Gigging - convenience vs tone?

**Jim Soloway** · 03-13-2013, 12:26 PM

I'm starting that regular gig this afternoon and I'm trying to decide exactly what my setup is going to be. It's a choice between a Raezer's Edge NY 8 and an RE Stealth 10. Both sound good but to my ear, the Stealth 10 sounds MUCH better. The NY 8 is substantially smaller and lighter. The load-in is something of a PIA. Would you take the bigger cab for better tone or the smaller cab for more convenience?

(And while we're at it, does anyone in the Portland area have a Redstone cab I could try? I'd sure like a chance to AB one with my RE cabs)

**wintermoon** · 03-13-2013, 12:30 PM

I've never and will never let convenience lead me when it comes to gigs.
which is why I haul my old blackface Twin to almost every job I play, I just use a good sturdy collapsible cart.
occasionally I'll use a Vibrolux Reverb for a small room if I'm only working in a duo, but that's it as far as concessions.

**kris** · 03-13-2013, 12:34 PM

Hi Jim,
If you wolud like to play solo staff I think Raezer's Edge NY 8 is OK.
Good Luck
Kris

**mr. beaumont** · 03-13-2013, 12:37 PM

I'm lucky, I guess, my rig is the tone I want and it's convenient.

Too bad you don't live closer, Jim, I'd let you borrow my redstone.

**Tom Karol** · 03-13-2013, 12:40 PM

"Both sound good but to my ear, but the Stealth 10 sounds MUCH better. The NY 8 is substantially smaller and lighter. Would you take the bigger cab for better tone or the smaller cab for more convenience?"

I'm with you, Jim! But I bring my JazzAmp 112 instead of my 110 despite the higher lugability factor whenever I use my archtop, because it just sounds better to me.

**jseaberry** · 03-13-2013, 12:42 PM

Nobody in the audience is ever gonna say, "wow! He sure looked relaxed carrying his gear in tonight!!" but you sure might hear, "wow!!! I never heard a guitar sound like THAT!!"

**wintermoon** · 03-13-2013, 12:42 PM

"You HAUL your BF Twin to almost every job? I SALUTE you, sir. You must be fit as a strapping 20-year old jock. I attempt to even move a Twin a lateral foot and I am too weak to lift my arms after that. Forget playing.

Just joshing, sir. I admire your dedication. Is the cart a Ruxxac, by any chance?"

indeed I do, the only 'hard' part is lifting it in and out of the trunk, but I'm 6'1, 250 so it's pretty easy.

I've used Remin Kart A Bag carts for years, love 'em. the model I use has a fold down dolly I can use if I have to walk a block or two.

**Bryan T** · 03-13-2013, 12:44 PM

Not that I've gigged in a few years, but I always used what would make me play my best. I've only had one gig where I regretted the load-in and that was because I lugged a Twin Reverb up several flights of stairs.

**dmorash** · 03-13-2013, 12:54 PM

If the 10 has a better sound to you than I would take that, no question. It can be hard enough sometimes to get comfortable at a gig, might as well be armed with the best possible rig.

**henryrobinett** · 03-13-2013, 01:14 PM

I always haul my big rig, which now is almost my only one. Stereo 12 inch cabs, 4 space rack case, amp stand for the Axe Fx II and a pedalboard. If it's purely straight-ahead and I don't want to go a little bit modern, I'll leave the board at home. I've decided it's worth it not to fight for my sound.

**eddy b.** · 03-13-2013, 01:38 PM

Gotta go with best possible tone, I use a folding cart for transporting either my Rivera or depending on the gig Fender Passport pa( surprisingly good tone with a little boss 7 band eq). Congrats on the gig!!

**keith** · 03-13-2013, 01:53 PM

I'd say like everything else it depends! If you're playing a restaurant where there'll be a lot of ambient noise that may effect the overall impact of the tone then it may not be worth it. Does the lighter rig's sound distract you or stimulate you? Sounds like a solo gig so your interaction with other instruments is not an issue? Are you trying to recreate the recorded sound of your tunes or make an impact through performance?
For a regular gig schleping weight gets old quick to me but getting a cart or dolly makes it tolerable. Get something sturdy and work out a system for packing up and travel so the hassle is minimized and you don't end up forgetting something. Ultimately it's all in your hands and how you play, not so much the rig, that makes the impression.

**jazzman1021** · 03-13-2013, 01:57 PM

I always go for tone over convenience. I even practice with my gigging amp.

JM1021

**Bluedawg** · 03-13-2013, 02:01 PM

Like Keith said .....

Will you or the audience even be able to tell the difference under the gigging conditions? Are there other musicians playing with you?

