nicola_a Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 Hi everyone. This post may sound ridiculous, but here goes anyway! I recently discovered the Theatrelight Showmaster console. I fell a bit in love with the ease of using it as a manual, impromptu, simple desk for quick shows where you don't get any plotting time or even rehearsals sometimes. I'm relatively new to lighting but I do gigs at a lot of different venues - and I've been considering buying an old, affordable one of my own that I can take around to these gigs for the times where the console is a total pain or even non-existent. So, what I want to ask is, even if I manage to find a Showmaster for sale it will be 20 years old, do you think this is a decent idea? Does anyone else have any suggestions for a really discount (a couple hundred AUD$, which is what the Showmaster sells for these days) console that just has some channel faders, scene faders, chase capabilities...? Thanks for your input! Nicola Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 FWIW, I think buying such an old, and quite possibly fairly battered and abused, desk for your own personal use wouldn't be a good idea. My advice would be to look at spending a little more on something newer, better and more reliable, which in five years' time you won't find yourself regretting spending your hard-earned cash on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Or, to repeat an oft-made comment...Don't buy yourself anything. If you don't have a 'home' venue with it's own gear, then look at the hire options available to you, get demos on several desk options then see what a) suits you personally and vb) is a popular desk for other hirers around your area and simply hire that desk (or desks) whenever needed to run a show - and likely get the company you're working for pay for that hire. far more sense, to be blunt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k.gen04 Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Or you could consider a computerized control solution - Q Light Controller and the Enttec OpenDMX USB to DMX dongle, for example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GridGirl Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Or you could consider a computerized control solution - Q Light Controller and the Enttec OpenDMX USB to DMX dongle, for example. Yes, but the OP was specific in her needs (my bold below): ...console that just has some channel faders, scene faders, chase capabilities...? A computerized control solution really doesn't provide for any of those needs apart from the chase capabilities. The Showmaster - in fact, the entire range of TheatreLight desks - is a fantastic basic desk; we use a CueMaster 120 in our smaller theatre and it serves us extremely well. For the budget you're looking at, you're unlikely to find much; the Showmaster isn't made any more, having been replaced with the SceneMaster and CueMaster, but they're more than $200....You could also look at some of the Zero88 desks - the Frog or Jester could be what you're looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbuckley Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 If what you want is lots of buttons and faders and subs and instant gratification the TL ShowMaster is pretty much unbeatable. I find it a truly hateful desk for scripted theatre (for which I use PCStage) but if its rock and roll or a zero rehearsal one performance show then its the ShowMaster all the way!!! They were built like tanks, and just keep going. If you're buying one make sure its a series two; the series one predated DMX... Also make sure you get the record code! For those in the UK who haven't met this thing there follows a pic. This is a 36 channel specimen (or 72 channels in wide mode), every one of those 72 buttons / faders can be a sub which you can programme on the fly. Theres also a really useful softpatch in there, which (unusually) can mix multiple channels to a single dimmer http://www.matrixproductions.com.au/images/gallery/Equipment/Theatrelight_Showmaster_3672_hire_stock.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.elsbury Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Showmasters are awesome. My suggestion would be, if you are looking at a second hand one, check that the faders are ok first before you purchase, as they are the things most likely to go wrong, if someone spills or knocks them. From discussions with Theatrelight, the old style faders are not available anymore. Lovely desks, though, for the right application =) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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