General Music Chat

Well, it's on.

We had our first legitimate practice yesterday, it went quite well. I took a wrong turn and ended up about 5 minutes late, but we were plugged in and playing in about 10 minutes. Acoustics into the PA and mics, low enough volume I had tu turn the Champ down, couldn't play it full blast so it was about 7 on the volume knob, broke a string on my strat, but had a good time.

We went over about 15 songs or so, added a couple to the list to try out or work on, did some solid work on 3 or 4 that we know are definitely on the list, and put in about 4 1/2 hours with one coffee break. The harmonies are falling into place really well, in a couple of cases we stopped and just used one acoustic to get the harmonies right, of course we all screwed up a dozen times and laughed at each other, but it sounded great, I'm really looking forward to this. It's coming along really well so far..

for those who didn't keep up with the other thread, this started as a recording session last week, and we decided to rehearse the song rather than one quick run through and go for it like we did the last couple of times. I got a call a few days ago asking if I would be interested in practicing on a regular basis to try and do some gigs at a few local places that do primarily acoustic on the patio type things. They didn't have to twist my arm...

So it looks like it's going really well so far, planning to work out the drum parts for a keyboard drum machine, mainly to keep time during practice, not sure if we;ll be using in onstage yet or not. We've done that before so no problem.

Also just got my 1974 Fender Champ fixed and working right again, using it for practice is great, we practice at low volume, I don't have to carry a 80lb amp around, and I actually had to turn it down to around 7 yesterday, and it's working out great. I also made a tilt back stand for it out of PVC, and that worked really well. Sitting on the floor it plays to my knees...I don't need it there so the tilt stand is excellent. sounded loads better this time.

I can't wait to see what we sound like after a month or two of practice, the harmonies are our main objective, and those are already working out great, and since we've played together long enough to know what to expect before we do it, all we have to do is brush up on a lot off things. Learning new material is not that difficult, and getting the old stuff together is not only easy but a lot of fun.

It's looking good so far...

Man that sounds great!

I used my little amp sat night, the little 20 watter and it was all I needed unmiced. I only had to carry it, a couple of guitars and of course my pedal board, which Im realizing is way big!

If I keep at it, I may totally change up what Im using amp wise, just to make things more streamlined, just havent decided what that might be yet!

Rock ON

Great news Billy.

We played a funeral Friday.

I had to put Mr Marshall in the baptistry . . .

George

I've played some strange gigs but a funeral? Whew...

Talbot

That's great news Billy! When you guys play out let me know. If given enough notice I sure would like to come see you guys play? Are you still in Texas?

My Takamine acoustic has played at 3 weddings and 2 funerals! I should say I have had the honor of playing it at them!

Thanks guys.

JW - I know your little 20 watter is great, but if you find you need swomething with even less power, definitely check into a Champ, and drop in a 6L6 power tube. By the way I'm using a preamp tube in it that you gave me...

George - I've played a wedding or three but can't say I've ever played a funeral...you might also want to look into a PVC tilt back stand for Mr Marshall. I just got mine finished, and it's great, I love it. Easy to make, looks good, might cost $10 if you have to buy all the parts. At practice Sunday I was surprised how much difference it made having it playing to my face instead of my knees...Anybody who plays a small amp needs one. you can buy factory made models, but lots more expensive and PVC does great if you use the thick wall type. It can also be painted black, I'll probably leave mine white.

Jeff- Yeah I'm in Texas, the Lufkin area, about 3 hours from Houston, I've made that drive a few times, moved here originally from Houston. when we start gigging I'll let you know, it would be great to have someone from Bandmix there. Don't plan on sitting in though, you have to really know most of our stuff to even think about playing it...we do very few things most people can just jump in and follow along...Not sure how long it will be, but we do plan to be doing some gigs locally. Probably not all that long, it won't take us months on end, we're already familiar with each other, and once we remember all the songs we can already do it's a matter of mostly brushing up and getting back into practice in general. Especially me, I haven't touched a guitar in months...By the way I'm playing a Takamine too.

