How many valve amp owners carry a spare head in case of emergencies?

[Delberthot]

Before I say any more, this thread isn't to ignite the whole reliability or what's better debate, its simply to find out what others are doing.

I am, all things being well, going to be the owner of my first all valve amp shortly.


My main band is a wedding/function band. Since this is going to be my first valve amp I wanted to find out what other valve amp owners had in terms of a backup in case something goes pop.

My main concern is that should a valve fail during a gig or the amp falls off my cabinet or whatever, what would I do during the gig?

I could carry a matched set of spare valves with me but being in a wedding band does not allow me the time to let the amp cool down, take the top off it, install new valves and then power it up.

I was thinking more along the lines of a backup solid state amp and was wondering if this is what other valve amp owners did.

I was thinking about something as small as possible but I don't see the point in buying something expensive and digital to sit in a bag at every gig with only a remote chance of ever being used but I also don't want a big bulky thing either.

[ThomBassmonkey]

I think most people who have backup amps regularly without their own roadies probably use SS micro amps. I can't imagine many people on a local scene carry around two valve heads.

[Beedster]

I take my Mesa Walkabout head to bigger gigs at which I'm using my M-Pulse. I don't use a DI box as I hate the sound of bass through the PAs we typically play through, and the monitoring is often so bad I wouldn't do it even if that weren't the case. The Walkabout, as it's name suggests, is easy to move around and provides the same tone as the M-Pulse, albeit at a lower maximum O/P, so I know where I stand on that potential problem also.

C

[tayste_2000]

I carry a spare DI well actually a few (Avalon U5 - Main DI, MXR M-80 - Essentially also a backup to my entire pedalboard, Radial ProDI - best thing to have a in a gig bag as your basic DI) but in the 3+ years I've been using valve amps I've never had one fail on a gig, and only had one go at practice but it hadn't been serviced for like 8 years.

*Watches Mesa 400+ blow up at next gig now*

[Beedster]

[quote name='tayste_2000' post='820330' date='Apr 27 2010, 09:57 AM']*Watches Mesa 400+ blow up at next gig now*[/quote]

Just what I was about to say!

OK, most of the time things don't go wrong. What amazes me, and TBH really p**ses me off, is that so many guys in bands assume that because something doesn't normally go wrong, it isn't going to. FFS how much effort is it for a singer to carry a spare mic, or for a guiturd to get a double gig bag and take a spare instrument to gigs. OK, if space and transport are issues, fair enough, but when they're not, it's just unprofessional and disrespectful to other band members (or guys in the other bands on the same set) who do make the effort and who have to deal with things when the brown stuff hits the fan.

Rant over (and yes, you do know who you are)!

C

[Adrenochrome]

Now I DON'T have a valve amp but I do carry a spare - a Crate Powerblock 150w class D guitar amp. It'll give me enough volume to be heard if my amp goes down, and can also cover either guitar amp or power the monitors if any of those went down. I also carry a DI box.
It was £49 new and is tiny and light.

[JTUK]

I take two basses..mainly as I want to get to know how they work in a live context..and the singer thinks that is a silly waste of stage space.
It doesn't stop him carrying two acoustics as he breaks strings easily, tho

I'll use one or both depending on the room but I do have my favourite typical sound.

I think a spare or backup system is a good idea though so maybe carry a spare power amp... as these as useful to most.. and just fire up a little pre amp just to get you through the gig.

Regular servicing isn't a bad idea either.

So..do we carry spare fuses, fuse holders etc etc ...?? have a band toolkit, even if it is left in the car..??

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='Adrenochrome' post='820346' date='Apr 27 2010, 10:07 AM']Now I DON'T have a valve amp but I do carry a spare - a Crate Powerblock 150w class D guitar amp. It'll give me enough volume to be heard if my amp goes down, and can also cover either guitar amp or power the monitors if any of those went down. I also carry a DI box.
It was £49 new and is tiny and light.[/quote]

Pretty sure they aren't class D. They are great though. They also don't make them, they can be found for around £80 though.

[thebassman]

I have had valve amps for quite a few years (up untill now that is) and never had a sudden valve failure, although i always carried a spare pre and power valve with me and a couple of spare fuses. Valves don't tend to suddenly die without warning, in my experience.

Lets face it any amp is going to break if it falls off your cab, valve or SS.

If you are worried then you could get one of those micro amps which seem popular like the new TC or a genz benz ......... or maybe just carry a decent DI box like the MXR M80 bass di.

cheers

thebassman

Edited April 27, 2010 by thebassman

[Delberthot]

Good replies so far - the main reason I asked is that I have taken 1 amp and 1 cab to almost every gig I have ever done so this is all new to me.

I'd never thought about a small guitar amp before - I used a Trace head putting out a possible 90w through my 4x12" on Sunday and still had bags of volume left that i didn't need

[casapete]

My band has an old Peavey PA head in the van-have used it for bass and its great! Also doubles as a spare guitar/monitor/main PA
head (if really pushed!) The time I used it was when my Ashdown head kept blowing fuses, nothing to do with the valve in the preamp though.
I used an SVT for years with no backup and it never missed a beat. Think I'd be more concerned with a digital type amp's reliability to be
honest.
As long as they're well maintained I would n't be overly worried with an all valve head - how many guitarists who use all valve Marshalls/
Fenders etc carry a spare head/combo?

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='casapete' post='820388' date='Apr 27 2010, 10:35 AM']As long as they're well maintained I would n't be overly worried with an all valve head - how many guitarists who use all valve Marshalls/
Fenders etc carry a spare head/combo?[/quote]

I don't think we should start doing things just 'cause the guitarist appears to get away with it.

