Best amp back-up/emergency plan?

[solo4652]

Folks,

I have an GK MB500 head and a Barefaced Compact cab. No effects at all.

If the cab fails at a gig, I have a DI box that enables me to go from the head to the mixing desk.

What happens if the amp fails? OK - I could simply have a back-up amp at hand and that's something I'm looking into. Is there an alternative? What about a Behringer BDI21? In an emergency, could I plug the bass into the Behringer and run a feed from that straight into the mixing desk? Will that signal be strong enough? If not the Behringer, then what? I don't need any effects at all.

Bear with me please - I'm not that clued-up on signal-path technicalities.

Steve

Edited September 15, 2012 by solo4652

[paul_5]

BDIs are a brilliant backup device and loads of people swear by them. There'll be enough signal for the sound engineer to drive the channel on the mixer, so you'll still be heard in the FOH speakers.

The problem would be that you'd have no 'backline' to use to listen to yourself. A good sound engineer would be able to sort you out a mix in the on-stage monitors though.

[LiamPodmore]

I agree with exactly what was said above. A BDI is an essential in my gig bag as it's a brilliant tone shaping tool for when you have to go direct.

Liam

[solo4652]

The DI box I have already is an ART Z-Direct passive box. I've never used it.

If my head fails at a gig, would my passive DI box boost the signal enough to send it straight to the desk? Or would I need an active DI box? I don't really want a load of effects, so I don't think I need the Behringer BDI21. What's a good, simple effects-free alternative, please? This? [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ACTIVE-DIRECT-INJECTION-DI-BOX-GUITAR-BASS-KEYBOARD-CHORD-173-291-/261097039090#vi-content"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ACTIVE-DIRECT-INJECTION-DI-BOX-GUITAR-BASS-KEYBOARD-CHORD-173-291-/261097039090#vi-content[/url]

Thanks for the help so far,

Steve

[paul_5]

A DI box won't boost the level of your signal massively. Some allow for tone shaping (the BDI being one) and some (the one that you've got at the moment) don't have any EQ on them - the tone going into them is the same as the tone coming out.
What a DI box does is to 'balance' the sound to (in theory) eliminate any humming/electronic noise and change the impedance to around 600Ω, which means that the signal can go along ridiculously long cables without any significant loss.

My personal recommendation would be one of these:

http://www.davehallamps.co.uk/page42.html

Really useful EQ section and stupidly low noise units - a bit more expensive than the BDI though.

[solo4652]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1347731431' post='1804452']
A DI box won't boost the level of your signal massively. Some allow for tone shaping (the BDI being one) and some (the one that you've got at the moment) don't have any EQ on them - the tone going into them is the same as the tone coming out.
What a DI box does is to 'balance' the sound to (in theory) eliminate any humming/electronic noise and change the impedance to around 600Ω, which means that the signal can go along ridiculously long cables without any significant loss.

My personal recommendation would be one of these:

[url="http://www.davehallamps.co.uk/page42.html"]http://www.davehalla....uk/page42.html[/url]

Really useful EQ section and stupidly low noise units - a bit more expensive than the BDI though.
[/quote]

Thanks Paul.

Sounds like I need an active DI box that's small and light. I don't need any tone-shaping, effects or EQ of any kind. I just use the tone knob on the bass (and even then, only occassionally - I like to keep things really simple) Just need 1/4" jack in and XLR out, I think. Any recommendations, please?

[rOB]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1347726034' post='1804387']
Folks,

I have an GK MB500 head and a Barefaced Compact cab. No effects at all.

If the cab fails at a gig, I have a DI box that enables me to go from the head to the mixing desk.

What happens if the amp fails? OK - I could simply have a back-up amp at hand and that's something I'm looking into. Is there an alternative? What about a Behringer BDI21? In an emergency, could I plug the bass into the Behringer and run a feed from that straight into the mixing desk? Will that signal be strong enough? If not the Behringer, then what? I don't need any effects at all.

Bear with me please - I'm not that clued-up on signal-path technicalities.

Steve
[/quote]

I'm another who uses the BDI21 as amp back up. Dead cheap, you can add a valvey drive or leave it clean, simple EQ if you need it.

I've also played gigs with out an amp in this way. If I could be sure of the stage monitoring and skill of the engineer then I'd love to do it at every gig, save dragging an amp and cabinet around.

[Doddy]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1347732886' post='1804476']
Sounds like I need an active DI box that's small and light. I don't need any tone-shaping, effects or EQ of any kind. I just use the tone knob on the bass (and even then, only occassionally - I like to keep things really simple) Just need 1/4" jack in and XLR out, I think. Any recommendations, please?
[/quote]
If you just want a DI with no EQ to go to the desk you don't need an active DI. A simple passive one will be fine.
The Behringer is cool because you have the EQ to give you a bit more control before your signal hits the desk,and
it's cheap as chips.
Personally,I carry around a passive EMO Systems DI and an active Sadowsky Preamp/DI if I want a bit more tone shaping. I've
done a bunch of gigs with just a DI (or POD) into the desk and monitors (I use in-ears,but normal wedges work too).

[Lozz196]

Another BDI21 user here. I`ve never needed it in respect of amp failure, but used it for recording straight to desk, and it was very good indeed. The way I see it is that it`s cheap, it sounds great, and should you need to go DI straight to FOH, at least you have a bass-amp type sound, that, if you`ve taken a bit of time, can sound like your actual amp. For this reason, that`s why I`m looking at the Markbass Super Booster, a DI with the same tone as my amp.

[molan]

I always have a Sadowsky external pre-amp unit with me.

Simple bass/treble/volume set up. Have never had to use it for an amp failure but great in rehearsal studios with crappy old Ashdown heads as it allows me to bypass the horrible muddy pre-amp stage

[clarket2]

I've always used a Sansamp Bass Driver DI... love it and the blend control let's you dial in any amount of eq/drive/bite you might need. A touch on the expensive side (new anyway) but has never let me down

[FourStrung]

Seams like there are a few ways of getting around the problem without another amp, as there are a few pedals/DI boxes that cold do the job. I now have and Aphex Xciter after some advice on here and it can serve as a back-up option if needed through the DI. But guess the price of many solutions may be similar to a 2nd hand amp, but a pedal or DI box is small enough not to notice you are carrying more gear.

[BigRedX]

If you just want a simple no-nonsense indestructible DI box get [url=http://www.emosystems.co.uk/Products/Passive_Direct_Injection_Boxes.html]one of these[/url]. Smaller than most effects pedals, takes instrument, line and speaker level signals and converts them to a balanced signal suitable for the mixing desk. I have 2 of the two channel and 2 of the single channel ones. The single channel DIs are at least 25 years old and look more relic'd than a 60s Fender but electrically they are as good as the day I bought them.