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Portable battery power for gigging outside


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Recently, we discussed the Carvin StageMate amp/PA that is battery-powered. Well, what about a battery device, in essence a portable rechargable battery that you could plus your own amp into. Bound to be something like this. I know that there are some solar powered things like this. Know of anything that you can recharge again and again just by plugging it into an outlet?

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Yeah that's do-able Duke. The problem is the expense. The batteries that last a decent length of time and are leak proof are expensive. The power converter is also costly, at least the last time I looked at them. A transportable enclosure isn't too hard to build & there are probably some prefabs around. If you need more that the 100 watts the StageMate puts out then it's feasable. If the 100 watts is enough I don't know if you can build a quality unit from scratch for too much less that the whole cost of the StageMate. I'm guessing today, but from recollection, the money you'll spend to build a quality setup will be close to $350.00, maybe more. The last time I bought even the small U size sealed deep cycle type of battery they were about $75.00 a piece & the last decent converter I looked at was well over $200.00

 

Our Joint

 

"When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it." The Duke...

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Check with a big seller like full compass or sweetwater. Your looking for a product called the Far Outlet. Its around $300 and provides 3-5 hours for a pa head and is rechargable. Frost
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I have a friend that plays for civil war reinactments. He built a battery powered P.A. system into an old trunk so it would not be seen. He has a 100 watt head, a four channel mixer and a couple of speakers mounted in the trunk. You simply need to check out the RV industry. Deep cycle marine batteries and AC converters are available for very little money. He is into his battery and converter for under $150 and he plays for four hours or more with no problems. The upside to this is that he can also run lights and use an electric drill if the need ever arises... Pignose makes a battery powered unit that will go for several hours and double as a single speaker small PA. or guitar/bass box too.

Mark G.

"A man may fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame others" -- John Burroughs

 

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[quote]Originally posted by LiveMusic: [b]Say, can you run that Carvin StageMate off of AC as well? Could that PA system serve as your sole PA system? Plug it in where there's power, otherwise, use the battery power?[/b][/quote]The answer to that is yes to the operation with it plugged in. It charges the battery when turned on. You can run it off of 12 volts from your vehicle too. You could use it as your sole PA system but you're stuck with pretty small gigs then but should do fine for small clubs, coffee houses & etc. For your use, it'll be better than the Pignose style of amp. Those are more for guitar than vocals.

 

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"When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it." The Duke...

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Duke, I just got my Carvin sales flyer in the mail. That StageMate S400 is on sale for $389.99 & you get a free tripod stand with it. They also have the 200 watt 6 channel package for $476.99. I'm not sure what the freight is but it's probably reasonable.

 

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"When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it." The Duke...

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[quote]Originally posted by daklander: [b]Duke, I just got my Carvin sales flyer in the mail. That StageMate S400 is on sale for $389.99 & you get a free tripod stand with it. They also have the 200 watt 6 channel package for $476.99. I'm not sure what the freight is but it's probably reasonable.[/b][/quote]Funny that you posted this because I got my first Carvin catalog today and have been looking at it. But I don't see what you quote. That's a pretty good deal! You must've got a separate flyer? Is that price for anyone? That 200 watt 6 channel package, is there a model number? Maybe it's 620-805, which they show for $529 and it includes PA620 mixer, two 805 speakers, two cables, a CM50 mic and cable. I assume the StageMate is 100 watt only, no other models. This is going to be a dumb question I guess. I think I asked this before on MP forums but I don't recall an answer... I have a Fender Acoustatonic Junior and also a Fender Blues Junior. If I am playing a solo gig, all I would need would be my vocal, my acoustic guitar, my keyboard and maybe an electric guitar. That's four channels, right? Anything beyond that, say someone is duoing with me, I'm out of channels? Again, I am just about totally gear ignorant. Oh, back up... the question I asked once was what do my amps do that the PA won't do or vice versa? BTW, if that StageMate will drive my acoustic, electric, vocal mic and keyboard, that seems to be the ticket for me since I can use it AC when power is handy and DC if away from power. Looks like a good rig. Because I do not envision being in large places and if so, they'd have a larger PA system anyway. Thanks.

