Hey guys/girls...

So I've been playing for some 20 years or so with varying levels of commitment in that time. In the first ten years performed with some bands as a firstly rhythm guitarist then onto also adding some soloing in. The town I live in is a live music 'desert' so kept playing by myself but really only to keep up some level of competency.

Fast forward to 5 years ago and the marriage, house then kids projects started and I had more at home time to play, firstly updating my multi fx unit to a boss ME50, soon after purchasing a Boss looper RC-2. Started playing everyday again and noticed the old practice amp is not cutting the mustard with the drum/bass I was then adding with the looper. So back down to the shop and reasons that will become evident, chose a Marshall stack MGHDFX. considering I'm playing blues with a jazz coloring probably not the best choice BUT seemed to be the only unit capable of handling the drums/bass without distorting even at very low volumes. Fast forward another few years and the dream of performing again is still alive so had been trying to jam with ppl to form something....again the 'desert' is still hot and dry so that hasn't been going so well.

Somewhere along the line recently I wondered about busking but how, since I mostly play electric thru my looper....a week later i found a place willing to let me plug into the grid and was keen to have me play as it turns out he is a (ex) jazz pianist himself so it forced me to pull my finger out and found myself in front of a book shop in a local dining/drinking hotspot, legs shaking and all as I setup. Expecting to be heckled and have prbs to my complete surprise I received many favorable comments about my music! I'd only organized to play for 2 hours thinking I might make 1.5 hours & 4 hours later when the shop had to close I packed up and found I'd made close to $100! I work 2 jobs already and my 2nd one is a bottle shop around the corner from where i played and a 5 hour shift only nets me about $50-60 (after tax). Hmmmm I wonder which I'd prefer to do. I will say at this point I placed a notice saying I was busking for the recent flood victims across Oz and would donate all proceeds as making $$ from busking wasn't my intention....anyhow last night decided to give it another crack, without any pleas of donations for anyone and just played. While it was light and warm we had a massive storm ourselves (20mm in 15mins) so it wasn't looking good but it blows over and I start at 630 only 1.5 hrs late. Played again right thru til shop close at 9 and this time I made OVER $100....! I just can't believe it! Not only is it more than the 2nd Job but it's about what I made per 3-4 hour gig with the bands back in the day 2
Without the prbs that come along with rehearsing, difficult ppl or simply no ppl!

So I've popped the busking cherry so to speak and looking at my gear once more, thankfully I had a loaner amp (peavey delta blues tube amp so also popping my tube amp cherry hahaha) as a stack isn't really a good option BUT the Peavey also suffers from the same distortion my old SS peavey amp did! I was told any amp with an open back would distort with drums even at low levels plugging the Marshall in immediately drums are tight and bass crisp no distortion even at HIGH volumes so perhaps the shop was right!

So this post was about describing my first time busking experience but the follow up question is about amps and possible options....

Trying g to wrap it up, the delta blues amp is up for sale cheap and near new. It sounds ALOT better than the Marshall, (most of u would be laughing at my ignorance) but therein lies the issue - I am self taught over a long time (& still learning so much) but have little experience with gear. I bought a very exp ibanez some 15 yrs ago and i still love it even tho I play the 'wrong' music on which is was intended by the factory for but bought it cause I loved the look/colour of it so much rather than a decision based on knowledge. Same goes for the amp really other than it was in my budget and didn't distort, since I didn't ever think I'd go busking, it's now the wrong amp. I can get the tube peavey half what it is new and for busking levels the distortion from drums is barely here with only bass tracks not sounding quite as clear/crisp VS Marshall....

So that was all typed using tapatalk, stoked that the forum has added this great work btw!!!