Any guitarist who completely switched over to MainStage?

Question

I'm a pretty big fan of "real" guitar equipment (amps & fx), but the idea of switching over to "just one" Mac with MainStage is very tempting as well. It would save me quite much work on setting my up my equipment every gig if I'd go digital. And it would save my back, too
Are there any guitarists around here who've walked that path already? I'd like to ask some questions.
1. Are you still using your own guitar amp or are you directly plugging into the PA?
2. Do you only use the Logic/Mainstage amps/fx or do you still prefer "the real thing" with fx or amps?
2b. Are there any type of fx you don't like on Logic/MS? Are you using a real one for that (so let's say for instance a crybaby wah instead of a midi expression pedal which controls the Logic/MS one)?
3. Do you use a certain device for switching between banks/fx (like the Apogee Gio) or do you use the mouse (even on stage)?
4. This might be a bit odd question, hard to describe, but how reliable is MainStage with your setup. Did it ever let you down on stage?
5. Do you use multiple banks. For example one bank for every song or just one bank with one pedalboard for the whole set?
6. How are live engineers dealing with your setup? Can they cope with that?

Answer 1

{quote:title=Jan Voortwist wrote:}>
1. Are you still using your own guitar amp or are you directly plugging into the PA?{quote}
When I use MS, I go direct to the PA, usually my own powered monitors. For short gigs, I often use my Peterson.
{quote} 2. Do you only use the Logic/Mainstage amps/fx or do you still prefer "the real thing" with fx or amps? {quote}
Apart from one patch I made on a Roland GP Multi-FX unit, which can only be created on their equipment, I use Logic's onboard FX & synths for everything.
2b. Are there any type of fx you don't like on Logic/MS? Are you using a real one for that (so let's say for instance a crybaby wah instead of a midi expression pedal which controls the Logic/MS one)?
See 2. above.
3. Do you use a certain device for switching between banks/fx (like the Apogee Gio) or do you use the mouse (even on stage)?
I use the arrow keys on my laptop.
4. This might be a bit odd question, hard to describe, but how reliable is MainStage with your setup. Did it ever let you down on stage?
MS 1 has been completely reliable for me. I am in the middle of converting to MS 2 & haven't taken it out in public yet. It was a bit erratic at first, but since rebuilding some of my patches, it seems to be a lot more stable.
{quote}5. Do you use multiple banks. For example one bank for every** song or just one bank with one pedalboard for the whole set?{quote}
** did you mean "each" here?
It depends on the gig. With my Greek trio, I use one patch for the whole set. On electronic gigs, I use a variety of patches in one large concert. This allows me to move between patches dedicated to wild FX without synths and a variety of synths, with or without their own FX. Each synth patch will have its own dedicated set of controls all worked from my UC-33. When needed, the FX patches will also have controllers assigned to them. This gives me a very versatile set of sounds without using too many patches.
6. How are live engineers dealing with your setup? Can they cope with that?{quote}
I am usually my own engineer. If I have to use one, I feed him a stereo signal to go into his PA. Most of them prefer to set up a GP EQ on their mixing desk that is used for all my sounds. I give them a volume check & then control most of the volumes from my own controller, the aforementioned UC-33