What? What? WHAT?

neurotictim · #1 10-30-2010, 05:47 PM

Yeah, I know, the title doesn't tell you anything. :shrug:

I went to audition/jam with something of a local punk legend last night. I won't put his name out there, but he's been in the Hampton Roads scene since the mid 80's, has toured extensively while opening for the Ramones, and started a band that he shut down later because they were getting too big, too fast. We've been communicating via email for a couple of weeks, I did some call-in stuff for some of his original songs, that sort of thing. He wants to jam, record some, and MAYBE play a gig or two here and there, but nothing more. I wanna expand my horizons and get out of my comfort zone, so it's win-win.

It was an awesome time.

I brought my Warwick 5 $$, LMT800, and Avatar B410 Neo, and while none of that says "punk" I guess it sounded pretty good...

I say "I guess" because my LMT800 was CRANKED - gain to noon and master to almost 100%. The rig was just POUNDING, distorted nicely actually, and I was still having a time keeping up with his full stack Marshall and drummer. The room we were playing in is his garage upstairs, probably 800 square feet, completely carpeted, ceiling, walls and all, which has 3/4" ply under that!

At any rate, if I'm going to keep playing with this guy, I think I'm gonna need a 610 or even 810... Maybe a second 410 instead, but that would mean I'd have to trade my current one for an 8 ohm cab.

The best part, the part that makes this officially part of the "humor" thread is that the guy doesn't know a single note - he knew he was tuned a half-step down from standard, but couldn't find an A if it bit him. The whole time we were working on the three tunes we did last night, he'd have to show me where his fingers were - "I'm playing this, just like this" he had to have repeated about a dozen times... At least, I THINK that's what he was saying - couldn't hear anything, even with earplugs. Just lip-reading, really. The drummer was a college kid, originally from DC, who was killin' it on the drums, even though he was WAY outside of his comfort zone as well.

By the time it was all said and done, all three of us had stupid, ****-eating grins on our faces, and were pouring the sweat.

I've never been into punk, but I'm starting to "get" it.

DanAleks · #2 10-30-2010, 07:50 PM

Not with punk, but - been there.
Isn't it sweet!

neurotictim · #3 10-30-2010, 08:01 PM

It's definitely unusual for me to be told to "crank it WAAAY up" by a guitarist, that's for sure.

AltGrendel · #4 10-30-2010, 08:01 PM

Does not sound like a bad situation to be in.

Sounds like time for a "Rig of Doom".

DerHoggz · #5 10-30-2010, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AltGrendel

Sounds like time for a "Rig of Doom".

I believe you should talk to rbonner about such a thing. (He was the OP of that thread wasn't he?)

Spinal Tapper · #6 11-01-2010, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neurotictim

Yeah, I know, the title doesn't tell you anything. :shrug:

I went to audition/jam with something of a local punk legend last night. I won't put his name out there, but he's been in the Hampton Roads scene since the mid 80's, has toured extensively while opening for the Ramones, and started a band that he shut down later because they were getting too big, too fast. We've been communicating via email for a couple of weeks, I did some call-in stuff for some of his original songs, that sort of thing. He wants to jam, record some, and MAYBE play a gig or two here and there, but nothing more. I wanna expand my horizons and get out of my comfort zone, so it's win-win.

It was an awesome time.

I brought my Warwick 5 $$, LMT800, and Avatar B410 Neo, and while none of that says "punk" I guess it sounded pretty good...

I say "I guess" because my LMT800 was CRANKED - gain to noon and master to almost 100%. The rig was just POUNDING, distorted nicely actually, and I was still having a time keeping up with his full stack Marshall and drummer. The room we were playing in is his garage upstairs, probably 800 square feet, completely carpeted, ceiling, walls and all, which has 3/4" ply under that!

At any rate, if I'm going to keep playing with this guy, I think I'm gonna need a 610 or even 810... Maybe a second 410 instead, but that would mean I'd have to trade my current one for an 8 ohm cab.

The best part, the part that makes this officially part of the "humor" thread is that the guy doesn't know a single note - he knew he was tuned a half-step down from standard, but couldn't find an A if it bit him. The whole time we were working on the three tunes we did last night, he'd have to show me where his fingers were - "I'm playing this, just like this" he had to have repeated about a dozen times... At least, I THINK that's what he was saying - couldn't hear anything, even with earplugs. Just lip-reading, really. The drummer was a college kid, originally from DC, who was killin' it on the drums, even though he was WAY outside of his comfort zone as well.

By the time it was all said and done, all three of us had stupid, ****-eating grins on our faces, and were pouring the sweat.

I've never been into punk, but I'm starting to "get" it.

Pretty cool story. If the drummer and you were crushing it, it doesn't even matter if your frontman wasn't playing great or couldn't find an A chord...that's a common situation.

If anything, get to be chums with the drummer and you might have a bright future anywhere in any music scene. I have a drummer friend of mine (who's basically the reason I even play bass today) and we sub/jam with singer/guitarists all the time. We just rocked as Nirvana at a huge Halloween show this Saturday, and only had 5 days to rehearse.

It's great fun because the singers/guitarists always know the rhythm section will be really tight if they hire us. We're 2/3 of a crushing power trio. That's a potential gold mine.

VanillaThundah · #7 11-01-2010, 12:20 PM

Nice!! It's always great when you guys stop playing and take in how awesome the music was that you guys just made all on your own....never gets old for me lol

TolerancEJ · #8 11-01-2010, 01:05 PM

I don't own or have a need for such a large rig (yet), but I would tend to think that two 4 X 10 cabinets would be easier to load into a car than one 8 X 10 cabinet.

