Throw an amp down the stairs

[Bochafish]

Looking into combo amps. Saw a quote saying the aggie th500 will "never" burn/cut out.

If you had to buy one combo that:
1. you knew it would fall down a flight of stairs at least once.
2. you had multiple bands using your amp, and pushing it hard all night.

What company makes the toughest stuff? I feel like I get my tone with a p bass through a VT pedal. I just hate buying something that breaks later.

[dalkowski]

If these concerns are keeping you up at night, I'd say stick with the VT pedal.

Otherwise, Peavey. If multiple bands are using it and it fails, you can drop it down stairs onto the guy who caused the problem and his bones will fail.

[Bochafish]

I had an SWR 350x, gigged it for 14 years til it broke. I let the keyboard player from New Monsoon use it for their set, and he maxed out everything for a 3 hr set. But, that was a pre-fender swr.

Bought an GK 1001, it started on fire, and Sam Ash took it back. I've heard GK is usually reliable though. I also had GK mb210 that had a speaker go bad, and I never gigged it or even pushed it past half way.
My old drummer dropped an old Ampeg 1x15hlf pro cab down stairs, a caster broke off, but the birch was solid, and the cab was fine. The ampeg stuff is just too heavy for me now, need micro stuff.

I'm looking at ampeg PF combos, GK mbII combos, and the tc electronic 250. But I keep reading reviews of amps cutting out, speakers rattling, etc..
That would be really annoying to happen after buying it.

[Jazz Ad]

I'd choose something mid market, all solid state with simple and sturdy construction.
A Traynor DNB or Peavey TNT come to mind. Both are commonly found in rehearsal rooms for a reason.
No way I'd let an Aggie in unproper hands.

[Unrepresented]

Originally Posted by Bochafish

Bought an GK 1001, it started on fire, and Sam Ash took it back. I've heard GK is usually reliable though.

Curious if this was the 1001RB or the 1001RB-II. I know that they made some improvements with the II.

[Jim C]

I bought a TH500 as they are very reliable based on reports here.
I doubt any of the micro amps are robust enough to withstand torture.

Based on a tough combo, Peavey does seem to be idiot proof although I don't think they warranty stair diving.

[zhollywood]

Peavey hands down.
I can't tell you how many times I have heard people state that their amps will outlive cockroaches.

Play ball with it, kick it around, burn it, anything. I'm sure it'll still work... It's a PEAVEY!

[nortonrider]

why would you ever let your amp fall down a flight of stairs?

[bluespenny]

Traynor. Had a solid state combo that went through years of gig hell without a whimper. Even fell off the back of a loading ramp once - about four feet - to the ground, and was on stage minutes later doing just fine.
Never, ever worried about it working 100%.

[Wookieonbass]

My money is on older solid state Peavey gear. I know from experiences with them that they can take a pretty good beating and still survive.

[dalkowski]

Originally Posted by Jim C

I doubt any of the micro amps are robust enough to withstand torture.

This. If you want burly, you gotta deal with some heft. Even so, electronic equipment is inherently delicate and even the most rugged will only take so much manhandling.

[B-string]

The Peavey equipment is about as close as you will come to idiot proof. I don't put stock in anyone who says " will "never" burn/cut out". That is outright BS useless over exaggeration and would make me look elsewhere (person over-compensating, unsinkable Titanic anyone).

If it can be made or grown it can and may break.

[Bochafish]

Time to start bargain hunting for an old Peavy! My first bass was a Foundation, kinda funny. Thanks for the info, keep it coming!

[Bochafish]

Originally Posted by nortonrider

why would you ever let your amp fall down a flight of stairs?

Ahh, it's the old, Drummer helps me lug cabs, I help him lug drums and stands. He lost his grip, and my cab went tumbling.

Ampeg- made in St. Louis PRO cab are hardcore! the thing was fine. It just weighed around 100 lbs for a 1x15.

[InternetAlias]

There's this Dynacord BS412 that I am considering buying. Thing has been abused for 35 years and still kicking!

[Mr. Foxen]

Peavey rack stuff in a shockmount rack case. Even the lightweght power amp, not enough inertia to damage itself.

[seamonkey]

There were pictures of one of the new Peavey combos floating around.
The MDF was ruined in a drop. Yeah it could be fixed.
MDF is fine for no-pro gear. It's far from being as durable as good plywood.
Write it on your checklist:
X No MDF

[Turock]

I had a Peavey TNT 100 take a tumble down a flight of stairs. A high school used it during football season for a couple of years. That thing is somewhere around 40 years old and is still going.

[SalmonCubes]

Peavey and Mesa Boogies are built like tanks.

[Steve Dallman]

I used to repair amps and guitars from dozens of schools in WI. One day I got in a Bassman 10 combo (4x10) from a high school that DID take a trip, end over end, down a marble staircase.

Did it survive? Well...the cabinets finger joints all came apart. If there was anything glued, baffle, back, etc. it all came apart. The tolex was largely intact, and except for one fingerjoint, held the cabinet together.

The speakers stayed on the intact baffle. The amp itself...those heavy transformers bent the hell out of the thick aluminum chassis.

I had to strip the chassis, and I pounded the chassis back in shape with a 3lb hammer on the cement floor. Then I put back the fiberboard, the sockets and the transformers.

The tubes all survived. One speaker didn't and the replacement Fender sent me was a foam edged speaker that looked more like a home stereo cabinet than a guitar/bass speaker. Fender insured me it was correct.

I straightened the faceplate with my fingers, put it back together again, replaced a few knobs (no shafts broken or bent.) I glued the cabinet back together, had to lift the stretched tolex at the corners to glue the cabinet, then trimmed the stretched excess, and glued it back down. I repaired dings and tears in the tolex, and by time I was done, you had no idea it had been damaged.

I always fixed up worn, dirty, mistreated equipment from schools, and make them look like new, hoping the students MIGHT take better care of the equipment if it looked clean and new-like.