Woodinblack

Ooh - one of the musicman types?

We did a gig in an outdoor area a couple of years ago, about the time we were going from using the old PA which was passive speakers and a 4 channel amp, and my mixer and the active speakers. Because of the location around a corner the singer decided to put a speaker round the corner to get to the crowd there. Because they had already used the speaker cables so using a monitor as an extension I just managed to catch him just about to use my 1990 whirlwind cable as a speaker cable!

But not keen on an open output, who is to say how it would melt.

Absolutely not - I have seen it (and done it) at many times over the last 40 years. Easier with a bass it must be said, an old vox ac30 flat out is pushing 2 amps, whereas a 400w bass cab flat out is 7A. Signal cable isn't rated for anything like that. Obviously it will do it for a length of time (and nothing is ever totally flat out) but it will be pushing out a lot of heat. The longer your cable is the more it is going to heat, the more likely it is to go. It really isn't (and there is nothing new to this). Its one of those things you can get away with often for a while, but like in the victorian days when they wired their houses without insulation and from the light socket, eventually you are going to burn the house down

Some way to split your bass signal from one plug to two. Either an AB->Y switch, or a stereo effects pedal, or a preamp or something. Or a rickenbacker with rickosound Or a chapman stick. Probably easier to go send->return between the amps, unless you already have effects

You can go from the send of one to the return of the other, yes. Or even just put the same signal into both of them if you want and use them as separate amps with a splitter.

Not going to be a huge size difference. I use 2 x TC112s, stacked on top of each other and either a TC450 or a ABM600. The whole thing has the same footprint as the ABM600 (sideways)

You will probably find that the guitar cable is no longer a guitar cable, but a plastic tube full of pools of copper. That is the point of Speakons, to stop people using guitar cables.

At our saturday gig, it was a pub that isn't often that busy but it was heaving. I commented on it and she said, "You could be the sh*test band in the world and people would still come, we are so desparate for music" so I said, "Excelent, we are your band!". They seemed to love it anyway!

Agreed. The only real reason for suspecting the speakons was because the signal on the x18 that came from the ashdown di was showing as fine. The only new part of this puzzle is the ABM600. The leads, speakers etc all have done the best part of 100 gigs with me without issues, even the helix has done a good 40 or so. The abm600 I got in lockdown as a refurb for half price in Pmt. I am not sure why it was refurb as it was close to immaculate, maybe there was an issue. Although it had done some practices, this was its 3rd gig, the first one was just a preamp out on a truck. The night before the bass wasn't in the PA and there were no real issues (I didnt Like the sound but I think that was unrelated). The first gig, the truck, I had to take it apart because the di socket was loose. I think I might need to test it out at a few more practices and use the TC450 for gigs until I am sure

They are a pain to test as I don't have the proper equipment! Or in this case, just a speakon socket, I thought I had a spare, can't find it. But clearly there is some difference between my speakon connectors as a couple of them do different things. In future though, I will wire socket to socket, rather than chain them through the speakers, as there would be fewer single points of failure. However, I dont' think this is the issue (although I want to test it) as it was fine at sound check. Anyway, don't have any gigs for a few weeks so i will take it out and test everything. All the leads that weren't speakons I tested the week before last, and threw everything that wasn't perfect in a pile to be reworked.

they arent all the same as some of them only work one way round. Speak on cables are a pain to test! I have suspicions about the helix as it keeps accidentally engaging footswitches. the irony is that at every gig I put a guitar cable on top of the amp in case something happens with the wireless. Was just panicking so much I didn't think of it!

The SG3000 was the one past the SG2000 (and a little later). It is the one with everything, neck through, binding, weight. They go for quite a lot but unlike most things that go for quite a lot just because they are old, they are actually very good.

Is that not what is commonly refered to as 'a gig'?

To be fair, one is a lot better than the other, so the other sings instead! Plus the drummer already does deps for other bands.

