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Topic: Should you place your amp directly on the stage? |
Kermit Monk
From:
Greeneville, TN
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Posted 23 Jan 2018 7:06 pm |
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How many times have you heard someone say that they place their amp directly on the stage (or in a metal amp stand) to get it to “hook up†to the stage? Maybe that’s a good idea if it’s a great sounding stage...maybe. When you “hook up†your amp to the stage, the stage becomes an extension of your amp’s cabinet. Did you ever look at what is underneath a stage? Most times...it’s junk under there. Folding metal tables, kitchen equipment, boxes, trash, lumber, etc...Take a look, under the stage, at your next gig. You might be shocked at what you are incorporating into your tone. Also, what’s the condition of the stage? Any loose boards? What is the size of the stage? Is it built to good dimensions for steel guitar frequencies? Who knows? If your a gigging musician, your probably on a different stage every weekend. That’s a lot of inconsistencies in your tone.
Another thing you hear players talk about is hooking up their amp, to the stage, to get “more bass response†or “a bigger soundâ€. That type of added bass response is not usually a pleasing tone. Added bass, from the stage, is usually muddy and boomy. The opposite of tight, punchy bass which is what most players consider good tone. The “bigger sound†usually comes from the added boomy, muddy bass response. Again, not really a tone enhancement.
We submit, that a better idea, is to isolate your amp from the stage. This eliminates the mud from your tone. No more boosting mids, backing off the bass or backing off the reverb to clean up your tone. When you isolate all the different sized stages from your amp, you get much more consistency in your tone.
What are your experiences with either “hooking up†or isolating your amp from the stage?
_________________
mudstand.com
ZB Custom SD-11 (4 & 7)
Mullen SD-11 (4 & 7) |
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Georg Sørtun
From:
Mandal, Agder, Norway
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Posted 23 Jan 2018 7:42 pm Re: Should you place your amp directly on the stage?
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| Kermit Monk wrote: |
| We submit, that a better idea, is to isolate your amp from the stage. This eliminates the mud from your tone. No more boosting mids, backing off the bass or backing off the reverb to clean up your tone. When you isolate all the different sized stages from your amp, you get much more consistency in your tone. |
Been a few years since I had to bother with these issues, but I agree with you. |
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Dick Wood
From:
Springtown Texas, USA
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Posted 24 Jan 2018 7:33 am
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I've played some shows where the amps are isolated off stage. Pam Tillis band on one outdoor show kept theirs inside the 18 wheeler trailer and they sounded great.
It can work if the sound man is good and the monitor mix for each player is good. If not, it can be a long hard night.
_________________
Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night. |
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George Kimery
From:
Limestone, TN, USA
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Posted 24 Jan 2018 1:16 pm Should you place your amp directly on stage
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In my opinion, there are just too many variables to give a definitive yes or no answer. I think the only answer is maybe, maybe not. When the amp is sitting on the floor, it sounds different. It is called the coupling effect. Depending on the amp, the stage floor surface, the underlying stage construction, stage dimensions, height, back wall finish and construction,the room acoustics, etc. The amp is going to sound different from one venue to another.
For many years, I was a die hard "my amp has to be on a stand" guy. Coincentently, these were my Peavey years. After I have gone to a Quilter Steelaire rack mount with a Telonics cabinet, my thinking has changed. Most of the time now, I sit the amp (speaker) on the floor. I made a good wood wedge out of a piece of 2x6 mahogany to tilt it back. This allows only the back edge of the speaker cabinet to be in contact with the stage. I feel like this is giving me half a coupling effect, if there is such a thing. I think Peavey amps are much more likely to require a stand and much more likely to be muddy when placed on the floor.
Bottom line: I just don't believe, as I once did, that there is a definitive answer to this question. What sounds best to you is the answer, but on!y for you. Experiment at different gigs. You may be pleasantly surprised. |
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Joseph Napolitano
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 24 Jan 2018 7:20 pm
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| I use Fender Silverfaces for gigs...Deluxe , Pro or Twin Reverb. I always want them flush on the stage,any stage. They just sound better to me that way ,fuller. I can't even use casters ,because the sound changes. |
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Duane Dunard
From:
Troy, MO. U.S.A.
