For those who are attending/have attended university, talk with me about your gear!

[Rogueleader]

I am going to college (moving in next week). And would like to know what everyone here used when they were attending or what you will be using!

Heres the fundamental parts of my dorm room practice rig.
Guitars (Jackson SLSMG, and 1985 ibanez dt250 destroyer)



Into engl e530 into headphones. For jamming/playing out/playing without headphones in the dorm I just ordered a rocktron solid state poweramp and a avatar 1x12 cabinet (which will still probably be too loud!) as well as a rack case to protect the preamp/poweramp.

What did you use?

[telecaster90]

First semester I had a Line6 Flextone III 1x12 combo. Second semester I came back with a Carvin MTS 3200 head and an Avatar 2x12. Does your school have designated practice times in the dorms?

[Rogueleader]

Originally Posted by telecaster90

First semester I had a Line6 Flextone III 1x12 combo. Second semester I came back with a Carvin MTS 3200 head and an Avatar 2x12. Does your school have designated practice times in the dorms?

No designated practice space in the dorms at my school. Luckily my room is a single so maybe if the people in the adjoining rooms aren't to anal I can practice sometimes with the cabinet. There is a designated practice space in the music department building (i'm majoring in music) but they are little 4x4 cells and its a pain to haul all the gear down.

Did your university have practice space in the dorms? How did the modeler work out for you? Everyone told me a small modeler would be a better choice but I'm not really a huge fan of any modeler on the market right now.

[wannabguitarist]

I'm going to community college and I live at home so I can get away with this as a "rig"

I leave for "real" college in December though so I need to figure out how I'm gonna down-size without spending an assload of money.

[Rogueleader]

Originally Posted by wannabguitarist

I'm going to community college and I live at home so I can get away with this as a "rig"

I leave for "real" college in December though so I need to figure out how I'm gonna down-size without spending an assload of money.

Love the jackson!

I'm facing the same quandry, I've been so spoiled by my blackmore that using anything else, especially through headphones, seems like a downgrade. Which mesas is that? I'm not the knowledgable about the mesa boogie brand but don't some of the newer ones have a power cut feature that makes them sound really good at lower volumes?

[wannabguitarist]

Originally Posted by Rogueleader

Love the jackson!

I'm facing the same quandry, I've been so spoiled by my blackmore that using anything else, especially through headphones, seems like a downgrade. Which mesas is that? I'm not the knowledgable about the mesa boogie brand but don't some of the newer ones have a power cut feature that makes them sound really good at lower volumes?

Thanks, I'm liking that red SLSMG too. Everyone seems to get the blacks ones for some reason.

That's an older DC-5 (50 watts), and even with the Weber Mass it's ridiculously loud. I think the Mark V has that feature but I'm not sure.

How's the e530 sound?

[troyguitar]

Well, when I was in an actual dorm room I just used a cheapo $99 strat copy and a Korg PX4 through my computer speakers.

I moved into a frat house after the first year though, and played a Jackson PC-1 into a Soldano Astroverb in the basement. I still regret selling that amp, they've gone WAY up in price since then too.

[DaveCarter]

I finished a music degree this year, here's what I ended up with in my room by my last year:

RG1527
RG7321
RG550
Les Paul
Strat
Acoustic
Classical

Line 6 Spider II 30W 112 (Practise)
Mesa Roadster (Gigging, exams)
Mesa Recto 212
Pedal board
Multitrack recorder + SM57

They has Flextone XLs, Peavey Valvekings and Pod XT Pros in all the practise rooms so I never needed to shift gear around for rehearsals. I started my first year with a lot less stuff but my advice would be to take as much as you can afford to take, its suprising how much gear you can find a need for when you're studying music! Make sure you have a way of playing through headphones so you dont piss off your flatmates by practising at 4am

[telecaster90]

Originally Posted by Rogueleader

No designated practice space in the dorms at my school. Luckily my room is a single so maybe if the people in the adjoining rooms aren't to anal I can practice sometimes with the cabinet. There is a designated practice space in the music department building (i'm majoring in music) but they are little 4x4 cells and its a pain to haul all the gear down.

Did your university have practice space in the dorms? How did the modeler work out for you? Everyone told me a small modeler would be a better choice but I'm not really a huge fan of any modeler on the market right now.

The modeler worked out alright for me, it was more of a preference of tube tone than anything else. My school doesn't have practice spaces in the dorms, and there were only certain times you could practice.

