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Forums :: Ask Amp Tech Expert Skip Simmons

small amp through own PA for big gigs

4 replies [Last post]
Fri, 06/27/2014 - 10:35
K_O_E_N_J
K_O_E_N_J's picture
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Joined: 12/16/2010

Hello,

I have a nice Masco Ma-17 with 2 10inch speaker cabinet with sounds great, but not that loud....

Within a few months I will join a new band who already play big gigs.  The frontman (who gigs over 25 years around Europe) asked me to get a big amp so we don't have to dependent on the sound-guy's. 

I really like the sound of my amp so I was wondering if maybe I could amplify my amp with a own PA (ore maybe a keyboard amp) This way I'am also in controll of my own sound and I will hear myself better on stage.  Just a small 5 watt amp with a BIG sound 

This would me a mutch cheaper solution for me and I dont have to sell my lovely Masco :)

Do you have experience with this? What do you think?

I was wondering if feedback would be a problem.

 

Hope you can help me.

Greats from The Netherlands,

Koen Jacobs

 

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Sat, 07/05/2014 - 10:14
#1
Expert Skip Simmons
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Joined: 01/18/2010
Small amp through big PA

Hello Koen-   Thanks for writing.  Most of the MA-17s I have built use a "speaker-driven line-out" circuit, so it may already be in your amp! 

I just don't understand why so few players are hip to this circuit. It is not better than careful miking, but it's very easy.   It uses just two resistors to "bleed" a small amount of signal from the speakers, whacking the signal down to a level that can be accepted by a high-impedance input on a guitar amp or PA system.  It is very simple but works well.  The old Gibson GA-19RVT amp has a "monitor" jack with this circuit and Fender used it in the seventies as well, calling it the "line-out or recording" jack.  Most line-outs from the seventies/eighties used a circuit that was driven from the preamp only, which means that they don't capture any of the sound of the output stage.

Set your amp to the tone you like, then plug the line-out jack into a bigger amp (a keyboard amp would be great) and you will have your own "personal PA system" with your Masco connected to it.  Kim W. uses this set-up quite a bit now, but amazingly he had never used it before I installed it in one of his 17s.

 

 

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Wed, 07/09/2014 - 05:05
#2
marcos
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Teacher 9Level 10
Joined: 01/11/2010
Duplicate post. Deleted

.

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Tue, 07/08/2014 - 10:17
#3
K_O_E_N_J
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Joined: 12/16/2010
thanks skip! I just bought a

thanks skip!

I just bought a Fender Hotrod deville 4x10 .  So if I'am right, I can hook the masco into my Hotrod? 

What will it sound like?   Does the "masco sound"  get bigger if it goes through the Hotrod? 

I just saw a picture with Kim's gear, I saw 2 fender hotrod deville amp's with a masco in the back.  Is his Masco go through one of the hotrod amps?  

I like the sounds of the Hotrod deville, but it would be great if the "masco" sounds get's bigger and with a little add of the hotrod effect's.

One other questin, I got a 2x10 inch cabinet, can I hook up this cabinet with my hotrod?  Will this help me to get a bigger sound? I assume the sound will not get louder right? maybe a little bit  but not mutch

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Wed, 07/09/2014 - 17:10
#4
Expert Skip Simmons
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Joined: 01/18/2010
Small amp through big PA

Hello Koen-  Yes,  IF your amp has a properly installed line-out, you could connect to the input of your DeVille.  Remember that the speaker in the Masco needs to stay connected at all times.  In your case, the Deville would basically act as your own private on-stage PA that you could turn up as loud as you wanted.  EQ the Deville clean and flat. 

 I'm sure you could run an extra cabinet with the Fender....... it will help "spread" the sound.   But if you need more power than a 4-10 Deville, you have a LOUD band!

 

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