For the last 6 months I've been playing a with a small local bluegrass cover band that does a lot of bar and small party type of gigs. It has been pretty fun, and I have had to embrace some aspects of amplification and using effects that I never really expected. I have done a lot of reading here over the years and feel I gained a lot of knowledge from the equipment forum here on the cafe so THANK YOU to all the regular posters here who share their knowledge! It has been invaluable in figuring out the mandolin specific aspects of sound reinforcement.
So I have been experimenting and my "gig rig" has evolved into something elaborate. It all started with just my Collings MT2 and a Radial Stagebug active DI. I told myself that was all I would ever need. And I still can do that. But I also wanted a boost. And then a mute for tuning. So of course I got a Grace Designs Felix preamp; who doesn't need 2 channels with independent EQ and an XLR input with 48V phantom power?!? (I just got a K and K put into my Northfield octave mandolin which is not in the picture below). So then there was this gig where I was swimming in reverb - and of course I wanted to be able to control that. And the fiddle player isn't always there, so a bit of chorus or delay really help with some sustain and feel when we cover 80s tunes... which turned into a pedal board. What's a pedal board without a tuner pedal? Then I wanted a mandolin case with backpack straps. When I found the cross rock A-style case and then braided some paracord backpack straps I knew I was onto something...
In many ways this seems totally over the top and yet it is also the fulfillment of some dream I didn't know I had... This setup is also very versatile since I also have a Schertler stick on pickup, a clip on Mic and some condenser mics. All the potential! And with my pedal case in one hand, octave in the other and mando on my back I feel ready for any gig.
What's in your "gig rig"? What's essential? Did you eliminate anything?
Am I just crazy?
Dan G.
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