Amp Stand?

[strat56]

I see very little love for amp stands on TGP. A lot of people say that the amp needs to be on the floor for enhanced bottom end or something.

So I'm curious. If your amp is on the floor behind or beside you, how do you hear it?

If amp stands are bad, how about kick back legs, like on a Fender, are they OK, or does that reduce the floor contact area too much?

If you play a bunch of different stages/places doesn't always having it on the floor make it sound different depending on where you're playing, hollow stage, concrete slab, carpet on the stage vs bare wood? Don't all these effect the coupling of the amp to the floor?

I'm no acoustics guru but I'd think that having your amp not coupled to the varying surfaces that you perform on would give a more consistent tone. Isn't the the whole point of the Auralex thing to isolate your amp from it's surroundings?

If I'm misunderstanding any of this please help me understand where my thinking is wrong.

[johnh]

I guess it's different for everyone, but here's my take:

When I played 100W Marshall and larger Fender combos I was happy to use amp stands since those amps had bass response to spare. For the past few years I've been playing through 15W Fender Blues Jnr and Pro Jnr combos, and those amps just can't afford to lose any bass. To my ears they sound much fuller when on the floor, and I do lean them back. I prefer the sound of a smaller amp running at half way or higher, rather than a 100W amp barely ticking over, so I'm happy having to compromise on the bass.

I hear from Princeton users that they have the same issue - smaller combos just need all the help they can get to cut it in a live band.

You're totally correct that every stage surface will cause a different sound. Personally I prefer wooden sprung stages, but I guess it depends a lot on the volume you play at, your gear and the type of music you play.

So you're right (in my mind) that my sound might be more consistent with the amps up high, but I prefer the sound with the bass intact.

[jspax7]

Originally Posted by strat56

I see very little love for amp stands on TGP. A lot of people say that the amp needs to be on the floor for enhanced bottom end or something.

So I'm curious. If your amp is on the floor behind or beside you, how do you hear it?

If amp stands are bad, how about kick back legs, like on a Fender, are they OK, or does that reduce the floor contact area too much?

If you play a bunch of different stages/places doesn't always having it on the floor make it sound different depending on where you're playing, hollow stage, concrete slab, carpet on the stage vs bare wood? Don't all these effect the coupling of the amp to the floor?

I'm no acoustics guru but I'd think that having your amp not coupled to the varying surfaces that you perform on would give a more consistent tone. Isn't the the whole point of the Auralex thing to isolate your amp from it's surroundings?

If I'm misunderstanding any of this please help me understand where my thinking is wrong.

This is exactly why I use an amp stand. Different stages simply create too many inconsistencies for me. I've played on hardwood stages that made my Fender Deluxe sound amazing. Concerte slabs... yuk. Carpet, Tile,...

I never could hear very well with my knees.

Besides, if I'm micing my amp, I want to know exactly what is being mic'd. With the amp too low, I could be adding too much high end to compensate for not hearing the speaker clearly. Also, getting a good angle between the speaker and the guitar helps with controlled feedback.

I think the Auralex is a fine idea.

Works for me.
ymmv

[ezyrydr]

I put my amps on a chair or a case (Tweed Deluxe, Super Champ, Ampeg J20) unless I can crank it up then I play my bassman and it sits on the floor.

I get those amps off the ground so I can hear them better when on stage because they're not super loud amps.

[salsage]

MF $22.00
http://www.ampwedge.com/
works great

[bach]

Standback

$30 with free shipping at Zzounds. Also works great. And it fits inside the back of most combos.

[Bongo Jonny]

Originally Posted by bach

Standback

$30 with free shipping at Zzounds. Also works great. And it fits inside the back of most combos.

+1 on this one, I use it with a '59 bassman, works great

[ronmail65]

I think people tend to over-think this issue.
I would make sure that you can hear your own amp (whether that be thru monitors, or a stand), and that the audience can hear it. I wouldn't sweat the details of how much contact it has with the floor.

If you're gigging and the amp is mic'd, I don't think the amp is going to sound any different whether it's mic'd from a floor location or a stand location. True, the amp itself might sound different if projected from being on the floor versus a stand, but a mic against the grill won't pick up that difference.

If you don't mic the amp, then the subtle difference the floor makes will probably get lost in the band mix. It's like asking the question, "will these extra grains of sugar in the mixing bowl make the resulting cake taste any sweeter?" No, not that anyone will notice.

[shark_bite]

See a long related thread on this topic here...

I personally prefer the standback as well. Works for all my amps.

[fox5150]

I've got a LoneStar Special which Mesa Boogie very kindly put on casters. All I do is take the back set of casters off and put it on an Auralex Gramma. I get the isolation and the amp angled nicely so that I can hear it without taking everyone's heads off. Works really well

Simon

[sixthscale]

http://www.soundenhancer.com/the_enhancer.htm

[SkippyD]

Any low end I lose with my amp stand is made up for by the bass player.

[Trebor Renkluaf]

Originally Posted by sixthscale

http://www.soundenhancer.com/the_enhancer.htm

Been using one for about 3 or 4 or 5 years now and love it.

[Billion81]

Standback all the way...

Get those amps back on the ground!!

[strat56]

I use one of these.

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.c...and?sku=450568

Folds up very small, holds up to 75 lbs, low profile, adjustable angle. I screw a gooseneck onto the back support and use it to mic the amp,no extra mic stand in the way to trip over or take up floor space.