Metropoulos Forum

Okay, I play every weekend, load my F-150 with ALL the P.A. gear (cuz I own and store it) I have been bringing 2 Marshall heads to gigs so I have a back up. But, since I'm only playing medium sized clubs I really don't like lugging a 2nd head around. Sooooooo, Musicians friend had a sale on the Crate Powerblock ($99 shipped) It's a 150 watt amp that only weighs 4.5 lbs. I can store it under the seat of my truck and either one of my electric (bass/other guitarist) players can use it in case of an emergency. So would you do it??

Ed

Thats what PODs and Sansamps are for. Sure its not the best tone in the world but its for that, hope I never need it, deal. Just take the convenient little box/bean with you and your set to plug in DI if you have to.

I hope your getting a little bit more coin for owning, lugging, packing/un, and setting up and controlling the PA.

Billy Batz wrote:. I hope your getting a little bit more coin for owning, lugging, packing/un, and setting up and controlling the PA.

No I'm the nice one in the band. I want to play not argue. Besides, I allow them to load in and out without me and the bass player runs it from his side.

I'm with Dan.....I was all set to flip you some lip about it, but the bottom line is it is a BACKUP. It doesn't have to be your ideal tone -- it just has to produce decent sound to get the gig finished if the worst would happen.

In my last band, I only lugged my 2204 to the gig......but I was fully prepared to run my pedalboard direct into the PA with a Hughes & Kettner Red Box if that's what it took!!!

Yeah, I never gigged with a back up until I lost a tube in my JTM 45. Luckily my buddy brought the Laney AOR I sold him and I used that as my amp that night. That was about 6 months ago. I've been bringing 2 heads ever since. But, I hate to do it if I don't need to. Only the important/outdoor gigs. are worthy of 2 or 3 heads Or if I did some mods or rebuild and want to put it through the paces. For $99 it was hard to pass up!!!

I run two diffrent systems onstage anyway. I have my Marshall (every day I fall in love with it a little more), and my Digitech 2101 into the PA.
My only problem is now I need a A/B/Y switch.

Mike

Considering the amount of PA crap we have to lug and set up, having another head for back up really isn't a big deal....

Maschinenmann wrote:Considering the amount of PA crap we have to lug and set up, having another head for back up really isn't a big deal....

mmm... I'm pretty full as it is and my back ain't getting any younger!!! The last thing I want to see is something happening to an amp that is not being used, you know, THEFT!! Now if I could make the same $$$ and hire sound then I'd bring 2 rigs. But, I also like to have control over the mix. We pretty much set and forget our P.A. I've seen too many sound guys have a great mix at sound check, get a few drinks in them, then think they play sound board in the band! (Slider up slider down, ooh needs some of this freq.....sqeeaaaalll, damn wrong one ooh I missed his solo that's okay I'll just ad delay to the end of this vocal line,line,line, LINE. Sweet did you hear that?? Ooh, who's that chick!!!!) Get my point. I tell ya though one of the biggest helps of doing our own sound was convincing the drummer to use triggers on the kik and toms. No unwanted feedback from the kik!! So much for the rant!!!

As long as it's backup! If we catch you using that Crate permanently you'll be ostracized from MetroAMP!

I would take one amp, a spare set of tubes, and a way to plug directly into the PA should you have a complete meltdown. Preventive maintenance is a better choice than buying a backup. I personally would not lug a spare head or amp. JMHO.

Maschinenmann wrote:Considering the amount of PA crap we have to lug and set up, having another head for back up really isn't a big deal....

Every extra piece of 40lb gear I have to lug, even if theres 50, gets 10x worse each.

It's a backup...no big deal... It is what it is !


Jimmie K.

I agree. Whatever it takes to get through the gig. I've used a Boss DS-1 into a DI box before. I can't say I liked it!
But it got me through.

I think a Sansamp and a Countryman DI would be a great contigency rig.


VG

The power block actually sounds real good. Guitar center has them for $79 at this time. It also has a power amp only switch if you want is as a slave for your hot plate.