Performing with an F50 ? can you share your live experience

[gsouth]

Who performs with an F50 ? And what is your performance venue like in terms of music style, size of room, and anything else you can share regarding live performances with an F50. We play Blues and Rockabilly.
Thx...Need to make a decision soon...need some input on other performers experience with the F50.

 

[Dann'sTheMan]

Hi gsouth,

I play on the UK Gospel scene playing small chapels, through TV studios to auditoriums and outdoor venues. I play in a weekly service in a hall seating around 400, and a monthly service in a modern church seating 5-600, but I have often used my F-50 in auditoriums seating 1700 and more. I've never run out of power or clean headroom, even on the outdoor gigs. Nevertheless, you should know that I usually mike my combo, and let the PA provide the even spread - however, I have no problems at all humbling and subduing the volume of a drummer or bassist.

I use a G-Major in the F-50's loop, not just for FX, but also to provide attenuation in the loop, allowing me to turn up the Master Volumes, and open up the amp's front end more, and get great tone at any volume. I also have wired a custom cable to allow the G-Major to control the channel switching on my F-50, thus allowing me to select a tone (both amp channel and FX) with a single stomp on my MIDI footswitch. This makes for an effortlessly flexible live rig.

In terms of musical style, modern Gospel calls on tones from jazz and blues, through rock and hard rock. Versatility may be the least of your worries with the F-series, though. If you haven't already discovered it, check out the F-series Lounge over at HCAF, where you'll find players from Motown to Progressive Metal. You can find some clips of my F50 in this thread,

Big smiles,

Andy.

 

[gsouth]

Andy, can you tell me to use my Dunlop Wah pedal, is it better to plug the pedal into the FX jack or the input jack on the front of the amp ?

 

[strumminsix]

Andy, can you tell me to use my Dunlop Wah pedal, is it better to plug the pedal into the FX jack or the input jack on the front of the amp ?

G - Traditionally speaking, the following beloing before the preamp: filters (phaser, wah, env), compression and drives in that order.

But rules are meant to be broken now aren't they Personally, I hear a phaser as more of a modulation than a filter so I put it in the loop!



Andy, how come I see a Variax but no POD?

 

[hal9000]

I play in an alternative rock band in Ft Lauderdale. Most of the venues we play have a house PA, so we're usually mic'ed. I suppose most are capable of holding 200-300 people. That being said, I usually run my amp right at the level of my acoustic drummer which is loud enough that I never practice or gig without earplugs. Like Andy, I use the G-major for FX, but also for channel switching via a custom cable, loop attenuation, and level matching between the OD and Contour channels. With the OD and Countour channels matched, I then can use the amp like it has three-channels.

 

[Dann'sTheMan]

Andy, can you tell me to use my Dunlop Wah pedal, is it better to plug the pedal into the FX jack or the input jack on the front of the amp ?

Hi gsouth,

to my ears, it sounds better being plugged into the input jack on the front of the amp, and as strumminsix highlighted, this is the most conventional placed to put it. I personally like to place the wah after clean boosts and compressor pedals, but before everything else.

Big smiles,

Andy.

 

[Dann'sTheMan]

Andy, how come I see a Variax but no POD?

Hi strumminsix,

The diagram shows my main rig, as hand drawn by the wonderfully talented, hal9000. I do own a POD, and primarily use it in my flying rig along with the Behringer MIDI foot controller - they will both fit in a suitcase, and I just need to grab a suitable axe.

I tend to use the Variax as a live acoustic, and even string it with acoustic strings. Occasionally I take just the Variax with me for a flying gig, but if I just need electric tones, I prefer to use the Charvel instead.

My other key bit of gear that is not illustrated is my Brazilian Taylor. She comes out on the high profile sessions, or if I'm doing a purely acoustic gig (in a calm environment) :lol:

Big smiles,

Andy.