Last night's backline.......not impressed.......

[DWBass]

I played that same exact club a week ago. It's not the room. It is a really well set up music club. But they let me use my own head. Curious what story they gave our esteemed brother...

I'm sure we'll be back. I'll insist on using my head next time. There was enough bass onstage for me to hear and get through the gig. Probably sounded good out front. I did get compliments on my playing.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Never used any Aguilar gear.. Always find it amusing though when they never let you use your gear even when there's sounds like garbage or is not even loud enough to provide proper stage volume. This has happened to me many times at backline supported gigs. Even when I offer it up to support all bands on the bill.

Been in that situation lots of times. Sometimes I'm allowed, especially if it's not a multi-artist gig. Otherwise I guess logistics is the main issue. I always bring my rig, even when I know there's backline because the majority of times it's a letdown.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Probably. I didn't want to mess with the amp settings much. I agree it may have been the cab because even standing right next to the cab, it seemed to be lacking. I could hear it well enough so I just dealt with it.

One of the main problems with backline is that the condition is an unknown. For all you know some of the drivers may have been replaced with who knows what?

I recently did a backline gig where I replaced their head with mine. The provided head was all bottom and overbearing treble. I knew the head nor cab should've sounded like that so I went for the easiest swap and it was at least bearable.

 

[DrayMiles]

I must admit, I’ve heard several bassists use aguilar gear and 99% of the time I thought it sounded like crap. Exactly as the OP stated... A flat thin tone with no character. The only player I heard that had a good sound was Scott Ambush. Even the videos they do are painful... And I have yet to hear Gerald Veasley or Jamaaladeen Tacuma sound good live through that stuff. I’m still not sure what to think, but so far it seems like very tepid sounding gear...
Even Pattitucci’s sound seems worse live, and in videos through that gear... imo.

But I’ll be the first to admit I like the GK 800 RB, or the Ampeg Svt or Fliptop best for tone. The amps that were pre 1985... Although I’ll take a class D head over those sciatica inducing monsters these days!

 

[bdplaid]

Wow, I had a DB 751 with matching 810 cab a few weeks ago for backline and it was tremendous. Deep booty bass, but articulate and loud as all @#$%. Something was definitely wrong with that rig.

IME the DB751 is a whole different animal. I played one at a multi-band fandango, might be the best sound I've ever had. I bought a Tone Hammer which I returned the same day.

 

[Chad Michael]

Maybe it was out of phase with the subs?

My first thoughts...

 

[Stranger Danger]

There's nothing wrong with that rig per se.

 

[jnewmark]

IME the DB751 is a whole different animal. I played one at a multi-gig fandango, might be the best sound I've ever had. I bought a Tone Hammer which I returned the same day.

Yeah, had a Tone Hammer also for a short time. Couldn't figure it out and moved on.

 

[CenTexThumper]

I'm long since passed trusting "backline provided" gigs. my backline is a Hartke KB-15 on the floor in front of me. I control what I want to hear. The sound tech can do whatever the hell he wants to do out front and in other monitors. Just stay out of my space.

 

[Chickenwheels]

Ok, had a gig, last night, at a well known venue in Richmond, VA. This was my backline.
Link Removed
I though Aguilar was supposed to be the bees knees! Nope. This rig had zero booty and something was buzzing. Couldn't tell if it was a speaker or cab bracing. I had to ask the soundman to add my bass in my monitor. Could barely hear anything below low E. SMH. I had my rig in the car but they wouldn't let me use it. Could have been the stage. Soundman mentioned a lot of bass players complain about the rig.

Damaged goods.

 

[Chickenwheels]

I’ve had Aggies for backline. Whatever amp I get just sounds like me. According to our sound tech and our singer.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Wow, I had a DB 751 with matching 810 cab a few weeks ago for backline and it was tremendous. Deep booty bass, but articulate and loud as all @#$%. Something was definitely wrong with that rig.

Yeah but, there's a BIG difference between a DB 751 and a Tone Hammer IMHO

 

[Joebone]

The Tone Hammers are somewhat different than most amps in that the tone significantly changes as you dial up the gain and drive; adjusting the input gain, drive, and master volume controls doesn't provide a normal, flat, input/output gain adjustment. On the Tone Hammers, those knobs act as highly interactive tone controls. So, that means it is not very WYSIWYG and the results may differ considerably when compared with other amps set approximately the same way. Not saying that this was the issue at the gig, but definitely something to consider for next time.

