How Loud Do You Play?

[CudBucket]

Lately I've been re-thinking things about what kind of amp I need. I mean, tubes need to be played loud if you want tube-distortion. I almost never have the opportunity to do this. And even when I do, I find the volume almost unbearable.

For example, when I played my MTS head yesterday, I could barely get the Lead Channel volume past 1 or 2! And there's a huge difference in volume between 1 and 2. Same with my Mark IV.

Today, I looked at Steve Vai's Legacy settings on the Legacy page and I see volume settings of 6 to 8!!! And that's with the drive setting up around 8+!!!

I will never play that loud. Do any of you? I'm beginning to think that a Pod or other Line 6 amp might be better for me. I don't see myself getting into a band any time soon and pretty much do all my playing at nigh in my office after the kids go to sleep.

What are your thoughts?

Dave

 

[SteveB]

Cudbucket,

I keep my main rig at my drummer's house. I tote a modeling pedalboard back & forth, which is light and simple. I rely on that pedalboard for 99% of my sound, and the power amp is of little consqeuence. I can plug headphones into the pedalboard for late night practice and it sounds pretty much the same as when I'm driving a 4x12 cabinet at high volumes.

At home, I rarely even use an amp. If I'm playing through my pedalboard, I am probably recording, and so I hear what's coming through the mixer.

It would be a waste to have my 120 watt per channel power amp at home, because I'd never get to turn it up past "2" or "3". On those rare occasions when my wife and kids aren't home and I have time to crank it, I plug the pedalboard into my old Fender Vibrolux Reverb amp and it still sounds very much like my main rig. And that Fender is probably only on "3" or "4" volume-wise.

So, to make a long story short, you should probably try a POD or some modeling system. (I've been dying to try the Vox floor-based modeling pedalboard with the visible 12AX7 tube in it!) These systems are great for low-volume situations, and they generally come with lots of other goodies too. (The Digitech GNX3 and GNX4 boards have built-in drum machines and 8-track recorders!)

My board (an older Digitech RP-2000) has a built-in tuner, some drum loops, a lick sampling tool that lets you record a sound clip and play it back at various speeds, XLR in and out for use with the talkbox effects (no plastic tube required), SPDIF output, and it can be run in stereo or mono. Then of course, it has all the bells and whistles for amp modeling, effects, you name it. You can even do pickup modeling (i.e. single coil or humbucker), and you can even tweak the 'mic placement' setting on your speaker cabinet emulation.

I'll quit now before this becomes more of a novel.

 

[GWDavis28]

Dave, I'm in the same boat, I bite as far as playing, so the band things out, plus don't have the time. I also play when the kids are in bed, so loud is way out. The Line 6 Spider 2's have headphone jack and more setting than I probably need. I've been looking at the 30 watt for $200, you can add the footboard, 4 switchs for another $70. They have a forum, which is awesome in my opinion and everybody raves about these amps.

http://line6.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum&f=6

I'm just saw a Spider 2 112 got for $200 used on scambay yesterday and I'm kicking myself for not getting it. Oh well, they'll be another one someday.

Hope this helps, Glenn |B)

 

[Jimi D]

I play in three different groups on and off, and I have three amps - a 18 Watt RMS Fender Super Champ, a 22 Watt RMS Fender Deluxe Reverb, and a Mesa 20/20 powered rack rig... The rack actually kicks out 20 Watts a side, so that's 40 Watts RMS with both cabs jacked in, but I never, ever have to turn the volume controls up past half-way, and it sounds huge and freakin' loud!! I want a Peavey JSX, but I can't see myself buying one until they produce a 50 watts or less model...

 

[PRSPlayer]

For practicing, I prefer a headphone amp. I own one of those original Tom Sholtz headphone amps and a Zoom 9002. Both models give me excellent tone and both have auxillary inputs that allow me to learn play along with tapes, cd's, etc ...

