h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I was at camp and playing in an electric quartet (2 vln, 2 vcl), except we all had pickups, not electric instruments. But no amps, we used ones belonging to the band viola-babe (our coach) is in. She plays electric 5-string in a beatles revival band. So we did Mean Mr Mustard/Polythene Pam. So, I'm going to buy an amp, and probably a better pickup (I have a super sensitive right now, which works, but not well. But they're cheap-$30). The pickup I want is Fishman ceramic piezo, for about $90.
But I don't know what to look for in amps. I've found two nice guitar amps (Fender 15 and 25 watt.) that are under $150 (with discount), but I'm not sure that they're what's needed for violin. So I was wondering what you have, and also if you use a pre-amp. (I've heard it's necessary for the best sound, at least on an acoustic, but that's another $100 )
One thing I've noticed (particularly after watching viola-babe's band, who have c. 7 amps between the 4 of them) is that some are *very* large, so weight is also a consideration. I don't want a really big one (the kind on wheels). I know the 15 watt would work for me (it's 15 lbs.), which I know I can carry around easily (my violin case weighs that if I put enough music in it), but the other is 25 pounds. I'm not so sure about that. I could probably do it, but I'm having trouble finding something around my house that weighs that much. So...
What do you think?
Jen

well my amp is a laney 60watt, and consequently is v big and heavy. however, when i was looking, one shop said that i needed a preamp to boost the signal from the violin to get a loud enough sound with a smaller amp. the sound with my amp is loud enough not to need a preamp for that reason.

where i bought the violin, the bloke in the shop said a preamp would be useful to equalise the sound-he said that without it i would get too much treble. but i was talking to a friend who says they're not really necessary (or the price i was going to spend wouldn't really get me v much). i think the preamp thing is really personal preference.

andrew has a marshall as50r amp, which is v nice and 50watt, and he doesn't have a preamp either, as the amp has a built in equaliser. but his elec vln is so nice and expensive that it doesn't really need one! also, his violin is active, wheras mine is passive, which means that his has a built in preamp.

another thing i was told is that becuase i had a violin, not a guitar, i should get an acoustic amp. however, since then i've been told that it doesn't matter what sort of amp-just get the one you like the sound of. its worth trying a lot out tho, because they do all make the violin sound completely different.

hope that helps!

that's what I've heard about the pre amp. So does the treble/mid/bass adjustment on the amp not do the same thing?
The minor problem in all of this is that I have about $200 right now that I'm willing to spend (I think then I will have $60 of spending money left) on this, but really not for a few months, because I like having money left over if I need it. And it's taken me a few years to get all of this (although I haven't been saving for one thing in particular, I've just been spending carefully) The pickup is $90, and the amps I'm looking at right now (although I haven't tried them) are $99 and $150. But (obviously) the more expensive one is a better amp. It has reverb controls (so I wouldn't need to buy a pedal just yet, which is good, because I'm not planning to, but I'd get the effect) and more power.
I'm going to try to get my parents to take me to the local music shop to look into this, though. They're lousy as far as tradional strings stuff is concerned (the only strings they sell are supersensitive (which are false from the day you put them on) and dominants, but they only had a steel, ball-end E last time I tried to get a new e string there, and I used a wound, loop-end. I don't even use a dominant E anymore, so I make sure I have c. 3 spares at all times, because there's nowhere near here where you can buy them, esp. cheap. They also rarely have even suzuki book 1, and carry little other music as well) But they're better with band instruments and electric guitars, so I'm hoping I can get some good advice there.
My dad has pointed out that some of this stuff will sound differently depending on which violin I put the pickup on. I want to use my good violin, but that's the one I practice on and use for lessons, so I can't if the pickup will change the sound in any way if I leave it on. He thinks I should use the "school violin", which actually sounds pretty good for the price ($300), but if I want to use it at home that means bringing the violin home and back to school. I also don't want to leave a good pickup at school all the time. I plan to be using this stuff with my friend a lot (she is buying an electric violin), but playing after school wouldn't work too well, because she does sports all year. Which means we can't have an impromtu jam session if the violin is at school. The other alternative is just to keep taking it on and off the instrument (either one). But that's a bit annoying.
And it did help!
thanks

...So does the treble/mid/bass adjustment on the amp not do the same thing?...
andrew says yes, but not as precisely. also, an amp with reverb is good-i use that function on mine alot, as i think it makes the tone warmer.
sounds like you have a problem violin wise. is the pickup a bridge pickup, or not? how easy would it be to take it on and off the violin? andrew says zeta pickups are v good-his elec vln has a specially designed bridge, which incorporates 2 pickups per string.
http://www.zetamusic.com shows all the products they do-his violin is the jazz fusion, and they sell that mpickup seperately, as a replacement part. but that would mean you wouldn't be able to keep taking it off. hope you get sorted out!

It's not a bridge pickup. The one I want has a little piece that fits in the side hole of the bridge, so it can be taken off. I've looked at the zeta stuff before, but not as something I would buy. They are v good, but also v expensive, which is not an option. The problem with using a bridge pickup of any sort is that I need to be able to use the instrument primarily for acoustic stuff (orchestra, violin lesson)
The amp I want is Fender Frontman 25R 25 watt (with reverb and effects channel), or maybe the smaller 15 watt (also with reverb). I think what we will do for now is buy the pickup and a 1/8 to 1/4 cable (the pickup is available with 1/4" output, but it's more attatched to the violin that way, more expensive, and harder to take off). I'm going to talk to someone I know here (she coached our electric group), but I don't know how to contact her, so I need to wait until she writes to me (she promised me a copy of the music we used, and she has all my registration info from camp, which includes ca. 6 forms of contact)
Also, we're going to wait on the preamp, buy the amp first, and then if not satisfied with the sound maybe my dad will buy it for me. I can afford everything else I want (even the cable, which is a whopping $6!), but the preamp is another $120, which I don't have. (counted up my money last night (which I just stick in a box, so I normally don't know how much I have). Got very excited every time I found a quarter lying around my room. I have over $10 in change now)