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Need advice for combo amp with small footprint

#41
On the subject of a separate head and cab, I'm using a Mark Bass MB58R 102 Pure 210 cab - the footprint dimensions are about average for a vertical 210 - 15.35" wide by 18.5" deep - but the WEIGHT is only 23 lbs.

Tonight's gig was up these stairs - we play here once a month. I was able to carry the cab, a 4.5 lb Aguilar TH500 head, a backpack with a few cables & incidentals and an 8 lb P Bass all up in one load.

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#42
Pocket Dave said:
On the subject of a separate head and cab, I'm using a Mark Bass MB58R 102 Pure 210 cab - the footprint dimensions are about average for a vertical 210 - 15.35" wide by 18.5" deep - but the WEIGHT is only 23 lbs.

Tonight's gig was up these stairs - we play here once a month. I was able to carry the cab, a 4.5 lb Aguilar TH500 head, a backpack with a few cables & incidentals and an 8 lb P Bass all up in one load.

View attachment 7432283
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Great!

I am totally impressed with these light new cabs and combos.

I have a 1x 12” Rocket Bass combo that is delightfully lightweight. But it is very bulky for mountain climbing for sure.

Maybe 1x 10” cab of extra ordinary capabilities….

Nevertheless, I commend you.

There is no way I myself could carry a P bass, backpack, and a 2x 10” cabinet up them stairs in one trip without help. I doubt if I could carry all of it across flat ground at one time without help.
 
#43
TheDuff said:
Great!

I am totally impressed with these light new cabs and combos.

I have a 1x 12” Rocket Bass combo that is delightfully lightweight. But it is very bulky for mountain climbing for sure.

Maybe 1x 10” cab of extra ordinary capabilities….

Nevertheless, I commend you.

There is no way I myself could carry a P bass, backpack, and a 2x 10” cabinet up them stairs in one trip without help. I doubt if I could carry all of it across flat ground at one time without help.
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It's by no means easy at 68 with a blown shoulder and back issues - I take everything out of the backpack that's not 100% essential and leave it in a secondary backups-bag in the car where I keep a backup head and cheap backup bass - spare Neutrik speaker cables, instrument cables, batteries, etc.

In playing this place once a month for three years, I've learned that the pain that comes and lingers the days following the gig are a result of multiple-load trips up and down those stairs. Lightening the load for one slow trudge up and down vs lighter-but-still bulky/heavy loads significantly reduces residual pain.

BTW - the backpack has a separate bag area where I could easily fit my Aggie TH500 head - I still carry it separate around my shoulder, over the backpack in its own repurposed, thick-foam reinforced laptop bag - it provides both a platform to lean the cab back and a spare foam "wedge" to keep the head level:

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#44
Pocket Dave said:
It's by no means easy at 68 with a blown shoulder and back issues - I take everything out of the backpack that's not 100% essential and leave it in a secondary backups-bag in the car where I keep a backup head and cheap backup bass - spare Neutrik speaker cables, instrument cables, batteries, etc.

In playing this place once a month for three years, I've learned that the pain that comes and lingers the days following the gig are a result of multiple-load trips up and down those stairs. Lightening the load for one slow trudge up and down vs lighter-but-still bulky/heavy loads significantly reduces residual pain.

BTW - the backpack has a separate bag area where I could easily fit my Aggie TH500 head - I still carry it separate around my shoulder, over the backpack in its own repurposed, thick-foam reinforced laptop bag - it provides both a platform to lean the cab back and a spare foam "wedge" to keep the head level:

View attachment 7434303
Click to expand...
Nice rig.

You can definitely cut down on the bulk and weight but probably with a compromise in performance or expense.

It is still a big rig even with a headless light weight bass.

You could leave a sensible rig at the place if possible, or at least a cab. Something like that could result in less carrying.
 
#45
TheDuff said:
Nice rig.

