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Is there realy any need for huge rigs?

#21
Lowbrow said:
Marshall's Lemmy Signature Stack -- 2x12 on the top, 4x15 on the bottom.
If Lemmy says it's necessary, disagree at your peril.

lemmysmall.jpg
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Surely that's a 4x12 on top.:o
 
#22
It's not as necessary as it once was, but it's still very necessary to some bassists to have the sound of a large rig behind them. It definitely sounds bigger. My rule of thumb is B-15's and Markbass when I have to move it, SVT's when a backline company supplies it ;)
 
#24
I would prefer to bring a small setup if possible. Shorter setup/breakdown times are usually in order if there's more than 2 bands playing, and an absolutely must if you're opening for a big name act. There's also the beauty in carrying/keeping track of less stuff. I always prefer that, where it's feasible.

I too have run across my share of sound people who don't like the bigger rigs, although I can see why people use them since a DI is only as worthwhile as the sound engineer who's in charge of it. Is a DI covenient? Sure....but it's useless if it's not coming through the FOH or monitors, and that's completely out of your hands. There are quite a few gigs I've done with just a 4x10 where I would've liked a 4x10/2x12/1x15 underneath it.

I think people who've run across a few too many of the above style of "mixing" are a bit justified in their paranoia, and I unfortunately have become one of said crowd over the years.
 
#27
As far as load times with big rigs and small rigs... I find that bigger cabs with decent wheels or casters are much easier and quicker to move than smaller cabs without them. Then you only have to worry about the massive weight when you get to a point where you have to lift it. Other than that, it's just roll on stage, roll off stage.
 
#29
Visirale said:
As far as load times with big rigs and small rigs... I find that bigger cabs with decent wheels or casters are much easier and quicker to move than smaller cabs without them. Then you only have to worry about the massive weight when you get to a point where you have to lift it. Other than that, it's just roll on stage, roll off stage.
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Seriously, my load right now is better than it's ever been, and that's with a GS412. Fits into my car beautifully, and I only have to make two trips.

I'm actually about to put my GS212 up for sale and go with ONLY the 412 for while. I haven't used the 212 in ages...it's just too easy to move around the 412 to not!
 
#30
They make PA's, ya know. Anything beyond 500w goes there with me. With a lot of bands Like Neil Young and Crazy Horse, they all work w/ less than 100w amps miked.

For those needing a security blanket, consider investing in a chicken rotiserie.
 
#32
ed99999 said:
Don't get me wrong i'm as bad as the next bloke when it comes to wanting the biggest, best and toneyest (if that's even a word!) gear but really why would you need anything over say a 2x10 and 1x15/18 rig?

Ive played in a band for a little over a year and gig a couple of times a month and everywhere we've played, bar a couple of places, I've been DI'd through the PA and on the other couple of times ive been DI'd and had a mic on my 18". None of the places have really needed me to have anything bigger than say a decent size combo all i use my amp for is foldback. The bloke who used to own our studios used to sound engineer and he said it realy got on his wires when he'd get bassists turning up with huge setups, is he right or just being a dick?

I'm not trying to start arguements, just trying to reasure myself that there is no need for say 2 8x10 or massive combinations?! other than if you're trying to make yourself heard in a gig without a big front of house system.

Ed
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Glad you're one of the ones smart enough to figure it out. Congratulations! If you have even a halfway decent PA and a DI-ed signal, you don't need more than the 2*10 or 1*15.

Let me reassure you, as a bassist of 14 years, there is no *need* for even one 8*10 cab/setup. I've never needed it. Even when one was provided for me when I travelled to gigs, the 8*10 was totally overkill. And I still didn't turn it up. I think I played with the last SVT 8*10 on "3" or "4". You get to a certain point where you're any room you might play that would seemingly "require" an 8*10 cab would have a PA which allows the bass player to use a 4*10 or smaller cab. Besides, PA is called "sound reinforcement" for a reason. A lot of guys that run PA systems already have very powerful FOH mains, and monitor setups that by themselves can rip your head off. It is a crazy amount of power and decibel capability that decent PA setups have these days, both for onstage and mains. And that's not including the subs which will also push your low end out into the room and in a way in which "stage volume" (even out of an 8*10) cannot. And the bonus?

