X mfx wtf

[Lazarus1140]

I have been given an opportunity to play with some old friends in a church situation. I just found out today that their current facility is so small that the leaders won't allow amps on stage. This is not that unusal, but it's a bummer for me on many levels.

First, I am a pedal freak and have a decent home made board loaded with pedals I have selected after considerable research, trial and error, and expense. I played for most of the last twelve years with a mic'd amp.

Secondly, although I am not too snobbish to use a multi-effects processor, I find them difficult to use because my vision is less than perfect and the screens are so small ........... and it's really not something I am thrilled about sinking money into right now.

My question is, would a tube type DI box between my pedals and the PA sound OK? I mean, would OD pedals drive the tube in the DI box like they would an amp? Are there any decent ones available that are less expensive than flippin' PODs et al?

Any input or suggestions (other than screw them if they can't take a 112 combo on the stage) will be greatly appreciated? This may be the arm twisting I've needed to motivate me to build an isolation cabinet.

 

[crguti]

Re: X mfx wtf

fftopic:
when people say 'playing in a church'... Do they mean a 'real church' or it's slang for rehersal room?

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: X mfx wtf

fftopic:
when people say 'playing in a church'... Do they mean a 'real church' or it's slang for rehersal room?

Well, I'm not familiar with the phrase used to refer to a rehearsal space. In this case, I have been asked to play in, for lack of a more accurate term, a church band ...... in an actual church.

This probably dates me: My father used to refer to a bottle opener (before beer bottles were sealed with twist-off caps) as a "church key".

 

[eschoendorff]

Re: X mfx wtf

I just picked up a Digitech RP1000 yesterday. The tones straight into my PA are amazing.

An RP500 would prolly be all you'd need...

 

[pinto79]

Re: X mfx wtf

I'm going to be using my POD XT Live this week at the church. Don't REALLY want to, but the 100 Watt Marshall I usually use is otherwise occupied.

Do you have any other options?

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: X mfx wtf

I would have bought a Blackstar HT20 if I could have found one immediately. It has a direct out and you can turn the master volume down so there would be no noise on the platform. Unless something better pops up while I'm at work tomorrow I'll buy a Vox Tonelab ST on the way home. That will leave me Friday night to tweak and store a few presets before rehearsal Saturday.

Here in the metroplex 2o miles out of the way could be considered "on the way home".

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: X mfx wtf

If it's an old-fashioned place that doesn't allow amps on stage, I'm pretty sure you're going to be limited to acoustic instruments and no solos.

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: X mfx wtf

If it's an old-fashioned place that doesn't allow amps on stage, I'm pretty sure you're going to be limited to acoustic instruments and no solos.

I think it's a situation where the sound man has already been given some power and they say the ceilings are really low. There's already an acoustic player. I was invited specifically to play electric and am really more at home playing lead fills than solos. I know the leader and the piano player well enough to know that most songs will be more keyboard than guitar driven.

Still, almost a year and a half playing guitar alone in my room is about all the sonic masturbation I can stand.

The best sounding church band I've ever heard uses effect boards and tube amp heads on stage and the speaker cabs are moderately loud and mic'd in an isolated room.

 

[trevorus]

Re: X mfx wtf

I have a 5 watt valve junior for just such an occasion!

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: X mfx wtf

I have a 15 W Palomino but I don't really like the sound.

 

[Reload in 5]

Re: X mfx wtf

Its not just "old fashioned" places that dont allow amps on stage.
A POD for the guitar, a POD for the bass, an acoustic, piano, keyboards and V drums make it very easy for the sound guy to get a good balanced sound. Even a 5 watt amp can be "too loud" in these situations.
Get a good multi, set it up IN THE ROOM, and adjust. We have a POD XT, and our electric player has 4 basic tones he uses, so one patch bank and his footswitch and hes good to go. When I fill in, I have my own bank (he uses a strat and mines a dual bucker washburn) I just slightly adjusted his tones. Its fooled more than one guitarist into thinking we had miced amps.
As much as playing in any band is about making the best out of the situation and rolling with what you have, playing in church is even more so.
That being said, I get to play the youth services on Wednesday nights with real drums and amps on stage.

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: X mfx wtf

Its not just "old fashioned" places that dont allow amps on stage.
A POD for the guitar, a POD for the bass, an acoustic, piano, keyboards and V drums make it very easy for the sound guy to get a good balanced sound. Even a 5 watt amp can be "too loud" in these situations.
Get a good multi, set it up IN THE ROOM, and adjust. We have a POD XT, and our electric player has 4 basic tones he uses, so one patch bank and his footswitch and hes good to go. When I fill in, I have my own bank (he uses a strat and mines a dual bucker washburn) I just slightly adjusted his tones. Its fooled more than one guitarist into thinking we had miced amps.
As much as playing in any band is about making the best out of the situation and rolling with what you have, playing in church is even more so.
That being said, I get to play the youth services on Wednesday nights with real drums and amps on stage.

Well, I'm all about cooperating. Today I bought an ART Tube Mic Preamp (Studio) hoping I could run my analog effects in to it and then out to the board. It actually sounds very good, but not quite good enough to eliminate the need for some type of amp modeler.

I also bought a Tonelab ST and will start playing with that in a little while or tomorrow morning. Although it is highly rated, it is somewhat limited because individual effects cannot be switched on and off inside a patch in real time. It only allows for toggling up and down through patches, so I may try an OD in front of and a delay after the processor. By the way, I think most of the rave reviews were posted by players who liked the high gain tones which I won't need.

I played with a guy for a few years (a member of this forum) who got outstanding, very believable tones with his POD X3 and with a Tonelab LE before that. So I'm not knocking processors ... I just prefer dialing in my pedals and don't mind the tap dance.

I also completely understand the advantage a quiet stage gives a sound man..