Did two gigs at the weekend, wasn't happy with the sound at either of them. I think the first one was because my cabs were in front of me, rather than behind, and I accidently knocked my bass middle control flat out! However, I am not totally convinced all is well with the ABM600. So it is bass -> backbeat ->wireless -> Effects and Helix HX -> Ashdown -> 2x TC112 speakers. Also a DI from Ashdown to X18 mostly for monitoring, but also a little into the subs as I have just got one. Last night, we did a sound check and set up and all seemed fine. in the second half I couldn't really hear the bass and going out the front, although it was there it seemed lifeless and quiet. The VU meter on the ashdown was hardly moving, but turning up the gain made little difference. However, the meter in the X-Air app for the mixer which was connected to the DI out was moving fine up to just before the red on heavy notes. Sticking my head into the speakers I wasn't entirely sure something was coming out, couldn't see the speakers move. The Sub was next to the speakers, and bass coming out of that. Turning the main volume up made little difference too. I quickly (this was mid set) swapped the direction of the speakon leads as I had trouble before with leads, no difference, swapped the way round (they went from amp to speaker to speaker). Checked helix (I have a direct in from another pedal and that was really loud). Flipped the bass between passive and active, no real difference. Unfortunately hard to tell what was going on because although I am good at trouble shooting I was panicking a bit. Something happened, not sure what but I put the distortion on on the helix and almost knocked the first row of tables over! Turned it down and all was good. So, has anyone had trouble with speakons before, or their ashdown. I realise a few of things here. One, the ashdown has 2 speakons so it would make sense to use both to go individualy to speakers. 2, if the effect into the helix was loud, maybe the problem was before the amp, but that makes no sense with turning the amp up and nothing happening. 3, absolutely noone can really say what was happening as I didn't use much logic as I was flailing! I think I will get a speakon - speakon with a bargraph led meter so I can see how much power is actually going into the speakers as it is just too hard to tell any other way!

We have two in our band

And harley benton do amps!

Second gig of the weekend and god were my fingers feeling it. I had to play some songs with a pick just so I could save some use for later. So a village pub not too far, normally not busy. Got there, they showed us the alcove we were playing in and in conversation it popped up as 'you could play outside if you want', so we did. Thought it would be pretty empty, but when we started soundcheck people started pouring from everywhere, it was heaving (although not as close as yesterday). Apart from the finger thing, I had a problem with the amp / pedals / whatever, just couldn't get much volume for some reason, swapped the speaker leads round, tried the amp at full, hardly any volume, fiddled with the board and then something happened and all was good, but it unsettled me a bit. But after that all was good, played until the latest we could (had a curfew outside), every seemed to enjoy it a lot. If this is what post covid gigging is like, I am impressed, seems like everyone really wants to have a good time.

I watched youtube and found a good tutorial on correct under-over lead wrapping, so took my leads out, wrapped them. Did a gig, took them out, put them back in rewrapping them (although the first couple i completely forgot how to do it) and it seems neater so far.

it was the Pall Tavern in Yeovil. A pub I had never been in - I think the previous landlord went to prison! It is a very different place now. Also, I think it is one of the first gigs in town as as well as all the regulars from other pubs, we saw the staff from some of the other pubs and ex landlady of one of the closed ones

OK, so just back, ears ringing slightly. This gig was a test case for the new landlords at a pub that was never a music pub to see if they could do groups. I think they will do groups - it was absolutely heaving. Apart from any covid concerns it was pretty well like any very busy gig before the pandemic, chaotic, busy, people were close to each other, hugging and dancing and trying to get in our space too. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, especially the landlady. I suspect that was the first of many there. Easy load in from the road a couple of foot from the back door, not a bad layout.

Gig tonight, a little worried. Although we have done two gigs so far, this is the first one that is indoors in a pub. And there is one tomorrow too.

I always do, never had an issue.

Looks great with a black plate. Think I would prefer it with the two pickups, but I suppose at that price it is just a platform for experimentation.