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Amp failure during gig?
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FreeWilly
502 posts
May 20, 2016
12:22 PM
So I was looking at Dennis G playing sharp as ever and thought: What would you do if your amp goes byebye on ya? Do pros carry kits with tubes, do they have a boogieman pedal? What's the deal here?
Gnarly
1801 posts
May 20, 2016
3:22 PM
I had a gig on Easter, and my 2 12" Musicman crapped out on me--it would only power on the low setting, fuzz city.
Middle of the second of 5 sets, I put the guitar (for that is what I was playing) into my Mackie powered monitor--hot spot style, 150 W into a 5".
Here's a used one
It was fine, I got thru the gig.
Amp is back and plays better than ever.
So that might be an option for y'all--I find it's nice to plug into a monitor and back out to the board, that way you can hear yourself and let the FOH do what they want to--they will anyway!

Last Edited by Gnarly on May 20, 2016 3:27 PM
Barley Nectar
1212 posts
May 20, 2016
3:23 PM
Well, I'm no pro but if I were, there would be a backup amp in the wings or on stage.

For paying gigs I always carry a backup amp in the car. At a jam, I would just grab a stage mic and play thru the PA. Now, before I get a bunch of crap about this, I will tell you that jams around here are very relaxed and just about anything goes.
Gnarly
1802 posts
May 20, 2016
3:36 PM
As a professional of some years, I find that you tend to cut down on the amount of gear you bring to a gig, because many times you run out of time to set it up anyway.
I think it's great to bring along extra everything, but I for one haven't been doing that.
Gear does break, on that same gig the back came off one of my tuning pegs (Grover), I was able to fix that on the spot.
Last week my boom stand broken, duct tape got me thru the gig and then I reattached the boom to another mike stand I had in storage. Back in business.
I don't have any gigs for many days, that's fine with me as I have harp orders to fulfill. Thanks to all my patient customers!
Killa_Hertz
1464 posts
May 20, 2016
10:19 PM
I know that Mike Fugazzi uses a monitor like your talking about, before going to FOHouse.

As for extra Amp. I know alot of harp and guitar players actually keep a joyo american/tech 21 blonde as a backup amp. You can run thru it to FOH and it is an amp simulator with speaker emulator (as im sure you know) so it sounds very close to a miced amp.

You will have to rely fully on the Sound Tech and unless the tech offers monitors (which i always did.) You won't be able to hear yourself, but its better than nothing in an emergency cituation i suppose.

Not that i have any experience on the playing end, but that's what ive heard others talk about.
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jbone
2178 posts
May 20, 2016
11:43 PM
Old school. If the amp craps out I put a sm57into the p.a. and do the best I can. Very rarely happens.
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Little roger
143 posts
May 21, 2016
2:15 AM
Having had this happen to me (and my guitarist) I used to take a second small amp on the road. Now I have the LW boogieman which acts not only as my effect pedal but also as a backup amp. Highly recommended.
FreeWilly
503 posts
May 21, 2016
2:41 AM
Do you use it with the harpwood to? For a little delay?
Little roger
144 posts
May 21, 2016
2:47 AM
I often have a little delay but it depends on various factors. Having it with me enables me to choose and I KNOW I'll get a decent sound even if I don't have the Harpwood, which is my fav. I play over quite a few amps; basically whatever is provided if I don't have my own. With the BMan I'm always on the safe side.
barbequebob
3222 posts
May 21, 2016
8:17 AM
Most of the pros I've met over the years either go straight thru the PA and don't worry about it or they have spare tubes with them and get it done after the set is over and make sure the show doesn't get interrupted. It's usually the lower skilled players who worry about their rigs too much that it would freak them out the easiest.
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Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
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CarlA
866 posts
May 21, 2016
11:00 AM
"Barbeque Bob


It's usually the lower skilled players who worry about their rigs too much that it would freak them out the easiest."

