Church-friendly amps?

[neosadist]

All,

I've recently been tasked to find what amp we should buy for our church/chapel. Me and the other guitarist run our signal like this:

Me and Aaron -> Amp -> Direct Box -> Sound Board

We only use the amp as a sort of monitor. Eventually we'll get another direct box and run separately into the sound board. The ideal method we think is to run both of our guitars (from our processors: he has a Boss GT8 and I have a Boss ME50) into the direct boxes (one for each of us) into the board, with the "extra output" going into an amp.

We have a keyboard amp made by Roland right now that we're using as a sort of amp, since it has many input channels. However, while we both sound great in the house, we sound like garbage through that amp.

Basically, given our situation, do any of you have any ideas on what amp or monitor we should get? Thanks! I'm thinking multiple inputs with a Line Out jack, and preferably not high-wattage. The amp should probably be as clean as possible, i.e. very transparent sound, and accurate. I'd like a tube amp with two inputs, or maybe a monitor configured for our situation.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Church-friendly amps?

Ditch the ME50 and get another GT-8.

As long as you guys have a good monitor mix, you'll be able to run both GT's straight into the board and sound great.

if the monitor situation is less than optimal, get a pair of Tech 21 Power Engines. These will serve as powered monitors for guitar.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Church-friendly amps?

Stay away from Diezels... those things are demonic

 

[Animal]

Re: Church-friendly amps?

Ashdown Fallen Angel.

 

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: Church-friendly amps?

I think anything with a volume knob should do the trick

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Church-friendly amps?

Well, the faceplate of a Peavex XXX is sure to cause a ruckus... maybe use aschecter w/ stripper inlays to boot.....

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Church-friendly amps?

This is my setup:

Guitar-->Dynacomp-->Line6 POD xt Live--> direct box-->PA.

I use the direct (Hi-Z) out of the direct box to send a signal to a Hartke B30 Bass combo amp that I use as a monitor.

What are the monitoring capabilities in your church? For a long time, I had a dedicated monitor send for my signals. The only reason that I no longer use that setup is because they needed the monitor send for something else. Also, having my little combo amp in front of me gives me the ability to turn up the volume if the stage volume gets out of hand.

A small bass or keyboard combo works well when you are using the processor's amp models for coloring your tone. Basically, you need an amp that provides a relatively "flat" response, essentially serving as a personal PA.

What is your budget?

Here's the new version of my amp: B300

This Peavey would work as well: KB1

Again, if you want your tone to come from the processor, you DO NOT want an electric guitar amp (do a search here for POD setup/amp recommendations).

 

[drpietrzak]

Re: Church-friendly amps?

I have done similar things when playing in churches. If you are really only using it as a monitor it is working as a PA and not an amp. In that case a direct box like a PODxt, Tonelab, Womanizer, etc to the monitor and the board would work pretty well.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Church-friendly amps?

I've heard some church bands that rock out play pretty loudly...but to me that's inappropriate in a church setting. I like to use one or two 18 - 20 watt amps, like a Fender tweed Deluxe or Deluxe Reverb. I'll often use my 5E3 Fender Deluxe amps and hook two up in stereo using a Boss Stereo Digital Delay or Stereo Reverb to split the signal. Using two small amps in stereo gives me a wide strong sound without being being to directional and blowing out the eardrums of the folks in the front row...

 

[neosadist]

Re: Church-friendly amps?

Ditch the ME50 and get another GT-8. As long as you guys have a good monitor mix, you'll be able to run both GT's straight into the board and sound great. if the monitor situation is less than optimal, get a pair of Tech 21 Power Engines. These will serve as powered monitors for guitar.

1) No thanks, I love my ME50 and hate amp modelling.
2) We can't run straight into the board without buying a 200 foot 1/4" cable. The "snake" is on the "stage", so we need to run into a direct box and into XLR. Not my setup, granted....
3) I was reading about the Tech 21 power engines, and they look nice. Can you give me more info on how they sound? And do they make something similar with dual input with XLR output? (would save using a direct box and/or buying two of 'em)

 

[neosadist]

Re: Church-friendly amps?

