What do you guys use for gigging amps?

[NeedForPower]

I coordinate transportation and travel for 40 or 50 sets of gear. Biggest problem is amps going belly up. Haven't found a bullet proof amp or a crew that didn't drop things on a regular basis. would be nice to have a stash of sure thing amps to cover the KIAs.

 

[atf]

Re: What do you guys use for gigging amps?

I use a vox ac15 vr, with a swapped speaker and tube, sounds very convincing and it's light.

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[Demanic]

Re: What do you guys use for gigging amps?

Depends on the size of the room and whether or not I'm being miced. I could go big or I can go smaller, conceivably a Microcube plugged direct in.

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[jeremy]

Re: What do you guys use for gigging amps?

there is no such thing as a bullet proof amp and crews are always gonna drop stuff unless they know its their ass if they do. if tone isnt a consideration an old peavey bandit is about as bullet proof as it gets. i use an old deluxe reverb most of the time, the new reissues dont sound as good but they are reliable. get a good road case and hope for the best.

 

[Demanic]

Re: What do you guys use for gigging amps?

I don't know. Those old Randall SS heads were about as close to bulletproof as I have ever seen.

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[Chickenwings]

Re: What do you guys use for gigging amps?

I just carry spare tubes

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: What do you guys use for gigging amps?

I gig with my Fender Mustang III if it's a real gig.

If I'm just sitting in or it's a blues jam I'll bring my Deluxe Reverb or Princeton Reverb.

But I haven't plugged into my Princeton or Deluxe Reverb in about a year because the Mustang III does so much and I love the presets that I've created.

With my old Fender amps I'd need pedals onstage to get the sounds I get from the Mustang and I don't like fussing with pedals onstage.

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: What do you guys use for gigging amps?

Are the amps in road cases?

 

[Mincer]

Re: What do you guys use for gigging amps?

I use a Fractal AX8 and go direct. If I am doing a gig with a less-than-pro PA and monitoring, then I bring either an 18 watt Mesa Blue Angel, or the more reliable SS Tech 21 Trademark 60.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: What do you guys use for gigging amps?

I was thinking Randall and Peavey for reliability as well.

The thing is, even solid state amps go down. When we were gigging a lot my guitarist had his Marshall solid state smoke a power FET before a gig, then a Line 6 started going all whacky another time. My Princeton Reverb has blown a tube which took out the transformer. The nice thing about a lot of older tube amps is that they are simple. But no one is going to be replacing a transformer on the side of the stage.

I think the ultimate is flght cases to really protect against falls and having a reasonable amount of spare parts available.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: What do you guys use for gigging amps?

I use a Fractal AX8 and go direct. If I am doing a gig with a less-than-pro PA and monitoring, then I bring either an 18 watt Mesa Blue Angel, or the more reliable SS Tech 21 Trademark 60.

I couldn't do that for long. To me a good guitar speaker is a must.

The Mustang III has a terrific Celestion 12" speaker.

I have a Celestion in most of my tube amps too.

It's "my" sound...even when playing clean.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: What do you guys use for gigging amps?

Are the amps in road cases?

Aha...this thread is about road cases vs. slip covers.

I just use slip covers and transport/handle my gear carefully.

Shoot...I've stopped using hard guitar cases too and now use a gig bag for my solid body guitars.

I'm getting old. Be 68 in Oct. I like to travel light these days.

 

[jeremy]

Re: What do you guys use for gigging amps?

slip covers and gig bags are fine for throwing the amp in the back of the car and driving to a gig. if you are doing any type of touring a road case for the amp and hard case for the guitars are a must if you want your gear protected well.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: What do you guys use for gigging amps?

Wonder if a Marshall or Fender would fit in an old Kustom cabinet? Those things bounce.

 

[NeedForPower]

Re: What do you guys use for gigging amps?

This is why I think the PowerStage is the solution. Put a couple in a well padded briefcase, send it along with the rest of the gear and when an dies and it happens much too frequently you pull a PowerStage out and the show goes on.

 

[jeremy]

Re: What do you guys use for gigging amps?

i have a crate powerblock that i keep in the car for just that reason. doesnt sound as good as my old deluxe but it works just fine

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: What do you guys use for gigging amps?

Wonder if a Marshall or Fender would fit in an old Kustom cabinet? Those things bounce.

My buddy used to ride his old Kustom with castors down wheelchair ramps
On its 42nd tumble out the truck bed it finally separated to its base components

 

[NeedForPower]

Re: What do you guys use for gigging amps?

i have a crate powerblock that i keep in the car for just that reason. doesnt sound as good as my old deluxe but it works just fine

Thats what I need. We looked at Quilter but many of the players didn't like the built in voicing said had trouble getting pedals set up they wanted their amp or a neutral amp. As somebody mentioned old Randals was a popular choice but same problem big and subject to break with handling or age. Thats why the PowerStage looks like the ticket.

 

[Darg1911]

Re: What do you guys use for gigging amps?

Depends on the size of the venue. For dive bars and small clubs I use a Fender 400 PS. For large venues, I use 6 of them.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: What do you guys use for gigging amps?

slip covers and gig bags are fine for throwing the amp in the back of the car and driving to a gig. if you are doing any type of touring a road case for the amp and hard case for the guitars are a must if you want your gear protected well.

I move everything myself and I just gig locally. So slip covers and gigbags work fine for me...even if the bottom of the amps do get a little chewed up. Shoot: a road case is big, heavy and bulky and tears up my upholstery. Just not realistic.

But sure...if I was touring the world all my stuff would be in road cases.