Why don't the mfr's make seperate amp heads?

Tony Palmer · Post by **Tony Palmer** » 5 Jun 2001 8:49 am

Everybody (including myself) complains about the heavy Session 500's, Twin Reverbs, even the Nash 400's.
Other than Webb amps, why aren't there more offerings of heavy amps split into seperate head/speaker combinations?
This seems like a no-brainer to me!!??!!

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 5 Jun 2001 9:06 am

They should at least come from the factory with wheels!

My Fender Twin has wheels.
I put it in the shop for a mod and had to use my Nash 400 (no wheels) last weekend.

After about 4 steps I remembered why I bought that hand cart (it now has 2 flat tires but I used it anyway).

Seriously though, from a "manufacturing cost" viewpoint, the "all in one cabinet" thing is probably a no brainer to them.
Oh well?!

Danny Bates · Post by **Danny Bates** » 5 Jun 2001 9:10 am

Evans Amps makes heads also.
http://www.evansamps.com/amps.html

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 5 Jun 2001 11:22 am

I seem to alternate between the minimalist rig -- smallest possible -- and my monster rig: a rack with a MosValve 500, Digitech 2112, digital reverb, stereo speakers, and the hernias that go with it.

When I blew the speaker in my late 70s Session 400 I had a cabinet built for the amp head and reverb tank and, from then on, THAT'S MY RIG. Sounds like a million bucks, I can use both 15 cabs if I need to move more air, and my guitar is the heaviest piece I need to haul. If I really want to get wild I can add a stomp box or two. Works great for me. The original cabinet is still in the basement and could be restored to stock in 1/2 hour (speaker's still blown, though

)

LTB[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 05 June 2001 at 12:28 PM.]

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 5 Jun 2001 12:37 pm

Tony, all 3 amps you mentioned are "old technology". I think things will be quite different very shortly. The Peavey Nashville 1000 is a good example of what can be done "on a diet", and when neodymium-magnet speakers become practical, we'll lose another 10 pounds!

Wheels and carts are fine...except on stairs and on soft ground.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 5 Jun 2001 1:48 pm

"Wheels and carts are fine...except on stairs and on soft ground."

You should have seen me crossing the lawn with my Nash 400 and Steel Seat on a hand cart with 2 flats last weekend!
Luckily (unbelievably) it didn't tip over... (I hate when that happens!)

[This message was edited by Pete Burak on 05 June 2001 at 02:48 PM.]

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 6 Jun 2001 4:10 am

Tony,
I took my Vegas 400 and did just what
you're talking about.......cut it in half.
The amp weighs about 85 lbs as one unit.
Separating speaker and brain you now have around two 40 lb units. Obviously much
more manageable.

The case for the amp I built is just made out
of some old 3/4 planks from my parent's old
kitchen cabinets. It has about 6-7 coats of
3lb Orange [amber] shellac and about the same number of coats of polyurethane. The coats were layered.

I had to put some kind of 'front' on, just below the control panel, so I used the same
stock and with a coping-type blade in a jigsaw and a 3/8 round-over router bit, I
lettered-out 'VEGAS 400'. Wired-in a 120V
outlet, and will use it to put in some kind of back-lighting.

When I added a recessed 'deck handle' to carry the case, it was important to first
fudge around with the amp balanced on a thin piece of plate steel in a vice to determine the balance point. Otherwise, because of the
weight of the transformer it would have been awkward carrying, without leveling it out.

This move sure made me a better person to be around.

FWIW...chipsahoy

Cliff Swanson · Post by **Cliff Swanson** » 6 Jun 2001 6:56 am

Tony,

A Fender Dual Showman or Dual Showman Reverb are the same amp circuit as a Fender Twin in a head-only configuration (a Showman is also similar but has 8 ohm output rather than 4 ohm). Some Forumites, including myself, have gone this route as a means of saving on the weight-per-item-hauled issue; as well as having some flexibility in choice of speaker configurations with different cabinets.

Cat

Jeremy Steele · Post by **Jeremy Steele** » 6 Jun 2001 7:09 am

Larry, I made my Session 400 into a head just for the reasons you cite. I found that having the reverb tank so close to the electronics of the amp introduced an annoying hum, which disappeared when I returned the amp to it's original configuration...wonder why you don't have this problem.[This message was edited by Jeremy Steele on 06 June 2001 at 08:11 AM.]

Jim Palenscar · Post by **Jim Palenscar** » 6 Jun 2001 8:33 pm

That's the very reason that I sold my '63 Fender Vibrasonic (with casters and handles) and got Gerry Walker's Stereo Steel rack mount rig. 13# and the weight of a speaker in a box. Best move I ever made.

Bill Crook · Post by **Bill Crook** » 7 Jun 2001 5:21 am

I have a "Nashville 400" in head cab.

It was made from the specs and drawings from John LeMay's web-site. Im not sure if the article is still there or not but cabinet turned out really good. I drive a pair of "Peavey" 112e speakers with it. And at times, often use only one of the 112e speaker cab.

The "Nashville 400" head can be seen at my web-page,sitting atop of a Sessions 400 Amp.
http://members.home.net/crookwf
[This message was edited by Bill Crook on 07 June 2001 at 06:24 AM.]

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 7 Jun 2001 5:33 am

Attn Bill:
The peavey 112E speakers are 4 ohms and if you are daisy chaining them together via the duel jacks in the back of the cab you are dropping the load down to 2 ohms. I checked with Mike Brown on this and you not suppose to run the Nashville head at 2 ohms. However, you can rewire the cabs so that the two 112E speakers run in Parrallel and that would create an 8 ohm load and make it a lot easier on the nashville head.

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Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 7 Jun 2001 5:52 am

The two four ohm speakers would have to be in series to get eight ohms. Very difficult to do in two separate cabinets.

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 7 Jun 2001 6:18 am

I found that having the reverb tank so close to the electronics of the amp introduced an annoying hum

Hi Jeremy-
Most of the time I don't use the tank reverb -- I prefer Digitech or Lexicon's digital reverb. But when I do, I haven't really noticed any unusual reverb noise. I assume you've cleaned all the connections -- other than that I don't have a clue.

LTB

Sam White R.I.P. · Post by **Sam White R.I.P.** » 10 Jun 2001 6:38 pm

A message to my teacher Tony Palmer.You will have to do like I did with my Nashville 400.I took the Head and the Reverb and made a small cabinet for them and I left the speaker as is.Now I can carry one in each hand and it is much better that way.I alls went to Wal-Mart and got a chrome baggage hand truck and I use that for the Steel,Pro Fex 2,seat pack and the two Amps.
Your student Sam White

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 10 Jun 2001 6:45 pm

* [This message was edited by Gene Jones on 06 May 2002 at 09:50 AM.]

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 10 Jun 2001 6:59 pm

I still own a fairly rare Session 400 head. I don't think made too many of them, but they did for a while in the '70's...

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 10 Jun 2001 9:53 pm

...weenies!

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 11 Jun 2001 2:53 am

* [This message was edited by Gene Jones on 06 May 2002 at 09:50 AM.]

George McLellan · Post by **George McLellan** » 11 Jun 2001 4:49 am

Rick Johnson makes cabinets for the spliting of these amps. His work is excellant and that is exactly what I'm going to do with my Session 500.

He's a Forumite also. Send him an e-mail for pictures of some of his work.

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SUAS U' PHIOB
Geo