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How often do you have PA support?

H

Hippos Melas

Apr 9, 2009
337
7
Milwaukee, WI
#1
So I was curious with all these threads about mini rigs of doom and people's go-to rigs being 1x15s or 1x12s how everyone's getting away with such a small rig. So, humor me:

-How often do you have PA support?
-Where do you typically play (small club, medium club, bar, outdoors, etc.)
-How many watts do you typically pack?
-What size/how many cabinets do you typically bring?

I'm going to be buying a rig to join a band this upcoming fall and obviously can't afford a ton of nice stuff, so whatever I can get away with for the most part would be awesome. :D
 
#3
I've only had a couple shows where I had no PA support for bass. Typically pack 500w @ 8 ohms into a fEarful 15/6, no matter what kind of show I play (don't like to depend on the bar having good subs). Usually small to medium clubs/bars, sometimes quiet outdoor stages (e.g. outside of malls).
 
#8
Well my band owns its own PA so we always have support if i need it. During the year we will play audience sizes from about 50 to maybe a 1000. we play aguest ranch where are audience is usually 50-70 people. At that gig I use just a shuttle 6.0/12t combo with no support. I could probably use that combo with support for all but few outdoor gigs where I bring out my big rig.
 
#9
Hippos Melas said:
So I was curious with all these threads about mini rigs of doom and people's go-to rigs being 1x15s or 1x12s how everyone's getting away with such a small rig. So, humor me:

-How often do you have PA support?
-Where do you typically play (small club, medium club, bar, outdoors, etc.)
-How many watts do you typically pack?
-What size/how many cabinets do you typically bring?
Click to expand...
one or two gigs a year are without pa support.

i play venues from tiny little rec halls to arenas and everything in between.

i'm a firm believer in headroom, so i bring at least 25w (b-15n with one or two double baffle b-15 cabs). my current workhorse rig, a micro vr and two 210av's, is 200w, and my big rig, an svt/810, is 300w. never could i ever see a need for more than that, although i made the mistake of playing an svt 7 pro last week, and if ever i could be talked into doing a ridiculous wattage rig, it'll be with that.
 
#10
JimmyM said:
i'm a firm believer in headroom, so i bring at least 25w
Click to expand...

;) if I didn't have a reputation to protect, I might put that in my sig.

I'd like to make an addendum to the question. When you do have PA support, who is running the sound? you, band member, dedicated sound guy, house sound guy?

I'll take even a marginally acceptable dedicated sound guy over a band mixing from the stage any day. At least around these parts, if the band is mixing themselves, they sound painful unless they are a true pro band, in which case they'd sound 10x better with a decent sound engineer.

Robby
 
#12
Robby Hoinsky said:
;) if I didn't have a reputation to protect, I might put that in my sig.

I'd like to make an addendum to the question. When you do have PA support, who is running the sound? you, band member, dedicated sound guy, house sound guy?

I'll take even a marginally acceptable dedicated sound guy over a band mixing from the stage any day. At least around these parts, if the band is mixing themselves, they sound painful unless they are a true pro band, in which case they'd sound 10x better with a decent sound engineer.

Robby
Click to expand...

Well a band will always sound better with a competent soundman. We mix from stage at almost all our gigs but 3 of us are using wireless systems so we can go out front and listen. It also helps that we have all been playing along time and know how to play together.
 
#13
Robby Hoinsky said:
;) if I didn't have a reputation to protect, I might put that in my sig.

I'd like to make an addendum to the question. When you do have PA support, who is running the sound? you, band member, dedicated sound guy, house sound guy?

I'll take even a marginally acceptable dedicated sound guy over a band mixing from the stage any day. At least around these parts, if the band is mixing themselves, they sound painful unless they are a true pro band, in which case they'd sound 10x better with a decent sound engineer.

Robby
Click to expand...
rarely do i do a gig where someone runs sound onstage. but i'd be lying if i said it didn't happen.

and i agree with you.
 
#15
Almost never. We play at small halls, basements and small bars/venues. I've been working on my rig to match up with my guitarist who usually plays in stereo (out of a VOX tube combo and 70s 100w Acoustic head....boom). Playing my v4b through a 215 has been working out so far. When I need more volume I run in stereo with my sunn beta bass combo (which is in the shop...oh well) or with my acoustic 150 going through a 118 speaker.

It also serves as a monitor for the guitarist when we play in places that makes it impossible to hear one another.

Figure out where you're going to be playing and how loud you really need to be. I will say it is more fun spending money on an expensive rig when you know you're going to be pushing it for all its worth.
 
#16
Hippos Melas said:
-How often do you have PA support?
Click to expand...

Every time. We bring our own. JBL PA, with subs consisting of two JBL SRX728 driven by two 4000 watt QSC power amps.

Hippos Melas said:
-Where do you typically play (small club, medium club, bar, outdoors, etc.)
Click to expand...

Yes to all of the above. Mostly medium to larger clubs with outdoor shows in the summer.

Hippos Melas said:
-How many watts do you typically pack?
Click to expand...
Carvin BX1200 bridged. 800 watts into 8 ohms.

Hippos Melas said:
-What size/how many cabinets do you typically bring?
Click to expand...

One fEARful 15/6 for any show.

Robby Hoinsky said:
;) I'd like to make an addendum to the question. When you do have PA support, who is running the sound? you, band member, dedicated sound guy, house sound guy?
Robby
Click to expand...
We run our own PA. We all have wireless and we've been playing together as the five of us for 5 years. The whole band (minus me) being together for 18 years. All of us have been playing a minimum of 30 years and three of us have extensive PA experience with full knowledge of how our PA is set up and works for any given situation.
 
#17
-How often do you have PA support?
3 times in 44 years of gigging, 1 very bad, 1 mediocre and 1 superb sound guy and rig.

-Where do you typically play (small club, medium club, bar, outdoors, etc.)
Any of the above, wherever books us.

-How many watts do you typically pack?
Our PA - 300 per side
Monitors - 80 each
Lead guitar - 100 or 150
Bass - 180

-What size/how many cabinets do you typically bring?
(As few as possible because I carry most of them)
PA Peavey 15 + tweet each side (no subs)
Lead single 12
Bass single 15
Monitors - 10 + tweet x 3

By most bands standards our gear is tiny, but the older you get the less inclined you are to carry tons of gear to every gig, most of which we do not need.

We still get asked / told to turn down and recently got shut down by Environmental Health (UK), a first for us and something we are duly proud of.
 
#19
Had PA support for many years. None for almost a year, but now that I'm helping out an old band I'll have it again. But, most of my other gigs are in small to medium places, so I'm actually getting by with a Markbass CMD 121H, one 12" in a decent-sized box with 300w. I'll be ordering another one 12" cab soon for places where I want a fuller sound. It'll also give me 500w. I can also get PA support in one other band if I want it, but haven't needed it so far. The older band had a front of house sound man. The smaller newer band runs sound from the stage.
 
#20
Once in a blue moon.
Carry a small PA 500W/side. One 15 & tweet per side
and one 12 & tweet per side for floor monitors.
Kick drum , vox & guitar go thru PA
Bass has 500w and a 4x10.
$300-400 gig, local soundman wants $300, you do the math.
 

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