My Guitar Rig - November 2012

I became interested in the technology side of music through playing the guitar, I learned how to capture sounds and get the tones I wanted.

My current rig includes:

Vox AC30cc2 for my clean tones. I replaced one of the stock Wharfedale 12" speakers (which are meant to be clones of a Celestion G12H) to a Celestion alnico blue. The alnico blue gives a much more typical vox chime, tonnes more high end (the Wharfedale sounded quite dull in comparison) and radically different sound when cranked. I also replaced the tubes from stock Sovteks to JJs which allowed the power amp tubes to add flavour to the sound at different volumes, the Sovteks didn't seem to be very interactive. I use the spring reverb tank in the ac30 for my cleans most the time, I'v heard a few people on forums complain about the reverb saying it's too long but I absolutely love it!  

I could never find an overdrive tone that I loved through an AC30, I think the best overdrive tone I found was a replica of Billy Lunn's rig from The Subways, I used my Gibson SG classic through a Boss BD-2 and into the AC30 cranked a bit. This overdrive was rich and heavenly, everything seemed to work together really nicely BUT it just didn't suit me personally.

I find it to easy to get a good clean tone, especially with an AC30! I could never really find an overdrive tone that I really loved for a decent price that didn't blow your ear drums out!!! Then I found the Marshall Class 5!

I borrowed my friends 4x12 loaded with Celestion G12T-75's and a/b tested it with the Celestion alnico blue in my open back ac30 cab. I found the alnico blue to (surprisingly enough) have a punchier sound and sweeter overdrive.

I also a/b tested my Shure Beta 57 with my Rode nt2a and found that the Rode won every time hands down for me. My friend (who was convinced that the Shure SM57 was the greatest microphone in the world) actually agreed with me! I like the fact that it doesn't put too much of a sonic stamp on the recording (it's much more transparent and captures the instrument more accurately) and doesn't cut out a lot of low end unlike the Shure.

Middlesbrough College Magazine show

Middlesbrough College Magazine Show

During September and October I have been helping Middlesbrough College with a show they put on every week called "Middlesbrough College Magazine show" I used the college gear (such as the little Behringer desk, mics and active FOH monitors) we worked with the bands and lecturers to put on a show in the pod above reception in the middle of the college.

I worked with my mate David Turner and together we got the gear from the college's cupboard of doom and set up this little rig in the pod on a lunch break.

I really wish these little Behringer desks had a compressor built in because I needed one for this type of gig. I had to ride the faders manually and act as a sort of human compressor really.

Me running the show... like a boss!

College bands performing live

These shows have also been performed in the college theatre, Unfortunately nearly everything was already setup in the theatre so I only got a chance to wire up the stage monitors and mics, which was kind of cool. Wish I could have wired the whole thing up though mwaaaaaaahahahahaha would have been fun ^_^

"Please thank Tom & David for me ~ more or less run the whole caboodle themselves (I was teaching and was just able to dip in and out) ~ they didn't complain once, though they had a right to being left to organise it!!" 

"Thanks to David Turner and Tom Munro for doing the sound on Friday morning. They ran the whole thing professionally and without a single grumble. Thanks Tom and Dave"


http://www.facebook.com/pages/Middlesbrough-College-Magazine-Show/183169761785267?fref=ts

Me hard at work 

Here I am operating the Soundcraft lx7ii which I quite liked, I am a bit of a Soundcraft fan (especially with them being made in England!) the desk I learned from was a Soundcraft ghost but recently at another one of these events I was given the privilege to operate a Yamaha LS9-16 which made me fall in love with digital mixers!!!! It was a thing of beauty!