Do the pro's use the amps you see on stage?

[jgcable]

What do you think? My guess is NO. You may see the amp they are endorsed by onstage but the amps they are actually using are backline.
Here are a few examples (just my opinion of course)
Vai doesn't use Legacy's (he uses heavily modded X100B's)
EVH doesn't use 5150's (he uses heavily modded Marshalls)
Demartini didn't use Laney's (he used heavily modded Marshalls)
Lynch uses heavily modded Marshalls or Soldano's regardless of what you see on stage
Slash doesn't use his signature model (he uses original modded Marshall Silver Jubilee's)
What do all you experts think??

[Shawn Lutz]

Re: Do the pro\'s use the amps you see on stage?

I would tend to agree that some of them aren't using what they endorse, its just that part of their endorsement agreement they have to "show" the products. If they are using them they aren't using them alone, meaning they have a stash of tone behind the backline mic'ed [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[etaeniura]

Re: Do the pro\'s use the amps you see on stage?

with the massive PA's in major venues, they could be playing through a crate practice amp mic'd up and you would never know it. I have read many articles in which artists have a "wall" of amps onstage, but the cabinets are empty and only one head and cab is used and mic'd through the PA. I guess there is no way to ever know unless someone breaks the "code" of endorsees.

[jgcable]

Re: Do the pro\'s use the amps you see on stage?

The reason I pose the question is the fever many players get regarding copying their favorite players tone by buying the amps amd effects that they "use" when in fact most of them are using heavily modded amps backline. I do know for a fact that during Rush's Moving Pictures tour, Alex Lifeson used a tiny Galien Krueger ML250 that was mic'd and sitting on a chair at behind the stage for his basic amp sound. The massive walls of amps onstage were all empty props.

[Fragle]

Re: Do the pro\'s use the amps you see on stage?

well, it depends. usually, if you see a wall of stacks on stage it's pretty sure that they aren't even plugged in....zakk wylde, for example, has a wall of his signature heads on stage, when in reality he is using modded original jcm800's sitting in a rack backstage....maybe some of the cabs are plugged in for monitoring purposes)

on the other hand, if you look at people like john petrucci, i'm VERY sure that he is actually using the rig(s) you can for example see on his website. it's just that i highly doubt that JP would put a +20000$ rack on stage when in reality he is using something else....doesn't make much sense to me.

furthermore, if you see just one half or fullstack on stage, it's usually the amp that is really used. example: nevermore. when i saw them last year they had only a tripleXXX halfstack and a triple rectifier halfstack on stage, and you could tell that those were the amps they were actually using, because you could watch for example jeff hitting a switch on his pedalboard, and the amp would switch from the red ultra channel to the green clean channel.

[Ace]

Re: Do the pro\'s use the amps you see on stage?

Well, you're ALL right to some degree. It depends on the band. Does KISS really use walls and walls of Marshalls? No. Does Slayer? Yes.

As for artists playing what they endorse, they sometimes do. Dave Mustaine obviously played King V's all the time. Other guys really don't care who endorses them, they pose for the pictures with whatever brand they are endorsing, then play their favorite guitars. In the studio all bets are off. Guys play whatever they need to sound the way they want.

As for amps. Sometimes what you see is what they play. Sometimes what you see is a false backdrop of amps.

The bottom line is every pro is different. Almost all pro's are VERY picky about their tone. Most don't like being told what they can and can't play. If the old Marshall Super Lead sounds better than the Randall amp you are endorsing, you're gonna pose real pretty next to that Randall, then do what it takes to get your signature sound.

Is that unfair to people who buy the gear you endorse? Well, maybe? The truth is, even if you stepped onstage, were handed EVH's guitar by his tech, plugged straight into his rig, and let loose your best Hot For Teacher, your gonna sound nothing like EVH. Also most pro's are constantly tweaking their rig. They find pedals they like on the road. They find a Telecaster they really like though they are endorsed by Ibanez. Are they dishonest? I don't think so. Most pros have no qualms about coming out in a guitar magazine and telling you what they really have in their rig. As for not always playing what they endorse, do you think Michael Jordan eats Wheaties for breakfast every morning? Do you think ANY pro athlete drinks Coca Cola on the sidelines? Endorsements are to sell products through name recognition. Major artists do often use what they endorse, sometimes because they helped design it to their specs(like the JEM), sometimes because they're free, sometimes because they just plain like what they endorse. But pro guitar players are usually just like you and me(well me, and I am assuming you) in that they will play whatever it takes to get the sound they want. What good is an endorsement deal if you can't sell records because you sound like crap because you are endorsed by XYZ company? If you can't sell records, you lose your endorsement anyways.

