Back-up Amps to a gig?

[James535]

My set up at the latest practice. The Marshall was owned by the studio, SR is mine. Two amps side by side always appeals to the inner guitar geek...

 

[Trouble]

I've carried a backup amp to gigs I've felt were too important to have problems, and ran a stereo setup at times but in small clubs there's really not much benefit to stereo chorus or delay.

 

I've had strings break, pedals quit, cables short, batteries go dead mid song in a wireless unit, even had a guitar completely refuse to work for about an hour once when it was hauled in the back of a truck in sub freezing weather then brought into a warm building, but I have never had an amp quit at a gig. If it happened I would just plug into the PA for the night.

[Genericmusic]

Over the years my '68 Fender Super Reverb quit on me twice. Mostly due to over heating. I learned that I need to have at least two feet between my amp and a back wall to allow proper air circulation. I also started using a small fan to aid that. Since switching to a solid state modeling amp I have not had a problem. I haven't been taking a back up to gigs but being superstitious and writing about it, I will now have to bring one just in case.

[DetroitBlues]

My set up at the latest practice. The Marshall was owned by the studio, SR is mine. Two amps side by side always appeals to the inner guitar geek...

You must like it loud! Very cool. What kind of Strat is that?

[guitrr]

In over 35 years of gigging, I've never had an amp go south on me, even in rehearsal. In fact, I just sold a Crate Power Block I'd owned for years; bought it as a backup, and never used it.

I do take a (kidney bean) POD in my gear bag, just in case. And l always have spare fuses, strings, and batteries, even though my pedal board runs on wall power. I have had a bunch of cords go bad, so about ten years ago I started buying the best cords I could afford, and haven't had a problem since.

 

 

Kane