Why You Need Road Worthy Guitar Amp Rigs

If you can't see the picture very well it's an Ampeg Amp head

www.ampeg.com

By Mark Grove


If your gear isn’t worthy of the road, maybe you should throw it into the garbage with last week’s putrid milk. I seem to be on a bad food kick at the moment, or really crappy Canadian beer.
Most players never think about how to protect their gear properly on the road, and the use and abuse it takes. Alright, is it getting through? If you’re like me it probably isn’t. Yeah, you might be able to afford a highly priced Rivera or Vox head and cab—but they won’t last long or be able to take the heat, literally.

Forget about your tubes not working or strings breaking, they can be replaced easily and cheaply. Just bring extras and put them in a solid protective case—because even those items can be crushed. Don’t use a Velcro like case or I’ll slap you and feed you a case of beer.

Okay, you need amps that will take the road abuse like a champ. Yes, a good old Marshall Half Stack or Full will do the trick. But the best ones now that can take everything except a beer that some loser poured in your amp head, are Ashdown’s, SWR’s and the original road tested and abused as much as the Stanley Cup, Ampeg.

No Hockey Bag’s Please:

Any smart player will never put their accessory gear just piled into a hockey bag your brother used to own, and still smells. Half the gear will end up in the garbage with the putrid milk and your shitty practice amp.

Think about it—you need to use cases that can take a boatload of punishment. Gator Cases are one of the best. www.gatorcases.com  from cases for amp heads to cases for cabs and combo amps. As well Gator has cases for accessory “stuff” like tubes, strings, mics  and stomp boxes. Yes, Gator really has solid cases for accessory gear and it’s worth it--or else get your accessory gear literally destroyed.

I know it’s pricey, but if you want to be a real musician, use top of the line road worthy amps and cases. Here’s a few links to the amp and gear cases that will last many years. Or go back and drink bad milk and beer mixed together. Hmmm, which should you choose? 


Mark Grove

Bass Guitar Tips--Bass Guitar Tone Done The Bottom Feeder Way

By Mark Grove






Okay,the perfect bass tone is not out there,nor would I want it to be. It is possible to get a complementary sound that just gives er! for live or session work.Your sound is not in your fingers which most bass players seem to think.

Your fingers may be manipulating the strings,but the strings, pickups,amp,mic and other equipment shape the sound.

Get it? Good.

Shaping Your Bottom-Feeder Sound:

Learning how to shape your bass tone should start from the bass axe and amp themselves,not in the actual playing of your bass.Think about this.Your sound doesn't come from a direct box or pre amps,or EQ from a PA.

Okay,I'm venting a bit.The real secret here is,and its no secret,to be able to set up your amp's settings to the way your band plays.As well it stems from the set up of your mic tone,string and head stock tuning.



You don't need equipment that costs a bundle,but it does need to be set up properly.If you can't tune your bottom feeder axe,amp and accessory rig properly,how do you expect to do it with brand new gear that costs a bundle?


As far as mic's go which is vital to good sound to use a good Shure 57 or 58.They will work in either live or recording situations.Buy at least two brand new ones.Do not scrimp on mic's.That's one thing that shouldn't be done like a bottom feeder.And no bass players just starting out don't need a wah pedal or direct box to shape their sound.



Learn how to shape your bass sound with an axe,amp and mic to record it. Also,use a monitor speaker or two to get a good idea of your tone.Using a direct box makes playing too easy,especially if that DI box is EQ'ed to the hilt when connected to a mix board console direct.

Learning to set up your amp settings and your bass--along with learning to play is more important above all else.When you do start learning to play and you're going out to jams and playing in a band situation,and you don't have constant problems with tone and your playing isn't off,start using a Wah or stomp box to add to your sound.

Once you do start playing major gigs chances are you'll need to use a DI Box to lessen distortion and muddiness in certain songs.You may need a DI box for session work as well.But don't rely on it all the time or it becomes a crutch.

But in ending,if you know how to play bass like a bastard,but your amp and bass axe set up is always off,you'll always have tone issues and your sound will never be your own.And if you use a Di Box,wah and an arsenal of effects, don't expect to be the great player you always wanted to be.


