Amps are heavy!

[ejecta]

A reasonable weight one, certainly. I'm talking about the especially heavy ones, which I gather were the basis of the "hit the gym" comments. If you have to hit the gym to carry it, it's probably an amp that should have a cart anyway. But plenty of amps are not that heavy.

Yeah if an amp is just ridiculously heavy I don’t got gigging it but those are really not the norm. Like you said plenty of amps that sound great and aren’t that heavy are plentiful. Are those heavier than a digital rig? Maybe but honestly when I see rigs where a guys is carting a personal 12” wedge, maybe a racked modeler or big floor unit and a couple of guitars. You really aren’t saving any trips or real weight in the scenario.

 

[ChordInversion]

This whole hyperbolic hypothetical situations to try and make it seem like tube rigs are just not a sensible rig option is IMHO just trying to excuse that you want convenience over other things which is totally fine and understandable too but don’t sell people on the idea heavier rigs aren’t workable too. It’s like a lot things in this world… there’s always a plus and minus to a solution.

[Second post as you added to yours after I replied]:

Sure, I get that. I think it's reasonable to not want to take, say a 60 lb amp across a parking lot and up some stairs even weekly. But that need not be the only way to use an amp. And there are plenty of amps that are not especially heavy. I like modelers for reasons unrelated to weight, because I rarely take my gear anywhere but to play and/or record with friends.

 

[Eagle]

I had one of these years ago, Marshall AS100D acoustic combo. That amp was as heavy AF to carrry up and down stairs!
View attachment 44117

21kg, time to buy a Henrikson bud.

 

[ChordInversion]

Yeah if an amp is just ridiculously heavy I don’t got gigging it but those are really not the norm. Like you said plenty of amps that sound great and aren’t that heavy are plentiful. Are those heavier than a digital rig? Maybe but honestly when I see rigs where a guys is carting a personal 12” wedge, maybe a racked modeler or big floor unit and a couple of guitars. You really aren’t saving any trips or real weight in the scenario.

Likely true. If there's a provided PA with monitoring, an FM9, TMP, or Helix will absolutely work and save a ton of weight. But that's clearly not how it works for everyone.

Anyway, I was merely saying that the "hit the gym" stuff was not relevant. Either a specific amp is really heavy or it isn't. If it is, get a cart. If 30-40 lbs is too heavy, to go much lighter is going to require venues that have PAs with good monitoring.

I have known a few guitar players, including a very good one, who showed up with a single guitar and a modeler, both in gig bags, and sounded spectacular. Because the venue made that possible.

 

[Frodebro]

I “one tripped” a mark IV (head in a custom headshell that’s likely heavier than anything stock), thiele cab, my excessively large pedalboard over my shoulder and guitar on my back last night

Holy shit that was miserable lol

I did try and get a cheap amp wagon off Amazon and they lied as fuck on the dimensions

Still planning on ordering another high quality one but obviously will spend much more

Maybe $38 shipped should have been a red flag lol

Just do it right and do it once. Rock n Roller carts are worth every penny.

 

[dignlivn]

Back in the early 90's
I wondered why they put handles on a fender Twin???

 

[Frodebro]

Heaviest amp head I’ve come across is either the Marshall Major or the Mesa RoadKing . There are some big 4U tube power amps that are as bad.

The Marshall Dual Monoblock power amps are within eight ounces of being in violation of the Geneva Convention.

 

[Eagle]

The Marshall Dual Monoblock power amps are within eight ounces of being in violation of the Geneva Convention.

I had a 9200 for a while. Stupid weight and the fan was as loud as a helicopter.

 

[Frodebro]

I had a 9200 for a while. Stupid weight and the fan was as loud as a helicopter.

I still have my 9100, I love everything about it except for moving it.

 

[Eagle]

I still have my 9100, I love everything about it except for moving it.

I have a VHT 2/50/2 these days that I pair with my Soldano X88ir.

 

[Desertdweller]

I've pared down my gigging/jam rig substantially, but it's more for ease than weight. My old rigs were usually a rack or a head and a rack and a MIDI board.

Now it's just this, my 2x12 I outfitted with UK V30s, my Mark VII, and a VP4 pedalboard. All this fits easily in the car and is a quick setup anywhere.

 

[Eagle]

In racks you probably should put the power amp in a separate case to avoid this;

 

[Desertdweller]

In racks you probably should put the power amp in a separate case to avoid this;
View attachment 44124

hahah hell yes. I never quite went this far. I did briefly put a 50/50 and a 2:90 in the same rack once, never did that again!

The craziest rigs I ever actually gigged with were these:

Roughly 2015-2017, I mounted the G System to the bottom of a pedaltrain:

2010ish, Fractal and I go way back:

Circa 2007-ish, yeah I'm an older, 2000s-era metal guy:

I used the mic pre to warm up and juice the input of the solid state chameleon. That was my main preamp for over a decade.

 

[metropolis_4]

Me checking out the latest exercise machines the last time I was in a gym:

 

[AFKAEjay(retired)]

Packed for a rehearsal for a tv shoot. 50W tubes (stjames), stereo feed to the desk from the QC + a feed to the amp.

My car is 250m from my front door, i dont even need a cart with this setup.

Takeaway..theres heavy and light tube amps…and everything in between.

 

[James Freeman]

Also, fuck 6 strings.

 

[metropolis_4]

View attachment 44132

Also, fuck 6 strings.

Hey look, it’s me!

 

[ChordInversion]

Heaviest amp head I’ve come across is either the Marshall Major or the Mesa RoadKing . There are some big 4U tube power amps that are as bad.

I have a good friend who has had the same Road King 2x12 combo for over 20 years. It's heavy as hell. Cool amp, although not for those who don't like lots of controls.

 

[Genghis]

I have been bringing a rack with my QSC mixer, my Axe-FX, wireless for both guitar and in ears, and a big regulated power supply to gigs. Usually have been running direct with Axe-FX, but want to bring an amp and just use Axe-FX in 4cm like I do in the studio. Realized I can dismantle the big rack and put everything I need for the guitar rig in a 6-space rack, use my Allen and Heath board that is much smaller and leave the big rack at home. Told my bass player (who always helps with the load) that I have good news and bad news. No more big rack, but now I need to move the amp head and 4x12 or a 1x12 for the smaller places. Fair trade as the rack weighed more than the 4x12.

On the subject of going to the gym, I am 62 and have a slow metabolism and am pretty big. I workout at home but not just to move the gear. The whole gig experience of loading, setup, playing for 3 hours, then tearing it all down is demanding and would probably kill me if I didn’t workout at all. Currently trying to ramp up and drop a few pounds so that I have more energy and movement while on stage.

 

[Desertdweller]

I have a good friend who has had the same Road King 2x12 combo for over 20 years. It's heavy as hell. Cool amp, although not for those who don't like lots of controls.

At around 55 lbs I don't see the argument in the RK head being too heavy, but the Roadster or RK combos are where I draw the line. At least with a head and cab they're separate. The combo is wildly inconvenient with how heavy it is. I think the Mesa single rec combo is about the heaviest I'd possibly go.