Musician Gear & Tech Discussion

I've been singing and playing acoustic guitar with a Fishman Solo. But with no more than just a couple pieces of outboard gear it takes too long to set up. I play restaurants and coffee bars, so I don't need a lot of sound reinforcement. In fact, my original intent was to play places that had good natural acoustics, where sound reinforcement would not be necessary. But I found that even small crowds' bodies soak up the sound like a sponge. So, I had this idea. Most of the places I play have their own internal sound system for radio. And I was wondering if it might work to just use a wireless mic and guitar pickup, transmitted to a receiver plugged into the house stereo. Would a limiter be needed to protect their gear? Any merit in this idea?

I've been singing and playing acoustic guitar with a Fishman Solo. But with no more than just a couple pieces of outboard gear it takes too long to set up. I play restaurants and coffee bars, so I don't need a lot of sound reinforcement. In fact, my original intent was to play places that had good natural acoustics, where sound reinforcement would not be necessary. But I found that even small crowds' bodies soak up the sound like a sponge. So, I had this idea. Most of the places I play have their own internal sound system for radio. And I was wondering if it might work to just use a wireless mic and guitar pickup, transmitted to a receiver plugged into the house stereo. Would a limiter be needed to protect their gear? Any merit in this idea?

I think the idea has merit ...
The biggest variable might be compatibility with the types of sound systems you would encounter.

I hear great things about the Bose systems that use a radial speaker tower for the applications you mention here.
Set back would be $$

Bose is proud of these systems.

I always hated using a house system cause you never know how it will sound, and if something happens to it while you are using it, then they have thier hand out.

For a solo acoustic I would look into an amp for your mic and guitar, so you would know what you were going to sound like ahead of time, plus they have very small units available.

Good Luck

I always hated using a house system cause you never know how it will sound, and if something happens to it while you are using it, then they have their hand out.

ECCHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!!

I played/backed up a friend of mine at a local dive bar in PA. I won't mention the name because they might get mad and ya never know who is watching. lol

In any case, all the musicians in this area know this place has FUCT wiring in it. We also know that stuff does happen at this venue, so we generally bring a power conditioner so that hopefully even when their stuff goes POOF, ours does not.

This night, he forgot his PL-8.
http://www.furmansound.com/product.php?div=01&id=PL-8C

Something went loco and his amp got f'ed up, with a little poof of smoke.

They just offhandedly said "you should have known better".

We sat for a little bit, sipping a strong drink or 5.

20 minutes later, the bar manager comes in from the basement and gives us the all clear sign. He asks if we are going to go back up and play some more.

My friend looks at me with eyes bulging. I turned to the bar manager and said, "not unless you have an amp to give us to replace the one we just burned up". He shrugged his shoulders and walked.

"If the power sucks, don't chance your equipment and invest in a good power conditioner that goes EVERYWHERE with you or else".

Anyone ever tried one of those Countryman E6i mics? I have a Countryman DI which I chose over all the other DIs on the market simply because that's what I'd seen used in studios. Countryman makes the headset mic (condenser), but not the transmitter/receiver part. The mic is made to work with any system (you have to choose the transmitter brand when ordering the mic). I wouldn't know which system is best, or even how to find out. I would instinctively gravitate toward Beyer, EV, or Sennheiser, but only because I have no experience with the newer brands. Nady seems to have clout. Then there's the ubiquitous Shure. When it's all said and done, I'd have to go with sound clarity. Which system will best translate the nuances of a condenser mic? That's what I'd like to know.

Scotty, I always carry a circut tester and a circut finder in my gig bag! am I Anal? Maybe a little
The circut tester I carry is one of those little ones that are basically a plug and tells you by comparing the 3 lights at the end if the outlet is wired and properly grounded! The Circut finder you insert the little plug then go to the breaker panel and run the other end and it identify's which circut that outlet is on that way I can run extension chords to 3 seperate circuts and not overloading any of them (hopefully)!
This is a pain the first time you play at a club, bar, or dive but after you play there the first time you know where the circuts are at and it is easy from there on! Also when you ask where the breaker panel is at you get some wierd looks (like your anal or something)!

More to the point, which system seems like it might work best with the Countryman E6i?