What amps do you use for your instrument(s)

[RocknDrTom]

I'm nearly finished building a 10-string tapper, which will be my first instrument of this type. I'm wiring it so that it can be run mono or stereo (bass and melody strings sent to different output signals).

Up until now, when I play guitar, I use a line 6 Axsys212. When I play bass, it's typically direct. I've been considering getting a specific amp for the bass half, and using the line 6 for the guitar half.

I've been wondering what others use for live performances. Do you use one amp for all? Go direct to the PA? Separate amps? DI boxes? What do you use AND what do you like about your setup?

[rjgoos]

I run the stereo output of my Stick (or my home-made unit), and my wife's guitar if she is playing too, into a Rolls mini-mixer (little battery-operated unit), into an inexpensive Zoom 504II acoustic guitar pedal (for a little 'depth' of sound). From there, it goes either into a pair of headphones (for practice), or into the iMac (for recording), or into a Carvin acoustic guitar amp for public performance. The Carvin amp is also rated for bass guitar.

This is a very simple set-up that suits our folksy style well. Behold the Arctopus we ain't.


Jay

[GaryOpenhill]

( i never performed in public with the tapper yet but answer anyways ) I run the stereo signal from my Megatar, all knobs full throttle, into a small mixer and have reverb and delay on the send/return aux thingy. This way i can get both sides to sound very similar, but have a litte more effects on the melody side, which is a setup i like. From the mixer it all runs in mono into a 150w Carvin probass amp that is actually made to handle keyboard frequencies. (they advertised it as a bass/keyboard amp in the 90ths.) Simple, yes, but im a simple person so.

Do you have the AG100D amp, rjgoos? It's pretty cool i think. I've seen others use it for stick too.

[Rayzcane]

Hello all,

This is a very important thread for current and future tappers!

One of the advantages we have in this modern world is that we can walk into our local music with our specialty tapping instrument. We can try out several combinations of amps for free. This is the only way to know that you are getting exactly what you want and need.

The number one consideration is to "get" the sound that YOU want from your instrument. The single thing that attracted me most to this style of playing was that LOW-LOW-LOW bass. To get this type of sound, you need a bass amp and a guitar amp. An example of the type of sound I was looking for can be found on the Mobious Megatar site:

http://www.megatar.com/english/testimonials/testimonials.html

Click on:

Fabrizio Fabiani

His rendition of Autumn Leaves is the closest I have heard to the kind of sounds that I would like to produce. The sounds that YOU want to make are probably much different than mine. :) The only way to know for certain, is to try out several different combinations.

Ray Langley

[BigDaddyPoo]

I use a stereo Rolls tube mic preamp that has instrument inputs. Then run into two SWR amps. The bass side goes through a 15" SWR cab and the treble side goes through a 2x12" SWR. I used to use alot of effects, so I had a POD and BassPod and a couple of Multi Effect units...and switches....

Now I kinda go for the more natural, warm sound that the Rolls gives me. The bass amp sounds pretty sweet and jazzy on the treble side.

[qbensis]

I run the stereo outputs off my Stick to a boss LS-2, which I use as a small mixer (soundwise this is not the ideal solution, but easy, cheap, small and no need for DIs).

In front of the LS-2 there is a boss GT3 (sounds like sh** - I will update this unit when I got some money) on the melody side, which is positioned within a true-bypass-loop and a small boss EQ-stompbox. On the bass side the signal runs through a BigMuff (russian version customized - within a true-bypass-loop) and a Morley Wah-pedal.
Behind the LS-2 there is a EBS-compresser stompbox (really soft compression -> therefore it's possible to put it behind the distortions -> when I use heavy distortions I do switch the EBS off) and a small noname overdrive unit that I use if I want the whole instrument sound like one thing, but with a bit of overdrive.

The mono signal behind the LS-2 runs to an ampeg svt2 alltube amp, and two 4x10 speakersystems on big locations (I play in a rock oriented band with the loudest drummer on this earth) - or, on small locations, through a HK-solidstate amp and one 4x10.

I do like the sound off this setup. The bad thing is: transportation.

Therfore I'm looking forward too a 2x10 speakersystem and I'm currently very interessted in the "stepabout" stick-preamp basslab will put on the market within the next couple of month. Furthermore, like I mentioned, the effectsounds on the melody side should be of better quality (maybe GT-8?? - don't know yet).

[rjgoos]

Yes, it is the Carvin AG100D. You could plug the melody part into input #1, the bass part into #2, and a microphone into #3. Either the headphone output or the sound out (for effects) port can be used for recording.

It has worked out for us. Carvin has a return policy, you would only be out the shipping both ways if it didn't sound OK with your instrument.


Jay

[RocknDrTom]

Thanks for the replies so far! I hope to hear from more people. Sounds like no one goes direct through processors or DIs and relies totally on the soundman/PA mix for the audio. We do that at church, and I'm still not thrilled with the lack of tonal control, but in that setting, the glory is not for me.

