Off Topic Guitar Amp Stand

[Phrat]

Do any of you gigging guys use an amp stand.

I am fed up of my amp being stood on a crate or a bar stool and I want to get something more suitable. Are they worth it? Any recommendations (UK)?

Thanks

Phrat

 

[Grand Wazoo]

Can't go wrong with a STAGG stand

STAGG GUITAR AMPLIFIER & MONITOR STAND SM HOT DEAL £15 on eBay (end time 27-Dec-09 08:28:57 GMT)

 

[gtrman66]

I've used an ultimate iq2000 double braced keyboard stand with a 2/12 flextone for years.I'm 6'6" so it gets a little higher in the air...works great on smaller stages and it's super-sturdy.hope this helps

 

[Adamr]

if thats your rig in that picture good luck getting a stand for that beast.

 

[beej]

If directionality is an issue, you have a couple of other options. An open back or ported cab will give you good dispersion so you can hear yourself evenly. Or just tilting the cab so it aims at your head will do wonders and it'll keep you quieter on stage which everyone else will appreciate. (Sometimes I'll just tilt the cab back and leave the head on it's side on the floor.)

If you play bigger stages then it's less of an issue. (If your cab is miked you can stick it off to one end and sidewash the stage, etc.)

I know most guys like the closed back cabs for "thump", but I way prefer an open or ported 1x12 or 2x12 so I can hear myself properly.

 

[nobozos]

I always used an amp stand during gigs. I did this for a couple reasons, most important of which was to sound better.

I used to put the amp behind me on the stage, facing out toward the crowd. I adjusted my amp to what sounded good, and went with that. That was all fine, until I got a wireless system. My first gig with the wireless, I walked off the stage into the crowd, and discovered something horrifying. My rig sounded like crap. Totally different than what I expected. The sound of my rig through the mains was really shrill, and unpleasant. I also noted that if you were in the crowd anywhere in a direct line with the front of my amp, you got a double dose of the unpleasantness. I asked my sound guy why he never told me what my rig sounded like, and he said that's how he thought I wanted it to sound. I told him to go up to the stage and stand at my mic. I told him, "That is what I want my guitar to sound like."

After a conversation with my sound guy about the technical aspects of sound propogation, I discovered a few key things. What I was hearing with the amp behind me on the stage sounded pleasant from my vantagepoint only. This was because my ears were facing away from the speakers, and because my proximity to the speakers was near, and above where the "real" sound was. In order for that sound to go through the mains, I would have to place a microphone 3 feet in front of the amp, 5 and a half feet in the air, facing away from the amp. That's not where the mic was. it was 1 inch in front of the grille cloth, off-axis. In order to hear what the mic was going to put through the mains, I had to put my head in the direct path of the speakers sound. With the amp placed behind me the way it was, all the true sound of the amp was blasting me in the back of the legs.

The other thing that was a problem was the stage volume. My amp was very loud out front. My sound guy just compensated by turning me down in the main mix. I have a difficult time hearing myself in the stage mix, due largely to working in close proximity to jets on an aircraft carrier. This usually meant my amp was louder than everything else on the stage.

After discussing the problems with my sound guy, we came up with a solution to all of the problems, an amp stand.

I placed my amp on a stand facing me, approx. 2-3 feet to my left, and sligtly in front of me. This allowed me to hear the same sound that my mic was hearing, and adjust my amp to sound musical. The other thing that it did was allowed me to hear myself over the mix at an acceptable volume level to everyone else in the band, and in the crowd. Basically, my amp was a second monitor for just my guitar.

So, here were the results. My amp sounded great out front. Our entire band's stage volume went down as a result, because everyone else wasn't turing up their stuff as loud to compete with mine. This made our sound guy happy, because he had less feedback issues. The entire band sounded better out front, because the majority of the sound was coming through the mains, and allowed the sound guy to make us sound good.

It was really hard to believe simply using an amp stand, and turing the amp away from the crowd could make such a big difference.

BTW, I dumped the wireless system, and went back to a cord. Why? Because it's kind of a cheesy gimmick, and taking my Balls into the crowd made me nervous. Mainly, it made my rig sound like a swarm of bees in an aluminum can.

