vintage ampeg gear supposedly blows FOH generator at festival

[belgamrood]

[font=Helvetica][size=3]hi[/size][/font]

[font=Helvetica][size=3]i have a question for you guys, let me sketch out the setting first[/size][/font]

[font=Helvetica][size=3]im from belgium, mains are 220V here[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]i play in a band, and we play exclusively ampeg[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]i play bass on a 76 or 78 SVT and my guitar player has a 76 of 78 V4B[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]both amps have internal conversion to 220v, i don’t need external transformers/supplies etc[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]last weekend we played on a outdoors festival[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]halfway through our set the whole marquee fell without power[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]everything but the lights on stage went out[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]needless to say this sucked big time[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]all our amps went off and we were left with no sound[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]the organization later told us it was because of the old amps we play[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]some interference with the generators[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]i have to say this was a medium sized festival, with two stages, about 5000 people attending[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]i don’t know the specifics of the generators they use[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]anyway, after 5 minutes the power was back on and we could continue our set[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]the amps were working flawless as before[/size][/font]

[font=Helvetica][size=3]at no point did any of our amps blew their fuse, they were intact[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]i would think that if theres a shorting in the amp, the power would keep falling out on the festival?[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]its hard for me to believe that this gear, that has been working since 1978, all of a sudden now makes problems for the electricity at this festival?[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]i keep my amps serviced by an oldskool tech that puts a lot of love in them, everybody that matters in the music scene goes to this guy, the pros and the hobbyists, for this reason. he knows his sh*t[/size][/font]

[font=Helvetica][size=3]is there a way i can find out if it was my gear?[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]if so, is there something i can modifiy/change so this not happen again?[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]if not, is there a way to find out what the problem was?[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]the festival tech mentioned something about vintage amps giving huge peaks. i find this hard to believe. if a band like SLEEP can play live through quadruple stacked SVT’s and 3 fullstack green amps, ALL TUBE, and have no problems whatsoever, why would a standard setup of 1 SVT and 1 V4B give troubles[/size][/font]

[font=Helvetica][size=3]ive been bummed out for a couple of days, because i love the vintage tone, and i love my classic gear[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]i had an `SVT VR and a reissue V4B and sold them both in favor of my vintage gear.[/size][/font]

[font=Helvetica][size=3]looking for any knowlegde/help on the subject[/size][/font]


[font=Helvetica][size=3]best regards[/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=3]filip[/size][/font]

Edited July 12, 2017 by belgamrood

[Dood]

My immediate reaction, having found myself in the same situation is that on many occasions the festival organisers under estimate the power/type of generator required for everything that will use it. I recall one time the band couldn't play when the club house auto-kettle was on. Ok, I was 13 at the time, but you don't forget ridiculous situations like that too quickly. So, if a generator is required to do lights, PA FOH, backline, monitors etc etc, it doesn't take much for the current requirements to add up. So no, I don't buy it - your amp may have been part of the 'current requirement' but not isolated as to blame. It's nonsense.

[paul_5]

I agree with Dood. I've played festivals/outdoor marquee gigs where the sound engineer (who's also in charge of the generators) wanted to know the power rating of our amps so that he could work out how many generators he'd need.

I've also played outdoor gigs where there hasn't been this attention to detail and forward planning.

Guess which ones the generators tripped out for?

[gary mac]

I suspect that you've been fed a whole lot of buck passing rubbish there.

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1499876132' post='3334266']
I suspect that you've been fed a whole lot of buck passing rubbish there.
[/quote]

This.

Even old-style valve backline draws very little current compared to a kettle or non-LED lights.

[markstuk]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1499878501' post='3334284']


This.

Even old-style valve backline draws very little current compared to a kettle or non-LED lights.
[/quote]

Sounds like a great giant excuse. Their explanation sounds like b**llox

[belgamrood]

thanks everybody for the replies

my suspicions are confirmed. i think im going to have a chat with the organisers...

[obbm]

It can happen in a theatre venue just as well. Some years ago I went to see Jules Holland and his big band at the old Civic Hall in Guildford. They'd just started and the moment the brass came in the power went off. This happened three times at which point the band were on the point of walking off but the technical crew replugged things and they finally got going. Most embarrassing.

[franzbassist]

[quote name='obbm' timestamp='1500032773' post='3335244']
It can happen in a theatre venue just as well. Some years ago I went to see Jules Holland and his big band at the old Civic Hall in Guildford. They'd just started and the moment the brass came in the power went off. This happened three times at which point the band were on the point of walking off but the technical crew replugged things and they finally got going. Most embarrassing.
[/quote]

I was at that gig too. It was a bit of a mood killer