Thanks Billy.
My thing is that even at just 5 watts, for the tone I need cranked, it's just too loud for many of the small venues we play.
I've oft wondered if putting a Tube Screamer in my chain would give me the thick full crunch, and scream I need without the volume.
I just don't want to invest in another piece of equipment that I may not use.
The larger venues, or when we our doing "our show" , not just supportive music for someone else project. The CLASS 5 just rakes man. Mic'ed into the system, I can get the sound I want as loud as I need it, to the various monitor & main systems.
Like everything I really like, it just does not seem to be all that popular with the in crowd.
Guess I'm not . . . cool enough . . .

I know what you mean, at 6 watts I had to turn the Champ down at practice, and I like the way it sounds best cranked to the max. But I don't need the volume in the practice room if everything elswe is already lower volume...so I turned it down, npo problem it still sounds great. The only way I know of to reduce the overall volume level is to use an attenuator, and those can be rough on transformers. I have one and never use it.

A good overdrive pedal might do what you want, it comes closer to a cranked tube amp sound than anything else I know of. I use a Marshall Bluesbreaker overdrive pedal, it does a great job. I also have a Boss distortion pedal I modified, it does ok but not as good as the Bluesbreaker pedal...wish I had a tube screamer, that's the holy grail of overdrive pedals...

I'm not familiar with that little Marshall, but if it has a preamp stage - put the overdrive pedal in front of it and it will slam the preamp and give you what you're looking for I think.
By in front, i mean between your guitar and the input of the amp. Not into the effects loop.
A clean boost pedal will also slam the preamp stage, making more grit.

As a side note, that's why a lot of guys are confused or disappointed in their boost pedals - they don't get the boost in volume they were looking for due to slamming the signal into the preamp.
It has to go in the power amp stage for real volume boost to work - which usually means it goes into the effects loop.

I'm not familiar with that little Marshall, but if it has a preamp stage - put the overdrive pedal in front of it and it will slam the preamp and give you what you're looking for I think.
By in front, i mean between your guitar and the input of the amp. Not into the effects loop.
A clean boost pedal will also slam the preamp stage, making more grit.

As a side note, that's why a lot of guys are confused or disappointed in their boost pedals - they don't get the boost in volume they were looking for due to slamming the signal into the preamp.
It has to go in the power amp stage for real volume boost to work - which usually means it goes into the effects loop.

I have a BB preamp made by Xotic effects that is the best I have heard yet. It doesn't color your amp sound it just slams it like you are describing. JW might try one to use with your clean channel or dirty it sounds awesome!

Billy - the PVC tilt-back is a cheap solution, but its still aiming at yoru nether regions! I made a keyboard stand with 2-1/2" PVC many years ago (still have the pieces in the basement). Painting it doesn't work very well, paint scrapes off easily.
I bought this adjustable small amp stand last year - gets the amp off the floor and tilts so you can get the angle just right to hear things: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RS7705/
Got it for $30 by shopping around, plenty sturdy.

BB preamp? Hmm I think I just saw one for sale..

Billy - the PVC tilt-back is a cheap solution, but its still aiming at yoru nether regions!

OK, do you think I built an amp stand that will not do exactly what I want it to do? I didn't copy something I found on the internet, that's where I got the idea but I designed it myself, to point straight at my face and it does it quite well. Standing 8 feet away it's perfect. That's where I normally put it. Plus, I left the front legs unglued, so I can change them later for longer ones if I need to.

I checked this thing out before it was glued, it's not pointing at my "nether regions", it's definitely in my face, exactly where I want it.

Why don't you share a picture of it? I was thinking that the amp was still sitting on the floor, sounds like you have it elevated? 8 feet away is good, too - half the stage set ups I see lately don't have that much room to work with.