I saw a live band perform without really expensive tube amps last night

[HeeHaw]

All they had was a solid state Crate twin and an SWR bass amp, along with a mediocre pa. Guess what? They sounded really good and I'm willing to bet they maybe had less than $1500 in each respective rig.

All of this leads me to believe this tone chasing and expesive bootique gear is nothing more than a mindless obsession I've concocted for myself.

[Jahn]

I have no doubt that guys that can rock live can use that gear and still rock.

That said, I rock less and can use all the sweet gear put on this earth to make me sound a bit less nasty in my bedroom. Whee!

[HeeHaw]

My bedroom ceased to sound good earlier this year.

[dmbandtimmy]

Yeah, but how cool did they look rocking a Crate amp. My guess, not that cool! :)

[ImmortalSix]

I always say, good gear is like a good car --- just because you bought it doesn't mean you can turn a good lap time.

On the other side of the coin, you can buy a $100,000 Porsche and some joker in a '91 Miata will come on the track and SMOKE YA!

Hendrix could have rocked a Squier through a Crate and brought the house down.

[therhodeo]

Yeah, but how cool did they look rocking a Crate amp. My guess, not that cool! :)

There is a whole world outside of the gear page that I think some people here don't even know about.

[dankayaker]

All they had was a solid state Crate twin and an SWR bass amp, along with a mediocre pa. Guess what? They sounded really good and I'm willing to bet they maybe had less than $1500 in each respective rig.

All of this leads me to believe this tone chasing and expesive bootique gear is nothing more than a mindless obsession I've concocted for myself.



$1500 in each rig ? Sounds like my P&W rig . . . .Egnater Rebel plus a purple cab I bought from some guy with a few pedals.

[cap'n'crunch]

Yeah, but how cool did they look rocking a Crate amp. My guess, not that cool! :)

Think about it. How many people in that venue could have known the difference between a Crate SS and a several thousand dollar boutique rig. I'm gonna guess about 99%. You could tell the average club goer that the Crate cost you $3000 and they wouldn't know any better. If that player "ROCKS" with at least a fairly reasonable tone then that's all the audience cares about.

[SgtThump]

There is a whole world outside of the gear page that I think some people here don't even know about.

Exactly!

[takakat]

I use two Fender Cyber Champ amps on stage and people see me play think they look very cool with all the lights blinking on face plates and they think they are very expensive amps because of that and Fender name plates. They just don't need to know that I only paid $320 for both amps:)

[dmbandtimmy]

I was just trying to provide a little humor :) I agree, most people don't know and if it sounds good, it sounds good.

[boogieplaya]

Only people that would notice would be other guitarists, and they don't dance anyway. they are too cool. Gigs are for chicks. If you can make the girls dance, guys will show up too.

[Mark Robinson]

I saw a possum crossing the road the other night without the aid of a stoplight or a crossing guard for that matter. His headlights were a bit dim but effective, and his hair was perfect.

[GuitarsFromMars]

There is a whole world outside of the gear page that I think some people here don't even know about.

I was talking to an amp repair tech yesterday, and determined there are a lot of Peavey amps in this world, that no one on the Gear Page ever discusses.

[stratton]

Only people that would notice would be other guitarists, and they don't dance anyway. they are too cool. Gigs are for chicks. If you can make the girls dance, guys will show up too.

This is SO true! Apart from the high tech shred market, girls make the rockin' world go round. And they don't care about amps.

[jimmyohio75]

Everyone has a hobby. Some people collect stamps. Some people are into photography. Some people workout like crazy. My hobby is experimenting with guitar related gear and accessories. I like trying to find different sounds and tones. I like playing a wide range of amps in order to satisfy my curiosity. Yes, I could play a $100 Solid State amp and maybe sound within 80% of how I would sound with a friggin' $4000 Mesa Mark 5. The cost of the amp makes no difference to me but it costs money to purchase and test drive each amp. This is what I like to do. Yes, I would be lost without TGP. That's just me!

[jhp612]

my friend had to lead worship for a church one night. On stage were

2 x R8 Les Pauls
1 x R7 Les Paul
1 x Tyler Classic
Taylor 714CE acoustic guitar
Tobias bass
70's ac30
70's Marshall JMP
Aguilar bass rig
and a yamaha custom oak drum set...

I overheard some worshipers saying later.. " I wonder how much all that music equipment cost", to which another guy replied "I bet its almost $2000 total!" ...

........

Like other have said, 99% of the people out there wont notice the difference, but us musicians do, and it gives us a lot of good times and inspiration!

[big mike]

All they had was a solid state Crate twin and an SWR bass amp, along with a mediocre pa. Guess what? They sounded really good and I'm willing to bet they maybe had less than $1500 in each respective rig.

All of this leads me to believe this tone chasing and expesive bootique gear is nothing more than a mindless obsession I've concocted for myself.

IRCH!


:facepalm

[TMay]

Everyone has a hobby. Some people collect stamps. Some people are into photography. Some people workout like crazy. My hobby is experimenting with guitar related gear and accessories. I like trying to find different sounds and tones. I like playing a wide range of amps in order to satisfy my curiosity. Yes, I could play a $100 Solid State amp and maybe sound within 80% of how I would sound with a friggin' $4000 Mesa Mark 5. The cost of the amp makes no difference to me but it costs money to purchase and test drive each amp. This is what I like to do. Yes, I would be lost without TGP. That's just me!


