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How much wattage do you gig with?

How much wattage do you gig with?


  • Total voters
    1,020
Most often it's just me and my trusty little Behringer BDI-21. If I need an amp, I take my Littlemark II (500 watts) but have only gone up to about half-way on the volume. Not sure where that leaves me wattage-wise, but I'd guess around 100 at half-way. Maybe a tad more?
 
I have 350 watts, have a pre-amp in my boost/distortion pedal and a tube/ solid state pre-amp setting on my amp head. I only use the tube setting on about 4 and have never had to turn my amp over 5 in a gig. That is with P.A. support though. The band get levels with each other onstage, then we balance it out the front everytime. I find it gives a much better sound than trying to balance everything without a F.O.H. rig helping you out. Does anyone else agree with me?
 
3 Pro into 4 ohm marshall cab. Usually run at just below half volume, and 70% of the time with PA support, but when I dont have any it still handles it no worries.

I am wishing I have an 810 though, simply because I have a feeling I will be going without PA a lot more. If I ever need more I could buy a Y splitter and run 900 watts, with my 3 pro and marshall head.
 
I'm surprised too. Not because I don't think sub-400 watts is enough....but because there are so many newer amps that can dish out alot more.
I think that in most cases, it's a matter of never ever needing that kind of wattage, so most people have zero interest in it. The super wattage heads are such supreme overkill for most people that it's hard for them to even fathom it.
 
Tiny to medium bars (PA? Whuzzat? For the mics, right?) so I'm using a GK400RBIV 8/180 -- but with the heavy drummer, loud e.guitar plus amped acoustic, I'm headed for a GK700RBII 8/320 but trying to keep it down to a 1x15. Hit 'n' run! New EUB may change the direction of my thinking.
 
I use a Mesa M-2000 at 600W into a Mesa Powerhouse 1000 cab. Way more than enough power. If I crank it too much I'll drown out the rest of my band. Plus there are those rumors that 3 conventional watts = 1 Mesa watt. I don't know if I buy it, but it's still more power than I'll ever need. At one time I had a Mesa Bigblock 750 and it was almost too much.