Music Gear

[Pentagrimes]

Cheers!Gigging isn't a concern at this stage, so if and when that comes up again I'll be picking up a head but I'm just thinking in terms of a cheap, portable set up for rehearsing  in multiple locations.I'm absolutely fucking clueless about the equipment aspect of things, so appreciate the advice. We'll see how it goes.

[Makeshiftatomsmasher]

There's a lot to be said for pedal power amp and a cheap modeler, especially if it's only for practice.

[ochoill]

another guitar nerd question:

Getting back to playing again and essentially this is gonna potentially involved 2 or 3 different projects using 2 or 3 spaces. So instead of buying 3 different heads and running myself into debt. I was gonna buy one of these pedal sized power amp jobs.
https://www.thomann.de/ie/harley_benton_gpa_100.htm?glp=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwzLCVBhD3ARIsAPKYTcSqrEK78ootiM72aKg1hWNbUQAgwfnmXASDS-kiHHv53CrTdM-25AoaAiP4EALw_wcB

Anyone got any experience?I presume picking up a pre-amp pedal to run into it is the way to go, or could I just run my usual distortion and delay straight into this lad?

Looks like a handy piece of gear.  I said it to you before but worth reiterating, for a very capable and micro sized head I will stand by the Elf any day.
https://www.thomann.de/ie/trace_elliot_elf_basshead.htm
It's a little pricier but I have even cracked this out live, even recently at the Conan support, and it sounds massive with the right gear stacked in front - I've a Sunn Beta Lead clone preamp pedal on my board going into the front of it, the two together sre my clean sound, and it is crisp and loud.  All ditr comes from the rest of my pedals.  The amp fits in your back pocket.  Dylan Carlson toured with two a few years back, that's what turned me on to them.
Even temptes to replace my Laney 15W head with another Elf and a different preamp too.  Happy to give you a spin off it if you're down this neck of the woods any time.

[Pentagrimes]

I need to investigate this elf. Ta John!

[Pentagrimes]

Actually, went down the micro-head rabbit hole and found a load of DV Mark stuff that seems decent and affordable, so that may be the way to go methinks.

[Pentagrimes]

There's a lot to be said for pedal power amp and a cheap modeler, especially if it's only for practice.

Got the GPA 100 in the end. Curious to see how it sounds cranked through a cab in a jam room, but I ran a couple of pedals into it and chanced it at very low volume on headphones now and it sounds grand. Sorted. Well worth 80 bux for home use alone.

[135150]

Picked up a Marshall DSL20H over the weekend and fuck me it is amazing.

I wanted a small head for gigging with because my beloved Marshall 2x12 combo weighs more than I do. It came down to a coin toss between the DSL and the PRS MT15. After testing both I settled on the Marshall and I'm glad I did. It's perfectly voiced for meta even without pedals, you can literally just turn it up and chug away. It's also disgracefully loud for the size.

Best thing is the switchable fx loop- meaning I can leave all my effects pedals always on and just trigger them collectively from the amp footswitch. (All of the effects I use for soloing - volume boost, gate, EQ and delay -  are in the loop of my setup) so I can leave my pedalboard at the back of the stage and only have the amp switch and wah pedal at the front.

Killer tone and no more tap-dancing, in a head that weighs less than 10 kilos. What's not to love?

[Emphyrio]

Those lunchbox amps are great. I'd an Engl Metal master and twas a grand yoke. I'm glad that touring musicians are now using lighter, less cumbersome setups. It gives them a bit more credibility. Of course a Triple Recto on top of two 4x12s looks cool but I'm all about portability now.

[135150]

Couldn't agree more. While standing in front of a full stack may make you feel like Randy Marsh (ie balls so big they require a wheelbarrow), your back will hate you,  your band mates will hate you for taking up all the space on the stage, and the engineer will hate you for your stage volume being unusable.

The wee amps are the way to go. There's been some great advances in them over the last few years too, now everyone from Marshall to Mesa is doing them and doing them well

[Pentagrimes]

I think if and when it's time to start gigging again I'd pick up  a smaller head as well at this stage. I kinda feel unless you're a professional/touring guitarist or just loaded, it seems kind of excessive to drop 2 grand on a Triple Wreck (much as I'd love one) if you;re just going to be playing the back of a pub for the rest of your life.

I always have it in my head that 20/30w amps aren't going to be loud enough but I guess if you're micing a cab it's fine.

[135150]

In terms of volume, through a 2x12 the DSL20H is perfectly capable. In rehearsal I'm running it at just over halfway on the master volume, and it sits comfortably with another guitarist, bassist and very loud drummer going full pelt. That's all un-mic'd obv.

[Drought]

Smaller heads are definitely the way to go, particularly for the venue sizes in Ireland. I used to run a Mini rec for a couple of years but recently picked up a Marshall SC20 (20watt JCM800) and I think it's the best live tone I've had.

My backup is a small orange terror stamp, which also blew me away. Gets very close to the main 800 sound and fits in a pocket. Loud enough to gig with too. I ran both in Pharmacia and there was no trouble keeping up.

[Mooncat]

Recently went the Kemper Stage route and I don't think I'd go back now. Having the option to arrive with just a guitar and one small bag to carry the Kemper was too good to pass up. Sometimes I still bring my own monitor on a pole if I feel like I'll need it, but it's nice to have the option not to. Great for home recording as well with no need to crank a tube amp in an apartment to get it to sound good.

Also got a Zoia about a year ago and going down that synth rabbit hole was almost like discovering music all over again. The most fun I've had in years learning how to use it. Highly recommended if you've got the patience to learn it!

[blessed1]

Bought  fretless bass the last day. It's weird to get used to playing but I'm looking forward to writing some stuff on it.

[Yung Led Zeppelin]

Got a sweet deal on a Darkglass B3K a few days ago. Fucking delightful yoke, real subtle, thick overdrive that just beefs up the bass really nicely. Not extreme, but a definite "miss it when it's off" pedal.