Wurli Live set up

[1960strat]

Hi all.  I am new to playing electric pianos live and joust got a Wurli.  I want to use it in my rig but am wondering what you all use with it for live purposes.  The line out does not come in as hot as my other keyboards (moog, andromeda a6, and Hammond xk3c).  Wondering how you guys use your live.  Mine also has the speaker kill switch.

Thanks

[pianotuner steveo]

What model is it? the 200A has a trim pot on the output, but sometimes the headphone out works better, depending on the amp/PA you are connecting to.

You can use the volume control as trim if using the headphone out, but remember this signal will be pretty 'hot'.

[velo-hobo]

If you have a 200 (non-A), the aux out taps into the signal at the volume pot wiper lead.  There are a couple resistors there which set the output level (and maybe a small cap, too - the arrangement varied with different schematic revisions).

If you have low output on a 200 you can try adding another resistor in parallel with the one between points 6 & 7 on the schematic (usually either a 100k or a 6.8k depending on the revision number).  You can play around with different resistor values til you find something you like.

Mine has the 5mfd/100k/15k arrangement of the early revision.  I tried the no cap/6.8k/2.2k setup but didn't like it, so I went back the original spec and also added a 15k resistor across the 100k.  That got me where I wanted to be in terms of the aux out level, it seems to be on par with the average guitar output at this point.

Also on a 200 there is a small trimpot on the amp board which controls the preamp gain.  If someone has set it low it will cut the output of the amp proportionally.  You can try playing with that as well.  Too high a setting may lead to distortion or even feedback.  For loud rock I like to run mine a little hot but not all the way up, and I back it off a little more for mellower gigs.

Low output may also be an indication of some other problem with the amp but if it sounds healthy in all other respects, the best and easiest places to start are what I mentioned above.

FYI I usually have my 200 running through a Fender 75 that is loaded with a JBL K130.

[Edd_K]

For a true "vintage" Wurly sound, get yourself a Roland Boss Chorus Ensemble pedal.  A good reference would be the sound of the Wurly on the Supertramp "Paris" live album. 
Add a slight amount of chorus and no vibrato (that should come from the piano, if needed). Set the input gain switch to "High" and drive it so that the overload light just flashes on the hardest keystrokes.  It gives it a little more crunch.

[andi85]

I'd say it depends on the sound you want.

Actually, Wurlitzer and Rhodes sound great to me even when they're "just" taken direct. Make sure to get an active DI, though. Soundwise it won't make a difference with the 200, but the output is a little hotter than with a passive one.

If you'd like to, guitar and bass amps can sound great, too. I've tried a big Crate bass amp and a little Gallien Krueger (can't remember the respective models) and liked them quite a lot. Even better were Fender amps: A HotRod Deluxe sounds like pure gold to my ears, also nice, but less suitable for live use is the VibroChamp Silverface.
Another good amp for the Wurly is a Roland JazzChorus. It has the CE-1 chorus circuit built in.

A chorus pedal can be nice, too – and if you don't want to spend the $$ on a CE-1, a CH-1 from Boss is alright, too.

[1960strat]

Just a little update.  I used the Wurli live with a band last night.  It is a 200A with the aux out jack.  I ran her straight into my keys mixer and then direct to PA.  It sounded great and was as lound or louder than the other keyboards.  I will definately look into that CE-1.