The Combo Club

[GwenOnBass]

My Peavey TNT also had a top handle. It was lighter than the 1x15 cab I used with it. Literally could no longer lift the cab into the car. The combo was 90 pounds, I think?

 

[Count Bassie]

You're going to carry that beast by the grille?

Not anymore...

 

[onefitter]

Here's a shot of the amp upright on its wheels, handle held in place by mere gravity and friction.
Yes, another shot. Because I am right pleased with myself.

View attachment 5034509

Looks like it should have been made that way.

 

[Count Bassie]

Looks like it should have been made that way.

Sensible right?? Make a jig and knock out a hundred in a week...

 

[Count Bassie]

My Peavey TNT also had a top handle. It was lighter than the 1x15 cab I used with it. Literally could no longer lift the cab into the car. The combo was 90 pounds, I think?

Same model TNT, the 115s? Yep, 90. It is pretty beastly.

 

[WestyBassBob]

Someone should sell combos with huge ass cabinets made out of that structural honeycomb material they use in aircraft. IMO amps should look heavy even if they aren’t.

 

[Count Bassie]

Someone should sell combos with huge ass cabinets made out of that structural honeycomb material they use in aircraft. IMO amps should look heavy even if they aren’t.

Well I do like the idea of a biggish cabinet. Internal volume is good for bass.

 

[Greywoulf]

That's a possibility now. I can carry it fine as long as I can get a reasonable purchase, and the side handles are that. That top handle is as bad a design as I've seen on a heavy, large object. No one carries a 90 lb suitcase.

The grille is next...

You can carry 90 lbs "fine"??? ~I wouldn't attempt to lift that monster iffen it had 16 handles on every which side!!
To me, without a hand truck that thing's a guaranteed hernia maker and body breaker!
{-There's only so much I'll sacrifice for tone...~)

 

[Count Bassie]

You can carry 90 lbs "fine"??? ~I wouldn't attempt to lift that monster iffen it had 16 handles on every which side!!
To me, without a hand truck that thing's a guaranteed hernia maker and body breaker!
{-There's only so much I'll sacrifice for tone...~)

Don't get me wrong, it's heavy. But years of manual labor have taught me how to manage a burden- I have to consider how I pick something up because I'm not a robust build. Never use your back, don't tighten up your belly, keep your structure over your center... Yada yada...
I know, it's just an amp, why treat it like it's a job... But it sounds good!

 

[GwenOnBass]

In moments of private mirth. I imagine my PJB BG-400 combo inherited Peavey weight DNA. Did Peavey patent weight and license the tech to others?

The BG-400 is unbelievably small. Drummer says Can I help you with that? The surprise is it's 40 pounds of small.

Sounds killer

 

[Greywoulf]

In moments of private mirth. I imagine my PJB BG-400 combo inherited Peavey weight DNA. Did Peavey patent weight and license the tech to others?
The BG-400 is unbelievably small. Drummer says Can I help you with that? The surprise is it's 40 pounds of small.
Sounds killer

Well I guess that's a drawback because I rarely get any offers to help carry my gear!~!!
~Prolly 'cause everyone assumes my 16lb combo and 16lb ext cab shoe boxes don't require any assistance? =
And it's 240W from the four 5" speakers combined in my PGB Cub Pro combo and PJB C2 ext cab, and it's constant gratitude from my hiatal hernia obtained from much younger heroics! ~

 

[Count Bassie]

In moments of private mirth. I imagine my PJB BG-400 combo inherited Peavey weight DNA. Did Peavey patent weight and license the tech to others?

The BG-400 is unbelievably small. Drummer says Can I help you with that? The surprise is it's 40 pounds of small.

Sounds killer

Weight translates to hefty sound.
Change my mind...

 

[Greywoulf]

Weight translates to hefty sound.
Change my mind...

Methinks the laws of physics and sound isolation might tell a different story? _Heavier, thicker stuff will usually absorb and block sound, not increase it... If you're talking about a larger speaker with more power, that might be a different story (tho not always) as far as increased sound goes. But I doubt actual weight has very much to do with it...
Also what kind of sound are you looking for? Sometimes turning up the V on a large speaker just muddies the sound, which invariably makes it less! A clear, accurate sound pushed by less power into a smaller speaker will often sound much better IMO!

 

[Count Bassie]

Methinks the laws of physics and sound isolation might tell a different story? _Heavier, thicker stuff will usually absorb and block sound, not increase it... If you're talking about a larger speaker with more power, that might be a different story (tho not always) as far as increased sound goes. But I doubt actual weight has very much to do with it...
Also what kind of sound are you looking for? Sometimes turning up the V on a large speaker just muddies the sound, which invariably makes it less! A clear, accurate sound pushed by less power into a smaller speaker will often sound much better IMO!

