Express amps. Anyone gig at 5w?

[Room3]

I own a 5:50, and while I primarily got it for the 50w of power it gives, I'm finding that I'm liking the 5w configuration more and more for certain things. As I haven't yet had a chance to use the amp on a gig yet, I'm curious as to how it holds up with bass, drums and vocals.

Now obviously, there isn't going to be much headroom at stage levels at 5w, but I'm curious as to how it has performed for others.

 

[count_chocolat]

If you are sending the guitar signal to either IEM's or wedge monitors, the sound man, club owner, audience and fellow band members will love you. If your amp is your monitor, you'll never have enough clean headroom!

 

[Skully]

Isn't this the going thing now? I had heard that the big 100 watt stacks have fallen out of favor because of transporting them and that club owners perfer smaller amps and let the PA do the work. Also, doesn't this help with tone being able to push a smaller amp? There's a clip on YouTube with someone playing with a TineyTerror @ 15watts with a full band running it through a 4 x 12 I believe.

 

[MikeW]

My 'gig' is at my church....small sanctuary probably 3-4 thousand square feet and the 5 watt setting is all I need in there even when we crank it up a little. If you mike it and as I did outside once still got plenty out of 5 watts. Wander sometimes if I will ever use the other tube :lol:

 

[Newysurfer]

I've used the 5w setting in jazz gigs (un-mic'ed), plus playing rock/blues in small venue acoustic/electric gigs, and a few restaurants and bars (both mic'ed and un-mic'ed). In the right venue it can be perfect as you can saturate the tubes at lowish volume.

There's a sizable middle ground area between hitting the sweet spots with tube saturation and running low on headroom. The 5:50 is voiced just perfect for maximum versatility IMHO.

Lots of big name players use 30w or 50w amps mic'ed to the PA. The Edge plays stadiums with 2 Vox AC30's.

 

[ned]

Before I started going direct with the GSP1101 I regularly gigged with my Mod50 on 5 watts. If your having trouble hearing get a amp stand to elevate the amp with some tilt back.

 

[nomad100hd]

my valve junior also 5 w had plenty of head room for church. However with a band it depended on how loud the drummer is.

 

[martinluckhurst]

I have gigged at 5w setting when the drummer was using an electronic kit through the PA. That was fine although I needed 50w when he used a real kit.

I suppose it just depends on the drummers volume and the venue.

ML

 

[soundchaser59]

I have gigged at 5w setting when the drummer was using an electronic kit through the PA. That was fine although I needed 50w when he used a real kit.

I tried it, but I stand right next to the drum kit on stage, so I was not able to hear everything I was playing when I used the 5 watt, even with a stand and a tilt. But on full power (5.25) I cant turn it up past about 9 o'clock without someone starting to complain about the stage volume.

I suppose if I used the 15 inch Blue Dog cab on a table next to my face it would probably work ok. But the clean headroom really suffers too much on this setting, imo....

 

[90wreck]

I have heard the 5watt at a rehearsal through a 2x12.
I was pretty shocked.
I would also echo the thoughts on a larger gig using your monitors would go a long way to keeping the band/crew happy.

 

[Joseph Hanna]

I just wanted to bump this topic one more time to see if anyone had any additional thoughts. It's hard to deny how great the 5 watt mode sounds and I would LOVE to use this mode live. The band is not terribly loud but it is 2 guitars, bass, keyboard and acoustic drums and in so fills the room quickly. Uber clean sounds are not vital but slight break-up cleans are.

I guess what I'm looking for is anyone's suggestion (or suggestions) on how I might get this fantastic sound doable in a live situation. I don't think it would take much..perhaps a clean boost pedal to give it a tad more..more or finding a good monitor position or a new cab???

I dunno just looking to generate more discussion on the matter

 

[screamingdaisy]

The biggest drawback of gigging a 5w amp is the lack of headroom, which is generally only an issue if you're playing unmic'd and/or don't have adequate monitors available.

But, your amp is a 5w/50w amp, so if you're unmic'd (or the monitors suck) you flip it over to 50w... problem solved.

 

[Joseph Hanna]

The biggest drawback of gigging a 5w amp is the lack of headroom, which is generally only an issue if you're playing unmic'd and/or don't have adequate monitors available.

Thanks screamingdaisy,

Unfortunately guitars are NEVER gonna make it into the monitors. It's a vocal heavy band and we have we don't have access multi monitor mixes.

But, your amp is a 5w/50w amp, so if you're unmic'd (or the monitors suck) you flip it over to 50w... problem solved.

