Anyone use plexiglass shields in front of their amps?

I use attenuators on my various amps and still get calls to turn down.....maybe I need to try the shields to deflect the sound. Guitar amps are very beamy.

Anyone use these? If so did you buy or build your own?

I have not, but I'd imagine you'd be micing your cabinet in that situation, and thus likely having monitors. Why not just sidefill or aim your cab at the back wall? Plexiglass is for guys who need to keep the logos on their gear visible to audiences per an endorsement deal.

The foam donuts beam blocked can help the people within range.

Improvise - it's what lots of us did back in the day. If pointing your amp sideways or backwards isn't practical or doesn't give you the desired results, make a gobo out of whatever's handy to reduce beaminess or level coming off your amp. Use an open guitar case (or two), alone or without a moving blanket to absorb sound (hint: open them up w/the lining facing the speakers for obvious reasons). Is there any of the following available at the venue to help you jury rig something - curtains, some foam, cushions, moving blankets? Get creative. Trick here is not to muffle sound waves (you don't want to choke/muddy up your tone), but to absorb them a few feet off the amp or otherwise divert the sound away.

Problem with plexi shields is: 1) they can create a 'sonic stew' of reflected sound waves onstage that can have a host of bleed or other problems, 2) they're not particularly cheap, and 3) they're extra kit to haul to the gig (unlike a moving blanket which comes in pretty handy).

Beam blockers and donuts might help the cause (the beaminess in particular, but can they take much level off?). I've always kinda written 'em off as somewhat inflexible from the point of view that you can't change them on the fly to meet the needs of the gig. Maybe you can with some of them now - don't know...

Played in church with a three panel plexi baffle. I used a wireless, so walking out in the sanctuary wasn't a problem. I noticed that the microphone (SM57) seemed shrill and hard to EQ. We moved the microphone to the back of my open-back combo and it was better. Much better. What's going on in front of the amp no longer mattered.

I'd rather play my amp into baffles than have no amp at all. Sound pressure is highly underrated.

I'm not one have to crank it to get my tone guys, I just need to hear myself over the drums. Maybe if he had a plexi glass shield?

never have used one , most of the stages I play on are too small , I'd probably fall over it

I made a couple folding plexi screens for me & our other guitar player a couple years ago. Took a couple of large pieces of plexi, cut em to shape & wrapped the edges in gaffer tape then duct tape over that. I used four sections, basically making a "W" from above. The tape serves as the hinges. I'd just add more tape if there were any tears or snags. The screens worked great at places with elevated stages where our cabs would wind up being eye 'n ear level. Kept us from slicing off the heads of the poor unsuspecting audiences. Quite often, we'd get compliments from the bar management about using them.

My old baby boogie really projects and it's only when I get about 20 feet away that I realize just how loud I am playing.

So I built a plexiglass folding unit using piano hinges. It helps in a major way in that it's not killing the audience and

I'm able to still crank it up. The plexi shields I've seen are pretty expensive so I made my own. Good luck.

Even when not "cranking it" guitar amps have always had a problem with sound dispersion. Different parts of the cone react differently, and the highs especially tend to go straight out.

I have seen people use the plexi shields with good success. I wish there was some kind of dispersal thing you could just put on a mic stand and place in front of the speaker.

And if you build one, use Lexan. Plexiglas breaks.

tbonesullivan said:

Even when not "cranking it" guitar amps have always had a problem with sound dispersion. Different parts of the cone react differently, and the highs especially tend to go straight out.

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I use Beam Blockers, by Weber to solve that issue. I'm a big fan of the results. But there are many similar products or diy methods available.

Ive got a portable bullitin board fold out thing I use sometimes. 2 bucks at a thrift store. Not see through but I dont care. Plus is it the 79 dollar epi valve jr or the 5k bruno? Who cares lol

In "Physics For The Bar Band Musician", a VERY short tome, it states that, regardless of the venue, the guitarist's amp will be pointed directly at the head of whoever is paying you.

I figured out that a lot of it had to do with the beaminess of most guitar speakers. To that end, I started taking a backup guitar with me. I didn't particularly need one, but when I put it on a stand directly in front of my 1 x 12 combo, the complaints got to be fewer.

Thanks for the advice guys. I have been playing out a long time, and this is an age-old problem as I like my dirt to come from cranking the amp.i do sometimes turn the amp around and I have some old CDs that I will try as beam blockers.

I usually set my guitar stand with backup right in front of the speakers....