Fionn Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 (edited) I had a thought earlier, about attaching my amp-head to a pedalboard. I'm just wondering if any of you have considered this, have done it, or if you can think of any glaring reason why I should abandon the idea? My amp is a class-D head (GK MB500). It's super light, has a very small footprint, and is slimmer than the average effect pedal. In playing situations I rarely touch the settings on the amp. I'm currently only using 3 pedals, but that will very soon be 5. I'll need to invest in a pedal-board, the size of which will be determined by the outcome of this thought process. Pro's[list] [*]Everything that requires a power source would be in the same place (less faff). [*]The amp would be in the pedal-board case during transportation (better protection than my gig-bag). [*]My cab can tilt-back to 45 degree. I would be able to utilise this feature (better sound). [*]Don't need an additional cable running across the stage for my amp's boost channel footswitch. [*]Keeps things together, less bits all over the place, less cables (tidier/ less faff). [*]Quicker set up time (less faff). [/list] Con's[list] [*]Slightly bigger pedal-board than is strictly necessary (not an issue). [*]Pedal board would need to be modified to include a protective sleeve for the amp, to negate spillage/ impact danger (I can do that, no probs) [/list] I'm editing the pro's and con's as the discussion evolves. Edited January 27, 2014 by Fionn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keeponehandloose Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 not too keen on 240v /13amps in a puddle of beer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rOB Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 I've been wondering the same thing so will be watching this thread with interest. I suppose the main risk is that the amp gets kicked or spilled on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 You'd need a very long speaker cable made up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted January 26, 2014 Author Share Posted January 26, 2014 [quote name='Sean' timestamp='1390728150' post='2348573'] You'd need a very long speaker cable made up. [/quote] Sorted. I've got a 5m speaker cable in a box somewhere. Beer spillage would be a concern, sure ... but with hundreds of £'s worth of pedals on the pedal-board is it not a concern anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolo Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Your setup benefits from a short speaker cable, the amp will have to work too hard to push enough current through a long lead to drive the speakers. Resistance will skyrocket oversuch a lenght I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keeponehandloose Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 [quote name='Fionn' timestamp='1390738951' post='2348777'] Sorted. I've got a 5m speaker cable in a box somewhere. Beer spillage would be a concern, sure ... but with hundreds of £'s worth of pedals on the pedal-board is it not a concern anyway? [/quote] its not the £ I would be worried about , rather the electricity . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Pedals are usually made to be stood on. If you or another stage person accidentally stands on your amp, then the amp might not be strong enough to cope with the weight & could cause damage to your board, amp & person standing on it. If you build a board with a slot to protect the amp, that would reduce the risks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 [quote name='Bolo' timestamp='1390755940' post='2349072'] Your setup benefits from a short speaker cable, the amp will have to work too hard to push enough current through a long lead to drive the speakers. Resistance will skyrocket oversuch a lenght I think. [/quote] I think the speaker cable resistance would actually be pretty negligible: 2.5 sqmm cable is around 7.4 Ohms per kilometre, so 15 ohms for a round trip, so 0.15 ohm for 10 meters. [size=4]4 sqmm cable is around 9 ohms for a round trip of 1 kilometre, 0.09 ohms for 10 metres.[/size] [size=4]This is for standard industrial cable - super low oxygen copper is probably slightly less.[/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krysh Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 it's just not really practical and more dangerous in many ways. don't do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rOB Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Could someone explain in very simple layman's terms why having the head on the floor is dangerous? High voltage? Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil.i.stein Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 think i remember that Ant has/had his Pierce mounted on a pedalboard ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 [quote name='rOB' timestamp='1390796351' post='2349594'] Could someone explain in very simple layman's terms why having the head on the floor is dangerous? High voltage? Thanks in advance. [/quote] I'm wondering that too. All our extension leads are on the floor. Can't see it being any different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 (edited) [quote name='TimR' timestamp='1390807901' post='2349619'] I'm wondering that too. All our extension leads are on the floor. Can't see it being any different. [/quote] Mains leads and pedal power supplies are all fully insulated on the 240V side. The average small amp is full of nice holes that help to keep it cool but will also let in beer and other fluids. Edited January 27, 2014 by BigRedX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 (edited) OK, so the main issue would seem to be thus ... [quote name='keeponehandloose' timestamp='1390695236' post='2348467'] not too keen on 240v /13amps in a puddle of beer! [/quote] [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1390808051' post='2349621'] Mains leads and pedal power supplies are all fully insulated on the 240V side. The average small amp is full of nice holes that help to keep it cool but will also let in beer and other fluids. [/quote] Fair enough [quote name='krysh' timestamp='1390760943' post='2349175'] it's just not really practical and more dangerous in many ways. don't do it. [/quote] I believe that if a solution was found to the resultant danger of spillage, then it might be