skidder652003 Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 Gigged tonight at a small pub with seriously minimal room to swing the proverbial cat, so as usual I forgoe the backline/combo/head& cab (unlike everyone else obviously) and go Tubey DI pedal into desk, out to PA and wedge monitor (for me). Relatively decent gear (budget RCF stuff). Well blow me, its sounds pretty alright you know? Deep punchy bass thanks to the sub, plenty of clear mids and highs thanks to the 2 x 15" tops and decent monitoring from the 12" wedge. I hate , really hate to admit it, but I think the days of my ampeg stack or peavey combo or any other backline are numbered. If I wasn't responsible for the bloody PA (ie store it, carry it around, set it up etc) and all I had to do was turn up with a guitar case and a pedalboard case, I'd be seriously tempted. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 hey Steve where were you playing? just got back from the Park Hotel in Exmouth. Had the reverse experience, broke my amp the other day (the stack fell on it) so I had to dig out a replacement, I was going to use my little kickback as monitor and go through the PA for the audience but the band (drummer mainly) wanted a proper bass sound so I used my old Hartke HA3500 with a single 12. Firstly it sounded better than I have for a long time and secondly the rest of the band played better with the extra heft on stage. There's just more than one way of doing things isn't there? Don't blow out the stack yet 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 15 hours ago, Phil Starr said: the extra heft on stage. "Heft"??? What is this "heft" you speak of??? 😉😉 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted October 20, 2019 Author Share Posted October 20, 2019 19 hours ago, Phil Starr said: hey Steve where were you playing? just got back from the Park Hotel in Exmouth. Had the reverse experience, broke my amp the other day (the stack fell on it) so I had to dig out a replacement, I was going to use my little kickback as monitor and go through the PA for the audience but the band (drummer mainly) wanted a proper bass sound so I used my old Hartke HA3500 with a single 12. Firstly it sounded better than I have for a long time and secondly the rest of the band played better with the extra heft on stage. There's just more than one way of doing things isn't there? Don't blow out the stack yet hi Phil, the Queens Arms in Brixham, great little venue but its tiny for the band. The sub is behind me next to the drummer and it doubles up as somewhere to put the desk on. The tops are also behind me but as there isn't even enough room for a mic and stand, feedback isn't an issue! The drummer uses one of those vibrating bum stool things for bass so he's cool and our guitarist and singer can hear the bass well enough (not like they care anyway!). The Ampeg isn't going anywhere 'cos (A) it sounds so lush and (B) it looks so rock n roll especially for a 54 year old dad of 2... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mep Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 (edited) Steve. We play the queens arms too. It's a bit small. We mount our 15" powered EV speakers on the wall brackets provided which really helps. Although we are a 4 piece our singer stands out front and to the side by the door which leaves room for the rest of us. Im next to the door with the desk and my small TC head & BF Two10 rig. We don't use the sub here but the drummer does mic his bass drum up. We use 2 monitors as well I've played in smaller places including the Saracens Head in Newton Abbot. Here is a photo of us playing there in the next post! Edited October 20, 2019 by mep Added photo to new post instead of this one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mep Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted October 21, 2019 Author Share Posted October 21, 2019 7 hours ago, mep said: Carl that link doesn't work mate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mep Posted October 21, 2019 Share Posted October 21, 2019 Hopefully this works 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Friskydingo Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Pffft! There's space for days. I don't want to sound like the monty python Yorkshireman, but.... I played a venue where I could take 2 steps back, none forward and pray the other guitarist didn't face me in case of a head stock to the eye 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertbass Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 2 steps back? You were lucky! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 4 hours ago, Friskydingo said: I played a venue where I could take 2 steps back, none forward and pray the other guitarist didn't face me in case of a head stock to the eye I could only dream of having that much space and being hit in the eye by the guitarist! We played a gig as a four-piece with only enough air for the singer! I suffocated and was glad to! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Friskydingo Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 14 minutes ago, bertbass said: 2 steps back? You were lucky! Aye, what I mean by steps, I was shuffling backwards 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 (edited) - Edited March 4, 2022 by Jus Lukin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mep Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 It's my Stingray with a mirror scratchplate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 (edited) - Edited March 4, 2022 by Jus Lukin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 Well I saw Skidder's band The Jefferson Archive last night. They were seriously loud (and seriously good I have to say) No backline apart from the guitarist's stack, everything going through the house's FBT PA with subs and Steve (Skidder) had his RCF on the floor in front of him as a monitor. The drummer uses a butt-kicker. The guy mixing (the manager of the venue and a musician himself) knew what he was doing and the bass and drums were really well forward in the mix and sounded immense. I've never heard the bass sounding better, absolutely full and rich but sitting nicely in the mix, really driving sound. Steve had some fx on his board but I didn't have time to find out what he was using. the Archive are a seriously impressive full ahead rock band think Zeppelin/Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac/Focus all of which were in their opening medley. Anyone who thinks that sound can't be nailed without backline, well they are just wrong. Mind you my Hartke did sound good the other night 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted October 26, 2019 Author Share Posted October 26, 2019 Thanks Phil, great to see you again, thanks for the pint! Only FX used were the DHA preamp (into the desk) and a Boss Compressor/limiter everything set to noon. TBH the biggest improvement I've noticed in sound is decent strings and I was THE naysayer of string snake oil but I was wrong, now using DR Highbeams or Elixir Nano's. That FBT PA at the Marine is a serious bit of kit, I wish our RCF was that good but I think he paid a few grand for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted October 27, 2019 Share Posted October 27, 2019 Just looked them up the 12" top is £950 and they use B&C drivers and some of their own. Cabinets are wooden not plastic. Yeah I liked the Elixirs, have you tried Blue Steels either way it's definitely worth it to have your strings at the sweet point in their lifespan for longer. I'm going to sell my PA and upgrade to RCF's I think. The 310's we use as monitors are perfect, just no trouble and sound great. The 735's and 745's are so pricey though.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted October 27, 2019 Author Share Posted October 27, 2019 7 hours ago, Phil Starr said: Just looked them up the 12" top is £950 and they use B&C drivers and some of their own. Cabinets are wooden not plastic. Yeah I liked the Elixirs, have you tried Blue Steels either way it's definitely worth it to have your strings at the sweet point in their lifespan for longer. I'm going to sell my PA and upgrade to RCF's I think. The 310's we use as monitors are perfect, just no trouble and sound great. The 735's and 745's are so pricey though.. yeah tried the blue steels and they were great but Im loving the lifespan on the elixrs, are you getting the 7 series RCF's or sticking with the 3 series? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted October 28, 2019 Share Posted October 28, 2019 On 27/10/2019 at 16:43, skidder652003 said: yeah tried the blue steels and they were great but Im loving the lifespan on the elixrs, are you getting the 7 series RCF's or sticking with the 3 series? I'm looking at the 735's or the 732's probably. The 745's are just a bit too steep for me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mep Posted December 5, 2019 Share Posted December 5, 2019 We were back at The Queens Arms on Saturday. The singer taped his set list to the bar as it was so near! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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