Sax amplifiers

[Moz]

I have recently joined an indie-jazz band, for want of a better term, and the line-up varies quite a lot. One thing that is predominent is the desire of guitarists to make more noise than their neighbour and I have decided to balance the act by buying an amp for myself, the alto sax and the trumpet player so it has to have at least three channels.

Has anyone any pointers towards what type and manufacturer of amp I should by and what sort of power output I should be looking at for a small hall or pub venue?

I am a complete novice at this as all I have ever done before is played with other unamplified woodwind players.

Cheers

Moz

 

[Jules]

wouldn't you just run through what ever the singer is running through?

 

[thomsax]

Jules - You must be kidding. A jazzband that sings!! :laugh:

Moz - You got to have your own PA. No doubt. The hornsection takes care of their own business. Now we're talking. Add the song "We don't need a stinking rhythm section" to the songlist. An instrumental tune, so I would say it's jazz.

Thomas

 

[mfox]

real musicians should play as loud as the quietist player..but as we are talking about knuckle dragging guitarist, if its just so you can hear yoiurself, buy a cheapy amp with a head phone output and get some in-ear phones. if it to play live then you will need a PA

 

[Jules]

always use a keyboard or acoustic guitar amp, never one designed for an electric guitar- they're built to 'colour' your guitar sound so tend to distort the sound of saxes.
I've played, unmiked, against some thoroughly knuckle dragging guitarists in my time- could hold my ground (by the power of dukoff!) but tended to wake up the next day feeling as if I'd been punched in the mouth! (or maybe I'd just been punched in the mouth!?)

 

[thomsax]

I used to play through the PA. We just had a small PA (8 channels). Beside vocal we just amp. the piano and bassdrum and sometimes the horns. We rehearsed and played on the same equipment. I blew, if necessary, in a Shure SM 57 mic. At home a have a Alesis mobile amp with CD and other things.

We decided to keep out of lots of equipment. The guitarplayer he played on a semi-acustic without pedals!!! The drummer played on a small set. He played more on his drums instead of th cymbals/hi-hat. We used a real piano, upstraight bass or accustic bass guitar .... . I think we became better. And not to mention our backs!!

Thomas