Amp Advice

[Guest LateForTheSky]

So I just played the worst gig of my life and it was due to an unfamiliar amp provided by the venue. This has happened before but was a complete catastrof*ck tonight.

So I'm hoping to buy an amp so as to gaurentee my sound for every gig.

 

Obviously it needs to be powerful enough to fill out a reasonably sized venue, without being miked up most of the time. (I reckon 100-150watts would be enough, although I'm not sure)

Normally I use a multi-effects pedal (Korg AX3000g) for all my effects and amp models but obviously in buying an amp, I'd want to use it's distortions. So I'd need an amp with an effects loop and 3 channels (clean, crunch, lead) with a footswitch. Internal FX are not necessary, other than maybe a reverb if possible.

 

Does anybody have anything in mind for a budget price? No more than £350 would be ideal. How feasible that is, I'm not sure but if you could let me know what you think. For that I'd want some fairly reasonable sounds.

 

Thannnnks in advance

[Liamoc123]

You haven't said whether you want valve or solid state... You'd be hard pushed finding any valve amp for that... maybe a low power head but you said you wanted 100-150w... Could get a combo but the most you'd be likely to get is 1 or 2 speakers. I had the Peavey Valveking Head which was around £350 but you need a cab too. Maybe need to shell out a bit more to get something worth your money and your needs dude.

[Guest LateForTheSky]

well I knew from the outset that I was going to be cutting prices fine. I have a couple of celestion speakers from a PA if their any use? I could always get a lower power amp and just run them as external speakers. Or would that either not work or detract from my tone?

 

 

As for it being valve or not, I'm not sure. I'm not going to lie, I don't really know what I'm talking about. All I know is that I need something reliable, that will be loud enough, has 3 channels with a footswitch and allows me to put my effects pedal post the amps distortion.

[Liam511]

well I knew from the outset that I was going to be cutting prices fine. I have a couple of celestion speakers from a PA if their any use? I could always get a lower power amp and just run them as external speakers. Or would that either not work or detract from my tone?

 

 

As for it being valve or not, I'm not sure. I'm not going to lie, I don't really know what I'm talking about. All I know is that I need something reliable, that will be loud enough, has 3 channels with a footswitch and allows me to put my effects pedal post the amps distortion.

 

VT100 maybe? Has two speakers (cant remember the size), an effects chain in the back (so i guess you could put your pedalzzzzzzz in there?) and 8 user bans i think and if it isnt loud enough i THINK the 100 has an external speaker output

[matthijs]

Save a bit more and go for tubes.

[Guest LateForTheSky]

VT100 maybe? Has two speakers (cant remember the size), an effects chain in the back (so i guess you could put your pedalzzzzzzz in there?) and 8 user bans i think and if it isnt loud enough i THINK the 100 has an external speaker output

 

I looked at that but thinking about it, could I not just get a VT50 and use those speakers throught the external speaker output? Just like a cabinet?

[haze015]

You don't need 100-150 watts.

 

Unless you have a stupidly loud drummer and need pristine cleans and tinny distortion.

[Mobius]

A good 30W amp cranked up and and mic'd up with a PA is enough to headline a festival with, so 150W does seem unnecessary.

[Guest LateForTheSky]

You don't need 100-150 watts.

 

Unless you have a stupidly loud drummer and need pristine cleans and tinny distortion.

 

Well the smallest crowds we play are about 150 people but it can be a lot more and will be more so in the near future. Do you know if using these speakers will be compatible and if not what I could use that won't cost a bomb?

[Guest LateForTheSky]

A good 30W amp cranked up and and mic'd up with a PA is enough to headline a festival with, so 150W does seem unnecessary.

 

Point taken but miking up an amp is not the most practical thing considering the venues I'm currently playing. Plus, transporting gear is a bit of a problem.

 

There is the option I could trade in this PA and maybe get a head & cabinet set-up. Raise the money for the head through the PA and buy the cabinet with whats left of my budget.

[haze015]

Well the smallest crowds we play are about 150 people but it can be a lot more and will be more so in the near future. Do you know if using these speakers will be compatible and if not what I could use that won't cost a bomb?

 

You'd be mic'ing up the amp to those sorts of crowds. Amps only need to be heard alongside the drummer, not filling out the room. It's not the 60's anymore.

[Guest LateForTheSky]

You'd be mic'ing up the amp to those sorts of crowds. Amps only need to be heard alongside the drummer, not filling out the room. It's not the 60's anymore.

 

Haha it's pretty close, the gig I'm playing. Granted whenever we're doing better venues, we will be miked up but as of now we don't have that luxary. So it infact DOES need to fill out the room. Some of the better ones have marshall half stacks. I suppose I could plug into one of the cabinets if need be?

[haze015]

Haha it's pretty close, the gig I'm playing. Granted whenever we're doing better venues, we will be miked up but as of now we don't have that luxary. So it infact DOES need to fill out the room. Some of the better ones have marshall half stacks. I suppose I could plug into one of the cabinets if need be?

 

Where the hell are you playing with 150+ and no 57s to hand?

 

And no, it CANNOT fill out the room, as you're always limited by your drummer, unless you're trying to drown the drummer and the rest of the band out, they'll hate you on stage for being too loud, the crowd will think it sounds awful and you won't achieve anything. Once you're being drowned out by the drummer, that's when you need a louder amp.

[matthijs]

You can't expect to play for 150 people without any micing! Your drums will sound tiny. I would say, if you want a 'new' sound invest in a small tube amp, perhaps the Bugera V22, though I have no experience with that amp whatsoever.

 

But: mic it up, unless you're this band

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JpHoAnaPK0

[Guest LateForTheSky]

I get what yous are saying but again, we ARE playing these size of venues with no miking up. It is not a option where we are currently playing. I know its not practical, reasonable or even all that do able but its happening. So I need to find the best solution to overcome this :/

[cheddatom]

I need to find the best solution to overcome this :/

 

Well, for a start, play some decent venues where they actually own some fucking microphones.

 

What power rating, impedence, and sized speakers are your PA speakers?

 

It's possible that you could get a power amp with some decent EQ in it, and you could run your multi effects straight to that. Or, a better option would be to get a nice valve head, anything up to 50W, and (hopefully) run that through your PA speakers until you can afford a nice 2 x 12".

[Guest LateForTheSky]

Well, for a start, play some decent venues where they actually own some fucking microphones.

 

What power rating, impedence, and sized speakers are your PA speakers?

 

It's possible that you could get a power amp with some decent EQ in it, and you could run your multi effects straight to that. Or, a better option would be to get a nice valve head, anything up to 50W, and (hopefully) run that through your PA speakers until you can afford a nice 2 x 12".

 

I wish I could chose my venues haha.

 

The speakers are 500w together I think. Other than that I'm not sure. I think I'll either trade in the PA and get a decent sized combo or go with the getting the valve head and using the pa speakers idea.

 

Thanks,

[cheddatom]

I wish I could chose my venues haha.

 

The speakers are 500w together I think. Other than that I'm not sure. I think I'll either trade in the PA and get a decent sized combo or go with the getting the valve head and using the pa speakers idea.

 

Thanks,

 

Do you have a power amp for the PA? If so, just try going straight into it from your multi effects pedal and see how it sounds.

[Impulse 101]

I would try saving money for a while and getting one of the Blackstar combo amps. The 40 watt looks to be a great value for the money and then you will have an amp that you could use anywhere for the rest of your days.

 

JT

 

(Edit--Blackstar HT40 combo)