Peace and success to all bottom feeders





Mark G

Bass Playing Tip:How to Play Bass Riffs Outside The Norm Making People Take Notice

Cliff Burton Of Metallica



By Mark Grove



First of all, don't change your Bass axe or get a beefier amp or arsenal of stomps that just blur your original intentions as a Bottom-Feeder who means business. No need to do that.I was reading an old article by EE Bradman in the now defunct Bass Guitar Mag.The article was on Metallica's Cliff Burton.

If you listen,really listen to early Metallica material on "Ride The Lightning" you'll see Cliff played like Randy Rhoads because they were both schooled in classical music.Along with that Burton's phrasing and chord texture was like a guitarist.

Both Rhoads and Burton learned this type of approach to music long before they ever hit a stage with Ozzy or Metallica. What I mean by all of this is Burton played more like a guitar player.Burton used more
effects for certain songs,and he knew how to use them for more grinding effects that lended themselves to lead guitar chords.

Using more guitar like cabinets in Cliff's arsenal like Mesa-Boogie's or Marshall's will not help most Bass players.First of all, I probably know shit compared to a lot of players out there,but learning how to get a grittier tone that's in sync with the lead guitar and drums will help you be on the road to greater excellence as a bass axeman.

Setting up your axe for higher action and lighter strings,not too light as a bass player, and more open tuning will bring more harmonic's and tones that enable you to play more guitar like chords and riffs.

Using the Right Guitar Cab and Amp In Your Bass Arsenal:

I would go the other way around and not use a guitar cab or amp,but a beefier Bass amp like an SWR.You could use an Ampeg,but to get better tones and play more like a guitarist,use a solid bass amp like the SWR I mentioned.

http://www.swrsound.com Look at the new SWR "Black Beauty Bass Amp



Lighten up the string gauge very minimally and set up your amp so it's volume is swelling,yet the presence is turned back a bit.Playing dirtier yet challenging the tone and your ability to chord like everyone else.

Once your band sees what you're doing and not trying to change the tone or style,but trying to challenge the band to come out with new tones and playing at a new level,they'll be more giving and see you want them all to get
better as players.

It's also vital and I say this constantly--that you have to apply the lead guitar and drum technique to tap their playing. So they see you want to play like them,but aren't just playing off somewhere that has nothing to do with the band's intentions. Constantly listen to other players will help your own playing as a Bass axeman.

When it comes to stomps...

When it comes to stomps and effects,keep it simple to mix in distortions and effects.Dunlop has some of the best stomps out there,like their Blowtorch stomp effects box made to put the right amount of dirty and deep bass tones,and high end Bottom-Feeding Distortion that keeps you in line with the other players in your band.

http://www.jimdunlop.com Blowtorch

It takes time to learn this shit.And the more you do to challenge your ability as a great Bottom-Feeder to play like a guitarist,without fucking up the band tempo and timing,the more you'll get noticed by other bands.

Studios,agents, and other industry people will want your services in studio sessions and live work.And above all else will want to hang with you. Keep your playing simple and your gear that way too,but strive to keep your playing different as a Bass axeman.

For more info on the best amps and bottom-feeding stomp boxes:click these links to these great companies:

http://www.jimdunlop.com MXR Blowtorch Distortion Stomp Box

http://www.swrsound.com SWR Black Beauty Bass Amp

Peace everyone.

Mark G Canadian Guitar Player

Bass Playing and Why Using a Low Watt Amp Is Best For The Best Tone

The picture here is of a Bogey 10 watt amp from the UK or Europe if I'm correct. I had a hard time getting a picture of any blues artists on stage or in a studio with a low watt amp. If anyone can find a suitable picture, please email me.



By Mark Grove

I was going over an old article in a Bass Guitar Mag, and thought this would be perfect for all the Bottom-Feeders out there. The Bass player talking about amp setup and volume was none other than the Old Man himself, Geezer Butler.



A Bass Players goal of the ultimate tone is nowhere near as important as when it comes to amp setup. First of all, playing loudly in the studio all the time can decimate your overall sound, and give it a tone that makes for a long day of tweaking that sound just to get it down right.


Keeping this in mind, there are a combination of things at work here. First of all your volume is what's at stake here mainly. Now using huge honkin' amp with 100's of watts is useless unless you're playing heavy metal.

So using a small 15 to 30 watt amp for blues,jazz,or hard rock along with just one or two stomps for a pounding tone, will do the trick.