My hobbies are guitar and golf, and it's amazing how parallel the 2 hobbies are. There are golf websites just like TGP where all that is discussed is new and expensive golf clubs, balls, training aides, etc. Golfers always wonder why they spend $3k+ on a set of clubs and everything that goes with it when they aren't on tour and often suck. Just as that thought crosses your mind, the Golf Gods come down and allow a 325 yard drive with your new $399.99 driver (which you buy new every Spring) and you think...nahh, no way I can sell it now.

The Guitar Gods do the same thing - just as you begin to think you are going to downsize and sell your Two Rock for a Spider, you amazingly play a great chord followed by a tasty phrase w/ awesome tone and think...nahh, no way I can sell it now.

Nobody really cares what kind of clubs or guitar gear you play with, but it sure is fun playing with the stuff you care about.

[mvd18969]

yes, it's called the real world!

There is a whole world outside of the gear page that I think some people here don't even know about.

[GearHeadFred]

I watched a battle of the bands a few weeks ago.. The house provided TRRI's.. Several bands brought their own amps, though.. Some Marshall JCM800.. Some Vintage Fenders... The best tone of the night was a guy playing a..... wait for it...... Blues Junior!!! This was a huge venue so everything was mic'd.. He had just beautiful tone... amazing cleans.... Soaring solo tone.. Almost makes you think that "tone is in the hands" crap is true.... almost! :-)

[Simto]

$1,500... i wish i could get the same amount of gear for $1,500 here in Denmark...

[rob2001]

I played in a pretty successful local band for 25 years. In that time, I used a host of rigs....SS amps, rack rigs, a few tube amps etc... but this was before I got on the internet and read that 80% of the rigs I had were supposed to suck!

I actually remember one of my finest nights as a live player using a .....Digitech RP-6 direct into the board. That setup would NOT be my first choice of setups but for whatever reason, that night, it was perfect and I played my ass off.

[ozspawn]

All of this leads me to believe this tone chasing and expesive bootique gear is nothing more than a mindless obsession I've concocted for myself.

Well...you may be right.

But tone can always be improved.

Does it matter to you?

[guzman]

The problem with cheap stuff isn't the sound, it's the reliability.

[CharAznable]

Live sound is more a matter of mix placement than "tone". That cheap amp that sounds thin and fizzy in your bedroom might sit at exactly the right frequency when combined with drums, bass and keys, while your awesome, wide range $4000 tone machine will just be turned to mud as it tries to fight the bass.

[guitardude5]

Yeah, but how cool did they look rocking a Crate amp. My guess, not that cool! :)

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/2584/7dda1.jpg

I get what you're sayin'. I used to own a VC5310 from that same series. Cleans were good, but the dirt was a little buzzy. It was loud and heavy.

[HeeHaw]

Well...you may be right.

But tone can always be improved.

Does it matter to you?

Not anymore it doesn't. Lock, stock and barrel, I am over the whole thing.

[HeeHaw]

Live sound is more a matter of mix placement than "tone". That cheap amp that sounds thin and fizzy in your bedroom might sit at exactly the right frequency when combined with drums, bass and keys, while your awesome, wide range $4000 tone machine will just be turned to mud as it tries to fight the bass.

There is so much truth in what you are saying. The guys I saw the other night just fit together seemlessly in the mix, yet each had his/her own distinct identity within the mix. It spoke volumes to me of their musicianship. Had my best friend's mother not have suffered a heart attack in the middle of the show, I would have stuck around to give them props galore.

[ripoffriffs]

Ummm... the Mesa Mk V is only listing for $2000

Yes, I could play a $100 Solid State amp and maybe sound within 80% of how I would sound with a friggin' $4000 Mesa Mark 5.

[splatt]

Live sound is more a matter of mix placement than "tone". That cheap amp that sounds thin and fizzy in your bedroom might sit at exactly the right frequency when combined with drums, bass and keys, while your awesome, wide range $4000 tone machine will just be turned to mud as it tries to fight the bass.
not my $4000. "tone machine", bruddah.

oh, yeah.....
my amps don't cost that much.
many of my guitars do, though:
they cost (or, are worth) way more, even.
got some cheapies, too:
whatever works!

seems to sound (& feel) pretty good to me,
and to those with whom i work, i guess.

for better or worse?
i live in the real world.
where folks (like me)
get paid to play & write.

dt / spltrcl

[splatt]

what makes this question matter?
do what ya do.
play what ya like,
and what ye can afford.

who said anyone "must" play expensive stuff?
it doesn't actually make ya cool;
neither does it automatically make ya a fool
nor an unwitting tool of the marketing school.

what you play is your freaking decision, already;
have some serious fun with yer own life,
'cuz it just don't last very long.

dt / spltrcl

[boostdemon]

happens all the time... famous musicians sporting their huge stacks of cabs and fancy amps but what we dont see is that tiny fender tweed combo hidden behind it all with the PA mic shoved up to it. :)

[DC1]

Sat in with a friend's band in San Diego a few years back. No amp, they just plugged me into the mixer...

Oh hey... THIS is going to suck, thought I.

But then I remembered I had a 30db boost on that guitar... Just throw that switch over there and it goes totally apesh*t...

So, they said "take a solo" and I did!

Sounded great! Howling searing lead tone and a good time was had by all. Afterwards people came up and raved and the band said "how did you get that sound out of the mixer?"

Well, it's this little switch here.

Which goes to show you that all you need is a strat, a really honkin' booster and a cheap powered PA head.

After all, the audience likes it!

:bong


dc