DarkArwen · #9 11-01-2010, 01:09 PM

What tolerance said. I have two 410's right now. Have never used them together, but if I had to, I coulde fit one in the trunk. Good luck loading an 810!

neurotictim · #10 11-01-2010, 01:41 PM

Yeah, I'm totally in agreement with the 2 x 410s, but that would mean finding an 8 ohm cab - preferably Avatar - and then replacing my current Avatar with the same thing with an 8 ohm rating.

Or I could just trade up to an 810...

The Magnum would happily carry 2 810s if I were so inclined and financially able, so that's not a concern. Just humping those big ******* in and out would suck.

The hardest part right now is humping the cab to my regular band practice, then humping it to the punk guy's place, and back and forth. And I'm currently set up to audition for yet another gig, this time a decent-paying one in an R&B backline for a local singer.

:sigh: What I really need is the 410 for my regular (cover) band, another 410 to take with me to the punk guy's place, and a 210 for this R&B gig (if I get it) or smaller gigs in general.

It's a never ending battle.

StuartV · #11 11-01-2010, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neurotictim

I say "I guess" because my LMT800 was CRANKED - gain to noon and master to almost 100%. The rig was just POUNDING, distorted nicely actually, and I was still having a time keeping up with his full stack Marshall and drummer. The room we were playing in is his garage upstairs, probably 800 square feet, completely carpeted, ceiling, walls and all, which has 3/4" ply under that!

At any rate, if I'm going to keep playing with this guy, I think I'm gonna need a 610 or even 810...

All I can say is holy crap!!

I played my first ever gig a couple of weeks ago. I used a 210 plus a 115. It was 100 person capacity bar that was sold out. My rig with just those 2 cabs easily went way too loud. Your 410 should move roughly the same amount of air.

Playing with a 410 and your LMT pretty much maxed, I can't even THINK about being in a practice-sized space for very long with it that loud (and guitar and drums cranked just as loud)! At least, not without my ear plugs in and shooting muffs over those...

neurotictim · #12 11-01-2010, 04:26 PM

The practice space was probably 750+ square feet, over a garage, with 3/4" plywood and sheetrock, which was layered underneath the carpet - quite literally the WHOLE ROOM was carpeted. Dead as it gets - I've been in studios with less soundproofing. The guitar virtually disappeared if you weren't standing more or less in front of his full stack.

And yes, I was wearing earplugs.

walterw · #13 11-03-2010, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neurotictim

I won't put his name out there, but he's been in the Hampton Roads scene since the mid 80's, has toured extensively while opening for the Ramones, and started a band that he shut down later because they were getting too big, too fast.

OK, i'm dying to know who!

i was around for the tail end of the norfolk part of that scene, places like friar tuck's, king's head inn, started and ended a couple bands at cogan's, even got to see a couple shows at the taj mahal.

PM me, i won't spill.

fu22ba55 · #14 11-03-2010, 08:54 PM

Just my two cents:

try 2 x 15s or 4 x 15s.

And try to get your hands on an SVT head.

Mesa Boogie Diesel 1x15s are great (these are just EV TL606s).

The great thing about 1 x 15s is that they are easy to carry.

I'm currently rocking four 1 x 15 cabs with an SVT (running a 2 ohm load), and it's just punishingly loud, since the TL606s put out oceans of low end through the ports.

Sealed 8x10s and 4 x 10s will give you way more definition... way more accuracy... so if you're playing superfast technical dazzlingkillmen Ruins riffs, the 10"s will still be your best bet.

But if you're playing sloppy, abrasive, pots-and-pans-down-the-stairs post-punk freakrock, 15's might be just the thing: In my experience, they tend to distort a bit more musically than 8x10s, and carrying 1 x 15 cabs is a breeze.

I've carried my 1x15s into lofts and basements and control towers and planetariums over the past 15 years... and an SVT and 4x15s will bring any drummer to his/her knees.

Congrats on what sounds like a fun gig. If I were closer to your location, I'd let you borrow my cabs to see what I'm talking about.

neurotictim · #15 11-04-2010, 07:22 AM

I used to have a very modular setup for this exact reason - 2- SWR 210s and one SWR 115. I could go from small to large without a problem. But my various projects started dying off, and after a year with my current band (and only them) I figured I could get away with just one cab. :sigh:

If funds weren't so tight right now, I would probably go out and buy an 810 and a 210 and call it good. As it stands, I'll keep humping my cab around from place to place. Glad it's a relatively lightweight cab.

StuartV · #16 11-04-2010, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fu22ba55

The great thing about 1 x 15s is that they are easy to carry.

My Aguilar GS210 is noticeably easier to carry than my Aguilar GS115.

Rocks · #17 11-04-2010, 09:07 AM

I did the punk rock thing for a short time back in the early 80's, it was a blast! I also tend to gig/practice/jam at different places so I keep multiple cabs and heads and even a combo amp. The combo is great for auditions and small gigs. I can even use it at practice/jams with some guys, others are heavy handed with the volume and I take more gear.

walterw · #18 11-04-2010, 08:15 PM

cool, turns out it's an old friend of mine.

the thing about the norfolk "punk" scene was that it wasn't about skateboards or mohawks or any of that bull***t, it was just what we considered rock and roll. less circle jerks and more buzzcocks and johnny thunders.

neurotictim · #19 11-05-2010, 08:26 PM

He remembers "Squalter" - forgive the spelling.

Another great night - had another guitarist come in and play, this guy knows his stuff. We pounded out more loud, obnoxious punk and drank beer and had a good ole time.

I turned the gain up to 3 o'clock and was able to back down on the master some, and got a real nice tone out of the setup without stressing everything quite so much.

We're gonna do some recording in the next couple of weeks, I'll get them on Youtube and post em here.