I'm sort of being cheeky there, realizing there is more to physics than mass. I do not generally find that the newer, lighter, "more powerful" gear sounds better than the old generation gear. It is different, but my EPI neck thru Thunderbird sounds hefty and has authoritative 'push' in the mix through the old Peavey TNT combo, 160w @ 4 ohms.

(I also still, to a point, think of class D as the Bic Lighters of bass amplification, whereas I can still have any single part of my old gen amps replaced.)

 

[Greywoulf]

I'm sort of being cheeky there, realizing there is more to physics than mass. I do not generally find that the newer, lighter, "more powerful" gear sounds better than the old generation gear. It is different, but my EPI neck thru Thunderbird sounds hefty and has authoritative 'push' in the mix through the old Peavey TNT combo, 160w @ 4 ohms.

(I also still, to a point, think of class D as the Bic Lighters of bass amplification, whereas I can still have any single part of my old gen amps replaced.)

So, if you like whut you got, and it's worth all that lugging to you, enjoy it! ~Who am I to disagree? Someone should recycle all that ancient lumber I suppose...
~Me? ~I'm greatly impressed by the new advances found in today's modern bass gear, especially alla weight reduction gained while still producing beautiful sounds!
(And I'm most glad I don't hafta still use my gear from 25 years ago, -because hey, I too am twenty five years older!) ~

 

[GonePlaid]

My 23 y/o Bassman 25 took a minor Tuesday night at concert band rehearsal. F---ed* with the power cable and the guitar cord then switched it offandon a coupla times and it came back. Prolly gonna use the R40 from now on. Don't want it doing that in the middle of a concert.

*ool

 

[brisonic]

So, if you like whut you got, and it's worth all that lugging to you, enjoy it! ~Who am I to disagree? Someone should recycle all that ancient lumber I suppose...
~Me? ~I'm greatly impressed by the new advances found in today's modern bass gear, especially alla weight reduction gained while still producing beautiful sounds!
(And I'm most glad I don't hafta still use my gear from 25 years ago, -because hey, I too am twenty five years older!) ~

oy vey, if I had to use that rig, which basically filled an old Ford Ranger, that would be a problem without a team of helpers.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

oy vey, if I had to use that rig, which basically filled an old Ford Ranger, that would be a problem without a team of helpers.

They’re called “roadies”.

 

[Giffro]

During the 60's and 70's I used a variety of Bass amps. Most were head and cab combinations with only a couple older style combos. Into the mid 80's I exclusively ran a Peavey MKIV head and 1820 cab (2x10" Scorpions and 1x18" Black Widow) till approx 2017. From that date (2017) I purchased lighter weight gear because of age related spinal issues requiring me to use lightweight equipment, so I opted for a Fender Rumble 500 Combo (2x10" drivers) and extension Fender Rumble 115 (1x15"driver) cab.
Over the years Ive mainly used 10", 12", 15", and 18" drivers, so basically the full gamut of usual speaker sizes available to bass players.
I know i'm likely about to open a can of worms amongst non-combo and combo owners collectively..its been discussed before here on TB over the years so lets give it another airing lol

Through-out my musical career one thing has always stayed constant with me regarding how I transported my speaker cabs.
I thought since I carted my gear and own either sedan cars or station wagon style cars or have also used the bands van, I have always transported my cabs FACE DOWN.

Logically I had always had it mind that the speaker cone excursion (cone movement as it would be when playing) should always be mimmicked even during transportation (bumpy roads etc) to avoid a cone (voice coil) being bumped into the magnet gap if laid FACE UP.
It does make me wonder if this method of transporting my speaker cabs or combos has avoided me ever blowing a speaker. In 50 years or more of loud playing I never have blown a speaker where I have read examples of musicians getting to a gig and finding a cab with a blown speaker where it was perfectly good before transporting the cab face up.

To my mind it made sense to transport my cabs in the boot (trunk) of my sedan or back of my station wagon FACE DOWN on a blanket so any rough road bumps transferred to the speaker would duplicate how the speaker was designed to move, thus reducing the cone being "pushed" back into the magnet gap if carted with the cab on it's back and the speaker facing UP. Of course this same thing could occur if playing excessive volume and the cone excursion caused the voice coil to shoot back into the gap and remain there...causing an unresponsive speaker as the voice coil heated up and "got stuck".

Maybe the transportation orientation has nothing to do with my good fortune of never blowing a speaker as other muso's have carted their cabs (obviously secured against movement) face up, face down, on-side, or standing upright..who knows but it does make one think. Was it good luck or common sense?

 

[Count Bassie]

I've always carted my cabs either face up or on a side (when I was short on room). Honestly I don't think it's that much of an issue, I've never experienced a gear problem upon arriving to a gig.