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Amp rack case recommendations?

jaywa

jaywa

May 5, 2008
7,702
283
Iowa City, IA
#1
Looking for recommendations on a hardshell travel case for my Hartke 3500 head. Right now I am transporting it without protection and getting tired of having to fix the knobs and lights all the time.

I believe the head requires 2 rack spaces so I would be looking for a 4-rack space case to give me some breathing room and ability to expand.

Budget is flexible but I don't want to spend more than I have to. Best value is definitely preferred.

Thanks
 
#2
Do you do heavy-duty touring, or are you more of a weekend warrior? I'm the latter, and I think the Gator rack bags are a pretty good buy. I bought mine as a "scratch & dent" from Musicians Friend, and I've never found a single problem with it.

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Gator-GRB-Rolling-Rack-Bag?sku=546159

With that in mind, I'm now using a cab with a built-in rackspace, but my backup amp will remain in the rack bag.

It looks like Odyssey makes some rack bags as well at fairly similar prices.
 
#4
bassplayer7770 said:
Do you do heavy-duty touring, or are you more of a weekend warrior? I'm the latter, and I think the Gator rack bags are a pretty good buy. I bought mine as a "scratch & dent" from Musicians Friend, and I've never found a single problem with it.

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Gator-GRB-Rolling-Rack-Bag?sku=546159

With that in mind, I'm now using a cab with a built-in rackspace, but my backup amp will remain in the rack bag.

It looks like Odyssey makes some rack bags as well at fairly similar prices.
Click to expand...

Weekend warrior. The farthest we ever travel for a gig is 150 miles and that's only once a year. Biggest problem I have is the knobs getting dinged when they're jutting out there and it's sitting in the back seat of my car or whatever. Also that Hartke head has very very sharp corners and edges and I have dinged my car interior a couple times and am concerned about putting a rip or puncture in my seats.
 
#5
chunkstyle said:
i picked up a 4 space rack from Carvin. great box seems rugged, looks good.... but...

the latches are on the box itself and not the lids. guess what it sounds like when it's sitting on top of my cabinets?


rattle rattle rattle rattle rattle
Click to expand...

That would suck. That's a crappy design. Thanks for enlightening me on something important to watch for when I'm comparing options.
 
#7
This will sound like an emo kid rant, but it is unfortunately true. The SKB rolling racks are made of a plastic that does not handle temperature swings well, and will warp if you store it on the end feet and live on the road with it in winter or summer. They also defy stacking in a most annoying and slippery way. The gator rolling racks are made of better plastic, and stack better, but have the same hardware on the box problem stated above, and are rattling nightmares. I had to wrap mine in rubber bands every night. What a pain in the arse.

Anybody know a lightweight rolling rack, designed by something other than a monkey, that doesn't cast $200 for an empty box?
 
#8
I like the SKB ATA cases - I buy 'em used so that they don't cost that much, and they're still lifetime guaranteed... For a weekend warrior like me, they're a better fir than the Anvil style - they're lighter, and seal up better - and have held up just fine...



- georgestrings
 
#10
I use a Gator 8U rolling case. It rattles, the latches don't tighten any longer so I have to use bungie cords to hold the lids on, and if your cabinet has a LineX type exterior it will move around from the vibration. If anyone can find a good case for a decent price I would like to know also.
 
#12
My 10 year old 4 space SKB, that resides year round in a 6x12 trailer, has held up to the rigors of 500-600 gigs and the latches are on the lid, so no rattling. Plus if you're concerned about denting your car or ripping the interior, SKB's have rounded corners and a lot more forgiving than an ATA rack.
 
#14
I own several plastic Gator cases, with which I've never had a problem; but, most of our gigs are local and our band has no roadies, so no one tosses them around carelessly. ;) I prefer the shallow effects cases for my bass gear because they are better balanced and take up less room. I've never tried to stack plastic Gator cases on top of each other, because I surmise they'd be inclined to slip and slide. No problems with rattling latches.

My mixer case was made by Road Ready, and it is very well made. If you check their website for clearance items, you can sometimes find high-quality gear at a discount:
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