mike257 Posted December 4, 2016 Share Posted December 4, 2016 (edited) Had to get in and out of a gig super fast yesterday because of tech problems on another show I was dealing with somewhere else, decided to see what I could get away with leaving in the van. Told the sound guy I was going to DI and walked into the venue with nothing but a bass, a lead and a clip-on tuner. Still sounded ace (despite my ham fisted playing!) and I was on the road within seconds of finishing the set, think I'm a convert. Anyone want to buy a couple of bass amps? Edited December 4, 2016 by mike257 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
interpol52 Posted December 4, 2016 Share Posted December 4, 2016 I would love to go down this route, an amp is like a safety blanket though isn't it? It would be interesting to see which basses work best for this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoRhino Posted December 4, 2016 Share Posted December 4, 2016 Sounds like a great idea. How good was the monitoring for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoRhino Posted December 4, 2016 Share Posted December 4, 2016 Sounds like a great idea. How good was the monitoring for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike257 Posted December 5, 2016 Author Share Posted December 5, 2016 Monitoring was OK - we had three wedge mixes across the front and drummer on ears. I've done it before when I've been supplying PA but first time I've chanced it with somebody else looking after us. I'll definitely be doing it more often! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuNkShUi Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 That's how i gig now. Minus the DI. Everything fits in my gig bag Don't think i'll be going back. For monitoring i use IEMs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 Does this mean, for a small pub gig, the same as just going direct through the PA? I don't know a lot about going 'ampless' - although I did read somewhere about a player just carrying a bass and a Sansamp pre-amp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamPodmore Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 Any gigs where i knew there was decent PA i would turn up with a P Bass and an MXR M80. Made life a lot easier and i've never wished i had an amp to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzyvee Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 I've done that a few times and on one gig this summer soundcheck was fine then after we started playing my monitor feed disappeared as did the keyboard players next to me so I couldn't hardly hear any bass on stage at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 I prefer to have no instruments in the monitors, with all the sound of the bass from an amp behind me, but have gigged amp-less before with only a DI to FOH and it was fine. I could probably do it without being able to hear myself at all, but I suppose it`s more down to monitoring for the drummer, if they need the bass or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted December 6, 2016 Share Posted December 6, 2016 I've done this plenty of times, with a Sansamp...but it is very much about the setting. PA has to be decent, monitoring has to be ok. If you know or think thats all ok then do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted December 6, 2016 Share Posted December 6, 2016 If pa is up to it I rarely take an amp. We're all on in ears now so a bass, an EBS microbass 2 and my iems and I'm golden. Guitarist doesn't use an amp either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoRhino Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 I played in Perth last night at a venue with PA and backline provided so took only my bass. Soundman came along and said to set the amp settings as I prefer but the 4x10 cab won't be used. If I hadn't read this thread I might have objected but went along with his advice and listened to my playing through the monitors front of stage. A bit odd at first but knowing it sounded good FOH put me at ease. Well done BC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikel Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1480976611' post='3188735'] I prefer to have no instruments in the monitors, with all the sound of the bass from an amp behind me, but have gigged amp-less before with only a DI to FOH and it was fine.[b] I could probably do it without being able to hear myself at all,[/b] but I suppose it`s more down to monitoring for the drummer, if they need the bass or not. [/quote] Why would you want to do that, do you not enjoy the noise the band makes? Personally, my sound is my sound, and I get it from my guitar, amp and pedals. I would hate to just rely on a sound guy guessing the sound I might like the audience to hear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerstodge Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 We played a lot of massive gigs yrs ago, arenas, stadiums.. backline was of no use to us as the stages and monitoring were so vast we just couldn't hear the amps, we all had our own monitor mix.. heaven.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rOB Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 A really interesting topic and one close to my heart. I don't play without an amp and cab very often but I do use very small and light gear. Something worth mentioning is that you can use [i]some [/i]amps as a DI box without using a cabinet. Disclaimer - I believe that certain amps (valve amps?) can be damaged by doing this. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will chip in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 [quote name='mikel' timestamp='1481475021' post='3192537'] Why would you want to do that, do you not enjoy the noise the band makes? Personally, my sound is my sound, and I get it from my guitar, amp and pedals. I would hate to just rely on a sound guy guessing the sound I might like the audience to hear. [/quote] Are you micing your amp up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painy Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 Last year my old Ampeg died during our soundcheck but the built in DI was still working so we got through the gig with the bass going FOH only. Unfortunately our little 100W 1x12 powered wedges really aren't man enough for anything more than vocals so I could only hear what was in the FOH mix. Not an experience I'd be in any hurry to repeat at all! This morning though I ordered myself a wireless IEM system to use mainly for vocals (our lead singer got the same system a few weeks ago and loves it) so at least if that situation ever happened again I'd be able to hear myself properly. Personally though I much prefer the sound of my bass coming through my amp than the sound we got from the PA - given the choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikel Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1481477884' post='3192566'] Are you micing your amp up? [/quote] Nah, mate, 99% of the gigs we play are not that big. But even small festival etc I like to hear my own sound on stage even though its miced up or DI into the PA. Individual in ears must be luxury but if we were big enough to do that I would have roadies to lug the gear so it wouldn't be an issue anyway, would it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 [quote name='mikel' timestamp='1481480344' post='3192608'] Nah, mate, 99% of the gigs we play are not that big. But even small festival etc I like to hear my own sound on stage even though its miced up or DI into the PA. Individual in ears must be luxury but if we were big enough to do that I would have roadies to lug the gear so it wouldn't be an issue anyway, would it? [/quote] Most of the time the sound guy is still deciding what the audience hears even when you have the sound you want on stage then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikel Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1481482748' post='3192621'] Most of the time the sound guy is still deciding what the audience hears even when you have the sound you want on stage then. [/quote] Errr, no. I just said, 99% of the time we are not mice'd up as the gigs are too small. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 (edited) So 99% of the time you wouldn't have the choice to do what Lozz196 said in the first place. At the 1% gig you can hear what you want on stage and the audience hears what the sound crew want them to hear. Edited December 11, 2016 by stingrayPete1977 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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