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Posted 26 Jan 2018 8:12 am
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| Kermit, I really like the looks and concept of the new Mud Stand pictured, but an amp stand is firmly not for me. My best sound is always flat on the floor. I don't even like using the "tilt" feature on my Telonics amplifier. I agree with George's post. |
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john buffington
From:
Owasso OK - USA
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Posted 26 Jan 2018 9:41 am
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| For me amp sounds best on the floor, like Duane said, no tilt. |
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Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
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Posted 27 Jan 2018 9:12 am
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| Quote: |
| I made a good wood wedge out of a piece of 2x6 mahogany to tilt it back. |
I think maple sounds better 
I almost always prefer the sound of the amp on the floor, never liked the way it sounded up in the air at closer to ear level like a lot of guys do. The block is only used when for whatever reason I have a little more trouble hearing myself. It fits in my pack-seat, perfect..
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George Kimery
From:
Limestone, TN, USA
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Posted 27 Jan 2018 11:03 am Should you place your amp directly on stage
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The blocks will sound better if we paint them black.
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Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
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Posted 27 Jan 2018 11:06 am
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| Quote: |
| The blocks will sound better if we paint them black. |
LOL.. black blocks, black guitars... makes sense. |
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Tom Cooper
From:
Orlando, Fl
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Posted 27 Jan 2018 11:45 am Amp stand
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I always use an amp stand as I am standing playing console steel and tele. For pedal steel I just leave it flat, but may try the wedge thing, I tilt back as to hear over loud drummer. Don't care so much about the sound difference, just need to hear what I am doing. I use a basic 30$ amp stand from Sam Ash that folds up nicely.
Last edited by Tom Cooper on 27 Jan 2018 8:31 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Roger Dillingham
From:
Kentucky, USA
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Posted 27 Jan 2018 5:35 pm Amp placement on Stage
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Lynn Stafford sold me a couple of Telonics Cabs which he had modified to overcome the problem of not being to hear yourself while on stage. A great idea, and a great look also! Not trying to dis Kermit's Mud Stand (foam stands) at all BTW, I think they are great.
Thanks, Roger |
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Willie Sims
From:
PADUCAH, KY, USA
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Posted 31 Jan 2018 11:51 am
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| musician friend's use to sell a amp isolator a covered board with a 4 inch foam rubber pad glued to the bottom. I made one it work's good but it will increase the bass response. |
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Georg Sørtun
From:
Mandal, Agder, Norway
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Posted 31 Jan 2018 12:28 pm
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| Willie Sims wrote: |
| musician friend's use to sell a amp isolator a covered board with a 4 inch foam rubber pad glued to the bottom. I made one it work's good but it will increase the bass response. |
Sounds like you've made yourself a "slave-bass" element, and not so much an isolator.
The two things/effects are related in that they are - or can be - made pretty much the same way. The difference is found in balance of and interaction between materials used. |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 31 Jan 2018 12:40 pm
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Last week I was wishing our bass player's amp was isolated from the stage we were set up on. He was on the opposite side of the stage; yet, it sounded like his amp was right next to me. I think the whole stage was amplifying his amp. Vibrations were coming up from the stage, through my pac-a-seat and into my body. He said he was having a hard time hearing himself. Of course, he was standing right in front of his amp. 
_________________
Lee, from South Texas - Down On The Rio Grande
There are only two options as I see it.
Either I'm right, or there is a sinister conspiracy to conceal the fact that I'm right.
Williams Keyless S-10, BMI S-10, Evans FET-500LV, Fender Steel King, 2 Roland Cube 80XL's,
Sarno FreeLoader, Goodrich Passive Volume Pedals, Vintage ACE Pack-A-Seat |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 31 Jan 2018 7:57 pm
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The acoustic "coupling" with a stage really only affects the lows, but how we hear that coupling may affect how we're perceiving other frequencies, as well. Therefore, I don't think a single solution will work in every venue. Get the best sound you can in few minutes, and then just go on playing. As a rule, I feel that obsessing about any tone issue only makes us more frustrated. When we're playing live, there are just too many variables involved to try and replicate an exact tone consistently in a constantly changing environment.
Believe it or not, sometimes "close" is actually pretty good. |
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