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One last thing, last, hopefully... Fender maked a portable PA system called Passport. It's on page 53 of Musician's Friend catalog if you have it. Any thoughts on that system? Well plural, there's actually four. Hmmmm... I see a battery pack as well. Do you use a monitor at your gigs? Do you use any effects whatsoever or is it just your vocal and acoustic guitar? Reason I ask is because I am having a heckuva time deciding whether to augment my guitar songs with something "extra" for a richer sound. I mean, I'm no guitar virtuoso and I'm my voice is okay but nothing great. This keyboard just sounds so damn awesome with auto-accompaniment. The songs that I play that sound great on it, those are the keepers. Some songs just lend themselves to shining with auto-accompaniment. I don't know what I would do to spiff up guitar songs because I've asked this question before and basically, I guess the answer isn't what I had hoped for. The only thing I know to do is get a Boomerang and play against my loops. Or MAYBE I'd consider backing tracks. I dunno, cause I've never used them. I would prefer it to be spontaneous accompaniment or something I can control. Even with the Boomerang (phrase sampler), you can toggle it off and on with the foot switch. Heck, now I'm starting an entirely new topic... the other thing I've thought of is a drum "kit." When I was a kid, I played drums, so I guess I could get decent. But I saw this guy who plays his guitar and sings and plays the drum kit with his feet and it is actually pretty cool. Let me put it this way. The acts you see, maybe you're one of them, who sound just friggin' awesome just them and their guitar... that ain't me. I'm not there yet. I don't have the chops yet. I guess I want something to kinda cover up my screwups. ;) Even on real slow songs where I fingerpick, I've wondered if you could layer in a string accompaniment or background bass and mix it in real subtle so it's not very detectible but it's there and it enrichens the sound. Yep, I'm gonna start another thread on this someday. ;) Thanks, you've been helpful! Now, if I could only sing like Bonnie Raitt. Errr... I mean Delbert McClinton.

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[quote]Originally posted by LiveMusic: [b]One last thing, last, hopefully... Fender maked a portable PA system called Passport. It's on page 53 of Musician's Friend catalog if you have it. Any thoughts on that system? Well plural, there's actually four. Hmmmm... I see a battery pack as well.[/b] I've heard the Passport. I wasn't that impressed & it's only 3 inputs isn't it? [b] Do you use a monitor at your gigs?[/b] That depends on the size of the venue. Small & cozy I usually don't need one. If it's outdoors & spreadout, YES! [b] Do you use any effects whatsoever or is it just your vocal and acoustic guitar? Reason I ask is because I am having a heckuva time deciding whether to augment my guitar songs with something "extra" for a richer sound. I mean, I'm no guitar virtuoso and I'm my voice is okay but nothing great.[/b] I just tweak in some reverb that's on the mixer. If you haven't before, listen [url=http://www.daklandermusic.com/songs/whiskey.mp3]to this live[/url] recording from a gig, direct into cassette with an ambient mic blended in. [b] This keyboard just sounds so damn awesome with auto-accompaniment. The songs that I play that sound great on it, those are the keepers. Some songs just lend themselves to shining with auto-accompaniment. I don't know what I would do to spiff up guitar songs because I've asked this question before and basically, I guess the answer isn't what I had hoped for. The only thing I know to do is get a Boomerang and play against my loops. Or MAYBE I'd consider backing tracks. I dunno, cause I've never used them. I would prefer it to be spontaneous accompaniment or something I can control. Even with the Boomerang (phrase sampler), you can toggle it off and on with the foot switch.[/b] [b] Let me put it this way. The acts you see, maybe you're one of them, who sound just friggin' awesome just them and their guitar... that ain't me. I'm not there yet. I don't have the chops yet. I guess I want something to kinda cover up my screwups. ;) [/b] Nothing will cover up screw ups. You learn to live with them & move on. You can hear that kind of stuff in the recording. It is just me & the guitar though. [b] Even on real slow songs where I fingerpick, I've wondered if you could layer in a string accompaniment or background bass and mix it in real subtle so it's not very detectible but it's there and it enrichens the sound. Yep, I'm gonna start another thread on this someday. ;) Thanks, you've been helpful! Now, if I could only sing like Bonnie Raitt. Errr... I mean Delbert McClinton.[/b][/quote]No reason you can't blend in the accompaniment. With the 4 channels you'll be short but with 6 you're in like Flynn.

 

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"When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it." The Duke...

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