worthwhile. If you could expand on the many other ways in which you think it's dangerous, I'm keen to be informed as to what they are. In terms of practicality, having my amp on the board still seems [b]more[/b] practical. In my case, at least. As far as I see it, the pro's and con's in the OP stand. That said, I'm open to be convinced otherwise. [quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1390757798' post='2349111'] Pedals are usually made to be stood on. If you or another stage person accidentally stands on your amp, then the amp might not be strong enough to cope with the weight & could cause damage to your board, amp & person standing on it. If you build a board with a slot to protect the amp, that would reduce the risks. [/quote] Fair enough, again ... and there's a good solution, no? If I was to make a protective cover to go over the amp, it would protect the amp from being stood on or things falling on it (beer, mic-stands, whatever). I work metal most days of my life (I'm a silversmith), so I could very easily make something functional and appropriate. The amp is small enough that I could build a sleeve around it with a good 3 or 4cm of ventilation space. This could be made of something light and strong (3mm aluminium plate, maybe), rivetted onto the board. I'm still keen to hear valid reasons why this isn't a good idea, practically or otherwise. Edited January 27, 2014 by Fionn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Putting a protective sleeve around the amp is a good idea, but it still needs to be ventilated. These D-class amps tend to run pretty hot and have a fairly specific temperature operating window. The last thing you want is thermal cut out (or complete amp failure due to overheating) in the middle of your set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1390817827' post='2349737'] Putting a protective sleeve around the amp is a good idea, but it still needs to be ventilated. These D-class amps tend to run pretty hot and have a fairly specific temperature operating window. The last thing you want is thermal cut out (or complete amp failure due to overheating) in the middle of your set. [/quote] Aye, there is venting along one side of the amp, and a fan on the other. How much breathing space between the amp and the sleeve would you consider to be sufficient? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Why don't you make an angled tray for your amp to sit on top of your cab? A lip on the front to drop down over the front of the cab to stop the tray sliding backwards and a lip at the back to stop the amp sliding off the back of the tray. Someone probably already makes one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0175westwood29 Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 dnt really see what you gain from having the amp on the board still need power to your pedal board and you'll have your speaker cable running across the stage, id rather have a 10m guitar lead and get an extra extension lead andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 (edited) [quote name='0175westwood29' timestamp='1390825319' post='2349874'] dnt really see what you gain from having the amp on the board ... still need power to your pedal board ... and you'll have your speaker cable running across the stage [/quote] [list] [*]Look at the "pro's" in the OP. [*]Of course I still need to power the pedal board. Amp and pedal power supply plug directly into a 2 outlet socket on the board. I then only need to find 1 plug socket in any given venue or rehersal space, not 2 sockets in different places. That's less cables, and less faff again. [*]Absolutely, that's only 1 cable running across the stage. If my amp stays on top of my cab I'd have 4 cables running across the stage. (Instrument cable/ effects in/ effects out/ boost channel footswitch). [/list] It still seems wholly practical, tidy, and efficient. Edited January 27, 2014 by Fionn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 [quote name='TimR' timestamp='1390824656' post='2349857'] Why don't you make an angled tray for your amp to sit on top of your cab? A lip on the front to drop down over the front of the cab to stop the tray sliding backwards and a lip at the back to stop the amp sliding off the back of the tray. Someone probably already makes one. [/quote] Aye, I've racked my brain about possible solutions to that one. If my amp stays on top of the cab I'll make a wee removable hook system to keep it in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0175westwood29 Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 [quote name='Fionn' timestamp='1390831798' post='2349978'][list] [*]Look at the "pro's" in the OP. [*]Of course I still need to power the pedal board. Amp and pedal power supply plug directly into a 2 outlet socket on the board. I then only need to find 1 plug socket, not 2. That's less cables, and less faff. [*]Absolutely, that's only 1 cable running across the stage. If my amp stays on top of my cab I'd have 4 cables running across the stage. (Instrument cable/ effects in/ effects out/ boost channel footswitch). [/list] It still seems wholly practical, tidy, and efficient. [/quote] can kinda see if you use the effects loop, but id worry that if the speakon got damaged then its alot of work to get things going again. andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 [quote name='0175westwood29' timestamp='1390832812' post='2350000'] can kinda see if you use the effects loop, but id worry that if the speakon got damaged then its alot of work to get things going again. [/quote] Hmmm, aye that would be a consideration. I use a standard jack cable at the moment, and the 5m speaker cable that I've got is a a standard jack too. I'll get myself a speakon cable eventually. I'd have a back-up if the speakon cable was ever to get damaged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Really shouldn't be using a jack connecter on the speaker lead for amps rated over 100W. It's simply not robust enough IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurhenry Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Depending on how much fancy foot work is required in your set, is it possible to keep the pedalboard next to the amp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.gif.9ad672bb8b84505709f76b39c8c256ec.gif)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.