Anybody Use A Plexiglass Shield Or Similar?

[soundchaser59]

I suppose by now everybody has seen clips of Joe Bonamassa with his plexiglass shields in front of his big speaker cabs.

Anybody try this or gig like this? Or maybe use something similar like plywood or peg board or something? Something to act like a glorified "beam blocker"? Does this really smooth out the sound and the dispersion on stage?

 

[gonzo]

this was around a long time before bonamassa used them...
he's just a high profile sighting..

if you have watched late night talk shows, you've seen these around the drum sets for years and years.

hell, i used a homemade plexi shield in 1980!
LOL


it's a lot easier, and cheaper, just to turn your cabs backwards (i've done that too, in certain rooms, it actually sounds better!)

or, tilt them pointing straight up, like john fogarty does, or mike campbell...


point is, yes, they work great.


if you just HAVE to play that loud to get your tone (like bonamassa) then why punish the front row, and your other bandmates?

the shields trap that sound at stage, and it makes it easier for everybody else in the band, to hear you and themselves.

 

[knotts]

I always wanted to try this but realized I rarely have the space to set up my amp, put a few feet between the amp and a baffle and then have room left for me and my pedalboard. I saw an interview with Joe B about how he loves the baffle and he said they experimented a lot with the distance and the shape. Because I'm not playing the same venues as Bonamassa, I went for an attenuator instead and I've been happy. I still want to try a baffle, but I think I would get more mileage getting one of those new lunchbox amps; lets say a MarkV:25 or a soldano Hot Rod 25 and let it breathe a little more than my roadster.

Here's an post for another option. I haven't tried this, but it intrigues me greatly. It speaks to the directional aspects of speakers. It's not quite the same as a baffle, but employing this could get similar results. An interesting read nonetheless and the author is clearly well versed on the subject.

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=470956&highlight=beam

 

[Markedman]

Thanks for the information knotts, Jay knows his stuff, that's some great advise for sure. I'll be making some doughnuts later today.

 

[gonzo]

i've already done the foam cutout experiment,
didn't really work that well.

 

[Buster Leggs]

We play a place occasionally that's primarily a blues club yet we're not a blues band. They provide a kick *** sound system and a top notch sound man . EVERYONE is required to use a plexiglass shield in front of their amps, no exceptions. I play through a C+ and I'm picky about how it's positioned because a lot of my sound is the interaction between my guitar and my amp. I don't like plexiglass in the way it interferes with the instant controlled feedback that's part of my playing style. The fact that I can kick the volume up helps but its not the same. The blues guitarists that play there love the volume shield. Pretty much all of them play old fender amps and typically struggle to get their sound at a volume that doesn't mow down the first few rows so for them its great but for me, not so much. I guess whether or not its benifital depends on equipment and style of music. The majority of guitarist who play at that club love the plexiglass shields.

 

[soundchaser59]

Good to know. I've done a couple of preliminary dumbed down experiments with a piece of peg board to simulate the plexiglass. It actually sounds better.....in the room.

The direct beam in front of the speaker cone is gone, and with a bit of volume the sound is fairly well balanced. I'd say it is balanced equally in an area that I would describe as roughly a hemisphere space in front of the amp. Imagine a giant half globe of space in front of the amp. It makes it so that the amp sounds pretty much the same no matter where I move in front of it.

I can't wait to get a working setup that I can actually try on stage.

 

[KiwiJoe]

it's a lot easier, and cheaper, just to turn your cabs backwards (i've done that too, in certain rooms, it actually sounds better!)

I do that almost everywhere these days including rehearsals. A lot of clubs in this part of NZ are not much bigger than a large living room in a house; many are not much more than 800-1000 sq ft. I like to push my Mini Rec to really get the power section working (master up around 2-3 o'clock), and turning the cab around really works well, especially if there's a wall just behind the "stage". The sound just disperses omni-directionally and it's full everywhere in the room without being "beamy."

 

[kdorsey]

I've used a homemade plexiglass baffle for a couple years. Instead of buying a pricey name brand I went to Home Depot, bought a pair of 1/4" thick pieces of plexiglass, some clear duct tape, and slapped it together. It folds down perfectly and has withstood a lot of regular gigging. It's not used but a few times a year but I take it to almost every show. It only cost me $65!

Baffles work when you just can't make anyone happy. Either you can't hear yourself or you're destroying the front row of tables. The baffle redirects the blast. Sometimes it makes more problems than is solves, but it has been a big help in a pinch. And since we only mic drums and vox, I need the option to keep my volume where I need it for monitoring. It's been a good investment.

 

[tonedragon]

Nope never used one. Saw Derrek Trucks with one last summer. His tone sounded thin and compressed... Then he kicked it down and turned it up!!!! There it was Derrek Trucks was back!!!!!! Wish I. Would have recorded it. The tone was like night and day.

Not a big Bonamossa?? fan..to much reverb and echo. His tone at the red rocks gig the muddy wolf show was more to my liking...until he sang.
Sorry just don't dig his voice,