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Wall of Sound

By Scott Smith – Forum Member

When I think of what I want my next live performance to look like, I see visions a backline rivalled only by the band Sleep.  There really is something to that, and the guitarists with roadies are certainly the ones cheering the loudest, but bigger isn’t always better.

Additionally, when playing shows at dive bars to 15-25 people a night, including the bartender, you may need to watch your equipment closely. There is the threat of spilled beer (especially when the “venue” has no stage), overzealous stage diving fans, and a fast 15 minute load-in and out where the other band begins loading their gear on stage the moment your set ends. It can be a harrowing experience when you really love your gear.

Rejoice, as risking that 100-watt full stack you worked so hard to acquire may no longer be necessary.

Ade Emsley ushered in an era where the guitarist is more than the size of his stack. It started with the Tiny Terror. With the invention (or rather, intervention) of this wonderful, portable killer amp head and its many iterations, the required gear for playing a venue that has a decent PA has changed. Now, a 15 watt head with a 1×12 or 2×12 cab can be more than adequate. Many guitarists around the world are comfortably rocking low-wattage heads and 1×12 combos with pride.

Efficient is in. Let’s use that to our advantage and consider leaving the cab safely at home or in the rehearsal space. If you trust the sound engineer, consider the Two Notes line of cabinet simulation products.

The Two Notes Torpedo Live paired with your favorite Orange head is a rack-mounted, no-compromise option to gig lightly with your own amp head. Simply put your Orange head in a rack case, your cab simulator in a rack, and you have a set-up that is sure to take down the house! Plus, it is incredibly easy to take down once the set is over.

What if you want to eliminate the rig almost entirely and still sound amazing? Try the Orange Bax-Bangeetar guitar pre-eq pre-amp pedal with the Torpedo C.A.B. and you have a full bodied solution to gigging any venue with a decent P.A. with nothing more than a guitar and your pedalboard. Many bands are using these new approaches because it can be easier, more time efficient, and often cost effective.

Still, if you are like me and feel obligated to show off Orange’s sonic tools, then your best option may be the compact, lighter weight, and less expensive Orange Crush Pro 4×12 for your gigging needs. The beautiful thing is that we now we have many different tools to help us stop worrying about spilled beer and keeping an eye on expensive favorites, and to instead concentrate on what matters: the performance.

Those stacked Orange PPC412’s sure do look sweet, though…

  1. Tommy Thunder
    Tommy Thunder says:

    I use a oversized 1×12 closed back cab with a thunderverb 50 on top and mic it. I couldn’t imagine the point of using more speakers and wattage…unless it was with no PA and outdoor venue/arena. Who gets to play in arenas anyways…

  2. Roy Turner
    Roy Turner says:

    I got the micro Terror for practice & was floored when i actually heard it Drive my Recto 2×12 cab… couldn’t believe the tone & how loud it was. Now i bring it to every gig as a back up that fits in the glove box. Sounds so good & its so small.