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Why lightweight?

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anonymous101511

Mar 5, 2001
428
9
Disclosures
Dean Markley Strings, Xotic Basses, Kubicki Basses
#1
what's this obsession with lightweight amps? I will say at the top if a person has a physical issue that makes it difficult to lift, then I am not giving you a hard time. My back doesn't feel good either, BTW :)
That said, it seems like guitar players are now less wimpy than bass players, heaven forbid! :)
Ya know a Twin Reverb weighs about 100 lbs. If a guitar player is willing to make the effort for a good sound, why don't bass players do that anymore?
I had a drummer come in for a club gig with a very small, light kit that sounded small and light. Never hired him again.
I say bring an amp that sounds great and put some backbone into it, for cryin' out loud! Life's too short for wimpy sound.
Goodnight from Lisbon.
 
#4
& good morning from Hobart.
My back is stuffed, so, I'm ok ;-)
But, really, IF my rig didn't sound good,I wouldn't be using it. I had a SVT II & NV610 & absolutely loved it.
But for the most part, 1/2 that rig would have been plenty for most places I play.
So the smaller gear-size..... to my ears, sounds very very close to bring as good as the big one.
I wouldn't use it it didn't sound good.
 
#5
rodl2005 said:
& good morning from Hobart.
My back is stuffed, so, I'm ok ;-)
But, really, IF my rig didn't sound good,I wouldn't be using it. I had a SVT II & NV610 & absolutely loved it.
But for the most part, 1/2 that rig would have been plenty for most places I play.
So the smaller gear-size..... to my ears, sounds very very close to bring as good as the big one.
I wouldn't use it it didn't sound good.
Click to expand...

right on, fair enough. I get a strong impression that many are buying into the micro amps for the novelty of the light weight and that's just seems like a waste of time, to me.
 
#7
I kind of get what you mean Vail.

I like lightweight amps (Markbass) but i dont like light or small but powerfull speakers, in a live setting they sometimes get lost.

And i know guitar players are willing to carry a heavy Marshall amp but lately i have seen a lot of them using Line 6 POD rackmount units and sound just as good IMO.
 
#8
vail_bass said:
what's this obsession with lightweight amps? I will say at the top if a person has a physical issue that makes it difficult to lift, then I am not giving you a hard time. My back doesn't feel good either, BTW :)
That said, it seems like guitar players are now less wimpy than bass players, heaven forbid! :)
Ya know a Twin Reverb weighs about 100 lbs. If a guitar player is willing to make the effort for a good sound, why don't bass players do that anymore?
I had a drummer come in for a club gig with a very small, light kit that sounded small and light. Never hired him again.
I say bring an amp that sounds great and put some backbone into it, for cryin' out loud! Life's too short for wimpy sound.
Goodnight from Lisbon.
Click to expand...

Someday you might actually get to play through a real PA. When you do you will realize you don't even need an amp or a large drumkit.:D EDIT- Just looked at your profile. You actually have played with all those people? If so then you have played through a real PA.:D Do you think an big amp is really necessary if you have good monitors and PA support.
 
#9
Lets not start another war.

Who really cares what amp someone uses?

Use what you want...Play for yourself.[/QUOTE]

well, it seems like this forum is all about 'what amp someone uses', so it's a relevant question, I think.
I am curious about the reasoning, because it just can't be about the sound. I'm concerned that young players will be adversely influenced by the religious fervor surrounding the light amp/ little speaker fad and 'buy into' a crap sound because they tend to follow the loudest advocate. I would like to offer a perspective based on my personal experience and encourage new players to look at ALL options and base their opinions on the actual SOUND and not the current FAD.
Thanks for reading! :)
 
#12
vail_bass said:
well, it seems like this forum is all about 'what amp someone uses', so it's a relevant question, I think.
I am curious about the reasoning, because it just can't be about the sound. I'm concerned that young players will be adversely influenced by the religious fervor surrounding the light amp/ little speaker fad and 'buy into' a crap sound because they tend to follow the loudest advocate. I would like to offer a perspective based on my personal experience and encourage new players to look at ALL options and base their opinions on the actual SOUND and not the current FAD.
Thanks for reading! :)
Click to expand...

Clearly these lightweight amps have their advocates, but I take it you've seen the various tube amp, SVT, lead-sled Aguilar/GK/Ashdown, etc, etc threads, each populated by its fair share of fervent admirers. Not my intention to rain on any of 'em, but it's hardly a one-sided conversation.
 
#13
Since when did weight have anything to do with sound?

I have no clue which lightweight rigs you've played through that sound like crap.

I've heard lots of great and crappy rigs and weight had nothing to do with it.
 
#14
I live in upstairs in an apartment building with no elevator. I'm healthy, but I'm mighty skinny.

Last month I had to rent a cab locally to cover a loud gig, and ended up using an 80lb PA cab. Sounded decent. And I spent the next week recovering.

To cover loud gigs like that in the future, I've ordered a 38lb 15/6/1 fEARful made of fiberglass/foam composite.
Guess I must be a) a wimp, b) excessively lazy, and into c) wasting my time.
:^D ! ! (Just enjoying fanning the flames in this thread ;^)

Whatever. Last year I had a TB guy go on a wild rant cuz I inquired about the weight of a bass in the classified!

Most of the time my back doesn't give me any problems. It's a priority for me to keep it that way, when I choose bass gear.
 
#18
Yes i agree this light weight obsession makes me sick.

Yes being physically unable to move heavy stuff makes sense...

But lots of young guys think a 70 pound cap is heavy?

What the ####?

I have been in Car Accidents, Tractor Accidents, Horse Riding accidents, have been thrown of buildings.....

My back is technically thrashed to Hell. Im fat and been smoking for years

BUT..... I can still throw around a 170 pound 8x10 cabinet like nothing.

and when i pick up a 70 pound bag of concrete it feels like a bundle of goose feathers.

I was thinking of getting a real girlfriend.....but those weigh 100 pounds....maybe i will just get a ultra light Blow up Doll to save on the weight.
 
#19
Some people quite like the tone of some of the lightweight options, or have to use public transport to get to gigs and things of the like, so like a head that they can throw into their gig bag. Personally, if i find a lightweight amp that has the features i want and sounds good, i will use it, but for now i'll keep my Warwick ProFet and later this year Ashdown ABM.

Liam
 
#20
Vail: nice list of folks to play with mate;)

I used to carry Heavy Iron and Heavy Cabs.
Then, neo cabs happened, and folks started building nice boxes out of lighter plywoods too.

It took me longer to move away from Big Heavy Heads, but I have.
The first one I really liked was the WT800B, then the Thunderfunk.

Right now, I run either a Mesa M9 (26lbs) with an Epi UL410 (55lbs)
or
a GK MB-Fusion(4.5lbs), and two Neo-112-II (2x28lbs).

Both these rigs work exceptionally well for me, or I wouldn't use them; you're right: life's too short for crappy tone!!!

And neither one of those systems weigh even as much as an SVT head does, alone:):)

Also, looking at your profile, you're using neo cabs, and your head weighs 42lbs...so..."none of your stuff is Olde Schoole Heavy"...;)
 
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