Gravitating back to the Germino

[Plank_Spanker]

I've been using my Johnson combo exclusively for the past year and it sounds great on some patches, semi-passable on other patches, particularly the driven tube models. I need real driven tubes. I spent most of the day yesterday reacquainting myself with the Germino..............and I'm amazed all over again. I want to take this amp to gigs, but there's a wee problem.........

I need some of the patches I have loaded in the Johnsons , and the Germino will just not do them. I need to take both amps and A/B them. The problem is stage real estate - a lack thereof in most of the bars we play. I need to make a stand with the Germino close to floor and the Johnson combo behind and above it. I don't want to set the Germino directly on the floor, and I can't stack the amps because the Germino's controls are on top and the Johnson's top is too narrow to support the Germino.

Looks like it's off to Home Depot for some wood to build a stand..........

[Katastrophe]

I've got a solution to the problem!

Take the Germino... Does it have an effects loop?

Purchase a Floor Pod type unit and put it into the effects loop. Bypass the pod effects and use the amph, then kick in the patches on the Pod when needed. Would that work?

[Robert]

What exactly is it that the Germino can't do?

[Plank_Spanker]

No FX loop on the Germino. It's a simple 2 channel NVM beast.

[Plank_Spanker]

What exactly is it that the Germino can't do?

Tremelo, pitch shift, harmonizer - to name a few. I could use pedals, but I really don't like having a half acre of pedalboard to run. As it is now, I use a Radial Tone Bone, Boss chorus and EH Holy Grail with the Germino and that's it.

[Robert]

Can't you just get a programmable multi-fx unit that has a floorboard control, and the problem is solved?

[hubberjub]

I love that amp. It needs to be used.

[Katastrophe]

Can't you just get a programmable multi-fx unit that has a floorboard control, and the problem is solved?

I'm with Robert on this one. You could still use a multi-fx unit in line from the guitar and the amph, and save a lot of stage real estate...:rockon:

[Plank_Spanker]

I have thought about a multi FX board, and I still haven't ruled it out. I might have to test drive a few.

Always decisions, there are................:D

[Katastrophe]

Also, MF (not that they've been getting good reviews lately) has a stand for $20.00.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Musicians-Gear-Deluxe-Amp-Stand?sku=451065

Could save you some time and wood...:D

Also, don't you have a beer crate that you set the Germino on? That would be cool onstage!

[hubberjub]

In my opinion, if you are already using a high end boutique amp like a Germino it would be sacreligious to stick a multi-effect unit in front of it. Since it doesn't sound like you use a ton of effects you should get a few true bypass pedals. A single pedal is purpose built where multi-effect pedals focus more on giving you a little bit of everything without getting the sound just right. Plus I find that they sap your tone and it's easier to tweak a couple of knobs than it is to scroll through menus if you want to change your sound up. You've spent money and got a nice guitar and amp, I don't think you should risk your tone by possibly introducing a weak link. Again, no offense to multi-effects pedal users. This is just one man's opinion.

[Robert]

Put it in the loop! Not in front of the amp. You do have a loop, I hope? With a good fx unit, midi-controlled perhaps, in the amp's FX loop, you'll get better tone than with a bunch of stompboxes in front.

[hubberjub]

There isn't a loop on this amp. I'm pretty sure this is based around the old Marshall Bluesbreaker design. No effects loop or master volume.

[Plank_Spanker]

I'm really inclined to run the Germino with just minimal FX and not use a multi FX board. The amp sounds incredible straight up, and that's the reason I bought it. I'm going to engineer a way to get both amps on stage with minimal real estate. This also gives me the fallback of a spare amp on stage and warmed up...............as a pilot, I love redundancy. :D

It also gives me the option of running both amps at once - really fatten up some rhythm work.

I think I'll go with the beer crates to prototype the stand.

[tot_Ou_tard]

You plan seems like a great one Plank.

2 amphs are better than one ;).