You can definitely cut down on the bulk and weight but probably with a compromise in performance or expense.
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It actually delivers the perfect amount of punch for the venue and music we play. Here's a similar sized room clip with a pickup band gig I did a year or so back - 99% backline volume, including keyboards - the only thing coming through the PA on this clip is a little kick drum:



TheDuff said:
It is still a big rig even with a headless light weight bass.
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Maybe so - my "lightest" is the aforementioned 8 lb P bass.

TheDuff said:
You could leave a sensible rig at the place if possible, or at least a cab. Something like that could result in less carrying.
Click to expand...

Would be nice, but I'm not leaving a $700 cab at a venue I only play 12 times a year. Plus, it's a tightly packed venue and stage - doubtful that management would allow it - and I don't know who might decide to easily carry it out.

Plus, while I bought that cab to make this particular venue's load-in & load-out more tolerable, I use it on every other gig I play, often in tandem with another 210 cab.
 
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#47
Thanks everyone for your awesome feedback. Here is the solution I am trying:
First, I kept the Berg setup as suggested, but changed orientation but flipping it on the side so that is it less width and the speaker is higher off the ground.
Second, I removed the amp stand and replaced it with a Slant Board, which is adjustable. I can adjust the angle based on how close I am to the cab (e.g., 20 degrees if not close, 28 degrees if right next to it) so it points toward my ears.
Third, I removed the guitar stand and used strong double lock Velcro to attach this rubber guitar holder to my amp.

So now I have tilt so I can hear my amp, two less stands to carry, a much smaller footprint. Thank you all.
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#48
Corn Pop said:
Thanks everyone for your awesome feedback. Here is the solution I am trying:
First, I kept the Berg setup as suggested, but changed orientation but flipping it on the side so that is it less width and the speaker is higher off the ground.
Second, I removed the amp stand and replaced it with a Slant Board, which is adjustable. I can adjust the angle based on how close I am to the cab (e.g., 20 degrees if not close, 28 degrees if right next to it) so it points toward my ears.
Third, I removed the guitar stand and used strong double lock Velcro to attach this rubber guitar holder to my amp.

So now I have tilt so I can hear my amp, two less stands to carry, a much smaller footprint. Thank you all. View attachment 7435236View attachment 7435237View attachment 7435238View attachment 7435239View attachment 7435240View attachment 7435241
Click to expand...
Do you have a link to that amp tilt stand?
 
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#55
richntiff said:
It’s not that bad. In a recording studio it would be annoying. In the real world, geez some people get worked up over silly things. My Peavey Minimax’s fan is louder….
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I have a Hartke Tx300 head which is very excellent and it has a fan that only infrequently kicks on. It is not an intrusive or abrasive sound and is mostly never noticed. When noticed it is not an abrasive sound. It kicks on infrequently.

In a critical recording situation the fan noise might be a problem. Definitely part of the ambient soundscape. But wouldn’t likely be noticed unless using microphones.

This Tx300 is a good amp head with lots of useful knobs, compression, drive, shape, mute button, gain, and master volume.
 
#56
J.Wolf said:
Coming from your Berg rig, *most* combos are gonna be underwhelming sounding, my .02c. Theyre often designed less as pro rigs with high quality components and more as budget practice setups. There are outliers for sure, but that Berg rig sets a high bar for tone.

On a budget, I feel like some of the nicer Rumble combos are hard to beat. Not amazing sounding by any means, but impressive for the money.

Based on what you're describing, I'd put this in the mix for sure. Small, loud, very portable: Bullhead Mini 500 Combo – TRICKFISH AMPLIFICATION
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+1

Lots of great suggestions, here, and I think the OP's eventual solution is a great one, as well. For the ultimate "small footprint, plenty of volume" rig, I do love a pair of the TE Elf 2x8's stacked vertically with an 800w head on top (the Quilters are great and fit nicely).

But if I had to pick a new production high-power, small footprint combo, the Bullhead Mini 500 Combo would be on my short list, for sure. It's really a great design, and it sounds fantastic. :thumbsup:
 
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