Keyboard Amp

[Grant Kester <gkester@xxxxxxxx>]

Dear List,

I have the same problem most of us do when it comes to playing out. I 
often can't hear myself on stage. Our band plays in such a variety of 
places (with our own PA, with the club's PA, with a soundman, without a 
soundman, etc.) that I never have a consistent feel for what I'm 
playing on stage. The most frustrating thing about this is that it 
forces you to sacrifice the quality/complexity of your playing (simpler 
riffs, less low-end, etc.). I saw Richard Hunter's advice about trying 
a keyboard amp (on his website) and picked up a used Peavey KB-60 on 
E-bay for around $200. It's been great so far. I put it right in front 
of me (facing the mic stand) and it's like I have my own personal stage 
monitor with volume control. As the band starts to get louder through 
the course of a gig I can easily tweak my volume up to compensate and 
it doesn't bother anyone else. I run a line-out to the board and the 
amp. has built in EQ and a pre-amp to boost my mic signal. I play 
mostly alt-country/honky tonk stuff (not so much overdriven blues) so I 
don't need the tube sound as much (although I have an amp that I can 
use for those gigs). For a cleaner sound, and for the sheer joy of 
being able to hear your own playing clearly, this amp is hard to beat. 
Hat's off to Richard Hunter.

Best wishes,
Grant Kester