[Tetsuo]

Re: Do the pro\'s use the amps you see on stage?

It all Depends You know Yngwie doesn't use the wall because only one amp is ever powered up. It is all good though. ACE nailed it. A lot of guys do use what they ahev on stage though... The bigger the wall of amps the less likely it is real of course though

[vitovanhalen]

Re: Do the pro\'s use the amps you see on stage?

I remember getting to be onstage the afternoon preceeding Dio's Sacred Heart tour. Vivian Campbell had his Marshall backline, but behind them were the bizarre combination of Randall and Mesa Boogie heads.

[dinkyjacksonman]

Re: Do the pro\'s use the amps you see on stage?

It happens all the time.
So called business.

[skidd]

Re: Do the pro\'s use the amps you see on stage?

In the late 80's a band I was in had a Randall endorsement. We had two heads and 4 cabs per side . I never used them. I ran my Boogie with a Marshall cab behind them or off to the side of the stage. I have not seen an ad that says “This is the same exact setup that so and so uses night in and night out” Most of the stuff is signature series type things. Plus now with all the rig diagrams that are in guitar mags it is kind of hard to hide what they are really using. Tone is such in your head kind of thing, .

[jgcable]

Re: Do the pro\'s use the amps you see on stage?

Do you think Dimebag ever actually used Warheads or those X2 heads? I just think it kinda sucks that EVH has such a solid endorsment of the Peavey 5150 and advertises the piss out of it obviously selling to the public that he uses the 5150 amps when actually he is using the same modded Marshalls that he has always used. Hey, the 5150 is a great amp but I think it is a prime example. If it is so good and if he worked so hard and long with Peavey developing an amp that gives him EVERYTHING he could ever want in an amp, how come he doesn't use it live. Steve Vai is the same way with the Carvin Legacy and I am sure Joe Satriani is doing the same scam with the JSX. George Lynch actually thought it was funny how all the guitar players would rush to the store to pick up whatever they heard he played or what they saw on the stage. When he recorded his instructional video's he would intentionally stack several different brands of amps in back of him to confuse the public and to pick up more endorsement money.

[j2379]

Re: Do the pro\'s use the amps you see on stage?

JG when i work at the jones beach theater, i was backstage for VH, he had a rack backstage with 5150 heads in it, that was 93ish. i didnt see any marshalls or soldanos & trust me i looked. i worked there & the security guards that i knew got really pissed, i got too close the guitars & eddie got mad....its was actually very funny
Vai used Jose modded marshalls during DLR, his rack had 4 marshall heads in it. labelled loud, louder, loudest & ridiculous(or something to that effect).

[sevser]

Re: Do the pro\'s use the amps you see on stage?

I do think Dime uses the Warhead and thats why his live sound is so harsh and trebely. I plugged into a combo and it reminded me of the times I used to run my RP 6 through my home sterio with the cab sim on "No cab" (Emulates a speaker suspended in mid air) no mids and the distortion all the way up. [img]/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]

As far as EVH I always heard he ran his 5150 pre amp section into a solid state power amp. HH I think.

[lerxstcat]

Re: Do the pro\'s use the amps you see on stage?

[ QUOTE ]
In the late 80's a band I was in had a Randall endorsement. We had two heads and 4 cabs per side . I never used them. I ran my Boogie with a Marshall cab behind them or off to the side of the stage. I have not seen an ad that says “This is the same exact setup that so and so uses night in and night out” Most of the stuff is signature series type things. Plus now with all the rig diagrams that are in guitar mags it is kind of hard to hide what they are really using. Tone is such in your head kind of thing, .

[/ QUOTE ]Actually Craig Chaquico had an ad endorsing the Carvin X100B amps that was almost wordrd that way. He was saying he used the amps night after night touring for a couple years at that point, and never had a failure. He really did use Carvin guitars and amps too, though I don't know if I'd say he was a super influential guitarist. I liked his playing and sound myself though.Jg, you mentioned Vai doesn't really use the Legacys but still uses X100Bs; do you know that for a fact, or have you heard it from somewhere?

[pro-fusion]

Re: Do the pro\'s use the amps you see on stage?

I'm pretty sure that Tony Iommi actually uses his Laney GH-100TI signature amp onstage. It's a very exotic amp that was designed specifically for his onstage needs--much of its routing capability would never be used by a guy buying one to jam around with. Of course, he has gone through various Marshall and Boogie phases over the years also, so who knows what's lurking backstage? I certainly wasn't backstage at Ozzfest this year to investigate! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

I do sense a theme here: most of the "non-used" sig amps, such as the 5150, Legacy and Warhead, are inexpensive, mass-produced amps that can't really replace a heavily modded old favorite. Big surprise there.