Anyone still gig their old lead sleds?

[Fondsdale]

Anyone still lug around their old "lead sleds" to gigs?

I'm talking about non-lightweight solid state/hybrid amps such as Hartke HD 500, GK 700 RB, Ampeg SVT 3 pro, Eden stuff or similar?

Did you try lightweight class D gear and it didn't cut it? Or just never bothered to "update"? (if it ain't broke...)

 

[silky smoove]

I moved on from lead sleds entirely to class D amplification around 2010 (give or take), and these days I typically don't even gig with an amp on stage at all. That said, there are a few old lead sleds I wouldn't mind owning again, even if I wouldn't gig with them.

• Aguilar DB750 - This thing was glorious. It kinda just did one thing, but it was one heck of a single thing to be good at.
• GK 2001RB - The one was broken as often as it was working. It seemed to always have some problem, but when it worked it yielded some of my favorite live tones I've ever had from an amplifier. Truly glorious sounding amp.
• SWR 8004 T/O/P - This was a weird entry in SWR's Workingman line of more budget friendly amps, and was a quasi-signature model for Rocco Prestia from Tower of Power. It sounded very not-SWR for an SWR amp. It was my first standalone amp head, and it was great. Not the typical SWR sound, but a very usable head in kind of an odd form factor.

 

[JRA]

no, i'm just not that interested in heavy rigs anymore. it's fun to hear others regale their virtues (if any), but i'm past all of that now.

i got onto lightweight stuff with the GK mb 210 around 2011, IIRC. i haven't used anything other than lightweights since, except for a few outings with heavier cabs.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I had a Trace Elliot rig about 20 years ago. Had to wheel it in on casters, about 150 pounds. Today I get 90% of the tone with a class D head and a 38 pound 212. One easy trip out, bass and amp. I don't miss the old days.

 

[BGroovy]

I gigged an 800RB, then a 700RBII, and then a 1001RB. That 1001RB was replaced with a Mesa rig about 3 years ago and I haven't looked back.

 

[pingvuiini]

Back in the day I really enjoyed the sounds of my SWR SM-900 through two Eden DXLT410 cabs, but as you can imagine that rig was unbelievably heavy and cumbersome. After taking a few years off the whole class D/neodymium/carbon fiber thing started brewing and I totally jumped on it, costly as it was. But it's really nice to be able to hand carry my bass and amp in one trip.

 

[brianrost]

I still use a light class AB solid state head now and then…A.M.P. BH260. It’s less than 20 pounds, similar to a GK 400RB in power and bulk. The rest of my gigging amps are class D.

Sold all three of my tube heads in the 1990s.

 

[65 PB]

Anyone still lug around their old "lead sleds" to gigs?

I'm talking about non-lightweight solid state/hybrid amps such as Hartke HD 500, GK 700 RB, Ampeg SVT 3 pro, Eden stuff or similar?

Did you try lightweight class D gear and it didn't cut it? Or just never bothered to "update"? (if it ain't broke...)

Lugged a Fender PS 400 to a gig the other day..I must be ill...

 

[mpdd]

i'm trying to figure out if my mesa d180 and 2 orange 115s will actually fit in my vehicle before i get to this particular crossroad

 

[DWBass]

The last heavy amp I owned was a Yorkville XS800 (about 25lbs). Awesome amp that I never should have gotten rid of. I sold it more than 10 years ago when I went to Class D heads.

 

[Nuisance]

I was using a 700RB until it bought the farm. I'm now using a GK Legacy.

Is it the same? Not exactly.....but there are a lot of similarities. They both slam.

Am I happy to be able to slip it into a pouch and literally carry it with my pinky if needed? Yep.

 

[Freight Train]

Anyone still lug around their old "lead sleds" to gigs?

I'm talking about non-lightweight solid state/hybrid amps such as Hartke HD 500, GK 700 RB, Ampeg SVT 3 pro, Eden stuff or similar?

