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How to make moving a heavy combo amp easier for back challenged player?

#43
Big Hoss said:
Are those pre or post LOUD technologies? I have heard bad, badder, baddest things about Ampeg quality since the LOUD takeover.

If they are post LOUD takeover, care to give a review particularly on the quality of the amp...
Click to expand...
They were made in 2010 and 2011, which is LOUD era. LOUD bought Ampeg in 2006, moved operations overseas in 2007, spent the first two years rushing product to market before they got good at the process, and the head idiot alienated customers and endorsers alike with his complete inability to understand anything except the bottom line. Then they fired him in late 2008, brought in someone who knew what he was doing, and straightened out a lot of things there. There have been a couple missteps along the way, and a couple things they make I'm not particularly fond of, but by and large it all sounds wonderful and works great, and the two heads that have had a large amount of complaints on here (PF500 and SVT 7 Pro) have been revised and the revisions seem to be working because complaints went way down. I have zero problem recommending most of their gear, and in fact just bought a 7 Pro. I get a discount as an endorser but it still costs me real money, so if it wasn't working for me, I wouldn't buy it.

That head is the PF350, and it's been totally solid for over 3 years now, except when a soundman accidentally knocked it off my cab onto a hard stage (partially my fault because I had it tilted back a bit too far) and the limiter switch broke. It was out of warranty, so on the advice of someone here, I reflowed its connections to the PCB and now it works perfectly again. I also have a Micro VR from 2010 that still works perfectly, as well as a PF800, BA108, BA110, BA112 v2, V4B and Heritage SVT-CL that all have worked perfectly since I got them. You could also pair the 210av's with a Micro VR, but for the same price, the PF350 gives you 150 more watts, which translates to a little bit of extra tightness and oomph to my ears. Micro VR looks cooler, but the PF350 still looks pretty good to me.

Just my opinion...you can take it or leave it. But I need my gear to work just as much as anyone out there, and my newer Ampeg stuff is getting the job done and sounds fantastic.
 
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#45
Big Hoss said:
Boy did I get sidetracked with my GAS post. I should have known better...

Yes I want a lighter, more powerful amp without a doubt, but let's face it, if I had the cash for it now, it's not like my wife is going to tell me no. I mean really I coughed out for a $150.00 hair dryer and I don't even want to know how much the flattening iron she had me buy her cost... But the budget just doesn't have the room until well into the new year (Probably by the time Uncle Sam gets appeased in April...)

Until then, I am dragging my amp around more and more. Which with my back problems is getting to be a BIG problem... As you may recall from previous threads, I have had back problems since a major car wreck going on 14 years ago. It flares up from time to time and is seriously NO FUN...

So here's my situation. My current amp is a Crate BX-100. I know there's not a ton of love for these amps, but with my level of playing, it's ideal tone and loud wise... Last weekend's jam session I was playing on the E string a lot, and I could FEEL the air shaking around us, it got things moving enough we cracked one of the window panes in my buddies garage / jam room. (Good thing it's a cheap window!) So maybe for a LOUD bar this thing would be worse than useless, and honestly, it would SUCK for a loud metal band, but I don't do that stuff. I play some classic rock, some blues, some Praise music that kind of thing... and it works. Until I go to move it...

I have a small hand truck, and ratchet straps. So rolling it out of my home jam room, out to the drive, and then from the jam friend's drive to their jam room is no problem.

Picking that 67lb behemoth with only one handle smack in the middle of the top, and lifting it into the bed of my 4" lifted F150 4x4 without killing myself however, is a bit of a challenge...

I was hoping for maybe some pointers / ideas on maybe some sort of handles, or lifting assist device that I could use to make this job less, well hazardous...

My intent with this amp is to keep it even after getting whatever light weight / powerful / tone I like amp (Still leaning toward the Fender Rumble 500 with maybe a 1x15 extension cab...). If the jam gig gets to be a regular thing, I will simply house my Crate amp over there on a semi permanent basis. But for now... I have GOT to make this thing easier to lift, and lower down.

I am not adverse to building say plywood and 2x4 ramps if that is feasable, and understand it's not just the amps that are heavy here... I am also not adverse to cutting / drilling into the Crate Cab to install say casters and / or decent handles assuming I can be completely sure they won't pull out...

What have other folks done in situations like this while pinching the budget a bit?
Click to expand...

