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I think that the Bose L1 system, is the best system on the planet for a small group, or solo artist playing small to mid sized venues, from 2 to 500 people.

I had a great outdoor gig this last weekend.

Saturday, I played at the Island Park show in Fargo, ND. It is a yearly festival event with many booths, and a stage with new acts every hour.

The festival encompasses a large part of Island Park which is a large park in the center of downtown Fargo. There are small tent booths covering an area of about 1200 yards by 800 yards, and the stage is in the center width wise and on the north end of the festival area.

The performance area is about 60 yards by 80 yards with picnic tables.

The stage was about 20 feet wide, and only 6 feet deep with a full triple system setup and a sound man to run it.

When you apply for a spot on the docket, you are asked what you need for the show. I said simply "a well grounded 120v power source".

I was first to play, and when I arrived, the sound man was looking over my request sheet and came to ask me again what I needed.

I again said all I needed was some good power. I checked the 4 socket box on the stage and found out that the hot and ground were switched. Luckily, the electrician had not left yet, and he started to switch the wires to the box.

In the mean time, I started setting up my L1/2-B1 system. I finished setting up, was ready to sound check, and waiting for the electrician...

The sound guy couldn't believe that I was set up and ready to go in less than 15 minutes.

When the power was ready to go, and double checked, I started my sound check. The narrowness of the stage was a problem.  The optimal distance for the system to be behind the performer in this setting is about 8-10 feet back and about 4 feet to the side.  I ended up moving to the side, and moving again, till I was about 10 feet to the side of the L1 and the full six feet in front of it, before I could get the volume that I wanted without feedback, but it still only took 10 minutes.

I was now set up, sound checked and ready to go with over 40 minutes left to go before I was to start playing.

In the mean time, the sound man started to sound check the second act. He was also a soloist, and played guitar and sang to backing tracks through a small mixer to the main system. It took them over 1/2 hour to do their sound check, with the second act asking for more guitar, less vocals, more bass in the backing track, less drums, and all the while fighting feedback from his headset mic.

I also noticed that the crowd, which had filled in the tables in front of the big speakers when I was sound checking, had begun to stick their fingers in their ears, and clear a path near each speaker and sit farther back from the stage while the second act was checking.

When they were finally done with their sound check, I asked if I could start early, and began to play at 10 to the hour.

As I got through my first song, people started to fill back into the front tables, and respond to the music. I talk some between songs, and the people started to have a conversation with me and interact to the music.

It was a great gig, and I played for 55 minutes. When I was done, I shifted all my gear to the back of the stage and started to pack up. I was done before the other performer started to play, and while I was loading out, I noticed that the people had again cleared a path on either side of the speakers and moved back from the stage.

I walked around the park, had lunch and was approached several times by patrons saying that was the best anyone had sounded in their rememberence, and that they could finally hear the music at their booths at the other end of the park. Several had come over from their booths to see what was different, and asked about the L1. I also talked to both the second and third acts, and they all wanted to know more about the system.

Needless to say, I will likely be back again next year.

Sorry for the long post, but I thank Bose, every time I play, for making my life easier, and for allowing me to share my gifts with so many people.

It really has changed the way I make music.

Gordy ( o)==:::

I currently have a Taylor 615CE and an Alvarez BP80 which is my travel guitar.

I have owned, a Taylor 414CE with the Fishman PU, a Taylor Baby for my kids, at Taylor 814CE, and an Aria Sinsonido travel guitar.

I will not buy anything but Taylors in the future.

I love the way they play and sound, and the ES is the best pick-up system on the market.

Combine the 615CE with my Bose L1 sound system, and there is nothing better.