|
I was itching to take my new baby out and see how it did in a real world situation. Unfortunately my singer had to go back to working nights to keep from starving to death and my drummer said "I love ya, but I need to work steady so, see ya". This left my calendar quite, um, open.
My friend Dick runs some open jams around town, and is thrilled to have a pro show up, so if I do go out I sit in with the house band which always plays the first and last set.
Dick is a loud guitar player who uses a 60-watt Fender Deville 4x10. Otherwise the band is bass and drums.
The room we were in was a typical beach bar, big square room, lowish ceiling and windows all around 2 walls.
I brought my G&L ASAT and a wire. Put the amp on the floor, set it for cleanish and full with (all values CHT-chicken head time) Volume-9:00 Bass-8:00 Treble-9:00 M-full Cut-12:00.
Playing rhythm my tone was full, clear and defined. Very tight bass.
Turning up to solo was amazing. Again, clear and defined. The harshness I thought I heard at home was gone. The thing sounded like silk sheets feel. Sounded great in all pickup positions, but especially on the bridge.
Playing the bridge pickup, picking near the bridge with the guitar's tone control rolled back just a bit gave one of the most astounding (and unique) sounds I'd ever heard. Notes popped and swelled. Chords sounded like they were greased.
Yes, I was easily heard over Dick's Deville.
Sit down and let the jammers up. About an hour of rather loud and heavy handed Stevie Ray Vaughan wannabes.
I guess everybody's ears were ringing, because we got up and everybody seemed quite a bit louder. I won't play that game, so I left my amp set exactly the same. Although, theoretically I was "down in the mix", everything I played stood out anyway. At one point Dick and I were having a bit of fun and we started "dueling pinched harmonics". I expected them to ring out nicely but I couldn't believe what the little Lightning did--the harmonics didn't just ring or pop--it was as if they were launched in a fireworks rocket--shooting out and then exploding into a dozen other harmonics. Crazy.
Although I was playing quite clean, there was a relaxed sustain, and a willingness for notes to ring even when I didn't quite hit them right.
Very happy. In a situation where amps are not mic'd and I control the volume--there's way more than enough for small to midsize clubs and average drummers. I'm sure it would mic up nice too.
Anyway, that's it, long-winded but ALL TRUE.
See ya.
P.
|
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