I notice there are a lot of suggestions here for building various rigs for lifting your amp into a truck. Have you thought of building a cabinet with 5/8" plywood and buying a neo speaker? It sounds like you are inclined to building projects, why not modernize your cabinet to extend it's life? If you like it that much, maybe you won't have to buy another rig.
 
#46
I've done a few bass boxes for cars more years ago than I care to admit (Last bass box was an isoberic box for the hatch area of a 1981 Toyota Supra.) I am sure the volume / proportion recommendations / baffling etc.. have changed since then... Back then we used 5/8" OSB and that stuff was heavier than my truck.
 
#47
Big Hoss said:
Are those pre or post LOUD technologies? I have heard bad, badder, baddest things about Ampeg quality since the LOUD takeover.

If they are post LOUD takeover, care to give a review particularly on the quality of the amp...
Click to expand...

I work at a repair shop and we've been mackie authorized since before mackie had authorized repair centers. What you say about Loud was true even 5 years ago but new processes were brought on board and for the most part things are under control.
 
#48
Let me clarify. I actually did this with an old Peavey combo. It weighed a ton. I stripped it down to bare wood and measured it. I rebuilt it exactly with 5/8" ply and painted it with tire rubber black, after rounding corners. It weighed half the weight and was still an excellent amp because I stuck with the design. I forgot to mention I put a neo 15 in it. Good luck!
 
#50
alaskaleftybass said:
Let me clarify. I actually did this with an old Peavey combo. It weighed a ton. I stripped it down to bare wood and measured it. I rebuilt it exactly with 5/8" ply and painted it with tire rubber black, after rounding corners. It weighed half the weight and was still an excellent amp because I stuck with the design. I forgot to mention I put a neo 15 in it. Good luck!
Click to expand...

While it's tempting, I have too many home projects that need done as well, and I don't want to cut too deep into my play time...
 
#51
This may sound crazy and may have been said already but maybe you shud consider a roadie.

We have a set of brothers that help us load up,in & out. They are guys we love & trust, they don't drink, smoke or act stupid. If they weren't running jackhammers during the day they wud be training to b MMA fighters, so they handle security as well. They don't pay to get in, naturally, and we pay them from time to time when we can and sometimes they get laid. We give'm shout outs on the mic, free CD's and free shirts which they wear everywhere they go. They aren't available for every show but they are there for most of'm. At this point they know the mini-van load up schematic better than we do.

It works and it helps.
 
#54
Regarding lightweight gig-worthy 1-12 cabs, at different times I've used a pair of Aggie GS112s, Baer ML112s, Patterson Audio Systems 12/6/1s, and Glasstone L'il Gs. Different flavors of good (check out their respective threads on TB).

I haven't owned them, but have heard good things about GKs and Avatars, too.

Lotsa choices, for putting together a micro amp & a pair of 1-12 boxes!

(I'm currently using a single MAS112 from Mike Arnopol, and it gets the job done very well--but it weighs a bit more than 50 pounds.)
 
#55
I guess I missed somewhere that you mentioned what your dream rig will be. I agree with a lot of posters here, the 12" cabs are phenomenal for the size. And I used to be a 2-15" guy! If we're talking your dream rig, you might consider a 112 combo with a 112 extension speaker. The combined volume of the two cabs stacked with be significantly loud for most needs. Plus, you can schlep the 112 combo around by itself and save your back. Some that come to mind are the Fenders, Markbass, Ibanez makes a couple modular combos where the heads even come out. And they handle extension speakers.
 
#58
Big Hoss said:
Recommendations of light / quality / good sounding 2x10s would be great!
Click to expand...
I can only go by what I have, and must preface it by saying I haven't tried any other new amps, but both my Hartke HA2500 and MarkBass LM250 amps sound awesome through my Hartke XL210 cab.
The cab is small enough to allow me to use one of those foldup carts. I'll add another cab when I start gigging soon.
 
#60
alaskaleftybass said:
I guess I missed somewhere that you mentioned what your dream rig will be. I agree with a lot of posters here, the 12" cabs are phenomenal for the size. And I used to be a 2-15" guy! If we're talking your dream rig, you might consider a 112 combo with a 112 extension speaker. The combined volume of the two cabs stacked with be significantly loud for most needs. Plus, you can schlep the 112 combo around by itself and save your back. Some that come to mind are the Fenders, Markbass, Ibanez makes a couple modular combos where the heads even come out. And they handle extension speakers.
Click to expand...
Lol... my dream rig would come complete with a roadie....
 

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