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What's the story behind the fake marshall stacks?
- Thread starter BusyFingers
- Start date
Back in the long hair and spandex daze.......
JC built about 6 "dummy cabinets" that were completely empty, had removable backs with latches, and cables + lights were carried in them. Each guitarist had one 4x12 functioning that was elevated in the "wall"(not one of the ones on the floor). We later added wheels to the dummy cabs so the crew wouldn't always have to handtruck two 4x12 cabs full of cables. On stage it appeared that each guitarist had 2 stacks.
PS: another trick from back then.
We did a show with Black Oak Arkansas and Shawn Lane was with them at the time. During sound check we hear this amazing pre-Boston, sustain-forever guitar sound. Stage has 2 Marshall stacks for Shawn, lights on but no speakers connected to the head. Off to the side is a Furman PQ3 with gains wide open run into a Crown D60 that was feeding ONE cabinet.
That version of MOSFET with that particular circuit distorted and compressed like a tube amp.
Guess what our guitarists got the following week?
PQ3's + Crown D60's.
Later PQ3's did not work as well(circuits "improved").
JC built about 6 "dummy cabinets" that were completely empty, had removable backs with latches, and cables + lights were carried in them. Each guitarist had one 4x12 functioning that was elevated in the "wall"(not one of the ones on the floor). We later added wheels to the dummy cabs so the crew wouldn't always have to handtruck two 4x12 cabs full of cables. On stage it appeared that each guitarist had 2 stacks.
PS: another trick from back then.
We did a show with Black Oak Arkansas and Shawn Lane was with them at the time. During sound check we hear this amazing pre-Boston, sustain-forever guitar sound. Stage has 2 Marshall stacks for Shawn, lights on but no speakers connected to the head. Off to the side is a Furman PQ3 with gains wide open run into a Crown D60 that was feeding ONE cabinet.
That version of MOSFET with that particular circuit distorted and compressed like a tube amp.
Guess what our guitarists got the following week?
PQ3's + Crown D60's.
Later PQ3's did not work as well(circuits "improved").
Anyone know where you can buy these? I'd love to get a bunch for our stage show, especially in bigger clubs (bonus to be able to hide stuff behind them to clean up the stage a bit).
All part of the visual show, which is arguably almost or as important as the music at a concert. It may dependant upon the genre but seeing a metal band playing through a couple combos and bass direct wouldn't have the same visual appeal as multiple stacks.
I saw a multi-band festival years back with lots of big-name metal bands (Disturbed, Godsmack, Slayer, etc) and every time the stage crew changed the backline out I could see them putting mics on one 4x12 per side of stage and then covering them under a truss and several black curtains...even without the multiple stacks the show still sounded amazing.
I saw a multi-band festival years back with lots of big-name metal bands (Disturbed, Godsmack, Slayer, etc) and every time the stage crew changed the backline out I could see them putting mics on one 4x12 per side of stage and then covering them under a truss and several black curtains...even without the multiple stacks the show still sounded amazing.
bass40hz
Cigar smoker, scotch drinker, American Patriot
All the arena bands do it. Nikki Sixx just auctioned off a bunch of dummy Ampeg refrigerators from their last tour. It just looks cool to have a wall of amps behind you, KISS, Ted Nugent, they all do it. Even bands from this decade.
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Triple stepped headers (1-3/4" to 1-7/8" to 2") 2 into 1 exhaust with a stepped baffle (2-1/2" to 3"). As long as I exercise throttle control, I don't bother anybody. I wear ear plugs and a full face helmet and still able to hear the pipes over the wind noise (130 kph / 80 mph) when I slowly* open it up going down the highway.
*engine was built by a person who drag races Buell pro stock motorcycles.
At times they did, people would come out from time to time to tend the "back line", and I was at a shkw at Irvine meadows and jack black was hanging out side stage, and came out and stripped to his boxers and put his clothes in the dryers.
And they were really cooking chickens in the henhouse roasters, and crew would come out and baste them periodically. I bet the crew ate well that tour, but probably got sick of chicken.