Problem there is the amp is a completely different beast in 5 watt mode than fullpower. The touch sensitivity is different, the harmonic content (especially in higher gain world) is through the roof. I wanna use the 5 watt mode so switching to 50 watt mode not exactly what I'm looking for!

Thanks though!

Anyone else???

 

[screamingdaisy]

Unfortunately guitars are NEVER gonna make it into the monitors. It's a vocal heavy band and we have we don't have access multi monitor mixes.

Problem there is the amp is a completely different beast in 5 watt mode than fullpower. The touch sensitivity is different, the harmonic content (especially in higher gain world) is through the roof. I wanna use the 5 watt mode so switching to 50 watt mode not exactly what I'm looking for!

Is this a combo or head?

If it's a combo, put it at the front of the stage and tilt it up like a monitor so it's pointed direct at your head. If that's not an option (not enough room), put it at the side or back of the stage and do the same.

Alternatively, you can lift the whole cab so that it's head level. May not be the easiest trick to rely on unless you carry a stand for the purpose. However I have seen a number of Fender combos propped up on bar stools over the years.

If it's a head/cab, and you have a 1x12 or 2x12 the above can be done, though you'll want to leave the head on the floor. If it's a 4x12 you may have a bit of a hard time convincing people why you want your 4x12 on a bar stool.

Another (more complicated) option is to get something like the Radial JDX (link below). It's a guitar amp specific DI box that goes in between your amp and speaker. You could take the DI from that box, and run it into a more powerful amp to use as a monitor (could be something like a powered monitor wedge). Trade off is that now you need to drag a monitor wedge to all your gigs.

http://www.radialeng.com/re-jdx.htm

 

[Pyro]

I would'nt stand a chance next to my drummer on 5 watt mode. on 50 watt i have to crank it quite loud but if needed the 5 watt tones bad enough i would just mic it up through the PA. Infact i might try it just to see how it sounds

 

[Newysurfer]

Unfortunately guitars are NEVER gonna make it into the monitors. It's a vocal heavy band and we have we don't have access multi monitor mixes.

Problem there is the amp is a completely different beast in 5 watt mode than fullpower. The touch sensitivity is different, the harmonic content (especially in higher gain world) is through the roof. I wanna use the 5 watt mode so switching to 50 watt mode not exactly what I'm looking for!

Is this a combo or head?

If it's a combo, put it at the front of the stage and tilt it up like a monitor so it's pointed direct at your head. If that's not an option (not enough room), put it at the side or back of the stage and do the same.

Alternatively, you can lift the whole cab so that it's head level. May not be the easiest trick to rely on unless you carry a stand for the purpose. However I have seen a number of Fender combos propped up on bar stools over the years.

If it's a head/cab, and you have a 1x12 or 2x12 the above can be done, though you'll want to leave the head on the floor. If it's a 4x12 you may have a bit of a hard time convincing people why you want your 4x12 on a bar stool.

Another (more complicated) option is to get something like the Radial JDX (link below). It's a guitar amp specific DI box that goes in between your amp and speaker. You could take the DI from that box, and run it into a more powerful amp to use as a monitor (could be something like a powered monitor wedge). Trade off is that now you need to drag a monitor wedge to all your gigs.

http://www.radialeng.com/re-jdx.htm

I have the 5:50 combo and had a custom cab made & wired so I can either
1) run the combo alone or
2) run the combo & cab together = 3 speakers

that allows me to use the combo behind me as a monitor if I want.
I've also picked up an amp stand for $50 so I can slant the combo at my face.
Covers all bases.

 

[screamingdaisy]

I have the 5:50 combo and had a custom cab made & wired so I can either
1) run the combo alone or
2) run the combo & cab together = 3 speakers

that allows me to use the combo behind me as a monitor if I want.
I've also picked up an amp stand for $50 so I can slant the combo at my face.
Covers all bases.

Well... give it a try at practice and tell us how it goes.

 

[Joseph Hanna]

Is this a combo or head?

It's a 1x12 combo. My 4x12 days are long gone I have a couple of nice 2x12 and haven't yet tried those but I will. Getting the cab up makes sense although the 5:25 is a beamy buggard and I have to be vigilant not to sterilize folks in the front row.

Still in all good suggestions and a good discussion..thanks everyone.

I'm surprised, given the over all unworldly sound of that 5 watt mode, more folks don't try and make this work?!??!

 

[screamingdaisy]

I'm surprised, given the over all unworldly sound of that 5 watt mode, more folks don't try and make this work?!??!

Class A isn't as punchy as class A/B, so it doesn't tend to cut through as well. That, and for all my suggestions it's pretty likely that you'll find that without being in the monitors 5w will be buried in the mix.

 

[nomad100hd]

you could build you a SE power amp with more balls and go threw that.