Plastic steel guitar amp?

George Redmon · Post by **George Redmon** » 19 Jun 2005 10:14 am

Why doesn't Peavey, or some other companies come out with a lightweight "injection molded" plastic steel guitar amp with a molded in handle? if the cabinet is the answer to sound, simply line it with a thin piece of plywood on the inside? would you buy one?

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Whitney Single 12 8FL & 5 KN,keyless, dual changers Extended C6th, Webb Amp, Line6 PodXT, Goodrich Curly Chalker Volume Pedal, Match Bro, BJS Bar..I was keyless....when keyless wasn't cool....

Bob Tuttle · Post by **Bob Tuttle** » 19 Jun 2005 11:10 am

No, I don't think so. I guess I just don't like plastic.

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 19 Jun 2005 1:43 pm

I think the old Magnatones did that. They sounded pretty good, but were heavier than hell.

I'd think that HD foam would be easier to repair than that still used "tolex".

My NV112 already has a few "trunk lid" gashes in it.

EJL

Leroy Golden · Post by **Leroy Golden** » 19 Jun 2005 3:03 pm

Hey George, Leroy Golden here in Muskegon, I don't Know if you remember me or not but anyway I would think that somebody could come up with a light plastic amp, they've done it with powered speakers and they sound pretty good! Anyway glad to see you're still kickin' up there in Shelby I'll have to give you a shout sometime when I have more time...Seeeee Ya

Gerald Ross · Post by **Gerald Ross** » 19 Jun 2005 3:11 pm

I used to have a portable battery powered amp called the Crate Taxi. It had an injected molded plastic cabinet. Mine was the second generation Taxi. The first had a plywood cabinet (same size). By switching to plastic they cut about 33% of the weight without affecting the tone.

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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
Board of Directors Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 19 Jun 2005 4:34 pm

Carbon fiber would be a good material, but it's a lot more expensive than wood! Other plastics now available would be almost as heavy, or heavier. Making a light, rugged plastic case for a small 5 lb. amp is easy. It's a lot harder when you've got to support 20 lb. transformers and speakers...and sometimes a 200 lb steeler!

Just how much extra would you be willing to pay to cut, say, 20 lbs. from your amp?

I think you'd do far better just going with neodymium speakers and eliminating the "Tolex" covering. Good N-D speakers that promise to make significant weight savings are on the way.

Just don't ask me when.

George Redmon · Post by **George Redmon** » 19 Jun 2005 4:38 pm

Hey Leroy, of course i remember you...thanks for saying hey...my thoughts exactly..with Peaveys sucess with the "PV Lites" and "Impulse" lightweight speaker cabs..only seems natural, they could give guys that lug around those heavy Session 400's a break... how about a new Session 1000 Digital, with a BW made with a Neodymium Magnet structure, a total weight of the small NV112..i would get one in a minute. Think Digital Digital...no heavy power amp involved!

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Whitney Single 12 8FL & 5 KN,keyless, dual changers Extended C6th, Webb Amp, Line6 PodXT, Goodrich Curly Chalker Volume Pedal, Match Bro, BJS Bar..I was keyless....when keyless wasn't cool....

[This message was edited by George Redmon on 19 June 2005 at 05:40 PM.]

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 19 Jun 2005 4:47 pm

Yup, I had a Magnatone M-9, pure plastic cabinet with true vibrato. Sounded good, but not near as good as the wooden-cabinet 260/280 Buddy Holly - Lonnie Mack type amps. The M-9 was heavier also.

That Crate Taxi is cool. Probably my favorite-sounding portable amp, and has about an 8-hour battery life. We use one for guitar shows, plastic cabinet.

I don't see why this couldn't be done well, and I think it might be better than particle board, which seems to be used a lot these days. Of course, I still like a nice finger-jointed pine or birch cabinet best. Whether I'd buy one or not would depend on a lot of things, not just the plastic cab. But I wouldn't run away from it just because it's plastic.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 20 Jun 2005 5:46 am

Why not? Cost plus tradition, I would say. It's coming, for sure, look at luggage, tennis rackets, golf clubs, graphite and carbon fiber in guitars etc. I have a inkling that the jump in oil prices from $10 a barrel in 1999 to +$50 now is going to slow down the progress of plasticizing the world, though.

Mike Brown · Post by **Mike Brown** » 20 Jun 2005 6:08 am

George, thank you for your suggestion. About two years ago, I discussed the idea of developing a steel guitar amp using the same cabinet idea as our Impulse enclosures. It could be done with much R & D. The problem is that injection molding is expensive and a wooden cabinet is a major part of the tone.

