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Post by taswegian on Dec 17, 2005 9:10:36 GMT -7
Played in my brothers coverband tonite and decided I would try playing with the mini for the hell of it, maybe just to say I had. Not everyone can say they've gigged with a 5 watt amp! I took along the 66 and Z-best just in case. Started out the night with the mini plugged into the Zbest so I could just change heads quickly if I had to. The mini through the Zbest sounds great at home but in the band context it was a little honky and woofy miked through the PA. Second set I plugged the 8 inch back in and miked the cab. Aaahhh much better. Nice clarity, much more audible, and sounded GREAT through the front of house. Z really knows how to voice a cab. I had planned to only play the first set but I ended up playing it all night. It was surprising how well it worked. Played at about 12 oclock-2 oclock and used the Fulltone Fatboost for some rockier leads. In the small room setting I could hear the amp behing me, and I could hear it through front of house too which was pretty cool and sounded quite large. I'm not sure I would recommend it as a gig amp, but you can definately gig with it in a small room miked and I suggest not using extension cabs and just miking the Mini as is! We were mostly playing Aerosmith, Kravitz, Floyd, Cream, Chilli Peppers, etc but there was some tunes that required a "somewhat" clean sound ala INXS, Police, Stevie Wonder,etc and with the volume rolled back it was fine. The miked cab sat quite nicely in the mix and a friend said I was pretty loud out front and that it sounded WAY bigger than 5 watts and 8 inch speaker. ;D The other guys in the band loved it too and want me to keep using it.
I amused myself for the night anyway...Homer sleep now!
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Post by billyguitar on Dec 17, 2005 11:58:25 GMT -7
To me it would be hard to rely only on the PA for my reamplification. I always run the PA myself from the stage and never soundcheck before we start, well only a tap on the mic to be sure it is all working. The second problem is that I like to have as little as possible thru the monitors because I can't have separate monitor mixes and I want the vocalist to have as little to compete with in the monitors as possible. If you have a soundman I could dig it. No money for a soundman with the music and venues I play.
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Post by taswegian on Dec 17, 2005 17:36:07 GMT -7
We were in the same situation, but we didn't have ANY foldback so there wasn't anything through monitors, just front of house. I don't think you would need anything through monitors though. The mini cuts very nicely. We kinda angled one of the front of house speakers a little for a little foldback. Foldback is becoming a "luxury" item around here. I had a few friends making mix suggestions out front but yes, ideally you need a soundman. I certainly not suggesting people gig with the mini, I just did it to "see if it was possible" and just to see how it worked in that application, and to have a bit of a laugh. Mind you, the whole night I never once was told to turn down! ;D "Walk this Way" sounded very authentic!
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Post by prowler on Dec 17, 2005 20:57:44 GMT -7
I'm really starting to want a wall of Mini's like this...
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Post by Curt on Dec 18, 2005 11:31:41 GMT -7
Yep Taz, same reason I tried it..just to see, and yes, it can be done !! We did a little back yard jam for our Drummers family Friday night and all I took was the Mini, Plenty for that gig, The Mini is a wonderful little amp for jams, practice, etc.
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Post by billyguitar on Dec 18, 2005 12:41:35 GMT -7
I have a minimal PA that I think anyone could do most any gig with and I can put it all, including my Maz 38 1 x 12 combo, in my car, including lights. My car has a 13.5 cu. ft. trunk. I only have to put a couple of things in the back seat. I have one of those one box powered PA heads from Carvin with 12 channels and separate monitor amp in the same box with graphic EQ on mains and monitor. I use 1 x 12 EV cabs on each side on poles. I put some small Rapco lights on top of the speakers pointing back on the band. For monitor speakers I bought used some heapy cheapy Peavy plastic monitors that clip together and look like a Coleman lantern case. I stuffed these little monitors with fiberglass and mounted heavy duty Peavy bass 10s in each to replace the stock junk speakers. Everyone is always amazed at how good these monitors sound. The whole PA and monitors sounds good in every room. A minor drawback is you can't get much bass drum poof but it's worth the tradeoff. I don't usually mic the drums anyway. People can't believe I put everything in my car, and almost all in the trunk. My point is, it's not hard to have monitors and the vocalist should be able to hear her or himself to sing the best. Sax and electric violin players need it too. With response from people out front that you trust you could mic a little amp and gig. Over enough gigs you can just leave the knobs alone and just adjust the overall volume to suit most gigs.
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Post by taswegian on Dec 18, 2005 17:09:11 GMT -7
I'm really starting to want a wall of Mini's like this... Yeah Prowler, that'll work!! ;D A "mini" version of Brian May! Billyguitar, sounds like a good set up. Our lack of foldback is more to do with venues getting smaller and stages and room almost non-existent. I literally had to stand side-ways all night which is why I thought I'd try the mini out.
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Post by taswegian on Dec 18, 2005 17:42:57 GMT -7
I think the most interesting thing I learned from the experience is that the cab is voiced superbly. There is no substitute for hearing things in a live context. Kinda why I did it...Just to hear how is sat tonally. I think a quad stack of Mini's might be the ultimate small club rock rig! ;D
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Post by real oldster on Dec 23, 2005 6:14:06 GMT -7
"... a quad stack of Mini's might be the ultimate rig!"Oh, sure, it would sound great but I don't know if I could deal with all those knobs!
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Post by taswegian on Dec 26, 2005 7:20:09 GMT -7
Hey, I gigged the mini again tonight... I was playing solo while our drummer is on tour with another band (sl#t). Played two accoustic sets and pulled out the mini straight in for the last. Threw in "Stone In Love" "Kashmir" and "Black Dog" for my own benefit. This was a more moderate size club with a bigger PA and the image was huge out front! Yeah, go the mini ;D It such a useful amp...was diggin the load out!
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Post by squeallydan on Feb 20, 2006 12:45:08 GMT -7
I think I could use a mini for some chruch gigs I'm doing. My Ghia is even too loud for some of those! Dang you guys for causing me more GAS!
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shadco
Junior Member
Posts: 72
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Post by shadco on Feb 20, 2006 13:57:41 GMT -7
I think I could use a mini for some chruch gigs I'm doing. My Ghia is even too loud for some of those! Dang you guys for causing me more GAS! Gahead do it. You know you want to.
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Post by propellr on Feb 20, 2006 14:24:16 GMT -7
The mini would be perfect for a church gig.
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Post by squeallydan on Feb 20, 2006 15:23:23 GMT -7
Dang it. You guys are supposed to tell me that I don't need it.
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Post by propellr on Feb 21, 2006 6:54:26 GMT -7
Dang it. You guys are supposed to tell me that I don't need it. I didn't say you needed it, squeallydan! LOL
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Post by prowler on Feb 21, 2006 7:16:35 GMT -7
Everyone "needs" a Mini
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Post by myles on Feb 21, 2006 22:05:40 GMT -7
I'm really starting to want a wall of Mini's like this... I hope I can find a photo to post where over at GT one day I took 9 Solo Singles and chained them all together as a stunt. It is pretty fun. Small combo amps with a 10" speaker in them.
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Post by taswegian on Feb 22, 2006 0:36:26 GMT -7
Stack-O-Nine Solo's!
I remember a friend saying they chained all the Marshalls in their shop after hours once, hit a chord and blew two accoustic guitars right off the wall on to the floor. Had to sell them cheap! I still like the stack o four mini's. Although just another in stereo would probably suffice for small clubs.
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Post by rcrecelius on Feb 22, 2006 14:58:54 GMT -7
I'd love to have either another Mini or maybe a Champ to run in stereo...that would be fun fo sure!
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