GK Plex or TE Elf as a gig backup

[Ronzo]

Elf.

If a tertiary backup is needed, a BDI21 will get you through the gig, at low cost. For $30, I’m surprised more players don’t own one.

 

[Zbysek]

BDI21

What's that?

 

[Ronzo]

What's that?

Behringer Bass DI. It’s a copy of the Tech 21 Bass DI, hence the name:
BEHRINGER V-TONE BASS DRIVER DI... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KIPUQG?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

[mexicanyella]

Another vote for the Elf sounding pretty cool as a guitar head...I tried a Strat and a Tele through one while dinking around at a GC store and liked the way the compression is implemented at higher gain knob settings. You can dial in some touch-sensitive and lightly compressed “gnar” at higher gain settings. I was having fun playing Funk #49 through it.

 

[Zbysek]

Behringer Bass DI. It’s a copy of the Tech 21 Bass DI, hence the name:
BEHRINGER V-TONE BASS DRIVER DI... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KIPUQG?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I see. Thank you.

 

[2112]

I was lucky enough to play through an ELF and a pair of 2X8s. Dang! the pair was impressive(and can crank)

Agreed. Early on in my current project's rehearsals, this setup kept up (with plenty of headroom to spare) with the other five musicians, including a drummer who had two volume settings: "tacet" and "oh, you still have eardrums?"

 

[DonBorelli]

Probably a lot of good options out there, but I can recommend the Elf.
It's tiny and it just sounds great.
I use it as my primary amp.

 

[Jehos]

By far the easiest backup is to run a clean signal through a DI straight to the board, and a second signal from your amp or whatever. DIs are bulletproof, and the sound engineer can fix a problem by moving a fader much faster than you can un-plug and re-plug things.

 

[Downunderwonder]

The guys pushing for a clean DI to house are happy for the FOH to use that exclusively. That's what will happen.

Save yourself, it's bye bye amp tone altogether, buy yourself a FRFR cab for your bandmates and IEM for yourself and never need visit TB amps forum again.

 

[Downunderwonder]

As bass players we all know we are vital to the show. But are we really that up ourselves that we will give up all that we hold dear in the amps forum just to ensure the bass never stops even for the length of time it takes to scramble a backup into use?

 

[Ronzo]

Very bad when bass stops! Very bad!

(Drum solo begins...)

 

[SgtHulka]

Dang, you guys act like gigs w FOH support are a birthright or something. I must need help booking better gigs, I guess

 

[Red Planet]

Dang, you guys act like gigs w FOH support are a birthright or something. I must need help booking better gigs, I guess

On our larger outside events we run about 10,000 watts on the mains, this about the only time I go into the house. Most of the time my sound is coming from my amp from the stage. And for me its more fun that way. I have yet to have an amp fail in a long long while though I only use GKs so there you go.

 

[Downunderwonder]

Never kid yourself. How many "backup" guitar DI's, kickdrum mics run behind, spare mic's wired and fader down have you seen? But bass MUST have one. Just say no thanks.

 

[funkinbottom]

Another Elf vote. I love mine. No issues with it shutting down as someone mentioned earlier. A great sounding, solid little amp.

There are a couple around the $240 - $250 range on reverb. (no affiliation)

 

[Jehos]

As bass players we all know we are vital to the show. But are we really that up ourselves that we will give up all that we hold dear in the amps forum just to ensure the bass never stops even for the length of time it takes to scramble a backup into use?

Yes. Our instrument is vital to the show. Our tone is not.

 

[Jehos]

Dang, you guys act like gigs w FOH support are a birthright or something. I must need help booking better gigs, I guess

Well...yeah. What does the singer do at your gigs, yell real loud?

 

[SgtHulka]

Well...yeah. What does the singer do at your gigs, yell real loud?

Are you talking here about real FOH support with perhaps an engineer? Or bringing the $300 Harbinger PA from the practice space with us? My impression is that you were all talking about the former.

 

[Jehos]

Are you talking here about real FOH support with perhaps an engineer? Or bringing the $300 Harbinger PA from the practice space with us? My impression is that you were all talking about the former.

Either one. If you're the FOH guy, you can still fade in your clean signal mid-song quicker than you can hook up a second amp.

 

[Downunderwonder]

Yes. Our instrument is vital to the show. Our tone is not.

There's a Jeff Bridges meme for that. So you would gladly suffer vanilla tone on every gig for the guaranteed no loss of bass ever?