Survey to see what age range has opted to use lightweight (or NOT) gear.

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='4stringslow' timestamp='1463391793' post='3050885']
Is there a generally accepted definition of 'heavy' and 'light' in this context?
[/quote]personally I wouldn't like to lug around anything heavier that 30 Kg, but bulk comes into it as well, even if a Trace 4 x 10 was under 30Kg it's still 18" deep which makes things very awkward, my Rumble is 16Kg but it's still a bit tricky because of it's depth and the fact it's only got a handle on the top so it tends to swing around a lot

[CamdenRob]

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1463392176' post='3050891']
personally I wouldn't like to lug around anything heavier that 30 Kg, but bulk comes into it as well, even if a Trace 4 x 10 was under 30Kg it's still 18" deep which makes things very awkward, my Rumble is 16Kg but it's still a bit tricky because of it's depth and the fact it's only got a handle on the top so it tends to swing around a lot
[/quote]

it's a fair point about size being an issue as well as weight.

I had a pair of Purple Chilli 112s made a couple of years back. They sounded and looked awesome and were of a comparable weight to the other Neo 112s out there, but they were enormous... as deep as they were wide.

[discreet]

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1463391079' post='3050877']
...it's just more rock and roll to have a stack behind you, it's not just about the sound at a gig but the whole show IMO, never like to see a band playing with tiny combos, or worse still, nothing at all it just doesn't look right somehow, to me anyway.
[/quote]

That is certainly an important consideration. Very genre-dependent though. Imagine turning up with a One10 and tiny amp like I do. But my current project is a retro country/Western Swing band and a RAWK stack would just look weird. If I join another rock band I'll have to carry an empty cab and stick the One10 inside it...

[BigRedX]

I wasn't able to vote.

My main rig has a lightweight amp - Tech Soundsystems Black Cat which is a P2P wired valve pre-amp coupled with a dual class D power amp, but it sits in a 6U rack case with a load of other gear so the final package isn't particularly lightweight at all. My backup amp is a Tecamp Puma, but again it is rack mounted in a case with a load of other gear so that isn't really light or compact either.

The speakers are EBS Pro-Line and I can only lift the smaller of the two cabs on my own. However the backup cabs are relatively light weight (although nowhere near the lack of weight of something like a Barefaced). Both sets of cabs were purchased on the basis of good reviews from users here and because the price was right. They have been kept because I like the sound. TBH weight isn't too much of an issue. All the gear goes in the band transport, we all do the load in/out, and some of the drum cases weigh considerably more...

[stoo]

Yep. Goosed my back pretty bad last year so treated myself to a pair of barefaced big babies to go with the gk mb500 I already had.

The BFM omnis I already had weren't ridiculously heavy, but I had a genuine medical reason to succumb to the GAS... Bit of a no brainer!

Edited May 16, 2016 by stoo

[Guest bassman7755]

Interesting that the yes and no curves are the same shape, indicating that there is moreless a normal distribution curve based on age for voter ages generally but no significant correlation between age and use of lightweight gear.

[Norris]

My old Peavey combo was getting a bit, erm... old. I was changing anyway and needed something that would fit in the boot of my car. Why would I NOT choose a modern lightweight replacement?

[largo]

Hi BigRedX, I'm surprised you couldn't vote. I said to only vote yes if you bought gear because it was light. Sounds to me like it's not one of your considerations so I'd have thought no. Maybe you did buy lightweight to keep the overall weight of your rig down however, in which case it would be a yes.

[CamdenRob]

There is of course the cost consideration of lightweight gear as well... It's pretty damn expensive.

You can pick up a gigable older heavyweight rig for peanuts. You might like to have lightweight gear in an ideal world, but if funds are tight lightweight may not be an option.

[discreet]

We see from the poll that it's the older members who have more time on their hands and therefore are more likely to vote...
...either that, or there are proportionately more members in the age range 31-60 on this forum. Or maybe a bit of both.

Edited May 17, 2016 by discreet

[Nicko]

Reluctantly added the vote because I never really switched. I went lightweight with my first real gigging kit. I haven't really seen anyone justify non lightweight on anything other than cost.

