How do you handle loud volumes--neighbors

[Elpelotero]

Today i fired up my DR and 4x12 for only 15 minutes before my neighbor knocked on the door. When I'm back home I don't have this problem, but right now I'm in a condominium (college). What do you guys do?

 

[chennie]

Don't try to suck at your playing and tone

No, seriously: I never got any complaints actually, but perhaps you can get an agreement or something concerning hours it's ok you can play loudly ?

 

[Platypus]

In college I invested in an attenuator for this reason. I could sacrafice the slight tone suck at lower volumes.

In my new house, I keep the attenuator on -8 or -4dB so it's controllable but loud as piss.

 

[phantomlord2oo]

+1 for an attenuator.

+Mike+

 

[HappyStrat]

I live 2 football fields away from both of my neighbors and I still get very ugly looks whenever I see them. They just don't understand..... Maybe they need Rectifier Sensitivity Training.

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

Smaller cab would also help a bit....maybe a 1x12 with an EVH speakers.....a 4x12 with such a powerful amp for college is crazy....

Never liked the attenuator with my recto...but in your situation, it might be a must.

 

[Dawg Fan]

I recently had a similar situation that almost got pretty nasty. My neigbor above me would jump up and down on the floor whenever I would play past 8:00 pm. Mind you I do not play that loud. I finally got sick of it and went upsatairs and told him I'd have it off by 9:00 pm. I also told him if it was so bad to call the cops. Its been fine since. He doesn't like it but then again I don't like it when he goes out on his balcony to smoke, and I have to listen to him talk on his phone at all hours of the night.

Good luck!

 

[nocluejimbo]

Smaller cab would also help a bit....maybe a 1x12 with an EVH speakers.....a 4x12 with such a powerful amp for college is crazy....

Never liked the attenuator with my recto...but in your situation, it might be a must.

I assume you EVM? no way... loud as ****.

HotPlate or a different amplifier.

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

^My fault....yes....EVM....

Just assumes that less speakers would lessen the volume a bit....

 

[disassembled]

I think it's funny when people complain about others complaining. I am sure you are breaking some written rule about excessive noise and you should be a little more considerate about the other people around you.

Sorry, but I feel you are totally in the wrong here by having your amp turned up loud enough that it can be heard in someone else's living space. I live in a apartment type living accomodation where the sound loves to travel from one room to the next. Luckily, I have people that will ask me to turn it down if I play too loud without getting immature but, I really don't like playing loud if I am going to disturb someone. I use a Triaxis, Peavey Tubefex, Peavey closed back 2X12, and a Mesa 20/20 PA and it is still way too loud to play at levels where I am seriously clipping those little EL84s.

The best thing to do would be call up Musician's Friend, buy a Behringer Vamp2 for $99 shipped, and just play with your head phones or small speakers while at home. This is cheaper and more versatile than an attenuator plus you don't burn up your tubes cranking the bejesus out of your amp for hours on end.

 

[jbird]

-1 to the attenuator, +1 to the above statement! I too live in a condo with my Recto 4/12 set-up. I choose reasonable (mid-day) hours, with reasonable volumes. My amp is angled away from the side neigbors, and I sit at speaker level, about three feet away! Works for me, just fine!

 

[Mr_You]

Turn it down and consider a 1x12 or smaller (1x8). Get some practice space (at a storage unit for example) if you want to play loud.

 

[allcountyfair]

my neighbor likes to hear me open up my triple when no one else is home. haha

 

[3SpeedChicken]

The best thing to do would be call up Musician's Friend, buy a Behringer Vamp2 for $99 shipped, and just play with your head phones or small speakers while at home. This is cheaper and more versatile than an attenuator plus you don't burn up your tubes cranking the bejesus out of your amp for hours on end.

Funny....but that is EXACTLY what I did I'm in a temporary corporate apartment, and I can hear everything my neighbors watch or listen to. So I know the roadster rig would piss folks off.
I push the V-Amp2 through the computer, and keep it low. Since most of what i do at home is more for practice or learning, I really don't care about getting Holy Grail tones. Save those for gigs where people are actually listening :wink:

 

[overwater]

use ear protectors so i cant hear them knocking :twisted:

 

[musicman10_1]

this is why I like my 1x12 Mark IV combo so much. It gets great tones at bedroom volume AND can also hold its own on at gig/stage volume.

I live in a townhouse with one shared wall and my neighbors never complain.

 

[RR]

use ear protectors so i cant hear them knocking :twisted:

LoL, or tell these complaining neighbors to move :twisted:

 

[Elpelotero]

well in all fairness let me describe the way it went....

Saturday afternoon, around 2pm. very reasonable hour if you ask me. I put the overall volume on 12 and the red channel master at 830. This was just enough to get rid of the "fizzy" sounds tubes have at lower volumes. Gain was at 1oclock, notthing too outrageous to make the volume worse. I played for 15 minutes. girl knocks. asks if i can lower it some. she didn't mind the playing, but i guess the thumping of the 4x12 was annoying. i just turned it off. she was very respectful.

the reason i bought this amp is because i want to hear the holy grail tones! that's the whole purpose of these amps! in no way at all was the volume excessive or loud. I've heard people having parties at 3am that are 10x louder than my rig. My brother was outside and he couldn't hear it, so for me that was good enough. the reasoning behind a 4x12 is because: 1. i was lucky enough to afford it and have space for it. 2. i'm in a band. 3. i got a sick deal on a new one. 4. it's a 4x12!!!

that or more less sums it all up. thanks to those who gave unique suggestions.

 

[MrT-Man]

Get a Palmer speaker simulator. They're not cheap, but you get awesome tone right through your headphones. I've got my Dual Recto head plugged into it & almost never use my cabinet any more. I think Satriani used it for all his guitars on his last album.

http://www.palmergear.com/recording_studio.shtml (I've got the PGA-04)

 

[soundpurist]

I recently had a similar situation that almost got pretty nasty. My neigbor above me would jump up and down on the floor whenever I would play past 8:00 pm. Mind you I do not play that loud. I finally got sick of it and went upsatairs and told him I'd have it off by 9:00 pm. I also told him if it was so bad to call the cops. Its been fine since. He doesn't like it but then again I don't like it when he goes out on his balcony to smoke, and I have to listen to him talk on his phone at all hours of the night.

Good luck!

****! My friend has almost the same problem except his neigbor is an old crazy women that smoke right in front of is window while she's reading a book. She always calling the cops. Very soon that poor guy is going to have a ticket! The worst in all that: is not playing loud at all! One time that ***** got her 4 car's tires flat with a knife by some guy who certainly hate her... right away she conclued that was my friend (very calm, polite guy, i find him to soft and even sleepy sometime not to say a little slow but a nice guy...).

Even when you give a lot of respect, some people don't even realize what they make you bare and still bothering you!

I admire people who have patience and respect. I don't have that kind of endurance.