I also have a Zoom 1266CD 12-track recorder that I sometimes use when I practice (with headphones). It also has built in effects and sounds great.
I have a terrible case of CRS (Can't Remember $--t), so the best part about this is ... if I happen to stumble upon a catchy riff, I can simply hit the record button and refer to it whenever I get the urge to try to "write" (and I use this term loosely) a song.

If volume is a concern, I would suggest a headphone amp.
You can crank em up and still not disturb those around you.
The two I've mentioned sound great and give options for auxillary plug-ins.

For live, I use a 5150 with (2) Marshall (A&B) cabinets.

 

[deadringer]

I play in four different bands right now. In one band, which is very old school tech wise, we play classic rock at very high levels. I used to be able to get my Mesa Dual Recto up to about 2:00 on the output dial. I don't however, play in that band very often at all. Mostly the bigger special events here locally that are either to 500+ people or outdoors.

The other 90% of the time though I'm playing in bands that are very different. The other three bands are variations stylistically with most of the same people. We went after a very different market. We are known as the band that isn't too loud. We play very small bars and clubs and do a ton of wedding receptions and corporate type gigs. We use In Ear Monitor systems and electronic drums. We can play frighteningly quiet and get a ton of business that way. It seems that in my area, the days of the old "if it isn't loud it isn't rock 'n roll" are long gone.

For those bands I had to ditch my Recto and my Mesa Mk IV. Even though I was using a THD Hotplate to attenuate the volume it still wasn't enough. In the those bands, the vocals are the only audible sound on stage. I use a Line 6 Vetta upgraded to Vetta II and I DI it directly in. The bass and electronic drums are also DI'd, so the vocals are it.

I still have my Mesa 4x12 when I need it, and the Vetta can get crushingly loud too. I just don't need it.

I prefer the feel and warmth of tubes, hands down! Unfortunately, in the real world applications I was using it in they just weren't practical.

Now I just grab my Vetta head and floorboard and off I go. It's cool also because my live, recording, rehearsal, and practice rig are the exact same thing. So I can tweak my arse off all the time. Plus, I grab my laptop with all my patches backed up and I can pick the range of tones I need for the job I have. That's come in very handy when I do side work or fill in.

I love my Vetta!

 

[Yrless]

Marshall MG15DFX with Effects

I use a Marshall MG15DFX with Effects. This amp is plenty loud for playing at home and sounds great. The effects give you a bunch of options (Reverb, Chorus, Flange and Delay (all of them adjustable)). I also run a Line 6 POD into the CD input if I want to have even more effects. The amp acts like a PA when the POD is run into the CD input. It also has a headphone jack if you want to play and not wake the family(the POD also has a jack).

http://www.marshallamps.com/images/products/mg/mg15dfx.html

A great amp for the money!

 

[Dee M]

I use a Line6 Vetta wether at home, the practice room or on stage. Even if you use a modelling amp, the sound is totally differant at home levels. My bud runs a skatepark in a warehouse so ill usually head down there by myself if im working on new sounds or parts that I play live. I rarely take it past 12 o'clock though....vettas are LOUD

erm...just noticed you dont play in a band at the moment so what am I talking about??!
So yeah, a line6 amp would do the trick but its still not perfect. Time to get soundproofing!

 

[Baltar]

I use an Peavey DeltaBlues (30 Watts Tube Amp w 15" Spkr).
I love it's warmth, pressure and big sound when playin with friends in the cellar,
but It's definately to loud as a practice-Combo.

I am still looking for something else good sounding - but smaller, because
i don't like earphone practicing via mixer and di-box.
I personally don't like earphones anyway.

Sometimes i use my old Marshall MG15 for practice at home - but i'm not really
happy with it.


btw sry. but don't blame me for bad english

 

[fsmith]

Dave,
I recently sold my Traynor TCV40WR. Way too much output to play at home with. I'm too old and not talented enough to think about being in a band, so that amp was wasted for my application. I would more often than not plug into my Tascam CD-GT1 with the headphones and jam away to my hearts content.

