Gig rig - loud enough? What Wattage?

Lebarque

Another vote for Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb. 

Dan_Halen

Placidcasual79 said:

Dan_Halen said:

I played with a 10 piece Ska band for years and still do on occasion and worked my way through loads of different amps. Would absolutely go for a Tonemaster Twin if I was going to do it regularly again. I occasionally used a valve Twin of various incarnations when backline was provided and that always nailed 'that sound'. I'd of bought one but no way I'd want to lug one to gigs.

The DeVille was also great but heavy. Hot Rod Deluxe didn't cut it for me: I could live with it but just didn't have the wallop of the DeVille or especially the Twin. Used a bunch of Mesas which were all good and a Mesa Transatlantic for a few years too and that was superb.

The guy who took over when I left that band (although I stil dep for them) uses a Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb and I was pretty astonished with how loud it was. He sits it on a flight case so it's well off the floor and you can really hear it, and it sounds fantastic with the band. Sounds much better in the room with some volume than it does on YouTube demos.

thanks @Dan_Halen (great name btw)..... before I started this thread I'd never heard of the Tonemaster. In fact I am pretty sure they didn't exist when I was last amp shopping 10 years ago..... I've had some great advice on here (on all sorts of things - since I first started playing guitar with a live band) so I think I am going to at least go to a shop and demo a Tonemaster......

If you don't mind me asking Dan - what sort of ska did you play? Did you do Jamaican ska? The second wave British stuff or the third wave American ska? I am into roots and dub -  but enjoy Jamaican ska and some of the British 2tone bands - which is mostly what we cover...... I don't know a lot about the America 3rd wave stuff......

I am guessing you had a horn section and keys? Did you have two guitars? What were the songs that went down well? I think one of the things we'd like to do this time round is do some none ska songs in a ska style 

No worries. We do the odd cover of Toots, Desmond Dekker et al, but mainly the second wave and two tone stuff - The Specials, Bad Manners, the Beat, Madness etc. and started nearly 25 years ago back when no one else was really covering that stuff (apart from the bands themselves of course ). That band is 3 piece brass, guitar, bass, drums, keys and 3 singers. To be honest, you've kind of got to play the hits as they're almost expected so can't really get away from Nightboat, One Step Beyond, Pressure Drop, Gangsters, Nite Klub, Lip-up Fatty... basically the contents of a 'Greatest Ska Hits' CD. However, you can sprinkle the odd more interesting tune here and there.

I'm also in a band that does some Ska and punk tunes as well as some ska/punk covers of well know tunes and they all go down pretty well. It's 2 guitars with that plus keys and a sax player. Covering stuff people know but putting a punk/ska take on it is a pretty easy win because it's high energy and people know the words already. I like a lot of the 3rd wave stuff like Reel Big Fish so enjoy those gigs.

I did play in a reggae band for a bit too but that was on sax. Did enjoy it but the ska/punk gigs get better crowds and enjoy the energy of it.

p90fool

PAL said:

Boss Katana 100 would work.

But nowhere near as loud as an 80w Bandit. 

Trude

I have a Roland JC40 I'm thinking of letting go.  It is massively loud and clean, so should do what you need.  Message me if you want to discuss!

Pabcrane

I haven't played the 100 or 120 watt version but the Orange solid state Crush series are pretty good sounding. I imagine that 100/120 watts solid state would be enough for some cleans. Maybe someone who has one of these could chime in?

EricTheWeary

Pabcrane said: I haven't played the 100 or 120 watt version but the Orange solid state Crush series are pretty good sounding. I imagine that 100/120 watts solid state would be enough for some cleans. Maybe someone who has one of these could chime in?


@Grunfeld if memory serves. 

barrettisgold

How about a cab, power amp (matrix, Seymour Duncan, Blackstar Amp 1) and amp modeller like Origin Effects Compact or DSM Humboldt Simplifier.

A bit fiddlier than a combo but it would mean you have the option to not take the amp and cab if there is one at a gig and you can keep your sound by plugging the Origin or Simplifier into the return of the supplied amp. The Simplifier also has a DI out, easy enough to split the Origin to a DI too.

The Blackstar Amp 1 combines all you need and would work with your cab or to a supplied one.

You might be looking at around £600 for that option though if getting from the used market.

Just another option.

Grunfeld

EricTheWeary said:

Pabcrane said:

I haven't played the 100 or 120 watt version but the Orange solid state Crush series are pretty good sounding. I imagine that 100/120 watts solid state would be enough for some cleans. Maybe someone who has one of these could chime in?

@Grunfeld if memory serves. 

Yep, with a 2*12 I had more than enough clean for any pub gig.  Our drummer is not stupidly mentally loud but he knows how to hit a kit.  The amp will crunch up wonderfully too.  And then there's the gain channel!  Which is definitely not clean.

Actually, writing this is making me miss it.  I've been using a different amp for the last few gigs but I can see the Orange being used again.  Maybe tonight. 

Great amp.

EDIT for plug:  I have a Blackstar HT Studio 20 going cheap if there's any interest in that.

Placidcasual79

Grunfeld said:

EricTheWeary said:

Pabcrane said:

I haven't played the 100 or 120 watt version but the Orange solid state Crush series are pretty good sounding. I imagine that 100/120 watts solid state would be enough for some cleans. Maybe someone who has one of these could chime in?

@Grunfeld if memory serves. 

Yep, with a 2*12 I had more than enough clean for any pub gig.  Our drummer is not stupidly mentally loud but he knows how to hit a kit.  The amp will crunch up wonderfully too.  And then there's the gain channel!  Which is definitely not clean.

Actually, writing this is making me miss it.  I've been using a different amp for the last few gigs but I can see the Orange being used again.  Maybe tonight. 

Great amp.

EDIT for plug:  I have a Blackstar HT Studio 20 going cheap if there's any interest in that.

I'll dm you @Grunfeld ;