gigged with an amp for the first time in a couple of years.

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Lt. Bob
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gigged with an amp for the first time in a couple of years.

Post by Lt. Bob »

Since every feakin' thing I do is a solo gig, I haven't used any amps for 2-3 years.

In a solo gig there's a LOT of reasons not to.
For one thing mixing is WAY easier when you're by yourself.
Since everything's coming from the mains, you can clearly hear how the guitar is mixed in the PA as opposed to having an amp behind you.
When there's an amp behind you it's difficult to tell how loud it is out front whereas if everything's only coming thru the PA it's easy to tell.

So I've been using modelers and specifically a Digitech RP360 which I think is THE bang-for-the-buck modeler.

So I have it very tweaked and dialed-in ..... sounds good and I get lots of compliments on my tone both from no-nothing audience members but also from musicians that happen by.

So I've grown complacent about my tone knowing it's pretty good.

Sunday I had a gig with the duo in a setting that allowed an amp so I took my Mesa Blue Angel.
The Blue Angel is VERY different than any other Mesa.
It's single channel ...... doesn't even have a master volume!
No bells and whistles .... just volume, bass treble, middle and 'verb .... as basic as an amp gets.

I started out with that "Should I just use my modelers?" question.
My modeler sounds about as good as an amp right?

hahahaha ..... not even close!
The immediacy of the amp right off was all by itself a wonderful thing ..... plus not the slightest trace of fizz at all ..... not minimal fizz .... just NO fizz!
And a beautiful 'verb that a digital 'verb only hints at.
I was gobsmacked by how much better the amp sounded.

Will I start hauling it around for solo gigs?
No ..... there are some very real reasons to use a modeler on a solo gig.

But man, I'm gonna be looking for opportunities to use my amps more.
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muttley
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Re: gigged with an amp for the first time in a couple of years.

Post by muttley »

:like:

Personally I cant get along with modellers for live stuff, I can see how they benefit you though. I just dont get the umph and warmth I like in my amps. I'm no live tone guru, I just prefer to plug in in, dial it close and tinker for a tune or two until I'm set. No pedals, no processing, just a volume pedal for some guits and some gigs if the guitar aint got one. I dont do any solo gigs though and even the duo stuff is left for us to carve up how we want.

Thats a nice amp BTW I used one for a while, surprisingly versatile for a no frills. I remember it being very immediate and crystal sharp with its response. A little too unforgiving at times.. at least for my chops.:redface:
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Lt. Bob
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Re: gigged with an amp for the first time in a couple of years.

Post by Lt. Bob »

muttley wrote: Tue Dec 19, 2017 2:25 pm

Thats a nice amp BTW I used one for a while, surprisingly versatile for a no frills. I remember it being very immediate and crystal sharp with its response. A little too unforgiving at times..
lol ..... it's definitely unforgiving ....... I hadn't thought of it that way before but that's a good description.
Play sloppy and sloppy goes right out to the house!
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Re: gigged with an amp for the first time in a couple of years.

Post by WhiskeyJack »

Lt. Bob wrote: Tue Dec 19, 2017 2:17 pm No bells and whistles .... just volume, bass treble, middle and 'verb .... as basic as an amp gets.
I like this. had no clue mesa made such simple rigs.

Great share Lt.Bob. Always nice to get reacquainted with an old friend!!!
:happytrees:
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Lt. Bob
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Re: gigged with an amp for the first time in a couple of years.

Post by Lt. Bob »

WhiskeyJack wrote: Tue Dec 19, 2017 3:23 pm
Lt. Bob wrote: Tue Dec 19, 2017 2:17 pm No bells and whistles .... just volume, bass treble, middle and 'verb .... as basic as an amp gets.
I like this. had no clue mesa made such simple rigs.

Great share Lt.Bob. Always nice to get reacquainted with an old friend!!!
It's the only one they made I believe.
It does have two sets of power tubes though so I guess they just had to do something.

it has 2 6V6s and 4 EL84s ..... you can use either set or both together and you do get different tones and output from them.

I tend to use the 4 EL84s .... for 33 watts and that Vox chime.

But on this gig I used the 2 6V6s...... 18 watts and a more middy sorta sound.
The tech at Mesa I talked to said one of their primary things was to have the very best sounding reverb and it does have a glorious reverb,
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muttley
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Re: gigged with an amp for the first time in a couple of years.

