General Music Chat

Well my rig is finally complete (finally got something that makes me happy!)

With my stretched finances over the last 4 years, putting together a "semi-pro" rig has been an extreme challenge. Here's my list of gear I've gone thru on my way to harmonic bliss. Excluding guitars..(keep in mind this is over 4 year period and about 300 total gigs)

Line 6 spider 75
Gnx3000

sold the line 6 on CL, bought fender frontman 212
Blew up fender, returned for a Peavey KB amp
Didn't like the peavey, returned it, went back to Line 6 spider 75

Gnx3000 pedal failed, replaced with Boss GT-6
Traded in Line 6 amp, bought marshall mg-100 halfstack
Marshall MG sucked ass, returned it and bought used valvestate halfstack
Didn't like GT-6, sold on CL, bought GT-10
Didn't like the GT-10, sold on CL, bought another gnx3000 on CL

gnx3000 failed with same issue as previous one.. ugh
Bought a velcro powered pedal board, bunch of pedals...
Swapped in and out pedals .. never really found the sound I wanted or even liked. Was frustrated with only a few different distortions and effects.
Had to pawn marshall halfstack to pay for car repairs on a really bad month. Here you don't get to buy it back, you sell it to them Didn't love it anyways.
Used a line 6 spider 75 borrowed for a while
Found a marshall valvestate half stack online (different model than last one).

Finally went to different guitar forums and tried explaining what I was looking for in a rig. Ended up getting a digitech gsp1101 rack effect, and controller pedal and also a rack case and single slot power conditioner rack.

Started having issues with the valvestate head.. get's hot / cold (loud, then soft), crackly knobs that cut out sometimes.. not gig worthy.

went to amp forums and discussed my unhappiness with amps and tones. A lot of people in digitech gsp forums recommended a few different rack heads, and solid state. I ended up buying a ART SLA-2 power amp, and I LOVE IT. Tones exploded. I redid all my eq and models on the GSP and had my first gig with the new rig and it sounded 20x better on stage than ever before. Playing out the power amp into the marshall 4x10 cab still. Might replace that with a 2x12 someday, but it sounds great as is.

Yay.

there is only one amp,
all the rest are compromises.

I love that 75w Line6 Spiderjam amp.
it will do so much, but I find it weak when
it comes to performing. I think your right in
switching to the pedal, and I'm totally
impressed with that digitech stuff. I'm using the
Digitech GNX 3000, or the Digitech RP12, running it
through a amp and equalizer then into the PA, there both
excellent, I haven't got them totally figured out yet,
I only wish they had a loop function.

I love that 75w Line6 Spiderjam amp.
it will do so much, but I find it weak when
it comes to performing. I think your right in
switching to the pedal, and I'm totally
impressed with that digitech stuff. I'm using the
Digitech GNX 3000, or the Digitech RP12, running it
through a amp and equalizer then into the PA, there both
excellent, I haven't got them totally figured out yet,
I only wish they had a loop function.

The 3000 is a good fx pedal, the problem is that it's durability is about 100 gigs. Both of mine had the same issue where the tone just got "screechy" at first barely noticeable, but increasingly worse. The GSP rack is essentially the same, but with a lot more models, more fx, etc.. Better footswitch, far more durable too

SORRY JCP but marshall "tone" while cool when I was 18-35, no longer appeals to me. I still love a great marshall tone, I just don't want to be married to it. Using a power amp allows me to get an uncolored tone and let the modeler do it's job. I get 35 different heads at my fingertips, and about 40 cabs (thanks to a programmer who added firmware updates and new heads!) I'm about flexibility

Hmm maybe I will do a demo soon, show off the tones

I havent had a song uploaded here in like 2 years

Kramer

Sounds you had some fun with that. I'll be glad to hear the output.

For once in my life I'm least temporarily satisfied with my gear.

I'm running a Fender Mustang V head with a Marshal 4 x 12. Great sound.

A Marshal head would be ideal for me - that's my favorite sound - but lugging that darn boat anchor gets old. And the light weight (comparatively) Fender gets close enough to the sound(s) I want.

For Bass I have a WorkingMan stack - puts it out. Sounds almost good enough. Would probably replace it when next I play in a band.

Talbot

The search continues.

I love my MARSHALL CLASS 5.
Running my ES 339 into it roars or purrs depending in bridge / neck PU and or volume pot settings.

Even at just 5 watts I felt like I was riding the lightning at the show we did Saturday in Baytown. So did my drummer.

Wish they would make this amp with an internal load and a line out.
Guess I'm going to have to eventually drop for an attenuator.

The band is running Shure wireless mics now . . . man they are good.

Don't forget pink guitars

Cool thread Kramer.

I kinda have grown to like the digital area of preamps, Ive shared on here that I have a POD PRO with the big footpedal, I have 9 banks with 4 setting in each, its a pain to get the levels leveled out in those things, but I spent a lot of time with it, and have some killer tones in my mind in there.

Of course what I use in my cover band is way overkill.

