basic rig for playing live

[eyesore]

Hi ;do any of you guys who play out; for fun or a living;just use a PA or amp and just acoustic guitar? No pedals or Karoke machines? Not putting down anyone ,just wondering. My last gig someone said something to me about me being "just a basic set up". I don't even know how to use the stuff most guys around here use.

[YamahaGuy]

"Basic" is an extremely relative term. Most acoustic amps have effects, as do most mixers. The most plain Jane setup I've ever used was a Harbinger powered speaker with my guitar and a dynamic mic direct into it.

The wold of PA, effects, pedals, preamps, doo dad's and gizmos is an endless rabbit trail, before even considering pickup systems for for guitar.

[wguitar]

I do solo acoustic gigs and have a very simple setup. Use my Fishman Loudbox Artist as my PA (1 mic and 1 acoustic plugged in). Puts out plenty of sound and I place it about 6 feet to my left (and forward) which allows me to hear my guitar just enough. Then I add a small Kustom KPM4 powered speaker on a mic stand to my right -- which serves as my vocal monitor. Add a seat, music stand, mic stand, mic, cables, and power cords (and guitar of course) and setup works very well, is easy to carry, set up and store -- and fits into the back of my SUV.

Good luck!

Cheers!

[eyesore]

yes wguitar, that's about me too . I use a Fishman soloamp[with some reverb] and a vocal mic. I wish I was kind of "techy " like other musicians but I just don't have it.Easily confused and distracted I guess.

[Goat Mick]

I'm usually a guitar and mic straight into either my Loudbox Performer, Loudbox Artist or Bose S1 Pro. Every now and then I'll start feeling really high tech and put a tuner between my guitar and amp. I generally play between 100 - 150 shows each year. No one has ever commented on the simplicity of my set up but I have had many people compliment me on it sounding really good and clear.

[Chriscom]

Originally Posted by eyesore

Hi ;do any of you guys who play out; for fun or a living;just use a PA or amp and just acoustic guitar? No pedals or Karoke machines? Not putting down anyone ,just wondering. My last gig someone said something to me about me being "just a basic set up". I don't even know how to use the stuff most guys around here use.

It's really easy to over-complicate things, and I say that as a guy who loves gadgets.

Some of the pedals used around here are designed to squeeze very last bit of goodness from an average-at-best guitar pickup. My opinion is, the better the pickup, the less stuff you need downstream.

One of the better sounds I got was through a basic house system (I mean like a JBL EON something hung over my head), with my Martin GPC-28E plugged directly into a Yamaha MG10XU type mixer that had little other than basic EQ and reverb (and I didn't touch the EQ). The pickup in that guitar is amazing, and the sound was reallllly good. But that guitar also cost well over $3000 and I don't normally bring it into pubs.

And the funny truth sometimes shared here is that for pubs and the like, most folks pay about zero attention to the quality of the sound.

With my cheaper Martin and its low-quality Sonitone, I've played it through a Boss VE-8, mainly for its feature that can improve tone.

[lkingston]

My setup is an amp with at least one vocal channel on my right and up on a stand about four feet up. I use a different amp however depending upon the venue and audience size.

The Schertler Roy is the biggest and most powerful. It works well outdoors or in big noisy rooms. The sound is absolutely wonderful, and if it isn't enough, you pretty much need a trucked in sound system!

The Elite Acoustics D6-8 handles small mid sized spaces, and can do it on battery power. This is my most gigged amp.

I just ordered a Yamaha THR 30iiA for practice and living room concerts. I don't expect to be gigging with it, but in cases where there is a house PA, I just might: using the THR 30iiA as my mixer/monitor and feeding the line outs into a house PA.

I really like to use a minimal amount of gear but without compromising sound or control.

If I had to buy just one amp for gigging it would be an Elite Acoustics D6-58. My D6-8 handles almost everything, but the 120 watts of the D6-58 would also handle the bigger rooms.

[mrmurph]

I stay pretty basic, but it depends on the venue and size of the space. For solo gigs in a small to medium space, I use a Bose L1 system , a DTar Solstice pre amp and a touch of reverb. For vocals, a Shure beta 58, again with a touch of reverb. For larger spaces I use QSC speakers, and a Soundcrafter mixer instead of the Bose. I usually have 3-4 guitars on stage.

[Paoli]

Stage condenser Audiotechnica for vocals.LR Baggs Venue for its great eq,boost and bypass switches and a LR Baggs compressor in some busier settings.I might add a dedicated reverb for some instrumental styles.All plugged in an AER Mobile 60.

[eyesore]

Well it sounds like I'm not alone here. I just figured most guys use some kind of backing tracks, the gigs Ive seen advertised layely show someone playing with a whole band sound behind him. Seems like everyone loves it!

[YamahaGuy]

Originally Posted by lkingston

My setup is an amp with at least one vocal channel on my right and up on a stand about four feet up. I use a different amp however depending upon the venue and audience size.

The Schertler Roy is the biggest and most powerful. It works well outdoors or in big noisy rooms. The sound is absolutely wonderful, and if it isn't enough, you pretty much need a trucked in sound system!

The Elite Acoustics D6-8 handles small mid sized spaces, and can do it on battery power. This is my most gigged amp.

I just ordered a Yamaha THR 30iiA for practice and living room concerts. I don't expect to be gigging with it, but in cases where there is a house PA, I just might: using the THR 30iiA as my mixer/monitor and feeding the line outs into a house PA.

I really like to use a minimal amount of gear but without compromising sound or control.

If I had to buy just one amp for gigging it would be an Elite Acoustics D6-58. My D6-8 handles almost everything, but the 120 watts of the D6-58 would also handle the bigger rooms.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the 30iia.

[Chriscom]

Originally Posted by eyesore

Well it sounds like I'm not alone here. I just figured most guys use some kind of backing tracks, the gigs Ive seen advertised layely show someone playing with a whole band sound behind him. Seems like everyone loves it!

This may differ by region, but in Northern Virginia, USA, I can't remember anyone using backing tracks, and I've seen tons of solo and duo acts here. I do see a fair amount of loopers, and some harmonizers. Most of the other gear I've seen are pedals to shape tone or add effects like chorus.

Not saying it isn't done! On a Bose L1 Facebook group I follow, there's a guy in Florida doing gigs all the time with lots of backing tracks. (And for those interested especially in Pro16 and Pro32 discussions, that's the place to go. Something every day, even if only comments on previous posts).

[alnico5]

I play regularly in an acoustic duo. I use my Taylor 412/K&K/Mel9/Loudbox Mini,( also for vocals/harp/flute.) There is no reason to complicate things. Simple is good.

[lkingston]

Using backing tracks is super easy if you have an amp with bluetooth and an iPad for lyrics. Songbook and OnSong will let you bind tracks to the chord/lyric charts, and trigger them from the same foot switch you use for turning pages: no wires needed!

I still prefer to memorize songs and play as much of the accompaniment as my fingers are able, but it certainly is an option.

[Pnewsom]

My rig is pretty simple.

Vocals into an SM58, into Bose T1 mixer, into a pair of JBL EON12 speakers, or a Bose Compact speaker(depending on the venue).

My guitar rig is an Ibanez Archtop, with a Johnny Smith mini-humbucker, into a White Knob Fender Princeton, as well as DI'd into the Bose T1.

If I play with a partner, I include them into the system as well.

I don't use backing tracks or drum macines.