The loud guitar player can be replaced. Your ears can't.
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My guitar Player is Drowning Me
- Thread starter altarsofmadness
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It's not really two channels, it's a mono amp, but there's two preamps--pardon my initial confusion (it's been very strange around here lately).
But I just happen to love playing with this guys, I mean, we just "click" together, if you know what I mean. Today we started writing a new song from a riff I wrote, and man, was it fabulous.
Yep, I had the original silver Concert Bass, which is essentially the Lead but without the reverb or the second preamp stage. The power amp and remaining preamp stage was identical to the Lead, IIRC. Even had distortion. Glad I got rid of that thing---very poorly constructed. The single-rail power supply was odd.
Well yes the Concert Lead has a mono power section. I was only referring to the pre-amp. So a "two channel" amp is actually an amp with a dual pre-amp and a "stereo" power amp is a two channel amp?
Yeah that's why I call 'em by the same name. Same pres and power sections. Yeah the two pre-amp Concert Leads are fickle. As for the single "channel" red knob Concert Leads I don't really know the differences but they're twice as heavy.
It's your ears and your wallet. If you have to upgrade your gear because he got a bigger amp, I have no sympathy for you.
To the OP, their will always be a guitar player who tries to be louder. Guitar cuts through much louder up close than bass. Don't get in a volume war. Ask him, is there any way you can get that sound at a lower volume? Explain you need to hear yourself to play the songs. I would never be in a band with guys that won't compromise.
Do you like your tone? If so, I'd just get another 15" exactly like the one you already have.
A 4 ohm small cab makes it harder to expand later if you need to.
There are ear plugs. I won't play in a rock band where I have to stand anywhere near the drummer without them.
Put his amp at ear level pointed at his head about 24 inches from his face.
Tell him it is so he can hear himself better. Seriously.
Find a solution that works for all but allows you and the drummer to not destroy your hearing.
My left ear got wrecked b/c we picked up a touring pro(10 years road band work, major act) who has severe hearing impairment and is directly on my left and ends up turning up as the gig progresses. I now have ear plugs in my back pocket at every gig and they get installed as soon as I notice his stuff getting louder. A volume war is "win-able" but everyone loses.
Tell him it is so he can hear himself better. Seriously.
Find a solution that works for all but allows you and the drummer to not destroy your hearing.
My left ear got wrecked b/c we picked up a touring pro(10 years road band work, major act) who has severe hearing impairment and is directly on my left and ends up turning up as the gig progresses. I now have ear plugs in my back pocket at every gig and they get installed as soon as I notice his stuff getting louder. A volume war is "win-able" but everyone loses.
There's a chance he's not aware of the beaming effect of his Sunn 4x12. Put it on some egg crates. When I play guitar I run two heads, I run my Science Hellhawk into a 2x12 stacked on top of a 4x12 to basically act as a monitor for myself and my V-4 to the 4x12. And when I run one head I put the cab I'm using on my V-4's flight case to get it closer to ear level.
If you have to wear ear plugs at practice, the band is too loud. You want to be able to hear everything clearly, warts and all, at practice without going deaf. That is the purpose of practice. If you can't get a good mix at practice, you are doomed at a gig. I have a 1,000 watt head and two 4x10 cabs I use at practice but I know where the volume and gain controls are and don't get louder than the guitar player who is playing through a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe at very reasonable volume. Just my opinion, for what it's worth.
A big part of it can be eq. Obviously if dude is breaking windows he should turn down. But if you guys are at comparable volumes, mixing your eqs right can solve both ppls problems. I've been struggling to get my guitarist to hone his tone more and it's slowly getting so that we sit nice in a mix together. But yea... Welcome to the bassists dilemma : being heard without burying everyone. It is an arduous process.
Stab your bass head stock through 3 of the 4 guitar quad cab speakers.
Problem solved !!
What I do for loud guitarists is I turn down my bass gradually until someone says I can't hear you,
and you say "I haven't been it turning up, but the guitar sure is too loud".
Problem solved !!
What I do for loud guitarists is I turn down my bass gradually until someone says I can't hear you,
and you say "I haven't been it turning up, but the guitar sure is too loud".
Some genres are louder than others.
As mentioned, my band sets our level to the drums. We play in a loud genre, so our drummer is fairly loud, and rehearsal rooms are generally not very big. That is not a problem, it's the nature of the beast. Even if we played straight ahead rock, instead of doom metal, and so were quieter, I would still wear ear plugs if I had to stand near the drums especially. I can hear everything clearly at rehearsal... with ear plugs in. They've progressed quite a ways beyond the crummy foam ones.
Your experiences and needs are not the same as other people's.
devnulljp
Supporting Member
I think you mean there's no replacement for it (VdThere's nothing else for it ....
).
I was in the same position. I was doing just fine with my combo in an older band until my rhythm guitarist started using a really loud 412 half stack. We were in a small basement too! Like he needed that. It forced my lead guitarist to leave because he didn't have enough money to get such a big rig. I ended up getting a 410 bass rig to match the guitarist and still had issues hearing myself. And then we all split up anyways. All I have to say is, don't waste your money like I did. Your guitarist has to either turn his volume down or leave. I can't see any use for a big rig like what he has unless you're gigging outdoor festivals regularly. A 50 watt tube 1*12 combo with a microphone is really all a guitarist needs in most situations. I can say that being a former guitarist myself. Only get as big as a bass rig as you need (without trying to match the guitarist). Just keep your ampeg. Perhaps replace the 115 with a 410 since it will push more air and sound cleaner, but the guitarist will still need to turn down. Don't bother with an 8*10 because that's just overkill in most scenarios and it will break your back. Tame the guitarist.
There is no winner in volume wars. First casualty is the singers voice straining to be heard, then your practice location, then the band starts fighting and is lost because everyone is fighting over practice volume.
In-ear monitors and electronic drums for practices. Everyone has their own volume, practices are easier, there is no load in except at gigs, location choices are plentiful and comfortable, and you get to keep your ears.
Pride gets in the way though I know, someone in the band is playing as a stress release and the volume is part of their therapy or they have to have their effects and their sound etc etc blah. Bring a Digitech, it is close enough for government work and for band practice. The loud folks can still turn themselves up in their own phones without killing the band, without straining the vocalists voice, and without forcing everyone to spend hard earned money on amps they have to store and haul around just to be heard over one guy that won't play with the team.
Practice and play loud at home and at gigs, rehearsal doesn't have to be that way. That video above is the best advice I've heard for a practicing small band.
In-ear monitors and electronic drums for practices. Everyone has their own volume, practices are easier, there is no load in except at gigs, location choices are plentiful and comfortable, and you get to keep your ears.
Pride gets in the way though I know, someone in the band is playing as a stress release and the volume is part of their therapy or they have to have their effects and their sound etc etc blah. Bring a Digitech, it is close enough for government work and for band practice. The loud folks can still turn themselves up in their own phones without killing the band, without straining the vocalists voice, and without forcing everyone to spend hard earned money on amps they have to store and haul around just to be heard over one guy that won't play with the team.
Practice and play loud at home and at gigs, rehearsal doesn't have to be that way. That video above is the best advice I've heard for a practicing small band.
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