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Are the big amps history?
- Thread starter jkalads
- Start date
Lol @ " no one is your friend."
Yeah, I liked that too!
But then again-
When on the road with a semi-famous performer We had a roadie, but sometimes when not using backline, I preferred to carry at least my axe...)
There would be fan-bois (not enuff girlies alas, at least at load-in) who would VIE for the chance to help w/ set-up inc. carrying stuff in, for the shining moment to spend time with "the band". Ah Fame!
Once, I was asked by an attendee to sign a CD by said Artist. I told him, "Hey Bro, appreciate that, but I was not playing on that CD, I'm just with him for this tour."
"Oh, that's cool! Sign it anyway!" he replies.
Yeah, I liked that too!
But then again-
When on the road with a semi-famous performer We had a roadie, but sometimes when not using backline, I preferred to carry at least my axe...)
There would be fan-bois (not enuff girlies alas, at least at load-in) who would VIE for the chance to help w/ set-up inc. carrying stuff in, for the shining moment to spend time with "the band". Ah Fame!
Once, I was asked by an attendee to sign a CD by said Artist. I told him, "Hey Bro, appreciate that, but I was not playing on that CD, I'm just with him for this tour."
"Oh, that's cool! Sign it anyway!" he replies.
Good stuff!
But such situations can cut both ways. I was once exiting a lavish premiere party for Quentin Tarantino's flick "Jackie Brown" when I saw two fanbois pointing at me from behind the barrier.
"Who's that?" asked the first Fanboi.
"That," said the second fan in a tone heavily italicized, "Is nobody."
I mean, I'm playing through an Ampeg SVT-CL which I traded an Orange BT500h to get my hands on, but without a roadie, that thing is a nightmare to haul. I ended up going with a 410 cab to save myself the hassle of also trying to lug around the 810 these typically go with. But I play in two bands. One is playing smaller gigs and just has no need for anything larger than some high wattage combo amps (excluding me) and the other is playing some larger venues, so playing through stacks with multiple speaker configurations makes a little more sense. Not much given the tone shaping and overall sound quality of the PA systems in concert halls nowadays.
Too funny; too true.
Reminds me of a story, supposedly true:
Fan goes up to Celebrity and says
"Wow!! OMG OMG You're (Mr./Ms. X) right????
Celeb says: " Well, Yes, I am!"
"Oh no, you're not" says fan.
I am grateful for the change of pace. I was able to pick up my Peavey amp used for $130. Of course, that's $1.53 a pound.
Even the newer, lighter stuff is selling for great prices online. The Markbass I want can be found below $400. Hard to beat that.
If I had my own PA, I would probably go the direct input route. But, since I do not (and have zero desire to ever own another PA system), I will be an amp user.
Even the newer, lighter stuff is selling for great prices online. The Markbass I want can be found below $400. Hard to beat that.
If I had my own PA, I would probably go the direct input route. But, since I do not (and have zero desire to ever own another PA system), I will be an amp user.
The bigger amps just sound better to me and are more reliable. I've used powerful Ampegs and I've used more modern smaller lighter amps, and guess which ones give out during a show or a rehearsal? Guess which ones make a pop and start smoking? The newer, lighter ones.
Every old Ampeg, Fender I ever play through is a tank and never gives it up.
Every old Ampeg, Fender I ever play through is a tank and never gives it up.
Some good points there, but as for 'more sophisticated cool people'..that's just creative writing..Depends the venues you play, and who's lifting that 100 pound tube head and 200 lb cab..which reminds me of a funny video I saw of the stage crew setting up a big stage...2 large moose type guys rolled in the SVT rig on a dolly and then near bust a gut lifting it off.
No the little wonder heads these days can't quite get the tube grind, but depending on the bass and cab, some of them sound awesome. Sophisticated cool people use them every day out there...they are also discovering Greenboy cabs, which are a fraction of the weight of the big boat anchor cabs, and sound better.
Your amp is for you. The PA is for the audience. 95% of the time, if your amp can be heard (or felt) in the house, someone across town with a little bitty amp sounds a lot better on the house than you do.
after back issues, I sold my heavy amp! still looking for something lighter than my SWR WM 12. So, us older dudes like lighter amps!
100% untrue. Some of the worst sounds I have ever heard at a show came from bass players with ampless setups and IEM's, and some of the very best sounds I have ever heard at shows came from bass players who had big amps blazing.
I got a Carvin MB210 and swapped the speakers for a pair of neos wired for a 4 ohm load. It gets me 250 watts and weighs about 23lbs. One venue's house PA is setup to go direct and it sounds damn good at the FOH when I run the xlr line out into the house.
Agreed - Timmy is one of those soundmen that thinks stage amps should be seen and not heard, lol...
I'm not an older dude just yet (soon, soon...or maybe I already am to a 15-year old)
And I like lighter amps too.
My heavy "crop" includes a stoopid-heavy 96-lb Buster Combo
& (2) 40-lb all-tube heads.
Don't like carrying them at all, uh, nope...uh, nope, not at all...
Big amps are terrific -- and so are the roadies who lug them around for guys like you ...
My creed -- never compromise on one's sound. If a smaller amp approximates what I need to hear with enough cut, that's what I'm gonna pursue. I consider myself an ex purist only because of age and physical inability to lug an SVT or 360 around. The amp pictured in my avatar does the job quite nicely. I don't have to play loud. I play very effective with a devastating 500 Hz sound just like Will Lee talks about where his sound is. G&L JB articulates every note through this 1x15" Genz Benz Contour 500, now obsolete. Hmm....Yeah, I liked that too!
But then again-
When on the road with a semi-famous performer We had a roadie, but sometimes when not using backline, I preferred to carry at least my axe...)
There would be fan-bois (not enuff girlies alas, at least at load-in) who would VIE for the chance to help w/ set-up inc. carrying stuff in, for the shining moment to spend time with "the band". Ah Fame!
Once, I was asked by an attendee to sign a CD by said Artist. I told him, "Hey Bro, appreciate that, but I was not playing on that CD, I'm just with him for this tour."
"Oh, that's cool! Sign it anyway!" he replies.
Because sometimes ya just need to move heaven and earth.
