Lightening the load.

Barry Coker · Post by **Barry Coker** » 23 Dec 2019 12:49 pm

I built this for a friend a few months ago he's in his late seventies and found the guitar and case to be a little too much.

He uses a vinyl cover to protect the steel sits it in the back of his SUV and is gone Dolly comes in at about 8 -10 LBS.

Barry

Johnie King · Post by **Johnie King** » 23 Dec 2019 1:36 pm

Barry thats a cool rig for sure!

Barry Coker · Post by **Barry Coker** » 23 Dec 2019 2:09 pm

I knew you would like that Johnie he has been using it about 8 or 9 months across grass, gravel parking lots up and down stairs. So far has worked great he loves it.

Barry

J R Rose · Post by **J R Rose** » 23 Dec 2019 4:53 pm

Tommy Huff has some great lite weight cabinets he builds for a lot of the old Peavey Amps we like as well as any other well thought of amps. You can contact him with a PM here on the forum. He is a nice guy to deal with. And I might add I think the new Fender Tone Master amp is going to be the up and coming thing? J.R.

Mike Greenberg · Post by **Mike Greenberg** » 24 Dec 2019 12:58 pm

GFI S12 and Boss Katana 100. Pac-a-seat with necessities and a folding cart like some mentioned above.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 24 Dec 2019 3:27 pm

Whatever happened to those SGI(?) steels that weighed less than 10 pounds? They disappeared almost immediately after they were introduced in St Louisa while back.

Jeremy Threlfall · Post by **Jeremy Threlfall** » 24 Dec 2019 6:28 pm

Mike Perlowin wrote:Whatever happened to those SGI(?) steels that weighed less than 10 pounds? They disappeared almost immediately after they were introduced in St Louisa while back.

They all disappeared over players left shoulders the first time the LKV was engaged!

Kevin Fix · Post by **Kevin Fix** » 24 Dec 2019 6:31 pm

I have split cases for my Super Pro. Case has wheels and handle. I have fold up hand cart for my NV112 and Pack Seat. When I set up my guitar or tear it down I flip the NV112 on its side and put my guitar case on top of my amp before I take it out or put it away. I also use rubber coated gloves so hands don't slip while lifting. The gloves work great along with setting case on my amp. Takes a lot off the lower back. Working smarter, not harder. Another way that really helps is to find some young guy with a size 2 hat and a size 18 shirt!!!!!! Hot Dog or a cold beer will get it moved also!!!!

Jeremy Threlfall · Post by **Jeremy Threlfall** » 25 Dec 2019 2:16 am

The glove idea. Good grip makes a big difference to ease of lifting

ajm · Post by **ajm** » 25 Dec 2019 6:40 am

Since no one has mentioned it (or I missed it)......

The real problem is with your back.

How old are you?

Have you seen a doctor?
By "doctor" I mean either an orthopedic surgeon or a Sports Clinic.
Have you had an MRI done? An X-ray can see some things, but an MRI will tell you a lot more.

I recently had back surgery to correct a problem that had been getting worse and worse. It has been WAY different recovery wise than I thought it would be. I would not hesitate doing it or advising someone to do it again.

Of course, everyone's condition is different, but you may want to think about fixing the real problem if you haven't already.

Gene Tani · Post by **Gene Tani** » 25 Dec 2019 7:27 am

Grippy gloves are important. The store-bought sticky gloves that i've tried weren't very cut and abrasion resistant so i smear Plastidip on regular leather gloves.

Don't know if anybody has mentioned aluminum legs, and I just got a half split case (the pedal board half) for $190 shipped from Mullen. Kevin Hatton can probably also do these.

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 25 Dec 2019 7:44 am

Here's how I lightened my load:

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 25 Dec 2019 7:52 am

When my kids were younger I drove a Dodge Caravan and that was the easiest load in/out vehicle I ever had. Low back deck with no lip. Guitar, amp, seat and pedalboard fit without having to drop the rear seat either. Now that Iâ€™m aging I may go back to one.

Randy Carson · Post by **Randy Carson** » 26 Dec 2019 4:18 am

I built a Tele out of Paulownia and I'll never use it again. If you look at sites that offer it for build they make you reinforce it with another wood just like Brad Paisley did on his signature guitar Fender builds. This wood is very soft when building and if your adding screws and replacing screws it's a nightmare...
For Sure would have to think that one out.