I like the idea of using my own amp to control the tone(s) and having direct out from the amp would be good for when it comes time to record (or send to a mixer).

The Carvin sounds like an interesting choice for live performances - being all inclusive.

[GaryOpenhill]

Originally posted by RocknDrTom
[B]Thanks for the replies so far! I hope to hear from more people. Sounds like no one goes direct through processors or DIs and relies totally on the soundman/PA mix for the audio. We do that at church, and I'm still not thrilled with the lack of tonal control, but in that setting, the glory is not for me.

I like the idea of using my own amp to control the tone(s) and having direct out from the amp would be good for when it comes time to record (or send to a mixer).



YEAh, having known quite a few charismaniac soundguys, i wouldn't trust them with nuttin' :)

[jamsire]

The tech 21 Bronzewood - http://www.tech21nyc.com/bronzewood.html
and a Tech 21 Bass driver - http://www.tech21nyc.com/bassdriver.html.

Amp has a guitar input and mic input.

Plug bass side into bass driver, use the xlr output to mic channel on amp with phantom power.

Guitar side goes into guitar channel

Blend.

Enjoy!

[Igos du Iskana]

I plug my megatar through a Y-connector, and put it through a Wah-wah pedal (dunlop crybaby bass), an overdrive stompbox (Boss OD-3), through a volume-pedal an finaly into a Roland cube 30 guitar Amp.
It's not very powerful, but it's loud anough to annoy my neighbours:p

I still realy want to try a good bass amp someday, but as im a poor student again, that probably will be a while:(

[K Rex]

EEEK!!

I'm somewhat of a noisemonger, I suppose....

I plug the bass side of my Warr Phalanx into a BOSS GT8 before going into an Eden WT800 which drives an XLT 410 cab and a Sunn 2x15" cab.

Truly monsterous. I've never heard a touchboard with better tone, ever, ever, ever.

More is not less. More is more.

K

[Rayzcane]

Originally posted by K Rex
EEEK!!

Truly monsterous. I've never heard a touchboard with better tone, ever, ever, ever.

More is not less. More is more.

K

Hello K Rex,

Since we all continue to search for that "perfect" elusive tone, how about an audio or video sample?

Ray

[Padauk]

8 string Warr (mono) into bass podXT LIVE, into Ampeg SVP-Pro Preamp, into QSC PLX 1602 amp(bridged), then into either a Schroeder 410R, or 2 EA VL210s.

[glints-collide]

For recording I currently use a line6 podXTlive for the melodyside and
a programable sansamp bass driver di (the thing that Jamsire wrote about) for the bass side. I really love those things! You can hear a recording made with those on my myspace side:

www.myspace.com/alexanderdowerk (the warrelectro...track)

or download it here:

http://www.alexanderdowerk.de/media/warr_exp_electro.mp3


I also use a mesaboogie triple rectifier, but currently for the bass side, melodyside goes through the PA as the box we run our PA through is not suited for bass frequenzies . This configuration is just for rehearsals, but sounds great anyway.

I plan to buy either a Glockenklang or an EuphonicAudio combo for the bass side(takes some time to gather money of course).

My plans for live gigs in the future are to use either the Mesa and the EA/GK if I can manage the transport or use the pod and bass driver for gigs where mobility is needed.

More realistic (when I look in my purse) is the use of the mesa and pod (used as an effect pedal) for melody and the bass driver going direct in the PA but I havn't had any gigs with my warr yet.


Sounds like no one goes direct through processors or DIs and relies totally on the soundman/PA mix for the audio

Hhmm, when you play in larger venues you also have to rely on microphones and soundmen even with an amp. I wonder if it's saver to go in direct, because you don't have the microphone in between, that means less control for the soundman.

Has anyone made experiences comparing direct input / microphones on live gigs?


YEAh, having known quite a few charismaniac soundguys, i wouldn't trust them with nuttin'

You're totally right, there are guys who are even able to let an les paul amplified with an mesa sound like sh***. I once had a gig with an e-guitartrio project, and the guy on the PA mostly forgot one guitar!!!

[Jersey Ray]

I have a rackmount setup, but I foudn the best tone by using actual guitar and bass cabinets, instead of PA cabinets.

ADG-10 ->

(GTR) -> Roland GP-100 - > behringer compressor -> solid state power amp-> Carvin guitar 2 x 12 cabinet


(BS) -> Sansamp PSA-1 - > behringer compressor -> solid state power amp-> Carvin bass 2 x 1o cabinet


I assembled this little by little over the years, to make something like this all at once would probably cost >$1000

the compressor is good to have in the middle of the chain because I can globally level off differences in volume between the guitar side and the bass side, and between different patches in the pre-amps.

Ray

[K Rex]

Ray, check your private messages.

K Rex