Post by muttley »

Lt. Bob wrote: Tue Dec 19, 2017 6:36 pm
WhiskeyJack wrote: Tue Dec 19, 2017 3:23 pm

I like this. had no clue mesa made such simple rigs.

Great share Lt.Bob. Always nice to get reacquainted with an old friend!!!
It's the only one they made I believe.
I DOES have two sets of power tubes so I guess they just had to do something.
it has 2 6V6s and 4 EL84s ..... you can use either set or both together and you do get different tones and output from them.

I tend to use the 4 EL84s .... for 33 watts.
But on this gig I used the 2 6V6s...... 18 watts and a more middy sorta sound.
Thats where the versatility came from to mind. I chopped it in for a nice little AER. I still use that a lot and I can put it on the passenger seat and hump it with ease. It wins for that alone in my book... I wish I still had it but right now stuff in my life has to earn its place.
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Re: gigged with an amp for the first time in a couple of years.

Post by vomitHatSteve »

I've got a friend who was a tube purist until he got an Axe FX. Now he's the biggest evangelist for modelers!

The way I see it, your job as a musician is to make your instrument sound good, and the sound guy's job is to make you loud enough. If you can accomplish your job with a modeler, go for it. It will certainly make the sound guy's job easier.
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Lt. Bob
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Re: gigged with an amp for the first time in a couple of years.

Post by Lt. Bob »

lol ........ soundguy ...... ain't no soundguy ...... I'M the soundguy!
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Re: gigged with an amp for the first time in a couple of years.

Post by Minerman »

Lt. Bob wrote: Wed Dec 20, 2017 12:32 pm lol ........ soundguy ...... ain't no soundguy ...... I'M the soundguy!
Bob's the soundguy, the lightguy, the guitarguy, the bassguy, the drumguy, the vocalguy, & if that ain't enough, he helps the roadies carry/set up/tear down the gear, plus drives the van/truck too when he's needed...

:lollers:
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My music @ Reverbnation :minernuggs:
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Bill L
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Re: gigged with an amp for the first time in a couple of years.

Post by Bill L »

I've tried gigging with a modeler, Digitech RP 1000, into a tube amp (a '66 Bassman and/or a 71 Twin) and I could never make it sound consistently good. High fizz, as mentioned and I noticed the character of the guitar disappears. I now mostly use a Princeton with a Blues Driver and occasionally a Wah. No matter which guitar I use people always compliment me on my tone. The other set up is a Deluxe Hot Rod III with a bunch of pedals. I'm trying to eliminate as many of the pedals as I can but I have to keep a couple around for versatility. The one pedal I can do without; delay. I almost never use delay anymore. And when I did it was only during solos.
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Re: gigged with an amp for the first time in a couple of years.

Post by muttley »

Bill L wrote: Wed Dec 20, 2017 4:30 pm I've tried gigging with a modeler, Digitech RP 1000, into a tube amp (a '66 Bassman and/or a 71 Twin) and I could never make it sound consistently good. High fizz, as mentioned and I noticed the character of the guitar disappears. I now mostly use a Princeton with a Blues Driver and occasionally a Wah. No matter which guitar I use people always compliment me on my tone. The other set up is a Deluxe Hot Rod III with a bunch of pedals. I'm trying to eliminate as many of the pedals as I can but I have to keep a couple around for versatility. The one pedal I can do without; delay. I almost never use delay anymore. And when I did it was only during solos.
I love my Princeton and use it every time the gig allows. Prolly the most underrated sound in the history of popular music.
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Lt. Bob
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Re: gigged with an amp for the first time in a couple of years.

Post by Lt. Bob »

Even though the RP360 is far down the line and cheap ($150 ) ..... it sounds way better than the 1000 ..... supposed to be a newer chip.
Sounds and feels a lot better and is about the least fizzy modeler I've tried though I haven't tried an axe fx but they're a LOT more money.

At 150 bucks to me the RP360 is a no-brainer even if it's just for emergencies.
I'll give you my patches ...... I'll try to do some clips next week.

I don't run it into a tube amp usually though I have .... but typically direct into the PA.
if I were gonna carry a tube amp around then I'd just use the tube amp and a conventional pedalboard.

But the entire point of this is to not have an amp behind me so I can mix everything from where I'm standing
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