Grateful Dead Music Forum

This is related to the "Close but no Enchilada" post but i didn't want to hijack.

I generally like the re-issue Twin that i play through, but I agree that I'm not where I want to be. I think the main issue is with the amp not being cranked...its usually on 6 or so even for a decent sized gig. Question is then...would a 1 x 12 like the deluxe reverb or something similar be OK for gigging? I know I could just go through the PA but i usually try to avoid that because of the mediocre speakers that we generally use. Would I be sacrificing a lot of volume going to the Deluxe?

Thanks

I think it all depends on where your playing, like the difference between a bar and a theater is pretty big. In a bar that holds 150 people I would use a 1x12 if my tone was right, but in a theater or outside it would be rack and cabinets.

That's a tough call. First off, 6 on your Twin IS CRANKED, how much more "tone" do you think your going to get by cranking it more; probably none....this is highly subjective of course. Being able to sucessfully use a 1x12 is variable. How loud does your band get. A 1x12 can generate high decibles, but does it fill the room, and blend well with the rest of the band .... probably not. I have a Mesa Boogie Mark IV 1x12 which can get plenty dam loud under any circumstance. But un-mic'd, in a full loud band setting, it just doesnt spread/gel the sound. So, when un-mic'd I much prefer using my 2x12 extension cab which givs me 3x12.

A Twin on 6 vs. 10 is not much more volume. Seriously, your main issue should be that your Twin is a re-issue. They don't have the "life" that the olds ones have. I've owned both, auditioned many of both.

The DR RI's are surprisingly close to their originals. However it will not sound anything like a Twin.

Different preamp.
Different poweramp.
Different poweramp tubes
Much lower wattage
Much lower headroom

Could you bar gig with it? Maybe. You will be at your limit with clean headroom for sure and maybe not moving as much air as you'd like. If you have sound reinforcement available to you if needed you should be okay. Also it depends on the hieight of the stage, what/who is in front of it, how deep you have people in front of you before you hit the center of the bar, etc.

Quick example, I had my 1x12 40W Custom Half Twin amp the loudest level I have ever had it last weekend. Stage was only inches above the floor. It was literally directly behind me on my rack so it was 2' off the ground and directly to my one side the bassist, singer the other and probably 10 people directly in front of me all night. Our sound tech kept telling me, rhythm, to turn up. It was insane.

Have never encountered a situation where my 1x12 (E120) with 250watts pumped through it was insufficient.

good advice...i'll quit my daydreaming on that topic then (lots of time to kill at work)

tigerstrat wrote:Have never encountered a situation where my 1x12 (E120) with 250watts pumped through it was insufficient.

Very much agreed. However, the concept of moving more air and dispersing sound comes into play...