Power in Europe

[Guest subaudio]

Hey all

I have some gigs coming up in Germany and Switzerland and will be taking my own gear, do I need to buy two pin plugs for my amp and are there any other things I should take/take into consideration

Many thanks

[Happy Jack]

I thought this was going to be about Germany annexing the Sudetenland ...

[budget bassist]

yeah you'll need adaptors for their power sockets over there

[machinehead]

The voltage and frequency is the same as the UK.

Just take some adapters for your UK plugs. (Three pin UK to two pin European) Don't buy them in the airport though - you'll get ripped off.

Frank

[BigRedX]

Might be better to buy a UK 4-way socket strip and put a Euro plug on the lead.

[budget bassist]

smart thinking there, or just buy a couple of adaptors for your 4 way sockets

[Guest subaudio]

Nice one, cheers guys, top idea about the 4 way !

[BigRedX]

I prefer the hard-wired plug because it's more reliable than an adaptor it's one less connection to worry about, plus because your 4-way has UK sockets on it no-one else at the gig is likely to want to use it and disturb your gear set up.

[BassBod]

I bought some replacement mains leads (kettle plug to Euro plug) from Studio Spares - only cost a few quid, and they're a decent length. I don't like the travel adapters, they seem a bit feeble, and I want to know the ground is properly connected.....

BB

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='306446' date='Oct 14 2008, 05:43 PM']Might be better to buy a UK 4-way socket strip and put a Euro plug on the lead.[/quote]

(Mr Punch) That's the way to do it!
My Parent's house in France is full of them!

[thepurpleblob]

[quote name='BassBod' post='310408' date='Oct 20 2008, 01:30 PM']I bought some replacement mains leads (kettle plug to Euro plug) from Studio Spares - only cost a few quid, and they're a decent length. I don't like the travel adapters, they seem a bit feeble, and I want to know the ground is properly connected.....

BB[/quote]

Agreed... the sort of adaptors they sell for tourists are nowhere near up to the job. Most European sockets are rubbish enough without making it worse.

Buy proper plugs and make up some multiblock extension leads with them.

[bassbloke]

Germany is straigtforward enough, but some places in Southern Switzerland and Italy have a 3-way type socket and the pins are narrower that the traditional European 2 pin plug. I have had problems with this in the past. It's a right pain.