Guys with multiple amps that gig...

Chris6870

Chris6870

Well-known member
How do you pick which rig you gig with? Do you switch it up and stick with one setup? I have a bunch of cool amps plus an AX8 and can't seem to settle on one setup.
 
For me it kind of just depends what I feel like. I am down to two heads and two 4x12s now, but when I had as many as 4 heads recently I mixed it up looking to see if I favored any over the others. Been sticking with my Helios recently mainly because I slightly favor its tone and feel to the Quickrod. The matching Bogner cab is on our gear trailer too while the Splawns cab sits at rehearsal so theres that. Not wanting to move those around has me kinda stuck on the Helios for now, but I've been wanting to try some new ways to run the QR so I may swap the cabs or just try the QR on the Bogner cab.
Sometimes just mood or wanting to mix it up...nice to be able to :)
 
-pffffffffff!!!-

-STEREO RIG BITCHES!!!-(and the you'll be doomed to have 2 rigs the rest of your life)-
 
Yeah it all depends on the gig. If I am at a church or casino, it is something I can run direct. If it is a club it is usually my Splawn.
 
Playing a wide range of covers so the AX8 works great, but sometimes I really want to bust out the Mesa or Splawn. Jumping between rigs just gets frustrating.
 
BrokenFusion":26zech00 said:
Playing a wide range of covers so the AX8 works great, but sometimes I really want to bust out the Mesa or Splawn. Jumping between rigs just gets frustrating.
Click to expand...
Yeah man, with the Kemper and AX8 I definitely got some option paralysis. I have been using the Katana head direct with a few pedals for gigs like I mentioned above and it has been great.

Looking forward to trying the Henning soon in a live setting. I am definitely a 1 clean, 1 dirty with a lead boost kind of guy.
 
I really don't know to be honest. I mainly play my Splawn Quickrod. I would say 75% of the time. 20% Soldano SLO, 5% divided amongst various Boogies. I know I use the Splawn mainly because of the tone and features. Once you have a solo boost, it's a hard drug to kick. I just kind of found the right tone for what I play. I would play the Soldano more but I play a lot of shitholes. End of the day I guess I just live the way the Splawn sits in the mix.
 
I have all kinds of various amps (Marshall, Orange, Bogner, Bad Cat, etc)...but 99% of the time I gig, I grab one of my Boogies. They're just my comfort zone for shows.
 
I've played many fly dates so you just learn to use anything. The pedals these days are fantastic so you just get what you need and be prepared.

The only time I need a specific rig is for metal. Pedals never cut it. You need a modern amp.
 
Badronald":2r5l6j2v said:
I've played many fly dates so you just learn to use anything. The pedals these days are fantastic so you just get what you need and be prepared.

The only time I need a specific rig is for metal. Pedals never cut it. You need a modern amp.
Click to expand...

Yep, fly dates I bring one guitar and my board and can get what I need from any decent backline amp. :thumbsup:

For local gigs it depends, sometimes same deal, I'll just bring my board and use backline. If it's a smaller venue I'll bring either 2x12 combo (mesa heartbreaker or tremoverb) or xtc and 2X12 cab. For my own original band I usually bring the full xtc/4x12/g system rig but sometimes just the 2x12. It's nice to have options.
 
BrokenFusion":1e03qrkg said:
How do you pick which rig you gig with? Do you switch it up and stick with one setup? I have a bunch of cool amps plus an AX8 and can't seem to settle on one setup.
Click to expand...

Personally, I play several different genres of music, and depending on what the gig is (Style, logistics: big stage, small stage, outdoor festival, Studio gig, Radio/TV gig, band lineup, my role as guitarist rhythm/lead, one, two or more guitarists on stage) determines the appropriate gear to select. If, using a large setup-- the $ the gig pays determines how elaborate I choose to be.

To me, gear are tools, and I tend to think of them in 2 categories: 'On their own', & 'combined w/ other gear'. The 2nd category ('combined w/ other gear'), is an overall comprehensive approach, which usually dictates.

Some gigs are acoustic gigs, some smaller blues gigs/club gigs (simpler/smaller gear selected/preferred). The Big rig is always my preferred rig, as far as variety of tone(s), and ease of use, but it's big, heavy, expensive, and not all gigs require such a potential for such variety.

Having multiple rigs also serves well, if there are 2 or more gigs requiring some travel and placing limitations of time to travel & setup, because when one gig is finished, the other gear is already at the 2nd gig, so I can just get in my car or on a plane and just take a minimal amount of gear.
 
