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Complaints about bass gear weight

#61
I'm not sure what takes some of you so long to unload a few speakers and a big head out of a car early in the morning?

Open doors. Pull out speakers (I have an Ampeg 4x10 and a 1x15), pull out head (90lb SVT in my case), bring to door, put inside. Takes about...6-8 minutes.:)

Granted, I would never gig more than one 8x10 (if I ever used an 8x10) but for those who might...surely leaving them in the back of the vehicle should do fine at 3 am.


For others, eliminating the basement might help (and would be better for your equipment to get it out of the "den of damp").
 
#62
themacinator said:
And if everybody is saying that neo and micro is better why don't we see Geddy Lee or P-nut or John Paul Jones bustin' out a neo and a micro.
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Possibly for the same reasons you don't see those guys playing Foderas or Ritters. As far as neo speakers are concerned, I suspect that you don't have much gigging experience with them. I went from using Eden 410 and 210 XLTs to using a Bergantino AE410 and AE210. I don't miss a thing about the Edens. If anything, the Bergantinos sound better to my ears.
 
#63
michael_atw said:
I'm not sure what takes some of you so long to unload a few speakers and a big head out of a car early in the morning?

Open doors. Pull out speakers (I have an Ampeg 4x10 and a 1x15), pull out head (90lb SVT in my case), bring to door, put inside. Takes about...6-8 minutes.:)

Granted, I would never gig more than one 8x10 (if I ever used an 8x10) but for those who might...surely leaving them in the back of the vehicle should do fine at 3 am.

For others, eliminating the basement might help (and would be better for your equipment to get it out of the "den of damp").
Click to expand...

Well it's usually at night that I am loading or unloading gear. Plus a lot of clubs, bars, casinos have stairs that are a real pain to haul a 100lbs. 410 up. I am not exactly macho and my car is a Saturn coupe. So 2 212 Neo's are a perfect option for me. I play a lot of big cities. Leaving my gear in a vehicle over night is NOT an option unless I want it stolen.

I don't understand the "macho", ceramic, would rather lift heavy amps, people. It just makes no sense to me to break your back, risk gear getting stolen, and not be able to fit big rigs in small vehicles more than paying a few hundred more for ten times less hassle.
 
#64
sethlow3 said:
Well it's usually at night that I am loading or unloading gear. Plus a lot of clubs, bars, casinos have stairs that are a real pain to haul a 100lbs. 410 up. I am not exactly macho and my car is a Saturn coupe. So 2 212 Neo's are a perfect option for me. I play a lot of big cities. Leaving my gear in a vehicle over night is NOT an option unless I want it stolen.

I don't understand the "macho", ceramic, would rather lift heavy amps, people. It just makes no sense to me to break your back, risk gear getting stolen, and not be able to fit big rigs in small vehicles more than paying a few hundred more for ten times less hassle.
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Not many people really have an interest in stealing SVT 8x10's from vehicles ;) I've left a 1x15 Ampeg out in my car for days, weeks on end with no issue. People want stereos, phones, ipods, etc. Thieves hate heavy stuff as much as everyone else:) More of a chance of gear getting stolen right off the stage or during the loading/unloading process than overnight.

That was my point; 3 am, unloading gear still takes less than 10 minutes. Night or day, it still takes the same amount of time.

sethlow3 said:
Plus a lot of clubs, bars, casinos have stairs that are a real pain to haul a 100lbs. 410 up.
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They also have elevators. :)


I also have a mid-sized vehicle; I can fit an SVT head and two Ampeg half-stacks (75 lbs and 40-50 lbs, respectively) in it along with a bass. Both have casters which make it fancy easy to push the cabs into elevators or into the house at 3 am.

Although, I don't put them in the dungeon basement like some posters here do.
 
#66
seanm said:
I am jealous :( Almost every venue we play has stairs... I can think on one that doesn't. None of them have elevators :(

In a previous life I used to play legions.... they at least had elevators. They tended to be slower than glaciers, but they at least had them.
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Hardly anywhere I have EVER played has had elevators for amps or near a stage that's some how accommodating. Not casinos, bars, private parties, large halls, nothing....
 
#67
sethlow3 said:
Hardly anywhere I have EVER played has had elevators for amps or near a stage that's some how accommodating. Not casinos, bars, private parties, large halls, nothing....
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I've never been in a casino that didn't have an elevator. Have you seen the people that go to those places? Oxygen and wheelchairs and obesity, oh my! They might not be out in the open but if you're a band playing there, you should be able to gain access to one. I didn't know you needed the elevator right next to the stage thoug! Now it makes sense why you don't like heavy equipment! ;)
 
#70
sethlow3 said:
Well the casinos have had elevators of course. Just like I said though we never had one in an accommodating matter. Like next to the stage for load in. Or near the back entrances where the van, bus, etc... are parked.
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Show me the casino that lets you load in as if you were a patron... or has an easy walk to the stage. Haven't found one around here yet. Harrahs in south Philly is the reason I got my incase bag! I think we wound up walking over a half mile with a full pa system plus personal gear. My kickback 12 is currently in need of repair and I can't wait to have time to get it fixed. I argue almost every gig to just let me DI, someday I'll get my wish...
 
#71
michael_atw said:
That was my point; 3 am, unloading gear still takes less than 10 minutes. Night or day, it still takes the same amount of time.
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I've got light gear..... who loads the rest? We all spend 30 min loading in and 30 min loading out, 30 min unloading at the BLs place, etc. Too much heavy gear. Right now the 3 heaviest pieces are the PA head and 2 Fender Twins.

The light trees now stay at the practice hall, as light weight photographer's softbox lights work great.

Catch photos of Dave Mason and there is no "backline" of gear. Just a few small guitar amps, a Leslie or two, and 1-2 410s for the bass.

See many double bass drum kits anymore? mostly replaced with double pedals.



Just found this better reason for lighter gear - so you don't take it out on the rest of the band... Bassist Puts Guitarist In Coma | News @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com
 
#72
I appreciate all the replies and respect everyone's perspective/reasons for the gear choices. I feel that as bassist we just need to expect our gear to be bigger/heavier than others on stage.

We oughta just suck it up and remind them that that without us doin' what we do, there is no band. (Except The Doors and even they had to add a bassist eventually)
 
#74
themacinator said:
I appreciate all the replies and respect everyone's perspective/reasons for the gear choices. I feel that as bassist we just need to expect our gear to be bigger/heavier than others on stage.

We oughta just suck it up and remind them that that without us doin' what we do, there is no band. (Except The Doors and even they had to add a bassist eventually)
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I just don't feel I should have to give up great tone just to fit the image that bass players have to have heavy gear. If you like the tone of heavy gear, that is great!
 
#77
I have a super heavy rig, and a light-ish rig. Right now I'm recovering from a spinal cord injury (non music related). It's forcing me to take a hard look at my situation...







I'm looking for a van that's easier to load and unload.

Not getting rid of my heavy rig.:D
 
#78
I recently downsized, and am glad I did.

But even more recently I really enjoyed playing through another bassist's SVT stack at a gig.

At lower stage volumes, smaller/lighter rigs can sound just as good, especially if there's PA reinforcement.

Where the bigger SVT-type rig really excels is at higher stage volumes, or when the band is working with a tiny PA that sounds best when it has nothing to push but vocals and maybe 2 drum mics. Or when a tried-and-true rock tone is the goal for recording.
 

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