minimum wattage for gigging amp

paper_pea_pod · Guest

If you were looking to play shows, very small local type shows, how small of an amp could you get away with? For guitar / bass?
I think my 15 watt is looking to be replaced. Smile

LenBum · Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2003 3:43 pm Post subject: 15 watts of power

For small gigs 15 watts should be enough. This of course depends on a few variables. How loud the drummer is, Room acoustics, etc. Maybe you just need an ext. cab. What kind of amp is it?

paper_pea_pod · Guest

it's a peavey blazer... even if fifteen watts were enough I still want to get a new one because I think it's sort of bottom of the line. I haven't really done much research into amps yet... I've been spending my time reading up on guitar stuff so I could get a new one and know what I was looking for. I just bought one yesterday and it's AWESOME and it just doesn't make sense to take it home and plug it into my peavey blazer. the guitar is a rickenbacker 620 by the way.

TimC · Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2003 8:17 am Post subject:

Nice looking guitar p_p_p. I love the neck and pick-ups on the Rickies. What color did you get?

LenBum · Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2003 3:14 pm Post subject: Gigging Amp

Ok, new guitar..........nice. What types of music do you play? I warn you I am a tube amp player. Some would call me a "tube snob". Fine, got no problem with that. Solid state is passable for clean playing. But anything else there is no comparison. If you are looking to upgrade that's my call. And something in the 22-40 watt range. I say 22 watt because that is what a Fender Deluxe Reverb is.............one of the alltime classic blues/rock small gig amps. Peavey also make a tube amp in this area, the Peavey Classic. Also, what's your price range?

oasis_rule13 · Not So Newbie Joined: 12 Jul 2003 Posts: 9

i had a small vintage 22 watt amp before i upgraded. it wasnt enough to gig with, and my u[grade wasn't so much becasue of want and esire, but because of need of power and sheer value. got a 100 watt fender dulxe 112 plus for 100 british pounds. not the best amp, but not a bad one either. i wouldn't kno what a minimum wattage is, but mine is more than powerful enough, and out powers our others guitarists marshall half stack. i think 80 watts is minimum for a pub gig though

LenBum · Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2003 5:45 pm Post subject: Amp Question

80 watts for a pub gig? You must have "big" pubs where you are.

TimC · Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2003 6:11 pm Post subject:

Maybe the folks there like it really loud. Smile

paper_pea_pod · Guest

I got the 620 in burgundy... The main reason I got a rickenbacker is because it just felt SO good to play... none of the other stuff I tried could even compare to how nice the neck was.

anyway, I'm not really sure what I play.. no metal, no funk, no classic rock. sort of punky "alternative" indie? some favourite bands: the jesus lizard, babes in toyland, richard hell and the voidoids, hole... I like fugazi, sonic youth, trail of dead... I like super noisy but I also like good clean sounds, soft songs... generally I like sad/angry music and not too much yay-happy kind of music. hmm...

distortion is super important but I've got a homemade pedal that I'm happy with for now so if solid state distortion sucks then the pedal could handle it, no?

I'm pretty sure that my price range is > $1000...
mom and dad agreed to buy me a new amp but I'm really not sure how much they think an amp costs... haha. Smile

and I certainly can't chip in cuz the ol' rickenbacker was a touch pricey for my student budget... heh.

paper_pea_pod · Guest

wow that's weird...
I didn't write *I Think Your Mom's Calling...Time To Go Home Now*...
why did it put that in?? haha, crazy crazy digital world.

Dangerine49 · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2003 4:58 am Post subject: Re: Amp Question

TimC · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2003 11:57 am Post subject:

p_p_p, tell your folks that a good amp is a good investment. It's not like a computer, car or t.v. that will wear out or become obsolete. It's not like a dirt bike or radio control car that one good crash will wipe out your hobby. Take care of an amp and it should last forever. Just a little more than your $1000 range, and you start hitting the amps that in 20 or so years will be worth more than you paid for them. ( That's if you don't paint on them, drill holes, add castors and the like.)

paper_pea_pod · Guest

yeah I think my parents understand that amps / guitars / equipment are good investments. my dad plays guitar and he has martin guitar from forever ago that has probably appreciated in value.

I want to get a tube amp because they sound better but high maintenance and expensive tube replacing isn't such a good idea for a student. I'll be graduating in a year though and I doubt I'd burn out any tubes by that time so maybe a tube amp would be alright. I just don't want to buy a solid state and then have to upgrade to a tube amp later... I'd like to get just one amp that can be my good amp forever and ever and ever (unless of course I'm super rich and get some sort of crazy desire to buy lots and lots of amps... haha)

Tube amps seem pretty expensive.. what would be a fair price for a 50 watt tube amp? what are important things to look for in a tube amp? are there certain brands that are better than others?

As a sidenote, I prefer to not buy things from companies that advertise using boob girls and cater to a macho audience (like peavey for example... one of their tube amp heads has mud flap girls all OVER it... ugggghhh. even if it was the greatest amp in the UNIVERSE I don't think I'd be playing it)

TimC · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2003 3:59 pm Post subject:

_p, I learned a long time ago on the forums I go to, to not claim something is the "best". When I say that, it's like saying everybody who bought something different is an idiot or ignorant. Also what sounds good to me might sound awful to someone else. Make a list of all the features you need in an amp, then find a store where you can try out the different brands with those features. Don't be like some people who find the amp they want by trying them in the store, then mail-order it because they can save a few dollars. As far as having to replace tubes often; unless you play every day for hours at high volume, don't worry about it. A set of tubes should last you 4 or 5 years on a average. 2 or 3 years if you gig and practice fairly loud. Just the big power tubes usually need replacing now and then. The little pre-amp tubes can run for years with no problem if they are of good quality.