[Jzbass25]

I'm moving into my on campus apartment next week and I'm going to have a

Legacy head with a 2x12 legacy cab
A few pedals, Weber attenuator
Rg1527
Rg2570

and hopefully I'll buy a G-major 2 sooner or later. I'm sort of worried about brining my gear from fear of it being stolen but it is a pretty secure place.

[Rogueleader]

Originally Posted by SplinteredDave

I finished a music degree this year, here's what I ended up with in my room by my last year:

RG1527
RG7321
RG550
Les Paul
Strat
Acoustic
Classical

Line 6 Spider II 30W 112 (Practise)
Mesa Roadster (Gigging, exams)
Mesa Recto 212
Pedal board
Multitrack recorder + SM57

They has Flextone XLs, Peavey Valvekings and Pod XT Pros in all the practise rooms so I never needed to shift gear around for rehearsals. I started my first year with a lot less stuff but my advice would be to take as much as you can afford to take, its suprising how much gear you can find a need for when you're studying music! Make sure you have a way of playing through headphones so you dont piss off your flatmates by practising at 4am

Damn, thats alot of stuff. I'm still on the fence as to whether I want to bring my practice bass rig (Fender P bass into peavy 15 watt practice amp). I'm gonna see how the other people with adjoining rooms are and then if it seems appropiate I may sneak the blackmore in by semester. How big was your room? My room is a little more than half of this

And I have no clue where I'll be putting everything.

Originally Posted by troyguitar

Well, when I was in an actual dorm room I just used a cheapo $99 strat copy and a Korg PX4 through my computer speakers.

I moved into a frat house after the first year though, and played a Jackson PC-1 into a Soldano Astroverb in the basement. I still regret selling that amp, they've gone WAY up in price since then too.

Thats quite an upgrade between years. Do you think frat houses are more tolerating in the regard of practicing? If so I would pledge in a heartbeat!

Originally Posted by Jzbass25

I'm moving into my on campus apartment next week and I'm going to have a

Legacy head with a 2x12 legacy cab
A few pedals, Weber attenuator
Rg1527
Rg2570

and hopefully I'll buy a G-major 2 sooner or later. I'm sort of worried about brining my gear from fear of it being stolen but it is a pretty secure place.

It seems like a lot of people prefer the weber attenuators? About how much does one of those set you back? Do they work pretty well?

[MacTown09]

i am going to college next week and this is what i will bring as far as musical gear:

Peavey XXX head
Vader 2x12
Schecter hellraiser c7
Tone port/headphones for practice
Classical Cordoba

[Neuraxiom]

The summer before I moved into my dorm, I decided that I wouldn't have a lot of space so I bought a micro cube.

I barely used the damn thing after buying a podXT Live and using my computer as an amp. Computer speakers are good enough for practice and quiet enough for the roommates/neighbors not to care.

[Rogueleader]

Originally Posted by MacTown09

i am going to college next week and this is what i will bring as far as musical gear:

Peavey XXX head
Vader 2x12
Schecter hellraiser c7
Tone port/headphones for practice
Classical Cordoba

Where are you headed? I wanted a vader 2x12 originally but I'm on the 8th floor and wanted something pretty light. Is the classical for coursework? I'm gonna have to get one for the music coursework and have no idea whats good (my mom is a classical guitarist and has an original contreras but beyond that I haven't even played classical).

[Ostia Man]

If your gonna have a computer run a pod directly. and you can record any ideas or chord progressions to jam over and stuff. Its a lot more practical, not the best sound but hey, not bad at all.

when I started going to college (conservatory of music) I had a boss gt-5 and a 4-track tascam and two cheap radio shack speakers this was 1998.
I had a blue voodoo half stack(still do, Its... somewhere...) but stayed at home

[budda]

i lived in a bungalo first year, townhouse 2nd year and am 2 weeks away from that same townhouse.

JSX halfstack + guitars. no issues

[wannabguitarist]

Originally Posted by Rogueleader

Thats quite an upgrade between years. Do you think frat houses are more tolerating in the regard of practicing? If so I would pledge in a heartbeat!

The people are more likely to tolerate the extra noise but you have a better chance of getting stuff stolen depending on how often the frat throws parties at the house. I honestly would not feel safe leaving my gear in a frat house, even behind a locked door.

It seems like a lot of people prefer the weber attenuators? About how much does one of those set you back? Do they work pretty well?

AFAIK mine was a bit cheaper than a similar THD hotplate. I picked mainly because you can adjust the resistance so if I ever decided to sell my amp and get a different one I could keep the same attenuator.

