Guitar & bass amp setup questions

[mullin]

Hi, my church just had a relocation and so did the music instruments setup.

Someone said that both our Guitar amp and Bass amp are damaged seriously internally. He claimed that someone should have plugged a bass guitar into a guitar amp that make the bass part of it damaged. So does the bass amp that someone should have plugged an electric guitar into bass amp that damaged the trem. part of it. Moreover, some loudspeakers on the main hall seem not function properly as well and he said it should be due to the mal-practice of the players, those tried to increase the volumn of the guitar amp in order to hear his part clearly, but it hurts the loudspeaker.

Therefore, he recommends not having individual amp for monitoring, but all instruments plugged into PA and then there's a monitor for the mixed output from the PA just like what heard by the audience.

I'm not good at the setup and have a few questions?

1. Is it really true that the guitar & bass amp will be damaged if bass guitar into guitar amp and electric guitar into bass amp?
2. Is it general/normal way to let all hear the mixed output, instead of his own part? Seems not so clear if mixed.
3. Any device (e.g. DI box) to sit between amp and PA and limit the input from amp, so that it won't hurt the loudspeakers outside

Thanks!

 

[lbanks]

Hi, my church just had a relocation and so did the music instruments setup.


I'm not good at the setup and have a few questions?

1. Is it really true that the guitar & bass amp will be damaged if bass guitar into guitar amp and electric guitar into bass amp?

Bass in to a guitar may damage the speakers, if played loudly. Guitar into bass, no consequence.

2. Is it general/normal way to let all hear the mixed output, instead of his own part? Seems not so clear if mixed.

Not to me. I only want to hear vocals in my monitors

3. Any device (e.g. DI box) to sit between amp and PA and limit the input from amp, so that it won't hurt the loudspeakers outside

Not needed. Proper PA setup will take care of any damage. We need a better desciption of your system. Such as types, brands and power ratings.

 

[Dani Pace]

Without a more detailed description of the PA it is hard to sort out the problem. A likely cause would be in the wiring to the speakers. It is possible that something got damaged while moving the system. I would suggest hiring an audio technician to check the system. It could be something as simple as dust on some contacts or a little corrosion someplace. Something may have got knocked loose during the move.

As already mentioned, bass into a guitar amp can damage speakers. Especially if played loud or for extended periods. Bass frequencies are lower than what guitar amps are meant to handle but rarely damage the electronics, it is possible but not likely. Bass amps are not likely to be damaged by playing guitar through them. In fact many guitarist prefer to use bass amps, they work very well for electric/acoustic guitars.

What a person hears through the monitors is a matter of personal preference. Some people want to hear only themselves, others want to hear everything, and some want to hear select parts or vocals. Monitor levels and main output levels have separate controls so what is heard through monitors is not the same as is what is heard through the main speaker system.

Micing the guitar amp would be the best option for getting the guitar through the PA system. The bass amp can be either miced or DI (via the line out.) The person operating the mixer will have control of volumes and should keep them low enough not to damage the speakers.

I played guitar in a (Charismatic) church for several years. Sometimes we sounded great, sometimes we were awful. It made a lot of difference when we had someone at the mixing console who knew what they were doing.

 

[David J Sims]

Bass into guitar amps can damage them the cones in the speakers can be damaged and/or stretch them