I have a Carvin 5 space rack. In it I have a MarkBass LM II,a Carvin BX 500,along with a Korg DTR 100 Tuner,and a Furman Power conditioner. Depending on whether I am using a Carvin,or MarkBass cabinet,I always have a build it spare amp.
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Emergency back up amps at gigs
- Thread starter lawjazz1
- Start date
I always have a backup along, especially when my GK1001RB was destroyed when a glass of ice water dumped into the cooling fan vent on top.
I have a Peavey class D PA head in the car (two 600 watt power amps) and a Sansamp DI. It is my "utility" head that can be used for PA, monitors, a bass head, or whatever. I also have a Crate Powerblock, and have used it on at least one occasion before I got the PA head.
I have a Peavey class D PA head in the car (two 600 watt power amps) and a Sansamp DI. It is my "utility" head that can be used for PA, monitors, a bass head, or whatever. I also have a Crate Powerblock, and have used it on at least one occasion before I got the PA head.
A new to me Marshall VBA400 is my new gigging amp. Haven't had it long enough yet to determin it's reliability, so I will bring my Hartke 3500 as my number one back up.
My TC RH450 is always in my gig bag, so I guess I have two back ups!
Fishheadjoe
My TC RH450 is always in my gig bag, so I guess I have two back ups!
Fishheadjoe
If I'm using a tube amp. I bring my GB-Streamliner 600, as a backup. I never had an amp problem in 30 years.
For me any lightweight amp is a good backup, after all the only purpose is to save the gig on rare occasions my main amp may go out.
For that purpose I chose a Genz-Benz Streamliner 600 because it has rounded corners. Won't tear a hole in my gig bag. It's actually a quality amp that's good at what it does, though my sonic preferences are in a different direction.
Rounded corners are good though.
For that purpose I chose a Genz-Benz Streamliner 600 because it has rounded corners. Won't tear a hole in my gig bag. It's actually a quality amp that's good at what it does, though my sonic preferences are in a different direction.
Rounded corners are good though.
I have an Eden WTDI with me at gigs. The nice thing about my Shuttlemax 12.0 is that it has 2 power amps so unless some major catastrophe happens I can switch channels and be back in business.
Usually use all tube heads, but I always have a Genz Benz Streamliner 900 in my equipment case if the worst should happen. Not much that little box can't handle.
In nearly 50 years of playing I've never experienced an amp failure. I still still have a spare amp in my rack, that is connected to my speakers through a switchable mixer that a friend built for me years ago.
In the event of a failure I simply flip one toggle, and I'm plugged in, plugged up, and playing. The amp and the mixer add about 8 pounds to the rack. I test it each time we set up, and usually before leaving the practice studio, for a gig.
Like I said, I've never had a failure, but, being prepared doesn't hurt, either.
In the event of a failure I simply flip one toggle, and I'm plugged in, plugged up, and playing. The amp and the mixer add about 8 pounds to the rack. I test it each time we set up, and usually before leaving the practice studio, for a gig.
Like I said, I've never had a failure, but, being prepared doesn't hurt, either.
Burwabit
Likes guitars that tune good and firm feelin women
I got scared a few months ago when our guitar player had a major amp issue at an out-of-town gig. So, in searching for a backup to my Streamliner 900, I lucked into a deal where I ended up with a MB Little Tube 800 for $280 (it was like $420 with a 6 string Ibanez that I flipped).
Anyways, now my dilemma is whether to rack both together like you've done or carry them separately and just have the backup on hand. To me, it defeats the purpose of having lightweight amps to put them in a big rack. Torn about what to do. For now, I'm just carrying them separately.
That's understandable. Being prepared like that you're fairly uninteresting to the gremlins in the first place.
I keep my LM2 in my gig bag now, and also have a Linden EQ and a cheapo DI on my board just in case.
Aguilar TH500, which stays in the car. Light, strong and sounds good - if I ever needed it. Haven't yet.
Depends on the gig - A concert level venue I will have an exact duplicate of my primary rig. A major gig i'll have a RB400. A general gig - i'll go Sans amp right into the PA,,,
Love my rack rigs, they've been amazingly reliable for decades, but I like to carry backup Just In Case. I currently use a lightweight MarkBass SD800 in a 2 space rack as backup.