[thesimo]

Pod XT Pro + Headphones

[DaveCarter]

Originally Posted by Rogueleader

Damn, thats alot of stuff. I'm still on the fence as to whether I want to bring my practice bass rig (Fender P bass into peavy 15 watt practice amp). I'm gonna see how the other people with adjoining rooms are and then if it seems appropiate I may sneak the blackmore in by semester. How big was your room? My room is a little more than half of this

And I have no clue where I'll be putting everything.

It does look like I had a bit more room than you'll have, but you can still be creative with what you've got. I had all my flightcases lined up behind the door together with my drum hardware, then a 5-way rack of guitars against the wall with the Mesa next to it. Then the Line 6 went under my desk, and things like the multitrack/wireless/pedals in the bottom of my wardrobe. Other people I knew kept guitars in cases under their beds or on top of the wardrobe, so there's always a way to shoehorn stuff in!!

On the course performance students were assessed as much on tone as we were on playing, so you had to have enough gear to get the right sound; playing strat-material on a les paul would easily get you marked down. People were usually happy to share gear though, since not everyone is lucky enough to be able to afford loads of stuff. I was always loaning out the Mesa and my pedals because I didnt want people getting shit marks for not having the right sound just because they couldnt afford the right gear! Depends what sort of stuff you'll be doing on the course, but generally Id say try and take as much as you can!!

[djpharoah]

I'm gonna be making this same decision soon. My choices are Pod X3 Live, Boss GT10 or Digitech RP1000. All of these with headphones+laptop for recording.

[Rogueleader]

Originally Posted by djpharoah

I'm gonna be making this same decision soon. My choices are Pod X3 Live, Boss GT10 or Digitech RP1000. All of these with headphones+laptop for recording.

I thought were considering the engl e530 too? i was considering modelers too but I prefer excellence in one area over versatility. Tell me how they work out though, I may make the switch.

Originally Posted by SplinteredDave

It does look like I had a bit more room than you'll have, but you can still be creative with what you've got. I had all my flightcases lined up behind the door together with my drum hardware, then a 5-way rack of guitars against the wall with the Mesa next to it. Then the Line 6 went under my desk, and things like the multitrack/wireless/pedals in the bottom of my wardrobe. Other people I knew kept guitars in cases under their beds or on top of the wardrobe, so there's always a way to shoehorn stuff in!!

On the course performance students were assessed as much on tone as we were on playing, so you had to have enough gear to get the right sound; playing strat-material on a les paul would easily get you marked down. People were usually happy to share gear though, since not everyone is lucky enough to be able to afford loads of stuff. I was always loaning out the Mesa and my pedals because I didnt want people getting shit marks for not having the right sound just because they couldnt afford the right gear! Depends what sort of stuff you'll be doing on the course, but generally Id say try and take as much as you can!!

Where did you attend? It sounds very demanding!

[djpharoah]

Originally Posted by Rogueleader

I thought were considering the engl e530 too? i was considering modelers too but I prefer excellence in one area over versatility. Tell me how they work out though, I may make the switch.

I'm still looking at the E530+boss gt8 as my fx...just gotta find one for cheap.

[MacTown09]

Originally Posted by Rogueleader

Where are you headed? I wanted a vader 2x12 originally but I'm on the 8th floor and wanted something pretty light. Is the classical for coursework? I'm gonna have to get one for the music coursework and have no idea whats good (my mom is a classical guitarist and has an original contreras but beyond that I haven't even played classical).

I am headed to UNT (university of north texas). Yea the vader is pretty awesome man and its really light. I am on the second floor so its not too bad. And yea the classical is for coursework. Mine is pretty decent. I got it for a good price so i cant really complain. Its a cordoba 45r

[sepherus]

Wow. All the more reason that i used to commute (will when i decide to go back too.) Its hard enough living in a flat with a housemate and upstairs neighbors. I wouldn't be able to survive with so many people all near by with paper thin walls.

Also, doesn't the E530 have a 1.5 watt poweramp in it? That should be more than plenty loud for dorm, or house needs.

[Rogueleader]

Originally Posted by sepherus

Wow. All the more reason that i used to commute (will when i decide to go back too.) Its hard enough living in a flat with a housemate and upstairs neighbors. I wouldn't be able to survive with so many people all near by with paper thin walls.

Also, doesn't the E530 have a 1.5 watt poweramp in it? That should be more than plenty loud for dorm, or house needs.

Yep, I believe the poweramp is .5 watts but it sounds great at all volumes (its and engl!). The tone through that little .5 watt ss poweramp is perfectly good for practicing and making rough recordings. I like the e530 unit alot and don't think I'll ever part with it. Its maybe not the best first choice for a dedicated preamp but it has certain unique features that make it worthwhile.