I'll also add that I've always been more concerned with wat was convenient for me to lug around and have never really cared what my set up looks like on stage. I never even take the same pedal board I practice with to a show. I always strip it down to the absolutely minimal amount of pedals I can get by with. If there is a pedal I only use on one song, I usually won't bring it. Single 12" or Single 15" combos are my jam. Never felt like I needed anything bigger. I guess my Cultural Statement is "I'm a pretty lazy dude"
I knew a guy that would bring his full Mesa Boggie mark 3 stack to every show regardless of the venue size. What a dick.
Re: Guitar rigs as cultural statements
12I can get carried away being envious of the dream rigs I see out there in the internet, and I always have to check myself when I am going deep on Reverb.com explorations. My 2x12 65 MusicMan is just fine for what we're doing and loud enough.
I am always comforted when a well-known musician's setup in their Rig Rundown video is super modest.
I am always comforted when a well-known musician's setup in their Rig Rundown video is super modest.
Re: Guitar rigs as cultural statements
13I admit a band I was in got sucked into the chicago 'Wall of Emperors' thing for a bit. I felt almost immediately embarrassed about it, and pretty quickly shifted to bringing just one and not both cabs to shows before eventually selling both.Kniferide wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 10:38 am I'll also add that I've always been more concerned with wat was convenient for me to lug around and have never really cared what my set up looks like on stage.
The only 'statement' I can make out of that whole thing was "we appeal to dudes who are into craft beer"..
Re: Guitar rigs as cultural statements
14A la my old bud Mark from Khruangbin:Ryan Zepaltas wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 10:42 am I am always comforted when a well-known musician's setup in their Rig Rundown video is super modest.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr7ScpVj1QY
Re: Guitar rigs as cultural statements
15Totally agree. I schlep a 4x12 (on wheels) for that reason when I play out, or used to play out, pre-covid. Record with little amps, play out with big ones.tommy wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 9:59 am Small amp setups can obviously sound great. But I do think it's the exception. If you have larger amps you can control your sound somewhat better and it can work at any venue regardless of their sound reinforcement. My $0.02.
I also think there is something awesome about the loud, live sound coming directionally from the band, as opposed to a spread out sound system, like at Martyrs in Chicago, for example.
Re: Guitar rigs as cultural statements
16I don't think I've ever heard a good guitar sound through a PA. I suppose, with distorted guitars, the engineer just has to use so much noise gate and extreme EQ that it's always going to sound 1. the same and 2. bad. I'd much rather hear sound from the amps themselves, regardless of what kind of amp.
I think the only time I heard mic'd distorted guitar with character was Converge, but their guitars sound awful to me in general, so it wasn't anything special.
I think the only time I heard mic'd distorted guitar with character was Converge, but their guitars sound awful to me in general, so it wasn't anything special.
Re: Guitar rigs as cultural statements
17Agree. There's a sweet spot with venues where a PA is for sound reinforcement, and when it gets to a point where most of the band is coming thru a PA, it usually sounds weird and wrong. Worst is when 80% of the mix is kick drum and vocals. WHY?!?
Re: Guitar rigs as cultural statements
18I am having a bit of a hard time parsing this. Are you only going to shows that have terrible sound systems with a bunch of dented, rusty SM58's? I've heard fantastic guitar tone for mic'd amps on stage. If the amp sounds good, it is not really hard to get it to sound good through a nice, properly balance sound system in a good space. Distorted or not. Thing is, in some spaces, it doesn't matter how many amps are on stage, they are not going to cover a large area or distance without reinforcement. Guitar cab design is not made for sounding good at distance. Adding more amps/cabs on stage has a pile of terrible issues for getting a good sound from an audience perspective.biscuitdough wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 11:19 am I don't think I've ever heard a good guitar sound through a PA. I suppose, with distorted guitars, the engineer just has to use so much noise gate and extreme EQ that it's always going to sound 1. the same and 2. bad. I'd much rather hear sound from the amps themselves, regardless of what kind of amp.
I think the only time I heard mic'd distorted guitar with character was Converge, but their guitars sound awful to me in general, so it wasn't anything special.
Re: Guitar rigs as cultural statements
19I don't think anyone is putting condensers and ribbons and such on stage, and probably not the higher end dynamics, either, but that's not the problem.Kniferide wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 11:53 amI am having a bit of a hard time parsing this. Are you only going to shows that have terrible sound systems with a bunch of dented, rusty SM58's? I've heard fantastic guitar tone for mic'd amps on stage. If the amp sounds good, it is not really hard to get it to sound good through a nice, properly balance sound system in a good space. Distorted or not. Thing is, in some spaces, it doesn't matter how many amps are on stage, they are not going to cover a large area or distance without reinforcement. Guitar cab design is not made for sounding good at distance. Adding more amps/cabs on stage has a pile of terrible issues for getting a good sound from an audience perspective.biscuitdough wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 11:19 am I don't think I've ever heard a good guitar sound through a PA. I suppose, with distorted guitars, the engineer just has to use so much noise gate and extreme EQ that it's always going to sound 1. the same and 2. bad. I'd much rather hear sound from the amps themselves, regardless of what kind of amp.
I think the only time I heard mic'd distorted guitar with character was Converge, but their guitars sound awful to me in general, so it wasn't anything special.
It's definitely related to distortion. Duane Denison's guitar sounded more like it does on the record than say, Dino Cazares' or Trey Azagthoth's did. Still nowhere near as good as recorded, though. Maybe we need a C/NC for Guitar Amp Mic'd Live. I would vote Crap.
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Re: Guitar rigs as cultural statements
20Yeah, that's the Bottom Lounge in Chicago. I don't mind cooperating with the soundguy as far as keeping stage volume low, but if his mix sucks I'm throwing that out the window and cranking the amp to at least be satisfying for myself.twelvepoint wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 11:47 am Agree. There's a sweet spot with venues where a PA is for sound reinforcement, and when it gets to a point where most of the band is coming thru a PA, it usually sounds weird and wrong. Worst is when 80% of the mix is kick drum and vocals. WHY?!?
But I also agree that a good sounding band should sound good mic'd up. It doesn't completely match the sound coming out of the amp but my expectations change in a space large enough to store an airplane..
My friend bought one of Denison's touring Emperor cabs from the first of their 17 reunion tours. It's loaded with very basic Celestions from what I recall. I doubt it sounds as good as anything he was probably recording with back then..It's definitely related to distortion. Duane Denison's guitar sounded more like it does on the record than say, Dino Cazares' or Trey Azagthoth's did.
Last edited by penningtron on Tue Jul 13, 2021 1:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.