1x12 Combo recommendations please: My back cant take the heavy gear any more :(

Fortheloveofguitar

Hey all

Any recommendations on a nice giggable 1x12 valve combo guys, can be low wattage as will be mi'cd through the p.a anyway.

I bought a new H&K Trilogy head brand new about 8 weeks back and its been sat in the box doing nout until last night when i had a rehearsal so time to bring her out to play and she is one heavy amp at 24kg. With that and the lugging around of the 2x12 cab (28kg) i've done my back in again before i'd even loaded the car and left the house.

I simply cant keep doing this. I'm only 34 but after 15 years of lugging this shit around I've had enough and just want a very small and basic amp. I'm only playing function work etc so the big rock star days are behind me now.

I've been looking at the deals on the Marshall SL-5 and that looks quite nice apart from no FX loop but i think i can work with that. Its only my delay i would lose in the loop.

Anyone agree or have any other ideas. want to pick something up before Friday as there's no way i'm playing this weekends gig with the old rig.

Lookout for the H&K Trilogy in the classifieds soon

PermanentWaves

I went through the same as you and ended up with a Blackstar HT5. A lot lighter than my more powerful amps. Also has FX loop.

Try one, see what you think.

My fellow guitarist went for the head and the two speaker stack.

He only uses one speaker at rehearsals and I have to say I prefer carrying his head and speaker to carrying my combo!

Mike

chrishill901

You probably aren't going to save your back much with a 1x12 combo! My 1x12 jubilee is something like 23kg! A 1x12 cab from someone like Montage and a lighter weight head might be a better option. I'm sure there are lighter weight combos, but you may limit yourself by limiting the weight

Roland

How long before someone chimes in with Axe FX and a Matrix?

Kebabkid

My H&K Tubemeister 36 and 1x12 cab are up for sale (the valve head weighs 17lbs and it's 36W).

Any good for you?
http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/27242/fs-hughes-kettner-tm-36-head-cab-pics#latest

mart

Try having a read through this thread for suggestions:

http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/27944/advice-please-small-light-amp-has-to-be-loud/p1

JAYJO

my back started playing up when i was about 34. Its still doing it now at 49 and its cost me a lot of pay through time off work.Maybe wear a support to help your back. One of those velcro elastic things like a weight lifters belt as well as getting a lighter amp. I struggle to even stand with my guitar now. I wish i had used one years ago.

firepaulmusic

 OD pedal (Suhr Riot - designed to be used with clean amp) - TC Nova System - Fender Pro Junior.

p90fool

I have a similar problem, so I bought one of these, it sounds fabulous with all my pedals and it's just over
15kgs

http://i57.tinypic.com/r8gpco.jpg

Moe_Zambeek

Roland;424115" said:

How long before someone chimes in with Axe FX and a Matrix?

Or a kemper and the mission engineering Gemini...

The kemper weighs nothing. If I had issues carting the gear I think I'd give it serious consideration .

longjaw

Can't get much lighter than a Hughes and Kettner 18W Tubemeister head (I'm selling one BTW!), match it with a 1 x 12" cab (the Harley Benton one with a V30 in would be my choice) and you'll have a light, quality solution.

Fortheloveofguitar

Thanks for your input so far guys.

I think I could manage with a 1x12 combo of that weight. I think it's the size of what I'm using now that's more the problem.

It's so awkward trying to carry a large 2x12 of that weight that's causing my back to go plus the uneven weight distribution on the large heads due to transformers which is making me have to use two hands to carry it and all that with carrying up and down stairs and up small corridors etc is what's killing my back.

I'm still in bed now with it killing me

Fortheloveofguitar

I may try the SL-5 route first . I can always send it back if that's still an issue. Then try a lunchbox head and separate cab if it comes to it.

robinbowes

For function work, have you considered something like JamUp Pro XT / Bias on an iPad, with an appropriate interface? I've only just got mine, and only just started gigging again, but I'm seriously considering doing a gig with it. You'd need monitoring as well, but you could always use an IED.

Worth considering, possibly...

R.

crunchman

robinbowes said:

For function work, have you considered something like JamUp Pro XT / Bias on an iPad, with an appropriate interface? I've only just got mine, and only just started gigging again, but I'm seriously considering doing a gig with it. You'd need monitoring as well, but you could always use an IED.

Worth considering, possibly...

R.

IED - may be a bit extreme!

Fortheloveofguitar

robinbowes;424194" said:

For function work, have you considered something like JamUp Pro XT / Bias on an iPad, with an appropriate interface? I've only just got mine, and only just started gigging again, but I'm seriously considering doing a gig with it. You'd need monitoring as well, but you could always use an IED.

Worth considering, possibly...

R.

I prefer the real amp route but thanks for the suggestion.

welshboyo

Have you considered my Egnater? - 20 watts, 6V6/EL84, bloody loud, fx loop, carry case for head, ported 1x12 cabinet, looks good with the Salt n Pepper grilles and the Cream/Black tolex...vastly underrated

I have gigged with a Neanderthal drummer and it had plenty on tap and more...

Make me an offer..

DannyP

@p90fool

Is that the '68 reissue Princeton? How are you finding it? How is it different from the '65 Princeton.

They're both 1x10" combos, aren't they?

Ta, Dan

ecc83

"I'm still in bed now with it killing me "

I have suffered with my back since about age 40 (now 69) sciatica.

Of course! Take medical advice but a top doctor in the field told me that you generally need to keep moving...A bit, even tho' it hurts or you will never get better.

I found when I was working, humping tellies about, 26" CRT jobs! That I had to steer a path of enough activity but not so much that things "popped"!

So I HAVE sympathy but not TOO much!

I am of course also going to slam in with the ID60!

Dave.

robinbowes

Fortheloveofguitar said:

I prefer the real amp route but thanks for the suggestion.

So do I, for the time-being, but I was very surprised how good some of the amp emulations in Bias are - responsive to guitar volume changes, and take pedals well.

R.

p90fool

DannyP;424242" said:

@p90fool

Is that the '68 reissue Princeton? How are you finding it? How is it different from the '65 Princeton.

They're both 1x10" combos, aren't they?

Ta, Dan

Yep, both 1x10s, but with way more depth than something like a 1x12 Blues Junior.

I bought the 68 Custom because it's a better pedal platform than the 65 in my experience. The 65 is pretty bright and has very little midrange, I found it disappeared in a mix sometimes, especially with some drive pedals. There's a lot of talk about the 68 having less headroom but it's marginal tbh, and like you I always mic up anyway.

However, even if you change you mind and wish you'd bought the other one it's only a matter of changing a few pence worth of components plus a speaker swap and your there.

I didn't actually buy it for gigging, it was bought purely for pleasure, but it's turned out to be perfect for my needs.