It's not my favorite amp... too clean... but it was a demo model on closeout from GC for a great price, and they also accepted some gear of mine in trade, so it wasn't very much out of pocket. And... it's a backup. All I care is that it works and has enough power for my louder gigs.
Countryman 85 is my backup - but I always play PA supported gigs, and have never had an amp failure *of my own*...
- georgestrings
- georgestrings
What you need to drag along as a backup depends on what type of failure mode you're trying to deal with. Are you worried about blown electronics or blown speakers?
Based upon the responses in this thread, it sounds like people are worrying about amp head electronic failures, and nobody's too worried about blown speakers. To protect yourself against blown speakers, you have to be very careful about how hard you drive your cabs and/or you have to carry enough speakers that you can afford to lose one or more. I guess that guys with big multi-driver cabs that have speakers wired in parallel don't have to worry about power limits, or carrying an extra cab, as much as the guys using little single driver cabinets who put all their eggs in one basket and drive their cab with a high powered amp.
As far as electronics go, I primarily use tube amps, and IMO the best way to not need a backup amp is to perform preventive maintenance.
To me, that means not trusting a used tube amp until it's been ruggedized. I use amps that might be anywhere from 10 to 40 years old, and it'd be foolish to trust them not to fail unless they've been fully refurbished. This means replacing all wear components when they begin to drift out of spec, before they have a chance to fail. In addition to mundane things like tube changes, I change other components that are subject to wear. When I buy a used amp, before I trust it for gigging I put it through the ringer. I'll replace every electrolytic capacitor, and I'll verify that control resistors have not drifted out of spec. I literally check every function of every circuit down to the component level, and when I'm finished, I have the equivalent of a brand new amp. Once that's done it's going to be reliable, and all that's required is periodic tube testing and tube changes to keep it in peak working condition.
IMO if you perform a complete restoration you're far less likely to need a backup amp. Carrying a spare set of tubes is probably all that you need to do.
Knock on wood, in 35 years I've never had an amp fail at a gig. I hope I haven't just jinxed myself by saying that...
Based upon the responses in this thread, it sounds like people are worrying about amp head electronic failures, and nobody's too worried about blown speakers. To protect yourself against blown speakers, you have to be very careful about how hard you drive your cabs and/or you have to carry enough speakers that you can afford to lose one or more. I guess that guys with big multi-driver cabs that have speakers wired in parallel don't have to worry about power limits, or carrying an extra cab, as much as the guys using little single driver cabinets who put all their eggs in one basket and drive their cab with a high powered amp.
As far as electronics go, I primarily use tube amps, and IMO the best way to not need a backup amp is to perform preventive maintenance.
To me, that means not trusting a used tube amp until it's been ruggedized. I use amps that might be anywhere from 10 to 40 years old, and it'd be foolish to trust them not to fail unless they've been fully refurbished. This means replacing all wear components when they begin to drift out of spec, before they have a chance to fail. In addition to mundane things like tube changes, I change other components that are subject to wear. When I buy a used amp, before I trust it for gigging I put it through the ringer. I'll replace every electrolytic capacitor, and I'll verify that control resistors have not drifted out of spec. I literally check every function of every circuit down to the component level, and when I'm finished, I have the equivalent of a brand new amp. Once that's done it's going to be reliable, and all that's required is periodic tube testing and tube changes to keep it in peak working condition.
IMO if you perform a complete restoration you're far less likely to need a backup amp. Carrying a spare set of tubes is probably all that you need to do.
Knock on wood, in 35 years I've never had an amp fail at a gig. I hope I haven't just jinxed myself by saying that...
IME, the best "protection" against any problems is to use a big/powerful enough rig so that you don't have to push it hard to meet your onstage needs, buy quality gear with a good track record of reliability, and take care of it... Others and I catch flak here sometimes for using fairly large bass rigs, but guess what - I never have any amp or cab problems, and always sound great... Just sayin'
- georgestrings
My backup is an old Peavey mark6 head.I have NEVER had a failier with these things ( I have 3 of them)Also , if I'm playing in an old building with crappy electrics the Peavey gets the start over a more sensitive tube head.
