Did I get older or did my amp get heavier?

[Gaolee]

Musicians nowadays are wimps. Back in the day, I was a keyboard player and I hauled a 400 lb Hammond and 2 x 90 lb Leslies. Oh - I forgot - I also had a 76 lb EV Eliminator 1 for my synths.

Back in the day, serious bass players used a couple of Acoustic 18 inch bottoms or a couple of triple 15 Kustoms. This was before the SVT was invented.

I still schlep around one of those big ol' Acoustic folded horns. It's heavy, but it's paid for and I know what it does. I'm old, and I ain't gonna change now!

 

[chadds]

Musicians nowadays are wimps. Back in the day, I was a keyboard player and I hauled a 400 lb Hammond and 2 x 90 lb Leslies. Oh - I forgot - I also had a 76 lb EV Eliminator 1 for my synths.

Back in the day, serious bass players used a couple of Acoustic 18 inch bottoms or a couple of triple 15 Kustoms. This was before the SVT was invented.

....and I was 130 lb. bass waif.

 

[Versatek6]

I gave up my Trace 715X combo (90#) for a GK MB200 (2.5#) and a GK 112 NEO cabinet (34#).
I added another GK 112 NEO and a GK MB Fusion 500 (4.5#).
This handles anything I've needed or wanted to play.

 

[Ebender]

I'm 57 now and still playing heavy, rockin originals.
The cabs aren't that bad, I have those rolling flats from Home Depot for about $12.
It's the damn amp that weighs so much!
And it's awkward to carry. So I always get a friend to help carry it. No sense in breaking my back before I play.

 

[Drgonzonm]

I'm 57 now and still playing heavy, rockin originals.
The cabs aren't that bad, I have those rolling flats from Home Depot for about $12.
It's the damn amp that weighs so much!
And it's awkward to carry. So I always get a friend to help carry it. No sense in breaking my back before I play.

Its the tubes man it's the tubes

 

[RICH HAGERTY]

Face it guys, we all reel in the years and our old amps are getting heavier! The downfall of being a bass player is big amps. Guitarists seem to get by with a 30 watt amp while we have the big combos or head/cabinets to move around. I currently play at a very small venue. After a back injury several years back, I decided since I play at such a small place, my heavy combos had to go. So this week I went the route of the TC electronics head and using my SWR 12" cabinet or my SWR 15" cabinet. The 12" weighs 30lbs & the 15" weighs about 45lbs. It will be nice to have a lighter load to carry. All fits in the back seat of my small car. We have a small outdoor gig this weekend, it will be my 1st time to try it out. I will let you guys know how it sounded.

Face it guys, we all reel in the years and our old amps are getting heavier! The downfall of being a bass player is big amps. Guitarists seem to get by with a 30 watt amp while we have the big combos or head/cabinets to move around. I currently play at a very small venue. After a back injury several years back, I decided since I play at such a small place, my heavy combos had to go. So this week I went the route of the TC electronics head and using my SWR 12" cabinet or my SWR 15" cabinet. The 12" weighs 30lbs & the 15" weighs about 45lbs. It will be nice to have a lighter load to carry. All fits in the back seat of my small car. We have a small outdoor gig this weekend, it will be my 1st time to try it out. I will let you guys know how it sounded.

 

[RICH HAGERTY]

Yes it seems that they do, my 1965 Ampeg all Tube B15 seems twice as heavy as when I used to throw into the passenger seat of my '72 Vett. Nowadays I use either my 15" Fender Rumble or a 12" Kustom since I really don't need the "volume" like in the sixties. I can't imagine if I had my double B18s stacked today, probably would need ramps to load in PU truck! Truthfully my 65 EB3 still sounds great in all 3 Amps, even in my Fender practice 8" Rumble

 

[RICH HAGERTY]

Its the tubes man it's the tubes

nah, tubes don't add much but typically you will find them in thicker wood cabinets and the Transformers in the chassis need to be larger and heavier for the Tubes performance parameters. (see Eg/Ip Curves)

 

[Ebender]

Its the tubes man it's the tubes

31 lbs for the amp.70.5 lbs for the 4x10" and 61 lbs for the 1x15" .
I just sold an "Energy Group" 1x15" cab with a McCauley In it. That thing must have weighed 60 lbs as well but it had a HUGE magnet and sounded sooo good.

 

[Paulabass]

Five years ago I was playing A-rooms and larger stages.
My rack-w/l reciever, rack lights, tuner, comp, preamp, power amp. 2 4x10 cabs.
I'm just getting back and I'll be playing small clubs, jams, etc.
New rig- GK neo112, Traynor small block 500. Total weight under 40 lbs.!!!
Teeny pedalboard- wireless reciever, Wampler comp, Peterson tuner.
Also went from a van to move it, to throwing in the backseat of my car!

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

Today's technologies are wonderful. When I started in 1970, I used an Ampeg B15N which weighed about 95 pounds. Today I use an Aguilar Tone Hammer head with a super light neodymium 12 inch speaker cabinet. Together they are about 34 pounds. And I prefer the sound. I prefer the light weight. I can fit all my gear into the back of my MINI Cooper.

 

[jnsnj]

Now if we could start convincing guitarists to switch to class D amps and neo cabs we could all go on tour in hatchbacks

 

[pappabass]

Now if we could start convincing guitarists to switch to class D amps and neo cabs we could all go on tour in hatchbacks

"Mini Cooper to the rescue" !!!

 

[pappabass]

And it's awkward to carry. So I always get a friend to help carry it. No sense in breaking my back before I play.

that was it for me, every time I would go play, I played in pain! I tried using a dolly, but the little place I play has steps & sandy parking lot

 

[micguy]

Well, "back in the day" I used to drag my 950-pound 20 x 18 cabinet through the snow by a length of barbwire held between my teeth, naked, over the mountains, with my bass in one hand, tube head in the other, and obese girlfriend on my back.

You forgot the part where, going over the mountain, it was uphill on both sides.

 

[Russell L]

I finally went with a Markbass 121H combo, and then got a LMIII head with two 151P cabs for big gigs. But soon even they were heavier than I wanted. Always wanted something from Barefaced afterwards, but I'm pretty much retired now so that'll probably never happen. But, I got tired of heavy-ass equipment long ago. It didn't sound any better than my Markbass either.

 

[Gizmot]

....and I was 130 lb. bass waif.

Me too!

 

[bobyoung53]

Yes it seems that they do, my 1965 Ampeg all Tube B15 seems twice as heavy as when I used to throw into the passenger seat of my '72 Vett. Nowadays I use either my 15" Fender Rumble or a 12" Kustom since I really don't need the "volume" like in the sixties. I can't imagine if I had my double B18s stacked today, probably would need ramps to load in PU truck! Truthfully my 65 EB3 still sounds great in all 3 Amps, even in my Fender practice 8" Rumble

I have a B-18 and a 1965 EB-3, small world.

 

[Paulabass]

Bottom line- We don't have to hit the back wall anymore. Now somebody explain that to the guitar players

 

[alaskaleftybass]

To quote myself, this is a wonderful time to be a bassist. I think the bass world has benefited the most from new technology. Guitarists are still rolling around their Marshall 412's or Fender tube amps that weigh 60 pounds. Good to be a bass player today!