Bingo. I've let other people I know that are serious use my LMII because their LMII..etc. etc. But nah, I'd never leave the Mesa V-12 out for "anyone" to horse around with.
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"your rig or the gig is cancelled"
- Thread starter groooooove
- Start date
One time I backlined 4 band show with my Sunn Concert/Emperor 4x12 rig. Everything went fine except that the light in the power switch for my amp died out. Annoys me to this day. I always wonder if the light would still be burning if I hadn't have backlined that show.
After reading this thread I have a few questions:
1) Plugging and unplugging an instrument while the amp is on. Is this really as dangerous as some people make it out to be? It's not a pleasant sound, but I can't imagine it doing any harm.
2) Blinking the clipping light. Again, is this dangerous? I've ran a rig to the point where it would blink on an open E for a good number of shows and it never broke any of my stuff.
After reading this thread I have a few questions:
1) Plugging and unplugging an instrument while the amp is on. Is this really as dangerous as some people make it out to be? It's not a pleasant sound, but I can't imagine it doing any harm.
2) Blinking the clipping light. Again, is this dangerous? I've ran a rig to the point where it would blink on an open E for a good number of shows and it never broke any of my stuff.
1. The loud thump/crack can damage tweeters, weak woofers, etc. It causes a quick short as the plug goes in the jack that gets amplified. It can also damage pa gear when you're di'd and put that nasty sound out to the crowd making you look cheap, unprofessional.
2. Clip light blinking now and then if you hit a low note hard is ok, blinking all the time is not.
2. Clip light blinking now and then if you hit a low note hard is ok, blinking all the time is not.
as for the Blinking: not a bad thing the way you describe it, but if someone is Red-Lining it the WHOLE time you CAN and most likely WILL have problems. Ive learned this twice, by twice allowing some schmuck use my rig who didnt have one for one reason or another. Both times the douches turn the bass knob all the way up ("cos its not a 'treble' amp man!") and pumped the hell out of em and blew both amps from having constant clipping at loud volumes. Both times they blew em up really quick too.
1) YES.......it definitely can cause harm to your speakers, especially at "gig volume" where it can make the voice coil jump out of the gap.
2) Which clip light ? - If it is the power amp clip light (not the input gain) an amp sent into clipping can put out all kinds of nasty transients, and up to twice the rated power of the amp.
- Dec 12, 2007
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Who hits the road without bringing their gear? I mean, rent a rig or something. I think it's between the promoter and the bands but one guy should never be asked to lend gear except for unusual circumstances... like, their gear was stolen this morning, or his amp died, or something. But even in those cases it should be the promoters job to secure a rig for the band and not passed off onto the other musicians.
That's lame. Get a new band if they can't respect your gear and your feelings about it.
That's lame. Get a new band if they can't respect your gear and your feelings about it.
1) Just an opinion here. While i've had people say it does no harm to anything it sounds bad to my ears and thus I see it as a bad thing.
2)Different amps have clipping lights to indicate signal clipping in different parts of the signal chain.
Clipping at the output section of your preamp is something that may be harmless. Of course with heavy clipping you can get a signal closer to a square wave and we all know how the power carried by square waves and sine waves differs.
Clipping in input stages of your amp is bad on so many levels and in the long run can damage gear. The main reason why old soundboards have some channels with toasted preamps is a signal to strong for the board. Most boards can handle strong signals but more then often i see the soundman not expecting a strong signal and disengaging the pad on a channel to find himself in a clip heaven.
Also some amps have verry sensitive clip lights intended to warn you long before you get any actual clipping.
2)Different amps have clipping lights to indicate signal clipping in different parts of the signal chain.
Clipping at the output section of your preamp is something that may be harmless. Of course with heavy clipping you can get a signal closer to a square wave and we all know how the power carried by square waves and sine waves differs.
