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My rented backline adventures

#381
I had 2 fly-in gigs last weekend. First was the Buffalo Thunder casino near Santa Fe, NM on Friday night. Band leader told me he asked for an Ampeg SVT "or equivalent" and this is what they had:

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A SWR head with a SWR 2x10 and a GK 4x10. Didn't work too well for our Judas Priest tribute act.

Next up on Saturday night was the Speaking Rock casino in El Paso, TX:

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They had one of these on each side of the drum riser. Much better for what we were doing.

--jack
 
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#385
semiprohooker said:
Hey Jack, I had my own gig Saturday or you would've seen me running monitors at Speaking Rock. Look back a few posts and you'll see the same venue. I'm guessing you're working with Music Zirconia?
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Oh, cool! Yeah MZ. They're based here in San Diego also. Last weekend I was playing with Hellbent, the Judas Priest tribute I play with. We always love playing there, such a great venue and staff! About a month ago I played with my Godsmack tribute, Smack This, at Socorro. That was great also. Hope to be back there soon.

--jack
 
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#387
walterw said:
laughing would not have been my first response :bored:

did you figure out what the problem was?
Click to expand...

lets just say the problem was not the DI. the next month, same venue, same FOH, same board, same everything, different sound guy, my bass was on fire, and never sonded so great!

I now send two signals to the board.
my REDDI in one channel, and my Basswitch post EQ in the other. that sound guy likes this setup.
 
#388
Soooo the rider I send out states, "Ampeg SVT CL/VR/4/3/7 and Ampeg 8x10. All other rigs to be approved prior to show."

Well, I show up Saturday and find a SWR Silverado Special 2x12 combo (coincidentally what I use for practice). Surprisingly everybody dropped the stage volume and it worked out just fine.

Sunday, playing an "amphitheater" at an outlet mall, I show up to find a SWR SM-400s on top of a SWR Goliath 4x10. Apparently SWR's are now being used as Ampeg equivalents. VERY interesting EQ curves on stage both nights. Lolol
 
#389
semiprohooker said:
Soooo the rider I send out states, "Ampeg SVT CL/VR/4/3/7 and Ampeg 8x10. All other rigs to be approved prior to show."

Well, I show up Saturday and find a SWR Silverado Special 2x12 combo (coincidentally what I use for practice). Surprisingly everybody dropped the stage volume and it worked out just fine.

Sunday, playing an "amphitheater" at an outlet mall, I show up to find a SWR SM-400s on top of a SWR Goliath 4x10. Apparently SWR's are now being used as Ampeg equivalents. VERY interesting EQ curves on stage both nights. Lolol
Click to expand...
Yep, happened to me many times in the past, too. All you can do is play the gig or sacrifice a night's pay. The second scenario ain't happening!
 
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#393
Trust me guys, I'm the easiest bass player to work with.

As long as I have something to transmit my bass to FOH (I ALWAYS have my own DI and cables), I'll make it work. Will I be happy about it, probably not. Will any member of the audience or crew know my displeasure, nope. That's what y'all are here for, to listen to my belly aching after the fact.
 
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#394
One night a couple years back, I sat 'at the board' for a show that featured the Itals and the Skatalites. The bass players were sharing a provided backline rig of a very old decrepit 112 (probably from the 80's probably in the sub 150w range) Yamaha combo. Both players were standing so they could touch the amp with their leg during the set so they could feel something coming out of it, since they certainly couldn't hear it.

...and every once in a while during each of their sets, the respective players would look down then up and roll their eyes. The sound at the board leaned over about half way through the night and said "well, next time I'll take you up on the offer to bring your rig". I mean, I got in for free anyway, and I had made the offer of 'if you comp me, I'll provide for the bass'.
 
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#395
Last week I had a gig and I just said that some bass cab would be nice (for the sake of truckspace). I just hate when the cabs are too small - we play fairly loud and I need this punch onstage. A good 410 is good though (I play a Glockenklang TakeFive).
When we came there, there was an Ampeg 810 with an SVT 4-Pro. I didn't use the head, but it was nice nevertheless. The cab even could be split and had two inputs, so I used the bottom four clean and the top four with my effects.

I thought I'd share a positive story in this sad thread :D
 
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#396
semiprohooker said:
Soooo the rider I send out states, "Ampeg SVT CL/VR/4/3/7 and Ampeg 8x10. All other rigs to be approved prior to show."

Well, I show up Saturday and find a SWR Silverado Special 2x12 combo (coincidentally what I use for practice). Surprisingly everybody dropped the stage volume and it worked out just fine.

Sunday, playing an "amphitheater" at an outlet mall, I show up to find a SWR SM-400s on top of a SWR Goliath 4x10. Apparently SWR's are now being used as Ampeg equivalents. VERY interesting EQ curves on stage both nights. Lolol
Click to expand...
If I was in your position, I'd be strongly tempted to specify "NO SWR!" on the rider.

I mean, obviously you made it work, but that's ridiculous.
 
#398
aledeville said:
Last week I had a gig and I just said that some bass cab would be nice (for the sake of truckspace). I just hate when the cabs are too small - we play fairly loud and I need this punch onstage. A good 410 is good though (I play a Glockenklang TakeFive).
When we came there, there was an Ampeg 810 with an SVT 4-Pro. I didn't use the head, but it was nice nevertheless. The cab even could be split and had two inputs, so I used the bottom four clean and the top four with my effects.

I thought I'd share a positive story in this sad thread :D
Click to expand...

Showing up and finding too much is better than too little. There are some rooms where you know that at the very least they have some 'stock' backline waiting for you. Sound of Brazil (SOB) in NYC was like that when we were doing stuff in the 90's. You knew you'd show up and there's be that old decrepit SVT and 810 that had been on stage for a few decades. I'd do the same thing...throw my own rack on top and plug in. It's the nights where someone has borrowed something from a guy that someone knew...and before you know it you've got a Peavey Bandit for backline.
 
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#400
BurningSkies said:
Showing up and finding too much is better than too little. There are some rooms where you know that at the very least they have some 'stock' backline waiting for you. Sound of Brazil (SOB) in NYC was like that when we were doing stuff in the 90's. You knew you'd show up and there's be that old decrepit SVT and 810 that had been on stage for a few decades.
Click to expand...
I wish!
 

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