Gigging Amps - Combos

[ohio_eric]

Actually the metal guys were putting Tube Screamers in front of their Marshalls before SRV was even famous.

A Tube Screamer will help kick your amp in the ass a bit and make it drive a bit harder and tighten up the tone.

[satchownz]

Originally Posted by Drew

Again, we should get together to jam sometime, and you can fuck around with mine.

Most definitely. Let's make this happen. Are you playing with a band right now?

[Josh]

A Tubescreamer can give you either a smooth, punchy lead tone or a crunchy, tight rhythm sound depending on how you set it and how you make it interact with the amp. Great pedal.

[Max]

Originally Posted by satchownz

Most definitely. Let's make this happen. Are you playing with a band right now?

im in the same boat

[satchownz]

Couple things:

1 - this thread has been incredible helpful, so thanks to all the contributed.

2 - has anyone ever bought anything on craigslist? I found a deville 410 for a decent price, but I'm still leaning towards a new one anyway. Does that seem crazy? I just don't want to buy something 'used'.

3 - get in a damn band, assholes...

[Leon]

I've bought and sold on Craigslist. When you're meeting face-to-face, get to play the gear before you buy, and exchange the item for cash, it's hard to get scammed

My input would be to try to grab a head + cab. After gigging for 2 years with my Mesa Nomad 2x12, I can tell ya, it became very bulky and a pain to lug around. I've found my head+cab arrangements to be more complex to set-up, but much easier on the back!

Also, you'll get a TOTALLY different sound in a closed-back cab versus an open-back. Though, if you really dig the tone of the open-back 4x10, then definitely jump on it

[darren]

I was somewhat obsessed with finding a closed-back 1x12 or 2x12 combo until i started looking at spec sheets and seeing that most of them weighed in at 60-90 lbs. That's a lot to carry, especially considering most of them just have a single strap handle. Even carrying my old rack and Genz Benz 2x12 (about 60 lbs. apiece) out of my car and quite often up a flight of stairs into a venue was really hard on my hands. (I have the early stages of osteoarthritis starting in my hands, so my joints get sore quite easily.)

That's part of the reason i started looking around for a small head + closed-back 1x12 setup. When i committed to getting an F-30, i would have gone either way with either the head or combo, because i'd be combining it with the Thiele 1x12 i already had. But now that i have the head, i'm really glad i went that route. Each piece is MUCH easier to carry, is easier to fit in the car, and the whole rig sounds amazing. Like Leon said, it takes a few more cables to patch the whole thing together at a gig, and takes a couple more trips to the car, but i'm very happy with the overall result.

[7stringofablick]

Craigslist may actually be the BEST way to go, IMO.

Amps were built to last, so unless it was thrown off a truck or something awful, chances are it will last you just as long as a new one. New tubes may be necessary, but that comes with a new amp eventually, and you can save BIG by going used. Craigslist is the best because you can test/see it first before you buy (unlike ebay).

That being said, my friend owned a 410 deville and ran an OD pedal in front with the gain maxed - sounded AWESOME in a rock mix. Mind you, it was an OD metal, not distortion, and they played pop/rock, not metal. However, the open-back design never hurt his tone at all.

Nevertheless, you need to try out some mesa heads (F-series, DC perhaps, and DEFINITELY rectos - more particularly the rectoverb or tremoverb).

[Max]

Originally Posted by satchownz

Couple things:

1 - this thread has been incredible helpful, so thanks to all the contributed.

2 - has anyone ever bought anything on craigslist? I found a deville 410 for a decent price, but I'm still leaning towards a new one anyway. Does that seem crazy? I just don't want to buy something 'used'.

3 - get in a damn band, assholes...

you say used like its bad dude. ive used craigslist a TON, its great, since you can try shit in person

[Josh]

Used is such a money-saver these days it's hard to totally discount it, especially if you can play and inspect the gear in question.

Also, I played the 410 DeVille at an audition last night, fantastic amp. I still like my Budda better (second channel has more smooth, punchy gain on tap) but the Fender was absolutely awesome. Weighed an awful lot though, and I'm not a fan of top/rear-mounted controls at gigs.

I do prefer head+cab though, as not only is it easier to carry, it's much better for recording and tube life as you can get the cab in an iso booth and adjust the head outside the iso booth without touching anything near a mic. Finally, not having the tubes at ground zero behind the speakers really helps prevent tubes from becoming microphonic quickly.