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Rate my Rack!!!!

P

pom134

Apr 2, 2007
24
0
#1
Here's the deal:

I scored a 12 rackmount space SKB case for free. List on musicians friend is 300 bucks. So I don't really want to have to buy a different one. Soooo heres what I want to put in this thing:

Ampeg B4R Amp
DBX 160A Compressor
Korg DTR-2000 Tuner
Furman PL-PlusD II Conditioner
A 4 space locking drawer for cables and whatnot
A 2 space shelf for my wireless, which is not rackmount

My question is, am I missing anything important? I'm not too big on effects so I feel like I'm ok there. Id gladly ditch the drawer or make it smaller, but I can't think of anything I'd want to put in there, so how about some suggestions?

Also I was kind of worried about the weight of the thing, but the amp is 45 pounds and all the other stuff is less than 20 pounds so I figure I won't be hauling around anything more than about 80 pounds. And if it gets to bad I can get some casters for it.

Thanks!!
 
#2
I use to have a 4 space skb with 1space pre, 1space amp, 1space DBX166, and an empty space. it weighed like 35-40 Lbs. I soon decided that was more than I wanted to move around. so I got a 15 Lbs Thunderfunk 550 and called it GOOD!:D

Thats my story... I don't ever think I'll go back to a rack, because of the weight and I think the 550 has all the tone and power I need for my situation.

what kinda cabs you runnin'?
 
#6
But seriously, what about a backup/spare head? Could be useful if any other amp in the band goes down. I have used my spare to run the guitarist's speakers when his creaky old 2x12 musicman died during the first set one night. :cool:

Then again, that puppy is gonna get heavy...:eyebrow:
 
#7
I personally would find a sub 20lb power amp and get an ampeg pre if I had to have ampeg.

I have a 6-space that weighs just over 80lbs BTW. I swear when I calculated everything it was supposed to weigh less than 60.. To this day I expect a small cat or dog to come running out of it since I don't know where the hell the extra 20lbs came from.

My next go at the 6-space is going to be a

1U - Stewart 1.2 (1000W+ mono, 12lbs)
1Ux2 - Tech 21 RBI's (1 clean, 1 dirty)
1U - Behringer MX882 mixer/splitter
1U - Rane DC24 Compressor
1U - Furman RR15P
and mounted in the back would be my wireless for the bass and wireless ear monitor

Should weigh around 35lbs.

Then if I ever need more "omph" I'll just have a europower 2500 in a 2U rack bag.

But most places you could get away with anything of any size as long as it has a balanced out these days ;) (I've sat in with a buddy when his band was playing, plugging straight into the mixer, nothing else, just for a few 'nostalgia' songs)
 
#10
the other cool thing about big racks is that everything you have is there. including a trip for your bass it should be 3 trips from the car for everything. thats not bad and you can leave it set up however you want it.

but it is alot of weight, about the same as say..A TUBE HEAD
 
#11
MarkMyWordsXx said:
the other cool thing about big racks is that everything you have is there. including a trip for your bass it should be 3 trips from the car for everything. thats not bad and you can leave it set up however you want it.

but it is alot of weight, about the same as say..A TUBE HEAD
Click to expand...


If you have casters on your cab its one trip, just stack it all up.
 
#12
Jim Carr said:
Maybe a beer cooler/minibar instead of the drawer? :D
Click to expand...
+1:D

I don't use a big rack any more due to the size/weight.

I have a laptop bag for my Bass POD, cables and stomp boxes, carry my Ampeg B2RE by one of the front handles, carry a bass over my shoulder in a gig bag and roll my Ampeg 1x15 cab.

1 trip, no back pain.


If I had roadies and wasn't playing for beer, wings and gas money, I would have a couple of 42U full size racks full of everything I could find that had cool blinky lights.:bassist:

Unfortunately I drive a Mustang GT Convertable and it doesn't have much cargo space!:)
 
#14
Bass Thunder said:
You scored a deal on the rack.

But I'm like others here and have been downsizing. I have everything I need in a 4-space rack, with an extra power amp in a 2-space when I need it...
Click to expand...

I've gotta admit mine is 4 a space. I keep my spare amp unracked. My 4 spaces are filled with a Crest CA-6 power amp, a BBE BMAX preamp, and an ART tube channel preamp. Yeah, I lug around a lead sled and 2-preamps, with an unracked backup in the car. :eek:

My rack is only 4-spaces, but it weighs in at ~75 lbs! :bawl:
 
#16
Be aware, most soundmen will hate you; instant big-rack stigma.

Sell the 12-space rack and buy one the size you currently need.

You asked, so here are my opinions:

Ampeg B4R Amp

Amp. Necessary.

DBX 160A Compressor

A bit overkill for live use in my opinion, but do what you want.

Korg DTR-2000 Tuner

Nice lights, but takes up a lot of space and weight; same functionality in a Boss TU-2.

Furman PL-PlusD II Conditioner

Overpriced power strip with no more protection and no real conditioning other than an RF filter.

A 4 space locking drawer for cables and whatnot

Put your cables in a gigbag.

A 2 space shelf for my wireless, which is not rackmount

If you insist; I do not play any stages large enough to justify a wireless.
 
#19
I'd also vote for whittling down. I only carry a bigger rack when the band is bringing FOH for events.

Otherwise, the rack gear these days is a 1u pre (Aggie 659), a 2u power amp (Stewart 2.1), and a 1u 5-band parametric (goes in-line after the pre-amp out to bring the stage sound as close to the FOH sound as possible).

More stage volume than I really need:D. Aggie tone on tap in about 30 pounds. Very flexible, no hassles, and only fills one hand in my 1-trip load-ins.

YMMV, but you asked. That's what I'd recommend -- well, that or the Thunderfunk.
 

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