Are there really that many stacks being sold today?...

[SgtThump]

You mean those bands are still touring?

I know he's a wuss to Ratt fans, but Jeff Beck has backed off to half stacks. Many others come to mind as well.

Dang, generalization is almost as bad as my statement about old jazz playing men.

PS - Yes, all of those bands are still touring and in some cases, selling ALOT of seats in huge venues (Poison, for example.)

 

[Blues-rocker]

Well, some people back off the 100 Watt amps and full stacks because of hearing issues (which, by the way, is a faculty that I HIGHLY recommend that everyone protect). I know that Eric Johnson, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Roger Daltrey (and probably every guitarist from back in the day, but I know of these specifically) have had issues with tinnitus. Eric Johnson backed off to 50W Marshalls for a while, and Deluxe Reverbs, as opposed to 100W Marshalls with Twin Reverbs. I don't recall seeing JB using more than one 4X12 per head in a while, and I don't think Clapton has either. Clapton spoke of his playing through cranked 100W full stacks back when he was in Cream as "mad" I believe. Eric Johnson's issues got to the point that on the '96 G3 tour, he wore a large set of headphone ear protectors during the jam with Vai and Satch (due to their high stage volumes...they're both younger than he is, by the way). Now he's got his tinnitus cleared up a bit (and he always wears earplugs, now), he's gone back to using two 100W Marshall heads (some times one 100W and one 50W) through a 4X12 each, and two Twin Reverbs. For a recent smaller show (at Antone's) he was using two 50W Marshalls and two silverface Deluxe Reverbs. He does set his amp up in a full stack (usually these days) but only one 4X12 is in use at a time. As a side note, I deem tone to be a better thing to be going for than volume (like the above comments of the mid-scoopers, and whatnot).
Now, all that being said, I'm all for stacks. There's nothing like the sound of a good 100W plexi through a 4X12! However, I don't really see the need for full stacks. It seems a bit excessive, in my humble opinion (you certainly don't need four. unless you're going for the image), especially if you're going out through a PA. I just would like people to protect their hearing -- it's a good thing to have. I miss some of mine.

 

[stratzrus]

There's nothing like the sound of a good 100W plexi through a 4X12!

Except going through two 4x12s!

:RoCkIn

 

[primerib]

Jeff Beck has backed off to half stacks

Prolly cuz of his tinnitus I'd imagine. A haunting condition indeed.

 

[therhodeo]

I find it funny that backing off to 2 50 watt marshalls and 2 Twin Reverbs has made it that much quieter for EJ. Half power amounts to what? 3db?

 

[BSHARP]

A full stack at home deep in the basement is the perfect place for it because you never need to move it. There it sits looking cool and sounding big. When it comes time to play out, just grab and go with that 1x12 sitting in the corner.

 

[CJReaper]

FWIW, I think most of the bands back in the 80s just had a half stack off stage and used the stacks for looks. I know that's what George Lynch did on the Monsters of Rock tour. If you watch the 1982 Judas Priest concert DVD I don't think any of the stacks on stage have a cable in them or are turned on. I can see using multiple stacks for volume in the 60s and 70s, but it seems by the 80s PAs were able to handle the projection issue. Since then I would guess most stacks are there for looks, but I like the way the look, lol! Also, everybody's favorite real-life Spinal Tap, ManOwar, claim that ALL of their amps are always on and cranked, because "real men play on ten!!" according to them LOL! Ironically, when I saw them live they sounded AWFUL, just like the records, lol!

Cheers,

CJ

 

[Blues-rocker]

Except going through two 4x12s!

:RoCkIn

Okay, true.

Oh, and EJ backed off to 50W Marshalls with Deluxe Reverbs (less than half the Fender power, there). And, yeah, I don't know how much of a difference it would make going from 100W to 50W, considering I believe he was still cranking the 50 watters through 4X12s...

Oh, and about playing on ten, I'm aquainted with a guy who knows the guitarist for Mother's Finest and said that he always sets his amps with all knobs on ten (wonder if any of his amps have reverb or tremolo...).

 

[nomadh]