Mesa Triple Rec head, loaded with 6V6 tubes, they are lower power than 6L6s and EL34s, so they tend to breakup a little quicker which suits my style.

Pedals, I have a wireless>boss tuner>bad horsie wah wah>TS-9>Rocktron Black Jack (nasty distortion)> Whammy II>EVH Phasor>Boss Compressor> Line 6 Delay Modeler> amp

I use two 4x12s, an old Laney which is a very topend sounding cab, and a Mesa 4x12. I like using both cabs because they compliment each other tone wise, not really for volume.

If I were gigging as much as you do, I would probably get some sort of power amp and a 2x12 cab to match with the POD PRO.

I have used the POD PRO straight into our pa a few times with no amp, and it sounds really good.

But there again my cover band we tend to do the overkill on everything, just goes with my Spinal Tap side!

The only thing I would like to add, would be a talk box, and Ive come real close to pulling the trigger on one, its just we only do 3-4 songs where it would be useful.

But all in all, Im very happy with my big rig, it gets the tones I want, Im kinda of a JCM 800Marshall tone kinda guy even thou I dont play a Marshall. Or at least thats what it sounds like to me, you would have to judge that yourself on some of those videos I posted, but I love the way my guitar comes thru, it just cuts. If I were playing in a top 40 band I know I would need to tone it down a bit.

JCP, do you use an attenuator ? (love those KT 88's)

I have a similar amp but it has no master volume and I don't like being that loud. (Actually it inhibits what I will play at any given point because it is so damn loud.) I don't want to mod it either.

What do you do?

Volume pedal ? How do you cope with an amp that is as loud as a 747?

PS: If you ever had one of these 1959's, you know that the good tone is only when you set the amp up and it's LOUD. If you don't turn it up on the settings, it sounds different. Kind of like a Fender Bassman Ten, warm, clean and not really all that useful unless that's the tone/sound you like.

JCP, do you use an attenuator ? (love those KT 88's)

I have a similar amp but it has no master volume and I don't like being that loud. (Actually it inhibits what I will play at any given point because it is so damn loud.) I don't want to mod it either.

What do you do?

Volume pedal ? How do you cope with an amp that is as loud as a 747?

PS: If you ever had one of these 1959's, you know that the good tone is only when you set the amp up and it's LOUD. If you don't turn it up on the settings, it sounds different. Kind of like a Fender Bassman Ten, warm, clean and not really all that useful unless that's the tone/sound you like.

well compared to the twin or the mesa MkIII it's not that loud, but it can be
I don't use anything on it attenuator or other wise,
I use this amp old school just plug the guitar straight in with out any boxes or what have you.
set it between 4 and 7 and use the guitar controls.
it's marvelous.

yes these amp have a sound all there own but that sound is still sought after.
if you want that killer distortion that is still is the holy grail you basically have to dime the amp.
I don't do that very often.
but still people are inventing boxes and jtm45 copies that claim to give you what clapton had in 65'
it really is the amp that needs nothing
if you're brave enough to play it that way.

lol Wow.

I don't use too much in the way of effects, but I can't really get this thing too high without RUNNING for a set of ear plugs.

If I don't use them, my ears will ring for days, not hours..

These amps abuse anyone dumb enough to stand near them.
I played mine at an outdoor thing not too long ago and I was actually hiding behind it, it was so freaking loud.

The thing sounds great but all that volume is really only good for the freaking East Rutherford/Giants stadium/Big Venue thing.
It basically was so loud the drummer was having a problem hearing himself and I was afraid my ear plugs would fail and I would be left deaf as a stone.

lol Wow.

I don't use too much in the way of effects, but I can't really get this thing too high without RUNNING for a set of ear plugs.

If I don't use them, my ears will ring for days, not hours..

These amp abuses anyone dumb enough to stand near them.
I played mine at an outdoor thing not too long ago and I was actually hiding behind it, it was so freaking loud.

The thing sounds great but all that volume is really only good for the freaking East Rutherford/Giants stadium/Big Venue thing.
It basically was so loud the drummer was having a problem hearing himself and I was afraid my ear plugs would fail and I would be left deaf as a stone.

is that a el34 circuit?

No, actually mine are 6550's and some tubes I can't ID.

I have one tube that is supposed to be a 6550 and It's just HUGE, it has no marking either (that I can see) but it's visibly bigger than a 6550.

The head is very smooth and warm, clean and clear for days.
The trouble is the volume. It's just overbearingly loud and I am really used to something much softer and understated.

I got it off of eBay from Texas and the thing is unlike any other 1959 I ever met. I was thinking I was going to try and throw a MV mod into it but I'm afraid it will change the circuit in a way I don't like so mostly I just don't use it.

I designed all my power amplifiers and pre amps myself from scratch. I use Celestions, JBL's, and Altec Lansing speakers in my cabinets. So far I haven't had gear envy for anything commercial.

But I do know how it is so be completely satisfied with all your gear. I hope you get there. Actually I hope every musician gets to that point in their life.