guess you can .....................

Sure you can gig with an SS amp. I’ve done it with my Peavey Transtube 212. It actually works quite well. The Clean, Lead, and Ultra channels give a lot of flexibility and you can dial in good tones from all of them.

You can gig with just a processor, too. I’ve done that for years. Works fine. In fact, my experience playing live is opposite of most players. I started with processors and SS amps and gradually migrated to tubes. So, I’ve got no prejudice against any of those technologies. In fact, at first, I found it rather difficult to get used to tubes. I wasn’t used to how they reacted.

But, to give you the honest truth, the best actual sound I’ve gotten from any of my current rigs when playing live is my little 1973 Fender Champ. True, I have to use a distortion pedal if I want dirt, but that simple, Class A, 6V6 circuit with a little 8 inch Weber Classic Alnico speaker (obviously, not the original speaker!) actually delivers incredible tone when mic’ed up. You’d never know when mic’ed to the PA that you‘re listening to a little 6 watt amplifier.

In fact, if current manufacturing and shipping delays are going to delay delivery of my new Rivera amp too long, I may put the Champ back into service. Getting a good tone from that little beastie is effortless.
 
smitty_p said:
Sure you can gig with an SS amp. I’ve done it with my Peavey Transtube 212. It actually works quite well.

You can gig with just a processor, too. I’ve done that for years. Works fine. In fact, my experience playing live is opposite of most players. I started with processors and SS amps and gradually added tubes. So, I’ve got no prejudice against any of those technologies. In fact, I found it rather difficult to get used to tubes, at first. I wasn’t used to how they reacted.

But, to give you the honest truth, the best actual sound I’ve gotten from any of my current rigs when playing live is my little 1973 Fender Champ. True, I have to use a distortion pedal if I want dirt, but that simple, Class A, 6V6 circuit with a little 8 inch Weber Classic Alnico speaker (obviously, not the original speaker!) actually delivers incredible tone when mic’ed up. You’d never know when mic’ed to the PA that you‘re listening to a little 6 watt amplifier.

In fact, if current manufacturing and shipping delays are going to delay delivery of my new Rivera amp too long, I may put the Champ back into service. Getting a good tone from that little beastie is effortless.
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Definitely! Lots of bands used small Fender combos live and mic'ed up like you're talking ( Stones, Heartbreakers, Clapton, Jeff Beck and even Aerosmith). Once you mic any little amp, it can sound like a giant and deliver a great sound.
 
smitty_p said:
Yeah. I’m discovering that a simple rig sounds best. Only add the effects you need.
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I get caught up sometimes, in trying to get some complicated sound with processors and such and sounds great for a moment. But eventually i always go back into default mode and strip it all back down to the most basic set up i can get lol

Its kind of a fight to get the sound you want with minimal things but i think it makes you play better sometimes, because you have to work harder and change your playing rather than your gear
 
Mitch Pearrow SJMP said:
This was something I did for a buddy of mine here, who asked if I could gig with it and no pedals.
I think I could have done better with the dirt channel with the SD1, but the only thing I did here is change channels with the footswitch.
All SS lead 100 mosfet 3210
Cheers
Mitch
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That was awesome man! I love the dirty channel on that 3210 cause its pretty damn spot on to a JCM800 but there's something to be said about the cleaner side too, cause its got a nice bluesy sound to it
 
Clockworkmike said:
That was awesome man! I love the dirty channel on that 3210 cause its pretty damn spot on to a JCM800 but there's something to be said about the cleaner side too, cause its got a nice bluesy sound to it
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Thank you Mike that was done over a year ago, before the garage got reconfigured.
I do like those amps, it is the reason I have 2 of them lol
 
Just to offer a little counter-balance to my earlier comment, I’ll say that in some situations gigging with a processor is very helpful. In one gig I played, we had a set list with songs by Heart, Journey, Aretha Franklin, ZZ Top, Miranda Lambert, U2, and others. Jumping around all that musical territory is exactly where a processor shines. You build all your patches prior to the event and plan your transitions. I did that gig just running straight to the desk. It worked fine and sounded good.