Robert Murphy · Post by **Robert Murphy** » 26 Dec 2019 5:25 am

When I need to move the guitar I simply open the case, remove the body and carry it to the stage and come back for the case and legs. One extra trip and costs nothing.

Joe Cook · Post by **Joe Cook** » 27 Dec 2019 7:13 am

Hey Rich Gardner, about the Bose L1, I've used one as a PA for my small duo and group gigs and it is fine for that. Not a very light set up though. It's heavier than my Nashville 112 all together. It packs in 4 separate bags that I can't carry all at the same time. It sounds just ok for instrument amplification in my experience. I didn't like it for pedal steel. Works nicely for voices though.

George Seymour · Post by **George Seymour** » 2 Jan 2020 6:41 am

Rich Gardner wrote:Apparently not.

I used one of my battery powered Bose SP1 Pto for a quick dash iin and out..remarkably good sound... and has line out

Steven Meyrich · Post by **Steven Meyrich** » 2 Jan 2020 9:09 am

Ultralight Moyo S12 easy to carry (also posted in for sale)

\
Steve

Dustin Rigsby · Post by **Dustin Rigsby** » 2 Jan 2020 9:48 am

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 2 Jan 2020 11:49 am

Was I hallucinating, or did somebody post a couple of pictures of someone playing one of those SGIs? Ther were here, but they disappeared.

Bob Watson · Post by **Bob Watson** » 3 Jan 2020 2:35 am

I play my Zum Encore a lot. Its a challenge to try to get some C6 sounds out of it when I need to play in that style. Of course there are some gigs that I always bring a D10 to, but the Encore is fun to play and there are some gigs that I don't miss the C neck on at all.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 3 Jan 2020 3:39 am

while I am not ready to give up any D10, I own two, one sits set up for practice while the other lives near the garage door cased up. Yep it still needs to be placed on the cart and put in the Van but its' really very minimal handling even at the gigs. I haven't done a STEEL stairs gig in recent memory . I did just do a Dobro / Stairs gig, I hate stairs regardless.

Amp wise, same deal, 40+ pound amps reside in the garage, easy in/out to the van and gigs via cart. If I use one of these on a gig, it never comes off the cart .

This is the amp I started using several months back. 21 pounds or so. It cuts the average gig no problem. Excellent EQ , lo end , very flexible MID range sweep and smooth hi end.

Rated 45 watts, very clean at more than required gig level, S-12 Neo, Reverb, Ext spkr jack, Direct XLR out, Phones out, Int spkr kill button, MP3 input. Pretty darn flexible .

Between this amp rated 45 watts, the DV Micro Head rated 50 watts and the GK MB200 rated 200 watts, I really can't tell the difference between any of them. Other than both DV's have reverb.

We have some pretty good choices these days.

This is the DV Mark Little Jazz 12, not the Little Jazz 8.
Same amps, different cabinets and speakers.

I carry a DV Mark Micro 50 head, 4 pounds, as the spare to ALL gigs. So far the only player that needed it was a Bass player maybe a year ago , it covered one set no problem until he worked out his issue.

Gene Tani · Post by **Gene Tani** » 25 Jan 2020 10:48 pm

If you're going to weigh everything you're walking around with starting with tonebars, a $20 food or postal scale is a good investment

Also can shorten lower leg sections of adjustable legs, 7 inches of that weighs about 2.5 ounces.

Dennis Detweiler · Post by **Dennis Detweiler** » 26 Jan 2020 7:50 am

Has anyone tried the Genzler MG350 power head? It has bass and treble control and a selectable mid frequency knob. Controls are active. Weighs 3.5 lbs and puts out 350w into 4 ohms. I'd be interested to hear a steel guitarist's review.

Rich Upright · Post by **Rich Upright** » 30 Jan 2020 10:19 am

I play guitar as well as steel, so I need a tube amp which is rather heavy. My '77 Twin w/JBLs is too heavy to use until gas goes below $2/gallon, so I got me a Peavey Classic 30; great for guitar or steel.

Didn't wanna spend the money on split cases for my Mullen or Emmons, so I went to Rural King & paid $18 for a rifle bag, and I carry my pedal rack, legs & rods in that. More than once someone asked me why I was bringing a rifle to my gigLOL!

It seems like I am the only one of my friends that has zero back issues, and really don't want 'em!