You don't have to buy, carry, store, or maintain such huge and expensive gear.

Let the soundperson do their jobs. When you see a live band that's kickin' and you hear that chest thumping kick drum and earthquake-inducing low end, that's NOT the stage volume. That's the PA system. It's there for a reason. Use it. Trust me, if you DI something, it's going to make a huge difference, and even if a speaker is actually mic-ed, only one speaker will be mic-ed no matter if you have 2 of them, or 16. With a good PA and DI setup, you could make a small combo amp kick hard and sound like thunder at the biggest stadiums.

The "rock and roll spectacle" of it all? It's a joke- so many of those huge stacks of speakers were dummy cabinets that had no sound output to them at all. And meanwhile you have guys who pattern their own rigs by this kind of benchmark, by thinking if "rock god x, y, or z" had seven 8*10 cabs for that stadium gig, well then surely it's fine for them to just have one 8*10 to play their local club and bar gigs. And it's already overkill at that.

No, your sound engineer isn't being a dick at all. He's pragmatic, experienced, knows his stuff, and seems to value a common sense approach. Having monster rigs, believe it or not, is harder to get a balanced, consistent sound for the audience and/or from the audience perspective. And isn't THAT what it's all about? To provide entertainment for the audience? You can sit home and blast away in the garage all you want, but for a gig, you're up there on stage and in a venue for a reason. Remember the audience.

My two cents.

Regards.
 
#34
Thunderthumbs, I must respectfully disagree. What you said works FOR YOU. It also works for me to an extent. But only because the bands I play with nowadays are volume wussies. If you feel more comfortable with a 15" or a 210, that's cool. Others are comfortable with an 810 or two. That's cool, too. No reason that your likes should color theirs.
 
#36
Nothing like a little typo to attract attention -- I would have thought that the rig would surely have overshadowed that -- and everything else within a 7-block radius! Edited to correct, thank you, EVERYONE. ;)

As I've often posted, I regret that the ubiquitous 2x15 gave way to the ubiquitous 4x10, but this is ridiculous (and I LIKE it)!

Lowbrow

Lowbrow said:
Marshall's Lemmy Signature Stack -- 4x12 on the top, 4x15 on the bottom.
If Lemmy says it's necessary, disagree at your peril.

lemmysmall.jpg
Click to expand...
 
#37
JimmyM said:
Thunderthumbs, I must respectfully disagree. What you said works FOR YOU. It also works for me to an extent. But only because the bands I play with nowadays are volume wussies. If you feel more comfortable with a 15" or a 210, that's cool. Others are comfortable with an 810 or two. That's cool, too. No reason that your likes should color theirs.
Click to expand...

8*10s as cool? Ok, sure. I don't think that's the point or question the OP was aiming for, though. I believe the OP was asking about the need for something bigger than a 2*10 or 1*15. I think of "need" and "want" as two often times very different things. Hopefully I've articulated exactly why.

I made a number of points in my post. Is there one or more that you disagree with?

Regards.
 
#38
JimmyM said:
Thunderthumbs, I must respectfully disagree. What you said works FOR YOU. It also works for me to an extent. But only because the bands I play with nowadays are volume wussies. If you feel more comfortable with a 15" or a 210, that's cool. Others are comfortable with an 810 or two. That's cool, too. No reason that your likes should color theirs.
Click to expand...

I'm gonna have to tell my two bands and my soundguys that they're "volume wussies" 'cause I can do the gigs without having to resort to the 8*10 cabs to be heard. I'll see if I remain good friends with those folks!

Kidding, of course...

Best to you.
 

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