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No thanks.

Just came from a bar where the band that the guitarist who was in my band last year plays now. They do a lot of 80s-type cover songs. And so fricking loud my ears were ringing after 5 songs - and I was off to the side near the bar. I left before I had more hearing issues.

Too loud to talk, too loud to even order a drink. Today's amps and PA systems are capable of so much more volume than what we used 30+ years ago.

GuitarMikeB wrote:No thanks.

Just came from a bar where the band that the guitarist who was in my band last year plays now. They do a lot of 80s-type cover songs. And so fricking loud my ears were ringing after 5 songs - and I was off to the side near the bar. I left before I had more hearing issues.

Too loud to talk, too loud to even order a drink. Today's amps and PA systems are capable of so much more volume than what we used 30+ years ago.

So, you are officially too old?

earplugs?

Mordgeld wrote:So, you are officially too old?

Maybe. I was deaf in my right ear for 5 days after seeing Led Zeppelin on the Song Remains the Same tour.

schmedidiah wrote:earplugs?

That won't let you order a drink!

Joking aside, why is it necessary to play so loud?

To be honest, I'm all prepped up with a 20W 1x12" mini stack because I realize how freaking loud you can get even a 5W tube amp. What is half as loud as a 100W amp? If you said 50W...wrong. 10W is half as loud.

I'd have to say the loudest show I've ever been at was Judas Priest/Megadeth back in the 90's.

Mordgeld wrote:To be honest, I'm all prepped up with a 20W 1x12" mini stack because I realize how freaking loud you can get even a 5W tube amp. What is half as loud as a 100W amp? If you said 50W...wrong. 10W is half as loud.

I'd have to say the loudest show I've ever been at was Judas Priest/Megadeth back in the 90's.

I saw that tour. I think I've seen louder though. AC/DC in 91 destroyed my hearing tho. standing 20' from a cannon and a bunch of Marshall stacks.

A friend of mine brought over a 20watt Orange amp and we plugged it into my Marshal 4x12 cab . It cranked it out. I normally use a 200 Watt Fender Mustang V head (turned way down).

Have they redefined the watt or something?

Talbot

They've just gotten around to giving the preamp section on small amps some good love. Heck, I record a lot of tracks with a 5W Hughes & Kettner. The other guitarist in my band has been using a 20W Orange Terror with the matching 1x12" cab that he tried on a hint from me. "You'd be surprised".

Every band I ever been in played loud.

I'm not so thrilled with loud now.

Saw Ted Nugent in the mid 80s, he was loud, stayed till he played White Buffalo,
then left, he was ruining my buzz.

The third gig at the Budokan in Tokyo on the 17th August went well with no significant problems, other than the acoustics of the hall could have been better. Possible because of this the subject of the monitors came up again and Ian Gillan asked over the mic before Strange Kind of Woman: “Yeah everything up here please. A bit more monitor if you’ve got it.” Then Ritchie asks “Can I have everything louder than everything else?” which Ian Gillan repeats “Yeah, can he have everything louder than everything else.” This remained on the final master.

I saw Deep Purple on Boston Common in 1972. My best friend/rhythm guitarist and I took the bus form cape Cod that afternoon (thinking the show was in the evening). When we got off the bus we could hear the familiar 'Smoke On The Water' chords echoing through the building-lined streets - the concert was about 4 blocks away.
We ran, paid our $5 for tickets at the gate and squeezed into the crowd. It wasn't overly loud at all, but it was outside, too.

Playing loud is just a shortcut to being awesome, if you play loud enough it covers up your mistakes.

Seriously guys stop playing insanely loud, it's a huge reason why venues would just rather opt for a jukebox or dj They are easier to control.

I have great news on this subject. the venue in downtown PHX where I see most of my shows has upgraded it's P.A. system and the ear plugs are not such a serious requirement there anymore. even at Melvins shows.

After years of dabbling with amps, effects etc, in an attempt to get the noise in my head to my hands, at a moderate stage volume, I've come to the conclusion I was offered some time back by a fellow right here.
There is a certain interplay between tube load \ speaker that is yet to have been emulated by "technology".
While "too loud" is most certainly as subjective as "tone", I'm going to run my system at that level that gives me what I want to hear.
Using a 5 watt H&K amp and "green backs" does the trick . . .
That said . . . we've not had any complaints about our house volume by anyone whom actually wanted to be in the music to begin with.