George Redmon · Post by **George Redmon** » 20 Jun 2005 7:44 am

Hi Mike; thanks for you input. Exspensive for whom? R&D is always expensive, so the drug companies keep telling us. I just purchased a pair of your PR subs. They were $189 each..OUT THE DOOR! thanks to the nice folks at Quinns Music in Big Rapids MI. They even did a follow up phone call to see if i was satisfied with my purchase. we are seeing a trend in lighter gear right now..i am hoping that the days of lugging around back breaking guitars and amps are almost over..i for one will keep pushing the companies to develop this type of equipment and hope all other musicians will do the same! Please keep pitching for these types of ideas for us mike. The NV112 is a step in the right direction, but still not the solution to this situation...and thank you MSA.... you got it right!

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Whitney Single 12 8FL & 5 KN,keyless, dual changers Extended C6th, Webb Amp, Line6 PodXT, Goodrich Curly Chalker Volume Pedal, Match Bro, BJS Bar..I was keyless....when keyless wasn't cool....

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 24 Jun 2005 6:38 am

George,
I'd say compare those Peavey's to a pair of Bose 800's. IMO vocals suffer through plastic.
There is no doubt that equipment can be made lighter. It will become a matter of necessity.
Thinner woods, guitar bracing, there are things that can be done by the manufacturer who is willing to break from tradition for tradition's sake.

George Redmon · Post by **George Redmon** » 24 Jun 2005 8:11 am

Charlie...compare my price! these are SUBS! you don't sing through these my friend..bottom only! and when Bose are $189.00 out the door..i will stock up ok? tell me when the sale starts..so i can be first in line ok? Our mains are JBL EON series...a very very nice system....

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Whitney Single 12 8FL & 5 KN,keyless, dual changers Extended C6th, Webb Amp, Line6 PodXT, Goodrich Curly Chalker Volume Pedal, Match Bro, BJS Bar..I was keyless....when keyless wasn't cool....

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 24 Jun 2005 9:01 am

*[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 05 April 2006 at 04:34 AM.]

George Redmon · Post by **George Redmon** » 24 Jun 2005 9:15 am

Gene of course my friend...not plastic..i hate that word...it's actually "Carbon Composite"........
http://www.msapedalsteels.com/html/home.html

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Whitney Single 12 8FL & 5 KN,keyless, dual changers Extended C6th, Webb Amp, Line6 PodXT, Goodrich Curly Chalker Volume Pedal, Match Bro, BJS Bar..I was keyless....when keyless wasn't cool....

[This message was edited by George Redmon on 24 June 2005 at 10:16 AM.]

Robert Parent · Post by **Robert Parent** » 24 Jun 2005 9:36 am

My thoughts exactly George. With proper design it would sound great. Case in-point, I purchased the EV S-200 PA speakers when they first appeared on the market a decade ago and they still sound great. With a switching power supply it would be a nice package.

George Redmon · Post by **George Redmon** » 24 Jun 2005 10:03 am

keep'em comin' guys..because EVERY amp and steel guitar company is going to get YOUR input on this subject...I had a nice conversation with a sound engineer at Dynacord, they have been working for years on a "Padded" instrument amplifier encloser, lined with 18mm plywood, and a black polyurethane finish...they have it out as their "Cobra System" for PA already..they will sell this encloser to differnt companies, to put that companies electronics and speakers into..ask any sound guy about Dynacord..a top shelf company.....they are coming guys...oh my aching back......

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Whitney Single 12 8FL & 5 KN,keyless, dual changers Extended C6th, Webb Amp, Line6 PodXT, Goodrich Curly Chalker Volume Pedal, Match Bro, BJS Bar..I was keyless....when keyless wasn't cool....

Terje Larson · Post by **Terje Larson** » 25 Jun 2005 6:48 am

Originally posted by Gerald Ross

I used to have a portable battery powered amp called the Crate Taxi. It had an injected molded plastic cabinet. Mine was the second generation Taxi. The first had a plywood cabinet (same size). By switching to plastic they cut about 33% of the weight without affecting the tone.

Interesting indeed. I use battery amps a lot since I play in the streets pretty often. My main amp for that is an old Maxi Mouse but my guitarist has a Taxi. I'd say it's one of the older ones since it is pretty heavy.

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If you can't hear the others you're too loud, if you can't hear yourself you've gone deaf