36 SVT's?!?!?! How?!!!!

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Haven't read the book, but it's more than likely that the wording wasn't "they used 36 stacks on stage at once", but the previously stated: "they had 36 stacks with them on tour".

As Ampeg is one of the only amp manufacturers that insist on using different transformers for different wall voltages, for touring the world You'll need 3 or 4 different voltage capabilities (amps) if not using step-up/step down transformers.

Big shows have always two complete stage rigs, one is being played on, one is erected. Touring in logistically difficult places (like Finland), they may need some irreplaceable components in greater numbers.

As the big acts are there to entertain, and entertainment bussines can be a bit tricky at times, I doubt that any band would jeopardize the shows by exessive SPL onstage.

Just my 0.02€
Sam

 

[MikeBass]

Still the biggest rig I toured with was four 410's and 3 GK 800RB heads (one was a back-up).
It was INSANE when we cranked it up.
(went from Hartke 410XL's to SWR Goliath II's after roasting pretty much at least one cab week with the Hartke's).
4 of those SWR cabs was enough to make our FoH guy in anything smaller than 4000 seater to tell me to turn one side of the rig off.

 

[johnk_10]

back in the 80', when i played the LA Sports Arena, I used two complete SVT's heads with two 8x10 cabs and they were running at near full volume (about 11 o'clock). the stage was so big and they were so far behind me (about 30+ feet), believe it or not, i could barely hear them. they put my bass (mic'd and direct) into the floor monitors and side fills to get a stage mix. i found it surprising, but the stage was so HUGE (let alone the arena!) that there was ALOT of square footage to try and fill up with sound.

 

[phatbass]

...it's possible to string 36 SVT's together. Just takes money and cables.

And earplugs...

 

[alfredpunkjazz]

back in the 80', when i played the LA Sports Arena, I used two complete SVT's heads with two 8x10 cabs and they were running at near full volume (about 11 o'clock). the stage was so big and they were so far behind me (about 30+ feet), believe it or not, i could barely hear them. they put my bass (mic'd and direct) into the floor monitors and side fills to get a stage mix. i found it surprising, but the stage was so HUGE (let alone the arena!) that there was ALOT of square footage to try and fill up with sound.

There!!

I've seen my SVT-VR run out of gas in some places on the stage, it is weird... I know that it may seem insane to think that you may need more volume, but it can happen.

 

[JimmyM]

That's why I'm not a big fan of setting up far apart on a big stage. We tend to keep things fairly tightly knit up there when we can help it so we don't have to blast.

 

[GregC]

Hair metal = insanity. Just kidding if this hurts your feelings...true if it doesn't.

I know he had the money...so that isn't an issue. Maybe SLM was giving them away like hotcakes so he could blow them up on stage? I'm with JimmyM, there were quite a few dummy cabs and heads if he put them all onstage and a few of them were real.

Gotta put on the show to make the dough.

Agreed with your first sentence. And considering the band, there were plenty of dummies on that stage. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

 

[RED5]

When I was a little boy,stood up to my daddy's knee?.....I worked for a music store in NY. We were an Acoustic dealer. Seems Tim Bogert had ordered or wanted to order some 360's. You remember them? one speaker, one 18" reflex speaker?
He wanted to test run them chained. So we closed early and secured that store like it was going into heavy weather,under fire. Mr.Bogert came by round dinner time and fired up an even dozen of these babies,at once. The staff left the building, something basic warned us about being in the room with that sort of pressure.Standing outside we watched the store's front window flexing....it was awesome, so awesome as to stand as a benchmark for awesome for the rest of one's life. So 36 SVT's? Jimmy's right, 2 would do, but 36? that'd be well?, awesome. I dug the "Money and cables" part, Heh!

 

[jaywa]

Think about how muddy the sound would be with that wide of a wave front of bass guitar.

True... but... consider who is playing and then ask yourself if that would really make a difference...

 

[jaywa]

back in the 80', when i played the LA Sports Arena, I used two complete SVT's heads with two 8x10 cabs and they were running at near full volume (about 11 o'clock). the stage was so big and they were so far behind me (about 30+ feet), believe it or not, i could barely hear them. they put my bass (mic'd and direct) into the floor monitors and side fills to get a stage mix. i found it surprising, but the stage was so HUGE (let alone the arena!) that there was ALOT of square footage to try and fill up with sound.

Same deal happens playing outside... it's amazing how much more backline you need outdoors vs. inside.

 

[Surly]

Sounds like Yngwie. I saw him at a club and he had dozens of Marshall heads which weren't plugged in. yAy

 

[jaywa]

That's why I'm not a big fan of setting up far apart on a big stage. We tend to keep things fairly tightly knit up there when we can help it so we don't have to blast.

+1 I'm not a fan of massive stages. No matter how big the stage is, I still find myself never wandering more than about 15 feet away from the drummer. I like having all my bandmates in close, we seem to listen to each other better and play tighter that way.