I see alot of this as a marketing and economics problem. Maybe even more than a penis envy problem. At the beginning professionals played big concerts that needed big amps. So big amps were good quality and expensive because they were "professional". No one wants to think they got a lesser amp. In fact many people don't want to think period and in America bigger is always better. I know, I have the same disease. I fight it every day. Amp marketing didn't create that idea. Its just easiest to exploit it. Superstitious guitar players are willing to believe anything and this one time it works out that, Small amps can sound better playing quietly than big amps. Whoda thunk it. Unfortunately because of design limits good sounding small tube amps cost almost as much to make as good sounding big tube amps. Manufacturers are working on that but the price is still close. And its very hard for a consumer to spend $XXX.XX on a 12 watt combo when he can get the 120 watt combo for 15% more plus get all those extra knobs too boot.
Everyboby is worried that when they show up to jam thay will be drowned out specially after paying big bucks. Its a practical worry and thats beside the fact its like showing up to the orgy with a 2" shorter penis I had 100 watt 1/2 stack carvin I suffered for years with. It always sounded horrible in my living room but there was no info on any alternative at the time.
Well I finally got my nice 50 watt tube classic I would have bought the 30 but the 50 was better built, available and the same price. Its sweet but still too loud at its sweetest. I also have an 8 watt that I KNOW keeps up barely with my band. So when I wanted to get a middle sized amp class A sound I had my choice between the 16 watt single channel and its 30 watt dual channel with effects loop for, once again, exactly the same price. Guess what I did? Thats right I bought the 30. After all what if the 16 didn't cut it with a louder drummer, besides it has extra knobs and such I'm sure I'm hanging 2" longer now

 

[stratzrus]

Its a practical worry and thats beside the fact its like showing up to the orgy with a 2" shorter penis

"I'm not an orgy guy! I'd have to change everything if I became an orgy guy!" - Seinfeld

Of course things changed once PA systems became much more effective. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, during the '90s when I went to hear alternative bands I used to go right up front in the center just because I wanted to hear the actual amps, not the FOH.

Buzz Melvin acually started recognizing me after I saw them a few times; I guess it was because I was the only one up front in my forties and was actually listening to the band instead of surfing the crowd.

 

[re-animator]

I guess I'd have to get orgy friends and oils and candles and robes and stuff.

 

[SgtThump]

FWIW, I think most of the bands back in the 80s just had a half stack off stage and used the stacks for looks. I know that's what George Lynch did on the Monsters of Rock tour. If you watch the 1982 Judas Priest concert DVD I don't think any of the stacks on stage have a cable in them or are turned on. I can see using multiple stacks for volume in the 60s and 70s, but it seems by the 80s PAs were able to handle the projection issue. Since then I would guess most stacks are there for looks, but I like the way the look, lol! Also, everybody's favorite real-life Spinal Tap, ManOwar, claim that ALL of their amps are always on and cranked, because "real men play on ten!!" according to them LOL! Ironically, when I saw them live they sounded AWFUL, just like the records, lol!

Cheers,

CJ

Alot of these guys have a 2 or 3 "real" cabs on the bottom and fake cabs all around (on top of the real cabs, extra stacks, etc...)

 

[soldano16]

And its very hard for a consumer to spend $XXX.XX on a 12 watt combo when he can get the 120 watt combo for 15% more plus get all those extra knobs too boot.

Starting in the early 90's, I used a 50 watt Soldano as my main amp. After about 4 years of that and loving the Soldano tone, I was in a very small music store where they had a used Atomic 16 for sale for $400. I immediately wanted to try it and sure enough - bought it - and stil have it.

That kinda amp for that kinda money out of a retail store was pretty amazing.

But the store owner told me, that even though the amp roared, the amp was just too small in size to sell for the proper $$.

 

[rockon1]

Well the younger nu-metal bands buy plenty of them. We are just too old. Bob

 

[StudioRat320]

I say the Donnas and they had 2 Marshall 1/2 stacks and a SVT 8x10 cab for bass.

Stop being ******* and crank those stacks up!!!!

 

[Rex Nomad]

As far as stacks go, I associate them with Rock & Roll.

Don't forget that Rock & Roll was born out of being rebellious, pissing off parents, going against the grain, being ok with being different, driving cool cars too fast, having premarital sex, drinking too much, growing your hair out, cutting loose, being reckless, doing things in excess, and basically being LOUD and OBNOXIOUS!

Having and playing a full stack is not about the practical aspects of playing music. It's about flying your flag and rocking out. It is embracing the essence of rock.

A full stack may not be for you... but don't forget your roots and don't let yourself get old.

 

[Defendant]

For one band I play in a 40w tweed is fine. We play mostly medium sized clubs, and festivals in summer.

For my rock band, I really struggle with 30-40w amps. 50-100w and a quad would be perfectly usable. I have a loud drummer and a volume-hog bass player to contend with.

In the circles I move in heads and quads are common equipment. Granted, most are master volume equipped and not cranked...

 

[Beam Tetrode]

In the kingdom of rock, the mighty stack reigns supreme.

 

[Julia343]

I've never been able to figure out who's buying all those 4x12 stacks. All I read here are guy's that get chewed out for turning up their Deluxes!

Us now single older women.

 

[PFCG]

i love my half stack. No smaller cab will sound like it at any volume. If you play big enough venues, its not a problem using a stack. Id say out of my last 10 gigs, only 1 or 2 were less than 200 people, so it fits the bill.