Looking for recommendations

[mickboom]

Hi,

Im looking for some amp recommendations, any and all tips/advice would be greatly appreciated.

What would be a good combo-style amp that amplifies the input signal with minimal to no alteration of the signal in anway way? I'd like to get as close to the clean-pure sound of studio monitors as I can.

At home I'm running my Line 6 Pod xt Live through a small Behringer mixer and out to a pair of Alesis M1 studio monitors. This setup is perfect for me. I get to tweak my amp model, cabinet and mic settings in the Line 6 unit and because Im using the Alesis monitors, they are not altering the sound in any way. It comes out as clean, pure and unaltered as you like.

On the stage, my intention was to simply run the Line 6 unit directly into the mixingbaord snake and into the PA, but this is proving problematic in our practice space. For one, we have inadequate monitoring for the drummer (which I've found to be the case in most local stages as well). Another problem is I'm either too quiet through the PA or am dowining out the singer. It seems that the lack of a separate 'spatial' sound source for my guitar muddies things up for everyone else.

Im thinking something solid state but my biggest concern is the cabinet. I tried running the Pod through my Marshall Artist 3203 and 4x10 cabinet in different ways, but all results were less than satisfactory. Besides, I dont want to haul that half-stack all over the place. Any ideas?

Thanks!

[Enzo]

What you are looking for is a PA system. Most combo PA systems per se that come to mind wouldn't be great shakes for guitar. Really, a combo PA is what a keyboard amp is under the skin. And keyboard amps come in all sizes.

In the world of electric guitar, the amp and speaker are PART of the instrument. A guitar amp is not remotely intended to faithfully amplify the input signal without change. Plug the guitar straight into the PA system sometime - that thin flat sound is what comes out of the guitar. Guitar speakers generally roll off their response above the 3-5kHz range.

[BTF]

What about a bass or keyboard amp? Especially with the keyboard amp, which usually features multiple inputs, you could do solo gigs with vocals or gigs with friends. Keyboard amps are usually set up as flat-response as possible. You can get them in all different sizes from 10" to 15" and tweeters. I use a keyboard amp for my acoustic rig and love it.

Good Luck, Bill.

[mickboom]

Keyboard amp! Duh. Not sure why I didn't think of that. Thanks guys.

-M

[BTF]

You're quite welcome! Actually, I'm surprised more Modelling users don't use them.

[Krwkka]

I've listened to a couple of keyboard amps with this situation in mind but didn't like the high-end. Ended up very happy with a properly eq'd PA system. Great success using an X3 Live through a JBL Eon self powered monitor with an inexpensive Behringer 1/3 octave EQ. Of course, having a PA speaker for your monitor isn't as sexy as a Marshall stack, but the sound is much better in that scenario. Also, doing a proper equalization for the room is ESSENTIAL. Most people can't do a very good job by ear, so you need some way to measure the sound. I use a little Phonic audio analyzer which has a built-in microphone. I know this is much more complication than most guitarists want to deal with but it gets the job done!

[d95err]

Keyboard amps usually have a lot of features like effects, multiple inputs etc, that you probably don't need. I would simply get a wedge shaped active monitor speaker and put on the floor next to me. You can get those for next-to-nothing from companies like Behringer (with sound good enough for guitar).

In my experience, unless you have a really advanced PA with separate monitor mixes for each musician (and lots of time for soundcheck), each musician should have his own amp/monitor for their instrument (including keyboard players). This spreads the sounds over the stage, making it much easier for your ears to separate the different instruments.

[olddawg]

IMHE anything with a cross over and horn in it absolutely sucks for any guitar application. But with a modeling preamp, who knows.

[Hella1hella]

its a bass amp BUT. check out the accugroove synergy. comes in a head or combo. those amps are designed to actually sound like studio monitors. the bass player in my old band was endorsed by accugroove and he had a couple of the cabs, they are built VERY well and VERY worth the money!