What do you do if your amp dies at a gig?

[solo4652]

In my ignorance, I thought I'd be able to use an active DI box to plug the bass straight into the desk. I bought a Behringer DDI box specifically for that purpose. I tried it out at rehearsal and it didn't amplify the signal enough to enable me to go into the desk.

I now realise that my disaster-recovery plan is flawed. So, what can you do if your amp head goes phut? Obviously, I could buy a cheap 'n' cheerful back up head and do a quick swap. Are there any other alternatives to get you through to the end of a gig? I don't use effects or pedals at all and, for all I know, there may be something I could use as an emergency amp.

[discreet]

I carry a Behringer BDI-21 in my gig bag, which can be used as a pre-amp and gives you a distinct and tweakable tone as opposed to just a line out from your bass. £26. But any Sansamp-type box will do it.

Edited March 20, 2014 by discreet

[leroydiamond]

i always bring a back up class D micro. Get a used micro head and you will always be in the game.

[franzbassist]

Bassbone into the PA, but the longer term plan is for a low power micro head.

[discreet]

[quote name='leroydiamond' timestamp='1395347775' post='2401497']
i always bring a back up class D micro. Get a used micro head and you will always be in the game.
[/quote]

That tiny GK amp would be good for it. MB200, is it?

[Happy Jack]

I'm puzzled. Any DI box should do exactly what you wanted.

You did plug into one of the mic sockets using an XLR, didn't you?

[icastle]

I always carry a spare head and a DI box.

Belt and braces man me.

[solo4652]

@Happy Jack,

This is going to get embarrassing, I can tell. I have a Behringer BD1-21. It's entirely possible I don't know how to use it. I plugged my bass jack lead into the IN socket and then ran an XLR lead from the BAL OUT socket into an available XLR socket on the desk. I have no idea whether it was a mic socket.

[warwickhunt]

I have a KORG Pandora in my case (bought 'used' for peanuts, for this exact scenario) to use as a back-up preamp in the event of amp failure but tbh I'm surprised the DI box didn't do the job.

[Biaeothanata-Bassist]

I had my speaker blow at a gig once and it made my head start to smoke, luckily enough one of my pedals had a DI out on it so I just ran it out of that to the PA for the rest of the show.
In case it was to happen again, I always have some thing I can run in to a PA system with me.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1395349217' post='2401523']
@Happy Jack,

This is going to get embarrassing, I can tell. I have a Behringer BD1-21. It's entirely possible I don't know how to use it. I plugged my bass jack lead into the IN socket and then ran an XLR lead from the BAL OUT socket into an available XLR socket on the desk. I have no idea whether it was a mic socket.
[/quote]

OK, that should have worked. The XLR inputs on most mixers are there for mics, and they have independent Gain controls - usually a fairly small black knob at the top of the channel strip. You may simply have plugged into a strip where that Gain control had been turned right down for some reason.

The input signal level from a mic is absolutely tiny, so a mic channel strip should be more than man enough to take a signal from a DI box and boost it sufficiently.

One possibly irritating suggestion though - you mentioned that it is an active DI box. So what state is the battery in?

[solo4652]

I used an external PSU.

[jezzaboy]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1395347639' post='2401495']
I carry a Behringer BDI-21 in my gig bag, which can be used as a pre-amp and gives you a distinct and tweakable tone as opposed to just a line out from your bass. £26. But any Sansamp-type box will do it.
[/quote]

I never leave home to gig or rehearse without one of these. I usually have it in line for a bit grit as required.

[M@23]

[quote name='jezzaboy' timestamp='1395355234' post='2401632']


I never leave home to gig or rehearse without one of these. I usually have it in line for a bit grit as required.
[/quote]

I carry one of these too, after my amp messed me about on a gig and I didn't have a plan B. Had to go direct using a Kaoss Pad as a pre.

[thodrik]

Cry/Sansamp/back up amp depending on my level of preparation.

[lemmywinks]

I have an MXR M80 which functions as a volume boost, overdrive and a DI box all in one. Even though recently we haven't been putting the bass through the PA it's still there if I need it.

[Billy Apple]

GK MB 200 here, and it keeps my stink out the PA

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1395352185' post='2401592']
I used an external PSU.
[/quote] I've not seen a Behringer DI with an external PSU before. Not looked that hard mind - what is it?
Passive ones need nothing and active ones have a battery or can be powered from the phantom power from the board. What DI is it? If you have a DI then you have the solution to your problem (not as exciting a solution as some people have suggested but still... )
i'm intreaged why it didn't work at all. Did you have any attenuator pads turned off ?

[barkin]

Another BDI-21 user here - never had a problem going straight to desk with it.

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1395360323' post='2401712']
i'm intreaged why it didn't work at all. Did you have any attenuator pads turned off ?
[/quote]

Beat me to it.

[bridge]

I have never given it a though to be fair! Now I have! I have a GT10-B effects unit which I have never used, forgive my ignorance, I am no techie, but could I use this into the PA? Keep meaning to get rid of it, but maybe should keep it!

[Phil Starr]

As I think everyone is telling you the DI should have worked. Check it out with your mixer at the next practice. If it takes a battery try it with one. It could be your leads, the DI may be broken, The PSU may be dead, the gain on the mixer might have been right down or the mute switch on/ routing set to the wrong channel etc depending upon the complexity of your mixer. You really have to try out your backup without the pressure on, it's hard to concentrate in a gig disaster situation.

At a pinch most mixers have enough gain to take the lead from a guitar/bass directly if the jack input doesn't work use a jack-XLR lead and plug into the mic inputs.

I carry a little mixer amp as a spare, at a pinch it'll double as an instrument amp, run the monitors or even the vocals through the PA so it covers the breakdown of all the amps and the mixer, if the speakers go I'd be able to turn the monitors round and we'd be able to finish the gig after a fashion. So far it's never been needed.

Edited March 21, 2014 by Phil Starr

[solo4652]

Thanks everybody. Sounds like it may well have been operator error that caused the cock-up. I did all the plugging-in my end and then handed the XLR to the guitarist who plugged it into the desk. He has much more experience of using mixers than I do. Next rehearsal is Monday - I'll get in early and try things out for myself, especially the gain setting on the mixer channel.

I might still invest in a back-up amp and stay away from the desk.

Edited March 21, 2014 by solo4652

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1395394822' post='2401892']
... and then handed the XLR to the guitarist who plugged it into the desk.
[/quote]

Well[u][i][b] there's [/b][/i][/u]your problem ...

[JPJ]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1395401683' post='2402023']
Well[u][i][b] there's [/b][/i][/u]your problem ...
[/quote]

+ 1

Just a thought, but how many of us double as the bands sound man? I do in our band, how many more?

And back on topic, I carry a radial ToneBone in my gig bag for this situation. I've also used it on multi band charity gigs to act as a preamp to whatever back line has been provided to give me a chance of getting the tone I like without to much faffing about.

Edited March 21, 2014 by JPJ

[mep]

+1 for bringing a seprate DI to what you may have avilable on your amp head.

+1 for being the bands sound guy too.

When you plug any input into the desk you wil need to set the input gain.