interview tactic. Tell him or her that we are meeting for a practice. Then casually ask what amp they are bringing. If they say 100 watt stack...

This should be a great filter. Thanks!

need4mospd · #11 08-20-2007, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silaxian

Beware the guitarist who thinks a 100 watt Marshall is mandatory for practice.

+1
I learned this from experience.

My band mates now play through 15 watt tube amps or 30 watt SS amps. Biggest I've seen used tastefully was a 60 watt 2x12, but even that can hit overkill levels pretty easy.

need4mospd · #12 08-20-2007, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by questhe

YES! Now I know the perfect guitard interview tactic. Tell him or her that we are meeting for a practice. Then casually ask what amp they are bringing. If they say 100 watt stack...

This should be a great filter. Thanks!

That works. We were starting up a band a while back, and we asked each person what amp they were going to bring. If they said 100+ tube watt amp, we knew what to expect, but we let them audition anyways. Our expectations were met. They were usually just as technically skilled as the rest of the guys, but they were too loud from the second they turned on the amp.

Man with an Axe · #13 08-20-2007, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by need4mospd

That works. We were starting up a band a while back, and we asked each person what amp they were going to bring. If they said 100+ tube watt amp, we knew what to expect, but we let them audition anyways. Our expectations were met. They were usually just as technically skilled as the rest of the guys, but they were too loud from the second they turned on the amp.

Uh-oh... I'm gonna try out on guitar for another band (may as well, i need to play it at some point). Where does a Fender Twin rate on the unacceptably-loud-tube-amp level?

PSPookie · #14 08-21-2007, 01:26 PM

It's not that these guys can't listen -- you just have to snatch the guitar out of their hands for it to happen.

louieeadg · #15 08-21-2007, 01:45 PM

haha...hit the nail on the head with that one.

manicbassman · #16 08-21-2007, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IanStephenson

The one thing he is guilty of is having too much gear - three guitars, rack, pedalboard (including roland v-guitar board), TWO heads. Fortunately only one 4x10. Trouble is this is for small bar gigs. He's building a second rig for smaller venues - cause the regular one doesn't fit!

Ian

nought wrong with having three guitars there... one he's playing, another one with same tuning ready to go if he breaks a string or it dies, the third in the alternate tuning needed for the odd song or two...

nothing more killing to a groove than having to wait several minutes while he fixes a broken string or tunes down for the next song...

Silaxian · #17 08-21-2007, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Uh-oh... I'm gonna try out on guitar for another band (may as well, i need to play it at some point). Where does a Fender Twin rate on the unacceptably-loud-tube-amp level?

Well, a Fender Twin can be quite loud indeed. But never fear, you play bass too and therefore (hopefully) understand the meaning of the word "dynamics". Most Twin players I have met don't fit the 100 Watt Marshall stack stereotype.

need4mospd · #18 08-22-2007, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silaxian

Well, a Fender Twin can be quite loud indeed. But never fear, you play bass too and therefore (hopefully) understand the meaning of the word "dynamics". Most Twin players I have met don't fit the 100 Watt Marshall stack stereotype.

I'll second that. Fender Twin's CAN get loud, but whenever I see one I would never jump to a conclusion that the player must be loud. Fender Twin owners usually don't mind being told to turn it down a notch.

Just found out the guitarist in my band bought a new amp. I was starting to get worried about him because he said he was thinking about getting a halfstack! But it turns out, he saw the light and came home with a Traynor 40 watt tube combo!

mike.b · #19 08-23-2007, 04:19 PM

before i saw the light i used to be a guitarist;and i auditioned for a rock band.i brought along my usa strat and 100w marshall.the bass player was quiet and so was the singer,so i turned down to hear them;and f*** my old boots the drummer was like cozy powell on steroids.drowned us all out,and he wouldnt come off the drums.he was 4 foot nothing with coke bottle glasses took his clothes off as he played.i didnt join them.so it aint all guitarists that are stereotype.

Bassman7PM · #20 08-24-2007, 01:18 PM

In my past life as a... please forgive me... a guitard player, I had 2 4x12 Peavey Musician cabs with a Peavey Musician head, along with the famed Small Stone, Big Muff, Mroley Wah/Volume and there was this one pedal that was a power booster that you plugged directly into the amp input and your guitar pluged directly into that to make it twice as loud.