[bumnote]

I have been gigging on and off since 1965 for the first 15 years or so with various valve amps none of which were ever serviced or had valves changed. The only amp ever that let me down was a 6 month old ampeg svt3 pro on NYE in 1997

People think that valve amps are fragile but remember these were used in fighting tanks, aircraft and ships in the past. The are robust.

The problem with taking a spare is where do you stop. Perobably you take spare strings and leads and a toolkit. and perhaps a second bass.

What about spare cabs, you might blow a speaker, or the pa amp, a pa cabs, what about a spare mike, what happens if your car breaks down on the way to a gig.

Does the guitarist take a spare amp, god knows what the keyboard player would do if he had a hammond.

From the bass players point of view probable the most sensible thing is to take a di box so you could plug into the pa.

[Musicman20]

+1, DI box. Either just a full on DI or a DI combination pedal like Sansamp.

[tayste_2000]

Fuses are a must with a valve amp if anything going to start popping showing the early signs of a problem it will be fuses.

I blew 2 kettle leads at the start of my tour with my 400+, then it fired up normally and not a had a problem since so I put it down to cheap kettle leads.

[Tee]

I generally test my gear before leaving for a gig. As for spare heads, i subscribe to the DI idea. It is an emergency plan, after all, not ideal, but you'll still be heard and be able to play.

[fretmeister]

[quote name='Beedster' post='820340' date='Apr 27 2010, 10:04 AM']Just what I was about to say!

OK, most of the time things don't go wrong. What amazes me, and TBH really p**ses me off, is that so many guys in bands assume that because something doesn't normally go wrong, it isn't going to. FFS how much effort is it for a singer to carry a spare mic, or for [b]a guiturd to get a double gig bag and take a spare instrument to gigs. [/b]OK, if space and transport are issues, fair enough, but when they're not, it's just unprofessional and disrespectful to other band members (or guys in the other bands on the same set) who do make the effort and who have to deal with things when the brown stuff hits the fan.

Rant over (and yes, you do know who you are)!

C[/quote]


Guitarists not taking a spare? I've never seen that - that is stupid! No time to re-string mid tune, just pick the next guitar up!

I've never broken a bass string in my life... but I'd never gig without a 2nd bass with me!!

[nick]

[quote name='Musicman20' post='820416' date='Apr 27 2010, 11:12 AM']+1, DI box. Either just a full on DI or a DI combination pedal like Sansamp.[/quote]

Same here, though it's one of those Behringer copies.
I do carry spares, though if anything did blow or went wrong etc, I doubt I'd have time to fix or diagnose the problem.

Edited April 27, 2010 by nick

[OutToPlayJazz]

I only have a 12AX7 in the preamp stage on my Genz head, but I always carry my solid state Little Giant for just in case. I can't see the valve in the Genz dying any time soon, but it's always good to be prepared.

[plumbob]

Well mine didn't sound right at a gig the other week ,and is now in for a service , so had to resort to dragging out my old solid state Ohm amp from under the van seat.
I think I bought that Ohm back in 1986 bless her, she sprung into life , and I managed to finish the gig , the sound wasn't the same but hey ho !

[lemmywinks]

I DI from my MXR pedal so it's not a problem if my amp goes down.

If i was looking for a small, light and cheap head for spares i'd get one of these like OTPJ suggested:
[url="http://www.soundsliveshop.com/p/Ashdown_Little_Giant_1000,_Ex-Display/ASH-EX-LTG1000"]http://www.soundsliveshop.com/p/Ashdown_Li.../ASH-EX-LTG1000[/url]

Alternatively scout a 2nd hand Superfly, they go for around £100 2nd hand

[discreet]

I wonder how many SS owners carry a spare head? Any amp can fail, regardless of whether valve or not.

[Cat Burrito]

I have a tube head & a solid state head. I tend to test before I go but for a really important gig I'd take both

[bumnote]

[quote name='Beedster' post='820340' date='Apr 27 2010, 10:04 AM']Just what I was about to say!

OK, most of the time things don't go wrong. What amazes me, and TBH really p**ses me off, is that so many guys in bands assume that because something doesn't normally go wrong, it isn't going to. FFS how much effort is it for a singer to carry a spare mic, or for a guiturd to get a double gig bag and take a spare instrument to gigs. OK, if space and transport are issues, fair enough, but when they're not, it's just unprofessional and disrespectful to other band members (or guys in the other bands on the same set) who do make the effort and who have to deal with things when the brown stuff hits the fan.

Rant over (and yes, you do know who you are)!

C[/quote]

I think thats a rant from the heart not the head

Im the one oin our band who has the fuses, soldering iron, solder, tools, spare leads, batteries etc,

While I agree about the thought of professionalism the most valid thing to do is assess the risk. If you take a spare amp, do you take a spare cab as well?

I drive a V70 and there is room for 1 passenger and thats it. The rest of it is absolutely jammed with gear, as is the guitarist V40 and the drummers car.

Having said that, even if there was more room, a spare bass amp is not necessarily the most essential spare to carry.

I would suggest that thing that would stop most bands evening is the desk/pa amp, and I would be surprised if you or anyone takes one of those as a spare.

I or the guitarist could plug into the pa at a push. We run a desk into an active crossover and into 2 power amps. If an amp goes we could get by with a single power amp, if a pa speaker goes we could get by with 1.

If we loose the desk, theres nowhere to go. Evening over.

[Beedster]

[quote name='bumnote' post='820927' date='Apr 27 2010, 06:07 PM']I think thats a rant from the heart not the head [/quote]

All the best rants are!