Gig weight reduction
Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2026 2:32 pm
No, it's not a thread about losing the fat, it's about reducing the weight of our stage gear.
I have a 3 piece band and mainly play pubs and halls. The occasional outdoor gig but most of them have their own PA. This is what we play....
Guitar.
I use a princeton amp and mic it to the pa head.
Bass
Double bass, he uses 2 giant boxes each side behind us and a head unit. He does not mic to the pa.
Drums
no micing
Vocals
3x vocals
PA;
12 channel powered mixer going to 2 large speakers on stands.
2 powered foldbacks with signal from pa head.
This is a lot of gear for these days and it's done us ok for 15 years, so an update is in order.
I recently stood in for someone and they had an array system that looked good. and got me thinking.
My question
What kind of pa system would have 2 sets of array, that is big box on the bottom for bass and two upright speaker arrays that we could place behind us with no feedback issues so we don't need foldbacks.
Years ago, we'd pop into a shop (eg PMT) and try out a few there and then and buy them. But those shops don't exist and you have to rely on the lies told in adverts online. According to the adverts all the systems will do the job....I doubt that.
What we want is 2 big boxes with the array bolted on, a mixer that can take at least 3 mics, guitar and bass input (so 5 min). and saftly set it up in front or behind us and not bother with foldbacks.
I think the biggest issue would be the double bass, but what do I know.
Any advice on a system before we take the plunge.
I have a 3 piece band and mainly play pubs and halls. The occasional outdoor gig but most of them have their own PA. This is what we play....
Guitar.
I use a princeton amp and mic it to the pa head.
Bass
Double bass, he uses 2 giant boxes each side behind us and a head unit. He does not mic to the pa.
Drums
no micing
Vocals
3x vocals
PA;
12 channel powered mixer going to 2 large speakers on stands.
2 powered foldbacks with signal from pa head.
This is a lot of gear for these days and it's done us ok for 15 years, so an update is in order.
I recently stood in for someone and they had an array system that looked good. and got me thinking.
My question
What kind of pa system would have 2 sets of array, that is big box on the bottom for bass and two upright speaker arrays that we could place behind us with no feedback issues so we don't need foldbacks.
Years ago, we'd pop into a shop (eg PMT) and try out a few there and then and buy them. But those shops don't exist and you have to rely on the lies told in adverts online. According to the adverts all the systems will do the job....I doubt that.
What we want is 2 big boxes with the array bolted on, a mixer that can take at least 3 mics, guitar and bass input (so 5 min). and saftly set it up in front or behind us and not bother with foldbacks.
I think the biggest issue would be the double bass, but what do I know.
Any advice on a system before we take the plunge.