Sometimes, you just gotta use different tools for different jobs. I’ll use whatever makes the best sense at the time.

But, if I am in a situation where it’s not so important to recreate a certain sound with certain effects, and I have more autonomy, I prefer the workflow, feel, and sound of a more traditional rig.
 
[
Clockworkmike said:
I get caught up sometimes, in trying to get some complicated sound with processors and such and sounds great for a moment. But eventually i always go back into default mode and strip it all back down to the most basic set up i can get lol

Its kind of a fight to get the sound you want with minimal things but i think it makes you play better sometimes, because you have to work harder and change your playing rather than your gear
Click to expand...

It was many years ago when I was still somewhat new to playing guitar live that I had a good sound guy ask me to back off some of the delay I was using for a song. It wasn’t a crisp type of delay with precise subdivisions that you might hear from U2. It was more of a nebulous delay - almost like a long reverb. I questioned him on it just a bit, but I did what he asked. As it turns out, it made my sound much clearer.

In private practice by myself it sounded good. But in a mix it was indistinct and muddled.

This was my first introduction to the concept that a good sound for a live mix may differ from what seems to sound good in isolation.
 
smitty_p said:
[


It was many years ago when I was still somewhat new to playing guitar live that I had a good sound guy ask me to back off some of the delay I was using for a song. It wasn’t a crisp type of delay with precise subdivisions that you might hear from U2. It was more of a nebulous delay - almost like a long reverb. I questioned him on it just a bit, but I did what he asked. As it turns out, it made my sound much clearer.

In private practice by myself it sounded good. But in a mix it was indistinct and muddled.

This was my first introduction to the concept that a good sound for a live mix may differ from what seems to sound good in isolation.
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I'm notorious for using my preferred settings regardless of the venue and only adjusting volume depending on the venue. We seldom had a sound person, and when we did, it's generally just volume level mixing.

I've had very positive comments about our overall mix and tone in general. I do use a Boss DD-3 Delay for some solo phrases, but its really subtle in a loud, live mix.

I mean, seriously, do you know how loud you would have to set a delay to be heard above a live band in a crowded club???

20210213_193911.jpg

I've had my Boss RV-6 cranked so high that it sounded horrible and you couldn't hear it on the recordings made that night at the venue...but we have been called a very loud band.

I spent some time playing on a worship team and in that setting, they were hypersensitive to everything...controlling actually, and the mix was so controlled that you could hear everything, but they provided you with list of equipment that was accepted and you could not go off the list.

The only delay they approved was the TC Flashback and only the sound person could adjust it. Amps were in a room under the stage and they were locked up. You could not access them. It was all controlled at the board.

Only Fender guitars were allowed.
 
What I like about my current contract job with Outfall is that I have total control over my sound, my FX and there are zero restrictions on me whatsoever.

We have a Caswell #39 Modded JCM800 2204 on premises, but I prefer the Steinberg Amp Rack VST Simulator for recording.

20210109_194758.jpg

I tend to stay really conservative. I use the Origin 50H and a custom 2x12 cabinet along with my modest pedalboard. I never change any levels except volume. It works on every song. If I need a clean tone, I just kick off the TS-9. I can add delay and reverb with a pedal if needed.

20201215_080148.jpg

Yes, there are more glamorous rigs, but this is my only source of income and it's been super dependable.

Can't say enough good about it...
 
i was in a cover band in houston in 2016 and the other guitar player used a mustang. sometimes it was too bright and hurt my ears. we tried to get him to use one of his tube amps but he wouldnt do it.
i have gigged a few times with nothing but a helix into foh. the helix is great and i really like it but it was strange not having an amp behind me. it would have taken several gigs for me to get used to it.
i guess im too old school, because i prefer to have a real amp and i prefer to not only hear the music, but to feel it as well.
 
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