Portable live rig advice

[MarkG]

I have an ENGL Blackmore which I love, but I don't have a car. I can't get my Blackmore from A (my home) to B (the gig) 90% of the time!

I need recommendations for a rig portable enough to take with me (rack + floorboard or floorbased maybe?) I'm also doing solo's lately which requires at a bare minimum a wah but I'd also like a delay and chorus/reverb.

With these requirements it looks like I'll have to go modelling I've been using an el cheapo boss GT-8 straight into the PA as a backup...but like I said my backup has been in use 90% of the time which blows. The effects on it are alright, but the preamps are horrible.

If I sell my blackmore and some other stuff I have lying around my budget will be around 1000 euros.

 

[digitaldeath]

Stretch your budget and spring for an Axe-Fx!
Get the rest of the band to bring your amp.

 

[MarkG]

Stretch your budget and spring for an Axe-Fx!
Get the rest of the band to bring your amp.

There are no axe-fx dealers in the Netherlands and importing it would cost around 2000 euro total. There also seems to be a 10 month waiting list for online ordering?

 

[sash poask]

pod live?

i think im gonna be doing gigs in the near future and will probably get a floorboard for my xt

 

[Teddyboy]

If you don't need a cab you can get either Tech 21 - Psa1, Rocktron Velocity 100 and G-Sharp for 1010 euro or Engl E-530, Rocktron Velocity 100 and G-Major for 1013 euro all these new from Thomann. Of course there's plenty of used stuff you can get in really good price.

http://www.thomann.de/gr/tech_21_psa1.htm
http://www.thomann.de/gr/engl_e530_preamp_egitarre.htm
http://www.thomann.de/gr/rocktron_velocity100.htm
http://www.thomann.de/gr/tc_electronic_gsharp.htm
http://www.thomann.de/gr/tc_electronic_gmajor.htm

 

[MarkG]

If you don't need a cab you can get either Tech 21 - Psa1, Rocktron Velocity 100 and G-Sharp for 1010 euro or Engl E-530, Rocktron Velocity 100 and G-Major for 1013 euro all these new from Thomann. Of course there's plenty of used stuff you can get in really good price.

http://www.thomann.de/gr/tech_21_psa1.htm
http://www.thomann.de/gr/engl_e530_preamp_egitarre.htm
http://www.thomann.de/gr/rocktron_velocity100.htm
http://www.thomann.de/gr/tc_electronic_gsharp.htm
http://www.thomann.de/gr/tc_electronic_gmajor.htm

This is very interesting. How does the Psa1 compare to the E-530? How does the velocity 100 compare to a tube poweramp? Also, I don't think the G major has Wah

 

[ACEvilmuffin]

There are no axe-fx dealers in the Netherlands and importing it would cost around 2000 euro total. There also seems to be a 10 month waiting list for online ordering?

They don't have dealers... period. there' a german importer, G66, contact them if you want one in Europe, and you'll get candy.

10 month waiting list? There use to be a 10 month waiting list, but nowadays, it goes pretty fast.

 

[Metaltastic]

Well wah you want before the amp anyway, so that's something to just get a $50 Crybaby for IMO (or just don't use wah period ) - but yeah, since this is just for live, tone really doesn't matter as much, so I'd go for a Floor Pod or PodXT Live if you can swing it! Or actually, I personally would rather have a PodXT Bean and FBV Express foot controller, but yeah, either way, that and some rack SS power amp would do you good

 

[MarkG]

I heard the GT-8 can be used to switch amp channels, so right now I'm considering to just get that ENGL e 530 and that rocktron poweramp to replace the blackmore, and I can use the GT-8 I own for the effects and switching.

If that works anyway, going to have to figure it out

 

[MarkG]

It work, I can use the GT-8 to switch. Still on the fence about the sound quality of that rocktron though...

 

[Teddyboy]

About the Psa1 and the E-530... If you want more variety on the sound, I'd say go for the Psa. You can get from Fender Clean to Marshall Plexi to Boogie Crunch to Rammstein-Pain industrial tone. I f you only care about modern metal tones go for E-530. Less variety but also less money!! The Rocktron poweramp isn't Boogie,Engl or VHT but it's also much much cheaper and does the work. Though,because of the Gt-8,you don't have to get a rack effect so that money can go for a better poweramp,maybe a used tube one

 

[MarkG]

About the Psa1 and the E-530... If you want more variety on the sound, I'd say go for the Psa. You can get from Fender Clean to Marshall Plexi to Boogie Crunch to Rammstein-Pain industrial tone. I f you only care about modern metal tones go for E-530. Less variety but also less money!! The Rocktron poweramp isn't Boogie,Engl or VHT but it's also much much cheaper and does the work. Though,because of the Gt-8,you don't have to get a rack effect so that money can go for a better poweramp,maybe a used tube one

I came across the carvin TS100 tube poweramp. Looks promising for the money, any good though?

 

[Lazzari]

Usually carvin stuff is really good, look at some reviews on the net thou..

 

[Metaltastic]

Usually carvin stuff is really good, look at some reviews on the net thou..

I'll second both of these sentiments! Really though Mark, if it's only for live playing I'd much rather have a good clean SS power amp (like a Crown D75, assuming it can be bridged for mono, I think so) rather than a tube one, cuz of the reliability and weight!

 

[StefTD]

yeah-the tube poweramp thing almost destroys the "portable" part.
carvin poweramp, e530 and a g.major for example in a rack weighs almost (or even more) the same as the blackmore.

 

[MarkG]

yeah-the tube poweramp thing almost destroys the "portable" part.
carvin poweramp, e530 and a g.major for example in a rack weighs almost (or even more) the same as the blackmore.

Yeah thats what I figured. e530 is 4 kg, TS100 is 10kg so + the case we're already at about 16kg where the blackmore weighs 20kg.

Let me check the price/availabillity of that crown.

*edit*

Couldn't find it for sale in the netherlands

 

[Metaltastic]

Really? Jesus christ, what a 3rd world country Well there's gotta be some good clean power amp available there! The kind designed to power studio monitors or something (again, just be sure it can be operated in Bridged Mono mode so you have ample headroom, few things are as painful as a SS power section being pushed to its limits )

 

[MarkG]

Did find a few other crown amps, all are pretty heavy still.

http://www.thomann.de/nl/crown_power_amplifiers.html

I'm beginning to think live can suck my wiener, and I'll just keep the blackmore.

 

[ParsonsMatt]

QSC PLX make very light power amps

 

[Metaltastic]

Did find a few other crown amps, all are pretty heavy still.

http://www.thomann.de/nl/crown_power_amplifiers.html

I'm beginning to think live can suck my wiener, and I'll just keep the blackmore.

Well needless to say the Blackmore would always get my vote, but dude, those Crowns have laughable amounts of power, they're for like PA speaker duty Matt makes a good point about QSC, they make great stuff - really, just try to find one with like 300 watts total of power at the most, though around 150 would still be plenty!