DavidE Posted April 16, 2007 Posted April 16, 2007 Anybody use a Plexiglass shield in front of your amp at gigs? My amp was sounding perfect last night, I was running a 1x12 on the ground pointing at my ankles and the amp master volume was low (8 o'clock). It was still loud enough that it didn't need to go in the p.a. except for some solo boosts. Might have been the weird shaped room as everything seemed loud, but nothing bothered me like last week's gig where my classic 30 was pointed at my head and hurt my right ear and the drums hurt my left! ;-)Anyway, I was thinking about adding a piece of plexiglass to the rig to get things even quieter on stage. I saw Scott Holt do this in a small place and it worked great. Any of you do this?
belikerick Posted April 16, 2007 Posted April 16, 2007 That's what Bonamassa does and it works! He cranks those amps up to get the tone he wants and the plexiglass keeps him from killing everybody standing in front of the amps. I saw him in Feb and he had the greatest tone and I was standing right at the stage and didn't have the ear ringing for days that usually results from that position at a show. I've been wondering why more people don't use something like that.
RacerX Posted April 16, 2007 Posted April 16, 2007 Yup, in my misguided youth I played crazy loud. Hell anything under 100watts was a practice amp Back then, I used to drape a sleeping bag over my cabs and pull it back a bit to let some of the highs out. Isolation boards, beam blockers, all that stuff is good if you ask me. I love the feel of standing in front of a pounding 4x12, but at ear level it's brutal. Man, I feel old.... Mark.
Steve Haynie Posted April 16, 2007 Posted April 16, 2007 You will find that the plexiglass shield is only going to be good if you have the right room when you play. Sometimes it will work. Sometimes it will suck.
MCChris Posted April 16, 2007 Posted April 16, 2007 I'd try the Beam Blockers first before I invested in another large-ish piece of gear that you're gonna have to schlep to gigs.
burningyen Posted April 16, 2007 Posted April 16, 2007 Bonamassa's plexi shield works great. I doubt Beam Blockers would have nearly the same attenuation effect.
MCChris Posted April 16, 2007 Posted April 16, 2007 Bonamassa's plexi shield works great. I doubt Beam Blockers would have nearly the same attenuation effect.No but I doubt Dave is playing as loud as Bonamassa is either.
Brooks Posted April 16, 2007 Posted April 16, 2007 THERE WAS A PLEXI SHEILD BETWEE SCO'S AMP & THE DRUMS LAST WEEK (PROLLY THE SOUND CO.'S DEAL TO ISOLATE MICS, NOT ATTENUATE THE AMP, AS IT WAS FIRING RIGHT AT SCO'S NOGGIN UNBLOCKED)... *sorry for the caps, but i'm not retyping all that!
DavidE Posted April 16, 2007 Author Posted April 16, 2007 I'd try the Beam Blockers first before I invested in another large-ish piece of gear that you're gonna have to schlep to gigs.I'm actually trying to reduce volume to the band or audience. Don't the beam blockers only spread the highs to reduce ice pick and directional syndrome? I'm not having those issues.Bonamassa's plexi shield works great. I doubt Beam Blockers would have nearly the same attenuation effect.No but I doubt Dave is playing as loud as Bonamassa is either.I'm sure you're right. My amps tend to be set pretty low on the master volume, but still plenty loud to get over the drums. I'll try putting my pedalboard cover in front of the speaker this week and see how that works...
MCChris Posted April 16, 2007 Posted April 16, 2007 I'm actually trying to reduce volume to the band or audience. Don't the beam blockers only spread the highs to reduce ice pick and directional syndrome? I'm not having those issues.Excessive treble can sometimes contribute to perceived volume, but if you're not having those issues, nevermind.I'm sure you're right. My amps tend to be set pretty low on the master volume, but still plenty loud to get over the drums. I'll try putting my pedalboard cover in front of the speaker this week and see how that works...Sounds like a good plan.
kurtsstuff Posted April 16, 2007 Posted April 16, 2007 Sometimes back in the day we just turned our cabinets to face the back wall..Worked great!
DavidE Posted April 16, 2007 Author Posted April 16, 2007 Sometimes back in the day we just turned our cabinets to face the back wall..Worked great!I actually did that for first set Saturday night.
Abaco Posted April 16, 2007 Posted April 16, 2007 Been a steady problem for me until recently. At a jam I plugged into a Fender Twin and pushed it all the way to the back wall and aimed it at the ceiling. That worked great. I prefer to not rely on monitors anymore for my stage sound because it seems that they (or the guy on the board) fail halfway through the set. It's amazing how much having a bass player stand between you and your cab can cut off the sound to your ears, too.I read an interview of Scott Henderson and he talked about recording tracks at home and draping heavy blankets (the type you get from U-haul, I think) over his mic'd amp. If one was to rely on the monitors that might be a great alternative. Just get blankets that aren't all gray, stained, and ripped up for the gig.
Eric Weston Posted April 17, 2007 Posted April 17, 2007 I've heard of surrounding the drummer w/ plexi (wish we could sometimes)....I've even aimed my speaker(s) at the back wall....BUT putting glass in front of the amp is alot like intonating your guitar....nuff said. OK, fine...I intonate (most ) of my guitars, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna put a sound shield in front of the Marshalls!!!! . Lots of times I side-wash my cabs and aim them RIGHT AT THE DRUMMER He's got it coming with them loud-ass crashes every other measure I step back away from my mic and I've got all the feedback I could ever want....I let him hear every one of my mistakes, cuz I get pounded with every one of his!!! That said....do whatever you like... it's your gig
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