Did you try lightweight class D gear and it didn't cut it? Or just never bothered to "update"? (if it ain't broke...)

Not exactly but sort of. 13 years ago when I turned 60 I dumped my GK 800RB and went with an all-tube head. Then 8 years ago I added a second tube rig so the head is only 29 pounds rather than 50 pounds like my first rig, specifically for this one major gig we have where load in/out involves outdoor stairs. We draw a lot of people to this venue so I ain't playing their crap house rig, I'm more than happy to haul my tube stuff up and down. At this point, after all these years, my sound is more important to me than my convenience.

 

[Stylee Mousse]

V4b and peavey osb 115.

It’s still heavy but a LOT less Than I used to carry

 

[Bringindafunk]

I brought my old gear out when I started playing again after many years. This was 2017. On my way home from that first practice I thought to myself "There has got to be newer lighter gear out there now than this old 80's stuff!" That was when I discovered the wonders of class D amplification and carbon fiber speaker cabinets. I gave my old Fender BXR 400 (75lbs) to a friend and sold my old Carvin 4x10 (85lbs) for peanuts. Replaced them with a GB ShuttleMax and GRBass 2x10. Insanely light and they sound awesome.

The only way I would ever gig that old heavy gear is if it was part of a backline and I didn't have to schlep it.

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

I was going to answer "no, I don't have any anymore" but I realized I still have my SWR Cali Blond, which is a beast of a combo and rarely sees stage time but will likely do at least one or two cameos during the brewery/winery season. Very cool amp!

BBB

 

[Thumpin6string]

I've tried numerous class D heads and just didn't like how they sounded. Went back to an Eden WT550 for my main amp and using A.M.P. BH220 that blew the power amp into a Peavey power amp bridged at 500 watts for my backup. They both sound amazing.

 

[SC Bassboy]

Anyone still lug around their old "lead sleds" to gigs?

I'm talking about non-lightweight solid state/hybrid amps such as Hartke HD 500, GK 700 RB, Ampeg SVT 3 pro, Eden stuff or similar?

Did you try lightweight class D gear and it didn't cut it? Or just never bothered to "update"? (if it ain't broke...)

Yes, I still drag around my lead sleds. I have yet to find any class D heads that hit as hard as A/B etc. In automotive terms, they have plenty of horsepower, but lack torque. Loud as Hell, but when I slap a string they fall flat compared to my old heavy babies. I'm sure someone on TB will refute this, but all the statistics in the world mean nothing to me compared to real world results.

 

[sunbeast]

On the lightweight end of the lead-sled spectrum with a Mesa Walkabout 15" combo which gets 90% of the gigs these days.

 

[JamesGrant]

Remember when Warwick made this -

I had mine in a ‘proper’ aluminium and wood flightcase, with detachable front and rear, and with a 1RU Korg tuner. It looked the business - weighed a fair amount.

I don’t think I ever got a good bass tone back in those days, like ever. At one point I used this with the Warwick 4 x 10 and the 1 x 15 - stacked. Sounded absolutely crap tbh.

Then I went Eden (World Traveler 550) with 2 x 2 x 10 Eden cabs (the good ones!) (which were much heavier than the Warwick cabs, and sounded a LOT better). That was a whole while ago!!

Funny looking back - I don’t think I’ve ever had as good tone as I do now, and these days it’s all lightweight gear.

Anyway, fun reminiscing. Hadn’t thought about that amp for years, thing of beauty - and the transformer inside it was enormous!

 

[2112]

I long miss the days of being supported by several stacks of Trace Elliot's very finest big iron, all upholstered with the thickly crucial luxury of dark green Corinthian rat fur.

But, as good as they sounded, I'm not about schlepping hundreds of pounds of big iron into any gig when a small pedalboard sent to FOH gets it done. Today, my stacks are confined to my practice space, where they continue to sound great and also contribute significantly to the mood lighting.