[largo]

I've owned several lightweight amps which I thought I was happy with. Then I got a Mesa Carbine M6 and bloody hell, what a revelation. Happy to cart a heavy(ish) amp around for the tone alone. Nothing to do with cost! still have lightweight cabs though.

[Deedee]

I opt for for a mixture of the two. A lightweight Barefaced Super 12 gives me all the power and thump I need in a relatively small package. I pair it with either a Trace 250SMX head (12/13 ish kgs) or my heavyweight Trace Hexavalve (lots of kgs).

Either way, the sound is awesome 😉

[taunton-hobbit]

Like many on here, I own/use a mix of kit (I voted yes, btw), so it ain't that simple............

[HazBeen]

Heavy the way to go

[smaz]

One of my first amps was an Ashdown 15" combo, which was a weighty beast. I had to lug it upstairs back to my bedroom everytime I used it. Since then, I've always considered weight to be an important factor. Maybe being "young" (28), I have a wide range of options available, compared to the "good old days" when everything was big & heavy because technology said so.

But yes, weight is a BIG factor for me - when I'm carting it up & down stairs, in & out of venues + vehicles, I'd rather it be as easy as possible. Especially as when I started gigging regularly I couldn't drive so needed something small / portable.

That said, if I found something that was the sound for me, I'd go for it & put up with the weight. But so far, Barefaced have been the sound for me...

[doctorbass]

52, heavy backline - sounds better and i trust it.

[hairychris]

As I bought my rig from scratch over the past 2 1/2 years, I decided to go lightweight.

After having spent a goodly number of years in bands with heavyweight kit as a guitarist - I've done my share of lugging other people's fridges around too! - I wanted to make my life easier. There is something about valves that you can't quite beat, ditto with a fridge, but getting 90% of the tone and plenty of volume from a rig that in total weighs less than my guitar head... yeah. There's a lot going for that!

Edit:

1) My hardcased pedalboard is the heaviest single item that I use.
2) I fall in to the 41-50 age range.

Edited May 23, 2016 by hairychris

[bassman985]

i voted yes. I really wanted an all valve head again like i had back in the day, but the cost is stupid these days. Even secondhand. Also the weight is a total killer!
41-50 here too and as above, the easier my life the bettter. (and also the gaming in pants!)

[Niall6002]

I have an Svt 2 pro head in a rackcase with a power supply and a rack tuner it also has a few custom fans and a power supply for the fans,
It weighs 125 lbs which makes the Genz Benz uber 2 X 12 cab feel lightweight,
I'm 47 but very fit and active being 6'2 and 16 stone helps, love that all tube tone ❤️

[spongebob]

Big yes from me.

Quite a long-term lightweight user as well. Had my first Trace combo for some years, just weighed a ton. Had a break from playing, and.....

Went for the Markbass stuff some years back when I first read about it - not big on the tone, but for me it was weight first.

Sold those for a change to the Fender Rumble range early last year. Absolutely love these, the tone is just what I've always wanted. Recently sold the 500 combo, and went with a 112 cab and 500 head. Already have a 115 cab, so the rig is sorted.

Edited May 25, 2016 by spongebob

[Swijn]

Got my vote in..

The full rig is pretty heavy i guess - and bulky! - but i wouldn't have it any other way

[dave_bass5]

I voted yes 51-60, but I started using lightweight cabs about 10 years ago.

It's not an age thing, it's a come to my senses thing. Why struggle and risk injury when I don't have to. In fact I'd say my switch to Neo cabs only happened because Neo cabs came along at that time. It wouldn't bother me if they didn't exist, but given the choice.....
We still use heavy PA cabs and I still carry them in and out at gigs. Pain in the ass but not a real problem.

[Japhet]

Lightweight for me. Trying to get out after a gig lugging a big old heavy lump through a crowd of pissed up punters blocking the way ain't for me any more.

[NancyJohnson]

I'm using Hartke Hydrives, have been for years. I have a 4x10 and a 2x10 and can pick and choose dependent on the situation. These weigh far less than the equivalent Ashdown enclosures I used to run.

Recently I bought a Matrix poweramp; this weighs about a third of the Ashdown EVOIII it replaced, so my rack weight has halved.

I'm made up to be honest; my tone is great for me and I don't have any issues with load out after a four hour session.