Clipping in input stages of your amp is bad on so many levels and in the long run can damage gear. The main reason why old soundboards have some channels with toasted preamps is a signal to strong for the board. Most boards can handle strong signals but more then often i see the soundman not expecting a strong signal and disengaging the pad on a channel to find himself in a clip heaven.
Also some amps have verry sensitive clip lights intended to warn you long before you get any actual clipping.
My 2 cents (although probably nobody cares, hehe):
1. I totally understand and agree with the "my rig = I'm the only one using it". In the past I took the stupid decision of letting certain "friends" play on my stuff and I ended up regretting it - ppl don't care about other ppl's stuff, that's what I've learned the hard way.
2. When you pay (a lot) to build yourself a decent rig (something that might take months or even years), protecting what you have is a normal and natural thing. Only someone made of money can't understand that. It's your property after all, it's your decision.
3. You can't trust the "other guy" simply because the organizer assures you he's a nice guy that takes care of others' equipment. He might turn out to be a complete crackhead that likes mopping the floor with your amp (just sayin')...
4. Making such demands and then going rampant when refused is the wrong way to go. Explain the situation and be prepared to pay extra: either offer to rent the rig for that show or at least take full responsability if something happens to the guy's rig. After all, it's the organizer's job to provide a full working rig. The bands might bring their own, but it's their choice, not their obligation (unless specifically stated in a contract or something).
5. On a personal note...I simply can't understand how some folks can just walk in and play on whatever amp or bass they find on stage. I can't work with equipment I'm not familiar with...even when lugging my main basses is risky I prefer to get a cheapo for the job, instead of asking the organizer to provide a similar bass. My rig is far from perfect, my basses have their own corky little things, but I know how they work together and what to tweak when something goes wrong. So I always bring my stuff. On the other hand, I don't know how familiar the other bassists are with my stuff so I prefer not to risk.
1. I totally understand and agree with the "my rig = I'm the only one using it". In the past I took the stupid decision of letting certain "friends" play on my stuff and I ended up regretting it - ppl don't care about other ppl's stuff, that's what I've learned the hard way.
2. When you pay (a lot) to build yourself a decent rig (something that might take months or even years), protecting what you have is a normal and natural thing. Only someone made of money can't understand that. It's your property after all, it's your decision.
3. You can't trust the "other guy" simply because the organizer assures you he's a nice guy that takes care of others' equipment. He might turn out to be a complete crackhead that likes mopping the floor with your amp (just sayin')...
4. Making such demands and then going rampant when refused is the wrong way to go. Explain the situation and be prepared to pay extra: either offer to rent the rig for that show or at least take full responsability if something happens to the guy's rig. After all, it's the organizer's job to provide a full working rig. The bands might bring their own, but it's their choice, not their obligation (unless specifically stated in a contract or something).
5. On a personal note...I simply can't understand how some folks can just walk in and play on whatever amp or bass they find on stage. I can't work with equipment I'm not familiar with...even when lugging my main basses is risky I prefer to get a cheapo for the job, instead of asking the organizer to provide a similar bass. My rig is far from perfect, my basses have their own corky little things, but I know how they work together and what to tweak when something goes wrong. So I always bring my stuff. On the other hand, I don't know how familiar the other bassists are with my stuff so I prefer not to risk.
I totally agree with the OP, no way they are using my good rig unless I say yes.
But instead of cancelling a show I would just bring my backup rig or a combo with a line out.
But instead of cancelling a show I would just bring my backup rig or a combo with a line out.
ive actually had to borrow an amp the past 3 shows because someone screwed with my amp when i wasnt around and blew out a speaker...
the guitarist called a friend and had him lend me his ampeg SVT, i was SUPER careful, almost to the point where i didnt play loud enough, but i am really grateful and i feel i owe him something.
so one day ill lent him my custom bass to record or we will backline rigs.
other than that i would never borrow gear
the guitarist called a friend and had him lend me his ampeg SVT, i was SUPER careful, almost to the point where i didnt play loud enough, but i am really grateful and i feel i owe him something.
so one day ill lent him my custom bass to record or we will backline rigs.
other than that i would never borrow gear
I think sharing (the headliner's) bass (and guitar) cabs often makes sense as long as one asks for permission before the gig day. However, there is no reason whatsoever to leave your amp at home.
