Why are guitar players so weak?

[la szum]

I just counted the stairs here.
14 steps from the lower level to the upper level

That means your fitness is excellent!

 

[la szum]

Guitarists are also subject to aging and illness. I wish that you can keep your health and youth for a long time.

In my 30s when I was a little full of myself and invincible I would roll my eyes
at the weight watchers trying to parse the punds out of their gear.

20+ years later and I totally get it.

I have a friend in his mid-70s who tells me about his 30-something son telling
him what he should do to prolong his life, and manage his age, and he says
he tells his son, "Get here first, Bitch!"


It's true. The "You should ofs" of the younger and more naive mind is not the
same as the "You should ofs" of as the wiser and more mature mind.

 

[makeitstop]

Just wondering what 1x12 you’re using? I have recto 112, an evh 112, mesa 212, and none of them can thump like my mesa 412’s. Fractal guy here as well for many years. Mostly use matrix or SD power stage , tho I occasionally tap into my roadster or stealth head. If I could find a good 112 with the balls my 412’s have, I’d buy one today…which is why I’m asking.

I've got a prototype 1x12" built by a company here on Long Island called Smith Audio. It's dual-ported (in the front of the cab on top and the rear on the bottom) and built from 12-ply voidless Birch and loaded with a Celestion G12T-75. It's an absolute monster.

It's very similar to a bass cabinet they built called a 'Bassbox.' Looks like this:

Most of the time I use an old Crate Power Block for power, but every so often I'll break out my Two Rock Studio Pro. The cab sounds great with either amp, with my FM3 running into the FX return.

 

[Dino334]

Looks quite interesting! Very cool!

 

[makeitstop]

Looks quite interesting! Very cool!

It delivers a ton of sound without weighing a ton. And according to the engineer's math, turning the cab on its side would give me 20% more bass. I've never had the need to try it, though.

Last I spoke to the designer, there were discussions with a pretty big East Coast manufacturer about licensing the design. But I haven't heard whether that's actually happening.

 

[Iron1]

I've got a prototype 1x12" built by a company here on Long Island called Smith Audio. It's dual-ported (in the front of the cab on top and the rear on the bottom) and built from 12-ply voidless Birch and loaded with a Celestion G12T-75. It's an absolute monster.

It's very similar to a bass cabinet they built called a 'Bassbox.' Looks like this:

I would love to check out the bass cab version of that. Nothing says exciting like trying to hustle a 410, 115 and amp rack off the stage immediately after singing and playing bass to 45 minutes of metal. In my 20s, no biggie. Now... ugh, where's my roadie?

 

[bigmenace]

Why lug around 10kg of textbooks when a 1kg laptop does the job as well (or even better)?

 

[ian_dissonance]

I gotta carry the whole band on stage, I don’t want to carry extra shit in and out of the venue, too.

 

[paisleywookiee]

Why lug around 10kg of textbooks when a 1kg laptop does the job as well (or even better)?

Well, at least it wasn't a car analogy.

 

[Jarick]

Oh man every band seems to have that one guy who just disappears during load in and load out, then magically reappears at the bar. Oh and I definitely had a bassist with an 8x10 Ampeg...

I think a lot of it is different expectations, nowadays people don't want their ears blown out at a bar so volumes are lower and you don't need the massive amps anymore. And frankly you can get really loud lightweight amps, so you don't need a 50 pound head and 100 pound 4x12 to get over the drums.

I'm also getting old...I used to work at a warehouse where I'd unload trucks and move 100 pound TV's all the time. Now my back and knees hurt just moving around the house. I'm getting to the age where moving a 4x12 would actually put me at risk of an injury!

 

[JiveTurkey]

I gotta carry the whole band on stage, I don’t want to carry extra shit in and out of the venue, too.

Your whole band should carry the whole band on stage though. That's the point of having bandmates beyond them actually performing their parts.