After getting rid of that I picked up a Mesa Boogie Studio .22 Plus and I'm in heaven now. I can play at levels comfortable enough that I'm not bothering the wife and kids in the next room, but have an incredible amount of gain and sustain to play anything I can think of. With this amp I'm finding tones that I never knew existed with the Traynor.

So the long way around your question is not loud at all, but I can if I had to, the Mesa will kick **s if needed, and it can feed external speaker cabinets as well. It's pretty damn versatile for a 20 watt amp.

I'm also considering a PodXt Pro after seeing a friend's setup. It was pretty damn sweet.

fred

 

[dwf1004]

What???

Peavey says that to drive the 5150 as it was supposed to be driven, the post gain should be set to 5 or higher! Mine has never gotten above 3 on average jam situations (full band), and perhaps 1-2 on solo instances (of course, I use the input/output knobs on my G-Major to offset as well)

These 6-8 settings that Dave talks about could be for the sake of having it in a live setup in a large auditorium, where it will be loud, but will be like 30-40 ft away from Vai, sound will disperse because of the size, and to get a good tone from the amp, which will later be mic'ed, etc. (I wouldn't think that Vai would be stupid enough to play that loud all the time!)

I do know that EVH has always ran his 5150 posts at 6-7 on tour, dating back to F.U.C.K. (I turned my 5150 up to 5 once, and did a nice little rhythm chug on the low E....I watched stuff start at point A on my tables, shelves, etc. and end up at point B! )

My thoughts...take them as such...

 

[mbgreene]

I was also in the same situation regarding playing, not in a band /play at home, at night with the wife and daughter asleep. I went with a used Tech 21 Trademark 10 which has been highly recommended in other threads. It has a variety of amp sounds from clean to thick overdrive which come through at low volumes and can be mixed and matched by amp and speaker style. It also has a headphone jack.

It doesn't have the pedal effects that a number of the other modeling amps in the same price range have. Of those, the one I liked the best was the Vox AD30VT which also has an adjustable output wattage 1-30, so it will maintain the drive characteristics at lower output levels. It comes in a 50 watt version as well, with the same adjustable output if you feel you may occasionally need the extra power. I would have gone with the Vox had I not gotten the used deal on the Tech 21.

 

[OrangeChannel]

Dave a Pod XT Pro and a mesa 20/20 might be perfect for you.

 

[CudBucket]

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your responses. Extremely thoughtful. I hope someday I can do the same for you all. I'm intrigued by the Line 6 stuff because it always seems that when I go into a GC and play some guitar off the wall, I plug it into a Flextone III and am on a cool tone in 5 seconds.

OC, a Pod XT Pro and 20/20 sounds like something I might consider. That gives me, practice, recording and a band situation if that ever happens.

Maybe I'd throw that on top of a 2x12 recto cab and be done with it.

Dave

 

[OrangeChannel]

Yeah. The flextone III 2x12 is dece too.

I'm going Pod XT Pro thru Carvin TS100 (el34s Baby!) into 2 Recto 2x12s (2nd is on it's way) w/ a few pedals tossed in front and the Shortboard FBV and a VP Jr controllering it all.

 

[JDouglee]

Tube amps....and about as loud as i can get away with!!

 

[Warg Master]

Get a nice rack tube amp setup.. You should be able to get a very decent sound and an acceptable volume and go louder in the future should the need arise. My setup ****ing rules...KILLER tone quiet for my apartment and midnight playing and ****ING KILLER tone at arena volumes.... try it... you can build something very formidable for not much $$$.

 

[CudBucket]

So what is your setup?

 

[Warg Master]

Oops forgot that part.

Peavey TubFex > VHT 2/90/2 > Peavey 4X12 stereo cab. The VHT has a half power switch for each channel which makes it AWSOME for quieter player, but put it on full power with the volume knob 1/3rd the way up... and you're deaf.

An awsome setup would be a PODxt Live to a VHT 2/90/2 or any nice power amp and you got some killer stuff there.

 

[OrangeChannel]

Or the XT Pro if you're going to rack it. Then control it with a shortboard FBV.