Is this something you can experiment with? if it's a regular gig .. take one this time and take the other next time ... and see what you think afterwards.

In my experience (extremely limited as it is) what sounds best at home isn't always what sounds best on a gig

**D.G.** · 03-13-2013, 02:43 PM

Go for the better sound. Life is too short for bad tone

**pingu** · 03-13-2013, 03:14 PM

it's only a 10" must be light enough
I'd take that to a solo gig
for a solo gig I'd want the good sound

**mikeSF** · 03-13-2013, 03:54 PM

for me it depends on whether anyone is going to be listening or not. for a "performance", i will bring better gear. for a background music/furniture gig, i bring a light rig that does the job.
Jim, i have a great Redstone 12ER cab if you ever come into the bay area. would be happy to let you try it.

**kris** · 03-13-2013, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by mikeSF

for me it depends on whether anyone is going to be listening or not. for a "performance", i will bring better gear. for a background music/furniture gig, i bring a light rig that does the job.
Jim, i have a great Redstone 12ER cab if you ever come into the bay area. would be happy to let you try it.

+1

**jtizzle** · 03-13-2013, 04:58 PM

I come into any gigs/rehearsals with my Fender Blues Deville 212 (55 lbs) just because I like the tone I get. It is a huge drag. Really heavy and big. I'm trying to get rid of it and pick up a Fender Blues Jr. I've been using one of those at school and it actually sounds really nice.

**pkirk** · 03-13-2013, 05:08 PM

My opinion: For a wallpaper/restaurant type gig where nobody listens, bring the smallest *looking* rig. Cranky clients see a large speaker and "hear" loud music and complain, even if the amp is turned off!

For anything else, especially if people are listening, it depends on the space and the volume. In my experience if you play with a drummer the subtlety/timbre of fancy archtop/hifi amp is lost, I go for a stereo reverb/rig to spread the sound.

In a drummerless duo or trio in a nice acoustic space where people are listening is when to bring the your favorite sounding gear.

Jim How is that tiny stereo amp working out?

**jorgemg1984** · 03-13-2013, 06:27 PM

Man carrying a Twin to every gig is brutal... In my case I have just finished my amp / cabs route. I always use a small ss head (mambo or henriksen) and then one mambo 10 cab (really small gigs), two mambo 10 cabs (small gigs) and a big 1x12 Dr Z EV cab for big gigs. I take the mambo cabs with a trolley and the Dr Z with a handtruck. Works perfectly.

In my experience 10 vs 8 is the biggest upgrad of all. 8s are excellent at home but the 10s really bring a big depth increase to the sound... most cab makers have also a big increase in size and wieght but not Mambo. The 10 cab is just a little bugger and heavier then the 8... Jim, just get a trolley that fits the 10 and you don't care about the issue anymore.

Arriba Cases - Protective Cases For Mobile Lighting Fixtures!

This one takes my two mambo cabs.

**Jimmy Mack** · 03-13-2013, 06:42 PM

Someone has to ask : if one sounds that much better, why keep the second one? Especially if you are on the fence about using it. Personally, I'd go with the better one. Too many stairs and no one listening?? use the easier avenue.

Best luck on the gig.

**Jonathan0996** · 03-13-2013, 06:46 PM

There can't be THAT much difference in size and weight between a NY 8 and a Stealth 10. If I liked the 10 more, I think I'd suck it up and shlep it to the gig.

**marcwhy** · 03-13-2013, 08:50 PM

I have a Rock 'n' Roller cart, and I never worry about gear.

Jim, I used to have a Stealth 10 (and a 12), and I had another 2x8 cab as well. If you like the 10, bring it.

Marc

**Jim Soloway** · 03-13-2013, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by Jimmy Mack

Someone has to ask : if one sounds that much better, why keep the second one? Especially if you are on the fence about using it. Personally, I'd go with the better one. Too many stairs and no one listening?? use the easier avenue.

Best luck on the gig.

I don't know if I will keep the eight. At least in theory, I've gotten set up as an RE dealer and the Stealth 10 was the first cab I bought to be my "inventory". I already owned the NY 8. So taking the Stealth 10 kind of commits me to keep it. I ended up taking the NY 8 and it did the job but there was a part of me that thought it would have sounded better with the 10. Part of the attraction is that I'm tuned down to C#, so there's a LOT of bass going on. The 8 handles it but the 10 just breezes through it. I don't play out again until Monday so now I get a few days to think about it. The good news is that the gig went well and it felt great to be back in action (although I had forgotten ow hard it can be on my hand to play three hours straight).