• Registered: 2008-07-23
  • Posts: 27

Topic: Small gig-friendly rig

I'd be interested to learn what others who gig in pubs/small clubs use on a day to day basis.

One of the things that struck me while reading the threads on Jo-style rigs on a budget was that I would struggle to fit some of them into my car along with PA and monitors.

Made me wonder how others who have issues with space (both at venues and with transport) and volume manage to cut corners without sacrificing tone. After all, two antique Marshall 100s with celestion-packed 4x12s may sound fab ... but the landlord of the Dog and Duck ain't gonna like 'em no matter how many plexi screens you use.

I currently take to gigs Les Paul Standard plus a Les Paul Classic with BareKnuckle Mule p/ups as a back-up for string breaks etc.

Small pedalboard of Fulltone wah/OCD/RotoSim/phaser/delay/tuner

into Cornell 18/20Plexi and Marshall 2x12. I use an 8ohm THD so amp volume can be fine-tuned.

This set-up gets you something that decently approximates classic Les Paul Marshall sounds from Koss/Cream-era Clapton to Slash/Joe.
I wouldn't pretend this is a cheap rig. But it's small and tasty.

What do the rest of you small giggers use?

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2008-04-23
  • Posts: 553

Re: Small gig-friendly rig

Hi,

if the gig is really small venued then I play a cranked 18watt Marshall 1974x clone.
I have a small pedalboard with wah, TS, DD-3 and Tuner.
Simple and really good sounding. No sacrifice at all. Thats it.

Alex

...it's a musical journey
www.u2-experience.de

Stratovari's Website

  • Registered: 2008-07-23
  • Posts: 27

Re: Small gig-friendly rig

Alex,


Hey we could swap rigs! My amp is an 18watt Marshall clone too...and the OCD is basically a tubescreamer.

Who made your 18watter?

  • From: Belgium (leuven)
  • Registered: 2008-12-28
  • Posts: 40

Re: Small gig-friendly rig

Nrob 1982; Your rig is to die for!

I'm going for the marshall 1974x and currently have a gibson lp classic antique/old tokai love rock goldtop and a DRRI with a Fulltone ocd.

Tokai and drri are for sale now to buy me the marshall and some money for my account to get me an historic lp or something like that in the future.

Had a 1974x before and i regret i sold it it was awesome.

Those cornell 18/20 seems interesting too.

Rafke182's Website

  • From: Pittsburgh
  • Registered: 2008-05-22
  • Posts: 261

Re: Small gig-friendly rig

A Fuchs ODS 50 watt head into a 2 x 12 Fuchs Cab.  An effect rack with a few pedals and an effect channel switcher, pedal board out front with a Boss Tuner, Dunlop Wha and a Rocktron Midi Controller.

DannyG's Website

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2008-04-23
  • Posts: 553

Re: Small gig-friendly rig

Nrob 1982, yes that is a simple but great setup.
Actually I had an OCD too but i sold it now. It sounded ok but I found it
all in all too mellow sounding. The old tubescreamer does the job better.
More transparent in the bass frequency. But its just my taste...

My 18watt was made by a german builder named Berger
http://www.bergertone.com/pro_bluesman. … ct-details
But the prices became crazy now. When I bought it some years back
it was almost half the price.... But a great amp.

Alex

...it's a musical journey
www.u2-experience.de

Stratovari's Website

  • Registered: 2008-07-23
  • Posts: 27

Re: Small gig-friendly rig

Alex:

I use the OCD as a clean boost only..drive off and volume on full. A Les Paul through the 18watter does not need much encouragement.


Rafke182: I hope you don't regret selling the DRRI...I think they're great little amps.

I think everyone has sold stuff and regretted it years later. Believe it or not I once owned a genuine 1959 Fender Bassman. A bit tatty but all original. I was too scared of damaging it to take it out of the house. I sold it to pay off a student loan. I must have been insane.

  • From: Pittsburgh
  • Registered: 2008-05-22
  • Posts: 261

Re: Small gig-friendly rig

I had an old Mesa Boogie MK II B's.  One of the first ones.  I also had a '74 Les Paul '57 Special Reissue...I'm still hating myself for getting rid of those.  I'd pay anything to have that guitar again.

DannyG's Website

9 Reply by gsj (edited by gsj 2009-01-05 17:57:32)

  • gsj
  • gsj
  • BONAMETAL
  • Offline
  • From: North Essex, England
  • Registered: 2006-09-21
  • Posts: 2,149

Re: Small gig-friendly rig

Nice gear nrob. Dennis Cornell is a good friend, lovely bloke and makes great amps.

I use a Dr Z Maz SNR 38 with either a matching 2x12 or 1x12 cab depending on the gig (and how bad the load-in is.)

