Seymour Duncan Dirty Deed Distortion
If you already have a pedalboard (most of us probably do), have you ever ran it into another amp on the fly without changing anything? What did it sound like? You probably had to make some tweaks to both the amp and the board but were you able to dial in a decent sound fairly quickly? In a pinch, this can be a very frustrating experience especially since most of us are very picky about our tone. Is this a bad thing? No! But, most guitarists who have played out or toured know that you don’t always have control over where your signal goes after your pedalboard. Let’s face it: we guitarists want our tone and we want to sound the best that we can. Unfortunately, there are scenarios that can hinder that tone if we aren’t prepared to counter them. There are a few things that you can do to set yourself up for success in 99.9% of the situations you may encounter in both the standard gigging circuit and touring circuit. Here are some quick tips that have worked for me:
#1. Rely on a pedal for distortion
Some of the best tones in the world are associated with large, heavy tube amps. While many companies are finding successful ways around this, the fact remains that many of the awesome tones that exist are found in a tube amp. This can be problematic at times for the traveling guitarist. If you generally rely on amp distortion, what do you do if you can’t have your own amp as your preferred amp may not be readily available where you are traveling? I have found that while I really enjoy some of the amazing amp tones out there, relying on a pedal for distortion (Check out the 805 Overdrive or the Dirty Deed Distortion for some great options!) helps me remain quite versatile. I’ll have the dirt/gain I want without having to worry quite so much about what amp I’m going into.
#2. Always have a good DI on hand
DI (or direct inject) boxes will take your guitar (a high impedance, unbalanced signal) and convert it to a low impedance, balanced signal, which can be sent directly to the soundboard. There are plenty of companies to choose from such as Radial and Countryman that make really nice DI boxes. Why would an electric guitarist need this? Read on to #3 to find out.
#3. Always have a good preamp on hand
Generally, a guitarist would rely on the preamp section of the amplifier he/she is using for tone. However, what happens if everything hits the fan right before show downbeat? As in, your amp stops working and you don’t have a backup. What do you do? Keep a good preamp on hand! There are plenty of small preamps (i.e. Tech 21’s Sansamp) on the market that will give you a half-way decent tone to get through your show. But, where do you send it? Remember the DI in #2? You will have to use it to convert the signal coming from your preamp in order to send it to front of house. Check out Fig. 1 for the correct routing:
Fig. 1: Contingency Signal Path
It’s extremely important to conduct a dry-run of this setup. Simply having the gear on hand is not enough. In the event that you have to use it, you will need to know how it will sound and make sure that you can live with it. Now at this point, you’re probably thinking, “That just seems like extra crap to drag along!” Before you write this off, remember it is only a contingency plan, not your first go-to. Trust me, when you need it, then you really need it.
#4. Have a tech rider? Ask for a generic amp
Many guitarists (myself included at times) swear by a specific amp or sound. This is perfectly fine when you’re playing a nearby gig or your tour mode-of-transportation is wheels instead of wings. But, what about when you need to fly? This is generally where rentals/backline companies/provided gear comes in to play. If you have the opportunity to present a tech rider or request gear, try to ask for something relatively standard and easy to find. A Fender Twin Reverb or a Hot Rod Deluxe are both good standbys due to their ability to receive FX pedals extremely well. You will most likely have to tweak a little bit as with any amp, but if your pedalboard is fairly standalone tone-wise, then the only thing the amp is providing is a clean preamp and power. The more you can carry your desired tone in your suitcase or pedalboard roadcase, the more you reduce the possibility of not getting your tone at the gig.
There are many different ways to prep for things hitting the fan. Many companies have amp modelers, cab simulators, and all kinds of other tools to help you make your rig light and lean. Ultimately, it comes down to what works for you.
Do you have other tips or stories about contingency plans? Please share in the comments below!
