Daft question #83

[karlfer]

Anybody use foam underneath an amp head?

Like many I normally use trusty Halford's car dash non slip matting to keep a micro amp in place.
I've noticed that my LM 800 seems to bounce a bit more than most (whadya mean turn it down )

Anyway, I got to thinking, long term, that amount of vibration can't do it much good.
So, I'm thinking of getting some 1/8 inch foam and cutting it down to just more than the area covered by the feet of the head.

Daft?
Worrying about nowt?
Thoughts folks?

Cheers,
Karl.

[Grangur]

Not daft the shaking won't exactly "help" the amp and it could walk its way off of the cab. Besides, hearing that rattle behind you all the time would drive you mad

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

I'd use something more than 1/8 inch thick. I imagine you have these on your side of the pond:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trial-Camping-Pad-Blue/16783660
Ask any Boy Scout.

[karlfer]

Cheers Rich. I'd taken it to my little warehouse to wind it up a bit. It's rather loud pushed (more than I would ever need at a gig) .

Genius again Bill thank you. Lots of other uses for the bits left over

[chris_b]

20 years ago I was playing loudly through a Mesa Boogie 400+. That's something like 16 valves bouncing around on top of my 115 and 210 cabs. With the cost of a re-valve running into hundreds of pounds, I decided to try to protect the valves by putting the amp on 2 3" high strips of foam.

I'm still doing it.

Whether I'm actually protecting the amps or not I can't say for sure, but thinking about this logically, less vibration has got to be a good thing, even for my D class amps.

[karlfer]

Thanks Chris. It's a big relief to know I'm not quite as daft as I thought .

[gillento]

Did something similar when I was still playing my Sadowsky SA200 all tube amp....Auralex Gramma pad.

Nowadays my Mesa Walkakout is fine weight wise on top of my cabs..... With my MarkBass Nano backup head I am using MoPads by Auralex: http://www.auralex.com/product/mopad-mopad-xl/

[Basszilla]

Yes I use a very thick slice of foam under my Matamp gt200. All valve so I use that and then power it via a power conditioner.

The vibrations hammer the power valves over time so it's best practice for me 👌

[mcnach]

Homebase have some cool foam mats, designed to protect your knees while working kneeling on the floor. They're about 3cm thick and come in various sizes. Cheap too. Those would work well.

[Chienmortbb]

[quote name='Basszilla' timestamp='1481799755' post='3195205']
Yes I use a very thick slice of foam under my Matamp gt200. All valve so I use that and then power it via a power conditioner.

The vibrations hammer the power valves over time so it's best practice for me 👌
[/quote]why do you need a power conditioner?

[Hot Tub]

I bought a yoga mat from Amazon - cost about seven quid at the time. Sliced about a foot off the end and that covers the top of my cab providing a cushion of sorts for the amp. I use the rest of the mat to cover my dining table when I'm working on a bass. Makes an excellent protective surface, and little screws etc don't bounce away.

[Dan Dare]

I've used a piece of foam ever since my old TE 350 was nearly walked off a 2x15 cab by the vibrations (I turned round to see it teetering, fortunately and repositioned it before it actually fell off). Now I use a lightweight head on an Epifani cab (which, being lightweight poplar ply, vibrates quite a bit), I always make sure I take my foam. You can get a suitable offcut from one of those foam cut to size shops which will do the trick. Go for something reasonably dense so the head doesn't squash it too much. I like Bill's idea of using a piece of camping mat, although some are a bit thin. I reckon an inch or so is a good minimum thickness.

[Chienmortbb]

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1481735579' post='3194712']
Anybody use foam underneath an amp head?

Like many I normally use trusty Halford's car dash non slip matting to keep a micro amp in place.
I've noticed that my LM 800 seems to bounce a bit more than most (whadya mean turn it down )

Anyway, I got to thinking, long term, that amount of vibration can't do it much good.
So, I'm thinking of getting some 1/8 inch foam and cutting it down to just more than the area covered by the feet of the head.

Daft?
Worrying about nowt?
Thoughts folks?

Cheers,
Karl.
[/quote]If your amp is bouncing that much, is it possible you need to replace the cabinet?

[Twincam]

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1481735579' post='3194712']
Anybody use foam underneath an amp head?

Like many I normally use trusty Halford's car dash non slip matting to keep a micro amp in place.
I've noticed that my LM 800 seems to bounce a bit more than most (whadya mean turn it down )

Anyway, I got to thinking, long term, that amount of vibration can't do it much good.
So, I'm thinking of getting some 1/8 inch foam and cutting it down to just more than the area covered by the feet of the head.

Daft?
Worrying about nowt?
Thoughts folks?

Cheers,
Karl.
[/quote]

I've had a few amps which have rattled etc loudly enough to be very audible even at higher volumes.
Sometimes its the feet but often its internally in the amp. So I now make a point of putting something under the amp.

I don't care what anyone says but it will also help protect some elements of the amps circuitry (amp depending). Its amazing how much resonance etc a cab is making. Its bound to over time have the possibility of weakening solder and larger capacitors on older amps have been know to break lose from the leads at the boards and internally.
Especially when adding a heat cycle to all that too.
Obviously some amp designs are more "solid" than others in this regard.

[karlfer]

So a few folk do think like me. That's comforting .

The only cab I would replace the Schroeder 212 (+titanium bullet horn) with is a Barefaced SuperTwelve.

[Damonjames]

Hi Karl,

I've not experience the "walking bass head" problem with my gear since I ditched my orange terrorbass 1000 and matamp 610, which occasionally would get bored with my crap playing and try to leave the room in disgust. It mostly only did it if the floor was a little uneven though.

I was going to just use an occy strap ( it sure if that's what they call them here, but it's a bungy coats with a hook at either end), and just go from one handle on the cab up and over the head and onto the other handle and just let the rubber feet on the amp do the rest.

[karlfer]

[quote name='Damonjames' timestamp='1482798441' post='3202828']
Hi Karl,

I've not experience the "walking bass head" problem with my gear since I ditched my orange terrorbass 1000 and matamp 610, which occasionally would get bored with my crap playing and try to leave the room in disgust. It mostly only did it if the floor was a little uneven though.

I was going to just use an occy strap ( it sure if that's what they call them here, but it's a bungy coats with a hook at either end), and just go from one handle on the cab up and over the head and onto the other handle and just let the rubber feet on the amp do the rest.
[/quote]

Wonder if it's because I have to do a lot of walking bass lines now Damo

[Damonjames]

Hahaha, even you amp is getting bored lol. Start tapping or I'm outta here!!!!

[Zummerbass]

I've only had this problem with my wireless receiver taking a walk. Think i'll just take a brick with me. Which is the old hi-fi trick for damping resonance. I have thought this could be part of the problem of lightweight amps. With no good old fashioned lump of an amp bearing down on the cab(s) there is increased possibility of vibration. Not very scientific I know and i'm digressing a bit but just a thought.

[Hot Tub]

Used to have a MarkBass CMD103 combo. Damn thing did the twist if it was placed on anything other than carpet.

[martthebass]

I've found the MB carry case Velcro sticks nicely to my MB cabs stopping any walkabout. The padding in the case probably softens some vibration also?