Putting your amp at a useful height

[Marko 1]

...a convenient height for adjustments...

As for that part of the issue, I find my sound pretty quickly, then don't mess any more with the amp through the night, just the knobs on the bass if/when I need to.

I keeps it simple.

 

[ArtechnikA]

Here's 25lb workstand that literally takes seconds to setup or tear down and can hold 1000lbs
https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-33-in-Folding-Portable-Workbench-DWST11556/301867227
A black table cloth hides the details

I've used one like that to good result.
While you're shopping at Home Depot, check out these too:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-1-8-ft-x-3-ft-Portable-Jobsite-Workbench-224317/205887786

 

[Altitude]

With a small cab, I need two crates to get it up where it belongs.
Hearing it isn’t a huge issue because of the design of the cab, but the crates get it up where I can see the amp controls without bending over.

View attachment 4678179

Excellent rig. I have two of those cabinets myself and they do sound great with the MBF Head!

 

[Polfuste]

I use a RTX stand. Simple with a NEO 2x12 (light weight cab)

Joomeo - Espace polfuste - Pied Cab

 

[bigthemat]

Played with one band that has a big crate, prob for drum gear or something, that he put his amp on. It was maybe 3' tall or so when stood on its end, he put a cool cloth over it to make it more cool looking, but the speaker was closer to ear height and sounded great.

 

[Malafaia]

I vote for IEM. To me it was more practical than install a new ear on a knee.

due my height, 2 8x10 can do the job to reach my ear but IEM are much more comfortable.
jokes aside, there is phisics of wave formation; a person far from the cab can hear a better sound than the bassist near cab, so on so forth...

 

[mr80htz]

This is the most valuable piece of gear I've bought in a long time. The live experience is waaay better...plus all those folks who don't want you using one of their chairs can leave you alone . All it says on it is 'On Stage'

 

[Plain Old Barry]

If you were in a band with theatricals, back drops, etc., milk crates are not appropriate.

Black tablecloths are cheap, light and easy to store, and work great. Other colors are available for more festive moments.

Crates can also carry and store stuff when not under the amp...

 

[pbass2]

I've used one like that to good result.
While you're shopping at Home Depot, check out these too:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-1-8-ft-x-3-ft-Portable-Jobsite-Workbench-224317/205887786

I was considering something like that to lift up my GK MB112, but then I just got the powered ext cab for it that only weighs 30 lbs anyway, so I figure what the heck, I just bring that if I'm gonna be standing right in front of my rig(even though I almost never need the extra power). Now, if they made a stand that doubled as a cart, I'd be all over that.

 

[TNCreature]

OR. You could just play, and try not to worry about the speaker height or angle.
I find letting go of little things like this so freeing.
Sorry that I couldn't solve your situation.

 

[ArtechnikA]

...Now, if they made a stand that doubled as a cart, I'd be all over that.

As a matter of fact...
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-...w-Stand-with-Mounting-Braces-AC9946/206992161

 

[Hasty]

I vote for IEM. To me it was more practical than install a new ear on a knee.

due my height, 2 8x10 can do the job to reach my ear but IEM are much more comfortable.
jokes aside, there is phisics of wave formation; a person far from the cab can hear a better sound than the bassist near cab, so on so forth...

I love IEM and wish I was in a context where I could still use them... but that's not always an option. I now wear good hearing protection, but I do miss the monitor portion.

 

[pbass2]

As a matter of fact...
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-...w-Stand-with-Mounting-Braces-AC9946/206992161

That's pretty cool! Pretty pricey too though!

 

[SLO Surfer]

I do have wired IEMs, but I am not sure if I am ready to try it. Plus wired is one more thing to trip over.

Lots of good suggestions here for raising cabs up. I use wired IEM, and have tethered the IEM cables with my instrument cable. So it still looks and feels like a single instrument cable coming from my bass. So it’s not really one more thing to trip over, just the usual one cable to trip over.

 

[Runlikegregg]

I would say just get over it, put it on the floor and be done with it.
I recently made the switch from 4x10's to a small 1x12.
Like most things (at least for me) it was a mental change that worked it out, not a physical one.

 

[Pyrat]

You could put your 4X12 on top of your 2X15 and put that next to your other 4X12 and 2X15. You'll hear that ok.

There is NO WAY I can love this enough (but I will try....)

 

[InhumanResource]

If you are rocking a 2 4x10 or whatever, your amp is at a convenient height for adjustments. If you are just using a single 15" cabinet, it is at knee level.

• Firstly, my knees are not my primary hearing organ, not can I adjust the knobs on an amp with them.
• The first can be solved, if the cab is an on-stage monitor as its primary purpose, by tilting it back. Then the amp slides off, or you put the head on the floor on one end, making it even less accessible.
• I have a keyboard stand, but I don't fancy balancing a 25lb head on top of an X-stand closed enough to balance a head one. It's not stable.
• I could bring 2 x 15 and only use one, or turn them down, but that's large extra bits of gear. It does get the audible sound to closer to ear level, and works better than tilt back if the amp is also providing FOH sound as well as on-stage.
• I could balance the amp on something else - but what?
• I could just use an EQ pedal in the loop as for on-stage sound all I want to adjust is EQ, maybe, and overall level but nothing that goes to FOH. So I could somehow attach an EQ pedal to a stand (music stand - I have one somewhere, I think) or microphone stand.
• I could just go IEM and give up amps, at least for on-stage sound. I do have wired IEMs, but I am not sure if I am ready to try it. Plus wired is one more thing to trip over.

Do other people have solutions to this sort of issue?

I use a 212 combo with a tilt back stand. It’s just for me, so I tweak it into “good enough” territory at the beginning of each show. I MIGHT adjust my stage volume but that’s about it.

FOH/sound guy gets DI line straight from my bass so I don’t touch volume knobs or tone controls on the bass unless I really have to.

 

[mrjim123]

I bought a combination crate/cart from Amazon that serves two purposes: (1) For hauling my head, cables, etc., and (2) For setting my two Trace Elliot 1x10's on top of to raise them 16".

Similarly, I built a larger box for use with two Hartke HD112's.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

OR. You could just play, and try not to worry about the speaker height or angle.
I find letting go of little things like this so freeing.
Sorry that I couldn't solve your situation.

I find that the quality of what I can hear affects the playing experience. E.g., string tension feels different based on audio feedback. Now I know it doesn't really change, but there is a perceived change.

 

[marchone]

Good thread. The DIY plywood versions seem to be the winners here. Cheap, lightweight and easy to construct. At least at a modest height. Go up to 3’/1m and stability will become an issue. The stand will need to become commensurately bigger.

A concern for the folding metal types are sympathetic vibrations possibly causing noise from the joints.