Truth. I briefly had one of these and could not find my sound - three times in a row, on gigs, we failed to bond. But I've heard others sound great through them. There is eq mojo that is very specific to them, so they could be great sounding amps, but a bad choice for a backline, when many players will not know how to sort them out, and where predictability and ease of use are significant virtues. And I've never gotten bad sound from an Aggie cabinet - I love the old GS series.

 

[bigboy_78]

I use my TH500 every weekend. Sometimes it sounds pants-wettingly killer, sometimes I spend all night twiddling knobs trying to find a sound I don't hate.

 

[Stumbo]

Maybe it was out of phase with the subs?

Or maybe one of the subs was out of phase.

 

[andruca]

As the owner of a SansAmp RBI that has been serving me well since 2004 and also user of several Zoom units, some of which emulate it (never even cared to A/B them, serve the same purpose OK) I find the Tonehammer WAY LESS PLUG&PLAY. My experience is limited to the frequent use of a Tonehammer 350 head (paired with a DB410, the classig looking one) and the pedal 3 times in studios. The overdrive it does is not pleasant for me at all, too on the hissy side for me, not fuzzy (which I definitely hate) but still annoying, not "bass-musical" enough for my taste and style (thick crunchy 5 string, both fingerstyle and picked), even tho' it seems to be hi-passed (doesn't seem to lose lowend). The lack of a blend control is the last nail in the coffin for me so the times I've used that I usually went for a clean and loud setting and put my bass signal thru' my MS-60B (SansAmp+166 comp emulations) before the amp for "pre-production". The combination with the DB410 was loud enough. Low end wasn't as tight as I would've liked (could be the cab), still totally workable, no complaints on the Tonehammer as a clean amp. In the studio, the pedal version is more useful, you can record it along the clean signal and "micro-manage" it to your liking. Still I (and producers) have chosen the SansAmp once and again over it. Friendly in the studio, friendly to amps, IDK, more of an "army knife" (but also the TH distortion has something to its grit that feels obnoxious to my ears, different strokes, I guess). I've tried many Darkglass pedals and those are in the SansAmp category too, it's real EASY and intuitive to get a tone that both you like and is workable out of them.

 

[Wisebass]

Hi DWBass

A good gig and a bad sound on stage? Sometimes happens!

I had my rig in the car but they wouldn't let me use it.

I can understand that on multi band events when there is no time for changing rigs but...

Soundman mentioned a lot of bass players complain about the rig.

...it is a real douchebag move when the backline is known for causing trouble (no matter for which reason)!

Damaged is just unacceptable!

And a rig that is not easy to handle (to dial in) should not be used as a backline. (IMO)

There was enough bass onstage for me to hear and get through the gig. Probably sounded good out front.

At least you got through the gig without further problems (cutting out etc.).


What I got from your post is that the venue otherwise is a great place to play

(green room, catering, friendly staff, …)

Talk! I am pretty sure that it needs just a bit more communication next time you play there

and they will let you use your own stuff. (Don' t tell them I called someone a douchbag )



greetings

Wise(b)ass

 

[cnltb]

Ok, had a gig, last night, at a well known venue in Richmond, VA. This was my backline.
Link Removed
I though Aguilar was supposed to be the bees knees! Nope. This rig had zero booty and something was buzzing. Couldn't tell if it was a speaker or cab bracing. I had to ask the soundman to add my bass in my monitor. Could barely hear anything below low E. SMH. I had my rig in the car but they wouldn't let me use it. Could have been the stage. Soundman mentioned a lot of bass players complain about the rig.

1) I'm always happy when I do not have to bring my own.
2) I never have liked aguilar but would certainly get over it...as I didn't have to bring my own.

 

[baxter_x]

Exactly as the OP stated... A flat thin tone with no character.

That's pretty much my definition of Aguilar tone. Everything in the mids. If you want clean and massive tone, go for an Ampeg or MEsa amp.

 

[DJ Bebop]

That's pretty much my definition of Aguilar tone. Everything in the mids. If you want clean and massive tone, go for an Ampeg or MEsa amp.

Funny you should say Mesa.
This just came in this week

Bobbleheads not included