Geddy chose maytag because of the tone. That's why there were mics on them. (Well that part was for show)
Alex on the other hand, he had stacks up until the last tour. The time machine tour he had custom 212 cabs built into the props, but I forgot exactly what he had for clockwork angels.
The 2nd set of the R40 tour was all about the fake back line amps. I miss those guys, hope Neil decides to make another comeback.
I should add, the first time I saw rush geddy had a refrigerator on stage along with the vending machine, I remember toy dinosaurs on top. The previous tour was trace amps, because that was what was pictured in the tourbook, test for echo. So I can say I have been to every rush tour starting with the first to not have bass amps on stage.
That pic is from an old magazine ad for Engl amps.
I love threads like this where the cargo shorts and flip flops crowd criticizes those who enjoy putting on a show.
I love threads like this where the cargo shorts and flip flops crowd criticizes those who enjoy putting on a show.
As my voice teacher called it: "Flash & Trash"!
Fond memories of AC-DC with hydraulic cannons that came out of the stage, Rush's laser shows/screens, and Sting's falling tapestry effect.
Fond memories of AC-DC with hydraulic cannons that came out of the stage, Rush's laser shows/screens, and Sting's falling tapestry effect.
One of my older brother's many bands would have a hinged folding wall of them about 4" thick. Be a couple walls of 4 stacks to a section.
Right around 1979 my wife and I went to a little converted theatre in Pasadena called "Perkins Palace " to see George Thurogood and the Destroyers. He was just out with his first record on Rounder and was getting a lot of press. Other than being a great rock in show what I remember best was his stage set up.
1, count em, 1 vintage fender twin reverb, sitting on a metal folding chair, leaning back,with a microphone stabbed in front of it.
And yet his sound was like the world's largest buzzsaw in that auditorium. I think I sold my big cabs and bought my first DI box shortly after that.
1, count em, 1 vintage fender twin reverb, sitting on a metal folding chair, leaning back,with a microphone stabbed in front of it.
And yet his sound was like the world's largest buzzsaw in that auditorium. I think I sold my big cabs and bought my first DI box shortly after that.
Deep Purple @ California Jam 1974. Blackmore's 3 Marshal stacks fake. He even blew them up during the last song.
Zeppelin's first US tour 1968. Rickenbacker provided their Transonics for the tour. Jimmy Page unimpressed with them even before they were turned on demanded an entire new stage setup with a more commanding presence. Roadies merely created fake cabs out of whatever was on hand like painted refrigerator boxes, screens, and such, and dropped them over the top. The Transonics were still playing through them though.
Zeppelin's first US tour 1968. Rickenbacker provided their Transonics for the tour. Jimmy Page unimpressed with them even before they were turned on demanded an entire new stage setup with a more commanding presence. Roadies merely created fake cabs out of whatever was on hand like painted refrigerator boxes, screens, and such, and dropped them over the top. The Transonics were still playing through them though.
What's the deal? Who? When? Details, please...
If you saw a stage with nothing but band members and instruments, a couple of side fills and everybody had ear monitors and plugged into direct boxes, would you be happy?
Hmmmmm. picture gears turning in head. Since most of my ideas haven't made me a mil yet, I have yet another idea. Build ultra lightweight cases with backs and tops. Paint one side to look like a grill cloth and your favorite amp logo. Or a close facsimile of the logo as you might get sued for unauthorized use.
Then set one real combo amp on top of the cases. A couple cases opening from the back side could hold a lot of spare equipment.
Wait. Hold the presses. An even better idea. Styrofoam cabinets that can break down and stack! 12" deep by oh, 2 feet by 2 feet. Styrofoam wheels that snap in the bottom. At the end of the gig these un-assembled amps would take up no space but on stage would look massive!
Ok, be back soon. Heading for the shed!
Then set one real combo amp on top of the cases. A couple cases opening from the back side could hold a lot of spare equipment.
Wait. Hold the presses. An even better idea. Styrofoam cabinets that can break down and stack! 12" deep by oh, 2 feet by 2 feet. Styrofoam wheels that snap in the bottom. At the end of the gig these un-assembled amps would take up no space but on stage would look massive!
Ok, be back soon. Heading for the shed!