Why do people use big amps?

jeztone2 · June 2018

ICBM said:

jeztone2 said:

The Marshall thing IMHO is often psychological to sound engineers though. My Blackstar Artisan 30 is far louder in 10watt mode than my Marshall TSL60 & 4 x 12 ever was. I get no shit from sound engineers nowadays because it looks less threatening. Whereas in the past I was being asked to turn it down before I’d even played a note.

I once wheeled a Marshall 4x12" onto the stage and a voice came over the monitors... "you're too loud!"

I knew the sound engineer - although until that point I didn't realise he was doing the gig - and he was just having a bit of fun, and he knew the joke very well... but there's a grain of truth in it.

(Although to be accurate, I think *any* valve guitar amp is louder than TSL60. It's the weakest-sounding "60W" amp I've ever heard.)

jeztone2 said:

Most guitarists.are just trying to hear themselves over the drummer. But for some reason, we get demonised more.

Partly because the drummer doesn't put the source of the sound on the floor where he can't hear it, and then produce a beam of death out into the audience because he doesn't realise how loud and trebly it is...

It baffles me that there are still guitar players doing this. Raising the amp up, tilting it back, pointing it sideways, or any combination of those *always* sounds better and makes it easier to mix as well as much easier to hear.

Possibly, but really it’s usually drummers on shared kits that aren’t tuned properly. Whenever I gig most amps are up on a beer crate at the very least. Mine goes on it’s flightcase.

I once auditioned for a pro band for a US tour & at the audition, I was amazed at how quiet we were. Plus the drummer sounded huge. Yet the rented amps master volume barely touched two. That’s because that drummer had spent a long time tuning and dampening his kit properly. So the microphones did the job of projection rather than him. For some reason I don’t think many drum teachers show people how to do this. But it is achievable. Not macho, but it works.

NelsonP · June 2018

Because it makes you a real man

Image: http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g219/davida54/c7bc7bc8.jpg

EricTheWeary · June 2018

jeztone2 said:

ICBM said:

jeztone2 said:

The Marshall thing IMHO is often psychological to sound engineers though. My Blackstar Artisan 30 is far louder in 10watt mode than my Marshall TSL60 & 4 x 12 ever was. I get no shit from sound engineers nowadays because it looks less threatening. Whereas in the past I was being asked to turn it down before I’d even played a note.

I once wheeled a Marshall 4x12" onto the stage and a voice came over the monitors... "you're too loud!"

I knew the sound engineer - although until that point I didn't realise he was doing the gig - and he was just having a bit of fun, and he knew the joke very well... but there's a grain of truth in it.

(Although to be accurate, I think *any* valve guitar amp is louder than TSL60. It's the weakest-sounding "60W" amp I've ever heard.)

jeztone2 said:

Most guitarists.are just trying to hear themselves over the drummer. But for some reason, we get demonised more.

Partly because the drummer doesn't put the source of the sound on the floor where he can't hear it, and then produce a beam of death out into the audience because he doesn't realise how loud and trebly it is...

It baffles me that there are still guitar players doing this. Raising the amp up, tilting it back, pointing it sideways, or any combination of those *always* sounds better and makes it easier to mix as well as much easier to hear.

Possibly, but really it’s usually drummers on shared kits that aren’t tuned properly. Whenever I gig most amps are up on a beer crate at the very least. Mine goes on it’s flightcase.

I once auditioned for a pro band for a US tour & at the audition, I was amazed at how quiet we were. Plus the drummer sounded huge. Yet the rented amps master volume barely touched two. That’s because that drummer had spent a long time tuning and dampening his kit properly. So the microphones did the job of projection rather than him. For some reason I don’t think many drum teachers show people how to do this. But it is achievable. Not macho, but it works.

I know I've said this one before but I played in a band with an ex Marillion roadie and he said he was amazed at how quiet their drummer was. He put this down to the drummer always having great monitors so he could always hear himself that way, not the acoustic sound of the drums at all. Louder was a turn of a knob rather than hitting harder.

PolarityMan · June 2018

digitalscream said:

Fez said:

We don't play many places where there is a PA so we mostly use our own rig vocals and sax. Last night the pub had mounted Mackie 450's (great no effing tripods) we used our desk and monitors I took my B rig 'cos the stage was small (DSL401 + 1x12 extension on top of it). I think I could get away with the Jet City 50w and 2x12 set vertical. I find I need 50w or thereabouts as I need a good clean sound so I tend to get drive from pedals.

I've never found a situation where a JCA50H

I found a situation that it wasnt appropriate when I got my VH4. The JCA50H hasnt go an outing since

samzadgan · June 2018

This question always annoys the hell out of me. It all comes down to the kind of music you play. If you play in a doom or drone band, then you, as well as the fans want to feel the music as much as hear it. I’ve been to small pubs with a doom band playing and been standing in front of orange or Marshall stacks...but that’s what I would expect...if the guitarist came in with an 18w combo the music or the gig experience would not be the same. It doesn’t matter how well you mix stuff up you will never get that sound from a mic’d up combo, or any kind of digital modelling amp. Obviously within the band you work on your own mix so you don’t drown out the other musicians, but that’s just a case of everyone turning up and drummer hitting harder.

If this is a question purely for blues/rock/Jazz/pop etc bands then maybe you have a point...I wouldn’t know because I don’t really go to those gigs...and if I did I’d probably ask “why do guitarists use small amps!”

rockmonster · June 2018

I play in a 4 piece classic rock covers band. We’ve been going for about 12 years now. We are all old guys and experienced players and it’s what keeps us young!! Singer and backing through PA only. No IEM’s -(old school) Bassist, one guitarist (me) and a rowdy drummer. (Really old!!) Sound guy is usually my Mrs who walks around the venue (pub) listening to the mix when we do a sound check (usually half a song! Lol!) I use an EVH 100 and 2 ported 2x12’s one on top of the other. Sound settings are pretty much the same most gigs. Played last night, playing again tonight. No complaints about volume only compliments about performance. I only turn up if I’m asked to (I usually get asked) as I think the mix is too important to be destroyed by a ‘knob on the guitar playing too loud through an excessively loud half stack’ I use a line6 so I can go off on one and listen to the mix while I’m at it- great sound last night- even out in the road outside the pub! I wouldn’t use a 1x12 20 watt amp- it would not be the same. Yes it would be heard as they are loud on full throttle but the size of the sound of our band would be compromised. A big amp running at lower volume in the right hands works superbly imho. Live music for us is about the LIVE experience. If you want conversation go somewhere else. If you want a fantastic mix put the juke box on. If you want exciting raw rock and roll watch the band. If it’s too loud then that particular band is not for you that evening. But for krissakes get out there play and enjoy it while you can! For us at least it’s about the excitement of the live performance. I think too many people have too many hang ups about this type of thing. The mix is really really important we try to get it right every gig. Loud music is not for everyone I understand this we are all different - the world would be very boring if we were all the same! but does it really matter? (Oops! Old git banging on alert!)

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

Why do people use big amps?

Comments