Bob Lee (QSC)
In case you missed it, I work for QSC Audio!
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Beyond the whole "borrowing/lending gear" argument, the thing about the OP is that someone points the finger at him and makes him solely responsible for the success or failure of a gig depending on whether he lets others use his stuff.
That is just jacked up Little League playground bully BS. So there's only one pro-level bass player in the whole bunch, he's responsible for all the hack wannabes full of excuses why they won't/don't/can't bring a simple bass rig, and there are no alternate solutions?
Crap-ola, the kind of multi-band shenanigans I try to avoid. Some nervy wannabe entrepreneurial type suffers from delusions of grandeur.
Sorry for the rant. I'm disgusted that people try to pull this crap on others.
That is just jacked up Little League playground bully BS. So there's only one pro-level bass player in the whole bunch, he's responsible for all the hack wannabes full of excuses why they won't/don't/can't bring a simple bass rig, and there are no alternate solutions?
Crap-ola, the kind of multi-band shenanigans I try to avoid. Some nervy wannabe entrepreneurial type suffers from delusions of grandeur.
Sorry for the rant. I'm disgusted that people try to pull this crap on others.
There are shows where you are required to use the provided backline, shows where your rig can't do the job (eg too big or too small), and shows where logistics force you to hire some gear rather than using your own.
Plus in many cases you spend all this time working on your tone and what goes to FOH is a direct signal from your bass, bypassing all your hard work. Even if you put your foot down and insist the signal come from your amp, the sound guy can still kill you.
Nowadays I do smaller gigs where this is no longer an issue, but I can get my sound from the bass, a SansAmp and any amp that can amplify the SansAmp with a neutral tone.
The more I read of people sweating over damage to expensive gear, the more it reinforces my choice of a SansAmp for tone through a bulletproof Peavey for poweramp and speakers.
6jase5
Mammogram is down but I'm working manually
Out of 3 bands, I was once playing the second slot. The bassist of the punk band going on first tried so hard to get me to play his rig, which didn't even tempt me as it wasn't my sound at the time. I declined and he stammered off.
He convinced the 3rd band's bassist who turned the volume down from the original settings WITH the permission of the punk bassist. The punk bassist stayed on stage to dial in the sound and the guy never touched the rig, no effects, nothing. After the show punk bass proceeded to tell him after the gig that he blew up his amp or speaker, and demanded $500. It actually ended up in a fist fight. The fretless bassist was also an amateur boxer, about 145lbs, and whacked the 250+lb fight starting scam artist punk bassist pretty good.
A low life attempt that failed in two ways.
He convinced the 3rd band's bassist who turned the volume down from the original settings WITH the permission of the punk bassist. The punk bassist stayed on stage to dial in the sound and the guy never touched the rig, no effects, nothing. After the show punk bass proceeded to tell him after the gig that he blew up his amp or speaker, and demanded $500. It actually ended up in a fist fight. The fretless bassist was also an amateur boxer, about 145lbs, and whacked the 250+lb fight starting scam artist punk bassist pretty good.
A low life attempt that failed in two ways.
godofthunder59
Life is short, buy the bass.
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Some amps want to be just in the zone where clipping is starting to give their best sound. It's hard to generalise.
I tend to want gear that is robust and will take some abuse, which may be part of why I don't mind lending my gear. If I had something I felt was fragile, but necessary for a sound, I would be less willing to lend it.
I believe it's dillusions of grandeur but +1 all around. Sometimes it's the only way mommies little nipplesucker will realize the rest of the world isn't going to hand them everything they want....you're doing them a favor in the long run.