LMFAO :)
Greg Heumann
3234 posts
May 21, 2016
11:11 AM
I carry spare tubes and fuses in a bag that stays in my trunk. Your amplified rig can fail for a variety of reasons - you drop your mic and break it, the cable fails, a pedal fails, a transmitter battery dies, the amp dies. I'm prepared for all these eventualities but I think I've never had an amp or mic fail on stage, had a cable failure once. Because I take care of my shit, I'm careful, AND I have a backup. Murphy's law assures that something will fail if you do NOT have a backup. But I don't freak out about it. Just walk up to a vocal mic and keep playing.

Just PLEASE, PLEASE do not take it out of the stand, pick it up and cup it without getting the sound guy's attention first!!!
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/Greg

BlowsMeAway Productions
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Last Edited by Greg Heumann on May 21, 2016 11:11 AM
Killa_Hertz
1467 posts
May 21, 2016
11:55 AM
Amen Greg! Everytime theres feedback from the stage the whole place stares at the sound tech. It's never anyone elses fault when they decide to walk in front of the stacks with a wireless or do something else dumb. (You can usually see these things coming and make the proper adjustments, but it's still not a good idea unless the tech knows ahead of time that you ll be walking out front. )

Ofcourse playing harp by cupping a mic set for vocals could be alot more problematic than a little feedback.
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Barley Nectar
1216 posts
May 21, 2016
9:56 PM
"Be Prepared", yes I was a Scout. (:>)
blueswannabe
604 posts
May 23, 2016
8:30 AM
The most common failures, your reed goes flat or your cable fails. You Defintely need spare harps and a cable. But if you're really skilled and can go around the blown reed or play a different position, more power to you! Amp failure is rare, although you should have a mic capable of going into the PA(like the blows me away ultimate mic with a3 prong connection). Although I saw JJ Grey & Mofro once, where the roadie came out and swapped out a bass amp head, a guitar amp, and a high hat. 3 failures back to back! What are the odds??!! Noone skipped a beat. It was impressive. They all played around it.

Last Edited by blueswannabe on May 23, 2016 8:30 AM
Killa_Hertz
1483 posts
May 23, 2016
9:39 AM
BN ... Eagle Scout .... whats up!?

I was a scout my whole life. From cub scouts, weblow ... arrow of light ... all that noise. All the way thru Eagle. Hard to believe i know.
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FreeWilly
504 posts
May 23, 2016
10:41 AM
Interesting diversity in answers. I guess ot depends on your style... I have a low-z bullet with vc and xlr as y back-up which is veeeerybassy.

Still wonder wether Dennis G carries a back-up :)
Barley Nectar
1217 posts
May 23, 2016
6:38 PM
KHz, You ARE an Eagle Scout. I was a Boy Scout. You have my unending respect! My last merit badge was for Beer!
STME58
1713 posts
May 24, 2016
12:19 AM
You guys with the scout talk prompted me to finally get on the scout website and register as a music merit badge counselor so I can sign the kids in the Scout band off on this merit badge. I also signed up for Bugle counselor, it will be interesting to see if I get any scouts who want to earn the bugling merit badge.
FreeWilly
505 posts
May 24, 2016
12:39 AM
How did a cool thread about amp back-ups end up a para-military reunion? Djeez. Doesn't the creed state something about that?
ME.HarpDoc
152 posts
May 25, 2016
3:37 PM
I, too, am an Eagle Scout. Didn't really see it as paramilitary at the time. Marching to cadence probably helped me keep the beat when learning the harmonica 50 years later. The creed about being kind, courteous, trustworthy, etc. was probably more important than the military aspect.
Just to stay on topic, I go to PA if I have any amp/mic failures. I'll stop harping about the Boy Scouts :)
STME58
1719 posts
May 25, 2016
8:23 PM
I can see how a thread on what to do when things go wrong can take a good turn around "Be Prepared!", the Scout Motto. In general being prepared means taking care of your equipment so it is unlikely to break, having on hand the items needed to fix the most likely breakdowns, and having an alternative method to get the job done if the intended equipment becomes unserviceable. This applies to most anything you do, but this thread contains some good specifics pertaining to harp amps.
Joe_L
2658 posts
May 31, 2016
9:07 PM
BBQ Bob is right. I would just play through the PA. Quite often, I prefer to play through the PA.

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