Having a variety of "rig" options is almost imperative for me at this point. I CAN'T bring my full rig everywhere I play these days. Many guys, myself included, do everything from out of town fly-in gigs to festivals, events, and the local clubs too. I don't quite get the $$ to send my rig on a plane, so that's basically for gigs within driving distance.
I still sometimes rotate amp heads and cabinet options. It depends on the venue.
The Fractal AX8 is an AMAZING tool for fly-in shows, as is the Kemper, although I prefer the AX8 with everything built-in. Small package with large variety of options.
As was mentioned by another, a couple excellent pedals can go a long way too, yet again I prefer the AX8 because it provides consistency, where with pedals I am still dependent on whatever backline is provided.

Anyway, no reason a rotation can't be reasonable and fun. I like to play my amps, my Fractal gear, etc...otherwise why own it???
In the end, I play for fun and profit. Better tone = better playing = happier audience = happier promoter/club owner, IME.
How you get "that" tone is up to you. Ease of use, coupled with maximum options.
 
It's a really great feeling to look at a wall full of amps and to have to choose which one to take to a gig. I love doing it every time. If I plan on which head to use long in advance and there's a problem with it, I get really bummed out. But then it's good to have backups.
 
Well first . . . if I may. . . . Let me point out that playing to an audience is in fact . . . . . SHOW BUSINESS. . . . . In that respect, I tend to drag out the full wall of Marshall 1960 B cabinets (hiring road crew of course to lift it all) because at some levels of the game, people expect to see a great stage show and part of that has always been the gear used at the gig (for me anyway).

It's very different today so I have a much smaller rig (Combo Amp) that uses all the Pre-Amp, MIDI and FX used on my "Big Rig". Of course I'll not be "surfing the air waves" as I would with the stacks but I still get a killer tone that cuts right through.

I think that is the most important thing here . . . . . If you know what your tone is supposed to sound like, your reproduce that no matter what you use. No compromises.
 
HellraiserJohnny":2wu94sep said:
Well first . . . if I may. . . . Let me point out that playing to an audience is in fact . . . . . SHOW BUSINESS. . . . . In that respect, I tend to drag out the full wall of Marshall 1960 B cabinets (hiring road crew of course to lift it all) because at some levels of the game, people expect to see a great stage show and part of that has always been the gear used at the gig (for me anyway).

It's very different today so I have a much smaller rig (Combo Amp) that uses all the Pre-Amp, MIDI and FX used on my "Big Rig". Of course I'll not be "surfing the air waves" as I would with the stacks but I still get a killer tone that cuts right through.

I think that is the most important thing here . . . . . If you know what your tone is supposed to sound like, your reproduce that no matter what you use. No compromises.
Click to expand...

Absolutely agree re: Show Business

Point of contention: The 'me' I sound like varies greatly, depending on selected gear, their settings, their routing, and how I play, so even 'knowing' what the 'preferred tone' is 'supposed to sound like'; not having access to said gear, may make it entirely unlikely that the goal is achieved. Of course, I am particular, so there's that. ;)
 
HellraiserJohnny":3dx1s5ck said:
Well first . . . if I may. . . . Let me point out that playing to an audience is in fact . . . . . SHOW BUSINESS. . . . . In that respect, I tend to drag out the full wall of Marshall 1960 B cabinets (hiring road crew of course to lift it all) because at some levels of the game, people expect to see a great stage show and part of that has always been the gear used at the gig (for me anyway).

It's very different today so I have a much smaller rig (Combo Amp) that uses all the Pre-Amp, MIDI and FX used on my "Big Rig". Of course I'll not be "surfing the air waves" as I would with the stacks but I still get a killer tone that cuts right through.

I think that is the most important thing here . . . . . If you know what your tone is supposed to sound like, your reproduce that no matter what you use. No compromises.
Click to expand...

I'm totally happy with the AX8, a solid state power amp and a 2x12. It covers all the bases of my gig without a ton of cabling, switchers, pedals and other stuff. 99% don't know or care what is being used. It's compact and easy to load in and out. But sometimes I'm thinking it would be really cool to have a Mesa/Splawn/Marshall cooking behind me. I can bring that but then also need a lot more extra stuff to accomplish what the AX8 can do.
 
I only have a couple of gigs per month. Depending upon where I am playing, I'll either take my mini-Jube combo and a small pedalboard or my JP-2C, 212 and board or just the JP-2c and Torpedo. It all works perfectly in one way or another and most of all, makes my ears happy!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top