Custom Shop '63 Closet Classic Strat and/or Nik Huber Dolphin.

Xotic Effecte AC Booster through the front end and TU2, GE7 for solo boost, T.Rex trem and DD3 through the loop.

Sometimes use a Dr Z Air Brake to run the amp harder but I find that it overly compresses the sound.....I prefer to let the amp breath a bit.

And I no longer suffer from G.A.S wink

never give up, never slow down
never grow old, never ever die young
  • From: Illinois
  • Registered: 2008-06-15
  • Posts: 52

Re: Small gig-friendly rig

places i play are pretty small pubs, bars.  i play through a 64 vibroverb custom.  i'm just about to buy a ceriatone 18 watt plexi clone, very beautiful sounding amp, for wayyyy less than an 18 watt marshall. i'll be playing stereo through my vibroverb and it....using a plexiglass shield of course.  lower wattage is the key IN MY OPINION when playing small places...

Brian

  • From: Pittsburgh PA
  • Registered: 2008-12-24
  • Posts: 76

Re: Small gig-friendly rig

I've been wondering the same thing, actually.  In the previous band (and the new one we are forming), we always tried to run relatively low stage volume.  We would aim the amps across the stage at eachother so we could hear and mic them.

It mainly comes down to our sound person requesting we do this... I want to run my amp hotter but I don't know if it will be possible given the small places we play.

guitarman19853's Website

  • Registered: 2007-11-04
  • Posts: 404

Re: Small gig-friendly rig

I use either my twin or my AC30 depending on my mood.  Sometimes I go thru a Tom Petty month and use the Vox for everything. Other times I like the twin. 

Either way I use a 58 Reissue LP and a Fender Telecaster into my effects. 

Effects- Dunlop Wah, into a Boss channel switcher. Channel 1 is a Barber burn unit set to light, Channel B is a OCEAN EFX Texas Deuce set to explode.   Then I run into a Boss DD6 for some Delay.  An Ocean Efx Vintage echo is on order so that will change soon.

I have used 100 watt twin in almost every bar size possible.  I've been told to turn down. It's never been a problem. The Vox is much better for those applications though.  I like lower wattage amps.

My next amp is going to be a Carr Rambler. I'll probably never use the vox or twin again after I get that.

13 Reply by Budda (edited by Budda 2009-01-10 12:41:55)

  • From: N. Little Rock, AR.
  • Registered: 2007-03-02
  • Posts: 463

Re: Small gig-friendly rig

I usually take an 18 to 20 Watt Tube Combo, and a small Pedalboard. Tuner, OD, Chorus. Maybe 2 ODs for stacking.

    However, IF you have good Monitors, a Champ (Mic'd Up, of course!) is plenty of Amp! I do that sometimes, too.

    Last Gig?

    Deluxe Reverb Styled Clone, PW PedalTuner>MO'd Clone>Eternity Clone>BYOC Chorus/Vibrato. Also, took my Warmoth Soloist Styled Guitar, with 2 Pearly Gates HBs.

Early 80's 1957 U.S. Vintage Reissue Stratocaster (Surf Green)-Warmouth Soloist  Pearly Gates Neck, Pearly Gates Bridge- Larrivee D-03 (Mahogany/ Spruce)
Carmen Ghia Head- Marshall 112 Cab W/G12H 30  or  Custom 4 X 6v6 Head  or  Budda Twinmaster Plus Head-Traynor 212 Cab w/Eminence Texas Heats. 
Mo'D-Eternity-Blues Pro- Timmy-BYOC Chorus/Vibrato- TC SCF- Korg DT 10 Pedal Tuner
  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: Small gig-friendly rig

just dont get anything bigger than 50 watts.  30W is fine. My 55watt is too loud for bar gigs and I cant crank it up. It rather have something smaller and leave it wide open and mic it if needed.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • Registered: 2008-07-23
  • Posts: 27

Re: Small gig-friendly rig

gsj

Dennis is indeed a great guy. I have two of his Romany Pluses and am gassing for one of his new fuzz pedals.

I went to his bungalow a few weeks back after blowing something up in one of the Romanys and he not only fixed it while I waited but plied me with coffee, made me a sandwich, let me try out the new amp he has built for Robin Trower....and then refused to charge me a penny.

  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: Small gig-friendly rig

My soon to be completed small-gig-friendly/home practice rig is a Dr.Z Maz 18 JR w/reverb that peaks about 24 watts, a Hiwatt Bulldog 40 (running at half power most of the time) putting out 20 watts, a tubescreamer, DD-3 delay, Planet Waves Tuner, Vox Wah, Dunlop Fuzz Face England, ABY pedal, Plexiglass baffle + Auralex Gramma.  I hope to get an attenuator soon to tame the volume even more...even these little combos can hurt 'ya.

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.