Hello - I'm awaiting my Bose system! Can't wait. I demo'd the system at Folk Alliance in Montreal with guitar and loved it.
QUESTION 1: I'm mainly buying this for small solo gigs. I play acoustic guitar and piano (I use both at my shows) and sing. I'm a little freaked out by all the postings I now see about Yamaha P120/stereo vs. mono since I play a 120. Does anybody out there use a keyboard amp in addition to the Bose system (with bass unit) to try to deal with the stereo issue by splitting left to Bose and right to amp (or vice versa)? I know the dispersion patterns are different but maybe it would be better than just the mono sound, and I know the bass unit of the Bose throws a cone, like an amp, anyway. I just can't afford 2 Bose units right now to make my piano happy. Buying another piano is not an option either.
QUESTION 2: How common, in general, are "hybrid" systems, combining Bose with other instrument amps, for small venues? I sometimes play as duo with another person on additional guitar and backing vocals. That person will likely want to keep using his guitar amp to separate the sound, though I'd probably mix his vocals into the Bose with my vocals and instrument. Is this a reasonable approach, or should I just continue hauling the heavy gear/full PA for the duo gigs? (Until I get rich and can afford another Bose, that is.) Thanks!

Hi Tracy Jane,

Welcome to the forum.

Let me deal with your second question since I don't play keys (at least *never* in public). Well a quick comment is to just try the system without the keyboard amp first. Read the comments below about Guitar amps. It's pretty much equally applicable to keyboard amps that I've used.

*Hybrid* Systems
I think that many of us have been there on the way to Bose musical Nirvana.

There are a couple of things to bear in mind in a mixed environment where there are non-Bose sound systems on the same stage with you.

• The sound dispersion patterns are going to be quite different. Most guitar amps are very directional. The Bose System will have a much wider dispersion pattern. Also, given the same volume level on stage, the guitar amp volume will tend to fall-off much faster than the Bose System.
  
• If your Guitar player has a line out of his amp then your overall sound will probably be better if
  - you run a line from the amp to the Bose System Channel 3 or 4.
  - You want to keep the volume from the Guitar amp as low as possible so that what you hear is the Bose System, not the amp.
  

I'd avoid carrying the heavy gear/full PA for solo gigs. I expect that you will find a much nicer overall effect if you run everything through your new Bose System. It will be much more balanced throughout the audience than if you have mismatched components.

Hope your system arrives soon. The anticipation is nice, but this is one case where reality is better.