Back Up Amp Replacement

Travisthedog

When we do "posh" gigs (weddings/functions/corporate) I ALWAYS take a back up amp just in case.

In many, many gigs I think I've needed it once or maybe twice - my gear thankfully seems to let go at practice or in pubs. So having had a rejig, I am at that point where I need another backup solution. Think is I just cant be fagged with a second amp anymore, the space, the weight, the additional cables and AB wiring etc - its just too much hassle.

So what can I use that I can just plug into the PA to get me to the end of the gig. I'm not into spending any huge amounts of money on multi FX etc so don't say Helix etc, I need something cheap that I can plug my existing pedalboard through and carry on........

What's the wisdom men?

martinw

Bad Monkey.
Has an emulated output. I plugged my board into the Bad Monkey on a lowish gain setting then into PA. Works a treat, cheap, portable.
Also works as an emergency OD or boost pedal of course.

ICBM

martinw said:

Bad Monkey.
Has an emulated output. I plugged my board into the Bad Monkey on a lowish gain setting then into PA. Works a treat, cheap, portable.
Also works as an emergency OD or boost pedal of course.

This, or another of the Digitech pedals in the same series - Screamin' Blues, Hot Head etc - depending on which you like the sound of best. (Personally I prefer both those two to the Bad Monkey.)

If you have an amp-in-a-box type pedal on the board already - even something as cheap as a Marshall Guv'nor - then a Hughes & Kettner Red Box will also work.

simonk

Tech21 FlyRig. I never leave home without one.

bbill335

I've been planning to pick up a Quilter micro block to run through the [combo] speaker in the event of amp death. Expensive, but small and convenient enough to convince me.

thomasw88

Quilter pro block. Its great and id be quite happy to gig it. I use it at festivals or plug in n play type gigs.

digitalscream

Why not just get a small, light amp then? Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 18W is 5kg and smaller than most pedalboards, and you can find them second hand for about £250.

Failing that, one of the Vox 50W solid state mini-amps would probably do the trick quite nicely.

Point is...with either of these, you'll likely be able to just drop it in place in your normal rig, as opposed to a bunch of recabling and faffing to get the DI solution sorted.

Travisthedog

@icbm so would i put the bad monkey into my existing board or existing board into bad monkey and straight to PA?

pintspiller

Behringer GDI is good too. Used the BDI at a gig last night instead of the Hartke DI and loved it.

martinw

Travisthedog said:

@icbm so would i put the bad monkey into my existing board or existing board into bad monkey and straight to PA?

The latter.
Use the BM as a dummy amp.

I'm not ICBM though.

thecolourbox

@Travisthedog if only you hadn't sold me your Bad Monkey eh!

Travisthedog

thecolourbox said:

@Travisthedog if only you hadn't sold me your Bad Monkey eh!I 

I know!! What a knob!!

JayGee

A friend (and one of the finest all-round musicians I know) swears by his Joyo AC Tone pedal for this job, and I’ve heard him playing straight into the desk through one several times to great effect. I keep meaning to buy one myself as an alternative to lugging the Katana around as a just-in-case amp...

 

clarkefan

EHX Magnum 44 as a backup amp instead of the PA option? Can't speak to their quality but sounds perfect to me as a backup. One other thing I can offer, the Hardwire series PA option sounds shit from a friend who had to go there...

clarkefan

Sorry, I meant to say Digitech and I can't edit for some reason. I was trying to say the Digitech (Bad Monkey etc) is questionable, not Hardwire.

mark_jwedge

Could try one of the quilter or DV Mark heads. I have a DV Mark micro 50 as a back up. Clean channel is comfortably loud enough to gig with so if my main valve head goes down I just plug the DV Mark into my speaker cab and carry on. Takes all of pedals really well and is so light/small that it lives in the back of my speaker cab