This is my setup: Guitar-->Dynacomp-->Line6 POD xt Live--> direct box-->PA. I use the direct (Hi-Z) out of the direct box to send a signal to a Hartke B30 Bass combo amp that I use as a monitor. What are the monitoring capabilities in your church?

Few to none. The drummer and vocalists already have all the monitors set up. I'd prefer the standard "plug into amp and mic it to board" setup, but alas....

For a long time, I had a dedicated monitor send for my signals. The only reason that I no longer use that setup is because they needed the monitor send for something else. Also, having my little combo amp in front of me gives me the ability to turn up the volume if the stage volume gets out of hand. A small bass or keyboard combo works well when you are using the processor's amp models for coloring your tone. Basically, you need an amp that provides a relatively "flat" response, essentially serving as a personal PA. What is your budget?

I'm not sure, but I'd think that it needs to be as cheap as possible as long as the quality doesn't go lacking. The Fender Fm212R Combo Amp is actually looking good because it has dual input and one Line Out.... I'd prefer something simple, tube driven, with two inputs and one Line Out (or direct XLR out but that's rare to find in a dual input model).

Here's the new version of my amp: B300
This Peavey would work as well: KB1
Again, if you want your tone to come from the processor, you DO NOT want an electric guitar amp (do a search here for POD setup/amp recommendations).

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Church-friendly amps?

This is my setup:

Guitar-->Dynacomp-->Line6 POD xt Live--> direct box-->PA.

I use the direct (Hi-Z) out of the direct box to send a signal to a Hartke B30 Bass combo amp that I use as a monitor.

What are the monitoring capabilities in your church? For a long time, I had a dedicated monitor send for my signals. The only reason that I no longer use that setup is because they needed the monitor send for something else. Also, having my little combo amp in front of me gives me the ability to turn up the volume if the stage volume gets out of hand.

A small bass or keyboard combo works well when you are using the processor's amp models for coloring your tone. Basically, you need an amp that provides a relatively "flat" response, essentially serving as a personal PA.

What is your budget?

Here's the new version of my amp: B300

This Peavey would work as well: KB1

Again, if you want your tone to come from the processor, you DO NOT want an electric guitar amp (do a search here for POD setup/amp recommendations).

When I play at church I plug my GT-8 into my SWR Strawberry Blonde with the tweeter off. I take a balanced signal from the SWR to the board. I don't have a very good monitoring system there. :burnout:

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Church-friendly amps?

"Direct" simply means without going through an amplifier. Whether it is a 100' instrument cable or the cable snake via direct box is immaterial. The direct box simply changes the Hi-Z (impedence) signal to Low-Z.

The only problem with using the direct out from an amp is that you lose the tonal qualities of the speaker. However, it can be a workable solution.

If you are bypassing the amp models, then an electric guitar amp can work fine. Are you sure you need 100w? Granted, that's solidstate wattage, but when I used my Peavey Bandit 112, I never played above 1.5 on the volume (mic'd).

How big is the chapel? Is it traditionally designed (as in alot of 'live' acoutic properties)?

 

[neosadist]

Re: Church-friendly amps?

"Direct" simply means without going through an amplifier. Whether it is a 100' instrument cable or the cable snake via direct box is immaterial. The direct box simply changes the Hi-Z (impedence) signal to Low-Z. The only problem with using the direct out from an amp is that you lose the tonal qualities of the speaker. However, it can be a workable solution. If you are bypassing the amp models, then an electric guitar amp can work fine. Are you sure you need 100w? Granted, that's solidstate wattage, but when I used my Peavey Bandit 112, I never played above 1.5 on the volume (mic'd). How big is the chapel? Is it traditionally designed (as in alot of 'live' acoutic properties)?

I don't need 100W, trust me
The chapel is probably, i dunno, 200 feet long from front to back? It's not large, it's about medium for a chapel.