Urgent!!! Gig On Friday

[Gunny47]

Okay, so I got a gig with my band on Friday at this Battle of the Bands type thing sponsored by D.A.R.E. - the anti-drug people and I got in because the drummer knows this police officer or something. So I really can't wait. The drummer calls up yesteday and says, "Dude, you gotta bring your own gear." It is the first gig that I am able to use my Gibson GA5 amp on (I got it a few months ago and havent had a gig since). Of course, the thing is small (and like 6 watts) and not the loudest thing in the world so my drummer (his dad knows everything about how amps work and stuff like that so hes going to mic it up for me). I don't have a mic and I dont want to take a chance of the people not having a mic on stage (an extra one for the amp) so the drummer's dad is going to bring one for me.

When I do gigs where I need oto bring my own gear, I used to bring my Vox Valvetronix 15 watt (yea, kinda sad) and then I miked that up and used a footswitch to switch between my pre-set clean and my pre-set overdrive (the thing has 2 presetable channels). Other times, the places that I gig have their own amps and stuff, well 2 places, and one of them is where I play most of the time. And its like a school type place so they let us reherse there too. Its a hybrid Marshall (a real old beat up one) with chorus in it (its a 2 x 12) and I absolutely love that sucker!

Now, I really want to use my Gibson amp with my Fulltone OCD miked. I want to crank the amp to ten and use the OCD as a booster - I need a lot of gain because Im playing Sweet Child O Mine and if I want the neck pickup to cut through, especially on that intro lick, its going to be a lot of gain. I tried it in my house about an hour ago and it sounds good (of course, I did it when no one was home, it was loud, but my dad doesnt mind when I got the amp up to full blast because hes deaf, has his door closed and listens to dark side of the moon all the time, really loud.

Anyway, the distortion sounded great, but there is one song were doing that will only sound good clean - Pink Floyd's Time... There's the problem. If I got this amp cranked, how am I going to make it clean and keep the volume? Sweet Child O Mine has some clean parts, but they dont need to be too loud, so I can roll the guitars volume down. But when Im playing lead on time (not during the solos), what should I do? I tried using the Fulltone OCD at high volumes and low gain levels, it did nothing. I tried rolling the guitar volume down, it got too quiet. And then obviously turned the amp down to clean and its too quiet. And Im not going to go back to the amp while Im playing. I can always try to play Time distorted, but it will sound stupid, especially the outro thing that sounds like breathe. Any suggestions? I need your replies FAST!! Thanks a lot.

 

[75lespaul]

Re: Urgent!!! Gig On Friday

If you've still got the Vox, bring that and set it up for clean then use that amp for Time. The Fulltone will give you all the distortion you need for solos and stuff.

I would figure that Gibson to have a sweet clean sound, more than loud enough for a miced gig and the Fulltone OCD should give you great distortion. All depends on the sound system and sound man too. You may need to get a higher watt amp if you have this problem in the future.

 

[BluesGuyJ]

Re: Urgent!!! Gig On Friday

I would do what was suggested above.

After friday, look into an amp that is more suited for gigs. 30/50 watt combo.

Those gibsons sound sweet but dont cut through all that well.

 

[Gunny47]

Re: Urgent!!! Gig On Friday

Yea, I think Im going to do it miked, but not too loud and then crank the amp all the way. I tried turning the guitar volume down to about 5 or so and it loses enough gain. I mean, the beginning of time (the part where it say "taking away the moments that make up...") is kinda heavy. He hits like the first note of the chord and then smacks the rest on the next beat. So it might sound cool slightly distorted. I just wish I had a chorus pedal, I was using chorus on that valvestate Marshall (I think its called the Super Chorus 820 or something like that - im not sure of the number).

Or I might mike the amp when the volume on the amp is halfway, and use the OCD at high gain levels, but it might not be heavy enough for Sweet Child. Ill have to see when I get to the place. Theyll let me check stuff out before the show.

 

[J Moose]

Re: Urgent!!! Gig On Friday

I dunno dude...

What's your volume like in rehearsals? Can you hear yourself with a 6 watt amp? Sometimes I haul out a 15 watt Pro Jr. & a 2x12 and that's JUST enough to get over the drummer and hang with a small (200-300 watt) bass rig if I come close to diming it.

Even with a mic it might not be loud enough for you to hear yourself. And then you'll have to deal with getting the amp to come back at you in the monitors & lets face it...getting that "right" in a small festival setting with a soundmonkey who might know enough to dangerous isn't my idea of a good time.

The other thing is that if the amp isn't loud enough the microphone can & will probably pick up "stage hash" like the snare drum, high hats, maybe some bass guitar too...so when the sound monkey turns YOU up, all the other stuff comes along for the ride and the guitar won't really get 'louder'.

Can't you borrow a bigger amp from someone? Surely you've gotta have a friend with some kinda 40 or 50 amp...maybe a 1x12 or even a half-stack (which is overkill IMO) to get you loud enough.