 

[NickyBass]

the first tour after they "got sober."

Are you sure? Cause you'd have to be pretty high to think it's a good idea to bring 36 SVT's on the road.

 

[Beyer160]

If the pro sound guy is being paid for it then yeah, he'll put up with it.

I wouldn't have, and I'll tell you why.

As others have pointed out, that many active rigs on stage (and presumably the same kind of Marshall insanity on the other side) would make it impossible to do a good mix for mains or monitors because of the bleed into the drum and vocal mics (to say nothing of the mud it would throw into the house). After two weeks on the road, word gets out in the industry that the Crue tour sounds like crap, and you have a hard time finding work afterwards because of it. If you tell the next production company that you walked from your last gig because the band insisted on 36 SVTs blasting away on the backline and wouldn't listen to reason, they (being professionals, too) will completely understand why.

With PA technology being what it is today, there's no reason you need more than a 50 watt halfstack or SVT to play any sized venue.

 

[BurningSkies]

Is it possible that these rigs were going to different destinations? Operations Research is a beautiful thaang...

Seems reasonable to me...three stages, leap frogging...one being torn down from the night before's show, one being played on that night, one being set up in the next town...

Now, say, they have 3 on stage, then they keep the same number in backup for each show and more than a few for parts for when they get trashed going in and out of the trucks...and you've got a recipe for many rigs.

 

[jansenh]

It'll be cool to try it out, the wall of SVT's

I own & play one SVT-CL + 810 (playing a trash/heavy metal band). It's ridiculously loud for our practice space, and overkill for the venues we typically play (pubs & clubs 100-200 people), except from a few occasions.

At one time, at a fairly large stage, with a room that takes 600 people, I brought my own SVT+810, in addition borrowed a separate stack with two SVT810 cabinets. That is, a total of 2 x SVT amps and 3 x 810 cabs. It was LOUD and a lot of fun. AND it looked cool. Way to much volume for me a a modest amateur to dial in and harness. But a LOT of fun

Cheers, Henning - Norway

 

[JimmyM]

I wouldn't have, and I'll tell you why.

As others have pointed out, that many active rigs on stage (and presumably the same kind of Marshall insanity on the other side) would make it impossible to do a good mix for mains or monitors because of the bleed into the drum and vocal mics (to say nothing of the mud it would throw into the house). After two weeks on the road, word gets out in the industry that the Crue tour sounds like crap, and you have a hard time finding work afterwards because of it. If you tell the next production company that you walked from your last gig because the band insisted on 36 SVTs blasting away on the backline and wouldn't listen to reason, they (being professionals, too) will completely understand why.

With PA technology being what it is today, there's no reason you need more than a 50 watt halfstack or SVT to play any sized venue.

My ex-girlfriend saw Crue on that tour and said the sound was excellent. She was no musical genius but she could tell a good mix from bad. So if you were a soundman and you dealt with it and still made it sound good, that would make you golden in the sound community. Refusing to deal with it would only get you one thing...fired. That would be much worse for your career than having bad mixes because of too loud stage volume.

 

[quickervicar]

When I was a little boy,stood up to my daddy's knee?.....I worked for a music store in NY. We were an Acoustic dealer. Seems Tim Bogert had ordered or wanted to order some 360's. You remember them? one speaker, one 18" reflex speaker?
He wanted to test run them chained. So we closed early and secured that store like it was going into heavy weather,under fire. Mr.Bogert came by round dinner time and fired up an even dozen of these babies,at once. The staff left the building, something basic warned us about being in the room with that sort of pressure.Standing outside we watched the store's front window flexing....it was awesome, so awesome as to stand as a benchmark for awesome for the rest of one's life. So 36 SVT's? Jimmy's right, 2 would do, but 36? that'd be well?, awesome. I dug the "Money and cables" part, Heh!

THAT is awesome!!

 

[Chris Breese]

I think the best way to run an SVT is two 8x10s per head. I think that was the original idea Ampeg had when they first came out. All those original advertisements showed that configuration. I think it is probably the most effective configuration.

I saw Rick Derringer a few summers ago at an outdoor venue in Peoria IL, and his bass player at the time used that rig (1 vintage SVT, 2 8x10 cabs) with a P bass. I was standing about 30 feet out in front of the bass rig, and it... was... AWESOME!!!! I will never forget the punch, the tone that came from that rig. Incredible. Probably a sound man's worst nightmare, though.

If I ever make the big time, that'll be my rig. But I would probably double it. Two heads and 4 cabs. What the heck.

What's this thread about?

 

[Beyer160]

My ex-girlfriend saw Crue on that tour and said the sound was excellent.

In that case, my guess would be that they didn't have 36 SVTs running on the backline after all.

So if you were a soundman and you dealt with it and still made it sound good, that would make you golden in the sound community. Refusing to deal with it would only get you one thing...fired. That would be much worse for your career than having bad mixes because of too loud stage volume.

You've never done PA work, have you?