 

[megametal7]

I still gig with heavy guitars tube amps and 4x12 cabs.


Im a dinosaur who has not evolved

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

I can’t speak for others but I carry daily in average 40 kg on public transport and my back isn’t digging it.
And that’s with stuff on casters.

And when planes are involved with the insane luggage upcharges that is too much.

And that’s all before missing that I’m an old man with a messed up back.
So yeah 3kg guitar are a thing.

FWIW in the early 90s when business in LA changed and I took care of my own cartage I loaded heads, rack, some 2x12s, 4x12 and guitars into my clown car.

 

[JiveTurkey]

If you don't have to but still choose to do so; there's your answer.

We are playing a big LOUD local room with high ceilings this weekend and, while I am thinking of being lazy and taking the FR12 to use with the FM3; I'm also thinking it isn't going to be loud enough. We'll have great full production but I don't like guitars blasting my face from the wedges so the LX into 2 V30 closed back 112s might be a little more of a "chore" to carry but will definitely do the trick on the loudness end of things.

 

[AFKAEjay(retired)]

While I do think weight and size matters, especially if you gig 2x per week, otoh it’s easy to go overboard with light/small as a buying reason as well.
I got a kpp cause that was even smaller then a QC, yet could do all the sounds I need. In hindsight, for me, smaller then a QC doesn’t add value, they both fit my gigibag.

And yeah, I own an amp that is as light as it can be, for when I travel by bicycle or situations where a cart isn’t an option.

OTOH I’ve come to realize that some heavy stuff…simply sounds better than lighter stuff I know of. EV speaker for instance. I happen to own a 100w amp I really dig. I play stereo when I can simply cause it gives me joy. So, practicalities don’t always win So for now, if the loadout is doable, and I can do it in one trip by loading it on my cart, I’ll take some weight/size.
I did get a nice cart imo

Gravity CART M 01 B

Multifunctionele 8-in-1 trolley Middelgrote versie, Draagvermogen: 150 kg, Rubberen banden (PU), Afmetingen uitgeklapt (L x B x H): 670 x 405 x 805 mm, Afmetingen ingeklapt (L x B x H): 720 x 405 x 195 mm, Afmetingen laadoppervlak: 560-875 x 405 x...

www.thomann.de

I don’t mind weight of guitars tbh…if it would in the future, if my health would allow it, I hope I have the discipline to exercise more.

 

[mbenigni]

...switching from a Helix to a QC to save a few kg etc? I just don’t get it.

The "boat anchor" jokes concerning the Helix never had much to do with weight, per se. It was more about the awkward size and shape, especially in cases where you'd need to throw it on a desk/table for programming. You don't understand (at least those particular) people trying to save a few kg... because none of them are.

Now, cutting an entire trip off of a load-in is another story. Most of the places I've played, I wouldn't dare leave half my rig behind in the car. It would be gone before I came around for the second trip.

 

[JiveTurkey]

The "boat anchor" jokes concerning the Helix never had much to do with weight, per se. It was more about the awkward size and shape, especially in cases where you'd need to throw it on a desk/table for programming. You don't understand people trying to save a few kg... because nobody is.

Now, cutting an entire trip off of a load-in is another story. Most of the places I've played, I wouldn't dare leave half my rig behind in the car. It would be gone before I came around for the second trip.

Honestly; the Turdblaster is the sweet spot. But once I add outboard stuff; it isn't. So there really isn't a sweet spot when everything is taken into account. Just gotta make peace with lugging something or other.

 

[mbenigni]

Honestly; the Turdblaster is the sweet spot. But once I add outboard stuff; it isn't. So there really isn't a sweet spot when everything is taken into account.

QC + same outboard gear.

 

[mbenigni]

This can only be sarcasm LOL.

 

[ian_dissonance]

Your whole band should carry the whole band on stage though. That's the point of having bandmates beyond them actually performing their parts.

It’s a joke dude.