Electric Guitar Direct to PA options - Help please!

RoyC · 09-06-2010, 03:55 AM

I am looking at a variety of options on stage as the mic'ed Amp for electric is not working for us. While this is ideal from a tone point of view, in our environment, with our gear and our sound team skill set, it's causing more frustration than benefit.

So I was thinking about a few options but I need to go direct to "desk". I also don't use a lot of effects so I really don't want to drag a huge multi effects unit around just for a decent signal.

My current setup is as follows (now I know this is no really essential but if the musicians on the forum are anything like me, we ALWAYS want to know about the gear whether relevant r not

):

Acoustic: Morgan OM to LR Baggs Para DI (no effects used but looking at this as well)
Electric: '97 Lonestar Strat with Texas Specials and SD Pearly Gates HB
Hybrid: Crafter SAT: P90/LR Baggs

So I was looking at a SansAmp GT2, Hughes & Kett Tubeman, Boss ME70, GT10, Line 6Pod X3, X3Live etc. The latter are now starting to get big and bulky so I am a little reluctant.

I have just been offered a Boss ME70 at a really cheap price and was wondering if this would be any good for the purpose. At present my real choice is between the SansAmp GT2 and the ME70.

Any advice, ideas etc would be greatly appreciated.

**akaukal** · 09-06-2010, 06:29 AM

Check out the Tech 21 Character Series. They're just single, analog stomboxes that emulate different flavours of amps and provide speaker cab modelling as well.

For exampe, this one is based off of Vox tones (and I must admit, it does a pretty convincing job when run direct to the board.) Buy Tech 21 SansAmp Character Series CS-LV Liverpool Distortion Guitar Effects Pedal | Overdrive, Distortion, Fuzz & Boost | Musician's Friend

martinedwards · 09-06-2010, 08:59 AM

Berringer V-amp?

I have the bass V-amp pro in m y rack with a few other multi units and it works well

RoyC · 09-06-2010, 11:07 AM

Thx, anyone used a Boss ME70 direct to PA. I believ the preamp section is from the GT10, although a few less preamps etc.

Bushman · 09-06-2010, 11:55 AM

I am at the tail end of the same problem you are facing.
My rig differs from your though, as is it pedal based and ends with the amp that is mic'd.
Our church had a "no amps on stage" policy. Till I showed them how a 15 watt amp tilted back at me and away from the vocal mikes. It is faily quiet and was finally deemed to not be a problem.
That being said, if your situation does not permit this, I tried the Sansamp GT2 after my pedals. It was better than going straight into the board, but not as good as my tube amp.
For someone not using pedals like you, it might be passable.
A multi-fx board like the GT10 or X3 Live would be better, IMO.
However beware that the X3 Live is being discontinued and replaced by the Line 6 HD300,400,& 500 series of boards at the same price, so don't buy a new X3 Live for the going price.
I don't have any experience with the ME line of boards.

k-lub242 · 09-06-2010, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bushman

However beware that the X3 Live is being discontinued and replaced by the Line 6 HD300,400,& 500 series of boards at the same price.

When are these coming out, do you know?

Bushman · 09-06-2010, 05:34 PM

Some time next month (November) Just in time for Christmas!

k-lub242 · 09-06-2010, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bushman

Some time next month (November) Just in time for Christmas!

That's... really not fair. I'm going to want one so bad, I know I am.

I use an XT Live with all the add on packs to play on stage without amps 3 times a week right now. It works really great. Very good tone, tons of flexibility for any sound I need, and time after time it sounds the same. Also very easy to carry it in one hand, guitar case in other, bag with cables and stuff on my shoulder.

Darrell999 · 09-18-2010, 10:35 AM

You might also want to consider the Digitech RP1000. I play through it to the mixer at church. Very natural sounding, easy to use, lightweight, you can mix it with other pedals in a loop or even use just the amazing sounding effects into your amp. The amp models sound really good, with a bit of tweaking. I should mention that I don't like most of the presets, but it is very easy to just start with an amp model and adjust it to your liking. To me, this unit doesn't sound sterile at all. I get lots of compliments about my tone from other guitar players.

mccooeye · 02-21-2011, 11:44 AM

I've been finding that i can go direct from a multi effects unit to the PA, but the sound can get pretty digital. When i used the balanced out on my tube amp (Crate BV-60) everything sounded great, but i had to keep the volume up to get the sound quality. I was blowing the other instruments off the stage. Now i go direct, but it definitely takes more tweaking. The tube amp really warmed up the sounds.
I was using a Roland GP-100. It died, so now i have the Boss ME-25. Great little unit, if you only use about 5 or 6 patches. I'm able to dial in some great sounds, especially the clean/chorus and SRV crunch tones. And the footprint is very small (7inX12in).

**thesteve** · 02-21-2011, 12:30 PM

old thread is old.