No more no less, depending upon the situation.



You want amps with maybe two speakers at the most, and are 2x10's. But stick with one speaker and you're doing just fine for the blues and hard rock. Another thing is getting the right tone with your bass may mean either using your fingers or a pick so you can cut through drums or guitar work and still be heard.



Going back to small low watt amps. You can turn up these babies and tweak your bass axe pickups so they give you the sound you want and need. And your sound is based not just on the amp or bass setup by themselves.



Using the Right Bass Pickup combination:



Your bass should have at least two Humbucking Pickups and a single coil. Want you want to do is stick the single coil in between the Hum's for better overall tone depth--and the range of tone is better because of it. Having two Humbuckers in parallel, or one above the other would not give a tone that's suited to even heavy metal in a lot of cases.



So in ending, by cranking with 500 watt amps or Marshall stacks is useless in a studio situation. And you tend to lose the right tone as well. So by using low watt amps or practice amps--you can get pretty much the same sound yet it's not as loud or offensive. You also tend to get a better recording whether you're playing a club gig or in a studio setting above all else.


Mark Grove markgrove20@hotmail.com

Jimmy Page Day Here On Canadian Guitar Player

Picture of a Practice Amp you can win today on Jimmy Page Day

Today is JP's birthday and I thought I would celebrate it by hoisting a few english beers, and smoke a few nice fat joints.

Well, I gave up Mary-Jane because it's too expensive when you pay 200 green-backs for an ounce. I thought I'll just have a few Canadian beers and celebrate Jimmy's gift of great music to all who love what he does spiritually and texturally on his Gibson.

I'm going to offer for free to the first blues artist that emails me, to give me the best reason why they should appear in the pages of Canadian Guitar Player and to have regular articles published for their band.

As well, I will give away for free a practice amp as well to the first musician not blues band that can tell me why they think using a small practice amp is better than using a big honkin' Marshall stack.



It doesn't have to be a perfect answer, just something you feel strongly about.


Note: This contest is only open to Musicians in Canada and the United States

Please have a regular mailing address and be able to prove that you are a working musician. If not, I cannot send the practice amp to you, nor can I write regular articles for your band.


Just email me here at:mdgrove@rock.com

Thanks Lads,

Peace to all Players on Jimmy Page Day

Bass Playing 101 and the scourge of my down-picking

Picture of Jack Bruce from Cream--Eric Clapton's Band


I love it! I've had so many negative comments on the article about learning the bass and down picking only, especially for beginners. Even the best bottom-feeders out there have commented and seem to think I'm just whacked out, and think that using a combo of up and down-stroking is the only way to being a consummate Bottom Feeder.

I disagree whole heartedly and naturally. Players from Bass players to lead guitarist's emailed me, just livid and thought I was out of my gord just down-picking only.


Think what you want--but the best way to build a solid foundation as a Bass player is to build from the bottom up. What I mean is get used to just picking the strings whether with a pick or without. Learn how to pick and fret properly.
If you start using alternating up and down-strokes you tend not become a better player, but a scattered bass player who's all over the place technique wise.



Still think I'm nuts. You know you do. Keep the negative comments coming. I'm not a music forum or chat hound. I stay away from that stuff. All I know is becoming a good Bottom-Feeder is to start by down-picking only.



As well, learning to pick strings with great dexterity is tougher than you think.
That's why time and patience is required as a bass player. Be willing to make mistakes too and play through those mistakes and keep trudging on.



Once you are able to down-stroke well with a number of songs, about 5 to 10 at the most-go to a local blues jam session and play songs you know before trying any tougher ones. it only stands to reason. So get a feel of playing with others as well to learn when to play and at what tempo.



Learn all you can from local Bass players and other musicians who you think would be willing to help you. Offer to pay for lessons, or if you're a writer like me write an article on them and set up a blog to help musicians.


You have to give before you get guys.


One other area I find a lot of players have a tough time with is learning how to set up their amps and guitars. What I mean is tone wise and in away that meshes with how everyone else is setting up their amps and guitars.


What I'm saying is setting up your amps and guitar properly, not perfectly.


So find a good mentor who's either a fellow Bottom-Feeder or lead guitarist who can take you under their wing and show you the ropes of building a solid foundation as a great bottom feeder.

Mark Grove