 

[73h Nils]

That's what the bass player's for!

 

[Purple ASS]

Good question. I wanted something to support my Lonestar. I wanted something compact that would fold flat and tilt the amp so I got one of these Quiklok BS317 stands. It's perfect for me. The amp stays close to the ground which is what I wanted but has a good range of tilt .

Quiklok Low Level Amplifier Stand Andertons Music Co Guildford Surrey

 

[Grand Wazoo]

The problem with that one Kev is that unless you can tilt it a little less up and more towards you or the audience it can be a bit of a nuisance when tilted that way it projects the sound too up and far away from the ear holes and can disperse in the ceiling. I know cause a mate of mine had one and could never get a decent sound until we placed the amp on a crate of Stella's!

 

[catdaddy]

I'm setting my combo amp on top of its road case and sticking one of these thingies in-between and its the perfect angle and firing right at my ear. I don't think it would be "jacked up" enough if you used it on the floor unless you were a good distance from the amp. It's a little pricey for a foam wedge but it's very sturdy (it's closed cell and reminds you of rubber). My amp is rock steady on top of it and the road case, which has locking wheels. Also this puts the control panel up closer to eye level. I've used tilting stands before and they do the trick too. This is just another "angle."
Buy Ampwedge Polyurethane Amplifier Isolation Floor Wedge | Amplifier Stands | Musician's Friend

 

[Phrat]

Thanks guys this is really useful!

Sounds like its worth the small investment and a bit of experimentation to see what differences it can make.

P

PS, the Blackstar stays at home, i use a Fender Hotrod Deluxe for gigging

 

[colinboy]

Hi phrat i see by your avatar your using blackstar amps aswell.what model is yours?

I bought the new series one 200 head and cab a few months ago and its an absolute monster of an amp.

 

[redeleon]

@nobozos:
we have the same situation however, in your solution, u used microphones as well right?
I am also experienceing the same problem now. and we usually play on a medium sized bar area.

im about to get an amp stand that can tilt it up a bit i don't know if that can solve my problem.. or probably a placing or positioning the amp in a different position.....

 

[leftyguitarblue]

Hi Phrat,

I use this one and it has been great.

Buy ProLine PL-AS Adjustable Amp Stand | Amplifier Stands | Musician's Friend

 

[alf cockle]

quik lok make a decent stand..easy to custom modify to fit any amp easily,if req*d,and wont empty your wallet.

 

[panther_king]

I have one similar to the Stagg model; sturdy as heck (my combo is about 75 lbs , holds it fine) and helps you get the real sound coming from your speaker, as well as making the amp act as more of a monitor than a microphone-feeder.

I also put a foam donut in the baffle to do away with some of the beamyness of the speaker; works like a charm and doesn't cause phase issues like beam blockers and the like would.

 

[grumpyoldman]

BTW, I dumped the wireless system, and went back to a cord. Why? Because it's kind of a cheesy gimmick, and taking my Balls into the crowd made me nervous. Mainly, it made my rig sound like a swarm of bees in an aluminum can.

I am always surprised how many people assume wireless systems are only geared to those who want to wade through drunken humanity (or some semblence of it) during a gig, wandering beyond the safe range until the signal becomes nothing but noise - I use mine so that I don't accidentally trip over the cabling. I rarely move more than 20 feet from my rig (as most stages just don't allow for more room than that with a five member band), but at least I don't have to worry about tripping over my cabling....

I tend to use the drummer's "coffin" - a long rectangular box on wheels he uses to transport all his hardware - to lift my combo and rack off the floor for most gigs. Also, for bigger stage areas, our lighting tech made aluminum and wood "tables" that lift everything about four feet off the stage (and allow for a neat area to store my cases as well). I will try to find a picture of it if anyone is interested.

 

[nobozos]

One night was playing a gig, and cops were running radar about 100 yards away. Every time they pinged a car, my amp made a God-aweful racket. At first, I thought I had a bad tube, or pedal. I checked all my connections, power supplies, and tubes. It took me a good half hour to figure out what was going on. I bypassed the wireless for the rest of the gig with a cable, and everything was fine.