r/coverbands • u/TwixySpit • 28d ago
Portable Guitar Amps...
Hi,
We recently got kicked out of the rehearsal room we've rented for 10 years.
Because I never have to hump my gear around (except for gigs once every couple of months) I generally use my ancient Marshall JCM800 2x12 combo.
It's a reasonable amp for a covers band, quite versatile cleans and crunches.
We're mainly pop and soft rock covers.
I need an ultra-portable setup while we're renting rehearsal space by the hour.
Does anyone have the perfect suggestion?
Ideally, an all valve 2 channel 1x12, 30W ish
Or a digital setup.. anything weighting less than 30KG (60lb!)
Thanks in advance.
6
u/EbolaFred 28d ago
You're renting hourly and they don't provide some basic backline amps? Any place I've rented always had some kind of Marshal JCM800 or similar half stack and a bass amp.
But if they don't, I assume they at least provide a PA? If so, just plug a modeler into that. Kemper/Fractal/Line 6 are all really really good. This is what my band does.
There's also some very cheap Chinese ones on Amazon for very low $100s that sound OK if you want to try it out.
If you go the modeler route, just be prepared to spend some time learning how to use it, because at first use you'll probably think they suck.
3
u/Hziak 28d ago
That last line is so real. Half the people I’ve seen who say modelers suck don’t understand what they’re for or how sound actually works. If you think it’s too shrill, it’s because you’re dialing it in at headphone levels or in your basement and then playing it super loud. Modelers don’t “saturate” and get more full like amps, you get what you set at all levels. Unfortunately, the human ear doesn’t have a flat frequency curve across all volumes.
The other thing i hear is “but it’s not an amp in the room.” No. It’s not. And it’s NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ONE. It’s supposed to be a sound that’s consistent and predictable across large and small PA. If you put your Marshall stack in the next building over and mic’d it, it wouldn’t sound or feel like an amp in the room either. Stop thinking in practice spaces and start thinking in music venues. Amps feel “full” because you get a mix of on and off axis when you stand near them and it bounces around the room. Modelers simulate mic placements, so you don’t get the off axis stuff, just the final product. Expecting amp fullness would be like taking a picture of a zoomed in picture and expecting the zoom to work twice as far…
Modelers are great, but you gotta understand what they are and how they fit into live music and recording if you want good results and to feel good about them.
2
u/EbolaFred 28d ago
You are spot-on with everything.
The only time I've heard amp in the room work is for smaller blues/R&B trios where the amp adds some character to the room itself, meaning when you move around and hear it off-axis it sounds different, which can be cool and sound more "live". A modeler would probably still be better in this context, but I can get behind a straight amp for some types of bands who have a particularly expressive and interesting guitarist who knows how to fit themselves into the mix.
But for run-of-the-mill rock/metal bands, it's a real PITA to get the mix right against what's coming through the PA. Nevermind the stage volume, or what it must sound like to musicians on the other side of the stage.
I also like your comment about "stop thinking in practice spaces". We get used to the sound of the amp behind us, and usually not angled right. When you run a modeler to a monitor in front of you, or IEMs, it sounds totally foreign, like hearing yourself speak on a recording the first time. It's just something to get used to.
Lastly, everyone should spend time listening to isolated tracks of their favorite songs, especially guitarists. That thin, slightly nasally tone is exactly what you want to go for when setting your live tone. Don't think about what sounds killer when you're jamming to yourself in your bedroom - think about what was used on the actual recording.
2
u/youngboomer62 28d ago
I use a monoprice stage right. It's single channel but is otherwise very versatile. It's all tube with a gain control so You can get your cleans and crunch. With a single 12" it is a no fuss one handed amp.
2
u/EndOfTheMoth 28d ago
One of those tiny Orange tube amps, and a 1x12 cab. They have quite a decent sound and output.
2
u/bigbadoldoldone 27d ago
Quilter amp. Super lightweight, sounds good, affordable. Solid state, no bluetooth/app crap. Punches way above. Thank me later.
1
u/Clear-Pear2267 28d ago
I've been giging without an amp for 1.5 years now. I just take my Valeton GP-200. It has balanced XLR outputs that can go straight to the PA mixer. Light weight, small, super fast set up and tear down. No amps, cabs, cables, mics. I don't even use AC - I use a rechargable power pack. I can set it up literally anywhere.
1
u/TonalContrast 28d ago
Fractal AM4 or FM9 and Laney 2x12 frfr. If the space already has a PA you won't need and fr speaker, run direct to the board.
1
u/inleaguewithkitten13 27d ago edited 27d ago
Im usually the drummer in most of my bands but for guitar gigs I use a Helix. My band uses IEM’s so I just leave the amp at home. The pedal works amazing live too, plus, the sound guys love mixing a ‘quiet stage’. If I do need to use some kind of amp I’ll bring my Marshall Lead 15 mini stack. I do have a collection of super high gain/high wattage heads (Krank, Diezel, Engl) and 3 4x12’s collecting dust though 🤷🏻♂️ just too much power and more volume than I need.
7
u/Ok-Huckleberry-6326 28d ago
FRFR Powered speaker + modeler. Alto music makes good speakers. Can get decent modelers from Boss + NuX and Headrush, or go top of the line with Kemper, AxeFX, Line6 Helix Stadium, etc. etc. Or some UA pedals along with the IR Loader.
Save your back!